by Molly O'Hare
That’s when she heard the front door open.
Holly braced herself as she waited for whatever form of Ben was going to come through the door.
Ripley and Waffle’s came flying into the living room as soon as the door opening registered in their little minds.
Typical. Neither one of them cared she was dying on the couch just a measly few feet from them. They only wanted Ben.
As Ben entered, he briefly acknowledged Holly with a smile before he dropped to his knees to greet the pups. “Hey guys,” he cooed, while he did his best to keep himself upright from the onslaught of kisses.
Holly watched as he scratched both dogs, who simultaneously plopped onto their backs demanding belly rubs. Knowing once the ceremonial greeting of the dogs was over, he’d look at her. She bit her bottom lip knowing that moment would come any second.
“What havoc did you two cause while I was away?” he asked.
Ripley replied in a deep bark followed by Waffles whining when Ben pulled this hand away from the dog’s bellies.
“Sounds wonderful.” Ben laughed before righting himself. When he finally looked at Holly, the smile he gave her, made her stomach bottom out.
What does a smile mean?
Ben made his way towards her, throwing his key on the nearby coffee table. “I see, Twitch, is right at home in your arms.”
Holly looked at the sleepy cat, who’d made himself quite comfortable.
All of a sudden, Holly’s vision blurred with tears threatening to spill. She hadn’t known when life had gotten so intertwined with Ben’s, but she knew this conversation could go one of two ways. He’d either tell her he took care of his mother, and her job and father were safe, or he’d changed his mind.
Then a thought crept in, making her eyes widen. What if he murdered her and he now needed me to help him hide the body? She couldn’t be an accessory to murder. Sure, she loved the guy, but she had a demanding dog, and now a kitty to take care of. Not to mention, her father. Plus, she would never look good in a jumpsuit. No one ever did.
Feeling her emotions about to snap she shot her head to Ben. “What happened? Tell me.”
“Tell you what?” he asked smugly.
“Jerk.”
“Oh.” He leaned over her lap kissing her forehead, before standing. “Are you referring to what happened when I saw my mother?”
She narrowed her eyes. Never mind her being the accessory to murder, she was about to be the person committing the crime. “Don’t make me throw something at you.”
“All you have in your lap right now is Twitch, and I know you’d never throw him.”
Well damn, he had her figured out. “You’re right, I’d never throw him, but I will take off my shoe and aim right for your head.”
“So violent.” He wiggled his eyebrows, while he chuckled.
Holly’s left eye started to twitch.
“Have you ever realized when you’re annoyed your eye starts to twitch?” He reached out to pet the kitten behind the ear, waking him. “I guess, you two are perfect for each other, with the twitching and all.” He reached around the cat plucking him from her lap. After giving him a chaste kiss on his head, he placed Twitch on the other end of the couch where he promptly fell right back asleep.
Ben then grabbed Holly’s right arm and pulled her to him. Not giving her any time to protest, he kissed her like a starving man.
After succumbing to his ways, she remembered she was mad at him. Placing her palms on his chest, she pushed him away. “Ben, so help me, I will hurt you. What the hell happened with Barbra? Do I need to find a new job? Oh, god, that’s it right?” She started pacing. “I need to find a new job, one that will pay enough for my expenses plus my dad’s.” She snapped her head towards Ben. “Do you think the bank will still foreclose on the house if I plead with them?” She didn’t let him answer as she continued her pacing. Unfortunately, in her hasty movements, she misjudged the coffee table’s edge and smacked her shin.
Before she knew it, she started toppling over, headed directly for the floor. She held out her hands, as she was accustomed to doing. However, like every other time Ben was in her presence during one of her mishaps, she found herself in his arms rather than on the floor.
“Jesus, Grace.” He laughed before pulling her into his arms, holding her tightly. “I might need to wrap you in bubble wrap now, not only when you’re pregnant.”
She moved away from his arms. Her face draining all its color. “What?”
Ignoring her question Ben leaned forward kissing the tip of her nose. He then moved to the couch and sat.
Holly felt her eye start to twitch again. He wants me to kill him, doesn’t he?
Taking a deep breath, she decided to face one obstacle at a time. But, mark her words, the whole pregnant talk will be discussed later whether Ben wants to or not.
“Ben, if you don’t tell me what the hell happened between you and your mother so help me universe, I will take Ripley, Waffles, and Twitch, and leave. And you won’t be able to follow us.”
He looked at her with an amused glee in his eyes. “You gonna steal my dog?”
“She likes me better and at this point, I couldn’t break up the dynamic duo.” She glanced at Waffles, who now used Ripley as his own personal pillow.
“And, what makes you think I wouldn’t be able to follow you?”
“You can’t follow me when you’re rolling around on the floor searching for your balls, after I kick them so hard they find a new home deep inside your organs.”
Instantly Ben’s reaction was to cup between his legs. Holly raised her chin in triumph.
After a few minutes, she placed her hands on her hips, waiting for Ben to stop his dramatics. Once she realized he wasn’t going to stop, her eyes narrowed. “Talk,” she growled.
