by T L Swan
“Watch me, Bridget,” he commands.
I drag my eyes back to his.
“You watch my tongue lick up your cream and make this pretty little cunt dance.” He licks his lips and sucks me again. The look of sheer pleasure on his face makes me blush.
I begin to convulse. For fuck’s sake. How is one man so hot?
He bites my clitoris and I throw my head back and come in a rush.
Fuck’s sake, I lasted two minutes.
He smiles as he licks me up, and then lifts one of my legs and then the other over his shoulders. In one sharp movement, Ben slams home deep.
“Ben!” I cry out.
“I got you, babe,” he murmurs against my lips, and lies down on me.
Then he kisses me, and it’s soft and tender and caring and… God.
This can’t end. What we have is too good to ever end.
As if sensing my feelings, his face creases with pain against mine and he holds me that bit closer.
His body starts to ride mine. Long, slow, and deep. Our eyes are locked, and damn, this is the best sex I’ve ever had in my entire life.
Who am I kidding?
Every time with Ben is the best time of my life. The man is one hell of a lover.
Perspiration covers us as we drink each other in.
“Now…” he whispers, sensing his fast-approaching climax. “You need to come now.” He picks up the pace and I clench around him.
He moans a guttural sound and buries his head deep into my neck, while I smile at the ceiling.
You won’t forget this in a hurry, big boy.
His pumping gets harder and deeper, faster and faster, and I clench around him before I fall.
“Ahh…” I breathe.
I scrunch my eyes shut to stop the tears. He moans as he comes deep inside me.
We kiss, for a long time. It’s soft and tender, and his body is still in mine, slowly emptying itself with slow pumps.
“I love you, Ben,” I whisper.
“I love you, too,” he breathes as he rests his head against my cheek. He pauses for a moment. “That’s why I have to leave you.”
He pulls out of my body in one quick rush.
What? I sit up. No. “What are you talking about?” I whisper. “We can work it out.”
His eyes search mine. “This is goodbye, Bridget; don’t make this any harder than it already is.”
“Ben…” I whisper. My body is still throbbing from the beating he just gave it.
He pulls on his clothes and I watch on in silence.
Don’t go. Please, don’t go.
With one last, lingering kiss, he stands and leaves my room without looking back.
I stare at the door after it closes behind him.
No. Please, God.
That didn’t just happen.
Despair fills me.
I curl into a ball. My heart physically hurts in my chest, and I weep.
1
Bridget
Five years later
I smile at my beloved sister across the backseat and squeeze her hand. “God, it’s so good to see you,” I whisper.
Tash smiles sadly. “It really is.”
“How long has it been since we were in the States?” Abbie frowns.
“Five months.” Natasha sighs as she blows out a deep breath. “But remember, you’re coming over for Thanksgiving.”
“Try and stop us,” Abbie murmurs as she reapplies her lip gloss. She rolls her lips as she studies her reflection in her compact mirror.
We’re in the back of Natasha’s car on our way to a cocktail bar to meet the boys. Natasha, my sister, has lived in the United States with her husband, Joshua, and their children for five years, and now she’s come home to Sydney, Australia, for a family wedding tomorrow. I’ve been so excited to have her home, I haven’t been able to sleep all week.
Our best friend, Abbie, is with us, along with Natasha’s two security guards who are in the front. Max is driving, and Anton is in the passenger seat.
Joshua, Natasha’s husband, is an app developer who hit the big time. Security is ridiculously high around her and their kids after everything they’ve been through.
Tash holds her hands in the air in an over-exaggerated gesture. “So, tell me everything. What have I missed?”
I shrug. “Well…” I glance at Abbie. “I don’t know.”
“I can’t wait to meet your new boyfriend, Didge.” Tash smiles.
I smile. Everyone calls me Didge. It’s short for Bridget.
“I can’t wait for you to meet him, either. He’s coming to the wedding tomorrow.” I smile proudly.
“Great.” Tash beams.
