“Can I help?”
Looking at her with surprise, it took Ben a minute to answer. “You want to shovel snow?”
That had her chuckling. “Honestly? No. I don’t have the boots or gloves and all that to be out there, but I’d be willing to come out for short spurts if it would help.”
Ben studied her for a long moment. Then he shook his head and looked at his plate. “I appreciate the offer, but I think you’d better stay inside.”
She sighed and felt oddly deflated by the rejection. “I don’t mind borrowing some boots and gloves from you,” she explained. “Together, we could make a dent in getting you a path to the workshop.”
He lifted his gaze to hers again. “How…how did you know that’s what I was doing?”
Arching a dark brow at him, she said, “Seriously? You mean besides the fact that you were shoveling in that direction when I came to tell you breakfast was ready?”
He laughed softly. “Oh. Right.”
“You’re probably chomping at the bit to get some work done.”
“I am. It’s been a few days, and I’m behind. Normally, I’d be out there nonstop until I was done.”
“Even in the snow?”
“Especially in the snow. What else is there to do?”
“What if you lost electricity? Does that ever happen?”
Her mind instantly flashed to the couple in the book she was reading last night—they’d gotten snowed in, lost power, and had to snuggle close together with nothing but the heat of the fireplace to keep them warm. Darcy’s eyes instantly flicked over to the massive fireplace. No doubt that thing could keep them warm—especially in Ben’s bed.
“Occasionally,” he said, interrupting her sexy thoughts. “But I have a generator that works on the house and workshop. I don’t use a lot of power tools with my work, so I don’t need the power for that—it’s mainly for the light and the heat. But I have a fireplace out there to help.”
“Wow. That’s…wow.”
He nodded. “I know. I thought it was crazy when I was younger, that my grandfather put one out in the garage. That’s what the space was in the beginning, and then he converted it to his workshop. But now I’m thankful for it.”
“I’m sure.” She turned and looked at the massive fireplace in the living room. “Is it as big as this one?”
“Hell, no. The ceiling isn’t nearly as high out there. And this one? Well, this one is sort of like a masterpiece. The stonework and the mantel…it was a labor of love. The one outside in the workshop is your average, run-of-the-mill brick fireplace.”
“But it gets the job done, right?” she asked with a grin.
“Absolutely.”
They had finished eating, and Darcy stretched. “I am so full,” she said, her hand immediately going to her belly. “I think I ate too much. Again.”
Ben took his last bite and nodded. “Totally worth it. Although I may need to wait a little while before going outside and doing any more shoveling.” He mimicked her pose and then looked at her with a lopsided grin. “Thank you again. That was amazing.”
Darcy could feel the heat on her cheeks and averted her gaze. The man could be lethal with his voice and those eyes and just everything.
Afraid he’d be able to tell what she was thinking about him, she immediately rose and began to clear the dishes. Ben’s hand on hers stopped her.
Now she’d have to add his hands to the lethal mix.
Dammit.
Looking at him, she waited to see why he was touching her.
“You don’t have to jump up and clean up, you know. There’s no rush,” he said. “We can sit and relax, can’t we?”
Honestly? Darcy didn’t think she could. Relax, that is. She felt twitchy and unsettled and so damn mad at herself for thinking she was fine with giving up sex when one touch of Benjamin Tanner’s hand had her practically salivating.
“I, um, it’s just the way I do things,” she said quickly, hating how her voice seemed to squeak. “I know I said I hate cleaning, but I also hate to see a mess just sitting there.”
“That’s what the dishwasher is for,” he countered mildly. “Seriously, sit. Please.”
There was no way she could say no, so she sighed and sat. Swallowing hard, she decided to do her best to distract herself. “Your office is a nightmare,” she blurted out.
Ben laughed.
And then she noticed the stubbled jaw and the strong column of his throat and thought how much she’d like to feel that—with her hands and her lips.
Brushing against her thighs…
This was hell.
Straightening, Ben looked at her with merriment in his eyes. “I should be offended, but you’re right. It is a nightmare, and I don’t have the will to care.”
“But you should. What if…what if you needed to find something? How do you do it? What if a client needs something from you and you have no idea where it is?”
“My business isn’t like that. Most of what’s down there are design ideas, bills, and invoices for supplies and that sort of thing. I hate filing.”
“But how do you handle the chaos?”
He looked at her oddly. “Chaos? I don’t see paper as being chaotic.”
Her eyes went wide. “Seriously? It’s everywhere! On every surface! How do you not see it?”
“I mean I see it, but I don’t look at it and think chaos.”
Maybe that was her OCD then. “It would make me crazy. I like order and knowing everything has its place.”
“It does have its place. It’s just not there yet.”
“Ben, it’s…I mean, come on!” Her tone was light and teasing, but there was part of her that was totally serious.
He shrugged. “It is what it is. I know my strengths and weaknesses, and paperwork is definitely in the weakness category.” Then he studied her for a moment. “I’m sure you have a similar list, so don’t even try to deny it.”
