Chapter 7
Chapter
Seven
Baby, I Promise
Benny was set on showing Lorielle he was genuine and that he meant every word he said last week. If she could deny him after what he had planned, he would walk away. Though it would kill him seeing her often, he would still be cordial.
“Hello, how can I help you?” The security guard at the information area asked him as he approached the desk.
“Hey, I’m here to see Lorielle Dawson.”
“One second.” He picked up the phone, surely to call Lorielle. “Can I see your ID?”
“Sure.” Once he pulled it from his wallet, he handed it to the security guard.
“Yes, Ms. Dawson. I have a visitor here for you by the name of Bernard Collins Jr. Would you like for me to send him up?” He looked at him, then nodded before ending the call.
“She’ll see you.” He pulled out a pass and gave it to him with his ID. “Keep this on at all times and return it on your way out. Elevators are to your right. Third floor. She’ll meet you there.”
“Thank you.”
Benny wasn’t one to be nervous. He had been handling business since he graduated from college.
Even before then he was calling the shots, but Lorielle wasn’t business.
She was his lover, his potential wife. He didn’t want to mess up what only had just begun.
With her, he had to make sure he was coming correctly, and it made him anxious checking to make sure he always said and did the right thing.
The elevator dinged, and the door slid open, revealing the woman who had captured his heart.
Her lips spread when she saw him. “What do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Bernard?”
She wore a simple light gray sweater and black, wide leg dress pants.
He couldn’t see her shoes because her pants were so long, but he knew they were heeled because of the extra height she sported.
Her hair was slightly curled, framing her beautiful face.
She rocked silver bangles and rings, and around her neck was his necklace.
That gave him the green light to follow through with his plans.
“I told you I was coming for you,” Benny said as he stepped off the elevator.
“You did indeed.” She turned and he followed her to what looked to be a meeting room. He wouldn’t be allowed to go to her area, but he was glad she found somewhere for them to talk privately.
“I thought you were off?” he asked, closing the door behind them. He wanted to lock it, but he didn’t want her to get the wrong idea. He came to talk. Mostly.
“I am, but I wanted to get ahead of a few things,” she said, pulling out a chair from the long table in the middle of the room. She turned in his direction, crossing one leg over the other. She interlocked her fingers and placed them on the table.
So formal.
He chuckled, following her lead, sitting at the table a few chairs down from her.
“What’s funny?” she asked.
“I don’t get to see this side of you often.”
“You used…”
He held back his laughter when she swallowed the rest of her sentence. “Why did you stop?”
“I guess I was going to make another assumption.”
A smile spread across his face. His baby was learning.
Benny walked over to her. Instead of sitting in the chair beside her, he leaned against the table, staring down at her. She looked up at him with those eyes that made him weak.
“I can take control of a room of a thousand people, but you, Lorielle… You make me nervous.”
“That makes two of us. There are bells going off in my head, but then you touch me, and everything goes silent. I don’t know how to take that.”
He pulled her out of her chair.
She shook her head. “I’m at work, Benny.”
He sat in the chair and placed her on his lap. “I just want to talk to you.” He rubbed her back with one hand while the other fell over her legs, securing her in his lap. “I want you to go away with me.”
“Benny…”
“I know you’re afraid, so I wanted to ease your mind.” He shifted in his seat, digging into his pants pocket. He produced a small box, and Lorielle’s eyes grew wide with shock.
“Benny!” She jerked back. “How is that supposed to ease my mind?”
“Just wait.” He pulled out his phone, going to his music app.
“You are crazy.”
“Just relax.” He pulled the ring out and placed the box on the table. It was fourteen-karat white gold like her necklace. He grabbed her left hand and slipped it on her ring finger.
“It’s a promise ring.” The size seven, five-carat diamond ring slid onto her finger easily. “The feelings that I have for you are real, but until you’re comfortable with me saying all the things I feel, I’ll keep them to myself and let the music do the talking.”
“Promise” by Jagged Edge began to play, then he joined in, crooning in her ear.
Benny wasn’t stingy with his fortune. He bought women stuff in the past, but that was just material things with no meaning. No woman could ever say he sang for them or gave them a ring. Lorielle was the only one.
“Benny, this is not a promise ring,” she said as she held her hand up to admire the beauty he laced her finger with. “How much did this cost?”
It wasn’t just a promise ring, but he wouldn’t tell her that. Neither was he going to tell her the cost. She was worried about the ring, but she was wearing more around her neck.
She looked at him. “This is crazy, you know that?”
“Maybe, but does it feel wrong?” he asked. Lorielle shook her head. He agreed. For once, everything felt like it was going the way it should. “Because you know it’s right.” There were so many unspoken things they were saying through their eyes. Hope. Love. Desire.
“Mmhm.” She turned, straddling him. She moaned in his neck when his manhood began to rise.
“All right, don’t start something in here that you can’t finish.”
“I can finish it.” She kissed him. “This was so thoughtful. Thank you.” She kissed him again, and this time it was filled with so much passion that it grew to a full make out session that had his dick threatening to rip through his pants.
“Dawson, you in here?”
The four quick knocks were enough time for him to sit her in the chair next to him before the door was pushed open.
In walked a man that apologized for interrupting.
