“Wow.” Andrea says the moment she pushes her way inside. “You've been busy.” She looks around the room, a complete transformation from just two hours ago.
“I figured it would be better just to get it done.” I shrug, peeling open the last two boxes and looking inside to see what I have left. “I just gotta hang these and I'm all set.” I say, dumping both boxes of clothes onto the bedspread.
“Awesome. Well I was just stopping by to get my wallet. Me and Collin are going to catch a Cubs game. You need anything before we go?” She asks, my mind immediately flipping to Bentley. Swallowing down the tightness in my throat, I smile and shake my head.
“No, I'm good here.” I say, sorting through my clothes.
“Okay. Well, call me if you need anything.” She sings, disappearing back out into the hallway with Collin, the door latching softly. I hear the door open again, automatically assuming it's Andrea, I turn towards her.
“You forget something?” I ask, freezing in place when I catch sight of Bentley standing in my doorway.
“What... What are you doing here?” I sputter out, clearly in a state of shock.
“You think you can say what you said to me last night and then just expect me to what, wait around for you to call me and tell me you were drunk and you didn't mean it?” He asks, closing the door behind him and taking a step towards me.
“I wasn't going....” I start but he holds his hand up, gesturing for me to stop talking. Crossing the distance between us with two long strides, he snakes his arm around my waist and pulls my body flush with his, his lips hovering just inches from mine.
“Bentley.” I breathe out, suddenly overwhelmed with the whiplash I seem to be experiencing. One minute, he's all the way on the other side of the country and has made no attempt to call me. The next, he's standing right in front of me. His hands on my body, his scent invading my nostrils. I can't even put into words how good it feels to see his face.
“I wasn't prepared.” He starts, kissing me gently before continuing. “I wasn't prepared for what it would feel like to hear you say those words to me. And then it dawned on me.” He pulls back slightly to look at me. “I wasn't prepared because I didn't think it was possible for you to love me.” He admits, trailing his hand lightly down the side of my face.
“Not possible?” I choke out. “Why would you think that it wasn't possible? Every woman you interact with practically falls at your feet and pronounces their undying love to you. Why would you think I was any different?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.
“I thought it was my punishment. What I deserved for treating women the way that I have. That the one woman I loved would be the one woman to not love me back.” He admits, brushing his thumb across my lower lip as I take a shaky inhale.
“I...” I start but he cuts me off.
“Tell me again.” He leans in, his whispered words dancing across my lips. I want to protest, fight the inevitable and hold out for just a while longer but I know I can't. The moment his eyes hit mine, I have no fight left.
“I love you.” I say against his mouth, pushing my lips to his. He lets me have the smallest taste before pulling back just far enough that he can look directly into my eyes.
“Say it again.” He rasps, pulling my lower body tighter into his so that I can feel his arousal through his pants causing my own desire to take hold. “Say it again.” His voice drops lower.
“I love you.” I say again, this time meeting his eyes.
“Incredible.” He whispers. Taking my mouth on a deep kiss, he pulls me against him, his arms wrapping around me tightly. It's like he is trying to tell me with his body, that he is never going to let me go. Or maybe that's just what I want him to be saying. Completely confident in this moment that there is no where else I would rather spend eternity than right here in his arms.
Chapter Nine
“You realize I am going to make you help me clean up this mess.” I say, gesturing to the two boxes of clothes I emptied on my bed earlier that are now strung all over the floor. Bentley laughs lightly and pulls me back down onto the mattress and into his arms.
“Make me?” He questions, smiling into my hair.
“Oh yes Mr. Reed. Where I'm from, you don't mess up a girl's room and then leave it for her to clean.” I laugh when he chuckles beneath me.
“Is that so?” He questions, turning his face down to look at me.
“It is.” I confirm, not able to contain my smile when his is shining back at me so brightly, it nearly knocks the wind right out of me.
“Perhaps you should have told me this going in, otherwise I think I would have just stayed in Seattle where the housekeepers are more than happy to clean up after me.” He laughs when I lightly swat his chest.
“You could always leave now.” I say, pushing myself up onto my knees. “Run for the hills. Save yourself from the pain of having to clean up your own messes. But then again.” I say, hitching my leg across his waist as I straddle him, our bare bodies coming to life under the contact. “If you stay.” I say, grinding lightly against his hardening erection. “I think I could make it worth your while.” I purr, moaning softly when he pushes upwards against me.
Grabbing my forearm, he pulls me down onto him so that our faces are just inches apart. “You already have.” He whispers, taking my lips gently with his as he shifts beneath me. Sliding inside of me with no warning, I gasp slightly against his mouth.
“Bentley.” I moan into the kiss, lifting and lowering my hips to meet his slow thrusts as his tongue begins working long sweeps inside of my mouth and his hand clutches the back of my hair, holding me in place.
“I could spend every minute of every day buried deep inside of you like this.” He breathes against my mouth. “Feeling the way your body responds to me. The way you tremble. It's the only thing that keeps me going when I am thousands of miles away from you. Knowing that this is what I have to look forward to. That this is my reward when I finally get to come home.” He bites my lower lip gently and then sucks it into his mouth, a moan of pleasure escaping my lips as he does.
