Better With Ben

by Casey McMillin

  "Don't you want to put it in me?" she asked.

  Did he want to put it in her? He was relatively sure that if he didn't put it in her within the next few seconds, something very bad would happen. He took a hold of her by the hips and pressed his erection into her backside, letting it fit in the channel between her round ass. She leaned into it encouraging him.

  He grasped her hip with one hand, but used the other to take hold of his Johnson and find her opening. She was wet and ready, and he didn't waste any time getting inside her.

  Having him enter her from behind created all new sensations, and she felt as though the change of position might just cause her to go over the top again. She stayed bent over the edge of the bed as he pounded into her. He started gently at first, but she moaned and pleaded with him to go harder. Another wave of ecstasy washed over her when she glanced back to see him pumping into her from behind. She fisted the comforter as she buried her face in it.

  "Oh God Ben, I think I'm gonna come again. Oh shit. Yes. Please." She let out whimper after whimper of pleasure until he knew she'd gone over the top for a second time.

  Once she was finished, he let himself find his release. He loved seeing her bent over in front of him—loved the way her back arched as she turned to watch him. He pulled out and finished on her back, moaning with the pleasure. After waiting a few long seconds, she let her upper body collapse onto the bed—all together satisfied and loving the feel of his warm seed on her back. A moment later, she felt him wipe off her back with what she assumed was a piece of clothing.

  "Thanks," she said. She was so satisfied and spent that she turned over, lying on the bed with her legs still dangling off. He dove onto the bed, landing behind her. She giggled and readjusted to lie beside him, and he wrapped an arm around her, holding onto her tightly.

  "I'm glad we did that," she said.

  He let out a little laugh. "I'm glad we did it too," he said. He used a finger to push a stray hair out of her face. "I think you're stuck with me," he said.

  She buried her face in his tattooed chest and snuggled into him, feeling more comfortable than she ever had in her life. "I guess I'm okay with that," she said. "As long as you never get called into work."

  He looked down at her gauging her seriousness, and she let out a laugh.

  "I'm just messing with you," she said. She regarded him with a sincere expression. "You don't have to worry that I want to change you Ben. I know you have a dangerous job. I know I can't ask questions about your job. I'm okay with that. I like you for who you are." She paused and hugged him, and when she spoke again her face was turned so he couldn’t see her. "I have things about myself that you'll have to accept too," she continued, a bit sheepishly. "There's dead-girl baggage and Passout Kings—oh and don't forget what a bonus it is that I come with a couple of winners like Jennifer and Charles."

  He held her tightly. "You're perfect," he said. "And everything you've been through is what's shaped you into the person you are."

  She didn't say anything, just relaxed next to him. She felt like he really wanted her there—wanted to be with her, and the level of contentment she was feeling was off the charts. They stayed intertwined like that for a long time.

  Chapter 25

  Taylor and Ben stayed holed up in the apartment the entire next day. They got out to pick up some food for lunch, but it was just take out and Taylor didn't even get out of the truck. She was so relieved he'd asked Hannah to cover her shift because going to work would have sucked. Obviously, that type of seclusion wasn't possible for very long, so Taylor had no trouble coaxing herself into enjoying every second of it. She knew, even as it was happening, that she'd remember this weekend with the warmest, fuzziest of feelings.

  It was late Sunday afternoon when Molly text Ben to let him know she was coming home for a few minutes. She had Hannah with her when she came in. Taylor was wearing one of Ben's shirts when they got there. She had plenty of time to change since they text to warn that they were on their way, but she really didn't want to. She was quite comfortable in it, but more than that, she liked it for the statement it made. Besides, it suited her and looked good with tights she had on.

  Molly gave a few little knocks on the door before she opened it. When she and Hannah came in, Taylor had gone to use the restroom and Ben was in the living room alone.

  "Where's Taylor?" was the first thing Molly asked. She thought about it and realized the string of texts they'd just had didn't confirm or deny whether or not Taylor was still there. Molly just assumed she would be.