Right now, she would have Ben at the top of her weakness list. It was as if she was no longer capable of thinking of anything other than him and what she found attractive and appealing about him.
And it scared the hell out of her.
For most of her life, she had been impulsive, doing things before really thinking them through. She thought she was getting over that. It was one thing to do it to antagonize one of her brothers, but it was normally for her own entertainment. But she’d learned her lesson—repeatedly—about doing something crazy and then having to live with the consequences. That part of her life was supposed to be done, and she would have told anyone who asked that she was glad to say goodbye to that girl.
Unfortunately, right now, her impulse vibe was pretty much screaming at her to do something. Her skin felt tight and tingly, her throat was dry, and all she wanted was to climb into Ben’s lap and kiss him until neither of them could breathe. She wanted to feel those work-roughened hands on her, feel the scratchy stubble of his jaw abrading her skin… She pretty much wanted him to ease every inch of her that was throbbing.
And that was every inch of her body.
“Darcy?”
What? Oh yeah. They were talking about something. Weaknesses. They were talking about weaknesses.
“Oh, um, I mean, yeah. Sure. Of course I do. But even the stuff I don’t like to do, I couldn’t leave like what you have in your office. It would make me too crazy.”
He chuckled and took a sip of his coffee. “That’s why my office is downstairs. Out of sight, out of mind.”
That was the kind of logic she needed to put into play right now. Get Ben out of sight, and maybe she could focus on something else—anything else—other than hands and skin and getting naked.
This time when she stood, Darcy made sure she was out of his reach.
Instantly, she scooped up her plate and silverware and walked o
ver to the kitchen sink, fairly certain Ben was confused by her abrupt move. But she couldn’t let herself linger too long on that thought. Or of turning around to confirm or deny the expression on his face. Nope. It was better to focus on the task at hand—rinse the dishes, put them in the dishwasher, and keep moving with her gaze firmly looking down.
That was safe.
That was smart.
That was not happening.
Turning around from the sink, she bumped directly into a solid wall of man.
Great.
Head to toe, Ben pressed up against her, and Darcy wanted to rub along him. There wasn’t room for her to move. Her back was against the cabinets and counter, and Ben was all over her front.
Would it be wrong to purr? she wondered.
Slowly, she let her gaze wander up to his face, and the intense expression she found there was enough to cause her to go on hyperalert, if that was even possible.
“Um, sorry,” she murmured, her voice huskier than she ever remembered it being.
But Ben didn’t speak. One arm moved around her as he put his plate on the granite countertop, and when he went to pull it back, his hand skimmed her arm until it came to rest on her hip.
Oh. My.
“I should…I mean…I’ll finish…” she stammered and wondered why she wasn’t trying harder to move away. Or why he wasn’t. Or why…
With his hand on the move again, this time slowly caressing her arm and her shoulder until he was cupping her cheek, Darcy forgot to breathe. His gaze was almost as hypnotic as his touch, and as much as she wanted to keep looking at him, her lids felt too heavy, his touch too good. Slowly, her eyes closed, and she sighed as his thumb caressed her.
At first, she wanted to blame her intense reaction to him on a year of being celibate, but she knew she was lying. Never before had a man’s touch ignited so many feelings—such strong, intense feelings—and now that she knew what this little bit of contact could do, she wanted more.
And now.
His hand stopped moving, and for a moment, she wanted to frown and beg him to continue. A small part of her was a little afraid to open her eyes because she knew—she knew!—he’d be able to read her mind.
Ben whispered her name right next to her ear, and she trembled. His breath was so warm and delicious, and how had she not felt him move in that close? And was it her imagination or did his tongue just gently touch the shell of her ear?
“Yes,” she sighed, so lost in sensation, she didn’t care that it was a plea rather than an answer to a question. Nothing mattered except getting Ben closer, getting his hand to start touching her again and his mouth on her. Anywhere.
But for whatever reason, he wasn’t moving or touching or kissing.
Curious, Darcy leaned back slightly and looked at him. On his face, she saw the same struggle she imagined was on hers. Good to know she wasn’t the only one who was in a total state of confusion.
Two minutes ago, they’d been talking and eating and completely casual. How had they gone from that to this?
This was also a little new to her. Sex—the foreplay part of it—was something she normally needed. And it came in the form of all the usual suspects—flirty words, caresses, kisses. Never before had a mundane conversation over breakfast had her ready to throw down on the kitchen floor.
Which, by the way, she’d be totally on board for right about now.
Her eyes scanned his face as she waited to see what his next move was going to be. Or if he even had one. Could he possibly walk away after this?
After what? she asked herself. A hand on her hip and a full-body press? Um, she was fairly certain he’d be able to walk away, because it shouldn’t be all that she was making it, except…
A slow smile played at her lips, and she arched her back a little and pressed up more intimately against him and felt all the proof she needed that this was more than a hand on a hip move. Her smile grew at the sound of the low growl that emanated from Ben at the contact.