“Fuck you feel so good around me.” He trails his tongue across my jaw before nibbling on the flesh at the base of my neck. Every word he speaks, every movement he makes, only brings me that much closer, that much faster.
Within minutes, I can feel my orgasm building inside of me, despite how slow and controlled Bentley is moving beneath me. I want to push back, ride him hard and bring myself to the pleasure that is literally dangling in front of my face, but Bentley's grip holds tight.
When he gives me just enough slack that I can pull back a couple of inches to see his face, I can tell that what he is doing is intentional. The bringing me to the brink and then letting me dangle there, it's all part of his play.
“Patience baby.” He smiles wickedly and then pulls me back down to him, his lips playing lightly against mine. “I want you to feel every inch of the pleasure I can give you. I want you to feel it come from somewhere deep and build until you feel like you can't take another moment.” He breathes against my mouth. He increases his speed but only slightly, just enough that the pleasure that has been threatening to spill over reaches the very boiling point he was just referring to.
“That's it. You feel it don't you baby?” His words are broken and his breathing labored. I can tell that by trying to grant me ultimate satisfaction, he has been torturing himself just the same.
He's fighting to keep himself together for me and that thought alone causes my orgasm to shatter through me, racking through my body with so much intensity, I cry out loudly above him. Taking his mouth with mine, I deepen the kiss when I feel him release inside of me, his body relaxing little by little as we ride out the pleasure together, until eventually he stills my movements and plants a soft lingering kiss to my mouth.
“You are incredible.” He says, giving me a lazy smile when I sit up, his erection still buried deep inside of me.
“So I've been told.” I joke, la
ughing when he flips me so quickly that I don't have time to react, pinning me beneath him.
“I don't ever want to hear you say anything about you with another man. Okay?” He says, trying to swallow down the intensity of his words. I can tell that he's trying to hold it back as to not make me feel like I don't have a choice in the matter.
“I'm sorry.” He breathes, pulling back slightly. “But the thought of you with anyone else, even in the past, I can't handle it.” He gives me a lopsided grin when I burst into laughter.
“Why is that so funny?” He asks, clearly confused by my reaction.
“You realize that you have probably slept with twenty times the amount of people I have and yet, you're the one telling me not to talk about past sexual experiences. It's just funny.” I say, reaching up to push his hair away from his forehead. “And extremely cute.” I admit, latching my hand around the back of his neck and pulling him down to me, my lips finding his instantly.
“Twenty times?” He questions playfully, pulling back to look at me. “How big of a man whore do you think I am?” He asks, cocking his head to the side.
“Let's see. A man with your looks, your money and your power. I would venture to say you have been with at least a hundred women.” I say, immediately wondering if I really want to travel down this road. Do I really want to know his number?
“A hundred?” His eyes widen and then he thinks about it for a moment. “I can assure you I am no where close to a hundred.”
“Then where are you?” I ask, my stomach knotting tightly as I prepare myself for his answer.
“Where are you?” He pulls back a little further, putting about six inches between our faces, his weight supported by his arms.
“I'm sorry but I was given specific instructions not to talk about that.” I say playfully, watching his eyes twinkle at my words. Holding up my hand, I wiggle five fingers at him without saying a word. I watch the recognition in his eyes as he realizes that I am telling him without actually saying anything. “But you are the only one I count.” I smile up at him.
“Good girl.” He winks, kissing me gently and then pulling back again. “This body is mine. Nothing and no one can touch what is mine.” He grinds his hips into me.
“Okay.” I agree weakly, feeling oddly at peace with his commands. While I hate being told what to do, I can't deny the thrill that runs through me at his words. I am starting to think there is something to be said about giving up control, at least a little anyways. “Now tell me yours.” I tack on.
“You really want to know mine?” He asks, like he doesn't understand why I would possibly want to know something like that.
“Not really.” I admit. “But I am a little curious. Give me a ball park.” I say, not missing his hesitation.
“Honestly, I don't know.” He admits.
“Bull shit.” I laugh, assuming he's just messing with me.
“No, really. I don't know. A lot.” He shakes his head and then pushes himself off of me, stepping out of the bed and slipping on his boxers before speaking again. “I'm not proud of who I was but I'm not that man anymore. I need you to understand that.”
“Bentley.” I say, wrapping the blanket around me and pushing into a sitting position. “I do understand that.” I reassure him, taking his hand and pulling him down to sit next to me. “I believe you when you say you want to be with only me and I'm okay with your past too. A past doesn't define who we are but makes us who we become. Your past led you to me and that's all I care about.”
“I don't deserve you.” He says, turning his blue eyes on me.
“That's probably true.” I joke, running my hand playfully through his messy brown locks. “Now help me clean up this mess before Andrea gets back.” I say, pushing myself off of the mattress and quickly slipping on my panties and bra.
“She will be gone for a while.” He gives me a wicked smile as I throw on my tank top.
“What did you do?” I ask, stepping into my jeans before retrieving his suit pants from the floor and throwing them in his direction.
