Craving Him (5 page)

7

Ben

When we reached my apartment I led Emmy inside, my hand resting against the small of her back. I flicked on the lights, giving my apartment a warm glow. Emmy settled on the couch while I gathered a bottle of red wine, a wine opener, and glasses from the kitchen. When I joined her on the couch I handed her a glass of the wine. I read the hesitation in her eyes that said she probably shouldn’t have another, yet she took it. She hadn’t directly answered me about Fiji but the interest in her eyes when I’d mentioned it was unmistakable. Though I’d hated how her first question had been about Fiona. I wanted to earn back her trust, but that single statement told me I hadn’t.

“Cheers.” I clinked my glass with her. “To Fiji.” I grinned crookedly, hoping she’d give me an answer this time.

Her mouth pursed down. “Ben.”

“Yes, dear?” I smiled, innocently.

Emmy’s mouth curved up like she couldn’t help but smile at my expression.

“Will you come?”

Her eyes widened. “I said I’m thinking it over. Just give me some time.” Her tone was low, serious. “I don’t want to rush everything with us again.”

I fisted my hands at my sides and released a slow exhale. Emmy, refusing to meet my eyes, set her untouched wineglass on the coffee table. Inside the restaurant she seemed open to the idea of joining me. Now it seemed, with a little more time to think it over, she was questioning things again. I didn’t like the furrowed line in her forehead or the way her eyes drifted from mine. “Emmy, talk to me. Please.” I smoothed my thumb across the crease in her brow.

She released a heavy sigh and met my eyes. “Time, Ben. That’s all. It’s going to take time.” She rose to her feet. “And right now I need to go. I need to look for jobs.”

What the hell?

“Now? It’s . . .” I looked at my watch. “Ten thirty.”

“Yes. Now.” She grabbed her purse from beside the table and dashed for the door.

I caught her in the hall, lightly gripping her upper arms and turning her to face me. “Wait. If you need to go, at least need let me call Henry.”

She glanced at the floor between us. “No, it’s fine. I’d prefer to take the train. It’ll give me time to think.”

She was out of my grasp and heading to the elevator before I had time to react. My legs jumped into action and I pinned her against the wall where she stood. “Stop. Don’t run from me, dammit. Tell me what’s going on.” Her refusal to meet my eyes, her sudden need to get away, all had my heart hammering in my chest. “What’s this about? Why are you really leaving?”

“I’m going to the library in the morning. They’re holding a career resources seminar that I want to attend at ten. I want to be in my own apartment to get ready in the morning. I already mapped out the train route to get me there.”

“I’ll have Henry take you to the library in the morning.”

“I don’t have clothes here.”

“I have staff working for me, baby. I’ll send them out to pick up whatever you need.” As if I would have her go without.

She shook her head. “Ben, not everything revolves around you.”

Until I felt like she was really back with me, I wouldn’t let this go. I didn’t like her keeping me at a distance. We were in this together. She needed to see that.

“I just don’t want to do anything I might regret in the morning . . . and you tempt me,” she admitted, her voice just a whisper.

She thought I wanted to take her to bed. She was right, but I wasn’t about to force her. “When I fuck you again, I told you . . . it’ll be because you’re begging for it.”

She whimpered and drew a shuddering breath.

Gliding my index and middle fingers into her mouth, Emmy sucked at them greedily, making my dick rise. Her eyes stayed on mine while her tongue drew circles around my digits. The gesture itself was innocent but we both knew what I wanted—to slide these fingers inside her hot, tight little opening.

I pulled my hand away and captured her mouth in a kiss. And not just any kiss. A tongue-probing-lip-crushing-I-want-to-fuck-you kiss. If she was going to turn me down, I would at least leave her with something to think about later. And her tingling lips and wet panties would ensure she’d be remembering me. Working my hand into the front of her pants, I pushed my fingers into her panties. Warm, soft, and wet. My dick lengthened and pushed against my zipper. “You say you don’t want to fuck, but this pussy’s nice and wet for me, baby.”

Emmy groaned and buried her hands in my hair, pulling me back to her mouth. “No sex, Ben. Not yet.”

