CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

A nna pushed her clothes back and forth on the hangers, making that annoying scratching sound. She wanted her green dress. The one with pockets.

It was her favorite.

She leaned down into the bag of things Oliver and Ben had taken from the castle and checked in there again. Nothing.

Ugh.

It wasn’t a big deal, but...okay, fine, she was standing in her nicest pair of white bra and panties hoping the damn sexy vampire would come out of the bathroom.

What was he doing in there? Clearly not primping himself for her. He had just lifted her up and moved her away.

Ben was the most confusing and gorgeous— dammit, focus, Anna —male she had ever met.

Not that she wasn’t keeping her distance. She was. She had to. She couldn’t trust him.

She couldn’t trust herself around him.

He. Had. Kidnapped. Her.

So why was her body craving him?

When she hadn’t been able to sleep, Anna had popped out into the living room and lain down for a few minutes near him. Okay, hours. Okay, right up against him.

Dammit.

She hated how safe she felt with him one minute, then as soon as her mind started up, it told her to stop trusting him.

Why was he so hell-bent on protecting her when he didn’t seem to even want her anyway? It was a hell of an effort to go to for a female you had taken to bed—or in their case, a gym changing room—once.

Ugh. Confusing.

So, no green dress. Fine. Anna eyed a pair of denim overalls. She pulled them off the hanger and up her legs. T-shirt? Where was her little green T-shirt that went under it? Could they not have kidnapped her with a few of her green clothing items? What did they have against green?

Shit.

She heard the door unlock and lifted the straps over her arms quickly.

“Hey,” Anna said quickly. “I’ll just get out of your way.”

She grabbed the phone Ben had given her last night and started to walk out.

“What the hell, Anna?” Ben growled and clutched her waist as she tried to pass him. “You are not leaving the room wearing that.”

He lifted her against his hip and carried her toward the wardrobe.

“Would you put me down!” She slapped at his arm. “Ben, put me down!”

He did and stood with his hands on his towel-clad hips, glaring at her. “God, Anna, you have been in here close to seventy-five million years, and you’re only half dressed. Put something on under those damn things.”

Anna stared at him. “What are you talking about?”

Ben pressed his fingers to his closed eyes. “Get dressed.” He turned to walk away, and she grabbed his arm.

Ben froze.

“I need—” she started.

He spun around. “What do you need, Anna?”

She needed to feel his arms around her. She needed to feel wanted by him. She needed to belong somewhere. Some- fucking-where! And for some damn reason, in Ben’s arms was where she felt safe. Beyond any sane reason.

That was the only thing she knew.

She just didn’t know how to tell him that.

Ben’s eyes never left hers as he closed the distance and pressed her against the wall. “I’m not messing about, Anna. If you need me to stop, you need to say so right now.”

Her body began to tremble. “No.”

“You sure?”

She nodded.

His mouth slammed down on hers, and she opened up to him. Ben scooped her leg up and wrapped her body around his huge one. He pressed into her core as his tongue commanded hers.

This wasn’t like their first time. The need was greater, the fire hotter, and now Anna knew his body in a more intimate way. But it felt like it went beyond just their bodies, and that both excited her and terrified her.

Ben unclipped her overalls and ripped them off. Releasing her lips, he took two steps and lowered her onto the bed.

Anna’s legs fell open as he leaned over her.

“One more chance to say no.” His voice was husky as he began kissing down her neck and across her collarbones.

Anna simply watched his eyes as he continued making his way down her body, his hand already widening the space between her thighs.

“I need your words, baby. Tell me,” Ben repeated.

This was slower, more intentional than last time, and she was nervous. Ben was gorgeous, his shoulders so wide compared to her frame, his blue eyes bright and desirous. She began to wonder if she could please such a male.

His fingers outlined her panties—at least she’d worn the good stuff—and his mouth lowered over the fabric. “Anna.”

She groaned.

“Is that a yes?” he asked, and she could hear the smile in his voice as he removed her panties. “If it’s a yes, widen these legs for me, baby.”

