Grace kissed back, her hips lifting in search of his return. His hand, damp with the proof of her readiness, had trailed to her waist. By the time those fingers had made the return trip, Ben’s tongue was already licking the same trail.
“You’re killing me,” she said, writhing as he teased her outer lips, never dipping inside where she so desperately wanted him. “Please,” she mumbled, most of the word turning into a moan.
His hand moved to the top of her thigh. “You have no idea what you’re doing to me,” he said. “I can’t think—”
“Then don’t.” She levered herself up, forcing his hand away. He was still on the edge of the bed, his cock heavy against his taut stomach. She rested on her elbows, meeting his darkened eyes as she spread her legs wider.
He moaned as if he’d been wounded and moved like a man on a mission. Two seconds later, his knees were between her thighs, pushing them apart while he leaned down to capture her mouth in a searing kiss. She could feel him trembling, as well. She would never have guessed he would be so affected. All those smooth moves had fallen away in a frenzy that made her tighten every muscle in her eager body.
“Condom,” he whispered against her lips. Then he broke away to grab the packet off the nightstand. She couldn’t help him get the thing open, not when her own fingers shook so hard.
Finally, he sat back on his haunches, sliding the condom down his cock, hissing the whole time. “So much for the massage,” he murmured, more to himself than her.
Between them, there didn’t seem to be enough oxygen in the room. Their panting only intensified as he slipped his hands under her thighs, lifting them and pushing them toward her chest.
Her body collapsed on the bed again, eyes wide, watching this gorgeous man prepare to enter her.
But first he lifted her right leg over his shoulder. She gripped him with her calf as he rubbed the head of his cock over her swollen center. She cried out, clutching the poor sheets once more.
He didn’t make her wait any longer.
With one deep thrust, he filled her completely.
Grace bit her bottom lip to hold back a scream. Her body clamped down on him, making him groan and throw his head back. His harsh breathing stopped while he pulled back until just the head was inside her.
The next thrust was hard. He leaned forward, watching her face, building a powerful rhythm. The whole bed moved, forcing her to brace herself with a hand to the wall.
It felt incredible, especially when she was able to watch his abs tense and relax. Once she raised her gaze to his face, she wasn’t about to look anywhere else.
Everything about him was focused on her. Every thrust, every gasp, every growl.
She’d never...ever... It was more intense than anything she’d done before. God, she was practically folded in half, but she didn’t care. She wanted all of him. It was torture not to touch him, not to watch his slick cock moving in and out of her.
He leaned down until his lips were close enough for his breath to wash over her chin. Then he plunged his tongue inside her mouth in a bold, possessive move. Any other man, she’d have shoved away. Instead, she kissed him back just as possessively.
When he finally pulled back, he shook his head, whispered, “Grace,” then closed his eyes. His body shifted until every thrust brushed her exactly where it counted. Over and over, the tension built until she couldn’t hold back another second. Her orgasm swept through her entire body. It was like no other climax she’d had before, and for a moment it felt as if she seriously had levitated. Or maybe her mind had shut down.
A minute later, he stilled. He was in her as far as he could be, his back arched above her, the tendons in his neck stretched to the limit. Through tightly clenched teeth, he cried out, jerking as she squeezed, as she felt her own aftershocks.
He ended up next to her on the bed while she hogged the pillow. For a while, all they did was pant. A couple of times, they looked at each other, grinned, then went back to staring at the ceiling. Ben broke the spell.
“Now would be the time to roll over so we can go back to what we were doing before I was so rudely interrupted.”
Laughing softly, she flopped a hand on his stomach, making him grunt. “If this is your end game, it really needs some work.”
He rolled onto his side. Smiling, he brushed the side of her breast with his fingers. “I’m miles away from ending anything, and I hope like hell you don’t think this was a game. I just wanted to work on those shoulders of yours while you’re all relaxed.”
“How can you even think of doing manual labor after—”
“Coming like there’s no tomorrow? Having the best sex since I was fifteen?”
“What happened when you were fifteen?”
“My first time with a real girl.”
“Okay, that’s pretty exciting.”
His grin made her laugh.
“I am going to turn over, but only so I can recover at my own pace.” She was the one grunting when she finally got her limbs to cooperate. But she was pretty comfy when her head hit the pillow again.
He began to massage her upper back. After ten minutes of his hands kneading and coaxing knot after knot, she was officially wiped out. But she somehow managed to find her voice from the depths of her bliss. “I have to go back to my room soon.”
“No you don’t,” he said.
“I really do.” She moaned as he worked on a stubborn sore spot. “Also, if I don’t have a chance to tell you later, this was fantastic for me, too. Maybe more than fantastic. Thank you.”
His hand stopped. He kissed the top of her shoulder. “My pleasure,” he whispered before he kissed her once more.
13
GRACE TRIED TO change positions, but something resting heavily around her waist stopped her. A memory from last night drifted into her foggy brain. Lazily opening her eyes, she smiled at the wall. Ben’s arm tightened, drawing her closer until her butt was snuggled up to his...
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph.” She shoved his arm away and bolted upright. Sunlight snuck past the drapes into the room. “What are you doing?”
