Mustard on Top

by Wanda Degolier

  She slid both her hands around the back of Ben’s neck then entwined her fingers to hold him in a backward semi-hug. Ben cupped her taut breasts, as he kissed her temple. His hot breath brushed her sensitive ears, and a deep ache pooled between her legs. As Ben nibbled her neck, his thumb and finger gently squeezed her erect nipples eliciting an unbidden groan.

  Helen leaned in to him then twisted in his arms to face him. Their mouths met, and the kiss exploded into fiery passion. Helen coiled both arms and one leg around him as hot water pelted her.

  Ben broke away. Bending over, he twisted the faucets off before sliding an arm under her knees. The other encircled her waist.

  “What are you—” Helen screeched as he lifted her, laughing, she flung her arms around his neck.

  “Hold on.” He stepped out of the tub and onto the floor taking her with him.

  “This carrying me around issue you have is caveman-ish.”

  “My woman,” Ben grunted, making her laugh.

  He carried her to the bed where he lay her down. Goosebumps rose on her cool, wet skin. “Oooo! It’s cold!”

  “Not for long.” Ben moved to the foot of the bed.

  Helen considered scampering beneath the blankets when he crawled on the bed and reached for her ankles. When he lifted them onto his shoulders, Helen bit her lip. She had an idea of his plans, and her fragile confidence wavered. Kenny had tried the same a few times with poor results. Helen believed she was at fault.

  Ben trailed his tongue up her inner thigh tickling and titillating her, and Helen let out a nervous giggle. His hand snaked between her thighs and his fingertips spread her sensitive folds. Worried she couldn’t respond correctly, Helen tensed.

  Ben lowered his face, and the slightest heat warmed the teeniest spot. The dab of titillation was feather light. She focused on the sensation, and it became more intense. What is he doing? she wondered and glanced up. Ben’s face was buried between her thighs, and his outstretched tongue jiggled.

  His gentle request was nothing like Kenny’s ferocious attacks in the past. He’d overwhelmed her; this was less insistent, more of a gentle invitation. Ben coaxed her into wanting more pressure. She lifted her hips, pressing into Ben’s tongue. He adjusted his position accordingly, obviously intent on continuing the mind-numbing tickle. “Oh.” Helen gyrated, hoping to get more pressure. He sucked her parts into his mouth, “Oh my,” Helen said in shocked pleasure.

  When Ben slid a finger inside her and began wiggling it, Helen involuntarily bucked. The crazy ache inside her grew. Ben slid another finger inside as he released her clit. He slid open the folds of her labia before running his tongue over her, and the maddening tingle began anew.

  Helen had climaxed precious few times in her life, but was aware that one was building. She only hoped—now she was on the verge of praying—that Ben could continue his perfect assault on her senses, because he seemed to know her body better than she did.

  Her whole body tensed as Ben slowly eased her closer to climax. Teetering on the brink, she bucked and jerked as Ben changed the angle of his mouth or fingers.

  She needed him to put an end to her mind-numbing ache. “Please,” she managed.

  Ben seemed to understand because he increased the pressure with his tongue and his fingers increased in speed. “Oooohhh.” Helen’s body writhed as her orgasm built. She released on a guttural moan as her body quivered in a way she’d never experienced. To her surprise, Ben continued to pulse and suck and lick, extending her orgasm in a way she hadn’t even known possible.

  Helen inhaled long, heavy gulps of air. “Oh my.” Ben had stopped wiggling his fingers and flicking his tongue, but he hadn’t changed position. Helen pushed onto her elbows and looked at Ben. “What,” she breathed several times, “are you still doing down there.”

  “Waiting.”

  “For?”

  Ben chuckled. “You’ll see.”

  The effort of holding her head up proved too great and she dropped back on the bed. Something warm brush across her sensitive vulva. She glanced down. Ben was blowing on her as if she were a birthday candle. She smiled at the pleasant sensation. “You’ve got all sorts of tricks.”

  Slowly, Ben urged her body toward the precipice again. Within a few minutes, Helen found herself dizzy with arousal. She repeated “Oh my, oh my.” until the next orgasm hit.

