The Setup (Faking It Book 2)

by Lila Kane

  His gaze searched mine, almost like he was too afraid to hope. I waited for him to answer, but nothing came.

  I swallowed and touched his cheek. “I swear I’m not that high.”

  But the tentative smile I offered faded when he continued to stay quiet. I put my hand back in my lap and murmured, “Please say you’re not going to leave me like this.”

  His breath yanked in and he pulled me into his arms. “Libby, no,” he said, then froze. He loosened his hold immediately. “God, Libby—did I hurt you? Are you okay?”

  With a nervous laugh, I shook my head. “No. I mean, you didn’t hurt me. I’m okay.”

  “You sure? Okay, don’t make that face at me. I love you—of course I’m not going to leave you—”

  “Wait.” I blinked up at him, and this time I was the one afraid he might not be telling me the truth. “You love me?”

  “Yes. Completely and utterly. I’ve loved you since that first night we met and I’m an ass for not telling you right away. And then again and again every day. I love you,” he murmured, kissing me softly. “I love you so, so much.”

  I smiled, kissing him back. “I want to go home with you. And I want…” I looked around. I wanted all of it. Everything we missed and everything we still had to come.

  And I wanted a repeat of what had happened in his bedroom last night.

  But Ben was standing and fixing the pillow behind me, then backing up with his hands out. “Let me go talk to the nurse so she can check on you. Okay?”

  But she walked in before he could go to find her. She held a vase of flowers, a giant bouquet with a shiny balloon attached. “Get well soon!” it said.

  “What’s this?” I asked.

  “A delivery for you.” She smiled. “Such pretty flowers!”

  I looked at Ben. “Who is it from?”

  He pulled out the card and then smiled. “The partners at work.”

  “But…how did they know? It’s like…the middle of night.”

  I watched the nurse walk around the bed and check the stats on my chart.

  Ben stood to the side so the nurse could do her job. “I called while you were sleeping. Those guys keep late nights. Anyway, I let them know I wouldn’t be in for the rest of the week.”

  I shook my head. “You don’t have to—”

  “It’s already done. Please don’t argue.”

  The nurse grinned to herself.

  “I also called Stacy,” he said, “but I asked her to wait for me to call again and let her know if we were coming home so she wouldn’t rush right here.”

  I relaxed on the bed. Good. I didn’t need anyone else worrying. And right now, I just wanted to spend time with Ben. At home.

  “I’m good, right?” I asked the nurse. “I can go?”

  She gave a patient smile. “Everything is looking good. I’ll grab the doctor and have him come to check your arm and hand, but you should be on your way soon. I’ll grab instructions on how to take care of the burn.” She grinned at Ben and then looked back at me. “And if I were you, I’d enjoy having your boyfriend home from work for the entire week. You should let him take care of you.”

  She left the room and I looked at Ben. “Did you hear what she said? She called you my boyfriend.”

  He returned to the chair next to the bed. “Is that what you would call me?”

  “I think so.” I pointed a finger at him. “But only if it’s real. I don’t want to pretend anymore. I don’t want an agreement. I want the real thing.”

  Ben took my hand and kissed it, being as gentle as possible. “Me too. I want what we should have had since the beginning. This isn’t pretend for me, Libby. It’s real and I love you.”

  My whole body felt warm, and despite what had happened tonight, I was happier than I’d been in a long time. “Say that a lot—I like it. Now, let’s go.”

  He laughed and kissed me. “Soon. Let’s talk to the doctor first.”

  “Then you’ll take me home, right?”

  His smile was tender, and he nodded. “Yes. Then we’ll go home.”

  25

  Libby wasn’t the best patient. She’d been home from the hospital for a few days and wouldn’t just take the time to relax. She wanted to be up, walking around, traipsing through town and I just wanted to make sure she was okay first.

