“Take these off,” he commands as he steps back and shrugs out of his suit jacket. I push my trousers and panties down my thighs and step out of them until I’m wearing nothing but my silk blouse and heels. He unbuttons his pants and pushes them down his thighs before freeing his cock from the confines of his red boxer briefs.
I lick my lips appreciatively but there’s no time for extra fun. Ben’s gaze is dark, and I can tell he means business. He steps forward and lifts me, draping my legs around his waist. With one arm holding me steady, he reaches between our bodies and positions his cock at my entrance. His head bends slightly as he kisses me sharply right before he thrusts into me.
Sharp splinters dig into my back from the rough wall as Ben presses me against it, driving his cock deeper and deeper into me. But I feel no pain because all I feel is the overwhelming fullness of Ben. He’s everywhere and from the way he’s fucking me, he has no intention of ever letting me go.
Ben
“I suppose I’ll have to buy you a new blouse too,” I tell Milly as I cradle her in my arms.
She snuggles into my neck and makes the cutest fucking sounds. “You don’t have to buy me a damn thing.”
“I’m glad but we can’t go back to the main house like this.” My suit is dirty and a bit wrinkled but it’s still wearable. Milly’s clothes, on the other hand, look like they’ve been mauled by a fucking wild animal. I smile proudly because when it comes to Milly, I’m practically feral. “I’m sure George has some extra coveralls around here.”
She wrinkles her nose at the suggestion of wearing a pair of George’s dirty, greasy coveralls. “What a first impression,” she groans, covering her face with one hand. “They all watched me fall right on my ass and I’m sure they stayed to watch you carry me away like a caveman.”
“You just agreed to marry me! If that doesn’t call for a celebratory shag, then what does?” Her laughter is music to my ears. My hold on her tightens as I kiss the top of her head. “You made me the happiest fucking man today, Milly.”
“I’m terrified of losing you more than I am of loving you.”
“Why does love scare you?”
“Trusting someone with your heart, trusting they won’t break it is difficult. I’ve seen too many good women give away their heart way too easily only to have it broken. I don’t want to end up like them.”
“So, you’ve never experienced a heartbreak?”
She sighs and starts to shift her body, but I refuse to let her escape. “Yes, I have,” she says after a long silence. “I gave myself to a guy completely to the point where I lost myself. It was my first real, serious relationship. I did what I thought was expected of me. When we broke up, I was devastated because I had no idea who I was without him.”
There’s a soft sniffle. I place my fingers under her chin and tilt her face up. Tiny rivers of tears cascade down her cheeks. “I will never let that happen, Milly. I love that you’re independent and I will always be your home, waiting to welcome you back.”
She opens her mouth to speak but no words come out. Honestly, none are needed. Any man lucky enough to earn Milly’s love would promise the exact same thing. Lucky for me, most men are selfish idiots who think with their cocks.
We spend the next ten minutes rifling around George’s shed, looking for something suitable for Milly to wear. We manage to find a fairly clean t-shirt which is much too big and covers just enough of her arse to get her into the Range Rover without giving the whole family a show. I examine her ankle which is slightly swollen; it’s probably a minor sprain and will heal in a few days.
“I’ll make our excuses while you wait in the car,” I tell her as we step out into the blinding sunlight.
Milly uses her tattered clothing to hide some of her bits that dare to peek out as I help her hobble up the main drive. Thankfully, no one is around but I can feel the heat of my family’s eyes on my back. When Milly is situated inside the Range Rover, I make my way inside the main house where my parents are waiting expectantly.
“Milly had an accident. We need to run back to the lodge park so she can change clothes,” I explain.
“You needn’t bother returning, Benjamin,” my mum hisses.
“What do you mean?”
“First you embarrass your brother and Vanessa with your tantrum. Then you refuse to help your brother achieve his dreams.”
“His dreams, mum? What about mine? Doesn’t what I want matter in this family at all?”
My mum’s lips form a tight line and her eyes narrow in a cruel stare. “Your brother will become the Earl of Strafford. He has worked hard to bring Waterstone Hall back to life. He deserves this!”
My blood is boiling. “Right. Nothing I do matters. I’ve got a fucking degree from the London School of Economics and even that isn’t good enough!”
“Ben, wait,” my father calls out. I turn back because he’s a good man and an even better father. He might be a bit of a pushover at times but I love him dearly.
“I’m sorry dad,” I say softly.
“I just wanted to tell you Milly is a fine lass. You’re quite jammy, my boy.” He claps me on the shoulder and winks.
“I’m quite lucky, dad. I know.”
“Mind the road on your way back to London.” He wraps me tight in a bear hug before he turns and walks away. From the corner of my eye, I catch the disapproving glare of my mum.
I can’t take any more of this. Before either of us can say something we’ll absolutely regret, I turn on my heel and leave.
“What happened,” Milly asks.
“Doesn’t matter. We’re going home.”
Milly
Ben’s silence lasts longer than the five-hour car ride home from Malton. It lasts for days. While I pack, he sulks and stomps around the house, never uttering more than a few words to me. It’s frustrating but I’m not about to push him for answers. If this is how he wants to spend my last few days in London, then he’ll be sorry once I’m gone.
