Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-six
Mazzy
Early Monday morning, Ben strolled into the conference room, his lawyer trailing him. His gaze lasered in on me, and everything about him went up. His smile, his shoulders, the way he moved, the gleam in his eyes. It all brightened, elevated, and his steps quickened.
He didn’t stop on his side of the conference table like his lawyer had. Circling around it, he came right up to my chair and tugged me out of it. I collided with his chest, and he wrapped his arms around me.
“Hey, baby,” he murmured.
My face was smooshed to his chest, and even though it wasn’t professional in the least, I let him hold me.
“Hello, you,” I replied softly.
We hadn’t seen each other since he’d gone out of town for his match.
I missed him. Katty had too. He’d texted and called, but it wasn’t the same.
I’d also worried things might be different—that he might have had second thoughts about becoming us, or I would.
But my doubts were laid to rest in his arms.
When he finally let me go, it was to step back so he could take me in. I had to admit I’d taken extra time getting ready today, knowing I was going to see him. I usually avoided dresses and skirts since they were a pain in the ass, but I’d put on my best wrap dress and heels for him.
He didn’t hide how much he appreciated it, making it more than worth it.
Miranda cleared her throat. “Can we get started? As you’re aware, Mr. Wells, I had to shift my schedule to fit you in this morning. I’d rather not delay things any longer.”
Ben shot me a crooked grin then helped me back into my chair. Instead of moving back to the other side of the table like he should have, he pulled out the seat next to mine and lowered himself into it.
His lawyer jerked with surprise, and Miranda shook her head, but no one asked him to move. I really doubted he would have even if they had.
Ben’s lawyer, Will, began going over the custody agreement section by section. For the most part, Ben agreed with what Miranda had drawn up but had a few tweaks. I listened closely to the changes, finding nothing I objected to outright.
Until it came to child support. The monthly sum he wanted to pay was astronomical.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “That’s far too much.”
“Mazzy,” Miranda warned lowly, “that isn’t something my clients normally argue.”
“Well, it’s true.” I turned to Ben. “You’ve already given me half a million dollars. I only accepted that because college is wildly expensive and I don’t want to even think about what tuition will be by the time Katty’s ready to go, but this…Ben…”
“That’s not for college.” Ben lifted his chin toward his lawyer. “Will was just about to get to the college fund I set up for her.”
Miranda scrolled through the document then stopped. “Yes. There is a fund for Kateryna that will be available to her after high school.”
I nodded—then did a double take. “Wait. Then what was the five-hundred—?”
“Back payment—everything I should have paid for since she was born.” His tone was light, but his eyes were steady.
“Diapers. Cribs. Onesies. Day care. Doctor visits. Every noisy toy and bow and frilly little socks she probably outgrew in a week. All of it. I wasn’t there.
I’m catching up. The thing about me: I’m a simple guy, but I’ve got extravagance in my blood.
I can guarantee I would have gone all out for Katty.
She would have had golden rattles and silver spoons. ”
My jaw dropped. “Ben, that’s not how this works.”
“Yes, it is,” he said promptly. “Exactly how it works.”
I turned to Miranda for backup, desperate. “Miranda—”
“No.” She held up a hand before I could finish. When she took that tone, I knew better than to argue. “Mazzy, he is allowed to offer support. You are allowed to accept it. And you should.”
I couldn’t quite put into words why I was rallying so hard against this.
In the back of my mind, I was aware Ben’s net worth was greater than I could comprehend, but he was just Ben—the guy I was starting to be really into.
And while we were more complicated than most new couples, I wanted us to start on even ground with a clean slate.
But…we’d never have that, would we? Even though we were new, we had history.
“Of course I’ll accept support, but this is far too much,” I argued weakly.
Miranda clicked her stylus against her tablet. “Given Mr. Wells’ income, the amount isn’t unreasonable.”
Ben’s lawyer made a strangled sound behind his stack of papers, and Ben just brightened, that crooked grin dawning again like he’d been waiting for this very moment. “See? Your boss agrees with me.”
I twisted around to glare at him. “I can’t accept this—not after what you’ve already given us.”
He reached over and took my hand with a slow, deliberate slide of his palm over mine.
“Try again, baby. You can and you will.” His thumb brushed my knuckles in maddening circles.
“You’ve carried everything on your own for a long time, and you’re kicking ass.
Money isn’t going to be a barrier for you ever again.
