“Yeah. She signed for the box and I went on my merry way. Didn’t say much to her. ‘Sign here’. ‘Thanks, ma’am’. That sort of stuff. Not sure what you’re looking for.”
Ben imagined he really didn’t understand. No sense of cleanliness, lack of manners. This guy was clueless. “Did she seem happy, mad, sad? What was her mood? Did she say anything to you?”
“Nope. She seemed fine. It wasn’t much of an interaction. She said ‘thanks’. Oh, and ‘have a nice day’. I don’t always get her when I drop stuff off there, but anytime I get her, she’s always nice.” Jones smiled as he tossed the controller back and forth between his hands.
“Where were you Wednesday night?” Ben asked. His voice betrayed no irritation, annoyance, or disgust at the smell that was really starting to make his throat itch. Captain Ganderson would be so proud.
“Oh man, playing that new game that just came out. Shoot ‘em Up Heavy, you know, that new shooting game. It’s sick, man, just sick. Hard as hell. I can’t seem to get my shot right. I’ve been trying to get headshots, but I always miss.” He shook his head as if he couldn’t believe how bad his aim was. “I bet you guys would nail that game. I mean, you shoot your gun all the time, I bet.”
Ben shared a look with Zeke. This guy was worse than an idiot. “So, you were home alone all night, is what you’re saying?”
“Yeah. Wanna see it? It’s so cool.” Jones went towards the gaming device when he heard a throat clear behind him. “Oh, right, you’re here to talk.”
“Yes, we are,” Zeke said, sharing another look with Ben that they needed to wrap this up. “Where were you last Saturday night?”
“Here. I work, come home, and play my games.” His eyes fell to the couch, cringing when he saw the porno magazine still displayed out in the open. He unobtrusively, or at least he probably thought he was, as he picked up a shirt and tossed it over the magazine. “I like my games.”
“Everyone should have a hobby.” Ben lifted his eyebrows with a smile. He pressed his lips together. Laughing would be very bad. “Thank you for your time, Jones. We appreciate you seeing us.”
“No problem. Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.”
They left, trying not to laugh until they were out of earshot.
“What the hell was that?” Zeke said with a crazy laugh. “He’s, like, thirty-five and still living like a twenty year old.”
“He likes his games,” Ben replied with a chuckle.
Zeke’s laughter died. “His games. Could his behavior be an act? Those scarves and notes hidden underneath the bodies scream games loudly at me. Do we think that crackpot could be our guy?”
Ben stared straight ahead as he thought about it. “He didn’t seem like the type. Maybe, just maybe, he was overdoing it to throw us off. No alibi for either night. Let’s check him out further. See what we can find. Then I say we call it a day. I have a lot to talk about with Rina.”
“Good luck.”
Ben nodded his head. He needed that, and a whole lot more.
Chapter 10
The world shifted back into its normal equilibrium the moment Rina opened the door. Her face lit up with happiness, mirroring the exact look on his face.
“It’s late. I didn’t think you guys were working this late tonight. I even talked to Zoe, who was surprised.” She stepped back as Ben walked in.
He closed the door, locking it right away. “We made some headway. Neither of us wanted to quit. A few other things popped up as well.”
She bit her lip. “Nothing serious, I hope.”
“Nothing that can’t be fixed. I’m hungry. And then I did want to talk.”
“You have me worried now, Ben. Is it about last night, because I—”
He grabbed her gently by the shoulders and planted a kiss on her lips that told her it wasn’t about last night. His tongue dove in without hesitation, taking, claiming, searing his taste everywhere. She groaned when he pulled away.
“I didn’t mean to scare you. Last night was the best night of my life. It’s just, we need to talk, and I don’t know how to say it. I didn’t mean to throw it out there like that.” His stomach took the opportunity to grumble in protest.
“And you’re hungry,” she chuckled.
He gave her a charming grin. “I am. I missed lunch. It was a crazy day.”
“Come on then, I’ll feed you.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the dining room. “Have a seat. What do you want to eat?”
