Chapter Seven
Ben shuts my bedroom door and stalks over to me. My pulse is booming in my ears, blood rushing so fast I can’t hear anything else.
It was my idea to have him stay at the Nu Theta Nu Nu house with me. Partly for the convenience of it and the memories I knew we’d make in my bed. But also partly so Marjorie would leave me alone about him—as ridiculous as she is, she’s not going to make a fool of herself in front of someone as hot and esteemed as one of the Steel brothers. I gag slightly as I think of how she fell all over herself asking him what he wanted for dinner.
He handled it with ease—like he does everything—and told her he’d be taking me out to dinner.
That dinner happened, and now we’re having dessert.
Each other.
With no delay, his lips and hands are all over me. Teasing me, caressing me, sending me into planes of pleasure I’ve only ever felt with him.
It’s exactly what I was hoping for.
Liam and Felicity’s wedding was only a few days ago, but I don’t know how I can get to the end of this weekend knowing it’s, well, the end.
“I know this is casual—” I say between kisses. “But maybe when I’m home this summer—” He nips my neck and I moan. “We can do more of this?”
He hesitates and my stomach stirs. I’m so worried I said too much. He hasn’t given me any sign he wants more than what we currently have, and the last thing I want to do is mess anything up.
But a half-smile quirks his lips, and he wraps his arm around me, pressing his hand to my lower back until I’m so tight against him I can feel the length of his cock through my pants.
“I would love that. You to myself? All summer?” He growls and lowers me onto the bed. “Sign me up.”
Heat erupts over me as he drags his finger down my arm. I shiver as his hand leaves my skin, and he chuckles.
“You’re wearing too many clothes—”
I smirk and reach for the hem of my shirt. “We’ve done this fully clothed…”
He tugs my shirt over my head and groans. “That was great, but I need to see all of you.”
His eyes rove over my breasts hungrily and he has me out of my bra in an instant.
His thumbs graze across my nipples and I arch my back. “So. Much. Better.”
I gasp his name when he pinches one.
“Phoebe,” he murmurs. “You’re everything I’ve ever wanted.”
I want to believe him. To get lost in his passion for me and know that there’s no end. But I can’t. I must stay levelheaded—as levelheaded as I can while his hand grazes my entire body. This is just a hookup. And we’re just friends. A few years ago, I would have died knowing Ben Steel and I had book discussions and casual sex. Like friends, you know?
He sucks my nipple into his mouth and I’m pretty sure that’s not something friends do, but I can’t let it mean anything more.
And right now, it means spending the night with him in my bed. We rip the rest of our clothes off and I do my best to not gawk at how ripped he is. He’s always wearing a suit or at least a button-up shirt. It’s a freaking treat getting to see him naked.
His eyes rove over me and I feel vulnerable, but not exposed. Lust oozes from him as he draws me into his arms, joining our bodies together until I wonder why clothes ever became a thing.
“Definitely better without clothes,” he whispers in my ear before tossing me on the bed.
I squeal and heave a pillow at him. “We’re going to have the entire house gossiping—”
“Good. Hopefully that busybody Margret—what’s her name—hears us. Be loud, my princess.”
My cheeks burn, but I secretly love it. Part of me even hopes Marjorie hears us. The thought of her angrily listening to Ben Steel fuck my brains out or, even better, getting all hot and bothered from overhearing us, has me ready to be louder than I’ve ever been.
As exciting as all that is, I can only focus on one part. He called me princess.
Pressing my hands to his shoulders, I roll him over and straddle him. He growls my name, letting me move him effortlessly despite his toned arms.
Shimmying down his body, I turn around and reposition myself onto all fours, my ass in his direction as I focus on his cock. The other night, I didn’t exactly get the clearest look at it, but here it is, every glorious inch standing hard before me.
I run my finger along the head in a slow circle, growing wetter as I remember exactly how he felt inside of me.
Licking my lips, I bend forward, running my tongue near the path my finger just made.
I sink my mouth over the entire length of him, marveling at how good he feels against my tongue. His muscles tighten below me and I move faster, drawing him in and out over and over again, gagging slightly as I go deeper.
Ben moans and grabs my legs, his fingers sinking into my soft flesh as he pulls me back a few inches.
I’m lost in the pleasure of hearing him mutter a string of curses, so when his mouth meets my clit, I shriek around his cock, narrowly avoiding biting him.
I back up against his mouth, clutching the sheets as he drags his tongue along my opening. My body is pulsing, my arms weak. My head is dizzy as I rock back and forth, opening my jaw as his cock gets impossibly thicker.
“I’m so close.” His muffled voice vibrates across my clit and I’m right there with him.
It’s the second time we’ve orgasmed together and both times have been so in sync. Something I’ve never had with anyone.
“Phoebe, I’m going to—” The edge in his voice nearly undoes me.
I slide my mouth off him and shake my head. “Stop hesitating.”
His tongue stills and cold air whooshes against my skin. “You want me to come in your mouth?”
I smile to myself. Always the gentleman.
“Give me all you got,” I beg.
He groans and buries his face against me, sliding his finger inside me as I cry out.
“Take me home,” he growls.
I give him everything I’ve got, opening my throat wide, providing a deep place for him to bury his cock as he thrusts up and I match his pace, rocking back against his finger until I can’t see straight.
I gulp down his release, the warmth of it filling me as I ride out the wave of pleasure engulfing my senses until we are both still. Satisfied and spent.
Ben drags his finger out of me and I roll to the side of him, my knees shaking.
He props himself up on his side, facing me, and kisses me so deeply I taste myself on his tongue. I hope he can taste himself in my mouth, too.
His eyes linger on my face when we pull apart, and a burning ache forms between my legs at the thought of him inside me again.
Before I can suggest anything more, he hops out of bed and rummages through his suitcase, pulling out a toiletries bag. “Alright, time to get ready for bed, princess. We have a ball tomorrow and I need my beauty sleep.”
Tease.
I go through my bedtime routine with him, wishing I was a real princess who could convince him this domestic life is all we need. Brushing our teeth side-by-side, slipping into comfy pajamas, reading for a bit before he’s softly snoring behind me.
But sleep doesn’t come nearly as easily for me as it does for him. He’s Ben Steel. His life is a lot more exciting than this crazy, boring dream of mine. Asking him for anything more than this would just set me up for heartbreak, and I’ve already dealt with enough of that in my lifetime. I’ll do anything I can to avoid that kind of pain again.
“Phoebe?” Ben murmurs, half-asleep.
“I’m right here,” I whisper, letting him wrap his arm around me as I nestle into his armpit, his warm scent enveloping me and giving me the aching illusion this is all real.
“Good,” he mumbles. “Goodnight.”
I want to tell him I love him and never want him to leave my side, but that’s literally crazy. I pushed my luck by asking him to come to this dance. Anything more would land me in an asylum.
Who tells someone they love them a few days after they hook up behind a tree?
Not me. No matter how badly I want to.