Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-nine
Ben
Mazzy’s hands shook as she rolled the condom over me. She was nervous, and I probably should have felt guilty, but it turned me on. We were so familiar with each other in a lot of ways, but this was new.
Exciting was too light a word.
I was swept up in this woman. Thinking about her all the time.
When she wasn’t in my presence, counting the minutes until she was again.
I’d been pacing my room like a caged beast until she arrived tonight.
Thank everything holy she’d been just as needy for me.
The moment I’d laid eyes on her in the lobby, wearing that dress and all the lace underneath, I couldn’t have waited another second to have her without exploding.
With her in my arms, I shifted so my back was against the headboard. She pushed up on her knees, her bottom lip caught between her teeth, fingers wrapped around my cock.
She lifted her eyes to mine, and there was something soft and tender flickering behind a wall of heat. “Ben.”
“Mazzy.” I held on to her hips and my breath as she notched me at her entrance. “Take all the time you need.”
She nodded like she agreed…then sank down like a stone. Her ass hit my thighs with a slap, and both of us went utterly still. It was sudden and violent and necessary—hitting the end of her, being enveloped by her, wrapped up and locked down.
She shook her head, her hair tumbling over her shoulders. “I didn’t need any time.”
“No,” I laughed breathlessly. “I guess you didn’t.”
Mazzy braced her hands on my shoulders, her breath shuddering against my mouth. Then she rocked, one slow, taunting grind that nearly took me out. I groaned, fingers tightening on her hips.
“Are you trying to kill me?” I rasped.
She shook her head, a teasing smile tilting her puffy lips. “I was testing the structural integrity of this bed.”
“Forget about the bed, baby.” I slid my hands down to cup her ass and lifted her an inch, letting her feel me slip out just enough to make her gasp. “I was built just for you. Do what you need. I’ve got you.”
She laughed, soft and breathless, and dropped back down, taking me deep again. “What if I unravel you? I kind of want that.”
“Oh, I’m way past unraveled.” I guided her up and down, quick little bounces that made her moan and her inner walls clutch at me. She was tight, hot, so damn eager, and every time she moved, slick and sure, I got closer to losing it.
Mazzy pushed her forehead against mine, panting. “You feel insane, Ben.”
“That’s you,” I said, voice breaking as she rolled her hips in a tight circle. “You’re doing that to me.”
She did it again, sharper, grinding down like she knew exactly where it gutted me.
I hissed and grabbed her waist, trying to hold her still, but she wriggled out of my grip and went harder, fucking me into the mattress with abandon.
Her tits bounced, the lace barely cupping them anymore.
I couldn’t take my eyes off them, and if I’d been able to move, I would have stuffed my mouth full of them.
But all I could do was watch and let her have her way.
It was all I wanted to do.
I faced down stone-carved giants on a regular basis, but this woman, with her thick thighs, tumbling mahogany hair, and soft, creamy arms, was going to be the one to take me out.
“Mazzy,” I warned, “you keep going like that and I’m gonna—”
“Good.” She kissed me, quick and messy. “Come with me.”
Then she rode me, fast, hungry. The slap of our bodies filled the room, her nails digging into my shoulders as she chased her release, dragging mine right along with it.
My vision blurred. My breath shattered. She fell apart in my arms with a trembling cry, and the second she clenched around me, I came hard, groaning into her shoulder, everything in me snapping loose.
She sagged against my chest, and we stayed like that for a while. Laughing with borrowed breath, dragging trails along each other's skin, calming from the storm we’d just created.
Eventually, I pulled out of her so I could remove the condom and toss it aside, but kept her firmly in my arms. She sighed as I combed my fingers through her silky hair. I loved her hair. It was the first thing I’d noticed about her and still one of my favorite parts.
“If we have another kid, I want them to have your hair,” I murmured mindlessly.
“I don’t know. Your curls are pretty damn cute on a tiny person.”
“Yeah.” I sighed. “Gotta agree there. I still want to see a kid who looks like you.”
“Maybe one day.” She rubbed her face on my chest. “Isn’t there some rule against talking about having kids when the relationship is brand new?”
“Could be.” I slid my fingers to the end of her hair. “But we’re rebels, me and you. We do things all out of order. It works for us.”
She laughed. “I don’t think we can say anything works for us when you only just declared me as your girlfriend in the lobby.”
