by Taylor Berke
Sounds of their rough breathing filled the small, dark space as his thrusts lessened to gentle strokes as he kissed her tenderly. What the hell was it about her that made him lose it every time? He got scared and he fucked the shit out of her last week. He was so overjoyed with the news that he was going to be an uncle and he took her like an animal in the upstairs bathroom. Ben guessed that it was just another thing to figure out concerning his relationship with Lizzie. Why was it that every time he got emotional he felt the need to take Lizzie, gently, roughly, on the floor? He would figure it but not now though. He just savored the moment briefly as he ran his hands over her curves possessively. Lizzie Carmichael was his and he had just marked her again, as the evidence began to sensually drip from their joined bodies to prove it. The devil in him approved but the angel in him reminded him of his mistake yet again.
“Lizzie, honey, I’m sorry, baby. You looked so gorgeous in this dress and then you barely had anything on underneath it and well…” Ben stammered out his apology.
“Ugh men, why do you have to ruin the moment? I am fine, Ben, we will be more careful or abstain for another three weeks, honey. Don’t worry. I should worry. How will I face your family down there?” she whispered to him nervously.
“Trust me, no one is going to notice with all the celebrating going on and hell no, we aren’t going to abstain! I wouldn’t survive it with the way you look. Nope, we are just going to have use more caution for the remaining time until I can take you bareback again,” Ben said with authority. He grinned audaciously at her and continued. “Thank you, baby. Thank you for making me feel so good and for allowing me to have someone to share this with, someone special that is.” Ben stumbled through, trying to comfort her and share his feelings.
“If this is how you express yourself, Mr. Powell, please feel free to do it more often, okay,” Lizzie teased.
“Put your money where your mouth is, baby,” Ben returned as they walked hand in hand down the stairs. Lizzie gave him a naughty look as Billie launched herself at them. Hugging them in a tight embrace, she ran her eyes knowingly over Lizzie and with surprise shifted them to Ben, pulling on his shirt.
“Don’t let them see that bite mark! If they do, you and Ben are never going to live that one down, oops, sorry! Hormones!” Billie giggled as she skipped back over to Jackson.
Lizzie just sighed as she had a feeling that was going to be her catch phrase for the next nine months. She wondered if all Sunday dinners at the Powells’ were going to be this emotionally turbulent and this exciting.
Chapter Sixteen
A week had gone by. It was a whole week that had consisted of fantasy and frustration. Every morning, the sweetest face in the world was at her door to bring her to work. That same face peppered her with hungry kisses from the moment the door opened and continued until he walked her to the door of the café. It was that same face that picked her up at the end of the day looking like he couldn’t wait to be near her yet again. That face, the one that even without words was expressing his increasing delight at being in her presence, would light up as he spied her gathering her things. Lizzie would find herself enveloped with his comforting embrace, a feeling that was rapidly becoming an addiction.
The alien sensations of adoration, love, contentment, security, and trust were her new armor against everything that had ever caused her fear in her life. Every day she found these feelings being reinforced, contrary to her expectations that they would dissolve away, leaving her back in her prior state of vulnerability. Was she crazy to hope that someone, the special someone that she had been waiting for, was falling in love with little Ms. Carmichael? It was such a captivating dream, so sweet that she was afraid to dwell on it for fear that she was wrong or worse. What would she do if and when Ben decided that it was time for him to move on, that he had lost interest? Oh, he had interest at the moment all right since he hadn’t stopped touching her since last Sunday.
