A real relationship.
A future.
His love.
She truly didn’t know if any of that was possible for him, but she knew she’d have to tell him the truth tomorrow night. He had her heart. Now, she wanted his.
Forever.
Chapter Sixteen
Ben parked his truck in Christine’s driveway at seven the following evening to pick her up for her birthday party at Envy. After talking to Nathan earlier that morning and being relieved of duty as Christine’s security agent, he’d headed back to his apartment while she’d gone off to work—on her own and without him as a bodyguard. As it should be. As it would be from now on.
Switching off the engine, he closed his eyes for a moment and released a long, deep breath in hopes of bolstering his fortitude—along with the willpower to keep things between them fun and casual and amicable—and not letting himself cross that line into emotional, intimate territory once again.
It was just a matter of getting through tonight, then bringing Christine back home and putting a final end to their relationship, instead of dragging out an unavoidable break-up down the road. Which was why he’d never made her any promises he knew he wouldn’t be able to keep. Not only was he unwilling to risk his heart again, they were just too different to make it work for the long haul, their lifestyles so vastly opposite, and he refused to put them both through that kind of emotional upheaval.
With his plan firmly in mind, Ben headed up to the front of Christine’s house and knocked on the door. When she answered and he took one look at her alluring, head-turning outfit, he knew he was in for a long night of fighting the urge to touch and caress all that creamy bared flesh.
She was wearing a bright red, form-fitting cocktail dress with only two thin rhinestone straps holding up the sexy ensemble. While the slinky material clung to her curves, the hem of the dress ended in a flirty bit of ruffle that showcased her toned thighs and long, slender legs. He dared to look down at her feet and had to swallow back a groan when he saw the leopard print high heeled shoes she’d worn that first night she’d seduced him.
He glanced back up, saw the sinful smile on her lips, and knew she’d deliberately worn those pumps to tempt and tease him and make him think about all the ways he’d taken her while she’d worn those provocative shoes.
Then there was her glossy red lips he ached to taste, the upper swell of her breasts pushed up by the tight bodice of her dress, and all that thick, blonde hair of hers that she’d worn down tonight. The silky strands had been curled into soft waves and were tousled into a provocative disarray around her shoulders—once again making him recall how she looked after a night of sex, with her hair all disheveled from his hands and fingers. His groin throbbed at the erotic memories floating through his mind.
“So, what do you think?” She executed a little twirl on her high heels, presenting him with a front and back view of her sexy little dress. “Do I look like the birthday girl?”
He thought she looked gorgeous, classy, and so incredibly sophisticated compared to the casual black jeans and button up shirt he’d worn. He had no doubt that she would be the most beautiful, sensual woman at Envy tonight, and he had no idea how he was going to keep his hands off of her all evening long.
“I think that I’m going to have to keep a close eye on you tonight,” he replied with a grin, keeping things light between them. “You forget that Kevin and Jon are going to be there, and looking as hot as you do, I have no doubt that they’ll try and steal you away.”
“They can try, but it’s not going to happen.” Eyes sparkling happily, she splayed her hand on his chest and leaned in to softly, warmly, kiss his lips. “I’m all yours tonight, Ben. I wore this dress and these shoes for you, and you can just imagine what I’m wearing, or not wearing, beneath it all,” she said wickedly.
Ben didn’t allow his thoughts to travel down that path, because if he did he knew they’d never make it to Envy, and that went against the lecture he’d just given himself in his truck about keeping things platonic, and his hands to himself.
So, instead, he said, “We need to get going so we don’t arrive late.”
“Arriving late is fashionable. Didn’t you know that?” Laughing, she stepped back into the foyer, grabbed a small purse and a sweater that matched her dress then locked the front door behind her.
Minutes later they were in his truck, headed toward the night club and the birthday bash Craig had planned for her.
During the drive, Christine kept up a steady stream of conversation. She gave him an update on how her father was doing a day after losing the election, and assured him that Nathan was holding up much better than her mother was. She told him about her day at the office and her lunch with a client. She was clearly happy and excited and ready to celebrate her birthday with him and her friends.
When they arrived, the two of them were ushered to the VIP section of the night club, where the large, private room had been decorated with festive balloons and streamers, fragrant floral arrangements, and a huge banner wishing Christine a happy birthday. Already, a huge crowd of people were milling around, nearly filling the place to capacity.
As they walked inside, Craig came up to them and greeted Christine with a hello and an intimate smile. Ben was lucky enough to get a curt nod of acknowledgment that made it clear that the other man was annoyed that he was still around. Then, without asking, Craig pulled Christine into the center of the room to make an announcement, putting the spotlight on the two of them and leaving Ben standing alone on the sidelines.
“The birthday girl has arrived,” Craig announced into a cordless microphone, then cued the band to start playing the Happy Birthday song.
Everyone sang along, and after the tune ended, a shower of colorful, sparkling confetti rained down on everyone from above, causing the guests to clap and cheer, and the festivities to begin.
Craig pulled Christine into a hug that lasted longer than necessary, and Ben watched from across the room as she stiffened, then put her hand on Craig’s chest to push away from him as nicely as possible. It was clear that the other man’s embrace made Christine uncomfortable, but she’d handled the situation on her own, and seemingly without offending Craig.
