Much sooner than she would have liked—because in truth, she never wanted it to end—Ben pulled away. Still holding her, he gazed into her eyes. She saw the same fire in his eyes that coursed through her veins. Slipping her hands from his hair, she brought them down until they rested casually on his shoulders where she could easily pull him closer should the need arise.
“Was that okay?” he whispered thickly.
“I don’t know. I’ve never been kissed before. Was it okay for you?” Cara felt slightly panicky now. What if he doesn’t like the way I kissed?
Ben chuckled slightly, the sound doing something funny to her middle, before he leaned his forehead against hers. “That’s not what I meant. I wanted to know if it was okay that I kissed you.”
“Oh.” At this, she blushed a deep crimson and looked down, which caused her to blush even more when she realized that she was staring at his mouth.
Ben’s smile gave her a full view of his beautifully white teeth. “I take it that was a yes.”
Cara nodded, but said nothing else. She found that kissing was one thing. Talking about it was a whole other matter though.
“Come on, let’s get you home before I do something more drastic with you,” Ben said, groaning slightly as he stood. He reached out a hand to her, which she took gratefully. She lost herself in thought as they started toward the door. What other ‘drastic’ things does he have in mind?
Chapter Five
Cara lay in bed, buried deep within a mound of blankets, and replayed every moment of the day in her mind. What an epitome of ups and downs she’d experienced, leaving her feeling slightly overwhelmed. She wasn’t sure what to think. Well, she knew what she thought of Seth, giant prick. But Ben...Just the thought of his name sent chills—the good kind—racing across her skin and quickened her breathing. She couldn’t suppress the grin that crept up on her face at the thought of their kiss. In fact, her mother had thought something was wrong with her, the way Cara kept smiling through their evening meal. Cara hadn’t realized how little she smiled until her mother pointed it out.
“Well, that’s something you don’t see very often. Mind telling me what has caused all those grins?”
Cara had to consciously control herself after that, not wanting to explain the reason behind her sudden good mood. She wasn’t ready to share Ben with her world yet. At least, not until she figured it out herself. Another smile broke out on her face as she thought of his parting words.
“Can I see you again?”
“Do you want to?” she had asked shyly, turning her face away so she wouldn’t have to meet the intense stare she knew filled his eyes.
Cupping her face with his hands, he made her look at him as he bent down and kissed her again. Her toes curled in response, and a warm heat spread through her entire body. It wasn’t even close to the kiss they had shared in his room, but it spoke volumes all on its own.
“Does that answer your question?” Ben asked gruffly.
This time it was Cara who had the goofy grin.
* * * *
All during work, Cara found herself distracted. She kept watering plants that she had already watered and knocking over others within the greenhouse.
Finally, Mary, her boss, walked over and scolded her for what seemed like the millionth time that day. “What’s going on with you?” she asked a scowl on her wrinkled face.
Cara apologized, looking at the plant she just flooded with her water magic. “Just a lot on my mind.”
“Well, get your head out of the clouds and back on your job. If you kill any of my plants, there’s going to be a lot of hungry people in this village,” Mary admonished her, looking slightly less angry.
Cara sighed, knowing the woman was right. In order for the people of Arc to survive in their frozen world, they needed the greenhouses to provide plants for their livestock as well as for the fruits and vegetables for the Arcians. To destroy any of the plants was simply unacceptable.
“I know. I’m sorry.” Cara looked around her, sighing again. Normally, she loved working in the warm building, with the weak sun filtering in through the ice glass onto the plants below. The greenhouses were one of the few places where she felt comfortable. But today, she wanted to be alone, to work through the events of the past few days. Better yet, she wanted to make new memories with Ben. He’d promised he would see her the next day, but had given no indication as to when that would be. For the first time in her life, she looked forward to seeing someone.
Suddenly, Cara realized that she flooded yet another plant. This is going to be a long day.