Good to know, she thought.
So what were they waiting for? What was the holdup? Obviously, he found her attractive. Obviously, he was turned on. What did she have to do to get to the good stuff?
And then she knew impulsive Darcy wasn’t going to let this moment pass her by and to hell with the consequences.
With a muttered curse, she snaked her hand around his nape, pulled his head down, and kissed him.
* * *
This was not what he had planned.
Maybe it was what he had fantasized about, but this was not what he had planned.
But the instant Darcy’s lips touched his, Ben was lost. From the first time he’d laid eyes on her, he’d wondered how she’d feel in his arms.
Now he knew. Amazing.
From the first time he’d watched her move, he’d wanted to know how she’d feel moving against him.
Now he knew. Incredible.
From the first time he’d seen her smile, he’d wanted to know what her lips would feel like as he kissed her.
Now he knew. Sexy as hell.
His arms banded around her waist until he made sure there wasn’t even room for a breath between them. She went up on tiptoes to press even more intimately against him—which he totally appreciated—and it allowed his hands to linger and cup her denim-clad bottom.
And what a denim-clad bottom it was.
Gently, he squeezed it and even considered grabbing it harder and lifting her onto the counter, but he wasn’t ready to let go of the full-body contact just yet.
It was insanity. One minute, she was frustrating the hell out of him in a nonsexual way, and the next, he was so consumed with need for her that he almost didn’t recognize himself. This wasn’t the man he normally was. He didn’t pounce; he didn’t even think of initiating anything physical in a situation that was so mundane.
And breakfast was pretty mundane.
When Ben chose to sleep with a woman, there was, well, there was a certain protocol to it for him. There were the required three dates. There was the kiss good night that would build in heat over the course of the dates, and then it was normally at her house. Never here. Never in his bed. His home was just that—his. It was his sanctuary, and he was possessive of it. But right now, all he wanted—almost more than his next breath—was to have Darcy in his bed.
Under him.
Over him.
Another growl escaped before he could stop it.
For a moment, he allowed his lips to leave hers, because he was desperate to taste her in other places. His mouth trailed along the delicate line of her jaw, her throat, and up to nip at her ear, a spot he quickly learned made her knees buckle and had her gasping.
Good to know.
But she wasn’t having any of it for long. With her hand firmly anchored in his hair, she let him know the instant she wanted to kiss him again, and he went willingly. Over and over, his mouth slanted over hers until he thought he’d simply consume her. Tongue tangled with tongue. Breath mingled with breath. Never had the act of kissing seemed so carnal. So indecent and so damn erotic.
And that’s when he knew standing at the kitchen sink was no longer cutting it. He needed her. Wanted her. And from the sounds she was making and the way she was moving against him, Darcy felt it too.
This time when he reached down and cupped her ass, he lifted her up onto the counter. Stepping in close until he was firmly pressed against the juncture of her thighs, he cursed their clothes. Cursed the fact that the nearest soft surface was so damn far away. And cursed the fact that she tugged at his hair as she pulled away from him.
“Ben, wait,” she panted.
Well, shit.
A little dazed, he forced himself to open his eyes and focus on her. Her lips were wet and red and a little swollen, and her skin was flushed.
So. Damn. Sexy.
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Resting his forehead against hers, he took a minute to catch his breath.
Was he supposed to apologize? Step away and start shoveling? Hell if he knew, but he was going to stay quiet and let Darcy say whatever it was she was thinking. So he didn’t move, and once his breathing was back to normal, he almost felt as if he was holding it.
“What are we doing?” she asked quietly.
Was she serious? Those were some fairly obvious moves going on, on both their parts. How could she be questioning it? And on top of that, she was the one who had initiated it. Lifting his head, he looked at her.
“I thought we were kissing,” he said simply.
She blushed, and it was sexy as hell to see. His fingers twitched with the need to touch her cheeks and feel the heat there.
“I…I know, but…I guess I’m just a little confused as to where that all came from.”
She was confused? Because now he was a little beyond that himself. Taking a step away, he frowned. “Why don’t you tell me?” he began levelly. “Since you were the one who reached up and pulled me into the kiss in the first place.”
The blush was instantly replaced by a look of mild annoyance. Darcy jumped from the counter, placing her hands on her hips. “I guess I got caught up in what I thought was a moment. I mean, you came over and crowded me into the cabinets and then started touching me—out of the blue, might I add—so I guess I thought you were into it too.”
Oh yeah. He had forgotten about that part. Once she had reached up and kissed him, Ben had pretty much forgotten about his own actions leading up to it. “Fine. Yes. I came over here and—” He stopped and cursed, raking a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. I’ve wanted to do that since you first showed up here.”
Her eyes went wide. “Yesterday?”
He shook his head. “No. When you first showed up four days ago.”
She blinked at him in confusion.
Taking a step toward her, he said her name. “I mean it. When you got out of the car, and I saw you for the first time, I thought—”
Holiday Spice Page 10
