Heartthrob (Bennett Brothers Series)

by Ahren Sanders

  “That was you?” I jerk back.

  “Hell yes.”

  “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “I was stuck in my head, not sure I could give you what you deserved.”

  “You’re all I ever wanted,” I blurt out unashamed.

  His hands go to my head, threading through my hair and bringing my forehead to his. “I was existing off a misguided sense of direction. For a long time, I thought I’d lost my chance, living with the fact that you’d moved on. I waited for the day you’d announce you had found someone else. It killed me inside. It took me too long to come to my senses, but when I saw my shot, I took it.”

  His confession crashes into me, and I try to process why he didn’t think he could give me what I deserved.

  “I know now that even though we worked through it, my mistakes didn’t stop. I thought I had all of you, but I didn’t pay attention. You have a spirit inside you that is incredibly vivacious, and I was riding a fine line. I didn’t want to take the chance of suffocating you. When you left me the other night, I’ve never felt such confusion. When I couldn’t find you, panic set in. The realization that you could leave me so easily sunk deep, and I was faced with reality. I’ve taken advantage of you.”

  “I don’t feel that way.” My free hand comes to his cheek, and I run my fingers along his jaw. “I never felt taken advantage of. It’s okay if we want different things out of life.”

  “That’s a huge problem for me, considering you are my life. Whatever path we’re on, it’s going to be together. Not for a few thrills, but for the long term. Wild, crazy, beautiful, relentless, passionate, devoted, selfless, uninhibited—every single piece of you is branded on my soul, and I’m not losing that ever again. You are my forever.”

  My body rocks against his, my hand gripping his face tighter. “What are you saying?”

  “That I love you, Claire Dixon. I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember, and you better get used to a lifetime with me.”

  The splintered pieces of my heart fly back together, and to my horror, tears pool in my eyes. I momentarily forget about the handcuffs, yanking my arm and yelping when it prickles my wrist. “Uncuff me!” I demand, trying to wrap my arms around him.

  “Not a chance.” His lips curve into a cocky grin, and he lets me go, gently pushing my back to the bed. “We’re playing by my rules now.”

  “You can’t tell me you love me and not expect me to jump you!”

  “As tempting as that sounds, I like my plan better.” He kisses down the column of my throat, across each collarbone, and makes his way to one nipple, grazing his teeth around the edge.

  “Oh, no, you don’t.” My back arches and squirms to the side. “This is not happening like this.” I try to grip his hair.

  His eyes shoot to mine, and his hand captures mine in the air, forcing it to the bed at my hip. I’m a useless force against him in this position, and he knows it. He licks around the other nipple, alternating between sucking it gently and blowing softly until it’s aching.

  It’s a known fact that my body zings alive with his touch, and today, he’s using it to his advantage to work me into a frenzy. I try to thrash, but it’s useless, my movements become weaker and weaker by his seduction.

  His teeth graze across my nipple once more before going lower, his intentions clear. My fingers claw at the sheet to get leverage to push him away, but I melt when his tongue lashes along my center.

  “Oh, dear God!”

  My body betrays me, my knees falling to the side to give him open access as he uses the tip of his tongue to go slowly up and down, delving deeper with each stroke.

  “Mine,” he murmurs against my clit, the vibration of his lips shooting a bolt of desire throughout my system.

  His mouth moves from side to side, the soft stubble of his cheeks rubbing deliciously on the sensitive skin. I lose the fight to hold his stare and roll my eyes to the back of my head, allowing myself to feel.

  He slides his free hand underneath my upper thigh and caresses to the same rhythm as his mouth, taking his time until I’m panting.

  Small chants slip from my lips as he swirls, sucks, and kisses, devouring me in a way that gives me no choice but to surrender. He knows the instant I succumb, feeling the fight leave.

  “You were wearing a sundress the color of your eyes… strappy sandals that were meant to wrap around my back… and rhinestone clips twined in your hair…”

  Holy hell! His words penetrate every inch of my skin as he takes me down memory lane of our first night together so many years ago.