“Eric is…” Abbie pauses, and narrows her eyes as she thinks of the perfect analogy. “You’ll hate him, Tash.” She smirks.
My mouth drops open, but I’m unable to contain my broad smile. “You will not.” Bloody Abbie and her far too honest opinions.
“Will, too,” Abbie snaps. “Wait till you meet him. He spends more time looking in the mirror than looking at Bridget. He thinks he’s Starsky or Hutch, or some shit.”
Natasha’s eyes flicker to me in question.
“He’s not that bad.” I laugh. “And yes, he’s a cop… and he’s smoking hot, so he’s got a lot to love. Keep your opinions to yourself, Abs. Please remember you’re dating a gorilla on steroids. You can’t exactly judge.”
Natasha and Abbie laugh, and I glance up and see Max smirking in the rearview mirror.
“Yeah, well, that gorilla is an animal. I’m so down with gorillas.”
Tash and I smirk because Abbie is a slut—a bona fide, self-confessed, slut. She loves men and sex, and she’s enjoying every perk of being a super attractive single woman. Her hair is long and golden, and she has a kicking body that she shows off unashamedly.
She has every man she meets eating out of her hand.
Her mantra is no boyfriends, no strings… just fun.
And, boy, does she have fun. I don’t know how she has the energy, to be honest. It seems like a lot of work.
The car comes to a slow crawl before it stops, and we climb out to make our way to the bar where we’re all meeting.
Joshua, Cameron, Scott, and Adrian are all sitting at a table, and we make our way over.
“Didge!” Cameron calls as he grabs me in a headlock. I laugh and make my way around the table to kiss them all on the cheek.
“Oh, it’s so good to see you all. I’m getting a drink first and then I’ll be right back.” I smile.
I walk to the bar, buzzing because my family is home and it feels so damn good.
We’re in for a great weekend. They’ll all get to meet Eric tomorrow, and things are going to plan.
“Hello, Bridget,” a familiar voice sounds from behind me.
I turn in a rush and then step back in shock.
Dear God…
The blood drains from my face.
“Ben?” I whisper. He towers over everyone around him and, as if my body recognizes the strength he holds, I immediately weaken.
I stare at him for a moment, trying to register what I’m seeing, and my heart starts to hammer in my chest. “Ben?” I say again with a frown before I shake my head. Well, blow me down. “What…” I have no words. “What are you doing here?”
His gaze moves down my body. “I’m here for you.”
I frown. “What?”
“You heard me.”
I raise my eyebrows. Is he fucking kidding me? “You came all the way to Sydney to see me?” I ask sarcastically. Funny that, because the dipshit hasn’t even called me in five years.
I glance over at my group of friends and fold my arms in front of me defensively. “You needn’t have bothered,” I snap.
He smiles sexily, and I narrow my eyes. Don’t get fucking cute now, asshole.
I’m so over you.
“When I got the invite to come here, the first thing I asked was ‘is Bridget going?’ I wanted to catch up and see how you’re doing.
It’s been a long time.” His eyes drop to my lips, and it makes me uncomfortable. Don’t look at me like that.
My eyes widen with horror. “Y-you’re coming to the wedding?” I stammer.
He raises an eyebrow. “I flew in this morning especially for it.” He glances over to our table. “I’m here with Stan, Cam, and Murph. A reunion, so to speak.”
I stare at him as my brain tries to keep up.
Oh, no. No, no, no. I’m introducing my new boyfriend to everyone this weekend. I don’t need my long-lost asshole ex thrown into the mix.
Damn it.
This is so fucking typical.
Shit.
I lift my chin defiantly. “You should have checked with me first to see if that was okay.”
My eyes roam over his broad chest beneath his black T-shirt, and then I find myself glancing down to his faded blue jeans that fit snugly in all the right places. His strong forearms are screaming for more focused attention, but I refuse to give in, and I quickly snap my eyes away.
Why does he have to be so gorgeous? It’s annoying. Surely, he should be bald, fat, and ugly by now.
He smiles cheekily. “And is it?”