“Shit, yeah.” I squeezed my eyes shut. “For a second, I forgot I needed to annihilate Murphy. Thanks for reminding me.”
“Shut up, Ben.” Her teeth sank into my pec, giving it a love bite. “I have a feeling that man flirts with every woman who comes anywhere near him. Besides, you already pounded your chest and staked your claim on me. I think he got the very unsubtle hint.”
I shifted to look down at her face. “Did you have a problem with that?”
She propped her head up to meet my gaze. “I’m lying on you almost naked. I think it’s pretty clear I didn’t have a problem with it.”
I slipped my thumb under the strap of her lingerie. “This is mine, right?”
“I don’t think it’ll fit you, but you’d probably look incredible in lace. Maybe we can find one your size.”
My eyes narrowed. “You’ve got all the jokes, huh? You think you’re funny?”
“I kinda do.” She wriggled up my body, putting us nose to nose.
“I bought it for you, so I’m really happy you like it.
And how you handled me in the lobby turned me on.
I liked you calling me your girlfriend and being publicly possessive.
You should know, though, you’ll never have to worry about me reciprocating attention from another man. ”
“I know that, Mazz.” I kissed the tip of her nose. “I know the kind of woman you are. That’s why I’ve been losing my mind over you.”
If I were a better man, I’d wish Mazzy luck finding a guy her age, but the very idea made me want to rip down walls with my bare hands.
I was who I was, and the second I found out we shared a child, there was no going back for me.
Mazzy was mine. It wasn’t some caveman instinct to claim her either.
This need was born from seeing how she’d risen through strife, hardship, and grief.
How she’d taken care of Kat, her dad, and herself against all odds.
The way she laughed, even when she was exhausted to the bone.
How she carried herself with confidence and practiced empathy on a regular basis.
Her openness to me and my brothers. The pure love she had for our daughter.
Her capacity for forgiveness and understanding.
Women like Mazzy Belle didn’t come around often. I may have been silly, but I wasn’t stupid. I was going to put in the work to keep her, even if that meant fighting my entire team. And Carrot, if I had to.
She shook her head like she could hear my thoughts. “There’s no need to lose your mind. I’m with you, Ben. You’ve got me.”
“You’ve got me too, baby. Wrapped around your little finger.” I picked up her hand and rubbed my lips along her fingertips. “I’m so glad you’re here with me. We’re going to have the best time.”
Her fingers curled around mine. “We already are.”
“Yeah.” I rolled us so she was on her back with me half on top of her. “Let me feed you dinner, then we should probably do that again, just to make sure that wasn’t a fluke.”
“Right.” Her laugh was soft and airy. “For science.”
With a dopey smile, I dropped my head to her chest. “For science.”
Since getting dressed and leaving the room felt too daunting, we ordered in, put on our pajamas, and ate sushi in bed. When we were all done, we had a video call with Katty.
She cried, but only a little before Aunt Barb swooped in, doing her witchcraft-level distraction routine.
Once the tears were gone, Katty launched into a thousand questions with her usual speed cadence that made Mazzy laugh and my heart thump with sheer delight.
We ended the call with a promise to bring her to LA next time I had a match here.
Tossing my phone on the bedside table, I let my head fall against the headboard. “I know there will be a time when her tears don’t rip me apart, but I’m not there yet.”
Mazzy laughed. “They still affect me. Aunt Barb is the strongest soldier in the family. The only time I’ve seen her crack was when my dad finally passed. And even then, she left the room for half an hour and returned with her shit pulled together.”
I took her hand in mine, rubbing my thumb along her knuckles. “I’m surprised she’s allowed Kylie to be so…Kylie.”
“I don’t know. Barb’s sort of my parenting North Star.
She’s self-contained but never fails to show she cares.
And she lets Kylie be Kylie—even when she has no idea what Kylie is doing or why.
That’s what I want for Katty. I want to be like that with her.
I try to be like that. It’s important for me to let her find herself, and I think she is. She’s so brave and confident.”
“That’s the first thing I noticed about her.”
“She marched right up to you.” Her mouth curved into a dreamy smile.
“Sending her out in the world scares me. I know she’ll be hurt—” I tensed, and she paused, cupping my jaw.
“Not like that, I mean her feelings. Maybe something will dent her confidence. And when that happens, I hope she’ll know she can retreat to me and always feel safe to spill her guts, no matter what, and I’ll hold her tight until she’s ready to face the world again. ”