Am I? She quickly wiped at her face, and sure enough, there were tears on her cheeks.
Ben immediately sat up and pulled her onto his lap, rubbing her back. "What's wrong, beautiful? Please talk to me."
Aria couldn't speak, a lump in her throat refused to let her. Instead, she just shook her head and buried her face in his shoulder, holding on tight. The tears continued to flow, her embarrassment rising.
He murmured sweet nothings into her ear, softly rubbing her back and cuddling her to his chest. After a few minutes, he handed her his shirt. She pulled it on, feeling instantly cradled by his scent and the soft comfort of the fabric.
"I'm sorry," she finally managed to get out. "I don't know what's wrong with me. Honestly, I have no clue why I'm crying."
"It's okay," he assured her, pulling her back down onto the bed and lifting the covers over them both. "We can lay here as long as you want."
"Thank you," she murmured, already feeling sedated from crying. Wrapped in the warm blankets and his strong arms, she drifted off to sleep feeling completely overwhelmed with everything she'd been avoiding feeling, and everything she'd been wanting to feel her whole life.
Chapter Seven
She even looks perfect when she's sleeping. And I'm completely insane. Ben tried to push the thoughts from his head, reminding himself that this was just one weekend out of his entire life. Hell, he didn't know what this was…or wasn’t.
Ben lay on his side facing Aria, propped up on one elbow. He pushed a strand of hair from her cheek, tucking it behind one ear. Her chest rose and fell rhythmically as she slept, and the expression on her face was more peaceful than he'd ever seen before.
It was strange to think he'd only known this woman for a day, or that he'd only know her until tomorrow. They would return to their regular lives as strangers...coworkers...producer and actress. As if their bodies hadn't been intimately connected. As if he hadn't seen her heart pour out in tears, her vulnerability on full display.
He was still unsure what any of that had been, or what it meant. Guilt ate at him as he wondered what he'd done, or if he'd done anything at all. If it hadn't been him, then what was it that had made her cry?
Ben's body tensed, the same fierce urge he'd felt the moment he saw her tears. He wanted to protect her. Shelter her from anything and everything that could hurt her. The last time he'd felt that way...well, honestly, he couldn't remember. There'd never been a woman he'd felt such a strong sense of protectiveness over before. Certainly never so much, so quickly.
Even more strange was that Aria was probably the one woman he'd been with who didn't need his protection. She radiated strength and resilience and was clearly very independent. Yet, he'd seen her soft side. He'd seen the cracks between her tough exterior and how underneath it all, she needed affection.
Hell, everyone needed affection. He certainly did. It was part of why he was here this weekend.
"Ben?" Her eyes fluttered open. His name on her lips...it made his body pulse with warmth and excitement. "Can you stop staring at me?"
"I'm not," he lied, smiling and rolling onto his back. "You're not always the star, you know."
She snorted a laugh and whacked him softly on the chest. "Shut up."
"You did say yesterday, you're just an actress," he reminded her. That statement still stuck in his mind, saying so much more than he understood.
He wanted to ask, but he was also afraid to know.
"Really?" Aria swung her leg across his body, climbing on top of him. "Are you normally this snarky after a nap?"
That was quick. He was already rock hard against her stomach just from the sight of her bare breasts above him. Gripping her hips with his hands, he squeezed her. "This is my light snark. I'm going easy on you."
"Oh, well, thank you, kind sir," she replied, completely full of her own snark and sarcasm.
"Did you just call me sir?"
She shrugged, a wicked smile on her lips. "Problem?"
She's doing this on purpose.
"Only if you stop." In one swift move, he lifted her hips until she was directly over his length.
Aria pushed down, taking him deep inside with a soft moan. She fell forward, her palms on his bare chest. They were seared together, and for a minute, they didn't move. They just stayed like that, locked together, staring in one another's eyes.
Ben's heart raced against his ribcage, pounding harder with every second until all he could hear was his own pulse thundering throughout his entire body. Finally, the pressure was too much, the need too great. Reaching for the nightstand, he ripped open the foil packet and rolled the condom over his cock. Gripping her hips with his hands, he lifted her just enough to pull her right back down. Again and again, he thrust inside her as she bounced on top of him.