I frown. “Is it what?”
“Is it okay that I’m here?” he asks sarcastically.
“No.” I flick my hair over my shoulder in annoyance. “Actually, it’s not. You should crawl back under the rock you came from.”
He smirks and gives me that cheeky look he’s perfected so well.
I begin to perspire as I look around at my surroundings.
Don’t start with your being hot now. I exhale in annoyance because I don’t need this crap. I glance down at my jeans and my off–the-shoulder flowy cream top. Why didn’t I wear something sexier tonight? I knew I should have worn the red dress.
I internally kick myself. Stop it!
Who cares what you’re wearing? Ben is an asshole, you have a boyfriend, and this is a fucking disaster.
His dark eyes return to focus on my lips, and I feel the nerves in the pit of my stomach start to simmer.
Oh, I remember that look.
“What will it be?” the bartender asks.
I lean over the bar. “Can I have three margaritas, please?” I smile. It’s the cute bartender serving—the one we often see here.
He winks with a friendly smile and turns to make our drinks.
Ben shuffles around and then stands directly behind me. Close… too close… and I feel his hard body fit snugly up against mine. He’s warm and hard.
I close my eyes as my body starts to thump.
It’s just a tight space, that’s all. He’ll move in a minute, I tell myself.
Why does his body radiate so much power?
Somebody pushes us from behind. His hand drops to my hip as his body pushes up against mine with force.
I stand up from my leaning position in a rush.
“Whoa, baby,” he whispers in my ear from behind. His body is snug up against mine and his hand is still firmly on my hip, his lips at my ear.
“Ben,” I announce as I look straight ahead to the bar. “Get your hand off my hip and your lips away from my ear before I glass you.”
He chuckles, and I feel his breath dust my neck. “You’ve still got that snarky sense of humor, I see.”
I want to reply, and you’ve still got that big beautiful dick, I bet, but I stop myself.
He moves closer and his lips brush my ear again. “It’s good to see you, Bridget. You feel so good pressed against me.”
I swallow the lump in my throat. Christ Almighty.
That’s it.
I pull away from him in a rush. “Listen, Ben. You don’t get to touch me anymore. In fact, you don’t even get to talk to me.”
He smiles a slow, sexy smile and steps toward me. “Really?”
I nod nervously and fold my arms in front of me. “Really. I have a boyfriend,” I spit.
He steps forward again until his body is towering over mine, and he bends and leans in to whisper in my ear. “Bring him to me. We need to meet.”
2
Bridget
“‘Bring him to me’?” I repeat with a raised brow. Is he kidding me? “What are you, Henry VIII now?” Unable to help it, I smirk. “What are you going to do, Ben? Behead him?”
His eyes hold mine for an extended moment. “Possibly.” He must realize how ridiculous he just sounded because he smiles sexily. “It’s tempting.”
Our eyes lock and a ripple of electricity zaps in the air between us.
Cut it out.
Silence hangs, but he finally breaks it. “It’s good to see you, Didge. I’ve thought of you often.”
My eyes search his. I get a lump of regret in my throat and I just want to shake him for putting me through hell.
I force a smile. “You, too.”
I don’t mean it. Seeing him only makes it hurt that little bit more, knowing we didn’t work out. Unfortunately, I wasn’t imagining the chemistry we had. I always had hoped that maybe it had been a dream. I thought that if we ever saw each other again it would be like seeing an old friend in the street—I would feel nothing and be happy that I had moved on and made a life without him.
That’s not even close to the truth, though. I feel mad, hurt, and it feels like only yesterday that he left me without a care in the world.
Time has changed nothing. In fact, everything feels magnified.
Damn it!
You’re an idiot, Bridget. Stop it. It doesn’t matter; it’s in the past.
He hesitates for a moment, as if wanting to say something. I feel like I do, too, but I don’t know what. I mean, there obviously isn’t anything to say.
So many things have changed since he left, but one thing sure hasn’t: that feeling of affection between us. I just want to wrap my arms around him and tell him I missed him. I frown; the magnetic pull to him is weird… and strong. So strong.