“Zane, this is Bernard Collins.” She stood, moving in the man’s direction. Benny followed close to her. “Benny, Zane Mitchell. He’s a part of my team here.”
“You own Cup of Jo, right?” Zane asked as he held out his hand to Benny.
“Yes.” He shook the other man’s hand.
“It’s nice to meet you.” He turned to Lorielle. “I came to see if you wanted to get lunch, but I see you’re busy. Did you want me to pick you up something?”
Before Lorielle could answer, Benny spoke up. “I’m actually going to steal her away for the next few days. She’s not even supposed to be here.”
He could feel Lorielle staring at him, but he kept his eyes on the man in front of him.
Zane said, “She’s passionate about her work, but I understand needing to rest.”
“Which is why I’m here to take her away.” He turned to Lorielle who was still staring a hole in his face. “It was a surprise.” He winked at her.
“Such a surprise I’m still speechless.”
He smiled. She would be very surprised soon.
There was no more half stepping. It was going to be all or nothing.
“So now that you have kidnapped me from work, what are we going to do?” Lorielle asked Benny as they walked into her house.
“We’re leaving out in the morning. However, tonight I just want us to hang out. Maybe you can show me how you work the wheel.”
Her eyes twinkled. She loved pottery. He knew he won her over with that.
Benny ordered them lunch while she changed into something more relaxing. They ate and talked and, like always, he enjoyed her conversation. They ended up falling asleep on the floor in the living room where they had been sitting, eating. When they woke, it was dark outside.
Benny suggested getting dressed and going out to dinner, but she said she was enjoying their time inside together. He didn’t know if that was entirely true, but it was true to him, so he placed another order for dinner.
After their meal, it was time to head out to her shed.
“You should put these on.” She pointed to the coveralls she had hanging on the back of the door. They were two sizes too big for her, so he was able to make them work for him. She wore a lounge dress she didn’t mind getting dirty, so they were set.
Lorielle got everything set up. She told him she would start off then he could take over.
Benny stood back, watching her work. It was intriguing seeing her take a blob of clay and mold it into what would be a masterpiece.
“What do you want to make?” she asked as a cylinder rolled beneath her fingers.
“I don’t know.”
“What about a bowl for your ramen?” she questioned with a teasing smile.
She was picking at him about his love for homemade ramen noodles. He took the noodles he had as a kid and fixed them up just as if he was going to a restaurant, but better.
“Yeah, that’s a good idea.”
“Alright, you come take over.”
“Now?” What she had right now didn’t look much like a bowl. “I don’t want to mess up.” Though he was hesitant, he took her place on the bench.
“I won’t let you.” She sat behind him, resting her front against his back. Her hands came around, rubbing down his muscular arms to his hands.
Lorielle's foot was on the peddle, pressing it down to gain speed. Then she took their hands to the clay. It was smooth to the touch as he allowed Lorielle to guide his hands.
Benny took a second to check in with his senses. Lorielle was everywhere. The light scent of her was in his nose, she was snuggled against his back, in her embrace, and he was loving every second.
“I like this,” he confessed.
“Enough to pick up this hobby?”
“No, I like this with you.”
He had no interest in clay-making, but he was very interested in the maker.
The wheel slowed. Benny looked over his shoulder at Lorielle to see what happened. She gazed at him intently before she surprised him by climbing into his lap.
“My hands are dirty, but I’m going to touch you,” she warned.
He didn’t care. He was burning alive for her touch. “Touch me.” He gripped her waist, fitting her so that his erection was wedged between her legs.
She released a soft gasp as her hands stroked up his arm. It was a light touch he barely felt, but it left a fiery trail behind. She moved to his neck, going around to his hair. She tugged at the braids he had tucked in a bun at the back of his head. He groaned as his head went back.
Lorielle attacked his neck with scorching fervent kisses that was awakening the beast. He was ready to flip her over on the bench and make himself at home between her thighs.
“Elle,” he warned.
“Just a little more,” she mumbled as her hands adventured over his body.
“Kiss me.”
He made the command, yet he helped her by turning his head. She latched on to his mouth, kissing him like she had a point to prove. Like she wanted to let him know she lusted after him as much as he craved her.
Benny ate at her mouth, greedy for her taste. His hands roamed her body, memorizing what made her whimper into their kiss and what made her pull completely away to cry out.
“I need you,” she confessed.
And he needed her, too, but he had a plan. Benny leaned away as she tried to kiss him again.
“What?” She pouted.
“Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
Lorielle was confused, but she wouldn’t be after tomorrow.
He kissed her. “Yes, tomorrow. Then I’ll give you everything you need and more.”
She stared at him with so much hunger in her eyes. He almost wanted to reconsider, but it would be more meaningful if they waited.
“Let’s go shower.” He stood with her in his arms and headed out of the shed to the house.
“I’ll have to wash your hair. I got clay in it.”
“Let’s do it. I hope you know how to braid.”
When morning came, Benny was excited for her to see where they would stay for the next two days.
The whole ride there was perfect. They talked, laughed, sang, and when they stopped for food, she fed him his. It was an intimate time that he adored, so he was soaking it all in.
When Benny turned into the driveway and parked, Lorielle gasped.
“Is this a…” Her voice trailed off when she saw the sign. “Is this really a castle?”
“Yes. Welcome to Castle Ladyhawke.”