by Kristen Echo
“I’m sure it’s like riding a bike. Right?” Beth joked, and both women laughed.
She wondered if it was really that simple. Her nerves twisted, the butterflies did somersaults in her stomach and she was excited to see Benny. Carly was right. They had waited long enough.
It was time for her to let go of the hurt and move forward. So far, he’d taken most of the steps towards rebuilding their relationship. It was her turn to take a leap of faith and trust him with her body. This exercise was one they could perfect together.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
B enny’s hair was wet from a shower and even the stubble on his chin glistened. His swagger made her tremble, and she braced herself against the wall.
“Hi, handsome,” she said, twirling a lock of hair around her finger.
“I missed you, Elizabeth.” He picked her up and kissed her.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. The kiss conveyed how much she’d missed him too. Beth sucked on his tongue, making Benny groan. She wanted to hear more of that sound while they were naked. “Take me to bed,” she whispered in his ear.
He put her back on her feet and adjusted the front of his pants. “You don’t want to go out first? I’m wired so there’s no chance I’ll be sleeping anytime soon.”
“We won’t be doing any sleeping. It’s time for our next exercise and this one will reach deep.” She rubbed her thighs together in anticipation.
His eyes sparkled with awareness, catching the meaning of her statement. He grabbed her hand, and they practically sprinted out of the arena. She giggled at his pace, but she was every bit as eager. When they reached his car in the parking garage, they were both laughing.
The Audi purred as they climbed in. “Do you want to make any stops on the way or should I drive straight home?”
She reached into her purse and pulled out a sleeve of extra-large condoms. “I think we can go directly there. What do you think?”
“Home it is.” He threw the car into drive and raced out of his parking stall. The tires screeched over the pavement.
The traffic had dwindled, but it still took a while to get out of downtown. With every minute that passed her desire grew. Beth watched Benny and really looked at him. Hair fell across his forehead and curled around his ears in an unruly manner. She loved how everything about him was untamed. His thick fingers gripped the steering wheel with so much strength she got shivers. Soon those hands would be on her and she could hardly contain her excitement.
“Are we there yet?” She joked as they turned down the street towards the condo complex.
“Almost.” He reached over and took her hand, bringing it to his lips. His eyes caught hers and heat traveled between them. “When you look at me like that, I feel… it’s hard to explain.”
“Try,” she said, leaning closer.
“Energized, powerful, like I can do anything.” He kissed her hand and put it on his lap. Next to the prominent bulge in his pants. “You’re looking at me like you used to. Before life got in the way. When all that mattered was us being together. Preferably naked and tangled.”
She squeezed his leg, running her thumb along the ridge of his cock. “Getting naked and tangled in your sheets sounds like fun.”
“There’s so much unfiltered passion inside you. Do you remember our first time? The way you seized the moment.”
An unplanned night under the stars she’d never forget. They hadn’t been dating long, but she knew he was the one. Candles and soft music wouldn’t have made it better. It was just the two of them and it was perfect. “I remember.”
“You were fearless. You still are. I fell so hard for you, Elizabeth. That kind of love never goes away.” He rubbed his hand over hers.
“It doesn’t,” she agreed.
He drove through the underground parking and stopped in his stall. Once he parked the car, he sat and stared at her. “We’re here.”
“So, we are.” She raised an eyebrow when he didn’t open the door. “Are you going to invite me in or do you want to sit in your car all night?”
He smiled. “Smartass.” He planted a chaste kiss on her lips before opening the door.
She exhaled and squared her shoulders. She could do this. He held her door open, and she took his offered hand. The connection sent a jolt through her, making her toes curl. She could tell he felt it too.
They didn’t race up the stairs, or attack each other in the elevator. It was one long intimate stare. Foreplay in its most basic form. By the time he opened his door, she was wet and so ready to take him. It would have taken a natural disaster to stop them.
“Do you want a drink?” Benny removed his coat and helped her out of hers.
“Unless you’re going to pour the contents over your naked body for me to lick off, no.”
He dropped the coats on the floor. “That could be arranged, but not right now.” His voice lowered and took on the sultry tone that made her knees weak. He removed his shoes and came towards her.
“Let’s go to your room.” She kicked off her boots and grabbed the belt loop on his dress pants, tugging him closer.
“Are you sure?” His finger grazed the length of her arm. “We can wait.”
She closed her eyes and when she reopened them she saw Benny. The same man she’d loved and the man she was once again falling for. She didn’t want to wait any longer to feel him inside her.
“No more waiting. I want you to make love to me. It’s time for us to move forward.”
His hands cupped her cheeks and his lips covered hers. Their mouths opened, and they feasted upon one another. She tugged on his hair, getting lost in the moment. He gripped her ass, lifting her off the ground. Her calves hugged his backside as he carried her to the bedroom.
He tossed her on the bed. She sat up on her elbows as he shed his clothes within seconds. His erection grazed his navel, and he fisted his shaft. “Stand on the bed and take your clothes off.”
