Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
PAIGE
The sign on In Frame is set to Closed, but the door itself is unlocked, so I rush in without knocking and follow the sounds of Benji’s grumbling to his workshop, only to slam to a stop when I find Benji standing naked before me.
“Oh fuck,” I whisper.
His clothes are in a wet pile on the floor. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t tan lines and muscles and …
“See something you like?”
I think my heart is about to thump its way out of my chest.
“I …”
“Yes?”
I should go. Right? Definitely. This is … probably crossing some kind of boundary, except Benji definitely doesn’t look like he minds, and I can’t stop staring at him, all of him, bare and ripped and even more delicious than I remember.
Fuck.
I step farther into the workshop, letting the door fall closed behind me. “You left. I thought you would …”
“What?” he asks, frustration pinching the bridge of his nose. “Force you? I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want to, Paige.”
In front of me are miles and miles of gorgeous skin. The overhead lamp kisses the muscles of his chest and arms, and a dark trail of hair happily leads from his belly button all the way down, down, down to the very impressive cock I have been trying desperately not to think about.
Double fuck.
He rubs a hand over his head, spraying a mist of water in the air. One drop drags down his neck, licking the long span of skin. It pauses briefly when he swallows. I can practically taste it from here. Half rain, all him.
“And, um, if I wanted to?”
He leans back against his workbench with his arms crossed over his chest. I move farther into the room, stopping opposite him. I can’t help it; my gaze drops again to where he’s thick and not hard yet but definitely getting there.
Heat pools in my belly.
“Do you? Because you didn’t seem so sure a few minutes ago.”
“I do. I …”
I force my eyes to the ceiling, pressing my back into the shelf behind me. God, if we both reached out, our hands would meet, and it’s killing me not to. But …
“I’m scared. We already tried this once, and it didn’t work out.”
“We’ve got a better chance this time.”
I shake my head, still looking anywhere but at him. I want to believe that, but …
“How do you know for sure?”
I hear him shift, see his hands fall to the benchtop in my peripheral vision. “Because I’m not going anywhere and I’ll do whatever it takes to get you back.”
I bite my lip, torn between my head and my heart.
“Do you,” he says, “want me to force you?”
My pulse spikes hard, and I skip my gaze around the room—over the set of frames drying on the rack; the tools hung along the opposite wall, so perfectly aligned; to Benji’s wet socks and boots in the corner.
But as hard as I try, I can’t keep my eyes away from him. “No, not force,” I say. “Just …” I blow out a breath. Why is this so hard to say? “Convince me. Don’t just say you’ll do anything. Show me you mean it.” Help me get past this.
His chest rises and falls, steadier than I feel. I’m drawn to the defined muscle of his pecs. That’s new. His nipples are tight little peaks, and—oh, right, he must be cold right now. Meanwhile, I’m overheating.
“I can do that.”
He reaches for something, and I finally see the set of dry clothes that are sitting on his workbench. A choked sound escapes my throat, and his hand immediately stills.
The slow drag of his eyes back to mine burns.
“Benji,” I whisper, “please.”
Leaving the clothes where they are, he faces me, his eyes dark. “Tell me what you want, Paige.”
“You,” I confess. “That’s the problem.”
“I don’t see a problem,” he says.
I whimper when he slides one hand over his stomach.
“You know, you haven’t stopped staring since you walked in.”
Fuck. I want him to touch his cock, which is definitely hard now, but he goes for his chest instead, cocking his head and exhaling hard as he pinches his nipple.
I can’t take my eyes off him. “Sorry,” I breathe.
“I like it.” His voice is as thick as gravel. “I want you to look. I’d like it even better if you came over here and touched me.”
“I can’t … I …” I’m frozen by the fear that if I cross the gap, if I do what I’m so desperate to do and touch him, it might ruin this tender thing we’re rebuilding.
Like it’s okay to want him as long as I don’t act on it.
