Rushing the Goal (Assassins #8)

by Toni Aleo

  Sure of himself, he said roughly, “I think you need a hug.”

  She didn’t move at first. She only stood there and he squeezed her, loving the feel of her in his arms. He had wanted this from the moment he saw her. When she dropped her phone and notebook, wrapping her arms around his waist, a grin curved Benji’s lips as she slowly relaxed in his embrace. She smelled so good, felt like pure bliss in his arms, and he wanted to nuzzle his nose in her hair but wasn’t sure how that would go. He was surprised he was able to hug her, but it was obvious she needed it.

  When she let out a long breath, her heart pounding against his chest, he held his own breath, fully expecting her to pull away.

  But she didn’t.

  Instead, she wrapped her arms tighter around him, nuzzling her nose into his chest and whispered, “Yeah, I think I do.”

  Oh, why did she hug him?

  Why in the world did she let that happen?

  Because, now…

  Now, she didn’t want to let go.

  Every part of her body that touched his was seriously on fire. She had wanted this since the moment he asked her out. To touch him. To feel him against her. Even in her wildest dreams, nothing could touch the reality of him.

  Benji.

  He smelled like heaven. All rugged and manly, with a side of spice and sex. Mmm, he smelled fantastic, and Lord, he hugged like a dream. Like he was meant to hug and only hug. Nothing else. She’d seen him play hockey and he was great, but she was pretty sure the guy hugged better than he played. She had never been held so tightly, so protectively.

  And she just felt safe.

  Perfectly safe.

  She didn’t want him to stop, which was bad. She wasn’t supposed to be this close to him. No, because deep inside her, the fear that something could come from this was screaming loud and clear. Maybe she was jumping the gun, but if he even made the simplest of moves on her, she was pretty sure she’d be naked in two seconds flat. Her whole body was aware of him. The way he breathed, so deep, so strong. The way his lips felt against her head, it was sweet, almost like she was a child who needed support and reassurance that everything was going to be okay.

  And she needed that more than he’d ever realize.

  God, how she needed this man’s arms around her. Badly. After the call from the landlord that confirmed the odor she smelled was actually standing water behind the fridge, which led to the discovery of a burst water pipe and then all hell breaking loose, Lucy had found herself homeless. They weren’t even sure if she could work in the building on Monday. Which meant she would be going to her mom’s, and if she saw River’s ass, she was going to lose it. She just couldn’t catch a break. One thing after another, and it was really starting to weigh on her heart. And ugh, her mom had just picked out her wedding dress, which meant they were probably doing nasty things, and yeah, she didn’t want to be the third wheel to that lovefest.

  No, she wanted to stay right here.

  In Benji’s arms.

  No matter how bad that was. No matter how much she knew she needed to let go and move away, she held him. Like a life preserver in rough waters. Because that’s what her life was. Freakish, fucking monstrous waves of shit that kept hitting her right in the face. She almost started to cry, but then his arms held her tighter, almost like he knew. Knew she was about to lose her fucking shit.

  Oh, Lucy, no. Keep your hands to yourself, she begged herself, but she couldn’t. She just couldn’t.

  She needed him.

  Moving her hands up his back, she snuggled closer against him as he inhaled deeply, his whole body moving with the breath he took. His hands tucked into her sides tighter, his fingers grazing the swells of her breasts. It was such a simple touch. No big deal, she doubted he even meant to do it. But shit, it felt good and everything went hot inside of her. Her whole body broke out in gooseflesh, totally aware of the sexy man who was holding her.

  Hell, she had been aware of him since the moment she met him. If she was honest with herself, turned her fucking brain off, she’d realize that she’d wanted him more than her next breath since that moment too. But she wasn’t sure she could. She didn’t know how to give in to that need, and that was just sad. Because right now, she could do some pretty naughty things to this man. The only thing holding her back was the regret afterward. It would be a mistake.

  Wouldn’t it?