Beth stood in the middle and removed her jersey. He moved his hand slowly and she couldn’t take her eyes off him. He was so gorgeous and masculine. She unclasped her bra and let it tumble to the mattress. His nostrils flared as her nipples hardened. She tweaked them between her fingers, teasing them and him at the same time.
Her hands moved south, over her flat stomach and she unbuttoned her jeans. She took her time, drawing it out and pulling them down one inch at a time. When they reached her knees, Beth turned around and bent over. Taking off her pants and shaking her ass in the process. She watched his reaction over her shoulder and licked her lips. She hobbled taking off her socks, leaving her in nothing but panties.
“You make me so hard.” He continued stroking his cock. “Come to the edge of the bed.”
She turned to face him again, hooking her thumbs in the side of her panties. The white material was wet and sticking to her skin. His eyes were focused on the patch of moisture. She stepped to the edge, and he met her there. “What now?”
His mouth was next to her breasts, and he flicked his tongue against her nipple. She shuddered and hissed when he pulled the tip between his teeth. He let go of his cock and rubbed his hand over her panties, further soaking them. A second later, he tore them from her body and pushed two fingers inside her.
“Oh!” She dove her hands into his hair, as he lavished her breasts with his mouth and rubbed her pussy with his fingers.
“You’re so wet. Lie down.” He gave her a slight nudge, and she fell over. He jumped next to her.
Beth giggled. “We forgot the condoms. They’re in the other room.”
“Are you on the pill? We’ve already established we are both clean. Your call.” He pinched her nipple again.
It was like a trigger to her clit. Each time he pulled or twisted, she felt it below. She couldn’t take it any longer, she needed to come.
“Fuck the condoms. We don’t need them.” She twisted her body towards him and pushed him down. Beth crawled on top of him, straddling his leg
s. “I’m taking the pill. Unless you have an objection, I say no more talking and a lot more action?”
His eyes were on her, roaming her body. “No objections.”
Sitting back, she gripped his cock and ran the tip through her folds. Once he was saturated, she lined them up and lifted her hips. Sinking slowly over him, her body stretched to accommodate his girth. He was so big, and it had been so long, he didn’t slide in easily.
Beth adjusted her stance and bobbed on the tip. Sliding only half in before retreating and doing it all over again. Benny massaged her ass cheeks as she tried to take him all the way. When she dropped down, he thrust up and impaled her.
“Fuck!” She braced herself on his chest and smiled. “I thought we’d never get there.”
He stared at her in awe. “I love you.” Benny sat up, wrapped his arms around her back and kissed her.
She rocked her hips and hugged him back. She wasn’t ready to say those words, but hearing them nearly made her come. The L-word didn’t scare her this time. She let his love penetrate her psyche. They were moving in the right direction.
They continued kissing as she rode him. Slow at first and then faster, finding their rhythm. Their hands were everywhere. She caressed his chest, his shoulders and abs. He kept one hand on her backside and used the other to stroke every delicate spot on her body. He knew exactly what drove her insane. It didn’t take long before they were both panting and near the point of no return.
“Elizabeth, I need you.” He thrust deeper, reaching her pleasure reservoir and tipping it over. “Come with me.”
It wasn’t a request but a demand. He followed it up by slamming into her so hard her teeth rattled. She let go, unable to hold on any longer.
“Oh… oh, yes!” That was it. The pinnacle of sensation. Every nerve ending exploded in perfect harmony. Her body quivered as her walls tightened around him. Squeezing more pleasure with each pulse.
Her orgasm triggered his. A moment later he stilled as he emptied himself. She dug her nails into his back, holding him close. His legs trembled and sweat dripped between them. He collapsed backwards, pulling her on top.
She held him close as the thrill of the orgasm dissipated. They were a tangled mess of hair and body parts and she never wanted to move. Beth wanted to lie there forever in her bliss coma, but she didn’t want to crush him. She exhaled, and he snickered. She lifted her leg, and he slipped out before she rolled to her side. A stream of warm liquid trickled between her legs. She was too exhausted to do anything about it.
“You could have stayed there forever. You’re as light as a blanket.”
She smiled. “You are more comfortable than the mattress, but I’m not a human blanket. And we need a cloth or tissue to clean up.”
They were both breathing heavy. He found her hand and threaded their fingers together. “Was that okay for you? As far as I’m concerned, that was magical, but I can’t see your face. It didn’t last that long, but it’s been a while since we did that.”
She turned her face towards him and he wiped the hair away. “Wow. That’s all I can say and we won’t wait so long to do it again,” she teased.
He peppered her face with kisses. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll be back inside you. You can’t get rid of me this time. I love you too much to ever let you go.”
She kissed his lips and snuggled on his chest, letting the magnitude of what’d happened sink in. They’d made love. It was more passionate than she remembered. It was more everything. She felt refreshingly sore. He wrapped her in his arms, and she listened to his heavy breaths and the erratic beat of his heart.
She felt closer to Benny. More connected on a deeper level.
