Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

B ennett’s chuckle rumbled through her body, the vibration echoing in her toes. Her legs were wrapped around his middle and his mouth was on her neck and all she could think was, thank God because she really needed this.

She needed out of her head and out of this new life just for a freaking second. She needed a break, a day off from everything. She needed to just … be . And at the moment, the best place to just be was underneath Bennett’s body. How had she not noticed how broad he was? How solid?

She was still reeling from him single-handedly wrestling her pillow top mattress down the stairs like it was his life’s mission and now the feel of him between her thighs, strong and sure, it seemed insane that she had ever underestimated Bennett Ellis.

‘Does anyone ever call you Ben?’ she asked, raking her fingers through his hair.

He raised his head, a half-smile on his lips. ‘Some people.’

‘Can I call you Ben?’

His smile grew. ‘Only if I get to call you a nickname.’ His answer was suspiciously fast, as though he’d already given this some thought. Had Bennett been thinking about her that much? As much as she’d been thinking about him? She liked that idea probably more than she should.

‘I don’t have any nicknames.’ She let her fingers trail across his shoulders and he shivered a little against her.

‘No nicknames, huh?’

‘Well, Chloe calls me Kiki, but that’s off-limits.’

He dipped his head again, kissing along her throat. She arched into him and he groaned, the sound rumbling through her.

‘Peaches,’ he murmured against her skin.

‘No way.’

He was grinning when he lifted his head again. ‘My little Georgia peach.’

‘Absolutely not.’ She hadn’t even told him about her traumatic pageant past and still he’d landed on that nickname. Wonderful.

‘It’s perfect.’ He ran his nose along her skin. ‘You’re sweet and soft just like a peach.’

‘And fuzzy and I bruise easily?’

He laughed and she was starting to like that sound a little too much, like she might want to hear it past today. Like she might want it in her life permanently.

‘Okay, point taken. I’ll work on it,’ he said, his smile softening. The glow of the fire and the candlelight flickering across the ceiling cast him in yellows and golds. His hair was disheveled, undone. His body was still wrapped around hers, warm and safe. She didn’t say it out loud but at this moment she felt like she would let Bennett call her pretty much anything.

She might even let him call her his . For today. For tonight. For as long as the storm lasted. Because that was what they agreed on. That was the only way this made sense. He lived in California and now, for better or worse, she lived here.

‘Kiss me,’ she said, the safest thing she could say. Bennett’s lips met hers without hesitation, without a second thought. She asked and he answered. She opened and he met her tongue with his. And then she was drowning in it, in this kiss, in Bennett. His breath was hers, his heartbeat matched her own, his body heat was seeping into her chilled bones. Had she ever been warm enough before this moment?

It was a kiss unlike any other. A kiss that left her melted into the mattress, a vaguely Kira-shaped puddle. She gasped, coming up for air and Bennett sucked and nipped at her neck as she breathed in and breathed out and clawed at his back and pulled him closer and arched against him and wanted more and more and more.

‘I want you naked,’ he rasped between kisses. ‘I can’t stop thinking about it. About you.’ He was just as frantic as she was, his mouth hot and insistent on hers, his hips moving against her like he couldn’t help himself.

‘Okay, yes,’ Kira panted, pushing against his chest. ‘I want that, too.’

He lifted off of her but then dipped again, kissing and nipping at her lips like he couldn’t stop. Kira felt the same way. She was dizzy with it, with this fire between them.

Finally tearing himself away, Bennett sat back on his heels. His breath was coming nearly as fast as hers, his cheeks flushed red. His hair stood up where Kira had been tugging on it. He looked wild. Nothing like the mild-mannered Clark Kent she’d met in her fields a couple of weeks ago. He looked debauched. And like he had a list of ways to do the same to her running through his mind.

‘You can’t stop thinking about me naked?’ she asked, sitting up to face him. She still couldn’t resist an opportunity to tease him. Just a little.

That new cocky smirk tipped the corner of his mouth. It was so different from the perfect toothed smile he’d given her at first. This one was secret. Bedroom Bennett. She liked it.

‘It’s becoming a problem, actually.’

‘Oh, yeah?’

‘Distracting.’

‘Poor Bennett.’

