CHAPTER 25 BEN
I canceled my plans with my buddies.
Anyone who knows me knows I don’t do that, and that is what the real shocker here is.
I keep telling myself it’s to maintain our facade, but let’s be honest. There are two reasons I care about the game we’re playing with the media. The first is because competition is one of my top strengths. I want to win, which is part of what makes me the football player I am.
But that’s not why I canceled my plans. Hell, I could’ve invited Kaylee along…but instead, I decided to ask her on our second public date.
The second reason, therefore, is because I’m feeling things for Kaylee that are unfamiliar. I want to see her again. I want to be with her again. I want her to spend the night again. I want to wake up with her in my bed.
I really want to fuck her in my shower. We haven’t done that yet, and my shower is fucking badass. Two shower heads plus one of those handheld shower heads (perfect for clitoral stimulation, or so I’m told).
I haven’t even asked her yet, and this isn’t for an official event, but a friend of mine opened a restaurant on the Strip and I told him I’d stop by at some point. It’s great press for him, and it’s good food for me and my date.
I shoot over a text on Friday afternoon.
Me: Are you free for dinner out tonight? We can give them something to talk about.
Her reply isn’t immediate, but Ellie mentioned something about wedding dresses. The initial thought of that scared the ever living fuck out of me, but I’m starting to get used to the idea.
Which also scares the ever living fuck out of me.
Kaylee: Only if we can get into some trouble.
Yeah…I definitely think I can provide trouble.
Me: As you know, that’s my real first name.
Kaylee: [laughing emoji] Well aware of that fact, T.
I laugh.
Me: Come over so we can get into a little trouble before we go. Bring an overnight bag.
Kaylee: I’m currently wrapped in organza and tulle also to give them something to talk about, but I’ll swing home, change, and then be on my way. Six-ish?
Me: I have no idea what the fuck tulle is but yeah, six works.
I Google tulle.
Jesus. I am so fucked.
* * *
I texted Ellie my plans for the night with the understanding she’d tip off the paparazzi to ensure our photos end up in the press tomorrow.
It’s a great way to get some attention on my pal’s restaurant while feeding into the frenzy surrounding my relationship with Kaylee…
or at least what we want people to think.
The actual truth is even more complicated than it seems.
My bell rings a little after six, and before I open it, I peek out the peephole.
I spot my girl standing on my porch in a glorious little sexy red dress.
The same car that’s been parked across the street all day is still there, and so I toss the door open and pull Kaylee into my arms to give them a bit of a show.
My mouth crashes down to hers, and I pull her inside with our lips connected before I slam the door behind her.
And even when it’s closed, I don’t let go.
Instead, I take it deeper. More urgent. More intense.
I back her into the door and shove my hips against her as my body’s response to her familiar scent takes hold.
Her hands reach under my shirt and claw at my back, and fuck does it feel good to have her back in my arms.
My chest tightens at the thought.
She moves her arms to link them around my neck then jumps and wraps her legs around my waist. “I’m not wearing panties,” she murmurs.
A low growl rumbles up out of my chest on its own accord, and she lets out a soft moan when I thrust my hips against hers.
The good kind of sexual tensions swirls around us, and this time, it’s just for the two of us.
I reach under to plunge a finger into her, and I get a loud moan as she drenches my hand. I thrust in and out of her as I kiss her, adding a second finger which is rewarded with another moan as her tongue continues to batter mine.
I pull my fingers out and manage to unbutton my pants. I pull my cock out and shove it into her without warning, and it’s like I’m fucking home again.
She cries out with approval as I start to move, and she’s so slick and wet and tight that I know I’m not going to last long. The pure feeling of utter perfection with nothing separating the two of us just isn’t meant to last forever. If it did, we’d have nothing to look forward to.
I fuck her up against my front door, driving into her with my hands under her ass to bounce her up and down on my cock.
She breaks from our kiss as her cries get louder and faster as I drive her toward her climax.
She leans her head back, thumping it gently against the front door, and I think I black out from pleasure for a second before that familiar heat pushes my balls up.
I thumb at her clit and I explode into her as my release hits me.
I grunt my way through it as pulse after pulse of pleasure bursts through my body, and I hit her clit just right as it pushes her into her orgasm while I’m riding the wave of mine. Her pussy clenches over me, milking every last drop of come from my cock.
My mouth falls to hers again, and we kiss slowly and intimately while I’m still inside her.
With her…I think this is my favorite part of sex.
When I start to come back down to Earth, my body rubbery and sated, and we kiss with all this tenderness.
It’s like a thank you for the incredible sex while showing her how deep my feelings are starting to become—something I need since I can’t seem to find the words to tell her.
I’m not sure the words exist. At least not in my vocabulary.
“I know we said three more weeks until you move in, but I don’t want to wait that long,” I say against her mouth.