As she lay in her bed on Saturday morning, she recalled her “date” with Ben last night. A small argument had ensued last evening when he told her, not asked, but told her that the entire family and friends would be over Sunday to put a new roof on her house. He had nailed several tarps over her leaks that had become waterfalls during the storm that also took her car. Apparently that storm also took his sense of fairness, too, as he seemed to find it appropriate, now that they were intimate, to try to run roughshod over her life and her opinions. Well, not all the time and sometimes she actually felt herself almost, well, enjoying the feeling of being taken care of. It wasn’t that she couldn’t do it herself but had pleasure that someone else wanted to, something else that felt foreign to her. The small skirmish was over her concern of where the money for the roofing materials was magically appearing from and that everyone was giving up their free or not-so-free time. The Rugged Hill Ranch, the Green River Ranch, Wild Mustang Ranch, etc…they didn’t run by themselves so all the men were being inconvenienced, in her opinion. She didn’t want anyone to put any stress on anyone else to help her deal with what she felt was solely her problem.
Ben hadn’t answered her opinion, not in words, as usual. His eyes had taken on a darker shade of green as he had stalked her around the couch that she tried to keep between their bodies. In one smooth maneuver, he vaulted over the back of the furniture and almost soundlessly landed right in front of her, cutting off her escape. Damn all that ranch work that left him nimble and fit.
Lizzie sat there smiling at the memory of their “quarrel.” They should quarrel like that every darned day in her opinion.
“Ben, I can’t afford a new roof. I can’t afford the leaking one that I have got for heaven’s sake!” Lizzie craned her neck all the way back to try to look him in the eye.
Ben had looked bored and unconcerned with her tone. Instead, he seemed to get taller, if possible, and appeared more interested with the outline of her breasts in her blue silk shirt than the conversation.
“Ben! Are you listening to me? Focus please.” Lizzie tried to hold his attention on the subject.
“I am very focused, baby, on what is important,” he said, allowing his palm to plump up her right breast, as though measuring it. She shivered as she felt him lightly run his thumb over her beaded nub now pressing against the silk.
“But, Ben…” Lizzie tried again.
“No buts, baby. What is important is that your roof doesn’t cave in on your head. What is important is that you are mine to take care of, mine. Get it? What is the most important is you. You need to be safe, you need to not be stressed, and I need to make you feel what you make me feel inside. The roof will be taken care of on Sunday,” Ben finished with a sense of finality.
Lizzie, however, would not be easily deterred. “If you would just listen for a moment, Ben…”
“Lizzie, baby, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. What is it going to be?” Ben had evilly asked her as he cut her off. He looked amused and too darned cocky. Well, what else was new?
Lizzie had backed herself up a bit in an attempt at self-preservation. “I have a feeling, Ben, that either way it is going to end up being your way, right? It is all going to have the same outcome.”
All Ben had done was nod in his affirmation. Lizzie had let out a very unladylike sigh of resignation and allowed him to reach out for her with both of his long arms. Instead of crushing her to him, overpowering her will, making her melt under his dominant passion like he usually loved to do, he had gently allowed his hands to run down her arms. The caress had created tingles in its wake, probably as he had intended, causing her to immediately forget her anger at his arrogance and focus on the slow burn of desire he was igniting within her body. His fingers were moving slowly and deliberately down her silken skin, memorizing the texture. He had closed his eyes as though the touch of any part of her body was enough to give him the pleasure that was displayed on his face. She had felt his fingers twine with hers as his body lightly leaned over her frame. Ben inhaled her scent and rubbed his
smooth cheek along the nape of her neck which she had tilted to encourage his affection. Lizzie had felt his need as he continued to nuzzle her, much like she has seen his horse Cuff do to him. Lizzie smiled as she recalled the image, wondering if that man thought of her as another possession, like Cuff. Oh, who cared? He always made her feel so wanted, so loved and even the argument was because he had been trying to take care of her. They were hardly the actions of a man who didn’t care for her, as a person. She had lifted her head seeking his kiss, his brand, some intimate contact to satisfy her craving. He hadn’t denied her and lightly allowed his lips to roll over hers in a gentle caress. Ben had sipped and nipped at her lower lip while taking their joined hands and running them up her ribs and belly. He turned their hands so that her palms had been the ones flat against her curvaceous form and slid them until they rested just below her full breasts. His head had withdrawn just a fraction so he could gaze into her face, as though trying to gauge her reaction as he had used his intertwined finger to stroke over her distended nipples. Her breath had caught as the featherlight stimuli sent her core to quiver with pleasure rocketing to her thighs. She had noticed his face take a more serious, dark look as he withdrew one hand to undo her shorts. The act alone made her dampen her thong with excitement as he had deliberately allowed his fingers to make contact with the skin of her lower belly and outer mound. She had watched as he pulled that hand up briefly to lick his fingers and then slid them back down over her bare labia and clit. Her knees began to weaken with his covert attack of sexual intent. He had known how to shut her up but wasn’t going to make it easy for her.