‘Take your clothes off, Peaches,’ he practically growled the command. Maybe she didn’t hate that name as much as she first thought. ‘Unless you want me to do it. You know how I love to help.’ The smile was downright wicked now. And Kira was starting to think that Nicole must have some sort of head injury because why on earth would you let go of a man who was so damn sweet out of bed and so damn hot in bed? Why would you walk away from that?

Well, it was her loss.

Kira smiled. ‘And you know I have to insist on doing things myself.’ She tugged the sweater over her head and tossed it aside. Unfortunately, she’d been freezing when she got dressed today so she had to pull off two more layers before she was finally in just her bra. The slight delay did nothing to put out the fire in Bennett’s gaze though.

‘Goddamn, Kira,’ he cursed and she liked that too. ‘Keep going.’ His voice was a husky rasp, and the sound of it licked across her bare skin.

‘I can’t reach the clasp.’

His gaze darkened.

‘Will you do it?’ she asked.

His hand was on her hip, tugging her closer before the question was even out of her mouth. ‘At your service,’ he whispered, his breath skating across her cheek as he leaned in, his hands reaching behind her back. Her eyes fluttered closed as each hook came free. Slowly, too slowly, his fingers trailed up to one strap, siding it down her shoulder. He took the other strap down too, letting the bra fall between them. And then he stopped.

Kira whimpered but he still didn’t touch her. They stayed locked like that, kneeling in front of each other, his lips brushing across her cheek. Kira thought she would combust. She breathed deep and her nipples brushed against the front of his shirt.

‘Bennett,’ she groaned.

‘Yes?’

‘Touch me.’

And like her words were magic, his hands were on her, tracing the lines of her curves. He cupped her breast, letting his thumb run lightly back and forth over her nipple. Kira ignited.

His forehead dropped to hers and her eyes closed. His touch was firm, confident like he knew exactly what he wanted to do to her, like he’d imagined it before. Heat pooled between Kira’s thighs. God, they’d barely done anything yet, but Bennett’s hand on her breast, his other clamped tight to her hip, holding her in place was already making her crazy for him. For more.

‘Take off the rest,’ he rumbled. ‘I want to see all of you.’

He pulled away, his gaze dark and hungry on her body. There didn’t seem to be a point to playing coy now; she wanted him just as badly as he wanted her. She slipped off her fleece-lined leggings and panties in one move. By the time she had her cozy socks off and was back to kneeling naked in front of Bennett, he was looking at her like a man destroyed, like she’d just ruined his entire life by taking her clothes off.

‘Kira,’ he said, squeezing his eyes shut and giving a quick shake of his head. When he reopened his eyes, they held her gaze. ‘I’ve never seen anything so beautiful in my life as you right now. You’re … you’re unreal.’

Kira swallowed the emotion rising hot and fast in her throat. She’d had men tell her she was sexy before or hot or even beautiful, but never like that. Never like Bennett. She tried a smile but her lips felt wobbly, her whole body felt wobbly, off kilter because of this sweet man’s words.

‘I’m real.’

She grabbed his big hand and put it back on her hip. His fingers flexed, digging into her flesh.

‘See,’ she whispered.

‘Yeah, I see.’ He tugged her close, his hand moving to grab her ass, the other buried in her hair. ‘You’re real and so gorgeous.’ He tipped her head and she could see the storm building in his eyes. A whimper escaped her lips and he smirked.

‘I’m going to spend the rest of the day taking care of you.’

And for once, Kira didn’t argue.

* * *

How was the real Kira even better than the one he’d made up in his head? Bennett wasn’t sure, but, holy shit, she was. All long limbs and glowing skin, he wanted to lick every damn inch of her. Maybe it was because he’d only ever seen her in layers of sweaters or bulky parkas or queen-size comforters, but the sight of her completely bare in front of him felt like a gift, a miracle. Like something he didn’t deserve and had no right to ask for but was so damn happy to receive.

‘Now you.’ Kira tugged at the bottom of his Henley. ‘I want to ogle you, too.’

He chuckled as he pulled the shirt over his head, loving that she hadn’t suddenly changed her personality just because they were about to have sex. He had a feeling that Kira would be Kira no matter where she landed or who she was with.

And that was refreshing as hell.

Kira ran her hands over his chest, a little purr of appreciation humming through her.

