The music in the background barely registers in my head, but as I continue whimpering, I understand why he put it on. This house might be massive, with our parents’ bedroom at the other end of the L-shaped corridor, but neither of us needs to risk being heard. I tell myself to keep it together and get control of my volume, but the second I feel his tongue gently lick at me, I cry out in pleasure.
I fist the sheets beneath me when he adds a little more pressure before sliding a finger inside me. I’ve no idea if the words and cries falling from my lips are intelligible or not, but I don’t really care. What he’s doing has taken over ever inch of my body, and I never want him to stop.
My body coils tighter and tighter and I know that, at some point, something’s got to give. When I feel him slide another finger into me, that something inside me snaps.
White light flashes behind my eyes as my entire body explodes with a sensation beyond anything I’ve felt before. I feel it in the tips of my fingers and all the way to my toes.
It feels like it lasts forever, but as I come down from my high and lock eyes with Ben, who’s still between my thighs, I realise it wasn’t nearly long enough.
There’s pride in his eyes, but the overwhelming emotion is sadness. My initial thought is that I’m about to be sent on my way when all I really want is more of him.
When he sits up, I’m just about prepared for what’s to come. Without words, I know that’s as far as he’s going to take this.
I prop myself up, ready to do the walk of shame back to my room, but, to my surprise, he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he stands, drops his jeans to the floor, and pulls the covers back beside me. Sliding under, he looks at me with anticipation. There’s a vulnerability oozing from him, something I’m sure he doesn’t allow many people to see.
Jumping into action, I lift my arse and climb under the covers with him. The second I stretch my body out, he rolls onto his side and pulls me to him.
“Why did you—”
“Shh…I won’t take any more from you than that. It’s not my place,” he says, repeating his earlier words.
“But I said—”
“That doesn’t matter. I need to do what’s right. Well…some of it, at least.” A sad laugh passes his lips.
“Please, let me in.” I press my hand to his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath. “Please, I could help make things better.”
“It’ll only make life harder for you. Promise me you won’t say anything to your dad. Don’t try to fight for me.” The look on his face has me agreeing, even though it’s the last thing I want to do.
I fall asleep in his arms.
When I wake the next morning, he’s gone.
Chapter Seven
The moment I realise I’m alone, I pick up my discarded clothes and run back to my room. I can still smell him on me and the last thing I want to do is wash it away, but I know I have to put last night behind me. I have a nagging feeling that last night was the beginning and the end of anything between us. The most sensible thing to do would be to put it behind me and try to move on.
“Lauren, is that you?” Dad asks the second I step foot downstairs.
“Yeah,” I call as I make my way towards the kitchen.
“I’m sorry if I was angry last night. It’s just that Ben isn’t someone I think you should be spending time with.” The vicious tone has gone, replaced by one that sounds a little like regret. “He’s bad news. You’ve got plenty of other friends I’m sure you’d enjoy being with much more.”
“He’s not bad news, Dad. I think you’ve got him all wrong.” Something darkens in his eyes, but it’s gone again in a flash.
“Just trust me on this, okay?”
Ben’s words from last night about not fighting for him come back to me. As much as I want to do just that, I trust him more than I do my dad right now, so I swallow the words on the tip of my tongue and instead whisper my agreement.
“Jenny and I are going away this weekend. I suggest you go and stay with your mother.”
“Dad, I’m more than capable of staying here without you.”
“This isn’t up for discussion, Lauren. Don’t you want to spend time with your mother?”
“Of course I do, but you can’t just move me in and out when it suits you,” I mutter.
“It’s my house, young lady,” he snaps, and I see a little of the person he was last night seeping in.
“No, Dad. It’s Jenny’s house. I’m nineteen in a few weeks. I’m more than capable of being home alone and not burning the place to the ground.”
“That isn’t what I’m concerned about.”
“Oh, and what is it exactly that you’re concerned about?” Raising an eyebrow, I wait for his response.
The silence stretches out between us before the noise of my phone going off sounds out like a siren. Ignoring it, I continue to stare at my dad.
“Give the girl a break, Nick. She’s more than welcome to stay here while we’re away,” Jenny says, joining us out of nowhere.
Dad turns his stare on her, giving me a chance to look at my phone.
Ben: You are NOT going to your mum’s this weekend.
Looking up, I glance around for him. My body is aware that he’s looking at me, but I don’t see him. That is, until a shadow catches my eye when it moves from the top of the stairs. He may not have been in bed when I woke this morning, but he’s keeping a close eye on me—protecting me, just like he said he intended to do.
Once I know he’s gone, I look back down at my message and butterflies take flight in my stomach at the prospect of an entire weekend alone with him.
“You’d better be texting your mother,” my dad grumbles, having finished his debate with Jenny, “Because if you don’t arrange it, I will.”
“Yeah, of course.”
“I’ll be checking,” he warns, earning himself another look of disappointment from Jenny.
I want to argue with him, but the knowledge that everything he seems to be scared of happening probably will happen once the two of us are alone has the words dying on my tongue.
