Paige jumped and Liv nearly screamed when the room phone rang. Who called anyone on hotel phones anymore? Paige picked it up.
“Hello, yeah, good morning. Yep, she’s right here.”
“It’s him,” she mouthed silently.
“Huh?”
“It’s Ben,” she said out loud this time, her hand covering the receiver.
“Oh.”
“Here, take it,” Paige shoved the phone in her direction.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning yourself. I slept longer than I meant to. Actually I didn’t sleep much at all, your fault you know. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Then when I finally drifted off it was nearly sunrise. I just woke up and realized I missed my chance to have breakfast with you this morning.”
“Actually, you didn’t. Paige just woke me up too.”
“Did you dream about me last night Liv?”
Silence.
“Liv? Are you there?”
“Mmm hmm.”
“And? Tell me what you dreamt about.”
“Not a chance.”
“I’ll try to get it out of you over breakfast. How soon can you be ready?”
“Um, I don’t know. I should probably see what Paige is doing for breakfast.”
Liv looked over to see Paige waving her hands and shaking her head no. “Go. Go with him. I have a meeting.”
“Oh. Paige has a meeting, so I guess I could be ready in a half hour.”
“Okay, I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“Wait. What? I just said it would take me a half hour to get ready.”
“Yeah, but I’m gonna help.”
Silence. He’d hung up.
“What? What’s going on? You know, you’re supposed to tell your best friend what’s going on. I shouldn’t have to force it out of you.”
“He’ll be here in ten minutes. He’s going to help me get ready.”
Somehow Paige had managed to get dressed while Liv was on the phone with Ben. She’d even put on makeup and her hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail.
“How did you do that? Five minutes ago you got out of the shower, and now you’re ready to go. And you look good. How?”
Paige picked up her bag and briefcase and nearly ran in the direction of the door. “See you later,” she said as the door closed behind her.
“Wait! When? When will I see you later?” Too late. She was gone. Liv would have to text her.
Oh no! Ben was on his way. She hadn’t brushed her teeth, did she have time to jump in the shower? She had to at least try.
When she got out she could hear him pounding on the door. He barged in as she opened it, grabbing her and lifting her in his arms as though she didn’t weigh a thing.
His hands went to the sash on her robe and instinctively her hands rested over his. “Liv, I’m sorry, last night I told you I wouldn’t push, but please, I can’t keep my hands off of you.”
“Don’t. I don’t want you to.”
“You don’t want me to what?”
“I don’t want you to keep your hands off of me.”
With a growl he untied the sash and slid the robe off her shoulders. “Christ, look at you. Want you, can’t think I want you so much.”
He lifted her off her feet and spun her around, setting her down with the back of her knees at the foot of the bed.
Ben reached behind him and pulled his T-shirt over his head. Their hands met at his belt, both trying to loosen it.
“Hurry,” she heard herself plead.
He slid off his jeans. They stood before each other naked. His lips started working their way down her body. She arched against him.
He knew he was being rough, going too fast. He wanted to slow down, but he couldn’t bring himself to. He stopped and breathed her in. He could feel her trembling. He brought his mouth back up to hers. Softer, slower this time. He wanted to savor her, not devour her.
Her fingernails dug into his shoulders as he grasped her face between his hands. “Liv, I want to be inside you.”
She fell back on the bed and scooted herself up. Ben stood, watching her as she moved.
“I need to look at you.”
She started to move her hands to cover herself and he gripped her wrists, stopping her. “No, don’t hide from me. Let me look at you.”
He let go of her wrists and spread her legs, kneeling between them. He bent down and kissed across her pelvis then up her body. She gasped as his mouth closed on one nipple and his fingers found the other.
“I want to take this slow, but Liv, I need you. Now.”
His voice broke through the haze of pleasure. “Condom,” she said at the same time he ripped one open.
Her body arched as he slid into her. Her breath caught. He’d stopped moving.
