Bennett (On the Line Book 2)

by Brenda Rothert

  I was about to get in the car when I felt his arm wrapping around the small of my back. I sucked in a breath, surprised, as he backed me against the back door of Tara’s car. I’d barely gotten my face turned up to his when his lips met mine, warm and demanding.

  My heart pounded wildly as his body heat surrounded me and his lips did a sweet, sexy dance with mine. This was different than the chaste forehead kiss. Bennett’s erection hardened against me as his tongue met mine.

  I wrapped my arms around his back and spread my palms to take in the hard muscle. His stubble grazed my lips and he bit down on my bottom lip just hard enough to make me moan into his mouth.

  “Come home with me right now, Charlotte,” he said.

  I kept my lips an inch from his, hoping he’d kiss me again. “I . . . can’t,” I managed, breathing heavily. “Because Liam will come home . . . and Tara’s car. Also, I’m wearing maternity underwear.”

  “Fuck it.” He kissed me softly this time. “Don’t think, just come home with me right now. Let me fuck the sass out of you, beautiful.”

  “Oh, shit,” I mumbled, a needy burn forming between my thighs. “Bennett . . .”

  “Come on, baby. I want you so bad right now.”

  My body was screaming yes. Liam had to find out eventually, anyway. And if it was dark, I could probably get the granny panties off without him seeing them.

  “Bennett?”

  At the sound of my older brother’s voice, I pushed Bennett’s shoulders back. His eyes widened with surprise.

  “Liam,” I said softly.

  “Is that you, man?” Liam asked, squinting as he walked over to us in the dark.

  “Bennett was just making sure I got to my car okay,” I said.

  “Oh.” Liam stuffed his hands in his coat pockets and looked between us sheepishly. “Thanks. I should have done that.”

  “Nah, it’s all good,” Bennett said. I looked at his crotch, where the outline of his erection was still visible. “I was just telling her I can give her a ride if she wants to leave her friend’s car here.”

  He looked at me intently, a question in his eyes. Would I go home with him right now and face the consequences with him later?

  “You can’t do that,” Liam said. “Tara’s had too much to drink. You need to take care of her car, Charlie.”

  “Yeah,” I said, nodding slightly. “Okay.”

  I got in the car and started it, my body still humming with arousal. I couldn’t think straight right now. Bennett had that effect on me.

  When I pulled away from the curb, Liam and Bennett both waved. Bennett looked disappointed and Liam looked blissfully intoxicated.

  I laughed loudly and ran a hand through my hair. This was crazy. How was I going to tell Liam his best friend had gotten me pregnant without knowing I was his sister? Not to mention, what was I going to do about Bennett? Despite all the reasons I knew it was a bad idea to get involved with him, one look at him turned my mind into a pile of mush.

  It was time to put this situation down on paper.

  Bennett

  Liam was in a shit mood. He had the bunk across from mine on the bus we took to road games, and he’d been lying there swearing at his cell phone for almost an hour.

  My mood wasn’t much better. My dick was in serious need of some love that didn’t come from my own hand. Kissing Charlotte had reminded me what I was missing.

  It had been three and a half months since that night. I’d wanted more of her since the next day.

  “Fucking stubborn woman,” Liam muttered at his phone.

  I felt my own phone buzzing beside me in my tiny bunk, and I picked it up. I’d gotten a photo from Charlotte. She was standing sideways in her bathroom with her shirt pulled up, exposing her slightly rounded, clearly pregnant belly. Her wide, pretty smile made me smile too.

  A text came in from her.

  Charlotte: Thought you might like to see my bump.

  Me: I love it. Can I show this to my parents?

  Charlotte: Sure.

  Me: I want you to meet them soon.

  Charlotte: I’d like that.

  I stared at her picture, tracing a finger over her belly. Just like when I’d heard the baby’s heartbeat, it hit me how real this was.

  I wanted to be a good father to my kid, and being a good provider was part of that. How could I provide well with the shit money I made? I’d stopped at a place called The Baby Boutique when I saw the sign on the way home one day. And holy shit, had it opened my eyes. The cribs were almost a grand. Even diapers—which the kid would only piss or shit in—were expensive.