  Her clit became supersensitive, and Helen slapped her hand over it. “Stop. No more.” Ben pulled away. Helen heaved and breathlessly intoned, “Oh my. Oh boy. Oh my.” She wished she’d stop repeating herself and dug into her brain looking for something intelligent. “Oh man. Wow. Man.” Feeling goofy, she decided to shut up until oxygen returned to her brain. Her other senses slowly came back. Ben got up, and Helen lolled her head to the side to watch him walk to the bathroom.

  She managed to roll onto her side to get a better view. When Ben returned, he leaned over her, giving her a kiss. Helen wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and held him a moment before letting go. She heard the crackle of a wrapper. Deftly, Ben slipped on a condom.

  “I should have done that for you.”

  “That’s okay.” Ben turned.

  Helen smiled, lying on her back as Ben straddled her. His cock, now covered in milk-colored latex, hovered over her belly. Helen reached down and squeezed it.

  Ben groaned. “You have no idea what you do to me.”

  He lowered until the tip of his penis brushed her folds. She wanted him inside and spread her legs wider. She grasped his hips and pulled until the tip of his penis pushed into her. Ben’s eyes closed, and the corners of his mouth lifted. Helen thought he meant to tease her again. “Ben, please—” Helen bit her lip “—do it!”

  “God woman.” His voice was thick as he thrust inside her.

  “Yes.” Helen gushed and wondered where this vocal woman had come from. Clutching his hips, she moved with him, meeting his every drive with one of her own. They found a rhythm. Helen built toward another climax.

  “Oh my. Oooh my.” Helen reached her pre-climax tremble. Her words morphed into moans and grew louder in tone and volume. She’d never come three times in one night. In a perfect moment, the heavens opened up and blessed her parts. Her core exploded into waves of color and texture that reached up to her vocal cords.

  She screamed as Ben growled out his release. Ben jerked with aftershocks. Finally, their breathing slowed, and he flopped next to her on the bed.

  “Oh my,” Ben said, and they both laughed.

  “I’ve never screamed before, I don’t know what happened tonight.”

  Ben rubbed her hip. “You were perfect.”

  She rolled into his arms, laying her head on his chest. “I can hear your heart beat.”

  “It’s beating in time with yours.”

  “Charmer.” Helen slapped his chest.

  She didn’t want to fall asleep gooey, besides she had to pee. “I’ll be right back.” She lumbered from the bed and looked back.

  “Ben.”

  “What?”

  “You still have your socks on.”

  “Huh?” Ben lifted his leg and chuckled. “See what a distraction you are?” Bending his knee, he stuck his thumb inside one and yanked it off. The wet sock hit the floor with a wet plop. The other sock met the same fate.

  When Helen returned, Ben was under the blankets. He held them up inviting her in. She crawled inside and settled into his arms.

  “That was amazing,” Ben said. “You are amazing.”

  “Get out of town. I laid there like a slug.”

  “No. Noooo.”

  Helen yawned. “You’re the perfect pillow.”

  “That’s not a compliment.”

  Helen laughed. “Do you think we should go back home to check on Jeremy?”

  “He’s through his withdrawals, he’ll be okay.” Ben’s tone turned serious. “I put the cement block in some sand, so now he can at least pivot. He can reach the toilet and the sink, so I think he’ll be fine. Besides, unt
il we get rid of those flowers, I’m not sure you’ll be safe.”

  “Maybe.” Warm and sated, Helen closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

  Chapter 14

  Helen blinked awake. The clock radio on the bed stand read 3:41 a.m. For the second time in two days, Helen had awoken with Ben beside her. Light trickled into the room from the bathroom reflecting off the marble floors. It would be a luxury to leave the bed unmade and the sheets unwashed. A respite from real life. Memories of love making flooded Helen’s thoughts. She’d been ignorant about her own body and was grateful to be enlightened.

  She tried to fall back to sleep, but her mind refused. The riddle of the cards plagued her. A sleepless half hour had passed before Helen crept from bed, collected her purse, and retreated to the bathroom. She sat on the cold floor wrapped in a towel and took the cards from her purse. After putting them in numerical order, she read:

  Forty-five represents the number of seconds it took me to realize I love you. I can see clearly in my mind’s eye, how everything aligned, so that we may be together. The tangled line was simply one more sign. We have been chosen to fulfill a great fate. I have known this time would come for many years. Do not forsake fate, my love. It’s destiny that we be together. Marry me and make my life complete. Seth.