Soft pants and gasps filled the air, but no words were exchanged. There was nothing either of them needed to say in that moment. He just wanted to take her all in—the way her breasts swelled with every press of their bodies, how her eyes rolled back with each moan from her lips, the way their bodies merged, a perfect fit.
He dug his fingers into her hips as their bodies splintered and shattered. She fell forward, blond hair sweeping across his face. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight against his chest, loving the feeling of being so close to her.
Pushing the hair from her face, he kissing her cheeks, then her nose, and finally her forehead. She murmured something nonsensical, and it was the happiest sound he'd ever heard. Like a mixture of bliss and contentment that he felt a little proud he'd helped create.
Suddenly, a loud growling sound broke the silence.
His brow furrowed. "What was that?"
"Uh...nothing." Aria quickly sat up and reached over the edge of the bed, grabbing his shirt and putting it on. The loud growling sound happened again, and her face went beat red. "Okay, maybe it's my stomach."
Ben laughed. "Hungry?"
"I mean, we did have quite a work out," she teased.
"What are you in the mood for? I could cook us something." Ben stretched slowly, yawning. He looked around the room, but he didn't have anything to wear except his jeans since he hadn't worn boxers today and she was wearing his shirt. "You wouldn't happen to have any sweatpants that are too big for you or something like that?"
He really didn't feel like wearing scratchy denim right now.
"Um, let me check." She climbed out of bed, clad only in his shirt and a pair of panties. Rummaging around in the dresser, she suddenly paused. "Oh, these are perfect." She held up a large pair of sweatpants with a drawstring waist. They were neon tie-dye. Seriously, he was almost blinded by a pair of pants surely right out of the seventies. "Here you go."
Ben raised one brow. "That's all you've got?"
"Yep. They're huge. They'll fit you."
"Gee, thanks."
She laughed and tossed the pants at him. "I wasn't calling you huge, weirdo. Plus, I bet you'll look great in tie-dye."
"No one has ever looked great in tie-dye." He slid the lightweight linen pants on, securing the drawstring around his waist to keep them from falling down. At least they're comfortable.
Aria suddenly burst out laughing, bending forward and grabbing her knees. "Oh. My. God. You look ridiculous."
He lunged for her, pulling her against him and swatting her ass. "Brat!" he teased.
She squealed and laughed harder, wrestling away from him and running from the bedroom into the kitchen. "I'm just kidding! You look like such a stud. A very hippie stud."
"And you accused me of being snarky." He pushed her back against the kitchen counter and took her face in his hands, brushing his lips across hers. "You want to keep ragging on my pants, or do you want me to feed you?"
Her eyes widened, and she glanced down at his pelvis.
He burst out laughing. "I wasn't talking about my dick, Aria."
"I wouldn't hate it if you were." She flounced away from him, a teasing smile on her face as she opened the refrigerato
r. "But I am actually starving."
"What do you have?" He peered over her shoulder. "Eggs, bread, and…that's all you have?"
Aria pulled out both and placed them on the counter. "You should see my takeout menu drawer." Her stomach growled again, louder this time.
"I think your stomach may destroy us both if we have to wait for delivery. Guess we're having breakfast for dinner!"
She glanced up at the clock on the wall. "Holy shit, it's already dinnertime?"
He could barely believe it either. "Well, we did sleep the last few hours away." Ben began heating up the stove, placing a pan on the burner, and cutting holes in the bread to make eggs-in-a-basket.
Aria stood behind him and ran her hands up and down his back. Her warmth seeped into his skin as she leaned into him and rested her cheek against his bare shoulder blades. With a feathery touch, she slid her hands around his waist and clasped her fingers over his stomach.
His pulse flamed to life.
"I like this," she said, barely above a whisper.
Ben placed the bread in the pan and cracked eggs into the center. "Like what?"
"You. Me. Free agents." Her loud exhale fanned her breath across his skin, and a fluttering sensation built in his stomach. "It's like a mini-vacation from life."