She leaped out of bed, grabbing her jeans and searching for the clock. The box of condoms blocked it from view. They’d used three. She wondered how many were left.
Nope. Couldn’t think about that right now.
Finding her panties would be good. “What time is it?” She found a sock. Not helpful. “The clock. Behind you,” she said and got down on all fours to look under the bed. She spotted her bra on the floor across the room.
“Grace?”
“Please tell me it isn’t seven-thirty yet,” she said as she got to her feet. She’d worry about her panties later, she decided, and stepped into her jeans.
Ben was watching her, his lids still heavy with sleep. He pulled himself up into a sitting position, the sheets pooling at his waist, and her gaze was caught by the sight of his beautiful bronzed chest.
Part of her went a little gooey.
Nope.
She zipped and buttoned her jeans.
No way.
She couldn’t let him distract her. “The time, please?”
“Come on.” He smiled just as a lock of dark hair fell across his forehead. It made him look so damn adorable, she had to wonder if he’d orchestrated the whole thing. “It’s not even six-fifteen. Come back to bed.”
“I can’t. I wasn’t supposed to spend the night.” She turned away before she threw good sense to the curb. “I have to work this morning.”
“Think anyone would care if you went in late?”
“Yeah. Me.”
“Yesterday was a tough day. You deserve to take the morning off. The guys aren’t gonna say a damn word.”
“Oh, do you get to take off from filming if you’ve had a bad day?” Sh
e found her top, then glanced at him. “Huh?”
Sighing, he scrubbed a hand over his face.
“I can’t believe I spent the night,” she muttered and scooped up the bra. Though she didn’t need it just to go next door. “I swore I wouldn’t do that.” She pulled on her shirt. “God. This is ridiculous. I know better.”
“Why?”
She’d purposely avoided looking at him, but now the edgy tone of his voice drew her attention. His steady gaze dared her to ignore him. She had no idea what was up with that.
“Why not spend the night?” he asked, perfectly calm, the challenge still in his eyes.
“I forgot my phone. No one could get in touch with me.”
A slight frown creased his brow. Then he seemed to relax. “A small town like this? If anyone needed you, they would’ve come knocking.”
“Yeah, exactly, and I wasn’t in my room.”
“Then they would’ve tried here.”
“So not funny,” she said and turned to the dresser to see if she’d left her key out. It wasn’t in her pocket.
“Tell me something,” he said, devoid of expression. “Is the problem with me, or would you feel this way about spending the night with any man?”
“I can’t believe you have to ask.” She stopped patting her pockets and met his eyes. “You know the guys have been giving me a hard time. And if you think the old double standard doesn’t exist anymore, you’re fooling yourself.”
His unyielding expression cut right through her. She really thought Ben was more enlightened. When he held out a hand and gave her a surprisingly contrite smile, she realized the disappointment was aimed at himself.
“You’re right,” he said. “I shouldn’t have taken it personally. I’m sorry.”
Her conscience felt a small prick. She wasn’t exactly guiltless. Her uncle’s warning that Ben could hurt her chances at being elected sheriff had crossed her mind.
She moved toward him. “See? I should be keeping a whole football field away from you, and look what I’m doing.”
“And what’s that?”
“Walking smack-dab into temptation.”
Grinning, he lifted the sheet and patted the mattress. “Slide in here for a minute.”
“Yeah.” At the sight of his arousal, she stopped and swallowed. She started to tell him to put the damn sheet down, but he’d like knowing he’d gotten to her. “A minute. Sure.”
He shrugged, nodded. “Ten minutes. Sound reasonable?”
“Not going to—”
He moved quickly, capturing her arm as she tried to back away. She let out a yelp, then laughed when he nearly toppled out of bed trying to hold on to her.
“I can’t stay. I’m serious.” God, he had no business looking this sexy so early in the morning. Dark stubble covered his jaw, making him look like an outlaw from an old Western Wanted poster. His hair was perfectly tousled. She didn’t even want to think about what her mop was doing.
He ran his palm down her arm and brought her hand to his lips. Staring at her with those warm hazel eyes, he kissed the tips of two fingers and asked, “What time do you have to go in?” before moving on to the other three.
Emotion swelled in her throat. Last night, he’d been so gentle, so generous, so much more than she could ever have imagined. She hated that he’d be leaving for California soon. Maybe even today. The thought turned her stomach over. And yet she knew his leaving would save her. Save her from wanting too much and eventually getting her heart broken. Besides, last night had been possible only because she knew he wasn’t staying.
Ben sucked the tip of her forefinger. “I know you have to work,” he said, “so I’ll try not to be a child.” They both smiled. “After you’ve finished your shift, how about we go work out together? I’ll show you a good place and give you tips to counter the altitude.”
“Oh, thanks. That would be great.” She really should’ve tried to sound more enthusiastic. How in the world could she be both thrilled and disappointed at the same time? He clearly wasn’t leaving today. But he wanted to work out instead of...
His knowing smile made her blush. No, he couldn’t actually read her mind. Although the man definitely had skills. Remembering one in particular made her cheeks burn hotter.