I’ve also been researching ways not to go back to the States, and it doesn’t look good. It seems I’m unable to change my visitor’s visa to one that will allow me to stay indefinitely now that Ben and I are engaged. I absolutely have to return to the States.
Which means we’re both fucking miserable.
Just as I’m finishing up edits on an article, there’s a knock at the door. During the day, the building is pretty quiet, so visitors are unusual.
When I open the door, I expect a neighbor that’s locked out or a delivery person. Not Ben’s brother Alistair.
“Hello again,” he says in a smooth voice as he pushes past me into the flat.
“Hello. Please, come in,” I say with a roll of my eyes.
Alistair spins to face me. He and Ben share similar features. Dark hair, green eyes but Alistair is thinner, his features more angular. “I don’t plan on staying long. If my brother refuses to help me, he’ll be ruined. His pub will close, and he’ll lose everything. Since he’s so enamored by you, you need to convince him to sign the deal.”
My eyes narrow. “There’s no way I’m going to do that.”
“Suit yourself but when Benny’s business goes under, he’ll lose everything. And it will be all your fault.” Alistair waves a dismissive hand in front of him and makes a face like he’s just smelled something foul.
Before I can punch him right in the dick, he leaves. Bastard.
For the rest of the day, I pace and chew my nails, worrying over whether or not I should tell Ben about his brother’s visit.
Honesty is the best policy, I remind myself constantly.
It’s stupid to ruin a relationship just because some asshole tells you to, I tell myself repeatedly.
When Ben comes home after his shift at the pub and asks me about my day, I’m speechless. Of course, he needs to know Alistair showed up this afternoon and tried to pull some bullshit with me. But I can’t bring myself to tell him just yet.
“Just a boring day of edits,” I tell him, wh
ich is the partial truth.
“And what have you found out about the visa situation?”
My mouth tightens into a thin line. “The same. I can’t get the visa I need while I’m in country. I have to fly back to the States.”
“That’s such bollocks! I’m sure I know someone in Parliament who can pull some strings and if not, there’s always my family.”
“No!” Ben’s brow wrinkles with confusion. “I mean, it’s okay. I’ll go back home for a bit, get everything settled there, apply for the visa and when it gets approved, I’ll come back.”
“But you said that could take months.”
“Well, they do say absence makes the heart grow fonder,” I offer.
“Well, they are a bunch of pricks who don’t know anything.”
Ben reaches out and pulls me against him. He smells like stale beer and soap, a strangely comforting scent because it’s so familiar now.
“I don’t want you to go back,” he says softly.
“I don’t want to go back,” I reply. “But there’s no other way around this.”
Ben sighs. “I s’pose you’re right. How many days now?”
“Two.”
“Fuck,” he growls. He pushes me away slightly and untucks his t-shirt from the waistband of his jeans. “I’m going to shower.”
I watch as piece by piece, all of Ben is slowly revealed. His finely muscled back, his tight ass and the tattoos. There’s the Churchill quote across his chest, some Celtic knots and tribal designs on his arm and more recently, a simplified image of Big Ben bursting from a rose on his rib cage.
“You coming,” he calls out.
“I better,” I reply with a smirk.
* * *
My conversation with Alistair keeps me up when normally, Ben easily wears me out. I replay it over and over along with what Ben said about Waterstone Hall.
Why is Ben refusing to sign the agreement to expand the estate? Will Alistair make good on his promise to ruin Ben’s businesses?
And then there is my own guilt over not telling Ben about his brother’s unexpected visit.
With a heavy sigh, I slip out of bed and head to the kitchen. Aimlessly, I open cupboards and the refrigerator, but I don’t really want anything.
“Can’t sleep?” The sound of Ben’s voice is unexpected and once again, the universe is giving me an opportunity to tell him about Alistair.
“I guess I’m not ready for all of this to be over,” I murmur.
“We’re not breaking up Milly,” Ben says walking forward. He stands on the other side of the kitchen island and spreads his hands out in front of him. “Why don’t you tell me what’s really bothering you?”
“Why don’t you go first? Something’s been bothering you since we left your family’s estate.” Turning the tables is always a great diversion, especially since I’m still struggling with being honest. Maybe understanding Ben’s perspective will help me decide what to do.
“It’s George, the groundskeeper at Weatherstone Hall. Alistair wants to buy his land, his home. He’s offering George a good bit of money for the property but I can’t just demolish his home, you know? It’s been in his family forever, just like mine.”
The pieces suddenly fall into place. “I’m sorry, Ben. I had no idea.” Tell him, I encourage myself mentally. Tell him about Alistair. “Why does he want to expand the estate? It’s already massive.”
“To expand the lodge park. It’ll bring in more money for the estate, and for him.”
“And for you too?”
“I don’t give a fuck about earning more money from the estate, Milly. I’m not about to ruin a man’s home for a few extra pounds a year. And I’m not going to be sucked into Alistair’s toxic world of greed.”