“Who the hell is he?” a deep male voice asked.
Ben had been so intent on keeping an eye on Craig and Christine that he hadn’t seen Jon and Kevin walk up to him. It was nice to see a few familiar faces in a huge sea of people he didn’t recognize. “That’s Craig Crosby. He’s the one who’s throwing the party for Christine.”
Kevin crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the other man. “Yeah, well, I don’t like him.”
Ben chuckled at his friend’s intuitive reply. “Join the club.”
The three of them continued to watch Craig and Christine from afar. Every time she attempted to excuse herself and walk away from Craig, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back, trying to draw her into another round of conversation. As much as Ben wanted to go over to Craig and stake a claim on Christine, it just wasn’t his place to do so any more. As long as Craig wasn’t hurting her in any way physically, he’d let her handle the situation on her own.
“Do you want us to take care of him for you?” Kevin asked, sounding like an over-protective brother just itching to pound some flesh. “Rough him up a bit and make sure he understands that Christine is off limits?”
Unfortunately, that was part of the problem. “She’s not off limits,” Ben managed to say. As much as he hated to admit it, Christine was free to see and date whoever she wanted. Even if he didn’t like her choice.
Jon slanted him an incredulous look. “Oh, so you don’t mind if that slime ball puts his hands all over her?” he asked, doing nothing to disguise the sarcasm in her voice.
Oh, Ben minded all right. More than was prudent or wise. Especially when it came to Craig. “Christine is handling herself just fine.”
In fact, she’d finally managed to extricate herself from Craig’
s grasp and was heading back toward them, that provocative red dress and those leopard print high heels making his gut clench with desire. Her eyes lit up when she saw Jon and Kevin, and she greeted the both of them with a warm, affectionate hug that his friends enjoyed way too much—mainly to provoke him, Ben knew.
“I’m so glad you guys came,” she said sincerely. “Where’s Zach?”
“He had something else he needed to do tonight,” Kevin said vaguely. “But he did tell me to wish you a happy birthday.”
Christine smiled. “That was sweet of him.”
Ben guessed that Zach had decided not to come to the party because he still wasn’t ready to be around the temptation of alcohol that flowed so endlessly at a night club like this one. The man was still struggling with his addictions, and Ben understood and respected Zach’s decision. “Well, well, well,” a familiar female voice drawled mockingly. “If it isn’t the birthday girl holding court with her own little entourage of hunky males.”
Ben turned to see Leanne, who was wearing a pink strapless dress the color of Pepto-Bismol, and was carrying a frothy, frou-frou cocktail in the same matching fuchsia hue. By the glazed look in her eyes, she’d gotten an early start on her drinking and was more than a little buzzed.
“Hi, Ben,” she said, giving him a sultry smile before turning her attention to Jon and Kevin. “I don’t think we’ve ever met. Are you tonight’s entertainment?”
A comical look passed over Jon’s expression. “Excuse me?”
“Strippers,” she said, the word slurring ever-so-slightly as she eyed them appreciatively. “You two look like you could be strippers. You should know that I tip really well.”
Kevin laughed in amusement. “Honey, I only strip when I really, really like a woman. Not when one pays me to.”
“Oh.” Not certain what to make of his comment, Leanne scrunched up her nose, took a drink of the pink stuff in her glass, then moved on to someone else she knew.
As soon as the other woman was out of hearing range, Ben looked at Christine. “You invited her?”
“Good God, no!” Christine looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “I’m sure she invited herself. It’s fine, so long as she behaves herself and doesn’t cause a scene like she did the last time when she dumped her drink on me.”
Ben stared after Leanne, watching the way she worked the crowd at Christine’s party. “Yeah, well, I wouldn’t put it past her, so watch yourself around her.”
“Don’t worry,” Kevin chimed in. “Jon and I will keep Christine so busy out on the dance floor that there won’t be an opportunity for anyone to cause a scene but us.” He winked at her.
Christine laughed. “I can tell it’s going to be a fun night.” Her gaze slid to something behind Ben, then she smiled and waved. “There’s Madison, Ronnie and Mark. Let’s go join them.”
Once they reached the trio, introductions were made for Kevin and Jon. They dragged over a few more chairs, and the seven of them talked and laughed while enjoying the appetizers that were being served. Before long, Craig came up to their group, specifically to Christine, and told her there were some people he wanted her to meet—as in very important contacts for her business.
It was clear to Ben that she really didn’t want to go with Craig, but she wasn’t one to be rude, and she scooted back her chair and stood. “I’ll be right back.”
Except she didn’t return right away. Ben watched for the next half an hour as Craig monopolized her time, taking her from one person to the next to introduce her, and acting as though he was her date for the evening. Ben kept the two in sight, but now that he was no longer her bodyguard, there was no need to stay glued to her side, and he wasn’t going to intrude on what Craig had referred to as “business”.
Kevin had no such qualms. “I need a dance partner, and Christy looks like she could use a break from all that business stuff,” he said, and headed in her direction.
