by Susan Hayes
Watching her kneel in front of him, her head bowed and her soft hair brushing against his thighs, was the most intoxicating thing he’d ever seen. Every stroke of her tongue was pure pleasure, and he was certain that his fingerprints would be forever embedded in the counter’s edge by the time she was done turning him inside out.
When his control was about to break Ben groaned, brushing a hand over her hair to warn her. She made a soft sound of acknowledgment and continued what she was doing. He came hard enough his legs were trembling and his eyes were closed by the time it was over. The delicious sensation of her swallowing his cum added made every second even more intense. Ben’s breathing was ragged and his heart was hammering against his ribs as he opened his eyes to find to see Kelly looking up at him with a smug smile on her lips.
“Good morning,” she chirped merrily and started to get to her feet. Ben helped her up and then tugged her into his arms.
“I’ll say it’s a good morning,” he managed to murmur between kisses. “Possibly the best morning I’ve ever had.”
“Me too,” she confessed softly.
“Not yet, but it will be.”
****
Kelly was enjoying every minute of her time with Ben. He made her feel safe and beautiful, and that combination allowed her to be herself in a way that she’d never experienced before. At least not with anyone she’d ever dated. Giving a blow job in the middle of the kitchen was certainly something she’d never even considered before. Ben’s response had been everything she hoped for, and knowing that she had the power to bring the big, sexy man to his knees was intoxicating.
I am definitely going to do that again soon.
Ben’s mouth was still on hers when he started walking her backward. He kept guiding her until they bumped into the kitchen table, making the silverware rattle. “What are you do—”
He scooped her into his arms in one move and then lowered her carefully onto the sturdy pine table. “Better hold still until I move our coffee mugs,” he told her as he let go.
“I set the table for us to eat!” She was laughing as she complained.
“Trust me. I’m going to be eating in just a minute here.” She turned to see him grinning at her as he moved their coffee to a safer place. “Did I tell you yet how much I like syrup with my breakfast?”
“What does that have to do with why I’m on the table?”
“Patience, baby, give me a second here. I need to rearrange a few things.” Ben moved a fork out from beneath her calf and then sat down at one end of the table, nearest her feet.
“Ben?” She wasn’t sure what he was up to, but the wicked smile on his face had her toes curling in anticipation of whatever was about to happen.
“C’mere,” he said. She was lying on a placemat, which made it easy for him to slide her body down the table until her feet were well past the edge. He pushed the edge of the T-shirt up to her navel, baring her pussy. Then he parted her thighs with his hands, stroking up the tender flesh until his fingers were brushing her labia. “Now, I need syrup.”
“What!” She lifted her head and stared at him as he plucked the squeeze bottle of maple syrup off the table and uncapped it before turning it upside down.
“This may be a little cold,” was all he said as he gleefully drizzled syrup over her inner thighs, crisscrossing it over her pussy.
“Chilly!” she hissed through her teeth, letting her head fall back on the table.
“Not for long,” he promised, his mouth already close enough she could feel his breath warming her skin. He turned his head and placed an opened mouthed kiss on her thigh, swirling his tongue through the lines of syrup. He took his time, licking and nibbling his way up her thigh. By the time his wicked mouth brushed over the lips of her pussy, she was panting with need. He swiped his tongue along the seam of her lips and she moaned, her hips lifting slightly.
Ben lifted his head, denying her the pleasure of his mouth. “You are now my favorite breakfast food, tasty girl. You’re invited over for breakfast anytime you want.”
“If you’re cooking, I’ll be here,” she said with a laugh. “Maybe next time we can have sex in the bedroom and breakfast in the kitchen.”
“Maybe,” he said, just before his mouth touched her other thigh and he began the entire process again. She was trembling by the time he made his way back up again, her clit throbbing and her pussy slick with arousal. She was already teetering on the brink when his tongue finally parted her folds.
Lust sizzled in Kelly’s veins, sparking a firestorm of pleasure that threatened to overwhelm her senses. His mouth devoured her, tongue flickering over the tiny cluster of nerves until she was barely able to breathe. He teased at her entrance with his fingers, penetrating just a little before retreating again. In and out went his fingers as he nibbled and sucked at her throbbing clit.
“Need more,” she gasped brokenly as her hips rocked in time to his clever tongue. He drove his fingers deep into her pussy, filling her so suddenly that sparks flared and danced in her vision and she cried out in pleasure.
Eyes shut, fists clenched, her entire body vibrated with the need to come. Just as she thought she couldn’t take anymore, he curved his fingers upward, stroking over her secret spot and sending a breathtaking orgasm sweeping over her.
Her cries filled the kitchen and she felt as if every cell in her body was infused with heat, pleasure, and a jolt of pure joy. She was still trying to catch her breath when Ben released her from his mouth, his chair creaking as he moved.
“Wow,” he said, his tone almost reverent.
“I think that’s my line,” she replied when she managed to make her mouth work well enough to speak again. Her eyelids fluttered open to find Ben leaning over her, his lips and chin sticky with leftover syrup.
“We’re a mess. Want to shower again before we eat?” he asked.