  Closing her eyes, she moved her nose against his chest as his heart pounded against his ribs. She wasn’t sure and that scared her. Everything was muddled. On one hand, she wanted him with the fierceness of a thousand armies. And on the other, she knew it wouldn’t end well. He’d want more, or hell, she might want more. And then what? Shit, what was she doing? But she couldn’t think of that for long because the rhythm of his heartbeat was soothing, and all her worries, they…they just disappeared. It was insane, but damn it, she felt so damn good.

  Safe.

  It was such a beautiful feeling too, something she had never felt in her life. She used to think that Rick gave good hugs, that she was safe in his arms, but she’d been wrong. So fucking wrong. Not even hugging her father, when he was her world, or her brothers was like hugging Benji.

  No, this was different.

  And crap, she was turned on. So damned turned on. From a hug? Jesus, she was pitiful, but she couldn’t deny how she felt. How he made her feel. She remembered Avery saying that moments with her brother—gag—would cause her to hear Ed Sheeran in her head, singing so beautifully to the moment she was in. Yeah, Ed was singing, loud and clear, and Lucy was swooning.

  When Benji started to pull back, she whimpered. He paused, holding her closer if possible, chuckling against her hair. “Lucy, tell me what’s wrong.”

  She couldn’t. She didn’t want to ruin this moment. She didn’t want to cry about the shitstorm of her life right now. No, she just wanted to be held. To be protected by this man. That’s all she wanted, and she felt she deserved it. She wanted to feel safe. Was that too much to ask?

  “Let me help,” he whispered, his lips brushing along her hair.

  Closing her eyes, she sucked in a breath and figured she owed him at least an explanation for why she was clinging to him like he was the only solid thing in her life. Which was ludicrous. She was Lucy Fucking Sinclair, she didn’t need any man… But right now, she needed Benji, which completely contradicted what she thought of herself. But it was becoming really exhausting being strong all the time.

  Moving her nose up his chest, she opened her eyes, placing her chin in the middle of his chest as she looked up at him. Which was a bad idea. Because now, she was speechless. His lips were pressed together, only a little curve to them, worry in those gray eyes locked on hers. She had never looked into such intense eyes. Like she really could see his soul. It was tarnished, but still so beautiful.

  And shit, she wanted to kiss him.

  He must have felt her realization because he looked stunned, his eyes darkening as his mouth slowly parted. Swallowing hard, he held her gaze with his eyes and time stopped. She heard nothing as he moved his hand to cup her face. Just a simple motion, so sweet, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw. Slowly shaking his head, he quirked his lips and she was convinced he had never been sexier.

  “I swear, I’ve never seen someone so beautiful as you in all my adult life.”

  Oh, God. Her pussy clenched as she gasped for breath. It wasn’t like she hadn’t been called beautiful before, but when Benji said it, it was real. Like he really hadn’t ever seen anyone as lovely as she, and holy crap, it made her feel good. Special. She felt special. Crap. Crap. Triple crap.

  “Really?” she croaked out, and instantly, she regretted it. Really? That was her answer? Where was her sassy demeanor? There was so much more she could have said there. Like, “Right back at you, stud.” Jesus, was she Sandy Olsson? Stud? Who even thinks that? And crap, Shut your brain off, Lucy! Now!

  While she was arguing with herself, Benji’s gaze was on her intently, his thumb movi
ng ever so slowly on her jaw, almost touching the side of her mouth as he drank her in. As she got lost in his eyes, the air around them crackled and popped and she couldn’t move. She couldn’t think. No, all she could do was look up into his beautiful face and drink him in. How his jaw was so thick, his eyes so dark, and Jesus, those lips. To feel them would be a blessing, she was convinced. And all she had to do was go up on her toes and she’d be there. Just one simple move.

  “Lucy.”

  Just go up on your tippytoes. Kiss him. Jesus, Lucy, do it!

  Yet, she didn’t move. Only whispered, “Benji?”

  He swallowed once more, his jaw clenching as his fingers threaded through her hair. His body was so taut, like he was trying so hard not to move. All she wanted to do was press her lips to his. But what if he didn’t want it— Oh, who was she kidding? She could feel him. He wanted her.

  “I want to kiss—”

  Fuck it.