‘No wonder you’re never cold,’ she said, her fingers trailing across his chest hair. ‘You have fur,’ she said, with a teasing smile, and it didn’t feel anything like the summer Nicole convinced him to wax his chest and he’d nearly lost a nipple in the process. He wasn’t that hairy of a guy but he’d been self-conscious about it ever since. Not enough to let any woman come at him with hot wax again, but still.

It helped that she had leaned in again and ran her tongue along the edge of his ear after she said it.

‘You’re really hot,’ she whispered. ‘For a tech guy with a fixer complex.’

He ran his hand down her back, letting his palm coast over the perfect curve of her ass. He thought about giving it a little smack, but he squeezed it instead and pulled her closer. ‘And you’re really hot for a spoiled little rich girl with a heart of gold.’

Her laugh vibrated through him and he nearly joined in, but Kira’s fingers at his waistband stopped the laughter in his throat.

‘Now these,’ she murmured, her fingers following the trail of dark hair below his belt. His entire body shivered and she grinned. ‘Take your pants off for real this time.’

He didn’t hesitate. His hands replaced hers at his waistband and he quickly ditched the jeans he’d thrown in her drier just that morning. This morning already seemed like forever ago, this morning when he thought it would be best to stay away from Kira.

Ha! Now he was on his way to being as close to Kira as humanly possible and it felt exactly right . Maybe it was because there was no future here, no worries about what would happen next, or maybe it was because Kira was the most genuine person he’d met in a long time, but this moment felt like exactly where he was supposed to be.

And he was pretty sure that wasn’t just his cock talking.

Although it was currently straining against the front of his boxers like it couldn’t wait another damn minute.

Kira felt him through his boxers, her hand wrapping around him and he trembled again.

‘You are just one pleasant surprise after another,’ she said, that flirty smile on her face again. She stroked him, the fabric bunching beneath her fist, and pleasure shot through him, hot and urgent and aching. Bennett’s legs shook with the effort not to pounce and pin her to the mattress.

She grinned, like she knew exactly what he was thinking.

‘Don’t be nice,’ she whispered and Bennett’s restraint snapped.

She was under him, her hands pinned above her head before his brain could register what he was doing. She let out a breathy gasp, her cheeks pink and eyes wide.

‘You like that?’ he asked, his grip tightening on her wrists just slightly, just to see how into this she was. She whimpered, her breath short and fast. She was into it, but he needed to hear it. He needed her to tell him.

They barely knew each other.

He needed her permission to let loose. To be free with her.

‘Yes.’ She raised her head, capturing his mouth with hers. She bit his bottom lip and he growled, pinning her hips with his. ‘Yes, I like that. Don’t be gentle with me, Bennett. Don’t treat me like I’ll break.’

He held her gaze, feeling the fluttery pulse in her wrist against his palm. ‘Say stop and I will’

‘Okay.’

‘I mean it. At any time.’

‘I know you will.’

Her trust in him nearly did him in. He hadn’t felt that in a long time. Sex had been purely transactional lately, both parties were just there to get off. But this felt different. Even if it was just for today, it felt like they fit. His hands on Kira’s body just made sense in a way nothing had in a long time.

And now that he had her here, he wanted every inch of her.

He released her wrists, noticing the slight flicker of surprise in her eyes when he did, like she thought he would just pound into her without taking the time to experience every last thing about her. Like the way her back arched when he flicked his tongue over her nipple, one sweet peak and then the other. Or the way she moaned when he sucked it into his mouth. Like he would have missed out on the feel of her thighs beneath his fingers, or the hitch in her breath when he demanded she open her legs for him.

Like Bennett would have ever skipped tasting Kira, licking her until she was his new favorite flavor? Never.

There was no way in hell he was going to miss Kira moaning his name, her fingers clawing at his shoulders as he kissed her center, his tongue swirling around that sweet bundle of nerves that made her ankles dig into his back.

‘Ben … damn it … you’re good at that, too.’

He paused, looking up at her from his position between her thighs. ‘Does that bother you?’ he asked with a grin. Kira looked back at him over the long, golden expanse of her naked body.

She huffed. ‘A little,’ she pushed his head back down, ‘but keep going.’

He chuckled against her, the vibration causing another gasp from Kira. He licked and sucked, letting Kira’s words guide him.