  How would I help Charlotte pay for that stuff? My only hope was to focus hard on my game and hope to get called up. If I couldn’t, I didn’t see how I could keep playing hockey.

  Charlotte would be doing many of the late nights with the baby alone while I was on the road. Who would take care of the baby while we were both working? And how much would that cost?

  These were the questions that wore on me during road trips these days. I just stared at the gray ceiling of the bus from my bunk and weighed things.

  My phone buzzed with another message from Charlotte.

  Charlotte: Where are you going?

  Me: Nashville. I’ll be back late tomorrow night.

  I sent a second message right after.

  Me: Do you worry about things?

  Charlotte: Like what things?

  Me: Money. And being a good parent in five months.

  Charlotte: No. I have money saved that I planned to pay school loans off with. Please don’t worry about money, I’ll be fine. And I’ll do my best as a mom. Always.

  I felt a burn in my chest that reached all the way up to my throat as I read her words. Charlotte could do this alone if she had to, and something told me she’d rock it. She was so strong. And her love for our unborn child made me feel a bone-deep yearning for her. We were bound together forever now, and if that was supposed to scare me, it didn’t. It made me feel like a lucky son of a bitch.

  Me: I know you will. I miss you, Char.

  Charlotte: I miss you, too.

  Me: Be with me, Charlotte. All the way. Let’s date.

  Charlotte: Where is this coming from?

  Me: Are you wondering if it’s my dick or my heart?

  Charlotte: I like the bluntness of that assessment, yes.

  Me: Well, I could’ve gotten laid easy in the past 3 ½ months but I haven’t.

  Charlotte: Not at all?

  Me: Not at all. I was trying to get you out of my head the night you came to tell me you were pregnant.

  Charlotte: Really?

  Me: Really.

  Charlotte: Why don’t you ever say things like that in person?

  I smiled at my phone. It was so like Charlotte to redirect my attention to avoid answering me.

  Me: You know that cartoon, Peanuts?

  Charlotte: I do, random subject-changer . . .

  Me: I’m Charlie Brown. Pretty cute, lovable guy, right?

  Charlotte: Okay, yes. You are.

  Me: And Charlie’s a whole-heart kind of guy, don’t you think?

  Charlotte: I don’t know him quite that well, but I’ll take your word for it.

  Me: You’re Lucy. Holding that football, waiting for me to come kick it. And I want to. I want to kick it bad. But if you pull it away at the last second, I’ll be flat on my back.

  Charlotte: I’d love to have you flat on your back right now.

  Me: Thanks for the hard-on.

  Charlotte: Sorry.

  Me: No, really. I knew you had it in you to let your guard down and just have fun with me.

  Charlotte: You think I’m the sort of woman who pulls the football away?

  Me: I think you’re afraid to find out what it feels like to not pull it away.

  A couple minutes passed before she responded.

  Charlotte: Sometimes you leave me speechless. No one’s ever done that.

  Me: Like that night we met at Cosm
os? You had limited speech that night, as I recall. Bennett . . . oh God, yes . . . fuck me hard . . . don’t stop, Bennett . . .

  Charlotte: Yes, you’re amazing in bed, is that what you want to hear?

  Me: I want pics of you.

  Charlotte: Ha! The belly one is the raciest you’ll get.

  Me: Come on, baby. I’m dying here. Give me something.

  Charlotte: I don’t think I can. I’d look like an idiot.

  Me: You’d look fucking hot.

  Charlotte: What if Liam saw your phone?

  Me: I’d never let that happen. No one but me sees my phone.

  Charlotte: Hmm. Maybe if I wasn’t identifiable in the photos.

  Me: Such sexy attorney talk, baby.

  Charlotte: You knocked up an attorney, what can I say?

  I turned over on my side to face the wall. I didn’t like Liam being five feet away from me right now.

  Me: I have a counterproposal, counselor.

  Charlotte: Is that right?