“Open your eyes. Look at me Liv. I want you to look at me.” As she met his gaze he started to move again. “So good. It’s so good.” He moved faster, thrusting into her harder. Her hips rose meeting his.
“Please Ben,” he heard her say as the pleasure reached its peak, taking them both over.
Two hours later they decided to order room service since every time they tried to leave, one or the other pulled them back to the bed.
They sat as they had in the hot tub. Her back snuggled up to his front as they fed each other bites of muffin and strawberries.
“I thought you had a full day today.”
“I did. I do.” Ben was sure he was in a heap of crap with everyone. Nobody knew where he was.
Liv scooted away from him and grabbed his phone from his jean’s pocket. “Here, better to face it than sit here worrying about it.”
“How did you know I was worrying about it?”
“Worry is seeping off of you. And quite honestly, it is ruining my post-orgasm fog of pleasure. Figure it out so you can either leave or relax.”
Ben threw his head back and started to laugh. More like roared with laughter. “God, you are really something else. Just when I think I’m starting to figure you out, you go in a direction I never expected.” He squeezed her when he said it, and started nuzzling her neck.
“Check your phone.” She squirmed against him.
“You keep that up and I doubt I’ll make the benefit later.” He looked at his phone. “Huh. That’s weird.”
“What’s that?”
“I don’t have a single message, not even a text.” He started to punch in a number. “Hey,” he said to whoever answered. “What the hell’s goin’ on?”
His crew wasn’t as worried about him as he thought they’d be. In fact, when he left the dinner with Liv, they’d assumed he’d spent the night with her, so when he didn’t come down for breakfast, and didn’t show up to help set up, they figured that’s where he was.
“So,” he said, laying back down and pulling her with him. “I’d say we have at least another hour before I have to leave.”
“Yeah? And what should we do with that hour.”
“The possibilities are endless,” he said as he started kissing his way back down her body.
***
Paige and Liv were seated just to the right of center of the stage, in the first row of tables. They’d missed the first couple of opening bands, but had gotten there in time to see the last one on the stage before CB Rice played. From the glares coming from the people seated around them, Liv guessed their reserved table had sat empty for hours before they arrived.
She hadn’t seen Ben since he left the room a few hours earlier, and the thought of seeing him perform now, when the memory of the two of them together was so fresh in her mind, brought color to her cheeks.
“Whatcha’ thinking about?” Paige smirked. “Did you have a nice afternoon while I slaved away in meetings?”
“Stop it. First of all, you don’t slave. You talk and everyone else listens with bated breath. Secondly, yes, I had a very nice afternoon.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Paige—I don’t ask you to tell me a
bout your sex life with Mark!”
“We’ve been married forever, no one would want to hear about our sex life. You, on the other hand, are sleeping with Ben Rice. That’s something everyone would want to hear about.”
“Shh, lower your voice. God, I’m so embarrassed.”
“No one can hear me over the band, and why would you be embarrassed? He’s . . .”
“Hot. Very hot. Scorchingly hot.”
“See?”
“And that’s all you’re getting out of me.”
“Damn.”
Liv looked in the direction of the bar and saw one of the guys she’d met at dinner, Johnny or Jimmy, or something like that. He waved and motioned for her to come to the bar.
“I’ll be right back.”
As she walked up she saw Ben standing at the bar next to whatever his name was, with his back to her. He turned as she drew closer, and smiled, that devastatingly perfect smile that made her want to slide into his arms and never leave. His worn jeans, with holes and tears in all the right places, sat low on his hips. His Henley crept up as he reached his hand out in invitation, revealing a peak at his rock-hard abs. His signature True Grit plaid shirt, open in the front, stretched across his broad shoulders—and that cowboy hat, sitting down low on his head, almost covering his eyes, was just another of Liv’s weaknesses.
“Wow, look at you all sexy and hanging out at the bar. Aren’t you afraid your fans will mob you?” She slid her body up against his and breathed in the scent of him.