  Helen felt queasy. She wasn’t surprised Seth assumed he’d been chosen by some higher power to fulfill a certain fate. The man’s ego could fill a warehouse, but his belief she was supposed to be his partner for the ride was disturbing. She scooped up the cards when there came a knock at the door.

  “Everything okay?” Ben asked.

  “Fine.”

  “I can’t sleep either. May I come in?”

  Helen suspected he knew what she was doing. “In a second.” She shoved the cards in her purse then stood. “Come in.”

  Ben opened the door. Worry lines creased his forehead. “May I read the cards?”

  Helen didn’t want to involve him in yet another problem, but she’d learned he wasn’t easily thwarted. Indecision plagued her. When she didn’t answer, Ben reached out and tugged at her purse. “Please.”

  Helen released a breath and let go.

  “Thank you. Seth gives me the creeps. I don’t trust him,” Ben said.

  Naked, Ben read the cards once quietly then again out loud. Hearing the words spoken, felt like a slap in the face, and Helen squeezed at the headache forming between her eyes. She’d seen the signs of Seth’s affection for years, but chalked it up to the fact she was about the only woman in Nalley he hadn’t slept with.

  “You need to stay away from him.” Ben sounded like a father reprimanding an ill-behaved child.

  “Give me a break. You can’t ramble into Nalley and start giving me orders. You won’t even be here in another week.”

  “Get a restraining order.”

  “Based on what? He hasn’t done anything.”

  “Take these weird-ass cards to a shrink, and get an expert to tell the police the guy is cracked.”

  Helen planted a fist on her hip. Seth was cracked, sure, but dangerous? She recalled Humphrey’s beating. Probably dangerous, too. Even if she had a restraining order, would that stop Seth? “I think you’re overreacting.”

  “Come back with me to Chicago.”

  Ben issued more crazy statements than her credit card company. “What?”

  “The way you are, you need a man around.”

  “What do you mean, ‘the way I am?’”

  “Trusting, nice. Your disposition leaves you…” He seemed to struggle for the word. “Vulnerable.”

  Helen threw her hands in the air. “Oh, brother. I choose to see the best rather than the worst in people, so what.”

  “Come and live with me in Chicago. I’ll keep you safe.”

  “If you haven’t noticed, I have a life here. I know it’s hard to believe, but I have managed to stay safe all these years without your help.” Her anger grew. “Not to mention, Theo is here. I’ve got a thriving—no—more than thriving business.”

  Ben frowned. “I’m serious. You would get the chance to experience another place.”

  “Chicago?” she said the city’s name as if it were synonymous with Hell. “Sorry, but no.”

  “You wouldn’t have to work.” He splayed his arms wide for emphasis. “You could go back to college or relax for the first time in your life.”

  “You think I need to be taken care of.” Helen shook her head. “I don’t care about your money and furthermore I don’t need you. Neither does Theo.”

  “Yes you do.”

  Helen groaned. “You’re wrong.”

  “Consider the messes you’ve been in just since I’ve been here.”

  Helen narrowed her eyes. “I can’t believe I slept with you. Your ego is as big as Seth’s. Take me home.”

  “It’s four in the morning.”

  “Good. It’ll be light traffic.” Helen grabbed her pants and underwear off the floor and began putting them on.

  “I am not driving home right now. We both need to sleep. Come back to bed. We can discuss this like rational human beings in the morning.”

  Ben’s gaze was one reserved for bratty toddlers. Helen stuffed her bra in her back pocket, and pulled on her T-shirt. “I’ll get home without you then.”

  When she tried to charge past him, Ben caught her around the waist. “Give me a second to get dressed. I’ll drive you.”

  Helen wriggled free. She hadn’t relished the idea of finding alternate transportation, but was prepared to take a taxi if necessary. She flipped on a light. Ben’s wet socks lying on the floor caught her eye and a pang of regret welled inside her. Whether she regretted sleeping with him or the fight, she wasn’t sure.