  Me: Leave me a key to your place in your mailbox. When I get home from my road trip tomorrow night, I’ll come over. Around midnight. I’ll make you semi-speechless again.

  My dick stiffened in my sweats, and I had to shift my hips to adjust myself. Would she let her guard down and say yes? I wanted her to so fucking badly.

  Charlotte: Okay, I’ll send the pics.

  I stared at the phone in disbelief.

  Me: Are you fucking serious?

  Charlotte: No. The key will be in the mailbox.

  Me: Funny shit, Lucy.

  Charlotte: I’ll be waiting.

  Me: I can’t wait to get my hands on you. Watch my game tonight and you’ll see.

  Charlotte: What’s that have to do with tomorrow night?

  Me: I’ll be a fucking beast tonight. I’m guessing at least a couple penalties. I’m pent up. Gotta get some of it out.

  Charlotte: I’ll be watching.

  Me: Be ready for me tomorrow night.

  Charlotte: Don’t worry about that. I’m ready right now.

  Fuck. I was ready, too. But I’d wait. No jerking off between now and tomorrow night. I wanted Charlotte to feel it all, just like I felt it right now. She’d managed to replace my worry with a clawing, burning need for her body.

  Charlotte

  I read through the list I’d made as I waited for Bennett’s game to start. I was streaming the game on my laptop, which had proved more of a challenge than I’d expected. James had been hogging bandwidth with some game he was playing, and I’d had to agree to do his laundry so he’d get off his computer and let me use the Internet.

  I’d think about having to touch his underwear later, because I was in a good mood right now. The list had tipped the scales even further in Bennett’s favor.

  Bennett: pros

  Sweet

  Loyal

  Caring

  Easy to be with

  Highly attractive

  Committed to our kid

  Intelligent

  Sexy as fuck

  Amazing in bed

  Good at fixing things

  Makes me feel good

  Bennett: cons

  Faces lots of temptation from other women

  Try as I might, I couldn’t come up with any other cons. There was only my general hesitation about falling in love and ending up like my mother. Sometimes I wondered if she’d started out with a backbone and lost it in the warm, fuzzy haze of being in love.

  She’d taken back men who’d cheated on her, put up with one who stole from her, and begged one on her hands and knees for another chance when he said he wanted to move on. Even as a kid, I’d wondered where my mother’s pride was. She hadn’t needed those men. She was working two jobs and raising two kids on her own, which made her a badass in my book.

  But some women felt incomplete without a man, and she was one of them. I’d vowed to never be that way. I dated, but never got stupid and overly invested. When I was told I dated like a man, I took it as a compliment.

  I heard the sound of the game announcer’s voice, so I turned up the volume on my laptop. He was introducing the Flyers’ first line.

  Killian Bosch skated out first, followed by Liam and Bennett. I felt a thrill at seeing Bennett. Something had changed for me after our text convo yesterday. I’d realized it was okay to admit how much I wanted him physically. The glimpse he’d given me of his own vulnerability had opened me up to sharing a little of my own.

  Bennett burst out in full force, landing himself in the penalty box for slashing within the first two minutes of the game. As soon as his time was up, he came charging out of the box onto the ice, snow flying up from his skates.

  All the muscles and lines of his body were made by this game. He had to be strong to move so fast on the ice. I realized for the first time how hard he must have to work every day to compete at this level, and I felt a new respect for both him and my brother.

  After Bennett got his second slashing penalty, his coach yelled at him when his line got back to the bench. I sent him a silent message to stop showboating for my benefit.

  The Flyers won the game 4–2. I’d taken a shower after watching it and was getting into bed when my phone dinged on my nightstand. I picked it up, already smiling because I knew it was Bennett.

  But it wasn’t.

  Liam: I’ve been thinking. I want to meet the father of my niece or nephew.

  I cringed and wrote back.

  Me: You will, just not right now.

  Liam: Is he gone? Something’s up and you need to tell me what it is.

  Me: No, he’s not gone.

  Liam: Is he married?

  Me: No, you asshole. I wouldn’t sleep with a married man.

  Liam: WTF is it, Charlie? Tell me.

  Me: There’s nothing to tell.