* * * *
Cara stepped out the door into the breathtaking cold, glancing warily from side to side, looking for any unwanted creeps heading in her general directions.
“How was work?” a low voice asked next to her ear.
Cara jerked violently, screaming slightly as she spun around to face her questioner. She found herself nose to nose with Ben, who was still leaning over from where he had whispered in her ear.
“How long have you been waiting there?” Cara asked, slightly breathless. She was still trying to recover from her shock.
“Just the last couple of minutes,” Ben responded, chuckling at her reaction. “So, would you care to show me around the village?”
“Not really. I’m sure there isn’t anything here that you haven’t already seen,” Cara said, shrugging slightly.
Ben raised an eyebrow in surprise at her answer, but didn’t say anything.
“I’d rather go someplace away from surprised looks,” Cara replied, watching a couple walking past and staring at her rather rudely.
“Oh really,” Ben said, smirking slightly. Leaning closer, he whispered just loud enough that only she could hear, “Are you sure that’s the only reason you want to be alone?”
If Cara thought she had blushed badly before, it was nothing compared to the warmth that spread across her cheeks now. “That might be part of the reason,” she conceded.
Ben tried not to look cocky and failed. He straightened and grabbed her hand. “Where to?”
* * * *
Cara looked up through the ice glass that covered the entire roof of the greenhouse. Lying back on the soft grass that covered the area, she breathed deeply, enjoying the exotic scents that flavored the air. Unlike the main greenhouses that were throughout Pole, Mary’s personal one only contained rare and beautiful flowers as well as soft green grass that many considered frivolous. Often times, Cara would come here to think or get away from the judging eyes of the people. Mary knew, of course. She suggested coming here when Cara showed up one day in tears, after suffering several more burns from Seth. Mary knew, to some extent, what Cara went through on a daily basis and offered her greenhouse as a means of escape. As Cara’s boss was rarely home, this proved to be an ideal situation, especially considering the person who lay next to Cara right now.
“Do you come here often?” Ben asked, staring at all the beautiful flowers that surrounded them.
“Yes, it’s my safe place. I can leave the rest of the world behind and relax here. Even be myself. I find solitude in this place, and Mary has someone to water the plants while she works long hours.” Cara breathed deeply. She never grew tired of the rich smells that filled the air in her safe haven.
“I’ve never seen flowers like these before. I wonder if I can grow some of them in my own greenhouse.”
“You have your own greenhouse as well?” Cara asked, turning her head so she could see Ben.
He nodded, closing his eyes and sighing. He looked perfectly content lying next to her.
“Tell me more about yourself.”
Ben opened his eyes and turned to look at Cara, his eyes glowing slightly as he regarded her. “What do you really want to know, seeing how I already told you a little about my life yesterday?”
“When do you plan on leaving?” Cara asked quietly. She dreaded the answer, but she knew he wouldn’t leave his home just for her. They barely knew each othe
r.
Ben regarded her sadly, reaching over to stroke her cheek with one finger. “I don’t know. I hadn’t really thought about it.” He rolled over so he faced her. “To be honest, the only thing on my mind these days is you. I wake, seeing the sun streaming through the window and think of your golden hair. Seeing the ice that’s all around reminds me of your ice blue eyes. Everywhere I turn, something reminds me of you.” He brought his finger up, stroking her lower lip, his eyes watching his finger in its play. “I’m constantly thinking of your beautiful mouth and stealing more kisses from you.” He reached down and grabbed her hand, bringing it up to his mouth, kissing each fingertip, making Cara gasp with each one. His lips were deliciously warm against her bare skin.
“My mind wanders to your hands and every other inch of your body, and I can’t function anymore. Everything about you is exquisite. I can’t believe no one else noticed that.” He reached over and removed the beanie that she always wore, letting her hair cascade down around her shoulders. He sucked in a breath, fingering the long strands delicately. “Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Do you always keep it up?”
Beyond the ability to speak with Ben’s fingers touching her, Cara managed to nod.