She had felt a moment’s panic when he had withdrawn his hand again and sat carefully on her old couch, adjusting the evidence that proved that she affected him just as much as he did to her.
“Ben, did I do something wrong?” Lizzie whispered, unsure of why he pulled away.
He had a tightly controlled look on his face when he had said back to her, “No talking, baby. Just do as you are told. I am the one withholding our mutual satisfaction until I can take you the way I need to but until then, you will not suffer. Touch yourself. I want to watch you stroke yourself for me and me alone.”
Lizzie got the chills even as she was recalling this all from memory. She didn’t even hesitate to respond to his demand. In fact, she had lowered her head and looked at him from beneath her lashes, trying to drag him further under her spell. It definitely was working as she had watched the cool, dark façade begin to crumble as she ran her hands over her belly again and up to her breasts. She allowed her facial expression to convey her own enjoyment of her soft skin that contrasted completely with the masculine roughness that she so usually enjoyed while touching him. This time, she had enfolded an ample breast in each palm and massaged them firmly, forcing them up toward her chin. Lizzie repeated the motion that held him transfixed, while never disengaging her eyes from his. At his shift in position, she moved her hands over the top button of her silky short-sleeve blouse. With each button that she had slowly and sensuously undone, her eyes had held his, bonding them both in the moment. As the blouse edges had finally fallen apart, she let it flutter soundlessly to the ground.
“Please kneel for me, baby, right there.” Ben’s voice had sounded deep and full of heavy restraint.
Gracefully, Lizzie had fallen into the position that he seemed to crave and allowed herself to continue. Her courage had grown at that moment as she allowed him to study her standing there in only a lace bra that kept her breasts pushed to maximum cleavage. She knew that he loved her in this type of lingerie and had been adding pieces to her collection for moments like this that had been increasing in frequency. She took a deep breath, with her sultry lips parted while she had gently run her tongue over their soft surface. Ben had let out a low groan which pushed her on with her performance, the one that he had ordered her to do. Lizzie had run her hands to the snap holding the bra cups together and paused, lifting her eyes back to his, awaiting some sort of response to her delay.
As though on cue, Ben had immediately moved to force her to continue. “I didn’t tell you that you may stop, baby. Please, continue.”
The tone that he had used allowed for no refusal, nor was she inclined to give him one. She had wanted the pleasure that he was forcing on her and there was little that was going to prevent her from getting it. She unsnapped the clip and allowed the cups to separate, revealing her soft skin of the insides of her breasts to full advantage. She felt more sensual and desired at that moment than she had ever in her whole life. Ben’s eyes had glowed as she pushed her breasts up to her mouth as, keeping her eyes on his, she lightly licked the cleavage that was now within her reached. She had never tasted her own vanilla-flavored body cream and now understood what made Ben always want to taste her skin.
Ben had definitely not meant for himself to be simply an observer in this performance as she trembled in the lust being stoked as he had unzipped his jeans and pulled his thick length out into his waiting hand. In the position that he had sat in, it almost reached his belly button, reminding Lizzie of what it felt like to have that thick part of him thrusting against her womb. Cream had dripped onto her thighs as he, too, kept his gaze on her as she obeyed his commands.
