I laugh at the way she’s taunting me. “You’re going to fucking kill me.”
She releases my hand and scoots herself up, so we’re both sitting up. She lowers both hands down to her shirt, pulling it up and over her head. I watch mesmerized as she unhooks her bra and dangles it off her finger before slowly releasing it to the floor.
My body is in overdrive now as heat and passion fueling my actions. I grip her jaw, pulling her toward me as I crush our mouths together. I pull her on top of me, her legs straddling my waist. I’m in full clothing and she’s only in her panties. I’m ready to combust out of my jeans at any moment.
I lean up on one elbow and grip her body to me, her legs wrapping around my waist. I stand up and walk us to the bathroom. I set her down on the countertop as I back up and strip all my clothes off.
“That’s better,” she says amused.
“Almost.” I grin. I hook my fingers in her panties and pull them down her legs, letting them pool to the floor. “Now that’s better.”
She’s expecting me to take her right then and there—which I’m eager as fuck to do—but I know we are both sore and exhausted from the long flight.
I turn around and head toward the Jacuzzi that’s at the center of the bathroom. I turn the hot water on and turn the timer on.
“Why must you torture me?” she asks as I walk back toward her. She links her arms around my neck and pulls me into her legs. My cock is right at her opening—just one more step and I’d be balls deep inside her.
“Sweetheart, right now you’re the one torturing me.” I smirk. “Stop.” I try to take a step back, but she holds her grasp. She arches her body, letting her legs dangle off more. She pulls me once more, making the tip rub against her.
“Baby…I need it,” she pleads. Her fingers claw at my shoulders. I try to hide the smirk of amusement as she whines. “Just a little bit…” she grins.
I laugh, holding her hips in place. “There’s no such thing as just a little bit.”
“Fine, go turn off the water and fuck me right here on this very expensive counter. I want it rough and hard, and I’m not taking no for an answer.”
“So bossy,” I mock, loosening my grip on her and walking backward to the tub. As requested, I turn the water off but continue standing there. I cross my arms over my chest and look directly into her desperate, greedy eyes. “Bend over,” I demand.
I watch as she hesitates a moment, but soon, hops off and bends over the counter as I asked.
“Spread your legs and arch your back,” I say, walking back toward the bedroom. “Don’t move.” I walk over to our luggage and grab a bottle of lube.
I walk back in and stand directly behind her. I press a hand to her back and push down, getting her to arch her back deeper for me.
“Perfect,” I whisper. I grab my cock in one hand and begin stroking it up and down her ass cheeks. “Wider,” I demand. She adjusts herself, pushing her feet farther apart. “That’s my girl.”
With my free hand, I squeeze the lube over my erection and rub it over my shaft with the other hand. I make sure to get the tip nice and wet for what I have planned for us.
I rub a hand up and down her back again, making sure she stays nice and low on the countertop. I lean down, gently kissing her shoulder and whisper, “Relax, sweetheart.”
I stand back up and firmly grip her ass cheeks, spreading them apart. With one hand, I grab my shaft and begin pushing against her tight entrance. I slide in slowly, letting her body get used to the intrusion. I watch as she holds on firmly, relaxing against me. I push in again, her body widening as I continue going in further.
“Fuck, sweetheart. That’s so good.” Jesus, that’s tight. It feels like a vice grip is holding my dick, but the second I begin thrusting against her, her body relaxes and opens up for me.
“Holy shit,” she pants out. I haven’t taken her this way in a long time, so the sensation was overwhelming.
“Jesus…” I growl as her body accepts all of me. I thrust against her, pulling in and out. “So fucking good.”
“Mm…” Her fingers claw at the tile as I grip her hips and pound into her harder.
“God, baby.” With one final thrust, she cries out in ecstasy the same time I release deep inside of her.
Chapter Fifteen
Cecilia
Two become one
I LEAN MY back against Bentley’s chest as we sit in the hot tub together. The boiling water soothes every sore surface on my body and feels incredible. Bentley wraps his arms around me, securing me tightly against him.