  "She's in the restroom," Ben said with a nod in that direction.

  Molly's eyes got really wide as if she were about to get the juiciest piece of gossip on the face of the earth. "Do you loooove her?" she whispered.

  Ben rolled his eyes at her, knowing she was just being silly and didn't expect a real answer to that.

  "Well do you?" Hannah whispered. She was the one who'd brought Taylor into the mix and was just as excited about a love connection as any of them.

  Ben didn’t have time to answer before Taylor came into the living room. "Hey guys," she said.

  "Aww, you look cute," Hannah said as she turned to look at Taylor.

  "So cute," Molly added. She reached out to hug Taylor, who'd approached as they were talking.

  "Thanks guys, and thanks for covering my shift, Hannah, how'd it go?"

  "It went well. It was busy for a Sunday so it went by fast."

  "Any tips?"

  "Forty."

  "Not bad," Taylor said. "Thanks again for doing that."

  "You're welcome," Hannah said. She took her shoes off, put her purse down, and went over to the couch to sit down.

  "I'm gonna grab that shampoo and put it by your purse," Molly said, talking to Hannah.

  "Sounds good," Hannah responded. Then she looked at Taylor to explain. "Molly got me some shampoo. That's why I came by… to pick it up."

  Molly took off to her bedroom and Taylor just stood there not knowing where to sit. She had been sitting in the recliner with Ben but thought that might be a little awkward so she considered crossing to the couch to sit with Hannah. She took a step in that direction when she heard Ben say, "Where are you going?"

  She looked at him and he gestured with his hand for her to come here. She went to him without hesitation, and this time when she sat with him, she didn't sit on the armrest. She sat in the same position she'd been in before she got up. In the corner of the chair with her legs comfortably draped over his lap. Ben didn't even care that Hannah was sitting there looking at them. He wrapped his arms around Taylor like he was holding onto precious cargo.

  Molly came back into the living room carrying two big bottles. She set them next to Hannah's bag and shoes. She turned, and before she started toward the couch to take a seat, she stood and stared at Ben and Taylor.

  "Is this official, or what?" she asked, wiggling her finger in the air in their general direction. Taylor looked at Ben with a surprised, somewhat horrified expression. She had no idea what to say. She wanted it to be official, but felt like he would think it's too quick to say something like that.

  He narrowed his eyes at Taylor for a split second before he looked at his sister. "Why? Are you trying to post it on Facebook or something?"

  "Maybe," Molly said. "Should your page say that you're in a re-la-tion-ship?"

  Ben looked at Taylor like it was the first time he'd considered it. "I guess it should," he said. It sounded like even he was a little bit surprised.

  "You should probably consult me first," Taylor said. "What if I don't want it to say that?"

  "You do," he said. There was not an ounce of doubt in what he was saying, and his confidence of me made her smile. Taylor stared at him, speechless, which made Hanna and Molly both giggle at them.

  "Some things never change," Hannah said. "He's been that arrogant his whole life." She regretted teasing him in front of Taylor, so she added, "At least he can back it up."

  "How wou
ld you know?" Taylor asked.

  Taylor was only joking, but before that registered in Molly's mind, she said. "Oh, Hannah would know." For some reason she thought that everyone, including Taylor, knew that Hannah and Ben kissed several times in high school. It was only after she said it that it dawned on her that Taylor might not know that. It was so far in the past and so insignificant that Molly didn't even think about what she was saying.

  Hannah's eyes widened at Molly as if she just let the most horrible thing slip out of her mouth. Taylor just stared at them, taking everything in.

  Ben didn't flinch; he just waited quietly to see how everything would play out.

  "Did you and Ben used to date?" Taylor asked.

  It was the obvious thing to ask, so you'd think Hannah would have been ready for it, but she still struggled with her response. "No, I, uh, we… probably just kissed a few times or whatever."

  Taylor looked back and forth from Hannah to Ben with an unreadable expression.