Ben chuckled. "As if either of us even have time for a vacation."
"That's what makes it even better."
The eggs began to cook, and Ben turned around to face her. He kissed her forehead as she leaned into his chest. "It doesn't feel like we only met two weeks ago."
"Maybe we didn't."
"What do you mean?" Ben ran a hand through her hair, loving the silky feel between his fingers.
She shrugged, her cheek pressed against his chest. "Maybe we already recognized each other. Something in our souls said...I know him."
Part of Ben wanted to grab his clothes and run out the door. This was intense, much more than he could handle. But he didn't move. He didn't do a thing because he wanted to know he wasn't alone in what he was feeling. They were in this together...whatever this was. "I thought you didn't believe in soul mates."
"I don't," she assured him. He wasn't sure whether he should be elated or hurt. "But, maybe I can buy into souls. Souls that feel a kinship when they meet someone with a similar spirit."
Ben didn't reply, stroking her hair once more before he turned back to the eggs to flip them. A minute later, he put them on a plate and handed her one.
She took hers into the living room, and it seemed only natural that he follow. As soon as he settled onto the couch, she curled against him, and they ate in silence. The eggs were a bit bland, but Ben quickly discovered he was ravenous, and the taste hardly registered.
"Ben, if I ask you something, will you promise not to judge me?" She put her empty plate down on the coffee table and turned to face him.
"Really hard to be the judging type in neon tie-dye, babe."
She laughed. "Fair point. Okay, well, since this is our mini-vacation, there's one thing I want to do."
"What's that?"
"The Walking Dead."
Ben blinked. "Excuse me?"
"I want to finish binge watching The Walking Dead. It's a zombie show—remember, don't judge! I'm already on the fifth season, but I have to watch it with my hands in front of my face because it's so bloody and gross and I can't handle it. But I still need to know what happens, which means I need you to tell me what's on the screen."
"Okay, I lied," Ben said, throwing his hands up.
She furrowed her brow. "About what?"
He laughed. "I'm definitely judging you."
Aria smacked his chest. "Rude.” A crafty smile gently curved her lips. “So, will you be my eyes?"
He'd already seen all of The Walking Dead episodes because it was one of his favorites, so he certainly wouldn't mind watching it again. Plus, the way she rambled with excitement and embarrassment was so cute that there was no way he was turning down her request. "I'm game, but I have one condition."
"Anything. Well, not anything. I mean, what's your condition?"
"We order delivery. Pizza, Chinese, I don't care what. I'm fucking starving."
Aria popped up and headed back in the kitchen, returning with a giant stack of menus. Her voice lowered, sultry and sweet, as she climbed onto his lap, her legs wrapping around him. "At your service, sir."
Ben's tie-dye pants immediately felt too tight, and he groaned at the exquisite feeling of her on top of him again. "Damn it, Aria. Don't call me that when I'm trying to focus on food and zombies."
She smirked. "Yes, sir."
Free agents, my ass. How was he supposed to walk away at the end of this when he wasn't even sure he wanted to?
Chapter Eight
Aria's eyes flew open, her body in a cold sweat. Sitting up on the bed, she glanced around her dark bedroom. No zombies. It was just a dream.
That's the last time I binge watch The Walking Dead before bed.
Soft exhales next to her caught her attention. Ben was fast asleep on his back, one arm stretched out toward her. The fear she'd been feeling moments ago dissipated, replaced by a warmth that was becoming her norm every time she looked at him.
Two weeks she'd known the man. And yet, there was no denying there was something here. It was insane...right? She wanted to believe that it was just lust, but that didn't fit what was happening between them.
Hell, she had cried in front of him. And why?
She still didn't really know. Sex had never been such an emotional release for her before, but this hadn't felt like sex. It felt so much more. He'd cherished her, made her feel valued and precious. She wasn't a virgin by any means, but she'd only had sex in serious relationships she could count on one hand. Even then, not a single one of those experiences had made her feel as loved as Ben had.
