Chapter 7
My heart pounded so loud in my ears as Ben grabbed my hand and pulled me up from the booth. He all but ran down the hall, pulling me behind him. We passed a door on the left then stopped in front of what I had assumed were closets, but were four bunk style beds, two on either side.
Ben pushed the curtain aside on the top right and inspected the bed. “Looks fresh and smells like clean sheets to me. But I can dig around for new sheets if you’re worried.”
Oh, I was worried, but not for the reason he was thinking.
Was this too soon?
Could I really have a weekend fling?
What was I doing?
“Emma? You okay?” He tilted his head, and I lost myself in his golden gaze again.
It should be illegal for a man to be that attractive.
“Did you change your mind?” He stepped back from the bunk. “We could head back to the festival. I don’t know who’s playing right now, but we’re missing someone’s show.”
And it definitely should be illegal for a man that attractive to be so caring.
Fuck it.
I had to start living sometime.
I looked at the bunk and cocked my head at Ben. “Give me a boost?”
That sparkle came back into his eyes. He stepped around behind me and held my hips. For just a second, all of him pressed into me from behind, and I had to close my eyes. It felt like pheromones were pouring off of him. The man was potent.
And then he stepped even closer, his hips brushed against my butt, and his erection pressed insistently into me.
I groaned. Why was that so freaking hot? I might’ve dropped my head back on his shoulder as I arched back into him. I wanted to feel him. Above me. On top of me.
Inside me.
“Just step here.” His rock-hard chest brushed against my back as he leaned forward to gesture at something. I couldn’t see it because I wasn’t currently capable of opening my eyes.
Maybe we should head for the bedroom after all. That wouldn’t require any crazy, Olympic level movements on my part. I was lucky I was still standing, considering how weak my knees currently felt.
“You with me, baby?”
Gah. Hearing that endearment from him in that super sexy, mellow voice? My sex clenched, and I wished we were already horizontal.
I gulped. “Yup.”
Then I forced my eyes open and stepped where he gestured. His hands came up on my butt to boost me into the taller top bunk, and then I was rolling inside.
The mattress was surprisingly soft. And roomy. When Ben vaulted in after me, we still had a bit of space. A tiny sliver of room, but more than I’d expected. And the top of the bunk was far enough away, I wasn’t worried about bashing my head.
He propped himself up on his elbow next to me and reached out to brush my hair from my face. My breath hitched. The soft light overhead provided just enough light so I could see his hawkish, golden eyes burning down at me. And the spark in his eyes was tender and made me all melty inside.
Ben cocked his head. “What is someone as beautiful as you doing with someone like me?”
“Pretty sure that’s my line,” I whispered back.
He shook his head. “You can have anyone you choose. But I’m going to enjoy every fucking second I have with you right up ‘til you figure it out.”
And before I had a chance to parse together whatever the eff that meant, he leaned over me and kissed me.
His lips moved insistently over mine, taking the kiss to a hot and heavy place so much quicker than last time.
His hand came up my body but didn’t stop where I ached for him to touch.
He just cupped my cheek and kept kissing me.
My hands twined around the back of his neck. After a few moments, I burrowed my fingers into the tangle of his hair and groaned against his lips. He was so freaking talented with those lips, I could do this for hours.
But Ben had other ideas—thank god.
He nuzzled his way to my neck and suckled gently at a spot just under my jaw. I moaned, arching into him. I wanted to feel him on top of me. Pressing into me. I moved restlessly on the bed.
Ben, smart man that he was, took the hint and swept a hand over my body, teasing the tips of my aching breasts with a skillful touch.
“How the fuck do you get this off?” he muttered, pulling at the suddenly heavy jean fabric covering my chest and most of my body.
“There’s a zipper at the side.” I sat up slightly and unzipped the side, but then ran into trouble since my jacket was still tied around my waist.
Ben laughed huskily. “You’re wearing too many clothes.”
I pulled the jacket away, threw it over the side to the ground, and then shoved my hair out of my face. “Me? What about you? You have all that—” I gestured to his long-sleeve t-shirt hoodie and his jeans. Not to mention his shoes.
That sparkle came back. “Someone’s eager.”
“Yes. Take off your clothes. Now.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Ben laughed again, and in seconds, his shoes and shirt followed my jacket and was quickly joined by his jeans.