“I think we’ve officially christened another piece of the world,” he says against my ear, grinning.
I let out a whine. “I can’t feel my legs.”
“Lucky for you…” he pauses, letting his lips linger on my neck, “we get to hide out here for the next six nights. Room service and a pool less than twenty feet away.”
“You really thought of everything,” I remark. “I don’t know how you do it. You always plan for it all.”
“Oh, sweetheart.” He pulls my earlobe into his mouth and sucks hard. “You have no idea,” he whispers.
We end up soaking in the tub for at least two hours. The quiet time we spend together is perfect. It’s such a relief after the past few weeks we’ve endured.
“Did Ava ever set up a time to meet you?” he asks as we sit together at the small table. It’s two a.m., but we were both starving and there’s 24/7 room service here.
“She was going to book a flight for a few weeks, I guess.”
“Are you nervous?” he asks cautiously, shoving a forkful of pancake in his mouth.
“Yeah, but after a few emails, I feel she’s being honest with me. I don’t know what her intentions are, but I’m eager to hear what she has to say.” We’ve been up for almost twenty-four hours now with the exception of napping on the plane here and there. “I’m exhausted. I’m pretty sure I’ll be sleeping the next twelve hours.” I yawn, setting my fork down in surrender. I don’t even have the energy to feed myself.
He smirks at me before saying, “I’ll give you eight hours. And then you’re mine.”
“I’m always yours.” I smile back. “But I’m about to go belong to the bed.” I point behind me, standing up and pushing my chair in. “Are you going to join me?” He raises his brows at me and begins chasing me toward the bed, catching me just in time as we fall against the mattress.
He grabs the covers and pulls them back for us to get in. I snuggle up next to him, tracing my finger along his tattoos as I fall into a solid, deep sleep.
* * *
The sun beaming on my face wakes me up. It’s well after noon, but Bentley is nowhere to be seen. I swing my legs off the bed and stretch my arms over my head. My body is freaking sore…for many reasons.
I walk over to the table where I see a note in his handwriting.
Sweetheart,
You looked so gorgeous snuggled in bed that I didn’t want to wake you. I went to make some arrangements for us later. I’ll be back soon.
Love,
Bentley
P.S. Check the fridge.
I set the note down and walk to the mini fridge that’s next to the bar. I open the door and find a silver platter filled with chocolate covered strawberries.
I grab the platter with a stupid grin on my face. I love when he does things like this. It’s always so unexpected and thoughtful. There’s a tiny note folded on top.
Sweetheart,
Enjoy your delicious strawberries overlooking the beach. It’s gorgeous.
Love,
Bentley
P.S. Wear your suit.
I smile as I pop the first strawberry in my mouth, devouring the chocolate shell. I walk to my luggage and pull out my black and red swimsuit. I put a white sundress over it. I don’t have a clue what he’s planning, but I’m excited and eager to find out.
* * *
The warm breeze hits me, putting a smile on my face. I walk down
the path that leads me to the luxurious beach. The sand is perfect, warm and soft. The water is so clear, I can almost see through it. The sky is a perfect shade of blue, almost mesmerizing. And the sun is shining directly above me warming my skin. The whole view is stunning—something you’d see in magazine.
I’m not sure what I should be looking for. Bentley could be up to anything at this point. I begin walking and looking for any clues or a trace of him when something catches my eye.
There’s a cliff off the beach nearby. I see a white arch in the distance on top of the cliff. White flowers are intertwined in the vinyl of the arch and two strands of white tulle are tied to it. From where I’m standing, it looks like a wedding arch.
The curious side of me wants to walk closer and examine it, but as soon as I take a step, Bentley comes into view.
He’s standing on top of the cliff next to the white arch. He looks adorable in khaki’s and a purple button-up shirt. His hair is styled wildly and his eyes are glued on me.
He smiles down and waves his hand at me, motioning for me to follow him up there. A smirk creeps up on my lips, wondering what in the hell he’s up to.