‘Like that,’ she breathed. ‘Like … oh … like that but a little to the left … holy … shit … yes, right there.’ Her fingers dug into his scalp. ‘Don’t move,’ she breathed out the words, demanded he stay, begged him to stay right there. And he did. He stayed and licked and sucked and his fingers dug into the soft flesh of her ass, and he thrust his hips mindlessly into the mattress because he couldn’t help himself, because the higher Kira climbed the more turned on he got, and when she broke, trembling and babbling about how good he was, how sweet and hot and good , he nearly came all over the newly made bed.

‘Who are you?’ Kira was asking when he pulled away, resting his head on her still-shaking thigh. ‘I mean, really, where the hell did you come from?’

He couldn’t help his satisfied grin as he ran his hand idly up and down Kira’s side. Goosebumps pebbled her smooth skin.

‘Are you cold?’ he asked, already sitting, already grabbing a blanket from the couch.

‘Maybe, a little.’ Kira shrugged but he tugged the blanket harder from the bottom of the pile. It came loose and brought with it a small pink oval-shaped thing that landed on the mattress between them.

‘What’s this?’ he asked, but Kira was swatting his hand away and grabbing the little pink object.

‘Nothing.’

‘Nothing?’ he asked, raising an eyebrow like she had earlier to get him to spill his guts.

‘I’m not sure how you’ll feel about it, and I don’t want to ruin the moment,’ she said, holding her hands behind her back. The fact that she was still naked, and the position did very fantastic things to her breasts, only convinced him further that nothing she said next could possibly ruin the moment.

‘Try me.’

She held out her palm, the vaguely tear-shaped pink thing sitting on her hand. She pressed the side and it started to buzz.

‘It’s my vibrator.’

Bennett’s eyebrows rose. ‘You keep your vibrator in the living room?’

‘The living room is currently my bedroom so … yeah. And I didn’t realize it was lost somewhere in the couch. But I can just put it away…’

He grabbed her wrist before she could run off with the vibrator.

‘Don’t.’

‘Don’t?’

‘Don’t.’ He let the cocky grin return to his face. ‘I want to see you use it.’

The color rose in Kira’s cheeks as she processed his request. ‘You want to see me … use it?’

He nodded, the idea alone making him harder than he’d been in months. ‘I want to see you use this cute little pink device to get off.’

Kira swallowed, her gaze wide and dark on his face.

She didn’t bother answering, just laid back into the blankets he’d pulled onto the mattress and spread her legs. Holy shit.

Best. Snowstorm. Ever.

She brought the vibrator to her center and the image of a naked Kira in front of the fireplace pleasuring herself was sure to haunt him for the rest of his life.

* * *

Bennett was watching her like she was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen. Which was nice since he was currently the sexiest thing she had ever seen. He was kneeling on the mattress again, towering above her, his dark gaze never leaving her, but flicking from her face to her body to the device buzzing happily between her legs. The feel of it, of his appreciative stare, sent shivers down her body.

He’d shucked the boxers at some point and gave himself a few rough strokes as he watched her. His thick thighs trembled each time he did it and Kira licked her lips at the sight.

‘You are killing me,’ Ben groaned.

Kira smiled, moving the vibrator back and forth. She gasped, arching her back a little, suddenly wanting Bennett’s hands on her again. ‘You asked for it.’

He chuckled, low and deep, scratching a hand through the dark hair on his chest. ‘True. I did.’ He thrust into his hand again and Kira whimpered. She was close, but she wanted more.

‘You didn’t happen to bring a condom, did you?’

The cocky smirk returned. ‘I did.’

Kira couldn’t help her laugh, dropping her hand and her little buzzy friend to the side. ‘You came to my Christmas-tree farm with a condom in your pocket?’

‘Two. In my wallet.’

‘You cocky bastard.’

He let go of his erection to lean over her again, caging her in. ‘I tried to pretend I was going to stay away from you.’ His lips brushed over hers. ‘But I can’t.’ His nose ran along hers. ‘Don’t want to. I like you, Peaches.’

Kira swallowed.

‘Get the condom,’ she said, her voice somewhere between breathy and bossy. Bennett’s grin grew.

She only had about thirty seconds to think while he was up and fishing through the wallet he’d left on the coffee table while his jeans were in the drier. Only a mere thirty seconds to consider that she liked this man more than any other, maybe ever, and that he liked her and that this sex so far was off the charts and that inevitably it would suck when he left. Which he was going to do. And then she would be alone again, but somehow even more alone because she’d have the memory of this day to look back on and miss.

