Before Ben (Wilde Ways Book 3)

by Cynthia Eden

  She could have been hurt tonight. He kept seeing the image of that jerk with his fist drawn back, ready to hit her in the face. Ready to attack her.

  “He didn’t take anything, ma’am?” the cop asked. “You’re sure?”

  She shook her head. “No. I-I think he was going for my purse, but I hit him with my keys. Punched him in the stomach.” She lifted her hand, and Ben saw that she had her keys arranged so that the sharp points slid through the lines between her fingers. A nice weapon.

  One that had saved her ass.

  Ben edged closer to her.

  “We’ll check the security feeds here,” the uniform assured her. “There have been some snatch and grabs in the area. Probably the same guy.”

  Was that supposed to make it better somehow?

  “It would have helped if you’d gotten a better description of the guy…”

  “Sorry,” she bit out. “I was busy fighting him. His hood was up, it was dark, and everything happened so fast.”

  “You’re not getting on to her because she couldn’t get the guy’s ID?” Ben’s voice held barely banked rage. “I didn’t get a look at the jackass, either. His hood covered him, just like she said, and the asshole was sticking to the shadows. Courtney fought him. She’s okay. You need to be telling her what a fucking awesome job she did.”

  “You’re safe.” The cop nodded. He didn’t follow Ben’s order and tell her that she was fucking awesome. Loser.

  The cop caught Ben’s glare, winced, and quickly added, “That’s what matters.”

  Damn straight it was what mattered. Ben cleared his throat. “I’m going to follow you home,” he said again to Courtney.

  The cop wandered away. He’d bagged the knife as evidence, but hadn’t seemed to think any usable prints would be recovered. Way to be optimistic.

  Courtney’s gaze slid to Ben. “Following me home is not necessary.”

  Uh, yeah. It was. His hand lifted, and he brushed back a lock of her hair that had fallen forward. He loved her hair. A mix between red and brown. Most times, her hair would look totally brown, but when the light hit it just right, the red shone through. Burned so deep and rich.

  His fingers lingered against her cheek. Her skin was silky soft. So delicate. “If he’d punched you, I would have killed him.”

  Her eyes widened.

  Whoops. Had he just said that part out loud? He needed to dial back the rage, but that was hard. Because this was Courtney.

  “I didn’t expect you to be a white knight.” Her voice was low. Husky. He thought Courtney pretty much had the sexiest voice in the world. Sometimes, when they were in court…

  Focus, dumbass. He cleared his throat and dropped his hand. She’d called him a white knight. She was way wrong on that score. “I wanted to beat the shit out of him.”

  Her lips—plump, red—curved just a bit. “You did.” Her fingers reached for his. Courtney winced as she caught his hand and lifted it up. “Your knuckles are already bruising.”

  When she touched him, his body reacted. Every muscle tensed, and he wanted. Typical Courtney McKenna response. He was usually in hyper drive where she was concerned. Not that she ever seemed to notice.

  Her fingertips slid over his knuckles. “I’m glad you were there.”

  He raised a brow. “Careful, or I’ll think you actually like me.”

  Her hand immediately jerked back from his. Shit, he’d said the wrong thing. For a guy who was normally so smooth with the ladies, he sucked when he was one-on-one with Courtney.

  “I, um, I should get home.”

  His eyes narrowed. “I thought you had a date.”

  “Canceled.” Her dark gaze darted around the garage. “So I need to head home, climb into a shower, and forget this mess.”

  He would not think of Courtney in the shower. If she wanted a white knight, he’d give her one. For the night, anyway. “I’ll be right behind you.”

  Her breath expelled in a long rush. “You don’t need to do that.”

  “I want to. Look, if I don’t see you home safely, I’ll worry about you all night. I won’t be able to sleep. I’ll just be thinking about you.” Like he hadn’t spent other nights doing the same thing. “Save me some misery and let me tail you, okay?”

  The ghost of a smile slid across her lips. “Thank you.”

  His chest burned. He didn’t want her gratitude. “It’s what any friend would do for another.”