“Oh God, yes,” she cried, feeling bare and vulnerable. Her body was now trembling like she was a damn virgin.

“God,” he exclaimed and blew on her flesh. “Such a fucking gorgeous pussy.”

Heat flared through Anna’s body, her nipples now hard peaks as Ben’s tongue lapped at her in one long lick, and then circled her clit. She arched into his mouth, but his strong hands held her in place. As his tongue continued its expert work, his fingers made their way to her core and began to fill her. One, then two, then three.

“So fucking tight, baby,” he groaned. “I want you dripping before I enter you. I want to hear you cry out my name.”

Anna’s body flared to life with every word. She arched her back, needing him everywhere.

“Ben, God, please.”

“That’s it. Tighten around my fingers and let them fuck you,” he encouraged as his tongue began to flick fast on her clit. Then he stopped and slapped it.

Anna’s body roared.

“Oh, your pussy likes that,” he teased, lapping at the juices escaping her. “Squeeze your nipples, Anna.”

Her hands did as they were instructed with pleasure. Her breasts were feeling in need of attention.

“Hard, baby, I want to see you rub them in between your fingers,” Ben said. In and out his fingers fucked her as he sucked and slapped, the intensity building. “Good girl, that’s it. I’m fucking you with my hands and mouth. Is that what you need?”

Jesus.

“Come on my face, Anna, that’s my girl, and then I will give you my cock.”

Powerful arousal took over all her senses. Anna arched off the bed and screamed his name.

“Ben, arrghh, fuck.”

Anna slowly came down from her orgasm and opened her eyes to find Ben leaning over her, stroking his cock. “We’re not finished, sunshine.”

Neither was she.

She gave him a smile and he grinned, dropping his lips to her. Anna could taste herself on him, and by the glint in his eyes, he knew.

“I want your mouth on me, but I want to be inside you more,” Ben said, dropping another kiss. “On your hands and knees for me, baby.”

Ben scooped her up and over, guiding her hands to the top of the headboard. “They stay up here.”

“Okay, fuck, just get inside me,” she cried.

His cock pressed into the space between her legs after he’d positioned her how he wanted her. The hard tip slid past her rear, and finally pressed easily inside her.

They both groaned loudly.

“Fuck, Anna,” Ben cried. “Fuck, you feel way too fucking good.”

She grinned at all his cursing.

It felt amazing to be so desired by such a gorgeous male. He was big, swamping her body inside and outside. She loved the way his big hands and arms touched her, held her, and caressed her. Anna wondered if he was even aware of the way his hands gripped her hips right now, but his thumb was rubbing back and forth.

Then he began to thrust. In and out, long and deep, sliding against the sensitive walls inside her. Anna pressed back into him, wanting to feel every inch of him. She clenched around him, and he moaned in pleasure.

His hand slid around her to take her breasts, and then he found her clit, rubbing as her arousal built again.

“Fuck, I’m trying to last, Anna; tell me you are ready,” he cried.

“Yes, God, yes,” she said, knowing as soon as she felt him come, she would too.

Ben swelled inside her as he crashed into her faster. Once, twice, and then he exploded.

Falling on top of her, Ben wrapped his arms around her waist and began to kiss her neck. “Jesus, Anna. I can’t get enough of you.”

She let out a little laugh.

He brought them down to the bed and turned her, cupping her face. “You good?”

She nodded. “Do I not look okay?”

He kissed her lips more gently. “You look fucking gorgeous.”

They lay gently kissing, licking, nipping, touching, and revealing in each other’s bodies, and it struck Anna that Ben would soon leave. A tightness crept its way through her heart. One already aching with loss.

Anna couldn’t let Ben mean too much to her. She didn’t have anything much left of herself to give. His protection, she would accept. It was all he was offering, in any case.

Her heart, she would keep locked up, and when she returned to the castle, she would speak to Sofia about moving her belongings into a permanent room. If they would have her. She no longer had a family, and it was time to start a new life.

Without her parents.

Without the male staring at her as if she was important to him.

They both knew it was temporary.