“I didn’t come over here for you to feed me. We can order something.”
He sat down after she pointed a finger to a chair that issued no arguments. He liked her like this. Demanding. Assertive. It was adorable. So un-Rina-like.
“I have lasagna in the freezer. When I make a pan, it’s always too much for just me. I freeze a lot of it. I can heat that up.”
“Sounds delicious.”
He couldn’t help himself. His eyes roamed over her body as he said it. She wore loose black drawstring pants and a semi-tight pink cotton shirt. Nothing extravagant, but enough to get the blood flowing in his veins. Perhaps they could skip the food and the talk, and head straight to the bedroom.
“Ben?”
Nothing but temptation standing before him. He had to tear his eyes away. “Yeah?”
“If you don’t stop looking at me like that, you’re not going to get any food.”
His grin widened. “I can’t help it. You’re beautiful, Rina. I’ve had to hide how I felt for so long, I just can’t contain it any longer. If I want to look at you like I want to rip all your clothes off and love your body from morning ‘til night, I’m going to. I want you. I could take you right here on this table.”
The surprise in her eyes at his candid words didn’t stop him. He stood up and took a step toward her. If he reached out, he could grab her hand and pull her into his arms. Instead, he stood frozen. Why did he decide to skip the food and head straight to the talk?
“Rina…”
“Are you about to ask me if we can have sex on the table?” Her voice sounded frightened, yet mixed with anticipation.
He shook his head, biting his lip to keep his laugh from escaping. “I wouldn’t ask. I’d just grab you into my arms and have my way with you.”
“Oh.” She took a step back, but her eyes glossed to the table with desire.
“Rina,” he said with a chuckle, “I’m not going to grab you…yet.”
Her eyes went round with shock. “Meaning…that…it’s a table…Ben…”
“I love you.”
Heart pounding like a jackhammer, she had to be able to hear it. See it even. It felt like his heart could explode at any moment. His hands were clammy; almost where he needed to wipe them down his pants, but that would make his nerves even more obvious. She stared at him, her eyes still wide with shock, maybe even wider than before. Her silence frightened him the most. He expected her to say something, even keep her stammering going on. Why wasn’t she saying anything?
“I think I fell a little bit in love with you the first time I met you. You spoke so softly, yet fiercely to Zeke about leaving Zoe alone, it was impossible not to love the way you commanded the situation. Each new day, I find something new to love about you. You just make it so easy.” He sighed heavily. “I had a rough day. You told me your father would be relentless. He has been.”
He put his hand up when her mouth started to open. No way did he want to hear one word from her if it had to do with her father. Anything else would be fine. Like, I love you. Yeah, he’d love to hear that back.
“We never talked much about him. I found out he knows a lot of people. I’ve been told at work to be on my best behavior, or bye-bye job. You’re worth more to me than my job. Then, my sister Erin, she had a problem with child services concerning her daughter. Isabella’s only four. They say they received a report that I left her alone while she was in my care. They said that reflects badly on Erin as a mother.”
He ran a hand through his hair, piercing
his lips together to keep the vulgar words from leaving. Rina didn’t need to hear that. “Nobody messes with my family like that. I would never leave Isabella alone like that. If your father wants to play dirty, I will. I don’t want to because I don’t want you to get hurt. I would never hurt you, Rina. I love you too much. I just want to make you happy.”
Silence filled the room. Ben looked at Rina with his heart displayed for the world. If she chose to walk away, she would walk away with the full knowledge of his feelings. That’s the only way he wanted her to leave him. She looked back at him with confusion, shock, and something else he couldn’t decipher. He didn’t know what else to say. So he didn’t.
“I’m sorry.” She took a step toward him.
“Sorry?”
“For the trouble my father’s causing. Normally I don’t even know what he does. The guy always disappears from my life with a lame excuse.”
She took another step and placed a soft hand on his chest directly over his heart. “You’re the only man to care, to keep pushing forward, to keep fighting for me. I don’t even know why my father does what he does. I’ve never been brave enough to ask.”
