Call Her Mine

by Melissa Foster

  He took out his wallet, threw a few hundred-dollar bills on the table, then took her hand and said, “Come on, Relsy. We’re going dancing.”

  She was sure she’d misheard him. “You don’t dance.”

  “I slow danced with you at Bridgette’s wedding.”

  “Ben, this isn’t a slow dance kind of place, and we both know you have two left feet,” she said as he led her down the steps toward the nightclub below, where neon blue, purple, and red lights rained over the dance floor.

  Ben couldn’t wait to get Aurelia on the dance floor. His girl had serious moves, the kind of moves that could make a dead man hard—and he’d spent way too many years watching her dirty-dance without him. He kept her close as they wove through a mass of bumping and grinding bodies. The scent of sex and foreplay hung in the air, amping up his anticipation of finally showing Aurelia what he’d learned for her.

  “Ben,” she shouted over the pounding music. “You don’t have to do this. I know you hate dancing.”

  “You think you know me,” he said with a wink.

  Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he found a spot in the crowd, and as he’d known she would, Aurelia started dancing. Her shoulders and hips swayed seductively, as if the beat lived inside her. At first he barely moved, letting her think he was the same old Ben. The guy who had been born with two left feet. But she was a sight to be reckoned with, all her sexy curves gyrating and bumping to the seductive beat.

  She thought he couldn’t dance. Didn’t she know that Ben had never come up against anything he couldn’t overcome with the right incentive? And Aurelia was a damn good incentive. His love for her had driven him to secretly take months of dance lessons in hopes of impressing her the night of Bridgette’s wedding. Better late than never.

  He let the beat sink in, and then he fell into sync, matching her every move with one of his own. The surprise and appreciation in her eyes gave him the approval he needed to let the dirty dancer he’d discovered in himself come out to play. Her arms rose above her head, and he pressed closer, bringing her thigh between his legs. His hips thrust and gyrated, his hands danced down her arms and up her torso, his thumbs brushing over the sides of her breasts. Her breathing hitched, and even in the dim lights he saw flames in her eyes. He leaned in, their bodies snaking against each other, making him rock hard. He lowered his lips to hers, probing possessively as their hips ground to their own private beat. Ben was so lost in her, clutching her ass, devouring her mouth, the music and people around them blurred together. He didn’t know when one song ended and the next began, and he didn’t care. Time passed in a sweltering, libidinous rush of grinding and groping. He kissed her slick, salty skin, ate at her luscious mouth, and pawed her gorgeous ass, earning the most sinful look he’d ever seen. Oh yeah, baby. You like that? She’d been casting those wicked looks his way all night.

  Now it was his turn.

  He slipped one hand beneath the slit of her dress, clutching the back of her thigh as she ground against his erection. Under the cover of the dimly lit dance floor, his fingers moved higher, and his cock throbbed at the feel of flesh instead of panties. He grabbed her bare ass, and his fingertips brushed over the thin strip of her thong. She moaned, and though he didn’t hear it, he felt her chest vibrate against him, and he thought he might lose his fucking mind. He lowered his mouth to her neck, sucking and biting, earning a grind and thrust of her hips with his every effort.

  “When’d you learn to dance?” she panted out next to his ear.

  “When I realized I never wanted to see you dance with any other man.”

  Her arms circled his neck, and he claimed her mouth. She crushed her softness against him. He buried his hands in her hair, angling her mouth beneath his, sinking deeper into their kisses, swallowing her sounds of pleasure. The beat of the music, the feel of her fingers digging into him, begging for more, and her hungry kisses heightened the sexual tension that had been sizzling between them all night. Other than during his lessons, Ben had never danced with another woman like this. He’d been saving it for Aurelia. He’d wondered if he’d be nervous, but he was so focused on enjoying every second of bringing her pleasure in this new and different way, anxiety had no way into their private, sensual bubble.