Which was insane because they didn't love each other. They didn't even know each other.
So, why did it feel like they did?
Aria ran a finger across the V on his hips that pointed down under the neon tie-dye pants he was still wearing. She'd asked him yesterday if he'd wanted to date. The look on his face...he'd been horrified.
He didn't want to date her.
She definitely didn't want to date him.
She didn't want to be with anyone. Her career was just starting, and honestly, she was still feeling hurt and haunted by her relationship with Russell. Until the movie was released and officially done, he'd always be lurking nearby. Everything about her life right now was so unresolved and unstable.
Dating Ben Lawson was not an option.
Falling for Ben Lawson was even less of an option.
Pulling her legs underneath her, she crawled closer to him and leaned against his chest. "Ben?" she whispered, stroking the side of his face with the back of her hand. "Ben, wake up."
"Mmm," he mumbled.
"Ben," she coaxed again, this time placing soft kisses across the line of his jaw. "Wake up."
He circled her with his arms, pulling her across his warm chest. "What time is it?"
"I don't know, but I want to show you something. Get dressed."
Ben opened his eyes, his brow furrowed. "Are we going somewhere?"
"Yep!" She was already up and out of bed. Sliding his shirt off her body, she tossed it to him. A couple minutes later, he was dressed in his regular clothes from earlier and she was in leggings and a loose sweater.
"It's one in the morning." Ben pointed at the clock then looked at her like she was crazy. Maybe she was, a little. "What are we doing?"
"Going to the beach, of course." She smirked, enjoying purposefully leaving things unclear. If this was their once-in-a-lifetime weekend, their free-agent vacation, it had to include a trip to the beach.
"What!" Ben sputtered. "Is it even open? Am I going to have to get someone to bail us out of jail?"
"Santa Monica is actually one of the only beaches in Los Angeles that's open around the clock, because of the pier,"
she informed him, pushing him out the door and locking it behind her. "Come on. It'll be fun."
"All right, but if you need a handsome knight in shining armor to save you from beach vagrants, I charge for my services."
Aria laughed. "What's the charge?"
They reached the bottom of the stairs of her apartment complex, which opened onto the sidewalk. He immediately took her hand in his, kissing the back of her fingers. "Wild monkey sex for hours and hours."
"We weren't already doing that?" she teased.
He swatted her ass then wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "I cannot believe you have me up at one in the morning to go to the beach. I haven't done something like this in…probably a decade."
"Since college?" she asked, sliding her arm around his waist as they walked in the direction of the beach under dimly lit streetlights. "How old are you anyway?"
"I just turned thirty last month."
"Oh man, I didn't realize I was getting involved with such an old-timer," she kidded. "I'm only twenty-five. Really, you're robbing the cradle."
Ben laughed, the same deep belly laugh she loved feeling vibrate through his entire body. "Five-year difference. Wow, we're such deviants." His sarcasm was thick.
"Deviant enough to go to the beach at one in the morning."
"True." He kissed her temple and squeezed her even closer to him. "Do you do this often? The beach at night?"
"Sometimes. If I can't sleep. It can be a bit dangerous alone."
"Please don't do this alone," he quickly interrupted, gripping her tighter. His gaze turned hard, his voice strained. "Promise me, Aria. If you want to go to the beach in the middle of the night, call me first."
"I thought we were going our separate ways after this weekend…" She didn't know why she mentioned that, because honestly, she didn't want the reminder. She didn't want to hear his rejection.
He didn't say anything for a few seconds, then he let out a heavy sigh. "We are, but...just call me."
She didn't respond. Arms linked, they arrived at the beach a few minutes later and headed down onto the sand. The Santa Monica pier was to their right, but far enough down that the lights barely reached them. It was gorgeous though, and one of her favorite parts of this walk. Bright red, gold, and green lights twinkled across the wooden pier, the large Ferris wheel standing tall and casting a gorgeous shimmer over the water. It was iconic and mesmerizing, and one of the reasons why she never wanted to leave Hollywood.
NUDES: A Hollywood Romance (Exposed Book 1) Page 5