She raised her head, meeting his eyes. “I love you, Ben. I have for a long time. For the first time in my life, I’m willing to go against my father to keep what I want. And I want you. Do you still want me?”
“That was never in question.” He claimed her lips in a blistering passion and pulled her roughly against his hard body.
***
She sank into his body, wrapping her arms around him. Home. She felt perfectly at home in his arms. His hands slid down her back and grabbed her bottom, eliciting a moan from her lips. One minute she was standing, the next he lifted her around his waist. Locking her legs around him, holding on as he continued to kiss her, her heart soared to a new place. One so filled with happiness she was afraid to let go of him.
His gun wedged into her thigh, but she didn’t care. The delicious fever burning in every limb of her body as she pressed tightly to his hot shaft took away every other thought. She wanted him deep inside her. Cradled perfectly to his body as she was, made her crave that sensation to the brink of madness. He turned her around, moving a few paces. Even after he set her on the edge of the table, she kept her legs tightly clamped around him.
“Ever since you asked me about having sex on this table, that’s all I can picture. I want you, right here, right now. Unless you say otherwise. Unless you want me to walk you to the bedroom instead,” he whispered against her lips, nibbling, waiting for her answer.
She shivered once. Sex on the table seemed so naughty. She never considered doing anything of this sort. His hard erection still pulsating between her legs made the consideration very easy. The rebel in her pushed through.
“You said you wouldn’t ask, that you’d just have your way with me. That’s what I’m waiting for.”
Ben cradled her cheeks, rubbing his thumbs back and forth. “I’ll never ask again. I plan to have my way with you in as many spots that I can think of.”
Her cheeks flamed with heat, but said nothing as she raised her arms when he pulled up her shirt. He tossed her shirt behind him, tackling her bra next. He unhooked her bra with ease, tossing that behind him as well. He dropped his eyes to her breasts, taking his fill. He reached for one, caressing her nipple.
“There isn’t a spot on your body that I don’t love.” He bent down, taking her nipple into his mouth, suckling hard.
He took his time, switching back and forth between both nipples, suckling, nipping, and doting on them as if he just won first prize in a contest. She leaned back, resting her palms on the table to stay upright. She hung her head back, eyes closed, as she delighted in each time his tongue swirled around or his teeth nibbled. She could let him feast on her breasts all day. Each time his tongue hit a new spot, elation pricked her skin, making her hungry for more.
She looked at him when his mouth left her body and watched patiently as he unhooked his gun and badge. He had to move her left leg to do so. He caressed up her thigh, lifting it slightly, taking his time as his hand moved up. He grinned, her face flushing by the movement. He set his gun and badge plenty away from where they were. She enjoyed the way he had to reach, her legs still wrapped tightly around his waist, his hard erection pressing further into her as he did. His phone also joined that pile, making each of his movements drive her crazy with need. He reached for the buttons on his shirt when she stilled his hands.
“Mmm, no, let me.”
She took her time undoing each button, scraping her knuckles against his skin as she did. His body trembled each time. “Are you cold?” she asked with a sly grin.
“I’m dying of heat, and if you don’t hurry up, I’m going to die of starvation. I need you.”
“I do believe you took your time removing your gun and badge. Why the rush now?”
He leaned closer, giving her a quick kiss. “I like teasing you. Not so much on the getting teased back. You drive me insane with your light touches. It just makes me want you more.”
She stilled her hand, one finger touching his chest. She lightly moved it back and forth. “And you think your touches don’t drive me insane. Oh, Ben, a simple look from you drives me insane. I have no idea how I managed to keep my true feelings from you for as long as I did.”
“Shit, Rina, I have no idea either. Don’t ever do that again. I love you in my arms. I always will.”