“Me either,” she murmurs, and I kiss her a little longer before I slip out and set her down on her feet. She leans against the front door while she smooths her dress back down.
“This weekend,” I say, leaning in for one more kiss as I tuck my dick back into my pants. “You’re here all the time anyway and this way you wouldn’t have to pack an overnight bag.”
This isn’t for the media. This isn’t for show. This is for us.
She nods. “Let’s do it.”
We take a brief walk through my house and talk about where we can put her stuff. To keep up the ruse we’re faking for her family, she’ll take the guest room as “her” bedroom even though she’ll stay with me.
She freshens up while I change my clothes and throw some food in Buddy’s bowl, and then we head out to dinner.
The car that’s been parked across the street all day follows us. It’s not a huge surprise, though it is a huge invasion of our privacy. It comes with the territory.
I make conversation on the way over. “You know what tonight is?”
She glances at me. “What?”
“Your mom and my dad’s first date.”
She wrinkles her nose, and I laugh.
“It’s not a date. My mom assured me over and over and over once more.”
“My dad said your mom seemed pretty interested.” I wiggle my eyebrows.
“Oh God.” She presses her hand to her forehead in a facepalm. “I don’t want to know about it. Does your dad know about us?”
“Yeah.”
“The whole truth?” she presses.
“Yeah.” I reach over and lay a palm on her thigh, and she rests her hand on top of mine. “I mean, not the fact that I’ve now fucked you up against my front door more than once, but he knows I have real feelings for you. And he knows we’re hiding those feelings from the people closest to us.”
I pull in front of the hotel where the restaurant is located, effectively ending our conversation as I valet the Scout.
I help her out of the passenger door while I toss my keys to valet with some joke about keeping my vehicle safe, and when we turn around, we’re faced with flashbulbs. Thanks, Ellie.
I link my hand with hers and lead her inside the hotel and toward the restaurant. My buddy knows I’m coming tonight, and he’s waiting near the hostess stand when we arrive.
“Mr. Olson,” Michael Cordell says with a very businesslike nod.
“Fuck off, Cordell,” I say, and he laughs.
“I’m Mike Cordell, the owner of this joint,” he says to Kaylee.
“Kaylee Dalton,” she says with a smile as she shakes his hand.
“Right this way.” We follow him through the restaurant to a table in the center of the action where he wants me to be seen dining in his establishment.
To my disappointment, there’s no way I’ll be able to do any of the things I want to do to my date under the table with our seat location where it is.
“Can I start you with a beverage?” he asks.
It’s a fancy place, but I’m still a beer guy. “What’s on tap?” I ask. He names a bunch of beers, and I say, “Surprise me.” I glance at Kaylee with raised brows.
“Something red and not too dry,” she says, and Mike nods.
“You got it. Enjoy your meals, and really, Ben, thanks for coming. It means a lot.”
I nod and offer a smile, and a waiter comes up behind the boss. Mike saunters off while our waiter offers his suggestions for our meals, and we both order without even looking at a menu.
“So how do you know the owner?” Kaylee asks.
“Oh, we met seven or eight years ago. He owned a nightclub I frequented when I was in town. He wanted to expand into restaurants, and now he owns a handful of clubs and this is his second restaurant here in Vegas.”
Another dude drops our drinks by, and she holds up her glass of red while she waits expectantly for me to say something.
I hold up my glass, too. “To proving them wrong.”
She giggles and nods. “Amen.” We clink glasses and each take a sip, and Mike sent me over some lighter beer that’s a little overly crafty for my taste but will do the job. I’m pretty simple, my preference leading toward Budweiser, but I’ll drink pretty much anything.
“How’s the wine?” I ask.
“Not too dry, a little sweet. Just about perfect.” She takes another sip and moves to set it down.
“Sounds like your pussy,” I murmur, and she coughs a little on her last sip. I let out a chuckle. I clear my throat. “How was your shopping trip today?” I ask a little louder for the benefit of anyone listening…and there’s always somebody listening.
She stiffens a little, and part of me wonders what that’s all about. Is she as freaked out by the wedding shit as I am? Somehow I doubt it. Knowing what I know about her, she probably loved every second. “It was fun. Kate and Ellie are the best.”
“Did you find a dress?”
Her eyes twinkle as they connect with mine. “Guess you’ll have to wait and see.”
I chuckle. “What are your plans for next weekend?”
She shrugs. “School’s out Friday, I’ll be done with the career I can’t stand, and my birthday is Saturday. I don’t have plans yet, but clearly something epic is on my agenda.”
“It’s your birthday?” I ask, lowering my voice a little since as her boyfriend I should know this, and she nods. “Then we’ll figure out something epic. Leave it to me.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “Why does that terrify me a little?”
I shrug innocently, but she’s probably right to be a little scared.