“Oh, I like it when you get all dominant.” He laughed before pulling her onto his lap. Within seconds he had her positioned with both of her legs on either side of his. Her arms immediately went to his shoulders.
“No, Grace.” He gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. “You do not need to find yourself a new job. You do not need to worry about your father or his finances. No, you are not taking our babies and leaving town. You are staying right here, beside me, forever. Got it?”
Her eyebrow shot to the ceiling. Was he seriously going to play with her? Okay, great, she didn’t need to worry about her job or father, but she needed to know what happened between him and Barbra. Was she dead? Shaking her head, she narrowed her eyes and glared at him. “Freakin’ tell me what happened, Ben, or I will pinch you!”
His belly laugh echoed throughout the room before he kissed her forehead. “Now I can’t have the dreaded pinch pirate come after me, can I?”
When she moved to pinch him, he held out his hands in surrender. “Okay, jeez I went to Richman Industries and explained to Barbra if she ever threatened someone I love again, I will finally set to light everything she’s done.”
Someone I love. The words echoed through her head. He loves me?
“My father was a smart man, Grace. He knew something wasn’t right towards the end. He might have loved her at one point, but somewhere along the line, he realized something wasn’t quite as innocent as he wanted to believe when it came to Barbra Richman.” Holly saw the pain in Ben’s eyes as he talked about his father. “All of the information his private investigator found on her was handed to me after his death. I never planned on using it against her. She was after all, still my mother, and as much as I despised her for her role in my father’s death, she was the woman that gave me life.”
Holly’s eyes widened at the newly discovered knowledge.
“I know this doesn't make much sense. Hell, it doesn't make sense to me. I should have outed her right after my dad died. But, I didn’t. Maybe there was a part of me that still looked at her as family. I don't really know. He started to rub Holly’s arm in slow circles. “After what you said this morning and her manipulative ways, I had a choice.
Do you want to know the answer?”
She nodded.
“Given a choice between her and you, I will always choose you. I knew what I had to do. I knew I needed to destroy her, like she threatened to destroy you.”
Holly’s thoughts raced throughout her head.
Ben placed his hand on her chin making Holly face him. He looked deeply into her eyes. The passion in his gaze made her breath hitch.
“I love you, Holly Flanagan.”
“You love me?” she asked dumbly.
“Yes baby, I love you. I love everything about you. From your sense of humor, to your mouth watering body, and the way you stumble through life tripping and falling into everything,” he said with a chuckle.
“Hey!” She pushed on his chest.
“I don’t call you Grace for nothing.”
She looked into Ben’s eyes and saw the love he had for her. Her heart soared with happiness. Only a few hours ago she thought she’d lost everything: her father, her job, and the love of her life. But, here in front of her, Ben wanted to give her all of those and more back.
He wanted to give her what she’d always craved and never thought she’d ever feel.
Leaning forward she kissed him deeply. She poured all her emotions into their embrace.
Pulling away she rested her forehead onto his. “You came into my life and it felt like I was thrown onto a roller coaster. It’s been nonstop since the day at the park. Somewhere, along the way though, you made me fall in love with you, Ben. I don’t know how, and I don’t know why.”
“It was Lord Waffles. Him and I have been in cahoots this whole time trying to get you to love me.” He smiled a sexy crooked smile, it could blind her.
“Oh really?”
“Yup. We developed this master plan the day at the park. We knew all we needed to do was get you to stand in the right spot at the right moment, and you’d be so enamored with my charm you couldn't help but fall in love with me.”
“That’s what happened you say?”
“Yeppers.” He kissed her. “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”
“What am I going to do with you?” She shook her head.
“Love me.”
Chapter Eighteen
Ben cupped Holly’s cheeks as he pulled her closer to kiss her. Both their emotions were raw from the events of the morning, but as long as Holly was in his arms, he knew everything would be okay.
Hell, it would be better than okay.
He had Holly.
Ben nipped at her bottom lip causing a groan to escape from her. Holly started moving her hips, grinding against his lower half, igniting every one of his nerve endings on fire.
His member instantly threatened to break through his jeans.
The moment he recognized the heat from her core, his eyes rolled back in his head. Sliding his hands to her hips, he helped undulate them against him.
Fuck he loved this woman.
Love.
He did love her. He loved everything about her. From her stubborn sass all the way to her diva dog. When Holly came into his life, he felt what he’d been missing. He finally felt whole.
Ben knew this was the woman he planned on spending the rest of his life with.
Holly continued to grind her hips, trying to get more friction against her apex, causing a hiss to break from him.
Ben loved how wanton, Holly was. She knew exactly what she wanted and would do whatever it took to get it.
His thoughts were cut off the moment Holly reached between them to cup his dick through the material.
Ben didn’t even try to hold back his groan as he closed his eyes. Instead, he arched into her, giving her anything she wanted.
Opening his eyes, he looked at her. He saw the need in her eyes. Her face hinted with red, as passion took hold of her.
She was perfect.
Holly was, by far, the most flawless woman he’d ever laid eyes on. She always would be.
As her body rocked against him, he could actually feel the love that poured out of her.