I wondered if she was waiting to hear the results from my STD test, which had come back negative, or if she was just . . . waiting for some unknown point in the future. I saw no point in waiting. I knew I loved her, knew I wanted to be with her, but if it was what she wanted, I would respect it. Even if I did tease her a little.

I circled her clit, eliciting a tiny whimper from her, but she didn’t stop me. I wondered if she’d use me for her orgasm and then leave. If that was the case, I had no problem with stroking my own dick until I came. I just wanted to touch her. To watch her get off.

Her hips pushed toward mine and when she felt my erection brush against her belly, a low moan tumbled from her parted lips. My fingers continued massaging her. Her pink cheeks and stuttering breaths told me she was close.

Suddenly aware we were still in the hallway, I ripped my hand free from her pants and hauled her inside my apartment. I would make damn sure no one got to hear Emmy when she came. Her moaning out my name was the best sound in the world. And only I was entitled to hear it.

Once we were back inside I didn’t allow Emmy the chance to change her mind. I needed to touch her like I needed my next breath. It had been too long. I’d prefer to watch her strip off her clothes piece by piece and let me kiss and taste her skin, but I’d settle for a quick orgasm if that was all I’d get from her tonight.

Unbuttoning her pants and pulling them down to her knees, I ripped the panties from her body, discarding the scrap of lace beside us on the floor. “Sorry. I hope those weren’t your favorite pair.”

She raised an eyebrow. She knew I wasn’t sorry. Not a bit.

I could smell the scent of her arousal, and my mouth watered to taste her. I pressed one hand flat against the wall next to her head and leaned closer to kiss her pretty mouth. Emmy returned my kiss; her warm tongue probing my mouth was the only encouragement I needed. I brought my free hand between us and found her silken folds. She was shaved bare. Just the way I liked it so that all her hot flesh was exposed to my touch.

With each sweep of my fingers over her clit Emmy groaned. Her breathing grew shaky and I knew she was close. I slid one finger inside her, pushing it in and dragging it out slowly.

“Bennn . . .”

My cock responded to her husky voice, a warm droplet of fluid leaking from the tip.

When I felt her clench around my finger and begin to tremble I removed my hand and pressed both against the wall behind her, caging her in.

“Ben?” She was breathless. “I was about to . . .”

“I know.”

Her brows drew together. “Why’d you stop?”

It was a manipulative-asshole move but I needed her to understand our relationship was deeper than a quick romp against the wall in my entryway. Emmy needed to see that. And if she didn’t, I would show her. “Stay the night with me. I’ll happily finish this in my bed with you undressed beneath me.”

Her expression changed from one of passionate desire to confusion in a heartbeat’s time. “You’re denying my orgasm to con me into staying with you?”

“No, baby. Of course not.” My voice turned sweet, soft, and I stroked her cheek with my knuckle. “I want to give you everything and more. You just have to let me.”

She blinked up at me, thinking it over. Determination blazed in her eyes and her teeth sunk into her bottom lip. Emmy gripped my right wrist and brought my fingers into the warm cavern of her mouth, surprising me. She swirled her tongue and sucked at them in a way that had all my attention.

Then she slid my fingers from her mouth and lowered my hand to her still damp sex. Her little nub was swollen and distended and I knew she needed release, but I wouldn’t have imagined she’d demand it this way—to use my own fingers against me. But that was exactly what she was doing. I let my hand go limp, allowing her to move it as she wished. She pressed my fingers against her clit, rubbing the pads of my fingers in slow circles that quickly increased in pace as her body responded.

Tiny whimpers fell from her lips and her pelvis rocked forward in time with my hand’s movement.

As much as I’d wanted to prove a point between us tonight, I was powerless to remove my hand from her grip. Watching Emmy get herself off was insanely fucking hot. Her chest rose and fell with her quick inhalations until suddenly she sucked in a breath and held it, coming on my hand. I pushed two fingers inside her clenching sex muscles. She released a low moan, her body going limp as her orgasm subsided. I had never wanted to fuck her more, seeing this version of Emmy—confident, in control, and so sexual. It was maddening. I held her in place while little tremors pulsed through her limp body.

Once the aftershocks subsided she released a contented sigh and pulled her pants back into place and fastened them. “Don’t play games with me or try to deny me.” Her voice was surprisingly composed. She pressed a chaste kiss to my lips.