  "It was years ago and all we did was kiss anyway," Ben said. Taylor didn't know what to say. Part of her wanted to be hurt, or mad, or jealous, but the other part of her honestly wasn't that surprised at the revelation. Ben was a friend's hot older brother; Hannah would have been a fool not to kiss him a time or two if he was into it.

  Taylor shrugged and rested her head on his shoulder. "I assume you don't have any plans to do it again in the near future," Taylor said.

  "No. God no," Hannah said quickly. She was mortified at the thought of cheating on Jason, and honestly really happy for Ben. She thought he and Taylor were an excellent match.

  "Didn't she do good last night?" Ben's question was directed to Molly.

  "Oh, Leroy and Mary Lou told me to tell you how happy they were with everything," Molly said. "She went on and on about you when she talked to Nick on the phone today. And I loved your hair in a twist. Did you do it?"

  "Yeah, and I'm so glad it stayed," Taylor said. "I was so worried it would fall halfway through the night and I'd be stuck with a mess."

  "It looked really good," Molly said. "I meant to tell you that last night."

  "You were too busy telling her about some gay CrossFit instructor named Jesse," Ben said.

  "He's neither gay nor a CrossFit instructor, but I was just doing it to make you jealous anyway." She paused and regarded him with a defiant glare. "Looks like it worked."

  "This was in the works long before your little games," Ben said. "But if you're wondering whether or not I'm jealous, then let me put your mind at rest…yes, I am jealous, so Jesse and anyone else you had in mind for Taylor will have to just find their own girl."

  "Why? Because that one's yours?"

  He squeezed Taylor. "Hell yeah she's mine. You think I let just anyone come in here, put on my shirt and sit on my lap?"

  "Well I hope not, but I was just making sure."

  He breathed a laugh at his sister for trying to force him to make some sort of official decree that he was dating Taylor. "She's mine," he said. "She's my girlfriend. We're together—not seeing anyone else—an item, a couple, dating, going steady. Is that good enough?"

  By the end of his monologue, Taylor was covering her face with her hands shyly. Molly put a hand to her heart and sighed as if she'd just witnessed the most romantic thing ever.

  "Isn't he sweet?" Molly asked.

  Taylor smiled up at him before placing a kiss on his cheek. "The sweetest."

  Chapter 26

  It had been a few weeks since Taylor and Ben made things official. Taylor was working a lunch shift at Common Grounds on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. She was scheduled to get off at three o'clock, and expected Ben to pick her up afterward. That was the plan since he'd given her a ride to work a few hours before.

  Taylor was working the register when he came in to pick her up. He was fifteen minutes early, but that wasn't what took her off guard. It was the caravan of four kids he had with him. Jack, Abby, Alexis, and Henry filed in behind him. Until that point, Taylor's world in Nashville didn't intersect with her past in the trailer park on the outskirts of town.

  She started to feel a bit overwhelmed for a second, but told herself there was no reason the kids shouldn't be able to see where she works. In fact, she probably should be having them over for sleepovers, but that was something she wasn't going to think about right then since she was already thrown for a loop at the fact that they were there in the first place. Thank God Jennifer isn't with them. Taylor's thoughts were traveling a mile a minute as she took in the smiling faces of her brothers and sisters.

  Ben must have warned them to be on their best behavior because they were standing quietly in a cluster beside him. Henry was holding Ben's hand and smiling up at Taylor. She distractingly finished helping the customer she was already working with. Once that person took off, she gave a huge smile to her crew, acting like she had nothing but positive feelings going on even though she was somewhat shocked. She was happy to see them and everything but knew she and Ben had plans and wondered what was going on.

  "I thought you might want to ride with us to bring them home," Ben said before she could ask. "We hung out for a little while this morning and I was about to bring them home, but I figured you'd want to come too. They wanted to see where you work." He looked at Jack. "Take the others and go get a table on the patio," he said.

