Now and Again (13 page)

He’d felt the primal need to get off regularly since adolescence, but had never felt that only one woman could sate it until now. It was unnerving, being under Layla’s thumb like this. It had taken every ounce of his self-control not to ravage her in the back of her sister’s bakery.

At the sound of the doorbell, he stood and adjusted himself. He grabbed his wallet and tried not to grin as a pimpled kid stared up at him from the doorway, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed.

“Uh . . . order for Carson,” he said, his voice cracking.

“Yep, how much?” Ben said.

“The lady who called paid over the phone.”

Ben shook his head as he reached for the bag and handed the kid a tip. “Well, here.”

“No, she took care of that, too, sir. And she said to make sure we used light mayo, and we did. Have a nice night.”

“You, too.”

Layla emerged from the bathroom, a fluffy pink robe hanging open over a black tank top and the boxers Ben had given her. He let his mouth drop open as he studied her wet, wavy hair and bright smile. She wore dark-framed reading glasses, and there was something about seeing her so raw and fresh that made Ben want to rip the robe off her then and there.

“Let’s eat,” she said.

He knew it must seem like he was brooding as he ate the pastrami sandwich and stared at her in silence, but his thoughts had drifted to her sharp inhale when he’d pulled on her ponytail earlier this evening. He remembered her asking if he wanted to tame the untamable, and he knew he didn’t just want to tame her, he wanted to
own
her. He wanted to be the only one who made her breathy and hot like she’d been earlier.

“You’ll stay the night, right?” She got up from the table and didn’t even wait for his answer. “I have to go brush my teeth.”

“Where’s Prince?” Ben asked, looking around the apartment for the hound. He’d stayed the night before, too, taking Prince out when Layla fell asleep on the couch.

“With Travis and Jill.”

“How’d they get in to get him? Did you leave the door open?”

“No, they’ve got a key. They’re the only ones I gave the new key to.”

Ben stripped down to his boxers and stretched out on the silky sheets of Layla’s bed, his feet hanging off the end. He rested a forearm over his eyes, telling himself he could handle this setup for a few more days. Did Layla know how crazy she was making him?

He heard movement next to the bed and lifted his arm. Layla stood close to him, and she took her glasses off and sat them on a bedside table. She even made that look good in a naughty teacher sort of way.

They locked eyes and Ben saw something he’d never seen in Layla’s expression. She almost looked uncertain, and he reached for her hand, lacing his fingers loosely with hers. Slowly, she swung a leg up over him, climbing on top of him and settling her hips against his. Her vanilla coconut scent and the feel of her body against his made Ben’s cock spring to life.

He laid his hands on the bare skin of her thighs, stroking her gently and allowing his fingers to creep under the edge of his boxers, which it drove him wild to see on her.

Layla’s big brown eyes were full of seduction as she tipped her head back and let her hair fall behind her. She lowered herself and brushed her lips against his, running her tongue across his lower lip. He unconsciously gripped her hips and pulled her against him.

Her warm mouth trailed its way to his chin, then his neck, and soon he felt Layla nipping and licking at his chest. His breath quickened at the sensation and he slid a large hand from her hip up the length of her spine, pushing up beneath her shirt.

He felt and heard her slight moan against his chest, and the sensation shot straight to his balls. Her mouth wandered lower, to his stomach, then the waistband of his boxers, and Ben sucked in a breath of anticipation.

Lifting his head to watch her, he saw the two perfect swells of her large breasts as she lowered her full pink lips to his inner thigh, kissing it. He looked up at the ceiling and let out a ragged exhale from the feel of her mouth on him. She crept higher, and soon he felt her kissing his legs through his boxers, the fabric pulled taut by his hard cock.

As soon as she pressed her face between his legs, Ben wrapped his fingers around handfuls of the satin sheets, groaning. She reached for the waistband of his boxers and pulled them down slowly, her eyes widening when his cock sprang free.

He hadn’t thought this was happening tonight, but
fuck
, was it a nice surprise. He hoped Layla had condoms, because he didn’t. It’d been close to two months since he’d had a woman, and his cock throbbed with desire for the one whose hair was tickling against his legs as she pulled his boxers off.