  Liam: Then who is he?

  Me: That’s my business.

  Liam: Do you not know who the father is?

  Me: FUCK YOU.

  My brother could get me going like no one else. He expected to get his way and could be a pain in the ass when he didn’t. I was ready for a fight when the next text came in.

  Bennett: Did u watch?

  Oh. I smiled at my phone, pleasantly surprised.

  Me: Yes. Great game.

  Bennett: I can’t stop thinking about you.

  Liam: Since when do we hide shit from each other? You know all my dirty laundry.

  Me: You only want to know so you can kick his ass. Grow up.

  Bennett: ??

  Me: Sorry, that was for Liam. He’s on me to tell him who the father of the baby is.

  Bennett: He’s pissed off and looking for a fight. Don’t let him get to you.

  Me: You’re still coming tomorrow night, right?

  Bennett: We both are, baby. Several times. ;)

  Me: I can’t wait.

  Bennett: Have to hit the shower. See u tomorrow.

  Me: Okay.

  I sent Liam the message I’d intended for him. I saw that he read it, but he didn’t respond. That was an accomplishment. Liam usually pushed me until we were at each other’s throats, and he always wanted to get the last word.

  But he was my brother, and I loved him dearly. I needed to tell him the truth, but how? I wouldn’t mind him being pissed at me, but it was Bennett who would bear the brunt of Liam’s fury. I wasn’t ready to bring that down on him.

  “This is quite the situation we have, kid,” I said softly, rubbing my hand in a slow circle on my belly. “What should I do?”

  I took in the silence for a few seconds.

  “Nothing?” I said. “I agree. Nothing for now. I’m just going to enjoy my night with your father tomorrow. It could be my last for a while. I mean, I’m hoping not, but if he gets mad, or I get mad, which occasionally happens . . .”

  I let my mind wander, picturing Bennett’s crooked smile and his brown eyes that could be heart-meltingly sweet or panty-meltingly wicked, depending on the day.

  “It’s
just a temporary thing,” I said softly. “I don’t need a man to be my forever. You’re my forever.”

  Bennett

  The team bus stank like sweaty hockey gear and the egg rolls our goalie Shuck was eating. It was quiet as the end of our road trip approached. Everyone was either asleep or on their phone. For me, it was the latter, because I was too excited about seeing Charlotte to sleep. It didn’t matter that it was after eleven at night and my body was tired. My desire for her was more than just physical.

  I was checking sports scores on ESPN when a text from my mom came in. She’d gotten the picture of Charlotte I sent.

  Mom: She’s beautiful, honey. Dad and I are thrilled for you both. When can we meet her?

  Me: Soon, I promise.

  I saw a text I’d missed that was sent an hour ago from a phone number I didn’t recognize.

  Unknown: Hey sexy, how r u?

  Me: Hey, think you’ve got the wrong number.

  Unknown: Is this Bennett?

  Me: Yeah.

  Unknown: It’s Michelle Harbor. We hooked up over the summer.

  I thought back and remembered a woman I’d met right before my season started. We’d both been out with friends and had exchanged numbers and gotten together a few days later. But why was she texting me now?

  Me: Oh yeah.

  Unknown: So . . . you should come over.

  Me: I’m seeing someone.

  At least, in my mind I was. Charlotte and I didn’t have to be officially together for me to be devoted to her right now. She was the mother of my child. But for me, it went beyond that. I would have wanted her even if she weren’t pregnant. I had wanted her but she’d blown me off after our one night together.

  I’d never thought of myself as a manwhore before meeting Charlotte, but I’d had my fair share of one-night stands. Curvy, thin, short, tall, blond, brunette . . . I’d never had a “type.” I’d enjoyed sex with women of all different body types, ages, and ethnicities. None of them had ever stuck with me like Charlotte, though. I’d craved sex many times, but this was the first time I’d craved just one woman. It made me feel like a caged animal—wound up and eager to pounce.

  When we got back to Fenway, I tossed my bag of gear into Liam’s trunk and rode home with him.

  “I’m leaving for the night when we get home,” I said.