  He remembers… everything.

  My body trembles and heart melts, struggling to push down the emotions.

  His tongue circles once more before he sucks my clit and I erupt, bowing off the bed and screaming into the room. Before I can fall back, he catches me, twisting so I’m draped across him.

  “The memories will never fade, but we’re starting new ones today.” He kisses my head, leaving me speechless.

  “I promise, things are good.”

  “That’s what you texted yesterday. What I want to know is what happened? I waited long enough for an explanation. When Bizzy called, she said you had a freakout. When Mathis called, he said it was a misunderstanding. Which one was it?” My mom puts me on the spot.

  “Umm, I guess a little of both. It was a mini-freakout over a major misunderstanding. Everyone overreacted, as usual, and worried you unnecessarily.”

  “Why didn’t you call me?”

  “I needed some time to work through my mess. You would never know I was here if these nosy-bodies didn’t tell you. It was a place for space.”

  As if on cue, Mathis’s hand snakes up my side and squeezes my boob, his lips kissing along my neck. “Never getting any space again,” he mumbles into my skin.

  I try to swat him away, which is useless because my other hand is handcuffed to him.

  “Did you work things out? Is he there?”

  “Yes, he’s here.”

  “And?”

  “I guess you could say we’re working things out.”

  “Oh, thank God, I was scared you finally chased that man away.”

  Mathis chuckles, clearly hearing her.

  “Why would you assume it was me that chased him away?” My spine goes straight, irritation rising.

  “Claire, you’re a handful, always have been. Your father and I have always said it would take a saint to deal with your feisty nature.”

  “Whose side are you on?” I clip.

  “I didn’t know there were sides. Is there a war? Should we grab our armor and prepare for battle? Because Lord knows you can find a way to fight with a tree if it pisses you off.”

  “Mom—” The phone is snatched out of my hand, Mathis leaning against the couch and out of earshot.

  “Kelly, you have Mathis now.”

  I try to get close enough to hear, but he props the phone between his ear and shoulder then puts his hands on my shoulders to keep me in place.

  “Yes, we are fine. But I’ve spent the last eight hours trying to rectify my mistake and finally had her calmed down. Now, she’s firing laser beams at the phone.”

  The only thing I can make out is the sound of her loud cackling.

  “I know, and I’ll explain that to her.”

  More snickers and rumblings.

  “Not tonight. Let’s plan something for next week. I’ll call Mitch and set it up.”

  The line goes quiet and his eyes shoot to mine, his fun-loving grin disappearing. An uneasy feeling claws at my gut.

  “I understand, and it won’t happen again. She’s the most important thing to me as well.”

  More silence.

  “I’ll tell her. We will talk soon.”

  He hangs up and tosses the phone across the sofa.

  “What was that about?”

  He doesn’t answer immediately, instead adjusting our position so our linked wrists are wedged between us and I’m arranged over his
legs.

  “She wanted her and Mitch to pop in tonight to make sure things were okay and bring dinner. I nixed that idea.”

  “And?”

  “She didn’t mean to get you riled up. She was trying to diffuse the situation with humor thinking it would help you smile. She’s a worried mom and told me that however I’d fucked up, I needed to fix it. She and your dad are fighting their instincts to come here and see for themselves you are all right.”

  “How have I not ever noticed everyone in my life is so invasive? Can’t a girl break up with her boyfriend and wallow in peace?”

  His eyes grow sharp, his hand going to the back of my neck. “That’s the last time you mention breaking up.”

  His tone leaves no room for argument, and a shiver runs down my back. He notices and yanks the throw around us. I try to think of something witty, but my brain is muddled with everything that has happened.

  “No more calls,” he tells me, the sharpness in his eyes fading. “Everyone is curious, wanting to know how this is going. In due time, they can hassle. But these next few days are mine.”