Ben was breathing hard as he watched Layla climb out of bed and turn her back to him. She hooked her thumbs into the boxers she wore and slid them down her round, perfect ass cheeks. His mouth dried as he watched, entranced by the sight of her. She was going to strip for him. Fuck, yes.

She let the boxers slide down to her feet, and then she stepped out of them. Her ass was everything Ben had known it would be, but it was so much better to see it than just dream about it. Those tight, round cheeks were begging him to sink his fingers in. Then she turned around, and he let his mouth fall open as he looked at her.

She lit him on fire and melted him at the same time. He wanted to just look; to memorize every curve and line of her, but she climbed back between his legs.

“Are you sure about this, baby?” he asked softly. Layla smiled up at him coyly, her breath on his balls making them tighten until he groaned. Her tongue ran up the length of his shaft, and he ran a hand into her hair, gripping it.

She moaned as her lips slid down his throbbing length, and Ben groaned loudly as his hips pushed toward her, outside of his control.

“Fuck . . . you’ve got to stop, baby. I can’t last long like this.” His words only seemed to encourage her, and Ben twisted the sheets, his knuckles whitening, as she took nearly all of him in her mouth and started moving faster.

“Layla . . . stop.
Fuck.
” He reached for her shoulders and stopped her. “Come here. Get on your back. Now.”

“No. This is what I want. Let me do something that’s just for you.”

“No—”

“Yes. It’s my two weeks, remember? I want you to come in my mouth.”

Ben looked away, shaking his head with aggravation. “Fuck, Layla! I want you. You have no idea how bad. Get on your fucking back.”

His hands were back on her hips, and he dug his fingertips in, on the verge of flipping her over himself.

“Lay down,” she said firmly. He fought against his urge, reminding himself he’d agreed she was in charge for this two weeks. Why the hell had he suggested that?

As soon as his head hit the pillow, her warm, wet mouth was back on him, and Ben squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself not to come. He tried to think about work, but it was impossible to focus on anything but the building ache of his climax.

“Layla . . .” She looked up at him from beneath her long, dark lashes and his whole body tensed as he was pushed over the edge. He pulled on the sheets so hard he was sure he’d rip them as he groaned loudly and his body went slack with satisfaction.

Layla rose and ran a finger across her lips, climbing up closer to him. Ben let out a small laugh and pulled her against his chest. “I didn’t expect . . . you didn’t have to do that,” he said.

“I’m only doing things I want this week, remember?” she said, her lips brushing his neck as she spoke. “Did you like it?”

“Like it?” He laughed again. “It was amazing. You make me crazy, Cupcake, you really do. You test my self-control in ways it’s never been tested. I hope you plan to give me a turn now.”

“No, this is what I want,” she said, burrowing closer against him.

“This doesn’t compare to what I can do to your—”

“It does,” she said, cutting him off. “For me, it does. I want to fall asleep like this tonight. Not with me on one side and you on the other. That’s what I want you to do for me. But I want to get my clothes back on first.”

She put the boxers and strappy shirt back on, and Ben pulled the boxers she’d stripped off him back on. He settled into the center of the bed and held am arm out toward her, warming as she snuggled herself into him.

“Hey,” he said softly, tipping his head up as she raised her head off of his chest to meet his eyes. He reached a hand around the back of her neck and pulled her toward him for a soft, slow kiss. The salty aftertaste of himself in her mouth made him want more of her, but she had circles beneath her eyes, so he released her and stroked his fingers over her hair when she laid her head back down on him.

The ache had left his balls and settled in his chest. Ben stared into the darkness, bothered by the possessive feeling that still gripped him. He’d known he wanted to own Layla’s body, even if only for a few weeks, but other needs were taking hold now. Being the one she trusted for comfort and affection had become surprisingly important to him.

Chapter 8

Layla suppressed the smile that threatened to spread across her face as Ben stuffed himself into the passenger seat of her Honda Accord. His knees rested against the glove box and his head was nearly against the roof of her small car.

“Uh . . . that seat should move back,” she said. He reached under the seat and found the handle, pushing himself back until there was a little space between his knees and the glove box. Layla felt a stab of regret as she looked over at his tightly set jaw.