His body pushed against hers as the tension in the room thickened. He moved closer, kissing her neck before lightly nipping at her skin.
He needed more. He needed to taste her.
In one quick movement, he removed her hand from his dick as he swiftly turned them. He laid her on the couch, securing both of Holly’s wrists in his left hand above her head. Returning his head to the crook of her neck he inhaled deeply. “How the fuck do you always smell so good?”
“I shower daily,” Holly remarked which made Ben laugh before shaking his head. Only, Grace.
Ignoring his thought, he licked her neck once more. “It makes me want to taste every inch of you.” He felt her pulse along his lips as he sucked gently on her skin. Her natural flavor made his mouth water.
“More,” she pleaded, moving her neck to the side giving him better access.
Oh, he was going to give her more. He was sure of it.
Ben repositioned himself, so he was cradled snuggly between her legs. Grinding against her, he used his movements to entice a groan from her lips.
Music to my ears.
That sound was something he planned on hearing many more times tonight.
Letting go of her wrists, Holly straightened. Ben reached behind him and pulled his shirt from his body. Tossing it behind him, he reached for Holly’s top and ripped it from her skin causing a tearing sound to echo through the room.
“I’ll kill you!”
“No, you won’t.” He laughed at the annoyed face Holly shot his way. Ignoring her, he cupped both of her breasts in his hands. Her hardened nipples peaked through the lace material of her bra. Flicking his thumbs over them, her body arched towards his touch, which only encouraged him more.
How did he end up this lucky to have someone so damn responsive?
He looked at her face. Her cheeks had a red tint to them, as her hooded eyes stared into his.
A smile spread across his face.
In his same skilled movement, he’d done with her shirt, he took the two cups of her bra and ripped them apart. The lace gave way, in seconds.
“Bras cost a million dollars!” She punched at his chest.
Well if bras cost that much money, he was going to have to invest stock in woman’s lingerie, because he planned on ripping every scrap of her skivvies from her body for the rest of their lives. “I’ll buy you another one.”
“Hell no!” She glared at him. “You’d probably come out of the store with the most unsupportive scrap of nothing.” She held up her breasts and his mouth watered. She looked like a goddess, offering her succulent desserts at his altar. “These big girls need support. I won’t have you buying me garbage that makes these babies dangle down to my knees.”
Diving his head between her chest he ignored every word out of her mouth, he took what she offered and worshiped them. Plus, as soon as he hit up the store he would buy precisely that. Less material meant less barrier.
He pulled her nipple into his mouth causing her to moan. He sucked and tongued her peak as he used his other hand to tweak its twin.
Releasing her with a wet pop, he started working himself down her body, kissing every inch of her as he went. When he reached her belly button, he dipped his tongue in, while locking eyes with her.
The passion that stared back at him had his heart soaring.
He kissed right below her belly button before he straightened himself all while undoing her belt and zipper. With a few skilled movements, he had her naked beneath him.
“Why am I always the one that’s naked while you’ve got most of your clothes on? This never makes any sense to me.”
“I’m not as nice to look at as you are.”
“The heck you say.” Her brow rose.
“It’s true.” He bent at his waist, bringing his head closer to her apex. “I fucking love looking at you. You’re perfect.” Kissing the top of her mound, he looked at her. Holly’s lower lip drew between her te
eth.
“Yeah, but you’re just as gorgeous to look at.”
“Not to me.” He kissed her mound again this time letting his tongue slip out. When he swirled it around her sensitive skin, she moaned.
Ben grabbed onto her hips pushing her back further to the arm of the sofa, almost making her sit up straight. Placing one of his legs on the ground while the other rest on the couch, he spread her legs. Taking a moment to lean back he gazed at her wanting to burn this image into his mind forever. Her spread wide for him, her legs bent and her chest rising and falling, as she stared at him, with nothing but love in her eyes.
Looking at her mound, he had one goal in mind.
Making her come as many times as he could before the night was over.
Using his fingers, he spread her lower lips, bringing his mouth to her to finally feast on the woman he loved.
* * *
As Ben’s expertly skilled tongue worked her core, Holly thought she’d somehow died and gone to heaven. Holding onto Ben’s hair, as he used his fingers to seek out her spot and stroke, she roughly pulled.
Holly could get used to this.
When he lightly grazed her clit with his teeth, her orgasm overtook her. Ben held her down as her hips tried to rocket off the couch.
“Holy shit,” she panted as she felt every muscle in her body explode.
After her body released, she opened her eyes to see Ben’s smug face staring back at her. She couldn’t help the smile that spread across her own face. Yep, she could one hundred percent get used to this.
“You’re breathtaking when you come.” Ben kissed the inside of her thigh.
“Not as breathtaking as your dick.” In one quick movement, Holly pushed Ben onto his back ready to undo his pants.
“Shit!” He stopped Holly’s assault before he sat upward looking behind him.
A panic that she’d hurt him crept through her. Did she push him too hard?
Ben reached behind him pulling Twitch into sight.
“Is Twitch okay?” she asked after realization dawned on her.