A whole weekend with Ben in an empty house. Some of the sensations he created in my body last night tingle within me, making me desperate for the weekend.
* * *
I don’t get a chance to make a plan to fool Dad into believing I’m with Mum this weekend, because the second I get to work, things go crazy. It’s probably not helped by the fact that I’ve only had a few hours’ sleep, and when I do get a quiet moment, my thoughts immediately transport me back to Ben’s bed and how it felt to have his hands and lips on me.
I squirm in my seat once again and my face flames red when it doesn’t go unnoticed by Erica.
“You okay, Lauren? You should book a doctor’s appointment for that.” She winks.
My cheeks have barely cooled down when my skin tingles and a shiver runs down my spine.
He’s here.
It’s only another two seconds before the door opens and Ben marches into the office. I look up, desperate to see him after everything that happened between us, but he doesn’t even look my way.
Disappointment fills me.
I watch as he walks straight up to Laura at the other end of the office and starts asking about some delivery and hiring some lifters for the job he’s working on.
The whole time I sit there, unable to take my eyes off him, willing him to look my way so that I know I didn’t imagine what was between us. If the pull I feel is really there, surely he’s fighting not to look my way right now.
As their conversation comes to an end, my heart starts to race. Surely now he’ll acknowledge my presence?
Instead, he turns towards my dad’s office, lets out a long breath and walks in—without knocking like everyone else does, of course.
With my frustration growing by the minute, I push my chair out behind me and mutter something about going to make tea before disappearing into our little kitchen and flicking the kettle on.
> It takes forever to boil. Or, at least it feels that way as I fight to keep thoughts of him being in the other room from my mind. Being able to hear his deep rumbling voice through the thin wall doesn’t help all that much.
I turn to start filling a mug when I sense someone join me. His unique scent mixed with hard work hits my nose. Lust rolls through me.
His heat warms my back before his hot lips land on my bare neck.
I moan as he tickles across my sensitive skin. “I missed you this morning.”
“Sorry, I needed…a run,” he stutters, like he isn’t really telling the truth.
Movement from the office has him jumping back. His hand slides into mine and he pulls me into the ladies’ toilets.
Once in the cubicle, he pins me back against the door with his hips. His lips land on mine and he gives me what I’ve been craving since waking up alone.
Him.
As the kiss deepens, my need for him grows and so does his length against my stomach. I’m fully aware that he must have fallen asleep with the bluest balls known to man last night. It’s something I’m keen to fix as soon as possible.
Slipping my hand down between us, I stroke him over the fabric of his trousers. The growl that rumbles up his throat only encourages me and I begin fiddling with the button so I can gain access, until his large hand wraps around my forearm and stops my movement.
“Lauren, not here.” His voice is pained. Stopping is the last thing he wants right now.
But it’s the sensible thing to do. We need to be careful. If last night and this morning with Dad taught me anything, it’s that we cannot be caught. I’ve no idea what this thing is between us, but for now, whatever it is needs to be kept secret.
He steps back from me and I miss him the second our bodies part. It’s crazy because he’s stood right in front of me, but it’s like my body needs his to be whole.
I take him in as he stands there with his chest heaving, his eyes dark and full of lust, his cock trying to break through his trousers.
I can’t help but bite down on my bottom lip as I stare. Fuck, I want to see him with every piece of clothing gone. I want to give him the same treatment he gave me last night. I want to make him feel so damn good. My mouth waters at the thought of having him inside me. It’s probably a good thing that he starts talking, distracting me from my sinful thoughts.
“Tell me you’ll sort out this weekend. This might be the only chance we get to be properly alone for a long time.”
“It’ll be fine. I’ll just tell Dad I’ve spoken to Mum and I’m staying there.”
“He’ll check, Lauren. I’d put money on it. You need to get your mum on side. Tell her whatever, but you need her to back you up.”
What we’re doing suddenly seems so real, and I panic. How are we going to keep this from Dad when it’s happening under his roof? And even worse, what will happen when he finds out? I’ve no doubt he will, at some point.
“I will.”
Excitement fills his eyes before he moves towards me once again and steals another knee-weakening kiss.
“Don’t be surprised if you don’t see me until they’ve gone. It’s not because I don’t want to be with you, I just don’t want to raise any kind of suspicion,” he whispers against my lips.
My stomach drops and suddenly tomorrow night feels like it’s years away. “Okay.”
“Hey,” he says, tipping my chin up so I have no choice but to look at him. “There’s no other way I want to spend my time than with you, but we need to be careful. One day, Lauren. One day, what we do will be up to us, but now’s not that time. Tomorrow night can’t come soon enough, and I promise to give you the best weekend of your life.”
I nod against him and, with one last kiss, he slips out of the cubicle and he’s gone. Gone until tomorrow night when all we have is each other. My stomach flutters with excitement.
When I walk back to finish the job I started, I find Erica stood in my place, filling the mugs. “I thought we were all going to die of dehydration,” she says with a laugh when she sees me coming.