“Nah, I’ve been out here forty-five minutes waiting for you. Nobody recognizes me.”
“Had I known you were waiting for me, looking as hot as you do, I would’ve gotten here much sooner.”
“Me? Look at you, you’re like fire and ice baby.” Liv’s sleeveless red dress clung to every curve of her body. She wore only a single, solitaire diamond necklace, on a long chain that hung down, resting in the hollow between her breasts. Her four-inch nude heels made her legs look impossibly long and her wavy hair framed her face with perfectly placed blonde highlights.
Ben sat on a bar stool, put his arm around her waist, and pulled her closer to him. “I want to kiss you so bad, right here in the bar. Would that embarrass you?”
Liv rubbed her lips across his before pulling back and away.
“That was hardly a kiss. Come here, give me some more of that.”
Before he could pull her closer she stiffened her arm, keeping him at a safe distance. “Careful, your adoring fans may not like seeing you with me.”
“What’s goin’ on with you?” Jimmy asked after Liv was out of earshot.
“I wish to hell I knew. God, just look at her.” Ben breathed in deep and let it out. “I could just eat her up. Have you ever seen a more beautiful woman?”
“I’m confused, didn’t you just meet her? You seem kinda’, you know, over the top.”
“Yeah, I did just meet her. I mean, I met her last summer, after that show we played at Red Rocks.”
“Oh yeah, now I remember, so you met her then, for five minutes, now she’s coming to our shows? Hmm.”
“Nah, it isn’t like that. I ran into her at the pool yesterday morning. And then one other time, at the Goat, in January.”
“And you don’t think she meant to run into you? Come on.”
No, she was different. She hadn’t meant to run into him, it was fate that keep putting her in his path. Liv had been fighting the attraction between them. She didn’t recognize it for what it was. Something special, something unique.
“I’m tellin’ you, it isn’t like that. And I really like her, so back the fuck off.”
Jimmy held up his hands. “Just sayin’, don’t get so touchy.”
Liv could not wait for them to get up on stage. She loved their music so much and couldn’t wait to watch him play, up close, where she could see those big, powerful hands on the guitar, watch his eyes as he sang.
Wow, it was getting hot in here, maybe she should go get some fresh air before they started. Wait, what was she thinking, this was Las Vegas, there wasn’t much fresh air and what there was of it wouldn’t cool her off.
One by one the band members started taking the stage, everyone but Ben. The MC came out, “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome . . . C . . . B . . . R-i-i-i-c-e.” The place was packed, the crowd roared. They started to play and seconds later, Ben came out on stage, guitar in hand, already playing.
They were so close to the stage Liv could see the sweat on his brow. His eyes were closed as he stepped forward and starting singing, “Twisted.” It was clearly a crowd-pleaser.
Can’t blame it on the whiskey, can’t blame it on the smoke, half of me’s in heaven, the other half’s in hell. I might be goin’ crazy, but I just can’t tell. She got me twisted, all torn up. There’s nothin’ I won’t do for her sweet, sweet love.
Ben’s eyes met hers as he sang the words.
Paige elbowed her. “Jeez, this is as hot as he is. He’s singing to you.”
Liv wanted to crawl under the table. It wasn’t that she didn’t like it, she just knew anyone who looked at her would know. They’d know what she and Ben had been doing just a few short hours ago, it had to be written all over her face.
By the third song Liv and Paige were dancing, along with everyone else. The band knew how to get people up on their feet. Liv turned and surveyed the crowd, mesmerized by Ben and the rest of the guys, but mainly Ben. She wasn’t alone in that. He pulled people to him, made them sing along, hang on every word. He was magnetic.
They slowed things down with the next song, the crowd settled back in their chairs, giving Liv an opportunity to just watch Ben play. The muscles in his arms flexed, the corners of his mouth turned down, his eyes closed, and his whole body moved with every sound coming out of his guitar. He threw his head back and really got into it. Just like he did when they were having sex.