“Your village is full of idiots,” he said, a trace of anger in his voice. He continued to stroke Cara’s hair lovingly, watching it flow like sand back down to her shoulders. “You know, you’re the first girl that I’ve ever kissed, ever cared to kiss.” Ben’s eyes found Cara’s again, causing the butterflies in her stomach to race.
The meaning behind Ben’s words slowly reached Cara’s mind, as she was so focused on his caresses. Shock replaced her blissful happiness as she concentrated on keeping her facial expression blank at this revelation. “Why?” she asked cautiously. She reached up, and mimicking Ben and his slow exploration of her face and hair, stroked his jaw, trailing her fingers lightly over the stubble on his cheeks, ending with her fingers tracing the full contours of his bottom lip.
“I’ve never found one that enticed me enough to want to get to know them, let alone be intimate,” Ben replied, his voice suddenly husky as Cara dipped her finger in the space beyond his lips. He grabbed her hand, holding it steady and wrapped his lips around her finger, gently nipping the tip with his teeth and sucking it further into the warm cavity of his mouth.
Cara gasped; the sensation was so overwhelmingly pleasant. Sitting up, Ben helped Cara into a sitting position as well. He pulled her onto his lap, where she straddled his legs so she could face him. She looked down at him, almost laughing at the knowledge that she no longer looked up into his incredible face. His eyes melted into hers as he closed the distance between them. The instant his lips touched hers, her eyes shut of their own accord, her body determined to feel everything Ben offered. His hands clenched tightly at her hips, causing her to flex instinctively further into him.
Ben groaned low in her mouth, causing a shiver to run through her, making a low moan escape her own lungs. He was so warm.
He pulled her hips closer, running his hands across her backside, sending a completely new sensation through her body. She flexed her hips again when he deepened the kiss, dipping his tongue into the recess of her mouth. Cara had read several stories about romantic encounters, but experiencing it firsthand was certainly not the same thing. This was so much better than words alone described. Ben buried his hand in her hair, pulling her face away from his lips, causing her to cry out with the loss. Instead, his soft, warm lips caressed her jaw, tracing a path down her neck where he stopped at her shirt line. Grabbing the material there, he pulled it down, exposing the bare skin of her collarbone. Taking advantage of her exposed flesh, he brought his delightfully soft lips down, sucking the tender skin and causing Cara to gasp. His tongue tasted her, and she clutched his hair tightly, making sure he didn’t pull away too quickly.
Her heart thudded painfully against her chest as her breathing turned to pants. There was nothing in the world beyond Ben and the wonderful torture he wreaked on her body and senses.
He brought his mouth back up to her hungry lips while Cara grew bold under his increasingly frantic movements. Dipping her own tongue into the warm cocoon of his mouth, she felt the hands on her bottom tighten, bringing her closer, if that was even possible. Ben had just managed to bring a hand up under her shirt when a small cough, not far away, brought Cara’s mind out of the fog that was Ben.
Pulling away, she looked around, feeling slightly mystified at their surroundings until her eyes came to rest on Mary, standing in the greenhouse doorway. Instantly, her mind cleared, and she remembered where they were. Blushing furiously, Cara scooted off Ben’s lap and back onto the ground beside him, pulling her shirt hem down in the process. She was so rattled with the interruption that she didn’t know what to say.
“As pleased as I am about your new friend, I think it would be wise to call it a night, don’t you?”
Cara glanced at Ben, who looked as guilty as she probably did, then back to Mary before nodding meekly.
Ben stood quickly and reached a hand out to help Cara up, for which she was grateful. After her recent experience, she was unsure if she could move on her own without her legs turning into jelly from the memory of it all. Just looking at Ben’s swollen lips had her blushing crimson again.
Just as they passed Mary, Cara could have sworn a smile crossed her old friend’s face.