“I understand.” How on earth could I possibly try and convince him to help Alistair now?
He reaches across the counter and grabs my hand. “None of that matters, Milly. You do. I could lose it all tomorrow but as long as I have you, I’d be the richest man in the world.”
I pull my hand away slowly. “I wouldn’t want you to lose everything you’ve worked hard to build.”
“It’s just a hypothetical, sweetheart.” He says with a wink.
But what if it’s not? What if Alistair really means what he says and ruins Ben’s businesses? I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened and Ben lost the pub and his properties all because of me.
Ben
This is ridiculous. So fucking ridiculous. Milly is sitting next to me in the Range Rover, but she might as well be a million miles away. Instead of enjoying the last two days in bed together, we slept in separate rooms. There’s something she isn’t telling me, and I want to push her because this woman is not my Milly.
“You’re not being completely honest with me,” I tell her as we drive to Heathrow.
“Yes, I am,” she insists quietly. She looks down at her lap, at her fidgeting fingers, at the drizzle splattering the windows but not at me.
“Milly, please don’t leave with this awkwardness between us.”
She sniffles and swipes at the tears staining her cheeks. Since the other night, she hasn’t stopped crying and it’s breaking my fucking heart.
“I’m sorry,” is all she manages to choke out.
That’s it! I can’t take this anymore and pull over into a random car park. If she misses her flight, then too damn bad.
“Ben, what are you doing?”
She doesn’t get an explanation as I navigate to an empty space. When we’re parked, I turn to face her. Her blue eyes are bloodshot from crying and the tip of her nose is red. I reach across and grab her, hauling her awkwardly over the console. My lips crash into hers in a hard, searing kiss. She squirms against me, but I’m determined. I soften the kiss, swallowing her protests, hoping she’ll just give in to me and be honest.
She works her hands in between us and pushes herself away, breaking the kiss.
“What do you think you’re doing?” She screeches.
“Reminding you of how much I love you,” I answer.
“No, you’re forcing me to do something I don’t want to do.”
“You mean be honest? You don’t want to be honest with me?”
“Of course I do!” She sags against the seat.
“Milly, whatever you’re holding onto, just tell me and let me deal with it.”
“Fine. Alistair dropped by the other day. He told me I needed to convince you to agree with his expansion plan. And if I didn’t, he would ruin your businesses.”
“And you think that’s what we should do? Let Alistair manipulate me into making bad business decisions?”
She shrugs and looks away. “I don’t want you to lose something you’ve worked hard to create.”
“The only thing I’m afraid of losing is you Milly. You mean more to me than anything else in this world.” I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out the red velvet ring box. “It’s not my Nan’s; in fact, it didn’t belong to anyone in my family. But I don’t want you to go back home without this.”
I lift the lid and show her the ring I found at a jeweler that specializes in vintage, estate pieces.
Milly’s eyes widen and she covers her mouth. “That thing is fucking huge!”
A laugh escapes my lips. “It’s three carats,” I tell her, plucking the ring from the box and holding it out to her. “There is only one thing worth having in this life and it’s love. If I don’t have your love, then I have nothing.”
I reach for her hand and slip the ring over her finger. It’s a perfect fit and looks stunning on her hand.
“What do you say?” She’s been silent for a long time and it’s honestly scaring me a bit.
She holds her hand out in front of her but her expression is still grim. “Of course you have my love, Ben. Forever.”
She has a look on her face like she’s going to say something else so I cover her hand. “That’s all I need to hear, Milly. Don’t say anything else. We’ll
figure out the rest together.”
“Okay,” she says with a weak smile.
We leave the car park and make it to Heathrow with time to spare. “Why are you parking here? You can’t come to the gate with me,” she says when she notices we’re in a short-term lot.
“Yes, I can,” I say as I push open the car door. I round the back of the Range Rover to the boot and open it. I begin pulling Milly’s bags out and set them on the pavement before I reach for mine. When the boot is empty, I slam it shut. Milly is standing next to the car with a shocked, but expectant look on her face. “I bought a ticket. Oh, and I upgraded us to First Class.”
Milly
I should have known Ben would do something like this. I’m not going to complain though because First Class is fucking awesome.
“Okay, maybe having a rich boyfriend has its perks,” I whisper to Ben.
“Fiancé. I’m not your boyfriend anymore,” he says dryly.
Right. We’re getting married.
These last few days with Ben have been difficult and uncomfortable memories have been floating around in my head.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Ben murmurs in my ear as he stretches across the console that separates our seats to kiss my cheek. “Penny for your thoughts?”
“Just some uncomfortable memories,” I answer.
He links our hands. “Tell me,” he insists.
“In college, I dated this guy named Brandon. He was my first real boyfriend and I did absolutely everything wrong. I thought I was supposed to spend all of my time with him and I just ignored my friends.”
Ben hums thoughtfully before responding. “Did he ask you to stop seeing your friends?”
“No, not exactly,” I stammer. “But he didn’t want to do anything with his friends either.”
Wanderlust Wedding (Wedding Season Series) Page 3