  “You’re supposed to be taking it easy,” I reminded her when she said we should take a walk. “How does your arm feel? I can get—”

  “I don’t need anything except good old-fashioned sunshine.” She grinned at me from where she sat on the couch. “Or some exercise.”

  My cock twitched and I walked to the kitchen to get her another glass of water so she wouldn’t see how her suggestion had affected me. Yeah, I wanted her more than I could say, but that didn’t mean it was what she needed.

  When I returned to the couch, I passed her the water and gave her one of the pills the doctor prescribed her to take a few times a day.

  She coughed and then rolled her eyes when I gave her a look. “It’s fine,” she mumbled, taking the pill.

  It was fine. The doctor said this was normal. Same with the shortness of breath when she walked too much—which was why I didn’t want her to go for a walk. Or get the kind of exercise that we were both clearly craving.

  “A nice, slow walk,” she said, looking up at me with eyes so wide and beautiful I could drown in them.

  I ignored the hoarseness of her voice even though it bothered me. “We could watch a movie,” I said instead. “Finish Singin’ in the Rain.”

  When her eyebrows lifted and she smiled again, I groaned. Yeah, last time that had ended up with her on my lap. Which was right where she wanted to be.

  I didn’t answer, and she angled her head. “We could cuddle?”

  I considered this, but it sounded like a good compromise. So I pulled a blanket off the side of the couch and draped it over her legs before sitting next to her. Just another layer between her skin and mine, which was starting to become necessary for both of us. Just a few more days and I’d feel better. But she couldn’t blame me for wanting to make sure she was completely healed and rested.

  Libby smiled at me. “You know, I really do feel fine.”

  “Then you can just do this to humor me.”

  “I have been, in case you haven’t noticed.”

  She had. I had to give her that. She’d argued, sure, but she’d done as I asked because she knew it would make me feel better. But I knew it had made her feel better, too.

  “You’re right,” I conceded.

  She smiled again. “I like to hear that.”

  With a chuckle, I held out my arm so she could lean against me. “I know you do.”

  She scooted up to my side and leaned her cheek against my chest. Then she put her arm around my middle and wrapped a leg around me as well. I could feel the rise and fall of her breasts against me as she breathed. My cock lengthened in my pants, and I winced, willing myself to think about puppies. When that didn’t help, I tried remembering the worst smell I’d ever experienced.

  Then she ran her finger in circles on my chest.

  I caught her hand and kissed her fingertips before holding her still. “Libby.”

  “It’s just…” She shrugged and looked at me with those wide eyes again. “Another kind of medicine.”

  I choked out a laugh and then shook my head. “Nice try. How about I give you a foot massage?”

  She nodded. “And a back massage.”

  “Sounds good,” I agreed quickly. Another compromise. I liked that.

  “I’ll probably have to be naked for that.”

  My whole body responded to the word “naked.” Before I could say anything, she tugged off her t-shirt, exposing a lacy bra. My eyes automatically dropped to her chest and then moved back to her eyes, feeling like my body was ripping in half.

  It took everything I had not to reach out and touch her.

  I swallowed. “Libby.”

  “Getting prepared,
” she said reasonably, then pointed down the hall. “We’ll probably have to do this in the bedroom.”

  My laugh came out choked. Damn, she was good. But… My smile faded.

  “What?” she asked, alarm crossing her features. “What happened? What’s wrong?”

  I ran a hand over my eyes and shook my head.

  “No, please,” she said, touching my hand, then entwining her fingers with mine. “Please tell me.

  “I just…I don’t want to hurt you. After—after—what happened, I just want you to be okay,” I murmured.

  And to my surprise and immediate dismay, her eyes filled with tears.

  “Ben,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”

  “No, Libby—God, I didn’t say that to hurt you. Please—” I reached out for her, then pulled her into my lap. “Don’t cry.”

  She shook her head, waving it off. “It’s not that—or not just that. I mean, I’m not sad. These aren’t sad tears.” And even though her eyes kept swimming, she smiled. “I’m happy. You’re not going to hurt me, you’re making this better. I’m here with you and we love each other. And you’re amazing.”