“Sorry, I…uh…”
“Got distracted?” she asks with a knowing smirk. My face must show my panic. “Hey, it’s okay. Your secret’s safe with me. I must warn you, though, it’s not going to go down well with everyone.” She casts a quick look over her shoulder to where my dad’s office sits on the other side of the wall.
My lip trembles as everything that’s happened in the past few weeks with Ben hits me all at once.
“Hey now,” Erica shushes, pulling me in for a hug. I focus on my breathing to prevent myself from breaking down in her arms. Turning into an emotional wreck at work is the last thing I need right now. “Why don’t you get out of here for the day? Go and treat yourself to something nice. I’ll tell your dad you weren’t feeling well.”
“You don’t need to do that.” Pulling back from her, I look up into her kind eyes. Erica might only be two years older than me, but she’s figured Dad out and somehow manages to get exactly what she wants.
“We’re only young once, Lauren. And if I eavesdropped correctly, your dad and Jenny are out of town this weekend, right? You probably need time to get prepared,” she says with a cheeky wink.
I can’t help the laugh that falls from my lips before a more serious thought fills my mind. “You don’t think…” I trail off, not knowing if I really want someone else’s opinion on what I’m about to ask.
“I don’t think what?”
“That it’s…wrong?” I whisper, feeling a little ashamed for the first time.
“Lauren,” she breathes. “The only thing stopping you is your own mind. People might frown upon it, but the reality is that you’re not blood related. It’s not illegal or whatever. None of us can help who we fall for. If he treats you right and makes you feel like a better version of yourself, then who is anyone to stop you? Plus, there’s also his killer good looks and god-like body, so how were you ever going to say no?”
I know words are just that, her words, but they make me feel a hell of a lot better. “I knew there was something. The way he looks at you. I’d pay for a man to look at me with that kind of passion in his eyes. Now, get out of here. Go!”
Grabbing my stuff, I rush out of the office before anyone else spots me. I walk down to the tube station, intending to head home, but when I get to the bottom of the escalator, I turn left instead of right, deciding at the last minute to take Erica’s advice and spend the afternoon getting prepared for the weekend.
* * *
With freshly coloured hair and arms full of bags, I put the key in the door and step inside.
“Lauren, oh my God. I’ve missed you!” Mum calls the second she hears my arrival. “Wow, look at you.” After taking in my new hair, she grabs my shoulders and pulls me into a tight hug. We talk most days, but being in her arms again has tears stinging my eyes.
“I hope you haven’t eaten. I brought our favourite,” I say, holding up a bag of Thai takeout.
“No, I haven’t. Come on, I want to hear everything.”
Following Mum down to our little kitchen, I sit myself at the table while she dishes up and makes us both a drink. All the while, I go over and over what I’m going to say to her to get her on board for this weekend. I’ve always told Mum everything, and I think the only way I’m going to get away with this is to be honest. Even if I have no idea what she’s going to think.
“So…” she asks, once she’s settled opposite me. “What’s it really like living in the show home?”
“Pretty much what I expected. There’s hardly ever anyone home, and when they are, they’re not exactly what I consider welcoming and friendly. Other than the quick commute to work, I’m still wondering why you thought it was such a good idea.” I quirk an eyebrow at her, hoping she’ll give me more.
“It’s good to get out of your comfort zone every now and then, Lauren. I know it’s not where you’d probably choose to live, but it’ll teach you a lot about life.
Plus, your father can be very persuasive.”
I fight to keep my cheeks flaming at the suggestion of everything that house will teach me.
I know the real reason Mum was so keen to agree to Dad’s plans was the financial burden of putting me through university. This way, I might have to move in with them, but he’s paying for everything plus giving me hands-on experience with the business. Most parents would have a hard time turning down that kind of opportunity for their child.
My life pretty much carried on normally when Dad met Jenny. It wasn’t until they married that things started to change. Suddenly, Dad enrolled me into the same school Ben went to for sixth form, expressing their delight with Ben’s education and that it would give me the best start in life despite the cost. I’d agreed because I hated my school and the thought of spending another two years there didn’t really appeal to me. It was obvious I’d get more out of two years at a private school, and I was up for a new challenge. I wasn’t aware that by agreeing, I basically gave him permission to control my education and life from there on out.
I can’t really complain. I finished my two years with a whole set of As, acceptance into an incredible university, and my best friend.
“What’s that look for?” Mum asks, noticing my slight embarrassment.
“I need to ask a massive favour of you. I’m not sure you’re going to like it.”
“Go on…” she encourages.
Blowing out a breath and casting my eyes to the other side of the kitchen, I prepare to tell Mum what’s going on. “Dad and Jenny are going away this weekend and Dad wants me to stay with you, but…”
“But…”
“I’ve got plans that involve me staying there.”
“Oh, have you met someone?” she asks excitedly.
“Yes…no—I don’t really know.”
“Lauren, you know I’d never stop you from having fun.” The wink she gives me makes me want to curl up into a ball in embarrassment. “I don’t understand the issue.”
Falling for the Forbidden: Forbidden Series #1 Page 6