Seconds later, Kevin was leading Christine toward the dance floor. She looked relieved at the interruption and the chance to enjoy the music, while Craig glared at Kevin in annoyance for stealing Christine away. Leanne came up to Craig, clearly eager to pick up where Christine left off, but Crosby wasn’t interested and left her standing there with a pout on her face.
Knowing that he had nothing to worry about with Kevin dancing with Christine, Ben returned his attention to the conversation at the table.
The next few hours passed quickly. When Kevin and Jon weren’t keeping Christine busy out on the dance floor, a slew of friends stopped by the table they were sitting at to wish her a happy birthday. Craig managed to pull her away once more to blow out the candles on her birthday cake and to cut the first slice, but she returned right after with a plate holding a large piece of her cake.
Instead of taking the seat next to his, she surprised him by sitting down on his lap, the flirty hem of her dress rising much too high on her thighs. If that wasn’t enough to overload his senses and set him on fire, then the way she licked her glossy bottom lip did the trick.
Her eyes widened in mock innocence. “Oops. I forgot a fork.”
He recognized that shameless look in her eyes and knew he was in big trouble. After being good all night, Christine was suddenly turning bad. Very bad.
“I guess he’ll just have to feed it to you with his fingers,” Ronnie suggested, laughter in her voice.
Christine touched her fingers to his cheek, her oh-so-sweet smile concealing a more brazen plan. “You would do that for me, wouldn’t you, Ben?”
He hesitated, knowing where something like this could lead. Knowing, too, that she was deliberately taunting him, daring him to give into the desire arching between them. If he wasn’t trying so damned hard to keep things platonic tonight, it would have been fun to give in to her request. He was just about to tell her he’d go and get her a fork, but then Jon spoke and changed his mind.
“I’ll feed the cake to you, Christy,” Jon offered willingly, a gregarious smile on his lips.
“Like hell you will,” Ben muttered, just loud enough for his friend to hear, and laugh. Ben decided he could do this and not let it turn into a seductive game between them.
Breaking off a small corner of the cake, he brought it up to Christine’s parted lips, and she took the morsel from him, her tongue barely grazing the tips of his fingers. Another piece, and she ate it with delicate little bites in between moaning her appreciation for the taste. She even fed him a small portion of the moist, yellow cake.
The process was all very sweet and chaste… until he reached for a napkin to wipe the frosting off his fingers.
She grabbed his wrist to stop him. “You can’t waste the frosting,” she said, chastising him. “It’s the best part of the cake.”
Then she proceeded to lick the sticky buttercream from his fingers. Slowly. Leisurely. Using her tongue to swipe the sweetness from his skin, and her teeth to scrape the confection from the pad of his thumb. By the time she was done, he was grateful that she was sitting on his lap, because her brazen display had made him as hard as stone and he was certain she could feel his erection pressing against her hip.
As if Christine hadn’t just turned him inside out with wanting her, she struck up a conversation with her friends, giving his libido time to cool.
The upbeat song that the band was playing came to an end, and a slower melody began to fill the room. “I think we’ll wind things down for a little bit,” one of the band members said into the microphone as the lights were dimmed. “Let’s have the birthday girl pick someone special to dance with during this song, which is titled, Someone Like You.”
Christine looked down at him, her gaze adoring and filled with an emotion he refused to name. “That special person would be you,” she said, and stood, extending her hand toward him.
Ben didn’t dance. It just wasn’t his thing, which was why he didn’t mind when Kevin and Jon had fun with Christine as a partner. But this was different. This was more about a good bye for him, a
nd he just couldn’t pass up the chance to hold her close one last time.
Taking her hand, he led her to the dance floor and pulled her into his arms as the slow song played and the singer’s voice crooned the romantic lyrics. He placed a hand at the base of her spine, and she entwined her arms around his neck, aligning their bodies so that they were touching intimately from chest to thighs, and igniting sparks of heat with the slightest move they made. She rested her head on his shoulder with her lips grazing his neck, and he pressed his cheek to her soft, fragrant hair. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply, memorizing the scent of her skin, the soft, yielding press of her curves against his, and the way she curled into him so trustingly.
Letting her go tonight was going to kill him, even if it was the right thing to do.
After a while she pulled back and looked into his eyes, her fingers threading through the hair at the nape of his neck. Her beautiful expression was soft with reverence… and the undeniable glow of love. It was the latter emotion that completely and utterly slayed him. Uncaring of the fact that they were standing in the middle of a crowded dance floor, he lowered his head and kissed her.
One… last… time.
Her lips automatically parted beneath his, so soft and giving, just like the woman herself. Their tongues touched, mated seductively, and he tasted her desire, her escalating need. By the time the kiss ended, she was breathing hard, and he was already withdrawing emotionally, from her and their relationship.
“Take me home, Ben,” she whispered, wearing her own heart on her sleeve. “I want to be alone with you.”
He swallowed hard, unsure what to say to her but “Okay,” because he would be taking her home.
And then he was going to walk away.
Still out on the dance floor, Christine could feel Ben pulling back, retreating from all the feelings swirling between them, and knew that tonight she’d be fighting for the one thing she wanted most in her life.
Wilde for Him (A Wilde Series Novel) Page 24