“I called in a favor.” He shrugs, like it's no big deal.
“What kind of favor?” I ask, cocking my head to the side as he stands and slips on his pants, before retrieving his gray button down shirt from the floor.
“The kind that ensures I have the entire day with you.” He winks, taking a step towards me. Reaching out, he grabs the material of my tank top and pulls me into his chest.
“I should have known.” I let out an annoyed sigh, clearly joking.
“Are you complaining?” He asks, dropping his lips to my neck and then across my collarbone before making it back up to my face.
“Not at all.” I get out breathlessly, as he takes my mouth with his.
“Good.” He smiles against my lips before pulling back.
“But you're still not getting out of helping me.” I smile and back out of his embrace.
“Fine. But only if you agree to go to Allure with me later.” He says, missing the way my face drops at his words as he slips on his shoes.
“Do I have to?” I ask, when he turns his eyes back towards me. Trying like hell to keep the whine from my voice.
“I have to be in New York tonight and I don't want to be away from you for even a second of our time together. It will be quick, I promise.” He says.
“Fine. And while we're there, you can fix the whole paycheck issue I seem to be having.” I say, turning my gaze on him.
“I don't understand the issue with your current paycheck.” He says, stopping in the middle of picking up clothes off of the floor to look at me.
“And I don't expect you to.” I say, lightening my tone. “But it would mean a lot to me if you would refrain from showing me any special treatment at work, and that includes messing with my pay.” I say, cutting him off when he opens his mouth to speak.
“It doesn't matter if you understand or if you agree. What matters is that it matters to me and you will do what I ask because you care what matters to me.” I say, watching a slow smile pull up the corners of his incredibly sexy mouth. “I don't want to feel like your paid whore.” I tack on, needing to just say it.
“You are the furthest thing from a whore.” He says, his eyes narrowing in on me. “Don't ever let anyone or anything make you feel like you are any less to me than the woman that I am in love with.” He says, my legs trembling slightly at his words. “And yes, I will do as you request.” He hits me with a bright smile and I can't contain the one now spreading across my own face.
“Thank you.” I manage to get out, before excusing myself for a moment to use the bathroom and freshen up. When I re-enter the room, Bentley is trying to bring some order to the mess of clothing thrown all over the floor and while watching him try to hang my clothing is utterly adorable, the last thing I want to be doing during our time together is cleaning, especially if he is leaving tonight.
“You know what?” I say, interrupting him just as he picks up one of my favorite shirts from the floor. “I don't want to deal with this right now. Do you mind just taking me to get something to eat? I'm fairly certain if I don't get something on my stomach soon that I am going to faint.”
“Don't worry, it's not because you are hungry.” He says, dropping the article of clothing in his hands and crossing the few feet to where I am standing. “You can tell me the real reason why you feel that way.” He jokes, pulling me into his arms.
“And what would that be exactly?” I question, wrapping my arms around his back and laying my head on his chest.
“That my very presence makes you light headed of course.” He laughs at his own joke and then pretends to be winded when I playfully draw back and lay a punch to his stomach.
“You're an ass.” I laugh, trying to break free of the hold he has on me. “Let go.” I get out through my laughter when he wrestles me to the ground and pins my arms above my head.
“The punch I can forgive. But calling me an ass is going to require some sort of punish
ment.” He tisks above me, his eyes dancing playfully across my face.
“What did you have in mind?” I say seductively, playing along with his little game, knowing full well that I will come out on the other side one very satisfied woman.
“First, I think maybe I will use some of this spare clothing to tie you up.” He says, leaning closer to my face. “Then, I think I will lick every inch of this beautiful body of yours until you are so turned on that you will be begging me to give you relief.” His tone drops lower as his face closes in on mine. “And when you feel like you can't possibly take another moment, I'm going to make you. I am going to push your body to the brink until one thrust of my cock has you coming all over me.” The last words come out a whispered breath against my mouth as he grinds his erection between my thighs.
“Is that what you want?” He asks, dropping kisses across my cheek and along my jaw before stopping just below my ear. “Tell me baby. Is that what you want?” He asks, grinding into me harder.
“Yes.” I breathe out, already feeling the moisture pool between my thighs at his words. There is so much promise behind each word he speaks that I find myself not just wanting what he is offering, but craving it.
“Good.” He whispers into my ear and then pushes himself away from my body and into a standing position. “Now, shall we go eat?” He asks, holding his hand out to help me off of the floor.
“Really?” I complain, as he pulls me into a stand.
“The anticipation is the best part.” He promises, pulling me to him. “Don't you agree?” He whispers, taking my mouth with his. Pulling back abruptly, he leaves me winded and a bit flushed as he crosses the room to the door and pulls it open, still buttoning his shirt as I scramble to find my flip flops and slip them on.
“Two can play this game Mr. Reed.” I warn, stepping past him in the doorway and purposely rubbing my body against his.
“I'm counting on that.” He narrows his eyes at me and then pushes the door shut before entwining his fingers with mine and leading me down the hall.
You and I Together Page 7