Kelly laughed and nodded as she carefully sat up. “You got syrup on my new T-shirt.”
“I’ll wash it for you.”
“Then what am I going to wear?”
His smile was one part joy and two parts devil as he lifted her into his arms. “If I have my way, not a damned thing.”
Chapter Six
Ben’s life was good. No, it was better than good. The past five weeks with Kelly had been some of the best times in his adult life. Her schedule was as cockeyed as his, which meant they often met up while most people were at work. They went out for breakfast and hung out in parks people-watching and eating ice cream. They took Chase for walks or played catch with his favorite ball until even the four-legged wonder was too tired to run anymore.
What few nights they were both off work usually ended with Kelly sleeping over at his place, filling it with an energy that had been missing before she’d come into his life. It hadn’t been intentional, but somehow they seemed to gravitate to his home more than hers. Part of it was because her apartment wasn’t ideal when there were the needs of a one-hundred pound German shepherd to consider, but there was more to it than that.
Last week Kelly had confessed she felt more at home at his place than her apartment, and since she’d started staying with him, home had become more than just a place. It was a sense of happiness and rightness that came with images of Kelly laughing in his kitchen or stretched out on the couch with her head in his lap, watching a movie.
It had him thinking that maybe he should give her a key to his house so she could come and go as she pleased. It was probably too soon for that, but having waited this long to get her into his life, Ben wasn’t keen on taking things slowly.
Tonight they were both off work and Kelly had voted for cheeseburgers at Leo’s. They’d been back several times since their first date, and over time she’d met everyone, including his brother, Nick, the black sheep of the family. She’d managed to be so charming that for the first time in memory, all four brothers had been together without a single angry word being spoken. It had been a miracle worthy of the Vatican’s notice, and it was all be
cause of Kelly
Kelly had asked him to pick her up at the end of her shift, and Ben was just pulling up when he spotted trouble. Three rough-looking locals were gathered near the entrance to the clinic, and several more were loitering at several vantage points nearby. He’d been coming by the clinic more often since he’d been seeing Kelly, and some of their faces were now familiar. Ben was certain that some of them had been responsible for the break-in at the clinic last month but he had no proof.
It bothered Ben that Kelly’s work was located in one of Chicago’s rougher neighborhoods. It wasn’t the worst by a long shot, but it was far from one of the best either. She was a damn fine vet, she could have chosen to work anywhere in the city. Why she’d bought into this practice was something he didn’t understand. Just like he couldn’t wrap his head around why she insisted on walking to work. The streets were dangerous after dark. It wasn’t safe, which meant she wasn’t safe, and that fact was constantly in the back of Ben’s mind. He didn’t like the idea of anything threatening Kelly. Not at all.
The punks scattered when he glowered at them but they didn’t go far. He really needed to talk to Kelly about her safety. Last time, she’d gotten away with a bump on the head and bruised pride. If she didn’t start taking things more seriously, the next time it might be a whole lot worse.
He tried to put that line of thinking aside as he crossed into the cheery yellow waiting room. The place was empty, which was a good indicator that Kelly would be finishing up on time.
Amber beamed at him. “Hi, Ben. Dr. Towers and Dr. Hertz are just having a quick meeting. I think they might have found another vet to join their practice. Cool, huh? They could use another set of hands around here.”
“They certainly could. How’s the new office manager working out?”
“She’s great! She totally fixed the filing system and we’re nearly caught up on our billing. She makes it look easy. Things have never been so organized around here. It’s sorta’ weird.”
Ben laughed. “I bet.” The whole time they were talking he was glancing out the windows, watching to see if the kids he’d seen earlier came any closer. They didn’t, at least not in the few minutes it took for Kelly to finish up her meeting and join him.
She was wearing a cute pair of capris that hugged her curves, and a blue top with a scooped-out neckline that showed off just a little bit of cleavage without going overboard. Damn, she looked good. A slow sizzle of lust heated his blood and made his dick stir as Ben contemplated blowing off dinner and just taking her home for a long night of hot sex. Tempting as it was, he knew Kelly wouldn’t go for it. She enjoyed spending time with his family at Leo’s and wouldn’t want to miss it. That didn’t mean he wasn’t going to suggest it…just in case he was wrong.
“Hi, hun.” Kelly bounced into his arms, making Amber grin with approval.
“Hey, babe. You look amazing. You sure you want to waste this look on my family? I could tell them I had a better offer…” He trailed off and waggled his brows at her suggestively.
“And just what would that offer be?” she asked playfully.
“The one where you tell me to forget dinner and take you back to my place.”
Kelly tipped her head and wrinkled brow in exaggerated thought. “Funny, I don’t remember saying anything like that. If I did, then we wouldn’t get dinner, and I’ve been craving cheeseburgers with double pickles since I got up this morning.”
“Double pickles, huh? Alright, you win. We’ll go to dinner first.”
Kelly cheered and kissed him. “Thank you. Just let me grab my purse and we can go.”
She turned on her heel and jogged off again, leaving him alone with Amber.
“You’re good for her, you know. She’s been so much happier since you two started going out.” Amber flushed a little and lowered her voice to a whisper. “With everything that happened with her sister and all, she deserves it.”