“Don’t be mad at me,” she said.

“I’m not mad. Just thinking about how good you’re gonna look on the back of my bike next weekend.”

“Are you serious about that? I’ve never even been on a motorcycle.”

“I’m completely serious,” Ben said. “By the end of my two weeks, my name’s gonna be tattooed on your ass.”

Layla scoffed as she pulled the car out into the line of speeding vehicles. “We’ll see about that.”

“You’re driving with me as a passenger in your girly car so we can attend a wedding. You might as well just complete the castration by making me listen to boy bands the whole way.” Ben’s voice was gruff and Layla couldn’t help laughing at him.

“Did I tell you I appreciate you coming with me?” she said. “I know you didn’t have to.”

“I wanted to. You drive me crazy, woman, but I like it.”

A warm feeling filled Layla and she smiled. Of all the weddings she’d been a bridesmaid in over the past several years, this was the first time she’d had a date to one. She’d always been the bridesmaid who hooked up with one of the groomsmen after the wedding. Or, in one case, right before. It was nice to feel legitimate for once.

“You can choose the music,” she said, thinking about the schedule for the weekend ahead.

“It’ll be sports talk radio.” Ben reached for the dials on the dash and tuned in a Cubs game. “Even better.”

“My firm has box seats at Wrigley,” Layla said. “I’ve wanted to go since I started working there, but I haven’t made it yet.”

“You like baseball?” Ben’s brows arched with surprise.

“Yeah, my dad was always into it when I was growing up.”

“Let’s go to a game sometime.”

“Okay.”

“But we’re sitting in the bleachers, not box seats,” he said. “So what’s the deal with the wedding? There’s a dinner tonight?”

“Yep, we’ve got the rehearsal and dinner tonight. Then I think we’re going out to some bars. In the morning I have to be at the salon early, but I’ll ride with one of the others girls so you can keep the car and meet me at the wedding. The ceremony’s at two, and then we’ll be at the reception all evening. And Sunday morning we have to do a farewell breakfast thing.”

“I’m yours all weekend, so just tell me where to be.”

The voices announcing the baseball game held their attention for a while, and Layla thought back to the crazy nights out she’d had with Kelly and other friends from law school. She’d been just as wild then as she was in college, and she cringed inwardly at the thought of running into guys at the wedding who she’d slept with. Kelly’s fiancé Liam had been in the class a year ahead of them, and they had a lot of common friends.

Though it was a long drive, it passed quickly, and Layla parked in the garage of the hotel where the reception was being held.

“I think I got a suite. I don’t remember,” she said absently as she searched her purse for her confirmation number. Ben got out of the car quickly, stretching his legs and arms.

“You want me to bring in the bags now?” he asked.

Layla pushed a button to pop the trunk open. “We might as well, I think we have a little time before the rehearsal.”

She walked to the back of the car and reached in, but Ben shook his head. “You can check in, I’m getting the bags.”

“But I’m completely capable—”

“I know, but I’m getting the bags.”

“Ben—”

“Come on, Layla. You’ve got your nails done all nice, what if you break one?” He raised his brows and grinned at her.

She considered for a second. “Okay. Thanks. I’ll meet you in the lobby.”

Layla checked in and led the way to their room, where Ben delivered the bags in two trips. She sprawled out on the queen-size bed and smiled when he climbed on from the foot of the bed, leaning over her and supporting himself on his elbows.

Her hands seemed to have a mind of their own as they roamed beneath his t-shirt to caress the hard, defined lines of his back. He had a thin layer of sweat from carrying in the bags, and she sank her fingertips into his moist skin. By the way he pressed his body against hers, she knew he liked it. He kissed her slow and easy, his clean-shaven face smooth when it brushed hers.

But his sweat and sandalwood smell had woken a desire for more in Layla, and she clutched her hands against his back and deepened the kiss. Ben’s lips and tongue wandered from her mouth down to her neck, and she tipped her head back blissfully.

“Mmm, Ben.” She gripped his shoulders and his mouth found its way even lower, to the curves of her breasts that showed in her bright blue v-neck dress. One of his big hands slid up her thigh beneath the dress and her breath caught when his fingertips crept under the edge of her panties.