I climb up the cliff to where he’s standing. He’s directly under the arch, which is nearing the edge of the cliff and another man. Once the other guy comes into view, I flash him a look of confusion.
“What are you doing? Are you crazy?” I shout over the waves. The wind is faster up here, blowing my hair into my face.
“I am crazy,” he admits, taking my hand and guiding us both under the arch. “Incredibly, madly, crazy in love with you. So insanely in love with you that I planned this for you. Something I knew you wanted all along. Something I knew I had to give you. Something I want to mark as our day on the calendar and celebrate it every year for the rest of our lives.” His voice is low, but every word is genuine and serious. I continue staring into his eyes, wondering if this is really happening.
“I want to give you the wedding of a lifetime.” He looks out into the water. “The wedding you would’ve wanted had you been able to plan it your way. I couldn’t live with myself knowing you didn’t get that. So, sweetheart…” he pauses, pulling me in closer to his chest, “marry me, today. Marry me and be my wife. Make me the fucking luckiest man on Earth.”
I gasp at his words, my eyes widening as he confesses exactly what we’re doing. “What? How? We don’t have our marriage license. I don’t have something blue or borrowed. Are you sure?” I ramble without thinking. My head is spinning at the absolutely perfect set-up Bentley has given me.
He smiles and replies, “Sweetheart, this isn’t a marriage ceremony. This is a vows ceremony. I don’t need a piece of paper to call you my wife. This day will forever be our day.”
“Really?” I cry out, tears beginning to run down my cheeks. “You did all this for me?” The trip. The perfect suite. The incredible ceremony. It’s too good to be true, but I know Bentley stops at nothing to make me happy.
“Really. So?” He lets go of my hand and digs into his pocket, revealing two wedding bands. “What do you say, sweetheart?”
I can hardly believe it, everything I wanted for our wedding—down to the purple color—is about to happen. I’m beside myself with emotions right now.
“I can’t believe you did this!” I cry out again, covering my mouth with both hands. “Yes!” I drop my hands and lock them around his neck. “Yes, of course!” I crush my lips to his, soaking up this perfect moment.
It takes me a few seconds to remember we aren’t alone. I back up slightly and eye the guy next to us.
“This is Miguel. He’s going to do the readings.”
I nod, surreal feelings of happiness overwhelming me. We stand across from each other, facing each other as we lock hands. Miguel begins with passages from the Bible, telling us everything we are vowing and committing to.
“Ceci, you may begin your vows.” He nods toward me and my eyes bulge out of my head. I haven’t written my damn vows yet. Shit. Bentley senses my panic and grabs my chin so I look up at him.
“Sweetheart, don’t overthink it. Just speak from the heart.”
I nod in understanding and clear my throat. “Everything about this feels like a dream. I keep waiting to wake up one day and find out I’ve fantasized the whole thing since I laid eyes on you in my interview.” I grin at him, remember the exact moment. “From the moment you finally told me you loved me, I haven’t been able to imagine my life without you. From the moment you asked me to be your wife, I knew it’d be the greatest pleasure of my life. And now here, committing myself to you, I can’t think of anything that feels more right, more perfect, and more destined to happen.” I quickly wipe the tears off my cheeks so I can continue. “I promise to give you every part of me. The love, the tears, and the good, bad, and crazy moments. I promise to love you with everything I have, to always be honest with you, and to tell you every day how much I love you.” I swallow hard as the emotions become overwhelming. “I promise to always encourage you, support you, and stand by you. I promise you every day for the rest of my life.”
I’ve never seen Bentley the way he’s looking at me right now. He’s staring at me with such raw and real emotion that I’m not sure how much longer I’m going to be able to hold it in.
Bentley
I’m captivated by every word she’s saying. The way she expresses her love to me is almost too much to handle. I love Ceci more than anything in my entire life, but god, right now, I could explode with the love I feel for her at this very moment.
“Bentley, you can begin your vows now,” Miguel directs.
I feel like I’m sweating and it’s not from the heat.