  Jack agreed willingly and they all followed him out. Ben took the money clip out of his wallet and tossed his debit card onto the counter. "We've already had lunch, but get them something to drink and maybe a snack. You know what they like."

  Taylor smiled from across the counter and slid his card back in his direction. "I got it. Do you want anything?" She knew he'd say yes. He was always eating since he worked out all the time.

  "Coffee and a muffin or something I guess."

  "I got it," she repeated. "I'll get it for half-price anyway."

  He put the debit card back in his wallet and exchanged it for a twenty-dollar bill. "There's a tip, then," he said. She slid it back in his direction but he was already walking toward the door.

  "I'm just gonna bring everything out with me when I clock out," she said.

  He gave her a nod before heading out to meet the kids.

  "Who was that?" Anne asked.

  "My boyfriend," Taylor said, smiling at the next customer who was just walking through the door, trading places with Ben. Taylor finished the transaction before Anne brought it up again. "I know Ben, stupid, I was talking about the kids."

  "Oh, they're my little brothers and sisters."

  "All of them?" Anne asked.

  She and Taylor had been friends for a long time and while she remembered Taylor had mentioned having siblings, she had no idea how many there were or what ages. Taylor told Anne their names and ages and a little bit about each one. There was another coworker behind the counter –a girl named Kelsea. She wasn't close to Taylor and Anne, and sort of just ignored them as they talked.

  Nothing was the person scheduled to relieve Taylor, and since he got there a few minutes early, and was willing to take over, Taylor clocked out just before three. She grabbed and/or made the drinks and snacks she thought would best suit the kids and Ben. She put the beverages in a drink holder and snacks in a paper bag, but figured they'd eat on the patio instead of Ben's truck. She really only packed up like that so she could carry it out there.

  They were sitting at a long wooden picnic table on the left side of the covered porch. Ben stood to help her to the table, and she was pleased to see that Jack followed suit.

  "Did you get me the M&M cookie?" Henry asked.

  Taylor handed the drinks to Ben and the bag of snacks to Jack before she sat on the end of the bench.

  "I sure did," she said to Henry.

  Henry looked up at Ben who said, "I told you she'd know what you wanted."

  Henry beamed up at Taylor like she'd accomplished some amazing feat by reading his mind.

  "What'd you get me?" Ben asked. "A bran muffin, a
double shot of espresso, and a twelve ounce bottle of white milk. Two percent."

  He gave Taylor a smile and wink before he glanced down at Henry, who was already searching through the bag for his cookie.

  "I'll trade you the bran muffin for the cookie." Ben said. Henry looked up at him, not wanting to trade but conflicted by how to let him down. It was evident how much he loved Ben in the way he was even considering it.

  "I'm just messing with you little buddy," Ben said, seeing Henry's stunned face. "I love bran muffins even more than M&M cookies."

  "Ewww," Henry said. He took a tentative bite of the cookie before glancing up at them for a final approval that he could take a real bite. Ben smiled and nodded at Henry before he told Taylor to make room for him on the bench. She obeyed, and once he settled in his place, she leaned into him. He put an arm around her shoulder and gave a squeeze.

  "Are you gonna marry our sister?" Henry said.

  "Henry!" Jack said.

  "What?"

  "They probably will," said Abby, "but that's not the kind of question you ask in front of everybody, Henry."

  Henry made a little bit of a pouty face before forgetting about it completely and biting into his cookie again. Taylor glanced up at Ben apologetically, but he shook his head letting her know she shouldn't worry about it.

  "We haven't even talked about getting married, buddy, but I do love your sister."

  Taylor's gaze snapped up to meet his. It was the first time either of them had ever said that, and she didn't know how to feel about it coming out that way. Was he officially saying I love you? Should I say something back?

  He dropped his hand from around her back and looked at her casually before searching around for his muffin. He glanced at her, knowing she was wondering what she should say next, and decided to clarify. "I guess I should have phrased that more like, I love you Taylor. I know I haven't said it. I guess I thought it was obvious. Anyway, there it is."