  When their lips parted, she turned in his arms, grinding his arousal against her ass. She shimmied lower, brushing her back against his erection before dancing upright again. Lust thrummed inside him as the erotic beat of the music climbed to an explosive crescendo. He turned her toward him, keeping hold of her arms as they danced. He wanted to strip her dress off and pound into her to the same fervent beat, and he finally understood that this was what she’d craved all those times she’d begged him to dance with her. This was why she’d danced with his sisters, turning away the men who’d tried to cut in when they were out at clubs. This was why she’d gotten forlorn when he’d turned her down because he hadn’t wanted to embarrass himself on the dance floor. She’d wanted this chemistry, this intense sexual connection with him and only him. Wasn’t he a lucky bastard. He’d been an idiot to wait so long, but he had forever to make it up to her.

  Heat pulsed through his core as the music slowed, and he held her body against him, leading her in a slower, even more erotic dance. With one hand pressed to her lower back, the other splayed between her shoulder blades, bringing her chest against him, he moved painfully slowly and purposefully hard, sure she would feel and sense his darkest thoughts. The lustful look in her eyes told him she was right there with him.

  He pressed his cheek to hers, inhaling her familiar scent, and said, “I want to go down on you right now, to feel you come on my mouth.” Her fingers dug into the backs of his arms, and she whimpered, spurring him on. “Then I want to make love to you rough and wild, until you come so hard you can barely breathe, and just when you think you’ve had enough, I’m going to take you punishingly slowly, until you’re begging for more.”

  “Take me home, Ben. Take me all those ways and more.”

  They stumbled up the stairs to Aurelia’s apartment, making out like horny teenagers who might never get another chance. Ben fumbled with the keys. When they pushed through the door, he kicked it shut behind them and swept her up into his arms.

  “Ben!” she squealed as he carried her into the bedroom.

  As he set her on her feet beside the bed, his heart climbed into his throat. She was dangerously beautiful, and looking at him with such trust and love, he was momentarily rendered mute. He took her hands in his and kissed each finger as he found his voice.

  “When you look at me like that,” he whispered as he moved behind her and unzipped her dress. “Wearing this dress.” He brushed her hair over one shoulder and kissed her there. “Dancing with you.” The dress slipped off her shoulders and puddled at her feet, leaving her in her black thong and matching bra. He ran his hands slowly down her sides, from her breasts to her hips. “It’s almost too much to bear.”

  He toed off his shoes and stripped off his clothes. The room was silent, save for their breathing. He brushed his hard length lightly over her bottom as he removed her bra. As he dragged her thong down her legs, he trailed kisses down her bottom, her hamstring, and all the way down her calf. She stepped free from her thong, still wearing her heels, and as he stood, he slowed to enjoy her warm flesh again, running his hands up her outer thighs as he kissed the curve of her ass. She made a whimpering sound, and he gripped her hips, nipping and licking each rounded cheek. He dipped lower and slicked his tongue between her legs, tasting her arousal, lingering there, licking and loving her until she was shaking and moaning. Only then did he move higher, pressing kisses on his way up, along her spine, to the base of her neck.

  His arms circled her from behind, and he whispered between shoulder kisses, “You’re my strength.” Kiss, kiss. “My weakness.” Kiss, nip. “My world.”

  He kissed lower again, moving around her as he trailed openmouthed kisses along her hip, giving rise to goose bumps. He lingered a
round her navel, and she clutched his shoulders, trembling with desire. He took his time, savoring every inch of her warm flesh as he kissed up her belly, between her breasts, up her neck, to her sweet lips. Her nipples brushed against his chest, and he drew back so he could see her beautiful face. His breath left his lungs with a sense of awe and adoration. He guided her hand to his shoulder and laced their other hands together. A smile curved her lips as he began slow dancing.

  There was no stopping his heart from pouring out. “You’re my oxygen, Relsy.”

  “Ben,” she whispered.