Chapter Six
Walking home beside Ben, the full moon shining down on them, Cara was warmer than she had ever felt in the icy domain that was her home. Ben’s warm hand wrapped around her own gloved one, making her want to hum in joy. So, this is what it feels like to have someone care about you. Cara felt lighthearted, even giddy at the thought of what just happened. Sure, Mary had ruined it by showing up, but tonight was still the best night of her life.
She looked up at Ben, who watched her silently. He gave her one of his most irresistible smiles. She saw the same look in his eyes that he had when they were together earlier and wondered if he was replaying the events of the night in his mind as well.
“Come with me,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
“It’s getting late, and I really don’t want my family to worry about me,” Cara said, glancing down the road to her house in the distance. Lights shone through the familiar front windows, leaving blocks of yellow on the white snow.
“Please.” Ben looked at her pleadingly, taking both of her hands in his.
Cara looked up at him, knowing she would go to the moon if he asked her to. Instead of answering, she reached up and kissed him lightly on the lips, something she would have never considered doing before today.
Ben clamped his hands around her face, warming her with his fire blood and returned the kiss. There was nothing sweet in his touch, only the passion that she had felt earlier. Breaking their contact suddenly, he started in the direction of the lodge, dragging Cara behind him.
She was slightly disoriented at the sudden loss of his lips, but followed behind just the same. He quickly strode into the lodge, with Cara still on his heels, and down the hall to his room. Memories of their past experiences filled her mind, making her heart race and her palms sweat.
Spinning on the spot, he clutched the back of her head and hauled her to him, bringing his lips down to meet hers in one fluid motion. When their lips met, Cara’s bones almost melted while her heart raced. His tongue darted in her mouth, running smoothly over her lips and teeth. She clutched the front of his shirt with both fists, desperate to pull him even closer. She wanted to fold up into his body and never leave.
His hands blazed a path across her back, past her butt, and when they reached the back of her legs just below her bottom, he yanked, pulling her up so that her legs automatically went around his waist. He carried her to a wall, pushing her up against it so she was pinned between it and him.
The breath left her lungs in an audible rush as Ben, pulling her head back slightly so that her throat was exposed, kissed her, his
tongue grazing every inch of her skin and making her moan with pleasure. Her skin was on fire, and this time she wanted more. Grabbing both sides of his button-up shirt, she pulled, feeling the buttons give way as she did, popping and landing on the floor with little clunks. She ran her hands down his pale, muscled chest, enjoying the sensation of his warm fire blood burning her fingers with every touch.
Catching her gaze, he growled softly, raising his lips to find her own. This was heaven. It had to be. Nothing felt as good as Ben holding her, touching her, feeling every inch of his body against hers. And his lips...oh, his lips. She would never grow tired of feeling those pressed against her, creating chains where none had been before.
Pulling back, she brought her own mouth down to his neck, kissing the rough skin at his throat, licking and tasting the flesh there. He groaned loudly, clamping a hand to the back of her head, holding her there even though stopping was the last thing on her mind. She kissed lower, reaching his collarbone and sucking as he did to her. She caressed the planes of his chest, enjoying the way his breathing came more rapidly, feeling the erratic beat of his heart as she continued to suckle his skin, memorizing every inch of it with her tongue.
He rotated his hips slightly, causing Cara to throw back her head in pleasure. Her breaths came in pants now, and she gazed down into his eyes, pleased to see the fire that burned there.
He rotated his hips against her once more, effectively blowing everything she was about to say from her mind. He nuzzled her neck, running his nose up and down the length of it, making Cara whimper slightly. She wanted his lips on her again.
“Come with me,” he whispered against her neck.
“I am with you,” she moaned, her lips hungrily reaching for his. She brushed her mouth lightly across his before pulling back a fraction, just enough so she could run her tongue across the swollen sweetness that was him without actually kissing him. He groaned in her mouth, pulling her toward him and deepening the kiss once more.
Frozen: A Winter Romance Anthology Page 34