“I want to,” I admit. “It’s all I can think about, but if I start, then I’m not going to want to stop, and I’m trying really hard to be responsible right now.
Shit. Can you get your dick under control? You’re not making this easy.”
He brings his other hand to his hip, skimming his fingertips at the edge of his pubic hair, teasing both of us. “Hey, the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever met is struggling to contain her lust for me. Forgive me for enjoying that.”
“Can you enjoy it a little less?”
His smile is gorgeous. “No can do.”
“Fuck.”
“Is that a request?” He trails his hand over his hardened chest to his other nipple.
“Benji,” I groan, gripping at my jeans. I don’t think I can take much more of this.
“You can leave.”
That’s the last thing I want to do.
“What will you do if I go?” I already know what he’s going to say, but I need to hear it.
There is no green left in his eyes, only hunger and fucking awe. “The same thing I’m going to do right now. Maybe you want to watch?”
He slides his hand lower. My lungs are fighting for air.
“You seem to be enjoying it.”
Finally, he circles his fist around his cock. My knees buckle under me, and I grip on to the bench.
Benji strokes himself. “Is this okay?”
Holy fuck, yes.
I nod quickly, mesmerized. “More than okay.”
He doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t go slow. Curls his fist around the head, gathering the wetness pooling at the tip and spreading it down his cock on each pass. “You should join me.”
My clit pulses like it hasn’t already been screaming at me since I walked in. My underwear is as soaked as the wet pile of Benji’s clothes on the floor. Eager for relief, I press my palm against my aching pussy, and even through the denim, it’s heavenly. My body begs me for more.
Do it. Do it. Do it.
Benji’s tone is serious. “Paige, if you don’t want this, leave. But if you stay, you’re going to undo those jeans and make yourself come.”
All other thoughts burn away, and I rip open my jeans, moaning loudly when I finally touch my aching clit. “Fuck,” I pant. “What are we doing?”
Benji’s pace picks up, his exhales harsh in the silence. “I’m apologizing.”
My laugh is lost to a gasp. “This isn’t how you apologize.”
“Would it help if I got on my knees?”
He’s joking, but, yes, that’s what I want. Shakily, I nod, and he grips the base of his cock.
“Fuck.”
I moan again when he drops to his knees. It brings him closer. Not enough to touch, but eye level with where I’m touching myself.
“Oh fuck, Benji.” My hips move of their own accord, thrusting forward.
“You smell amazing,” he growls, his fist moving faster now, a rhythmic slap-slap-slap filling the room.
After he left, I forced myself to stop picturing him like this, but that’s all gone now. He looks sinful, his pink tongue peeking out to lick his lips, and, God, I’m not going to last at all.
“Yeah. Yeah, that’s it. Circle your clit just like that. Fuck, you’re so wet, baby. I just want to taste you. Can you push your jeans down for me? I want to watch.”
Oh fuck.
I push my jeans and underwear to my thighs, letting my legs fall open as much as they can, trapped in the denim but desperate for Benji’s gaze.
“Open yourself up and let me see. Fuck.” His head falls back against the workbench with a thud.
His pre-cum is dripping onto the floor, and I want to burst into flames.
I whimper, “Are you …”
“Close?” He raises his head, eyes blazing. “I’ll wait as long as you need me to.”
Oh. Yes.
My orgasm hits me so hard that I have to grip the counter behind me, bucking into my hand as I shout, my head tipped back. Through the rushing in my ears, I make out Benji’s growled curse as he comes, and as I drift down off my own peak, reality crashes back over me.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
What the hell did we just do? Any pleasure I feel disappears, leaving me cold, and I rush to get dressed again, not daring to look at Benji as I do it. I wanted to take things slow, not jump into sex before I even knew what we were to each other.
“Paige, wait.”
“I’m sorry.”
I don’t look back. I just run, taking advantage of his nakedness to put as much distance between us as I can.