  “So you keep saying.”

  My stomach chooses that moment to growl, and I swear it vibrates between us. His lips tip up in an amusing grin. “Someone needs to eat.”

  “That means you have to let me loose to get dressed. I don’t have much here.”

  “The kitchen is stocked.”

  “How in the hell did you pull that off?”

  “I had food delivered while you were napping.”

  “You mean when you put me into a non-sex coma?”

  He shrugs nonchalantly, his eyes now dancing with humor. “Multiple orgasms have that effect on you.”

  “One of these days, I’m going to cuff you to the bed. Payback is hell.”

  “Something to look forward to. Now, up you go.” He stands and effortlessly arranges me in his arms, carrying us toward the kitchen.

  “You are going to release me to get dressed and eat, aren’t you?”

  “Sort of.”

  He sets me on my feet, grabs his bag off the floor, and lifts me onto a barstool. He rummages through the side pocket and produces a set of keys.

  “I thought the keys were in the bedroom?”

  “Multiple sets.” He closes in, bending to skim his lips over mine.

  I fall into him, losing myself and meeting his tongue stroke for stroke. His fingers thread through my hair, tilting my head for better access, deepening the kiss. Even after spending all day in bed with him, experiencing the most erotic and sensual pleasure I’ve ever had, my body comes alive with desire for more. I scoot to the edge of the stool, wrapping my legs around his waist and thrusting my hips to his. He growls down my throat, grinding until the tip of his cock teases me. I moan in pleasure, angling so he can slide inside… and then he’s gone.

  My eyes fly open to find him backed against the bar, his chest heaving. His gaze is dark, full of hunger. Then I realize he’s no longer attached to me. I try to reach for him and feel the pull. I’m now locked to the arm of the stool.

  The heat vanishes, replaced with a new kind of burn. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

  “Sorry, that got out of hand.” His voice is rough.

  “This situation is getting out of hand! You’ve lost your mind.”

  “I’m not taking any chances.”

  “Besides the handcuffs, you keep teasing me!” I huff.

  “As I said, that got out of hand.” He grabs a pair of pajama pants out of the bag, pulling them on and adjusting his bulge.

  “Now, you’re withholding sex! It’s what we do; we have sex, a lot of sex. While I appreciate the multi-sensory exploration of my body today, I have needs.” I rustle my thighs together to prove my point.

  His eyes drop to my legs and then come back to me. “We’ll have sex again, Claire, but this is about me proving we have a lot more than sex between us. This is harder on me than you can imagine.” He digs in his bag again, bringing out my favorite silk robe, and proceeds to wrap it around me the best he can.

  “Where’d you get this?”

  “Your apartment. I brought a few items I thought we may need.”

  “This keeps getting more and more bizarre,” I say under my breath.

  He ignores me, going into the kitchen and pulling out what looks to be ingredients for my absolute favorite pasta dish. I can’t remember the last time Mathis cooked for me.

  I decide to give in and enjoy this for now. Turnabout is fair play, though, and I will get my revenge when he’s least expecting it.

  Chapter 6

  Mathis

  “I love you,” I whisper into Claire’s head, sifting my fingers through her hair.

  She mumbles beside me, waking up, and yanking at our joined wrists. I smother my laugh as her eyes peek up from my chest, and she scowls.

  “There are laws about this. You have to let me go.” She tugs.

  “Not going to happen.”

  “Do you still think I’m going to bolt?”

  “Not sure. You haven’t given me a reason to trust you yet.”

  She spears me with a dangerous glare, and I brace as she rolls on top.

  My already hard dick lurches between us, and she grins, scooting lower.

  “Not going to cave,” I tell her for the hundredth time.

  “Oh, you’ll cave.” My abdominal muscles contract as she skims her lips down, blowing a light breath as she goes. The tip of her tongue slides along the tip of my cock, circling and licking slowly. She takes her time, working my head, teasing me until I groan. Her eyes begin to sparkle as her hand wraps around my length and begins to stroke. My dick pulses at the sensation of her tight grip and soft lips.

