Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

I keep looking over at Bentley. We haven’t spent a night apart all week. I know she turned down my offer to move in with me, but she’s here every night anyway, so I think I still won on a technicality. I’ll take it. A win’s a win in corporate law, regardless of the circumstances.

I don’t know what I used to do to fill my time without her. I’m having the best sex of my life with this girl. And I like her fucking company. She’s so intelligent; her brains are just as gorgeous as her body.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asks.

“I like looking at beautiful things,” I tell her.

“Maybe you should just stand in front of a mirror all day then.”

“The reflection wouldn’t hold a flame to you, baby girl.”

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” she retorts.

“And I behold your beauty.”

“Smooth.” She laughs.

“I really do like having you here. Are you sure you don’t want some closet space?”

“I’m sure.”

“Is there something you’re waiting for? Before that answer changes to a yes?”

“Yes, but I’m scared if I tell you what it is, you’ll do something rash. So that, Mr Miller, is my secret to keep.”

I look at her, inspect every inch of her face. “You want a ring first,” I conclude with a nod.

Her mouth gapes open. “What? How…? No, I mean… how ?”

I hit the nail on the head. “You’re a good girl, Bentley. Of course you’d want a commitment first,” I say. I should have known. She’s the kind of good girl I’ve been going on dates with. Girls who don’t just drop their panties and choke on my cock. Except she does that also. She’s the whole fucking package.

“I can be naughty too,” she says, sliding off the sofa and falling to her knees.

I watch as she crawls over to me, settling herself between my legs. “Oh, I know you can.”

Her hands creep up my thighs. When they reach the waistband of my sweats, they slip inside, find my cock, and pull it out. “You know, I think I like not having to be good all the time with you.” Her tongue comes out and licks up the underside of my shaft while her palm clutches the base. Her other hand cups my balls, softly massaging them, as her lips close over my tip. Sucking but not taking my cock deeper.

I wrap her ponytail around my hand. “You’re fucking perfect in every way, Bentley,” I tell her. Her lips move down my shaft, then on to my balls. As she sucks one into her mouth, my head tips back. Holy fuck, this feels too fucking good. Her hand pumps my shaft as she sucks on my balls, giving each one just as much attention. “I’m going to come, baby girl,” I tell her. “Holy shit.” And just as I do, her lips close around my tip as she sucks me down her throat and swallows everything I give her. “Marry me,” I tell her, rather than ask.

She laughs as she licks my cock clean.

“I’m dead serious. I’ve never met anyone like you, Bentley. I want to keep you forever,” I admit.

“Well, usually people get married because they love each other, Nathan. Not because they have great sex.”

“Is great sex not the same thing as love?” I counter.

“No, it’s not.”

“How do you know? How does anyone really know if they’re in love?” I like her a lot. I never want to be apart from her.

“Um, I’m not sure.” She stands and plucks her phone from the coffee table. Pressing a finger to her lips, she dials someone and places the call on speaker.

“Hey, sweetheart.” An older woman’s voice comes through the receiver.

“Hey, Mum, I have a question. But when I ask it, you’re not allowed to ask me any follow-up questions, just answer,” Bentley instructs, and it takes effort for me not to laugh.

“Okay, what’s your question?”

“How did you know you were in love with Daddy?”

“Well, it wasn’t like a lightbulb went off or anything. I guess it was just the fact that he felt right. I didn’t want to be with anyone else. I wanted to spend all my spare time with him. We were inseparable, happy. And the sex was fantastic.”

“Ew, okay, that’s enough,” Bentley cuts in.

“Honey, you do know how you came to be in this world, don’t you? I’m sure we had that talk.”

“Yep, Mum, I got it. Thanks. We’ll talk later.”

“Bentley, wait!” her mum calls out at the last second, and Bentley pauses to listen. “Whoever this guy is, if he doesn’t make your stomach flutter, doesn’t make your heart skip a beat when you look at him… If he doesn’t make you feel like you can do anything, be anything with him, then he’s not the one for you.”

I lean back on the sofa, her words repeating in my head. If it was a list, Bentley would check off every one of those items. Am I in love with Bentley Johnson?

Holy shit, I think I might be.

“Okay, thanks, Mum.” Bentley cuts the call and stares at me. “I’m sorry. I should have asked someone else.”

“I think she’s right,” I tell her.

“You do?” Bentley’s brows furrow.

“Tell me, Bentley, how much does your stomach flutter when you see me?”

“Like a swarm of butterflies has taken up residence,” she says.