“Whatcha’ thinking about now?” Paige elbowed her and grinned. Liv grinned back. Getting him alone again. Never letting go of him once she did. That’s what she was thinking about. She definitely wasn’t thinking about the fact that soon they’d both be getting on a plane, going back to their normal lives. Her boring, miserable, sexless life. Nope, she wasn’t going to think about that at all.
When she looked back up at Ben, he was watching her, his brow a little furrowed, as though he wondered where her mind was, and why it wasn’t on him. That was silly, he was playing in front of a room full of people, lost in his music, lost in his fans, she doubted very much he even remembered she was there.
They played for another hour, then came back out for three encores before the break leading to the last band taking the stage. One of the other guys from CB Rice came out to their table.
“Ben asked if you’d come back stage with me. Paige, will you be okay out here by yourself for a few minutes? Liv won’t be too long.”
“Of course, go! I’m fine.” Liv saw Paige had already struck up a conversation with the table next to them. Liv never had to worry about Paige, she had never known a stranger, only friends she hadn’t met yet.
“Hi! Come here baby,” Ben reached out for her. “No, wait, I’m all sweaty.”
“I don’t care,” she said as she rested her body next to his. “I like it when you get me sweaty.”
Ben pulled her in closer, bent his head and kissed her. Liv’s mouth opened beneath his. The kiss deepened, Liv’s hand went to Ben’s cheek, his hand went to her bottom and pulled her in closer to him. “God, you’re so sexy.”
“No, I’m not. You, on the other hand—” Liv couldn’t finish, everything about him turned her on. His fingertips drifted down, to where her dress rested against the swell of her breasts.
“You have no idea, do you? What you do to me. What you were doing to me while I was up on stage? All I could think about was being inside you. Every song, every note, I’d close my eyes and see you there, writhing beneath me.”
“You were thinking about me?”
&nbs
p; “You weren’t thinking about me? About us? About this? Getting horizontal with me again?” His arms wrapped around her waist and he playfully kissed the side of her neck, under her ear, down and over her shoulder. “I wish we could go off on our own, I want to be alone with you, I don’t want to share you with anyone else right now.”
Liv held her breath. She’d like nothing better. But what about Paige, and the rest of the show?
“But we can’t, at least not for a little while. Listen, I’m gonna go talk to the guys for a minute, hang out before the next band goes on stage. They’re setting up a roped off section for us, somebody’s probably already getting Paige moved and situated. I can’t come out before they start their set, but I’ll be out shortly after that.” He pulled her in again and ravaged her mouth with his. “Then later, it’s you and me. Got it?”
“Mmm hmm,” she couldn’t speak, only nod. She got it.
The guys from the final band were pros. Their horn section alone reverberated throughout the club. When she’d seen them before it was at an amphitheater filled with ten thousand other people, and even in that setting, they were bigger than life. Seeing them here, even if she hadn’t planned to see CB Rice, was something she was glad she hadn’t missed.
The House of Blues closed their doors after the show, but with the number of bands that had participated in the benefit, the place was still packed. Everyone wanted to talk to Ben, Liv hadn’t seen him for over an hour. Paige was engrossed in conversation with a power-looking couple someone said had something to do with Mandalay Bay management.
She didn’t want to pout, but she was bored, and tired. Exhausted. She wanted to crawl into bed. The problem was, she didn’t want to crawl into it alone. Why did she always surround herself with people who were so much more interesting than she was? Ben, Paige, Scott, even her parents had always been so much more interesting than she was.
***
Liv grew up loving Scott Fairchild. As far as she was concerned, there wasn’t a better man alive, or a more handsome one. Her dad had mentored Scott as a cadet at the Air Force Academy, and helped guide his career. He came to their house often. When Scott got his promotion to captain, her parents threw a small celebration dinner for him at their house. Scott planned the trip to Colorado Springs so he would be promoted there, by Liv’s father.
And Then You Fall (Crested Butte Series) Page 4