  She holds my stare as she increases her speed, sucking me deeper. A low, throaty growl rumbles from my chest, and I buck my hips, hitting the back of her throat. She swallows hard and hums, the vibration sending my blood rushing south.

  “Fuck yes,” I grunt, getting a smile of approval.

  Her tongue swirls as she slowly works her head up and down my shaft. I lose her eyes as she nestles between my legs and drops her forehead so her hair tickles my inner thighs.

  Claire has always been an expert at blow jobs, admitting that she loves them as much as me, but this morning, she’s outdoing herself, paying close attention to every inch of flesh and using her teeth to graze lightly at the tip before sucking me back in. My head falls back, and I feel the coiling at the base of my spine. It’s only been five days since we last had sex, but it feels like a lifetime as she works me to the point of explosion.

  Our joined hands are pressed to my hip, and she applies pressure to stop my thrust as I grind into her mouth. My other hand threads through her hair, flexing and tugging as she slows her assault, bringing me so close I arch to go as deep as possible. She stills, dragging her lips up and releasing my cock with a pop. My head flies up, and I’m prepared to beg until I catch the glimmer in her eyes. She goes lower, and my aching dick lurches when she takes my balls into her mouth, rolling them with her tongue.

  Holy fuck! Every muscle in my body tenses, and I knife up, tightening my grip on her scalp. She goes back to stroking me, this time with our hands, so I’m forced to participate. I haven’t jacked myself off since we’ve been together, and this is unlike anything I’ve ever felt.

  I’m not going to last. My teeth clench, and I pump faster, swelling as the first shot of warm liquid jets onto my stomach. In a flash, our hands are gone, replaced by her mouth. She swallows deep, and black spots fill my vision as I empty into her.

  My head drops back, and I try to catch my breath. I realize my mistake too late when Claire tackles me to my back, scrambles on top, and slides me inside her.

  I just came hard, but my cock throbs with her warmth, ready to go again.

  “Yes,” she moans, swiveling her hips.

  Every primal instinct in my body screams at me to fuck her hard. I twist, pinning her under me, and find control. She eyes m
e hungrily, licking her lips.

  “Nice try.” I slide out of her.

  “You can’t be serious right now.”

  “Baby, if that’s your way of getting me to cave, you failed. That is one of the many reasons I’m not letting you go.”

  Her expression changes, the heat from seconds ago turning to frustration. “Mathis, this is becoming too much. I’m not going to leave, I promise. You can trust me.” She throws my words from earlier back at me.

  “Stop fighting me on this and let me do it my way.”

  “I’m not sure you’ve given me a choice.”

  “Do you love me, Claire?”

  She chews on her bottom lip, eyes darting around the room. I wait patiently, knowing I’ve put her on the spot and backed her into a corner. What she doesn’t know is that, as soon as I hear the words from her mouth, this holdout is over.

  When her eyes meet mine, they are filled with fear as she gives a small nod. “You know I do,” she barely whispers.

  “Give this to me. I’ve made too many mistakes to count. At some point soon, I’m going to have to release you, but for now, the handcuffs are more for me. It’s not about you taking off; it’s about having you close at all times.”

  The fight leaves her, and she relaxes under me. “Okay, I’ll stop fighting. But I have one condition.”

  I grin, knowing without her saying it. “Sex?”

  “Yes, sex.”

  “All in due time.”

  “Why is it you get to make that decision? Aren’t guys supposed to be programmed to have sex on the brain like twenty hours a day?”

  I chuckle, shaking my head. “In all my studies and years as a doctor, I’ve never come across that fact.”

  “Urban myth?”

  “Not sure, but I’ll tell you a little secret. For me, with you, I want you all the time. Twenty-four hours a day isn’t enough.” I thrust up, rubbing against her to prove my point.

  “You’re a talking contradiction.”