With her breathing hitched, she had let both her hands, palms down, slither over her soft belly, around to the tops of both thighs and then back up to where they met her soaking pussy. Lizzie had let out a soft moan as she allowed her left palm to shift slowly back up to massage her breast while the fingers of her right began a pleasurable dance that had Ben squeezing his palm up and over his huge erection. Though several feet had them separated, they had been connected as one through the intimacy of their actions. Harsh breathing had filled the room as sounds, wet and rhythmic, sped them both on toward their mutual satisfaction.
Lizzie slid her fingers over and around her clit while pinching and pulling at her nipple, throwing her head back, breaking contact with Ben.
“Now, baby, come for me now,” Ben had commanded.
Her body had responded with immediate obedience as consuming rapture raced through her oversensitized body. She had wailed out in her orgasm as she writhed on her knees watching as Ben’s strokes on his cock became practically violent. He held her with his look as he face had contorted with his own intense release that spurted out in long, delicious streams over his ripped abdomen.
Without permission and with ragged breaths, she inched over to his open thighs and leaned into him, allowing her chest to be creamed with his seed. Ben had threaded his hands in her hair and pulled her face close, allowing their harsh breaths to mingle. They both held each other’s bodies meshed together with the evidence of their mutual satiation while they held on to the moment. Their gazes locked on each other. Passion was savored in the silent aftermath. In an unspoken communication, they had both known that they were of one mind. He was hers and she was his. Not for a short time, not after the feeling of oneness, the connection they had felt. They were evolving from being individuals into the spiritual bond that true lovers felt, a consuming confidence of love. Lizzie was sure that she had never felt this happy, this complete.
The memory of last night would forever be a cherished emotional and intimate moment in their developing relationship. She let out a sigh, one that she would probably give over and over again if their relationship progressed, as she allowed him to think he had won an argument.
“I guess I am getting my roof fixed tomorrow,” Lizzie said into the peaceful silence of her house. If he ended all their future fights in the manner that he had employed last night, she wouldn’t ever mind being the loser ever again.
Chapter Seventeen
“Who on earth is in all those trucks, Billie?” Lizzie looked to her best friend nervously. Billie was feeling well today and actually glowed with even more beauty than she naturally possessed. It was no wonder that half the men of the town practically tried to woo her when she first arrived. It had taken a man like Jackson to n
ot only woo but make her believe that a loving, passionate relationship was not just found in a dream. Perhaps it ran in the family as Ben had been doing nothing but putting in overtime, using his physical and emotional expression to demonstrate without words his feelings for her. Every day she was beginning to feel more and more secure with his every caress and each heated look of renewed hunger. What he couldn’t quite yet put into words, he validated convincingly with his appetite. The man was insatiable, thank goodness. Whether it was food or physicality, the man enjoyed himself. Lizzie gave a wry smile. She wasn’t going to complain about either. Both of Ben’s desires made her feel a sense of worth, value, pride, and most importantly, love.
Then why did she feel like she was going to kill that man at this moment.
“It is the ladies from the church, hon. You didn’t think that this ‘event’ was going to be wasted. Wait until you see what they are going to do,” Billie said with a smile in her voice that matched her face.
Lizzie whipped around. “What? What are they going to do? I feel embarrassed enough that Ben is making the men all do this. What are the matrons going to do?”
Billie started laughing and gave Lizzie a hug. “Why don’t I just let them explain? Oh, you are so wrong, by the way. Everyone loves you and wanted to be here, even Theodore Davis. However, Ben took him aside and explained to him that it wasn’t really good for his health if he showed up. He said something about the roof being steep and people having a tendency to fall off. I pretended not to hear that. That disgusting man looked pretty darned convinced that Ben could make an accident a distinct possibility. Anyway, it is way more funny coming out of Millie Braxton or Mabel Winston’s mouth. Oh look, even Thea is here. Your roof raising is only bringing out the finest of people, Lizzie.”