I didn’t know how he did that so fast in this cramped space. Meanwhile, I was struggling with my dress.
“Here.” Ben pulled at the bottom of my dress, and then it was up and off my body and sailing over the edge of the bed.
Leaving me in only my tiny panties. I didn’t have enough of a chest to worry about a bra with that dress. And as I leaned back against the pillow, I didn’t have to wonder if Ben liked what he’d found.
“Holy shit, baby. You’re just…so fucking perfect.”
My whole body burned under the heat of his gaze. And he definitely liked what he saw, judging by that awed note in his voice.
I bit my lip as I looked at all the skin he currently had on display.
The man was freaking built, all sculpted muscles and tattoos.
So many tattoos. A huge hawk stretched across his pecs, spanning his whole chest. Here and there, scrawling text marked his skin, but I couldn’t really make out the words.
Flames licked up one arm while vines twined down the other.
Large rocker letters arched over his abs, but the position and the dim lighting made it hard to make out.
Bells? I couldn’t really tell. Constellations speckled down one leg and I spied cartoon characters on the other.
I couldn’t see his back, but I was pretty sure the only place that wasn’t tattooed was his neck and face.
The man was a literal walking work of art. Between the muscles and the tattoos, it was impossible to know where to look. And then there was that face. Gah. I don’t know how I’d ended up here, but I didn’t want to leave. Ever.
And we hadn’t even gotten to the fun part yet.
While I’d been busy gawking, Ben had been doing the same with mine.
I don’t know what he found so spellbinding.
I was a B cup and most of my body hadn’t seen the sun in ages.
Oregon wasn’t exactly known for its party beach scene—this weekend notwithstanding.
So I was all pale skin and skinny bones for the most part.
I was the opposite of a stress eater, which meant I’d lost quite a few pounds this past year.
And I didn’t have a single tattoo since I was a wuss when it came to pain.
“Baby.” Ben groaned low and deep in the back of his throat. “Fuck.”
I was gonna take that as a compliment. Mostly because of the look in his eyes, but also due to how his cock was currently straining the structural integrity of his briefs.
And then he came down on top of me and kissed me again, just as harsh as the last time. I could feel his need in the insistent way his lips moved over mine and in the press of his cock against me. When he groaned again, the sensation vibrated through me.
It was about then I realized I was really wet. I moved my legs restlessly, and I could feel the slick slide of my arousal spreading down my upper thighs.
Ben kissed his way down my jaw to my neck and then my chest. I gasped when his lips closed over the tip of my breast. He suckled deep, and all I could was hold on while I tried to press closer to him.
Need thrummed through my bloodstream. He was so close and so far away at the same time.
I hadn’t dry humped someone since high school, but I just needed a little more friction and I’d—
Ben’s right hand coasted down my body before sliding under the waistband of my panties. I sucked in a breath as he gently brushed against my pussy.
“Ah baby.” His lips brushed against my nipple with his husky words. “You’re so fucking wet. You feeling needy? Want me to take the edge off?”
“Yes. Please .”
“You’re so polite. It’s so fucking cute.” He sat up and jostled the bed for a second as he pushed off his boxer briefs. Then he reached for the scrap of material still covering me, and it took me a second to focus on anything other than that amazing display of muscle.
After a beat, I helped him get my panties off as I kicked them aside once he’d pulled them most of the way down.
“Someone’s eager.” His smile was wolfish as he stared down at me, all bulging muscles and sexy tattoos.
I laughed incredulously. “I mean, have you seen you?” I gestured weakly at all that was him. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
He cocked his head. “So you’re saying you’re using me for my body?”
“Look, we can diagnose all the ways you’re crazy hot at a later date. I just want you to fuck me already.”
“As you wish.” His eyes shined down at me as he scooted back to sprawl on his side next to me again. And not on top of me like I’d assumed we’d be doing.
I blinked in confusion. “What? Why are you way over there?”
“It’s still your turn.”
“What?”
His fingers skated down my stomach to the curls I hadn’t had time to wax in…
I don’t know how long. I might’ve sucked in my stomach and kinda, sorta held my breath, which gave way to shallow breathing as he continued to watch his fingers skate over my skin.
“We’re not going there until you’ve come at least once.
” His fingers dipped between my pussy lips, gently running a finger over the very wet seam. “Maybe twice.”