  She shifted so she was straddling me, just like that night we watched the movie. But this time, she only touched my cheek gently. “I love you. And I love being here with you.”

  “I love you, too,” I told her, my eyes tracing every feature of her face. She looked amazing, too. She was amazing. She was healthy and happy and I wanted to remember this moment forever.

  “Then don’t worry,” she said. “I’m okay. You’re not going to hurt me. If I need to stop, I promise I’ll tell you. I know my body, Ben, and I know what I can handle. Trust me.”

  My body lit on fire at those words, knowing I was going to give in. “I trust you.”

  “Good.” She grinned. “Then I’m going to need you to take off your pants.”

  It was like a bolt of electricity zapped me. I came to attention immediately, and then did as she asked, undoing the button on my jeans. I levered my hips up to tug down my pants, taking my boxers with them.

  She stood, giving me space, and I reached for her. But she shook her head.

  “Not just yet,” she said, her eyes locked on mine. “I think I need a taste first.”

  My heart rate picked up and I leaned back on the couch, watching while my body raged with need. “I think…uh…I think you’re going to be naked to do that.”

  Her eyes crinkled with a grin. And she knew she’d won. “Absolutely.”

  I watched as she pulled off her own pants and her panties, leaving her nearly naked before me. Then she reached for her bra, wincing with the motion.

  “Libby—”

  “No,” she breathed, then smiled again. “Just give me a second. I’ve got this.”

  And she did. She twisted slightly and then the latch came free.

  When I reached for her again, she shook her head. “No. We’re supposed to take this slowly, right?”

  Fuck. She was right, which was actually irritating me now, because I could hardly hold still. I could take it slow, but I needed my damn hands on her. Especially how she stood before me right now, with her hair like a cloud of fluff around her shoulders, body long and lean, her skin as smooth as silk.

  She knelt in front of me and ran her hands up my thighs. The bandage on her arm was just more friction that was driving me close to the edge.

  “Libby,” I growled.

  “Patience.”

  She leaned in, her breath warm on the head of my dick. I gave a low moan and then leaned my head back on the cushions, letting myself feel her mouth on me. Giving in to everything she wanted for the moment. It was good for both of us, this closeness, this amount of trust.

  Her tongue touched me first, one long lick from the base of my cock to the tip. And then she let her hands wander, stroking me softly before placing her mouth on me and taking me into her mouth.

  “Libby,” I whispered.

  “How does that feel?”

  “So good,” I murmured.

  So she continued to stroke me and suck me at the same time, making my hands clench into fists on the couch.

  “That feels so good,” I told her, my voice almost hoarse.

  When I looked back at her, her eyes were on me, watching me as she gave me such intense pleasure.

  “God, Libby…” I was so close to coming, and I wanted it to be inside of her. “Not yet.”

  But she wouldn’t relent, so I reached down to grip her arms and haul her up to the couch.

  “I need to be inside of you,” I murmured.

  She blinked at me and simply said, “Yes.”

  She’d had her chance and now it was my turn to pay her back.

  26

  Ben’s face was right in front of mine, eyes heavy-lidded and full of heat and desire. I still took it slow because I didn’t want him to change his mind, to stop.

  I hadn’t lied when I said this was its own kind of medicine. I wasn’t thinking about my arm or the things that had happened a few days ago. I was here with Ben, completely in the moment, and it meant everything to me.

  He pressed me into the pillows, body gentle over mine, careful not to put too much pressure.

  “You okay?” he asked, brushing hair from my cheek and kissing me there.

  “More than okay. I needed this.”

  He exhaled and nodded. “Me too.”

  I could tell. I’d seen how hard it was for him to hold back, how he’d taken extra care when touching me, which he hadn’t done near enough.

  “I had a dream last night,” I whispered against his lips, shutting my eyes and remembering, “that you woke me up so you could make love to me.”