  The inky black sky mirrored Ben’s mood. The only people on the roads are overtired truckers, Ben thought as he jammed his key into the ignition. He was beyond annoyed.

  In typical Helen-fashion, she’d acted impetuously. Now they sat less than a foot apart and were forced to deal with each other for the two-hour drive ahead of them. With her arms crossed over her chest, her face angled down, and a pair of sunglasses over her eyes, Helen reminded him of a sulking teenager, only more charming.

  Smelling the shampoo and soap he’d rubbed all over her, diffused his anger. “There’s no sun right now.” Ben broke the silence.

  “Huh?”

  “There’s no sun. You don’t need to wear your sunglasses.”

  Helen shot him a glare. At least he assumed she’d glared based on her pursed lips. Ben started the car. He didn’t understand the woman, he’d offering her a life of leisure, gave her choices, and she acted like he was being a jerk. He didn’t know what he’d said wrong. Okay. Maybe the part about her needing him was a bit much, but it was true.

  As they drove in silence, the rift between them saddened Ben. He reminded himself he’d come to Nalley to strike up a relationship with Theo not Helen. When he pulled in front of her house, Helen opened her door before he’d even stopped.

  Frustrated, Ben took his time going inside. Helen sneezed repeatedly. Seth and his damn flowers. Ben propped open the door to the garage and picked up a bouquet that had been on the dining room table. Helen appeared from the hallway, sneezed, and headed down the stairwell.

  Ben took the flowers to the garage, depositing them on Matty’s hood. He returned for more when Helen and Jeremy emerged from the basement.

  Jeremy, grinning like a Cheshire cat, had his arm flung across Helen’s shoulders. His yellow teeth pocked with black holes were on display. Ben glanced down, the bucket had been replaced by a bloodied clump of cement.

  “Hi Ben,” Jeremy said.

  “How’d you get the bucket off?”

  “You should see the basement,” Helen said. “Looks like a mini hurricane went through it.” Helen’s tone held no anger.

  “I was innovative.” Jeremy had genuine pride on his face as he gestured toward the bloody lump.

  Ben pondered the problems Jeremy’s new-fou
nd freedom caused. “I think he ought to clean up his mess,” Ben said.

  “Cut him a break. I’ll clean up later.”

  “Cut. Him. A. Break?” Ben’s voice was higher pitched than he’d intended. Had Helen forgotten that he’d risked his career to take care of Jeremy, that he’d personally cleaned up the man’s vomit and shit? She probably had, she seemed to forgive and forget quickly. Except in his case.

  “Why is he even upstairs?”

  “I’m driving him to a rehab center in Pateros,” Helen announced then sneezed. Twice.

  With Jeremy gone, Ben could go home, so why did his gut churn? “Right now?”

  “It’s a three-hour drive, so I need to get started. With any luck I can get back before the lunch rush.”

  Ben stepped back then noticed the crutches in the kitchen. They confirmed his suspicion that Jeremy didn’t need Helen’s help getting up the stairs. The little weasel.

  “Why don’t I take him? You take a nap and go to work.”

  “If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather have her take me,” Jeremy eyed Helen as if she were his Aunt Hazel.

  “I can clean up my own messes, Ben.” Helen tone was icy.

  “You’ll be late for work.” Ben tried another tactic.

  “That wouldn’t be the end of the world.”

  “You can take your arm off her now,” Ben snapped at Jeremy.

  Both Jeremy’s arms rose in mock surrender. Helen sneezed as Ben snatched the crutches and thrust them toward Jeremy. He hated the idea of Helen driving for six more hours. She was tired, plus he didn’t trust Jeremy.

  “Why don’t I go with you?” he offered.

  “No thanks.” Helen smiled tightly.

  “You might fall asleep and get into an accident.”

  “I’m capable of driving.”

  “What about Agatha? She could ride with you.”

  “No reason to wake her. I’ll call her later.”

  He couldn’t win. “Take your insulin before you go.”

  “I’ll do that.” Helen went to the kitchen.

  That she’d taken his suggestion, eased Ben’s frustration. He retrieved another bouquet, and carried it into the garage.