His look scorched her to the bone. Her hands trembled as she finished the last few buttons a little faster, albeit, a little clumsy. The heat between them had reached new heights. She did the last button and let the shirt fall open. Smoothing her hands up his chest, she relished in the shiver that engulfed his body. She slid her hands underneath the shirt near his shoulders and let it drop to the floor as she guided it off.
“My turn.” He didn’t wait for a response. He grabbed her tightly against him, kissing her lips with a renewed passion. His kiss was hotter than before, fiercer, more frenzied. His tongue dug deep, swirling in a dizzying pattern as she tried to keep pace.
***
The kiss never broke as he trailed his hands down her back, hooking his fingers inside her pants. He lifted her up, pulling her pants and panties along as he trailed his hands downward. His hands slid down her thighs as he guided it all to the floor. The minute he felt it all hit his feet, he pulled her closer to his body, his lips still connected to hers.
He cupped her ass, sliding his hands up her back, skimming the sides of her breast. He brushed them back down, moving them to her front and continued to tease her as his hands ran down her thighs.
Up then down, several times.
She moaned as the kiss became stronger. He knew she was almost there, almost ready. He wanted her wet. So wet, that he slid in with ease. The minute she ran her hands up his back and clenched his hair tightly, he knew.
He kicked his shoes off, then reached for his belt, unbuckling it quickly. Next, his pants were unbuttoned and zipper flying down with a speed he never displayed. She helped shove his pants down along with his boxers, his clothes joining hers on the floor. Then he guided her down on his hard shaft and nearly growled with pleasure when he could feel how deep he was.
He broke the kiss, grabbing her face tightly. “I love you, Rina. Nothing is ever going to change that. I hope you always believe that. Never doubt me, never doubt this.”
“I never will. I love you, Ben.”
“Then hold on, sweetheart, I’m about to love you on this table.” He smiled brightly, claiming her mouth again.
He brushed his hands across her cheeks, over her hair, down her back, and cupped her ass tightly. He started thrusting slowly at first, savoring every moment, every movement she made. This would be a night to remember. To sear into his brain until the end of time. The moment he confessed his love and she confessed back.
He still couldn’t believe she said it back. The three little words he had dreaded to tell her. The shock wouldn�
�t dissipate. His heart still pounded like crazy. What made it better was hers pounded in tune to his.
He honestly didn’t believe the day would get any better. But it had. It didn’t matter what problems they had to sort out. As long as she was in his arms, nothing else mattered.
He jerked slightly when her hands grabbed his ass and squeezed. Smiling against her lips, he lowered her to the table and took one more kiss before he lifted his head. “Hold on, sweetheart.”
She grabbed his ass tighter and held on as he pumped in and out of her. There wasn’t any slowness, any lingering doubts. This was raw love. He held onto her sides, gliding in and out of her, rocking the table as he did. His hands shifted up, grabbing her breasts, fondling a bit. He wanted her harder, though. He wanted to consume her. Last night, he had taken her with a slow passion that spoke of his love. Today, professing it, he wanted to brand it on her.
He moved his hands back down, gripping her hips tightly as he thrust in and out with a desire he never felt before. Suddenly, a mixture of passion and pain consumed him when she squeezed his ass so tightly he could feel her nails dig in. Her body convulsed into a blinding ecstasy when her climax hit without warning. He watched as her face bloomed a deep red, her moans singing within the room. Smiling like a man in love, which he was, he pulled her tighter to him as he thrust three more times before his chest fell onto her body.
Waves of ecstasy flowed over his body. His head lay in the crook of her neck. Trailing small, light kisses to her ear, he whispered, “I think I love this table.”
She giggled. “More than me?”
He lifted his head. “Never, but it’s a close second.”
He scooped his hands underneath her and pulled her close to his body still deep inside her. “How about a shower and then some food?”
She shook her head yes, clutching his back. “Maybe you should let me down. I can walk there.”
“I’m not letting you down, sweetheart. I think I’m going to love you against the bathroom wall now. You feel too damn good to let down yet.”
Chapter 11
One Taste of Love (A One Taste Novel Book 2) Page 12