I want my daughter’s mom to breathe easy and know she can take care of herself and our girl, no matter what.
This isn’t an argument you’re going to win. Let me do this.”
My chest tightened. “Make a counteroffer.”
“This is the only offer.” He squeezed my hand. “I’m not letting you struggle. Never, Mazzy.”
I tried again, weaker this time. “It’s too much. I don’t want you to think I’m taking advantage.”
“I would never think that,” he said. “Think about it this way: you wanted me to sign this agreement so neither of us has any questions hanging over our heads. I want you to say yes to the amount of support for the same reason. You aren’t ever going to be beholden to me.
You and Kat will always be okay, no matter what happens between us. ”
My heart thumped in its melting cage. Ben was being so earnest and sincere, I couldn’t find it in me to argue. Besides, using the same reasoning made it easy for me to see where he was coming from.
“Mazzy,” Miranda said briskly, “you’re within your rights to reject this level of support, but think about what you would tell a client.”
I pinched my bottom lip between my fingers and sighed. “I…hate that you’re right.”
She gave a sharp nod. “I’m glad you agree. I advise you to take the money from the giant man happily shoveling it at you and get on with it.”
Ben puffed up even more, looking dangerously close to preening, like giving me money was the very best part of his day.
And dammit, I was going to accept.
As soon as Ben walked out of the locker room, he grabbed my hand and pulled me into the same room we’d met in the first time. This time, though, he spun me around and pinned me against the door as he reached down to lock it.
“You drive me crazy, Mazzy Belle.” He braced his forearms beside my head, his eyes bouncing over my face. “How are you?”
“I just saw you this morning.” I leaned my head against the door to take him in. His hair was damp from the shower he must’ve just taken, and his scruff was a little thicker than usual. My stomach flipped, and my pulse kicked. What was it about him that did it for me?
Oh. Right. Everything.
“But I didn’t get to make out with you,” he argued. “Now, tell me how you are.”
He’d brushed my lips once before leaving Miranda’s office with his lawyer, in a rush to get to practice. It had only been a few hours, but before that, it had been days.
“I’m relieved that part is over.”
“Me too.” He dropped his forehead to mine. “Now you can go out on a date with me.”
“Isn’t that what this is? Lunch isn’t glamorous, but it counts.”
He grunted. “I fully intended on feeding you, but I gotta say, Mazz, I’m more interested in eating you.” His hands slipped down the slope of my back to cup my ass. “This dress…yeah, I’m gonna need to see what’s under it. Let me?”
I stopped breathing as heat flooded my core. I clutched his T-shirt. If he hadn’t been holding me, my knees would have given out.
“We’re at your work,” I protested in a whisper. “We could get caught.”
“Nah.” He spun us around and began walking me backward. “The door’s locked, and everyone knows I’m having lunch with my Mazzy Belle. No one’s going to bother us. But you can tell me no if you don’t want me to—”
“No,” I squeaked. “I mean, I’m not telling you no.”
“Good. That’s all I need to know.” He dropped his face to my neck and swept me right off my feet like I was a feather. I wasn’t. Not even close. But Ben didn’t even grunt as he lifted me and carried me to the armchair tucked against the wall, lowering himself along with me.
On his knees between mine, he tugged me to the edge of the seat and pressed on the insides of my legs until I parted them for him. Reaching for the bow holding my dress together, he raised his eyebrows.
I nodded.
He tugged.
My dress fell apart.
I knew I’d been smart to wear that dress.
The heated look Ben gave me as he raked his eyes over my black lacy bra and matching boy shorts told me everything.
He didn’t give me a chance to feel self-conscious or wish the bright lights were a little dimmer.
He was on me before I had a moment to catch my breath or gather a single thought.
He buried his face between my breasts with a growl. Kissing my chest, licking a line along the edge of my bra. I threaded my fingers through his curls, trying to hang on. Ben was going to do whatever he wanted with me, and I was more than willing to go along for the ride.
He was hungry, starving, sucking me through the lace of my bra before moving down.
Kissing a line along my soft belly. He had to see the silvery stretch marks leftover from my pregnancy, but they didn’t slow him down or deter him.
I liked that he didn’t pay them special attention or ignore them entirely. They were just another part of me.
And man, he really seemed to like all my parts. Even the ones I wasn’t a fan of.
When he reached my panties, he lifted his eyes to check in with me.