  Before the words could leave his mouth, she went on her toes and then her mouth was moving against his.

  And all hell broke loose.

  He lifted her off the ground and whipped them around, pressing her into the wall with urgency. His body covered hers perfectly as their mouths moved together in an urgent caress. He felt so big, so strong, his lips so soft. It was everything she had ever dreamed of. God, yes. As she wrapped her legs around his hips, one of his hands held her ass while the other tousled her hair, his kisses becoming more demanding as his cock pressed into her soft center.

  She wasn’t going to make it.

  When she opened her mouth, his tongue met hers as his hand slid down her body, his fingers biting into her hips. Arching into him, she moved her hands up his arms, then his neck, and into his hair. She wasn’t sure how, but she deepened the kiss. His body felt so good, so hot against hers, and man, she wanted more. When his mouth tore from hers, his lips traced down her jaw, nibbling before going along her jaw to her ear, and she cried out. She didn’t want to stop.

  “I should stop?” It was a question, a stupid question she didn’t answer. She only arched her body into his, wanting more. His hands moved up her body, grazing the sides of her breasts before sliding back down, taking ahold of her ass. When he pressed himself against her, the long, hot length of him caused her to whimper as he asked, “Shouldn’t I?”

  “No,” she gasped and he smiled against her lips.

  “No?”

  “Fuck no, don’t stop,” she cried as his teeth sank into her bottom lip before their mouths met once more and her hands went up under his shirt, sliding along the ripples of muscles.

  “Fuck,” he moaned as her fingers dusted his ribs, and his skin broke out in gooseflesh. “I can’t stop.”

  “Don’t. Please don’t,” she moaned against his lips.

  That must have been what he was waiting for because his kisses became more demanding and Lucy wasn’t complaining. He kissed the way she thought he would.

  Magically.

  His lips were pillows for hers, and his hands, they were damned lethal. They felt her all over, and her body trembled beneath his as he quickly bunched her skirt at her waist, taking ahold of her bare ass cheeks. His fingers pressed into her as he arched against her, kissing her with what she was sure was everything he had. Had he wanted her the way she had wanted him? How long? How had he resisted her? Because she was surprised she had lasted this long.

  When he lifted her farther, holding her up with his body, she cried against his mouth as his fingers moved between her legs, pressing his palm into her hot center.

  “Oh, oh, God,” she murmured and he answered with a growl against her lips. Moving her thong to the side, he slid his fingers inside of her and they both moaned.

  “Oh, you’re wet,” he muttered against her lips as her eyes slowly rolled to the back of her head. As he moved his finger up and around her clit, she cried out, her whole body clenching. He met her gaze. His half-lidded eyes almost had her coming all over his hand as he asked, “Have you been this wet the whole time you’ve been here? Have you wanted me, Lucy? Tell me.”

  His demands only made her cry out more as his finger moved along her clit quickly and with efficiency. His hand was shaking, but it was getting the job done, and soon she was coming so hard, she saw lights behind her eyes as she cried out against his mouth, his name falling softly from her lips.

  “God, yes,” he moaned, pressing his thumb against her clit as her body shook with the aftershocks of her climax. Arching off the wall, her body vibrated, and when she heard the sound of him unbuckling his belt, she almost cried in relief.

  Finally.

  “Condom, shit, hold on—”

  “Birth control,” she muttered, holding him in place.

  “Bed?”

  “No. Here.”

  His lips curved against hers, his bare cock pressing into her center. God, he was big. A shiver ran through her body as she met his gaze, his lips moving against hers as he asked, “Here?”

  “Right here,” she demanded, taking ahold of him and directing him to her entrance. She had wanted wall-banging sex from him since she’d seen him in those Assassins sweat pants. Taking her by the back of her knee, he opened her more and then slowly thrust inside of her. One thrust, completely filling her to the hilt, and she was sure the neighbors heard her scream.

  “Oh, oh, Benji,” she gasped, holding on to him for dear life.