  He headed for her car. She still had her keys—keys that had proven to be a very fine weapon. She unlocked her ride with a press on the key fob, and Ben opened the door for her. But Courtney didn’t slide inside. Instead, she paused, tilted back her head, and stared up at him. “I didn’t think we were friends.”

  “No? Colleagues, then?”

  “Enemies. Isn’t that what you said back at the bar?”

  “No, ba—” He caught himself before he let baby slip out. “No, ah, Courtney, I said hate fucks were great.” He flashed his smile, deliberately using dimples because they often worked when he needed to get out of a sticky situation. “But when I was talking about hate, I wasn’t talking about how I feel for you.”

  Her brow furrowed. Her delicious scent teased him. And when her tongue snaked across her lower lip…

  Ben swallowed.

  “I don’t hate you,” she said, voice even huskier.

  Huh. That was progress. Not friends, but she didn’t hate him. “Then how do you feel about me?”

  She didn’t answer. The little furrow between her dark brows deepened, and she slid inside the car. He slammed the door. Headed for his Benz. A few moments later, they were out of the garage. Heading through the streets of Atlanta. He kept her vehicle in sight, and when they parked at her building, he was out and at her side before she could even open her door.

  She slid out of the vehicle, those sexy shoes of hers and that short dress putting her legs on perfect display. But he didn’t let his gaze linger on the heels or her legs. White knight. He offered his hand to her and helped ease Courtney out of the vehicle. He was being on his best behavior because this was so important—

  “I want you.”

  Ben blinked when she said those words, certain that he’d just straight-up imagined them. Hello, auditory hallucination.

  “You asked me how I felt about you.” She inched her body closer to his. “That’s how I feel. I want you. I’ve wanted you for years and hated myself because I did.”

  His heart thundered in his chest, and the pants he was wearing became even more uncomfortable as they stretched over his dick.

  “I thought the desire would go away eventually. It hasn’t. So maybe I just need to work it out of my system.” She stared straight into his eyes. “Will you come upstairs with me, Ben?”

  What the ever-loving—“Hell yes.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  The elevator doors closed. Her apartment was on the top floor of the building, and as soon as those doors closed—

  Ben pulled her against him. “I’m going to kiss you.”

  Um, okay, that was—

  “Are you fucking sure about this?”

  No, she was absolutely not fucking sure about this. She was scared and shaking and Courtney feared adrenaline was boiling her blood. Having sex with Ben was probably the worst idea ever. But the truth was—

  I do want him. She’d wanted him for a very long time. They were both adults. Why not take this one time and go after what she wanted?

  Besides, she could work him out of her system this way. Finally end the Ben madness.

  “Courtney?”

  Her toes curled. “I’m going to kiss you.” And she did. She surged up, wrapped her hands around his shoulders, and hauled him toward her. Their mouths met, and she was expecting him to be a good kisser. This was Ben Wilde, after all. But…

  He wasn’t good.

  His lips parted beneath hers. His tongue stroked out. Slid into her mouth. Teased. Caressed. Thrust. Ben was taking his time and seeming to savor her.r />
  No, he wasn’t a good kisser. The man was fantastic.

  He kissed her like he was tasting her. Like she was some kind of delicious wine. He wasn’t too rough or dominating. Didn’t slam his lips into hers. He seduced. He tempted. He had a moan building in her throat as her nails sank into—

  He moved in a flash. Caged her between his body and the wall of the elevator. And he’d lifted her up as he’d moved her. His hands were around her waist, and her legs curled around his hips, an instinctive response. She’d known he was built, but the way he’d just lifted her—he’s strong. Way stronger than she’d given him credit for being.

  She’d seen his strength, though, when he’d pounded her attacker. When he’d attacked with such dangerous and fast force.

  Her heart gave a little squeeze.

  “It’s okay, Courtney, I’ve got you.” His lips took hers again, and the fear that had stirred for just a moment within her vanished.

  It vanished as—

  Ding.

  Her whole body froze because right after that ding, she heard—

  “Ahem.”

  Someone was there.