  “Really,” he murmured. He pressed a kiss to my eyelids, then my cheeks, before running his tongue on my lower lip. “Did I touch you?”

  My body grew hot just thinking about it. “Yes. All over. With your hands and your tongue.”

  Ben levered himself over me, and I opened my eyes to see his face. “Is that what you want?”

  I smiled and then wrapped my legs around him, pushing my hips against his. “I want you inside of me, just like this.”

  I wanted his body over me, our eyes locked like this. Nothing more, nothing fast. Just simple and sweet.

  “Tell me if I hurt you,” Ben said, still taking his time.

  “Goddammit.” I grinned at him. “You’re stalling.”

  “Patience,” he whispered, using my line from before.

  But then he shifted to press his cock against my entrance. My heart beat out of control as he eased in slowly, filling me and making me feel complete.

  “Yes,” I said, spreading wider for him. “Ben—”

  “Nice and easy.” He devoured my mouth with his and I was lost again.

  The kisses were slow and sensual, and he kept up that rhythm with gentle strokes inside of me. I pumped my hips against his, feeling him go deeper and deeper each time he pumped into me.

  “That feels so good.”

  He bent his head to take one of my nipples into his mouth. He teased it with his tongue, making me gasp. My hands clenched on his ass, and then I came.

  It was a complete jolt, my mind blanking from everything except for how good it felt, and my body singing with adrenalin.

  Ben followed after me with a groan. His arm latched around me, holding me close enough I could barely breathe, and I closed my eyes, loving that he was so consumed.

  After a long moment, I sighed against his neck. “Ben.”

  He pulled back, blurry eyes coming into focus on mine. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

  “No. I’m fine. Don’t let go,” I said, breathless.

  “Not yet.” He continued to hold me, our bodies mashed together as our heart rates finally slowed.

  “You sure you’re okay?” he asked.

  I nodded, my cheek brushing his. “I feel great. And I can’t believe you waited so long.”

  “Hey. I was taking care of you.”

>   “I’m pretty sure that wasn’t against the doctor’s orders.”

  He smiled at me. “It wasn’t in his orders, either. I think I would have remembered if he said, ‘Take Libby home and fuck her senseless.’”

  “Yes. That’s exactly what he told me you were supposed to do. Every few hours.”

  He chuckled and eased himself up so he wasn’t squishing me anymore. “Don’t get too carried away.”

  “We have a lot of time to make up for,” I reminded him. “I think we need to do it in every room of the house.” I pointed. “And up against those windows.”

  I swear he shuddered at that. Then he glared at me. “You can’t tempt me. Not even with that.”

  I smiled to myself, knowing I’d be tempting a lot over the next few days.

  “Stay there,” he ordered as he stood. “I’ll be back.”

  I nodded and stayed where I was, my eyes shut as I reclined. I heard water running from down the hall, probably in Ben’s bathroom where he was cleaning up. And once the haze of love-making had settled, I let my mind wander.

  It went right to the one thing I’d been trying not to think about. The theater.

  I’d checked on Mr. Griffin to make sure he was okay and knew the bank had postponed the foreclosure so he’d have time to get on his feet. But the rest was…still up in the air. Ben had told me that the damage to the building was minimal, but it still killed me knowing there had been some. And that even more work was going to have to be done to make it what it should be again. Another expense when I already couldn’t afford the place.

  Ben was being supportive, but he also wanted me to take a few days before making any decisions. Before even worrying about it.

  But I didn’t have a few days. It felt like I didn’t have any time at all. I had to figure out something else.

  Or…I had to let the theater go.

  I felt the couch move next to me and jumped, my eyes flashing open. “God, Ben. You scared me.”

  He leaned over and kissed me, then handed me one of his t-shirts. “You look worried.”

  I shrugged and sat up, pulling his shirt over my head. It smelled like him, like soap and new beginnings.