  His eyes met hers and drew him deeper into her. Their mouths came together in a luxurious kiss that wound through his veins, spreading heat through his chest and lulling him into a different state of mind. Gone was the urgency, the need to take or dominate, replaced with the sheer, soul-deep desire to love and cherish. He guided her to the bed, kissing her as he lowered them to the mattress. He loved his way south, slowing to tease her nipples the way he knew drove her crazy. Every slick of his tongue, every suck, nip, and tease, brought a needy sound, a rock of her hips, a breathless whisper—“Ben—”

  He heard that dizzying plea in his dreams, and he wanted to hear it every single day for the rest of his life. He moved down her body, cherishing every inch, and then he made his way back up to see the blissful look on her gorgeous face. He was overcome with love. He’d promised her wild sex, but as he held her beneath him, as he kissed her with all the love and devotion he possessed, all he wanted was to be inside her so she could feel the strength and power of his love as her own.

  He drew back, gazing down at the woman who owned him so completely, he wasn’t sure how to survive without her. Her green eyes moved slowly over his face, and then, as if she’d read his mind, she said, “Make love to me, Benny. We can be wild later.”

  “Oh, sweetheart, I’m going to do just that.” He kissed her deeply, cradling her beneath him, feeling her heart beating in time to his as their bodies became one, and he whispered, “I always knew we’d be good together, but I never imagined it would be like this . . .”

  A long while later, after they’d made love slowly and sensually, and then wildly and without inhibition, Aurelia lay with her back against Ben’s chest in a warm bubble bath. It was wonderful making love without worrying about waking Bea. No, it was better than wonderful. It was magnificent seeing Ben so unrestrained. He was a sexual animal, and oh, how she loved it! They’d christened the bed, the couch, and when they went to the kitchen to get a snack, he’d swept the dishes off the counter, sending them crashing to the floor, and then they’d christened the counter. Her love for him was endless, and their passion grew with every kiss. She had never felt so in love, or so at peace, as she was right then, so why, as she lay in a romantic bath with the man of her dreams, was her mind tiptoeing to Bea? Was it weird that as much as she’d love to have the rest of the night to cuddle with Ben and not have to worry about feedings or changing diapers, she wanted those responsibilities?

  Ben kissed her temple and ran his fingers down her arm. “What are you thinking about, Relsy?”

  “Us.” She tilted her head so she could see his handsome face, and he lowered his lips to hers in a temptingly warm kiss.

  He traced her jaw with his fingers and said, “And?”

  “Bea,” she confessed. “I can’t help it. I miss her.”

  “Oh, baby,” he said with a rough voice. “Me too. I was trying not to say anything because I didn’t want to ruin the moment.”

  “Thoughts of Bea could never ruin any of our moments. Do you think your mom would mind if we picked her up now? Even though it’s late?”

  A dazzling smile, alive with affection and delight, brightened his face, and he said, “There’s only one way to find out.”

  She squealed and popped to her feet, dripping with bubbles. He snagged a towel and wrapped it around her. He kissed the tip of her nose and said, “Let’s go get our girl.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  THURSDAY MORNING AURELIA sat in the rocking chair they’d bought for her bedroom, feeding Bea as the first spray of sunlight peeked through the curtains. Bea made contented sounds as she ate, as if every drop was exactly what she needed. Aurelia kissed her forehead and glanced at Ben, lying in his briefs on top of the covers, one arm stretched over his head, the other on his stomach. Their lives hadn’t woven together seamlessly, but how could they with a new baby and so much of her life still up in the air? They’d stitched and patched their busy lives together, but wasn’t that what happiness was made from? Helping each other when things got to be too much? Reading each other’s minds and stealing away for a quickie when Bea finally fell asleep? Easing each other’s fears about finding—or not finding—Bea’s real mother?

  Ben stretched and rolled onto his side, a sleepy smile curving his lips. “Want me to finish?”