Ben was going to ask what Amber was talking about when he heard Kelly coming back down the hall and thought better of it. Besides, Kelly would tell him when she was ready. They had only been dating a little over a month, there was plenty of time to learn everything about each other. One day he needed to talk to her about the realities of his work too, but there wasn’t any rush. He didn’t want to scare her off by talking about the dark side of his job too soon. He’d seen firsthand what that could lead to when his brother’s marriage had unraveled after less than a year. Dave’s wife married the uniform, but she couldn’t handle what came with it.
Ben was determined to do better than that when the time came.
Kelly fell in beside him and he forgot everything but the pleasure of her company as they headed out into the heat of the summer evening. He slid his arm around her waist as he scanned the area, looking for trouble. The punks he’d seen earlier had finally moved on.
Maybe they were getting the message. Kelly and her clinic were under his protection.
* * * *
In the past few weeks Kelly had rediscovered her sense of fun, as well as a sensual side she’d never suspected she had. Ben made her happy, he made it easy for her to smile and laugh for the first time since her parents’ accident. Kelly didn’t know how long it would last, but she was determined to enjoy every minute.
And when it’s over, no regrets.
Part of her was convinced that what she had with Ben was too good to last. She saw the way women watched him whenever they went out, their expressions ranging from admiration to outright lust. She knew he had eyes only for her, but for how long? None of his brothers dated long-term. In the short time she’d known them, she’d never seen any of them with the same girl twice. Could Ben be that different?
He was sexy and sweet, and when they were together he made her feel like she was the center of his world. It was an addictive feeling, and that was what worried her. None of her relationships had ever made it past the two-month mark, and as time ticked on, she grew increasingly afraid of how much it was going to hurt when it all fell apart.
“Penny for your thoughts. I’ll go as high as a buck if they’re X-rated.” Ben’s voice pulled her out of her musings and back to the present.
“I was just thinking about us. How it took me getting robbed for us to finally get together. Fate has a seriously wicked sense of humor,” she lied. There was no sense in being honest, it only seemed to speed up the inevitable.
“Yes, she does. I’m not happy you got hurt that night, but I am grateful you’re in my life now.” He took a hand off the steering wheel and laid it on her thigh.
She rested her hand on his and smiled. “I like having you and Chase in my life too.”
“Chase feels the same way. I always figured vets would have a ton of animals at home. Since you don’t have any, I think you should adopt Chase. Part-time of course.”
“I have the office cats. It wouldn’t be fair for me to have a pet when I’m not home very much. But I will happily borrow Chase anytime you’re willing to share him.”
“Good,” Ben said as they pulled into a parking spot. “If you wanted, I could give you a—”
“Hey, Benji. Good timing!” Dave called from the sidewalk, interrupting whatever Ben was about to say. Dave was the oldest of the Wilde brothers and yet another one of the siblings who worked for the city police force. He opened Kelly’s door for her, helping her out as Ben came around to join them.
“Hi, Dave.” Kelly greeted the big blond, who gave her a quick hug before letting her go as he grinned at Ben.
“I know, I know. Hands off the girlfriend. Nice to see you, Kelly. You’re looking lovely, as always.”
Kelly just rolled her eyes as Ben growled under his breath. “I swear you all take far too much pleasure in teasing him.”
“Yeah, but it’s so much fun!” Dave smirked and fell in behind them as they headed for the bar.
“I don’t know how your mother did it. When I have kids I am going to pray for sweet little girls.”
Dave laughed, bu
t Ben turned to look down at her with an odd expression on his face. “You want kids?”
“One day, yeah. Not tomorrow or anything, but someday.”
“You’ll make a great mother,” he said softly and Kelly’s heart stuttered in her chest. That wasn’t the response she’d been expecting. Bringing up the fact she wanted kids one day was usually enough to send the men she dated running for the hills, which is why she hadn’t said anything about it.
“Thank you,” she said, hiding her surprise. Did Ben want a family? It dawned on Kelly that she had never asked. That was a long-term kind of question, and she’d been avoiding those, not wanting to shorten the time they had together by accidently making him feel pressured.
Fortunately, the sidewalk was too congested for further conversation, and by the time they got inside the subject had been forgotten. Ben’s parents had already staked out one of the larger tables, and soon they were laughing and catching up with each other.
They were a tight-knit family, and watching them together was a joy. Kelly’s heart was touched every time Brian stroked Meg’s blonde and silver hair, or Meg reached out to pat Brian’s hand. They had been together more than forty years, and they were still very much in love. One day she wanted something like that, and she briefly wondered if Ben was the man who could give it to her, then banished the thought before it could take hold. Having him in her life for now was enough. It had to be.
As they ate and laughed, Jared dropped by the table whenever it got quiet enough for him to slip away, and the six of them passed a merry hour together.
When dinner was over, David and Brian went off to play a round of darts, leaving Kelly with Ben and his mother. Just as Kelly was finishing her drink, Meg leaned over and asked, “Kelly, just where is this clinic of yours? I’m not terribly happy with Casper’s vet, and I was thinking I might just bring him to see you.”