I squeeze her hands in mine as I begin. “Wow, I’m not so sure I can compete with that. God, sweetheart. There are hardly words to express the way I feel for you. You came into my life like a tsunami—unexpected all while leaving traces of you behind. You turned my life upside down. You made me feel for the first time in a long time, which scared me, but I was willing to risk it because I knew you were something special. I knew you were worth remembering when I never fully forgot you. As much as I tried to convince my mind, my heart knew otherwise. And once I decided to stop fighting it, I knew I had to have you forever—temporary would never be enough.” I pause needing to exhale slowly as I watch her sweet expression. “Ceci, I can’t promise I’ll be the perfect husband, or even the perfect person sometimes. I can’t promise I’ll always know what to say or how to comfort you. I can’t promise I’ll know when to stop being overprotective of you, but if there’s one thing I know I can promise—one thing I know without a single doubt in my mind—it’s that I will love you unconditionally. I’ll love you until my very last breath. I’ll love you until my memory is so awful, you’ll have to remind me who you are.” I smile and she lets out a light laugh. I grip her hands firmer. “I promise to give you everything I can. I love you fiercely, Cecilia. I will love you until my heart beats its very last beat.”
I didn’t realize before, but my cheeks are soaked. I quickly wipe the tears away, but by the sly smirk on her face, I know she’s caught me.
“Bentley, the rings?” Miguel asks, holding his hand out. I hand both of them to him before he continues. “With this exchange of rings, you are binding your lives together, vowing to love each other for eternity.”
He hands me Ceci’s wedding band. I motion to Ceci for her hand, gripping it firmly in mine. I push the wedding band over her left ring finger next to her engagement band and rub the pad of my thumb over it. It looks perfect.
Miguel gives Ceci my wedding band as she grasps my hand in hers. She smoothly pushes it over my ring finger, a part of me that’s been bare for thirty-two years.
We hold each other’s hands as Miguel finalizes the ceremony, announcing us as husband and wife and that we may now kiss.
Ceci smiles giddily up at me, almost laughing, as I cup her face and bring my lips down on hers. I kiss her slow, softly. I open her lips apart with my
tongue, massaging mine with hers as our kiss intensifies and heats up. She wraps her arms around my waist holding us in as we kiss on top of the cliff, promising each other forever.
Chapter Sixteen
Cecilia
“I WAS GOING to wait a few days into our trip but I just couldn’t wait another day to call you my wife.”
I bite my lip in response, hardly knowing what to say. Bentley can be intimidating and the stress can overcome him a lot of the time, but Jesus…when he’s vulnerable and genuine, he melts the panties right off me.
“I can’t believe you did that. How…how did you even plan that so fast?”
He shrugs, grinning. I know exactly how he did. Money talks.
I never question his ability to get what he wants because I already know—he’s too dreamy to be denied.
“So what now? You’re my husband...” I let the word roll off my tongue, it feeling completely out of place. “That sounds weird.” I laugh, insecurely.
He wraps his arms around my hips, pulling me in closer. “A piece of paper is just for legal reasons, which we can easily get at the court house, but the vows, promises—those are what matter most.” He leans in, brushing his lips against mine. I open up, giving him access as the emotions overwhelm me at the realization of being Mrs. Bentley Leighton.
I moan into his mouth, silently begging him to take all of me. After our ceremony, we walked down the beach and jumped into the ocean. It’s not exactly a traditional wedding, but to me, it was absolutely perfect—swimming, laughing, and kissing in the ocean was perfection.
“Your mother is going to kill us,” I deadpan. “Do we have to tell her?” I raise a brow, only half kidding.
“I won’t if you don’t.” He winks, flashing me a devilish smile—the one that could get me to do practically anything.
I burst out in laughter. “Yeah, right. She’ll continue dragging me to fittings and probably wax appointments soon. That woman is relentless, you know?” He smirks, letting go of my waist and grabbing my hand.
After the Internship: A Novella (The Intern #4) Page 10