As her breathing regulated, the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. A tiny voice in her head told her not to get used to this feeling; to keep her guard up because happiness was fleeting. Sex changed nothing. It wasn’t a cure-all. He could still get scared and leave. She closed her eyes tight and pushed the negative thoughts away. She wasn’t ready to let go of the euphoria yet.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
A fter dating for a couple weeks, they hadn’t progressed as far as Beth would have liked. The time they spent together was the happiest time of her day. There was no denying that fact. But she still didn’t trust him. He’d bent over backwards to please her, but she couldn’t shake off the fear and the relentless voice in her mind telling her to run before he did.
After making love once it was impossible to stop. Not that Beth regretted taking that step; she was elated to be in Benny’s bed again. But for the past week all they’d done was make love. They followed that first climax up with another, and they still hadn’t come up for air.
They made love everywhere; the bed, the couch, the shower and the backseat of his car. She couldn’t sit in his car anymore without getting turned on. She wasn’t complaining about all the sex. In truth, she was the instigator at least fifty percent of the time, if not more. But since that night, they hadn’t worked on any other exercises to build trust. As much as his love helped heal some pain, there was still a part of her that feared moving forward.
Life was messy. It wasn’t always sunshine and roses. They both knew that, which is why it bothered her they’d dropped the ball with putting in the work. She couldn’t even blame Benny because she was the one who postponed the therapy. He had asked repeatedly when they were meeting with the counselor. For some reason, she kept dragging her feet. As the happiness bloomed in her chest, she was afraid of fucking it up. So, instead of facing her insecurities like a grown woman, she hid under the proverbial covers.
Unfortunately, hiding didn’t take the issues away. Each time he said he loved her reminded her. The sentiment teetered on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t say it. Not until the knot in her stomach was vanquished. She wouldn’t say those words again until she was positive Benny wouldn’t take flight if things got tough again. Beth felt like she might never say I love you.
The lack of words didn’t stop them from ripping each other’s clothes off every chance they got. As she stood outside the science lab, all she thought about was the way he’d bent her over the armrest of the couch and fucked her brains out before taking her home last night. Her long nails had torn and scratched the leather.
She unzipped her coat, suddenly too warm. The cold air didn’t help.
Benny pulled up, and leaned over, opening the passenger door from inside. His smile wasn’t as bright as when she’d seen him last. “What’s up?” She sank into her seat and closed the door.
“The usual bullshit. I want to play more and they want to rack up the wins. It’s nothing you need to worry about.” He leaned over and kissed her. “I like what you’ve done with your hair. You look extra smoking today. Is it because it’s our one-month anniversary?”
“Our what?”
Their date had played a part in her wardrobe choice, and in her decision to wear her hair down. But an anniversary celebration had never been considered. She couldn’t believe he’d been back in her life for a month. Sometimes it seemed like the years apart had never happened and other times, it felt all so new. Giving their relationship a second chance provided opportunities to experience firsts all over again.
“A month ago, you said yes to trying again. If I recall, our dating was on a trial basis. I’d like to spend today convincing you to make it more permanent.” He pulled away from the curb and shot her a mischievous look.
She didn’t know what that entailed, but with Benny it could mean anything. “That month flew by.”
He placed his hand on her bare knee. “You’re done with classes and my work day is over. I’d like to spend the rest of the day together. Were you able to drop your shift or better yet quit?” He didn’t like the pub and felt it was unsafe. He didn’t want her working at all while she focused on school.
“No one wanted to switch. But I don’t have to be there until nine.” On non-game nights, it wasn’t nearly as busy. It also meant fewer tips which i
s why nobody would swap with her. The pub might not have been an ideal working environment, but she refused to lose her independence. “I didn’t quit.”
“A man can dream,” he said wistfully. “Okay, I don’t have you all night, but I’m adaptable. You’ve got two options.” He held up two fingers.
She giggled. “You’re crazy. What are my choices?”
“Option one involves an outfit change. I’ve got two sexy costumes for us to model before we strip down and I worship your body until you’re begging me to stop.” He glanced over, and bit his lip. “I’m really hoping you go for option one.”
She smacked the hand on her leg playfully. “That’s very tempting. What else is on the table?”
“That’s a surprise. It will include a fuckload of pleasure, but we won’t be able to get to it as quickly. Also, not a bad choice. Truthfully, you can’t go wrong.”
“Hmmm. Both sound mighty fine, but—”
“Oh, no you don’t. No, buts. You’re not high-jacking my present.”
Beth squirmed on her seat. “I didn’t get you anything.”
“You’ve gifted me with a month of your time. This is my way of saying thank you. My way of showing you how much I appreciate and love you. Let me do this.”
She blew out a long breath. How could she say no when he looked so sincere?
“Option two. With a caveat that we fit in one trust exercise before you drop me off at work.”
He laughed. “I thought we were past those. You haven’t mentioned them in a while.”
“I wish we didn’t need them.” She knotted her fingers. “We’ve been too caught up in the sheets lately. There’s more to a relationship than sex.”
He slid his sunglasses down and eyed her over them. “You’re the sex addict. I’m merely your slave, abiding by your every command.”
She laughed at that. “You don’t have a submissive bone in your body.” She leaned over the console and tugged his earlobe between her teeth. “I wouldn’t change a hair on your head.”