I stood there dumbfounded, wondering what this sexual creature had done with my sweet, eager-to-please southern belle.

She reached out and gave my erection a gentle squeeze. “Good night.”

I watched her walk out the door, the sway in her hips confident, almost cocky.

I dropped my head, rubbing a hand over the back of my neck. Her torn panties lay on the floor at my feet. Like Cinderella leaving a slipper behind, the scrap of lace was my only evidence she’d been here at all.

Unable to process what had just happened between us, I retreated to my room, falling heavily back onto the bed. I was still rock hard and turned on, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to think clearly until that was attended to.

Freeing myself from the confines of my pants, I stroked my dick in fast, uneven strokes until I came. Milky white fluid spilled onto my clenched abdominals in a matter of minutes.

The score was Emmy one, Ben zero. I needed to change that. Laying there breathless and confused, an idea struck me. A solution to all this. It looked like I’d be paying a visit to her roommate Ellie tomorrow to settle a few things.

8

Ben

When I arrived in Queens that morning a quick check of the clock told me that Emmy should be at the library for her seminar. I pressed the button for their intercom, hoping her roommate was home.

“Yeah?” Ellie said a moment later.

“Hey, it’s Ben. Can I come up for a minute?”

“Um, Emmy’s not home.”

“I know. I wanted to talk to you alone, actually.”

“Oh.” Her confusion was evident in her tone, even through the scratchy intercom speaker. “Okay. Come on up. I’ll buzz you in.”

I took the stairs to apartment 4B. The aroma of various international cuisines hit my nostrils inside the building, along with the smell of damp, sour laundry from the first-floor laundry room.

When I reached their unit Ellie was standing in the doorway waiting for me. “Well, look who it is . . . the man, the legend, Mr. Ben Shaw.” She smiled sarcastically. “What brings you by?”

“I was hoping we could talk about a few things concerning Emmy.”

“Sure.” She waved me inside after her and closed the door. “You want anything to drink?”

“I’m fine, thank you.” We headed toward the one small sofa dominating their living room and sat down.

“So . . .” Ellie cocked her head, waiting for me to explain my presence here.

“I’d like Emmy to move in with me. I know she’s worried about finding a job and paying rent here. She could work for me and live with me to take care of both problems.”

“That’s a bit sudden, don’t you think?”

I shrugged. “Not when I know we belong together. I don’t take this lightly. I’ve never lived with a woman; I’ve never even considered it. Emmy has challenged everything I thought I knew about relationships. I want this. And it has nothing to do with her being late on her rent, either.”

Ellie’s expression softened. “Why are you telling this to me and not her?”

“Because I know her and how determined she is to make her own way. She might require some convincing, a gentle nudge in the right direction.”

“You want me to help you convince Emmy to move in with you and what, be your personal sex slave?” She raised her brows, taunting me. “Sounds like a demanding position.”

“No. I’d like her to be my assistant. And yes, when I talk to her about all this I assume she’ll ask your opinion. I was hoping you’d see things my way.”

Ellie looked skeptical.

“I’ve also taken the liberty of hiring a roommate-finding service for you. They advertise the room opening, interview applicants for you, and complete background checks on potential tenants. You would have your rent covered here.”

Her eyes lit up and locked on mine. I could tell I’d just hit on a key point. I’d known that Ellie was working overtime to cover both shares of their rent. And now that I was paying attention, I noticed her skin was pale and dark circles underscored her eyes. She looked worn out.

“If she brings it up to me, I’ll talk to her. But I’m not going to convince her to do something she doesn’t want to do.”

I nodded. “Okay. I understand.” I wasn’t going to force Emmy into this arrangement, either. But if she worked for me, she’d be free to join me in Fiji and any other place I was working. I needed her with me. Plain and simple. And Emmy had immensely enjoyed her travels in Paris and Milan. This would be a chance for her to see the world.

I rose to leave, wanting to be gone by the time Emmy arrived home. “Thanks, Ells.”

“Ells. I like that.” She patted the top of my head like a dog. “Maybe you’re not such a bad guy after all.”

I chuckled as I exited the apartment. Maybe one day I’d win her over.