  She tore her mouth from Ben’s and risked a horrified glance over his shoulder. They weren’t on her floor. She recognized the dark-haired, tattooed guy who smirked at her.

  “Fuck off,” Ben growled at him. “Elevator is full.” He reached over and pressed the button to close the door.

  And, sure enough, those doors slid closed and blocked her neighbor’s hard stare.

  Courtney felt her cheeks burn. No, not burn. Blaze. “OhmyGod.” She unwound her legs from his waist and realized it had probably looked like they were fucking. Right there. Her heels clattered to the floor and she almost fell as—

  Ding.

  The doors opened again. Finally, on her floor. She rushed past Ben and headed straight for her apartment. Hers was the only one on that floor, and her fingers fumbled as she reached for the lock.

  “Courtney.”

  Ben was right behind her. The thick carpeting in the hallway had swallowed the sound of his steps, but she’d known he was closing in. She’d managed to open the door. Her alarm was beeping, so she stepped inside and quickly tapped on the keypad to shut it off.

  Then she turned back to face Ben. He looked so normal. So completely and totally in control. As if caging a woman on an elevator and kissing her like crazy was a normal experience for him.

  Maybe it was. Probably a typical Friday night in his world.

  “Change your mind?” He hadn’t entered her apartment. He stood just beyond the threshold.

  This was her chance. She could easily say that, yes, she’d changed her mind. Made a total mistake because she’d been shaken by the attack. She was shaken.

  But she also just wanted Ben. One night. One stupid night. She could have this. She played by the rules every single day. Why not take one small walk on the wild side? And who better to take that walk with than Ben Wilde?

  Her hand flew out. Her fingers fisted in his shirt-front. He glanced down, and she saw the wink of his dimples. “Is that a yes…or a no?”

  The same question he’d asked her at the bar. She yanked on his shirt, and he came forward. “It’s a hell yes.” What she’d really wanted to say at the bar, but fear had held her back. Insecurity. Worry. “I haven’t changed my mind. I want you, Ben Wilde.”

  He kicked the door shut. “Then you’ve got me.”

  ***

  Cole locked his apartment door. He raked a hand over his face, and he reached for the phone he’d left on his nightstand. It wasn’t a call that he particularly wanted to make, but he had a job to do.

  Watching Courtney McKenna had been an easy enough task. The woman pretty much only lived for her job. But tonight, well…

  His fingers slid over the screen. The call was answered on the second ring. “We’ve got a…problem,” Cole announced. Tension knotted along the back of his neck. “She didn’t come home alone.”

  ***

  “Strip.”

  Courtney blinked at the curt order from Ben. They were in her bedroom, faint light spilled from the nightstand lamp, and Ben filled the doorway.

  “Um…” She reached for the zipper on the back of her dress. He was probably used to women who seduced and tempted like it was second nature. That was so very much not the case for her. She felt awkward and nervous and about a million miles out of her element. But she fumbled and stretched and by some miracle, Courtney actually got the zipper undone. Then she shimmied and the dress pooled at her feet.

  She stood before him, wearing a black bra and black panties. And her heels. She should ditch those, too. Courtney bent down—

  “Oh, no, baby, those definitely need to stay on.” He stalked toward her. His gaze raked over her, and Courtney’s body seemed to heat. Her breasts ached, her sex quivered, and when he reached out his hand to trail his fingers over her arm, Courtney jerked.

  Ben frowned. “You okay?”

  No. Yes. “Let me turn the lamp off.” This would be so much easier in the dark.

  Ben shook his head. “Then I can’t see you.”

  Exactly. That would be why she wanted the lamp—

  “And I want to see every single inch of you.” His hand slid around her back. With a little flick of his wrist, he had her bra dropping to the floor. The cool air teased her breasts, and her nipples were already hard and pointing right at him.

  “Fucking gorgeous.” He curled his hand around her waist and lifted her up. “I’m going to make you go crazy.”