  She shook her head and blew him a kiss. They’d fallen into a schedule of sorts, though it was fluid and changed often. With Roxie watching Bea for a few hours each day, they were both able to catch up on work. The mural was finished, and the bookstore was almost ready for the grand opening. Aurelia was having a hard time deciding what to read at the grand opening, but she had it narrowed down to either Pride and Prejudice or Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Ben’s latest deal was transitioning smoothly and moving right along, but there were late nights and stressful days, so they alternated nighttime feedings, sharing the burden of exhaustion. They’d both put certain parts of their lives on hold, and now that things were falling into place and they had a schedule of sorts, she hoped to give Ben a little room to reclaim the parts of his life she knew he missed. And the truth was, she missed seeing her friends, too. Not that she regretted giving up those visits or resented Ben or Bea for it. Life was give-and-take, and with Ben and Bea she’d been given the best gifts of all.

  “I’ve got her,” she said. “I was thinking about taking Bea to the bakery this morning. I miss seeing the girls, and I thought you might want to go running with Zane and Bodhi. Willow was at Roxie’s the other day when I picked up Bea, and she said Zane missed running with you.”

  “You sure you don’t mind?” He stretched his long legs over the side of the bed and sat up.

  “Not at all. To be honest, I’m impressed that you haven’t lost your mind from not running. I know how much you love it.”

  He reached for her hand, giving it a squeeze, and said, “I miss jogging with you, too. Maybe we should start scheduling an extra hour of Roxie’s time once or twice a week, so we can go running together.”

  “Actually, since we stay here in Harmony Pointe during the week, why don’t we ask Lazarus? He’s so good with Bea, and he lives in town and could probably use the money.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  He dropped to his knees and knee-walked to her with a playful smile. He kissed her thigh, and then he kissed Bea’s cheek. Aurelia couldn’t resist caressing his face. He shaved less often these days, and she loved his scruff.

  “Mother’s Day is next Sunday,” he said. Every year he went to his parents’ house for a big Mother’s Day brunch, and she had breakfast with Flossie. “I know you usually have breakfast with your grandmother, but I was wondering how you’d feel about bringing her to lunch with my family instead. We can pick her up the day before, and since we’ll be at my house for the weekend, we have room for her.”

  They’d taken Bea to meet Flossie last Sunday. When she’d opened the door and seen Ben cradling the baby, with one arm around Aurelia, she’d gotten tears in her eyes and said, All my bubbelahs in one place. What a blessing today is! She’d promptly confiscated the baby and spent the next couple of hours gushing over her.

  “I think she’d love that.”

  “I hope you’re taking notes, because I’m going to need them,” Bodhi said later that morning as they ran around Sugar Lake.

  “You’re great with Louie, and Dahlia survived puppyhood,” Zane said with a chuckle. “I’m sure you can handle a b
aby.”

  “You are the definition of clueless, Zane.” Ben glanced at Bodhi and said, “Dude, this is all you need to know. Life as you know it is going to end when your baby is born, and not just because when you’re changing diapers and walking around like a zombie you’ll no longer feel like Bodhi the ex-military stud, but because your worldview will change dramatically.” Not only did Ben drive more carefully, take fewer risks, and notice things like which restrooms had changing tables since Bea had come into his life, but he also looked at Aurelia differently. The way she loved and nurtured Bea, her willingness to set aside her own needs for his daughter, and a million other things she did drove his love to a deeper, truer love than he’d ever known.

  “My world view changed when I met Bridgette and Louie,” Bodhi reminded him. “I can’t imagine it changing even more, but Bridge says everything is different with a baby. She’s worried about Louie being jealous and getting enough attention, so I’m already making plans to babysit so she gets one-on-one time with him after the baby comes.”

  “Dude, nix that word—babysit—from your vocabulary. I was talking to Bridgette the other day on the phone and I said I was going to babysit while Aurelia ran an errand. Bridge bit my head off. Apparently it’s not called babysitting when it’s your own kid.”

  Bodhi’s brows knitted. “Damn. I’d better not forget that.”

  “At least you have time to prepare. Bridgette’s not due until October,” Zane said. “Ben’s been thrown into it.”

  “You can say that again,” Ben said as they sped up. “But from the way Willow fawns over Bea, I’d say you’re not far off from fatherhood yourself, Zane.”

  Zane glared at him. “Bite your tongue, dude. The only thing I want to be woken up for in the middle of the night is hot sex.”