“Afterward, I’ll wash your back. We’ll get something to eat, and then...” He shrugged, a glint of amusement in his eyes. “I bet we think of something.”
“I’m sure. But in the meantime...”
“I won’t make you late,” he said despite his tightening grip. Despite the fact he was pulling her closer. Close enough that she bumped into the bed. “One kiss before you go.”
Grace drew in a deep breath. He smelled like sex. And trouble. The kind she couldn’t afford. And she knew damn well what just one of his kisses could do to her. “One.”
He nodded, his gaze lowering to her lips. “Then you’re out of here. Even if you beg, I won’t let you back in.”
“Well, aren’t you full of yourself?”
Ben didn’t answer. Only smiled that lazy, arrogant smile of his. The one that bordered on lethal. She really should arrest him. Except he’d asked for her cuffs more than once last night. So, no, she wasn’t about to play right into his hands.
He’d used the smile to distract her.
It struck her the second she felt his palm cup the back of her neck. Holding her captive as he nibbled and sucked at her lower lip. His tongue slipped inside her mouth, circling, teasing, tasting, and already she wanted more than just a kiss.
Before she realized what was happening, he’d slid his hand under her shirt to caress her unbound breast. Her palm had somehow landed on his cock. The sheet was an unwanted barrier, but she stroked him anyway through the soft cotton, feeling the heat from his skin.
He shuddered, then froze, before dragging his mouth away from hers and grabbing her wrist.
“Stop,” he said, his voice hoarse and gruff. “Now, get out of here. Before I forget I gave you my word.”
* * *
TWO HOURS LATER, Ben rolled out of bed. He picked up his phone and smiled when he saw Lena’s number. She’d called just after midnight, then again at two, when she’d left a message. He put the terse voice mail on speaker while he stretched his arms and back. Lena sounded as if she’d had a few, and as expected, she was furious he’d involved her friends. By the end of her rant, she’d calmed down and was calling him “Baby.”
Her behavior wasn’t new, and man, he was tired of that bullshit. Tired of Hollywood and all the double-dealing, of the nods and winks that went on behind the scenes. Funny, he hadn’t realized how much until he heard Lena’s voice. Same old tango every time. Whoever had the most power led the dance.
After the night he’d spent with Grace, he wasn’t so fired up to rush back to LA. He’d let Lena stew awhile before he called her. Although, she wouldn’t be awake yet anyway.
Hell, he shouldn’t be awake.
He glanced at the rumpled sheets, wondering if he’d be able to go back to sleep. He’d gotten so little of it last night. Grace hadn’t fared any better. But she’d hit the floor revving up to eighty. Damn, he wished she didn’t have to work. It would’ve been no use trying to coax her into calling in sick. Not when simply being unreachable had sent her into a tailspin.
And what had he done? He’d misread the situation and then overreacted. He should’ve known better than to take it personally. Grace would never consider him her dirty little secret. Apparently, everything wasn’t about him. Go figure.
He’d been gone from Blackfoot Falls a long time. Whatever folks might’ve thought about him as a kid was old news. For some, now he was a hotshot Hollywood stunt man. And for others, he’d always be the McAllisters’ maid’s son.
Their problem, not his.
The thought surpri
sed him.
As far as Grace went...last night, she’d showed him in many sexy ways what she thought of him. His body tightened with the memory of her scent, of the soft feel of her silken skin, how she gasped his name every time he entered her.
Giving his thoughts free rein would make for a long day. He glanced at the clock. Six more hours before he’d see her again. In the meantime, he needed to have a talk with his mother. Just before he’d picked up Grace on her run yesterday, Claudia had called. Their conversation had been brief. Mostly due to his sister’s loss for words. Normally, she shot to Hilda’s defense, no questions asked. Not yesterday. She’d been as confused as Ben over the exact month and year of their father’s death.
After Ben showered, he grabbed coffee to go from the continental breakfast spread in the lobby and drove out to the Sundance. He didn’t call ahead. Until he got things straight with Lena, he’d rather not discuss business with Cole. This time of day, Cole and most of the men were likely out in the pastures moving cattle or monitoring the new calves.
Ben parked his Porsche in the usual spot, relieved that he’d guessed right. No one was in sight. He skipped the front door and went around to the kitchen. Most likely that’s where he’d find his mom.
He stopped at the bottom step to check under his boots. Hilda and Barbara McAllister’s voices carried through the screen door, making him smile. Those two could talk about nothing for hours.
He was about to knock when he heard his name. Lowering his hand, he glanced around, then waited and listened.
“Why? It makes no sense.” His mom’s voice was muffled. A small mud room stood between him and the kitchen. But he recognized that stubborn tone of hers.
“I understand.” Barbara sighed, sounding frustrated. “You know I do.”
His mom’s response was drowned out by the sharp clang of pots.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake, Hilda. Ben’s a grown man. Just tell him the truth. He can handle it.”
Ben’s gut clenched. Anger roiled inside him. Without waiting for his mom’s response, he yanked open the creaky screen door. He entered the kitchen to find both women staring at him, their jaws slack, the surprise in their faces turning to dread.
Anywhere with You Page 13