Snap out of it, stupid.
He’s an asshole.
“Here you go.” The bartender smiles as he hands over the tray of margaritas. I smile, pay, and lift the tray to turn back toward Ben. “I’ll see you back at the table?” I ask.
He nods once, clearly distracted, and I make my way through the crowd with my heart hammering in my chest.
Fucking hell. Calm down, I try to tell myself. It’s okay. Just because he’s here doesn’t mean anything.
Stop overreacting, Bridget.
I place the tray on the table and fall into my seat between Tash and Abbie, passing them their drinks. Cameron is telling a story, and everyone is listening attentively, laughing when appropriate, and I find myself looking around the table with a broad smile on my face. I’m here with my favourite people in the whole world tonight. Tash and Josh, Cam, Adrian and Abbie—it doesn’t get better than this. With Cam, Adrian, Josh, and Tash all living in the States, the times when we get together are sacred.
My people. My favourite people.
Adrian reaches over, takes my hand, and squeezes it reassuringly. My beautiful Adrian.
When he broke up with his boyfriend, Nicholas, and I broke up with Ben all those years ago, we became very close. We even lived together for six months in L.A. when I moved in with him. We speak daily, and he’s such a blessing in my life. He knows that I’ll be rattled from seeing Ben. I don’t have to tell him what I’m thinking… he just knows.
I wonder if Tash knew Ben was coming. Why didn’t she say anything?
My question is answered when Natasha’s mouth drops open in shock as Ben approaches the table. “Ben!” she shrieks, standing up in excitement.
Abbie’s eyes widen, and she snaps them to me. I fake a smile… one that says, Oh, I know.
Natasha and Abbie both stand, and Ben grabs them in an embrace.
“Oh, my God, it’s so good to see you.” Tash smiles into Ben’s shoulder.
“It’s been too long,” Ben replies as his eyes find me across the table. He turns and kisses Abbie.
“
Hey, Abs.” He smiles. “Still hot,” he teases.
“You know it, big boy.” She smiles as she kisses him on the cheek.
He takes his seat next to Joshua, and all eyes fall on him.
“Joshua. Why didn’t you tell me Ben was coming?” Natasha asks excitedly.
“Because I didn’t know.” Joshua smirks. “Sneaky bastard didn’t tell anyone but Wilson.”
“Why not?” Abbie asks.
Ben’s eyes find mine again. “I thought I would surprise you all.”
“Surprise!” Tash and Abbie laugh in unison.
“Where have you been since I saw you last?” Cameron asks Ben.
The conversation falls to Ben up the other end of the table. As he answers, I pick up my phone to try to stop myself from hanging on his every word. I can’t believe he’s here.
Impeccable timing.
I notice a little number ‘1’ on the microphone picture on my phone and I frown. What the hell is wrong with this stupid phone? Why does it keep doing that?
Without realizing it, I frown and try to clear the damn thing.
Adrian frowns across the table, in question, sensing my frustration.
I shake my head, confused. “This stupid phone keeps recording things,” I reply.
“Huh?” He frowns.
I shrug. “I don’t know, it just randomly comes on and records stuff.” I pass it to Adrian and he studies it carefully while I sip my margarita. My nerves are shot with Ben here. I need to be careful and not get drunk, or tell him what I really think. Although, what that is I just don’t know. You’re hot, you’re an asshole, you look completely fuckable. Oh, let’s just start with Bridget is an idiot!
My thoughts are interrupted.
“And you don’t turn it on?” Adrian asks.
I shake my head. “Nope. It’s got a mind of its own.”
He frowns as he clicks into my settings to try to work it out.
“It’s annoying because it’s using up all the battery and it keeps running out.”
“Joshua?” Adrian asks across the table.
Joshua looks up from his conversation with Ben, unaware what we’re talking about.
“Have a look at this,” Adrian says as he passes my phone up to him. Joshua is our resident tech-head. Being an app developer and all, he can usually work out most things.