But then he was back, and he was big and warm and safe and it was hard to remember that he would leave and she would be sad. It was hard to remember that this whole thing was just for today.

It was hard to remember anything but Bennett.

‘Spread your legs for me,’ he rasped, and she did it, loving that he was taking charge again, that his big hands were digging into her hips, and that he had listened to her. He wasn’t treating her like she would break. He made her feel strong.

Instead, he pushed into her, both of them groaning when he did.

‘Goddamn, Kira,’ he growled. ‘You feel so damn good.’ He thrust into her again and again, and the heat from the fire and Bennett’s body coursed through her.

‘So do you,’ she purred. ‘So good.’

He paused, kissing her neck, his body pinning her to the mattress. ‘Where is it?’ he asked.

‘Where is what?’ What was he looking for? She already knew he didn’t need directions to the exact spot she needed him––

His hand fumbled around in the blankets next to them. ‘Here!’ He held up the forgotten vibrator in triumph. He put it in her hand. ‘Use it.’

He pushed away from her, angling her hips up with him. Shallow thrusts that she felt down to her toes.

‘Holy shit.’

He grinned. ‘I know. Now use it.’

She pressed the vibrator until it turned on and then held it to her clit while Ben kept thrusting and … she wasn’t a religious woman but was anyone else hearing a choir of angels singing?

‘Oh, God,’ she gasped, gripping tight to Ben’s forearm. ‘Oh. My. God.’

‘Yeah?’

‘Holy shit, yeah. Don’t stop.’

‘I wouldn’t dream of it.’

He kept going, his hips thrusting into hers, his fingers digging into her and the fact that he wasn’t at all intimated by the buzzy little robot in her hand just made the whole thing hotter. As it turned out, she had found some kind of magical sex unicorn in her fields.

Pleasure shot through her, a hot flash, so intense it almost felt like pain.

‘That’s right, just like that. Let it all go.’ Bennett’s words rained down on her overheated skin and she broke.

Sobbing and babbling, her orgasm tore through her like Bennett had performed some sort of sex exorcism, wringing every last bit of worry and stress from her body and replacing it with pleasure. She dropped the vibrator when she couldn’t take any more.

Bennett lowered her legs, leaning over her again, dropping kisses along her sweaty brow.

‘You okay, Peaches?’

She could barely nod, barely whimper, ‘Yes.’ Because that damn nickname was too sweet and she liked it far too much. This all was too much. She couldn’t. She shouldn’t. But he was there. Still there, kissing her and shushing her and telling her she was beautiful and perfect and it was all too good.

She didn’t deserve it. Any of it. But she wanted it.

Bennett was still moving inside her, gently, slowly as he kissed her.

Kira ran her hands down his back and he shivered. ‘I need you,’ he whispered, his voice rough. ‘Just a little more. I need you, Kira.’

She wrapped her legs around him, kissing him deep, nipping his bottom lip, giving him permission to go harder, to thrust into her until he came, too, with a fierce curse, his body trembling with the force of it.

He pressed his forehead to hers when it was over, her legs dropping to the bed.

‘Did I hurt you?’ he asked.

Kira shook her head, amazed that the first words out of his mouth were concern for her, but of course, they were. ‘No, I always cry during sex,’ she said, afraid of the emotions sweeping through her. Teasing was safer.

His low chuckle ghosted across her cheeks. ‘Okay.’ He dropped another kiss to her nose.

‘But that was better than sex with an asshole, I’ll give you that.’

He let that slow grin cross his face, and it was even sexier now that she knew it was warranted. ‘Glad to hear it, Peaches.’

‘We have not agreed on that nickname.’

‘Oh, right. I forgot’ One more kiss and he got up, braving the cold to deal with the condom. He came back cursing. ‘Goddamn, Kira. You need to raise the prices of those trees. You need that boiler now.’

She laughed, standing up to wrap a blanket around him. ‘Come on, let’s go take a nice, hot shower. The storm isn’t over yet.’

She threw a flirty wink over her shoulder on her way out of the living room, hoping she was covering the panic currently flooding her veins at the thought of all this ending as soon as the snow plows came rolling through.

She should have known this was another one of her bad ideas. Another example of her taking what she wanted and giving no thought to the consequences.

But at least this time, she’d be the only one to get hurt.