  “Fuck, you’re so tight,” he practically whimpered, moving out very slowly and then just as slowly back in, both of them moaning as he disappeared inch by inch inside of her. Her whole body trembled, her pussy clenching him as her fingers bit into the back of his neck. As he moved out of her, his fingers bit into her knee as she slowly shook her head. Meeting her gaze, he smiled as his nose moved against hers, his thrusts becoming more demanding, more forceful. Each one took her breath away, her cries mixing with his moans as he pounded into her.

  At one point, she forgot her name.

  But when he took her behind her other knee, pressing her knees into the wall and proceeding to fuck her stupid, she was pretty sure she would never remember said name. Holding on to his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin, she watched him. Sweat was dripping down his neck, his shirt was wrinkled to hell, his hips were gorgeous, and fuck, he was beautiful. His jaw was clenched and she knew he was almost there. She could feel it.

  But before he could come, he pulled out, dropping to his knees and burying his face between her legs.

  “Oh fuck,” she cried out, and she was surprised she wasn’t scared she was going to hit the floor.

  But he had her.

  Boy, did he have her.

  As he moved his tongue along her lips, she closed her eyes, arching off the wall as he sucked her clit into his mouth, and then blew on it. Crying out, she trembled as he flicked his tongue along her, her whole body going taut. His fingers bit into her knees as her fingers squeezed his shoulders, and she was sure he was going to be bruised tomorrow. She didn’t think he cared, though, because he was ruthless, his tongue doing damage against her pussy. And when she came…

  She came hard.

  But she couldn’t even bask in it before he was standing, lifting her up the wall and reentering her in one fell swoop.

  “Oh, oh, oh,” she panted as he started to pound into her, her body squeezing his as he pushed in to the hilt, filling her completely before doing it all over again. Over and over again, until a harsh yell left his lips and he stilled, arching into her before her name fell from his lips. He filled her as her body shook with her own orgasm, her pussy clenching him, milking him. Her eyes were shut, and as she pulled in deep breaths, she swore she had never felt this good in her life. That orgasm was due eight years ago, and still the blinding pulsation of it had her gasping for breath. Her whole body was on fire as he pressed his forehead to hers, his lips moving very slowly against hers while they both fought for air.

  Good Lord, did that really just happen?

  When she opened her
eyes, he was watching her, his eyes dark. Yeah, she was pretty sure she was about to come again. And when he pushed against her, his pubic bone pressing into her swollen, pulsing pussy, to her surprise, she did. She came all over his dick, again. As she cried out, her body shaking, nothing but white-hot lust was in the gray depths watching her come, and boy, was it breathtaking. If she thought being hugged by him was heaven, she was wrong, so damn wrong. Because being fucked by Benji Paxton was out of this world.

  And she wanted more.

  Threading his hands in Lucy’s hair, he opened his eyes, meeting her surprised gaze as her pussy squeezed him.

  “Wow,” he gasped and she grinned.

  A real one. Dimples, bright eyes, the whole nine. Her face was red, her lips swollen, and her hair was a mess all falling in her face. But he thought she was the most beautiful creature known to man. And he’d made love to her. Hard.

  “Wow is one way to put it,” she whispered against his lips. She kissed him softly and then kissed the side of his mouth, a grin curving her lips. “Jeez, I just wanted a hug.”

  He chuckled, his nose moving along hers. “You started it.”

  “And you finished. I wasn’t expecting that at all.”

  “Me either,” he admitted softly before lifting her off the wall. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he stepped out of his jeans and headed toward his room. “But I’m nowhere near done.”

  He sat her on the edge of the bed. “No?” she asked as he moved her dress up and over her body, throwing it on the floor.

  “Not even close to being done,” he said roughly as she looked up at him, her hair a mess as her lips curved. The bra she wore didn’t cover much since it was completely lace, and man, he was about to drool all over himself. “That’s a nice bra.”

  She giggled before looking down at it, but when she went to look up at him, she paused at his cock. “And that’s a nice cock.”

  She reached out, running her finger down the length of him and he shuddered. He wasn’t going to make it through round two, he was convinced, if she kept touching him. As she ran the tip of her finger along the head of him, he covered her hand. He met her gaze, his cock pulsating so hard, he felt it in his ears.