“And how often does your heart skip a beat?”

“More often than it should.”

“Do you feel like you can be and do anything when you’re with me?”

“Scarily so…” she whispers.

“I think we both know what’s happening here then.”

“What’s happening?”

“I’m indisputably in love with you. And you with me.” I smile.

“You are?”

“I am.”

“I am,” she says, her voice hushed by wonder. “Holy shit, I’m in love with my boss,” she exclaims.

“So, does this mean you’ll move in now?” I ask her.

She laughs, that full-belly kind of laugh. “No. But it does mean that I love you and maybe, just maybe, one day I might move in.”

“That’s good enough for me.” I pick her up, dropping her onto my lap. “I couldn’t ask for a better person to be in love with than you, Bentley Johnson.”

“I am pretty awesome.” She smiles.

“You are,” I agree before slamming my lips down onto hers.

Bentley’s asleep on the sofa. She passed out about halfway through the movie. I sent Xavier and Alistair a message, telling them that we needed to talk. They both replied they’d be here in ten.

Where the fuck are they that they’re so close by?

I look at Bentley. I probably should have waited until the morning. Until we were in the office. But when I have something on my mind, I’m like a dog with a bone. And it just can’t wait. Bending at the waist, I scoop her up and carry her to the bedroom. She stirs as I lay her down and pull the covers up. “Shh, go back to sleep, baby girl.”

“Are you coming to bed?” she asks.

“I can’t. Xavier and Alistair are on their way over,” I tell her.

Her eyes widen. “I should go,” she says.

“No, you shouldn’t. Just go back to sleep. I’ll join you as soon as I get rid of them. Promise.” I kiss her forehead.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive,” I tell her. “I love you.” I smile.

“Love you.”

The words I’ve never said to another woman flow out of me so effortlessly. It’s easy to tell Bentley that I love her, because it’s the truth. Now I just have to tell my partners I’ve been sleeping with an employee and have absolutely no intention of stopping. Ever. Bentley rolls over, tucking herself into the blankets as I look back into the room before softly closing the door.

The elevator rings and Xavier and Alistair walk in just as I’m making my way down the hall.

“What’s so important that you had us come here on a Sunday night?”

“Come in. Have a seat.” I motion them towards the sitting area. I’d usually take them right into the living room, but it’s a mess with Bentley’s shit sprawled everywhere. I’m definitely going to have to hire a cleaner when she moves in, because I don’t think she’s ever had to pick up after herself in her life. I like her mess though. I like that she’s comfortable here.

“Okay, are you dying?” Alistair asks.

“No.” I shake my head. “I’ve been seeing Bentley,” I tell them, ripping off the Band-Aid. They both look at each other and then back to me before they start laughing. “Shh, keep it down,” I hiss at them.

“Wait… She’s here?” Xavier whispers.

“Yes. She’s asleep.” I glance towards the hall that leads to the bedrooms.

“Okay, well, at least you’re not dying.” Alistair sighs.

“Um, thanks,” I say.

“We already knew,” Xavier adds.

“You did? Both of you?”

“Yep.” They answer at the same time.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because we trust you. We trust that if she weren’t the real deal, you wouldn’t be messing around with her.”

“She’s the real deal,” I confirm.

“Good. Now you just need to make sure you keep her happy, because I don’t want to lose her. That girl has so much potential. I have no doubt she’s going to be better than you,” Xavier says with a grin.

“She is,” I agree.

“All right, well, if that’s all, it’s late and some of us have work tomorrow.” Alistair stands and Xavier follows suit.

“Thank you,” I tell them.

“You’re going to need to talk to HR, declare your relationship, and all that,” Alistair reminds me. “And get a fucking prenup,” he adds.

“We’re not getting married.” Yet.

“Doesn’t matter. Women only have to live with you for a few months to be entitled to half of everything.”

I knew that. I know that. I would never ask Bentley for a fucking prenup though. “We’re not living together,” I tell him as they step into the lift.

“Yet. I give it four weeks. A thousand bucks says I’m right,” Alistair mumbles to Xavier.

“You’re on. I give it two weeks,” Xavier counters.

The doors shut and I shake my head. Trust my friends to bet on how long it takes me to convince Bentley to move in.

I walk back into the bedroom, undress, and climb into bed. Bentley rolls over. “They’re gone already?” she asks.

“Yeah.” I wrap my arms around her and pull her close.

“That was a quick visit. What was it about?”

“I told them we were going steady.” I grin.