  Her life was controlled. She was controlled. Sex with lovers was good, yes, but not go crazy intense. She wasn’t the screaming, moaning type. She should warn him. No, he should’ve figured that fact out about her by now. He’d seen how she lived her life and—

  “Baby…” He feathered a kiss over her lips. “Do me a favor?”

  “Y-yes?”

  “Stop thinking. Just feel.”

  Then she was on the bed. He was on top of her. He’d lifted onto his arms so his weight didn’t crush her, and he was kissing her with sensual intensity. His legs were between hers, the fabric of his pants brushing along her sensitive thighs. He moved down, down, kissing her neck, sending a shocked rush of lust pounding through her because she’d never thought her neck was particularly sensitive before. And maybe he was just very—

  His lips closed over her nipple. He licked and sucked and her hips rocked up against him. Her breath panted out. That was good. He kept licking. Kissing. Sucking.

  She felt her panties get wet.

  Better than good.

  “We’ll start with moans,” he rasped. “Then work our way up to screams.”

  No, not happening. She was not the type to—

  He was kissing a path down her stomach. Her belly quivered. Oh, wait, was he already heading straight for the finish line? No, he couldn’t. He wasn’t going to just jump right in and—

  His fingers slid along the crotch of her panties. Her teeth sank into her lower lip as she rode his hand. It was an instinctive move because she wanted more of his touch. Wanted it firmer, harder. Wanted the panties out of the way. “Ben!” Not a moan. Not a scream. Just his name. Just a frantic whisper.

  His broad fingers moved under the edge of her panties. He stroked her sex, teasing her clit and then dipping into her core. Courtney’s neck arched as pleasure pierced through her.

  “Always wondered how you would taste…”

  Her eyes locked on him.

  He smiled at her. Then he eased away from her.

  Away? Um, no. Her whole body was quivering. She needed him back!

  He slowly pulled the panties down her legs. Eased them off the high heels that she was still wearing. He dropped the panties, and she didn’t care where they went. She swallowed, twice, because her throat had gone dry.

  He pushed her legs apart. Locked his stare on her exposed sex.

  His dimples weren’t flashing. He didn’t look charming. Didn’t look like the
poised lawyer. He looked wild and rough and sexy.

  And…hungry.

  His head lowered toward her. Her hands flew out and clamped around the sheets even before his mouth pressed to her. She was just getting ready. Kind of bracing herself. She normally didn’t even really like it when—

  His mouth touched her. His lips caressed. His tongue licked. His fingers stroked.

  He knew exactly how to touch her. He acted as if he’d done it a thousand times before. He worked her with his mouth. He licked her clit. He stroked his fingers into her, and he had her moaning out his name as the pleasure built and built. Her whole body had gone bow tight. She was pushed closer and closer to the edge with every lick of his tongue. Her hips arched, her body tensed, and she wanted.

  His tongue thrust into her.

  She came. The pleasure crashed through her as Courtney lost her breath and damn near her mind. It wasn’t some easy, gentle pop of pleasure. It was a full-on avalanche that rolled through her again and again.

  “So fucking beautiful.”

  His gravel-rough voice barely registered, but a moment later, she felt his hips settling between her thighs. Her eyes opened, and she saw him pulling on a condom. He still wore his shirt, but he’d ditched his suit coat at some point. He’d yanked open his pants. Her body quivered with pleasure, and he hadn’t even thrust his cock into her yet.

  She licked her lips. “Ben—” Take off your shirt. Get naked.

  “Just getting started.” His cock lodged at the entrance to her body. His burning blue gaze pinned her. “Just.” A hard thrust.

  Her breath caught.

  “Getting.”

  He withdrew.

  Her legs locked around his hips as she fought to pull him back inside of her.

  “Started.”

  He sank deep, and the aftershocks of pleasure stopped being little ripples. As he withdrew and thrust, he started a rhythm that drove her absolutely insane. Her hands flew up. Her nails dug into his shoulders, pressing into the fabric of his shirt. She wanted his clothes gone. Wanted to be completely naked with him, but her second orgasm was building too fast. She couldn’t slow down. Her body had ignited, and there was no going back.