Now and Again (19 page)

His groan was a mixture of arousal and disappointment. “Not here, baby.”

Layla pushed back and stared at him. “Why not? I’m on the pill. It’s okay if you don’t have condoms. I got tested six months ago and I haven’t been with anyone since.”

Ben scrubbed a hand down his face and sighed. “I want to, Layla. I’d like nothing more than to fuck you right up against this tree. But if you weren’t ready last night, you’re probably not ready today. And I don’t want the first time to be a quick screw in the woods.”

“Sure, I understand.” She looked down.

“Hey.” Ben cupped her chin and forced her to meet his eyes. “I haven’t earned the prize yet, but I’m working on it, okay?”

Layla smiled, resting her forehead against his. No man had ever turned down sex when she’d offered it, but she didn’t feel rejected. Ben’s resistance, even when she could feel how he wanted her, reminded her that he was the special type of man who had always eluded her. Despite his boldness so far, he was a gentleman. She wanted so badly not to screw this up.

***

When she sailed through the door of the bakery and saw Ben on his knees fitting a section of hardwood into the floor, Layla felt a catch in her chest. He’d been here working for a couple hours while she stayed late at the office.

“Hey,” he said warmly, glancing up when he saw her.

“Hi.” She watched him fit the slat of wood into a groove and secure it with a nail gun. Seeing how capable he was with his hands made something stir inside her. She wanted those hands on her.

“Hey, you’re here, I’ll get dinner out,” Emma said as she came through the kitchen door.

“You guys didn’t have to wait on me. It’s almost nine,” Layla said.

“We’ve all been busy. Ben’s fixing some bad boards so we can get the floor re-sanded. He’s been a huge help.”

“Where’s Cole?”

“In the kitchen with me. We’re tiling. Well, trying, anyway. Ben’s teaching us.”

Layla felt arms reaching around her from behind and she smiled. She pressed her back against Ben and he stepped back.

“I’m all sweaty,” he said.

She turned around and reached for his neck. “I like you sweaty. Come here.”

Ben smiled as she tipped her face up to kiss him. She tasted salty sweat on his mouth and felt the dampness on the back of his neck.

“I want to get you all sweaty, too,” he said in a low voice as their lips parted. “Come home with me tonight.”

She smiled. Jill and Travis had Prince, and she wanted more than just a taste of Ben. “Okay.”

“Just come back for dinner when you guys want,” Emma said, turning to go back into the kitchen.

“We should go eat,” Layla said, turning to follow her sister. A sharp smack on her ass made her jump.

“Ben! That stings a little.”

“You liked it. Your ass looks hot in that skirt.”

She opened her mouth to argue and hated herself when she smiled instead. She
had
liked it. What the hell?

When Layla pushed through the kitchen doors, Cole and Emma were standing close together near the kitchen island. Emma was pulling foil away from a glass dish. A savory smell filled the room and reminded Layla she’d skipped lunch.

“Em, this kitchen!” Layla cried. “It’s coming together so fast!”

“Yeah, the contractor we hired is great. Do you like it?”

Layla eyed the wide commercial range and several stainless wall ovens. The floor was black and white checkered tile and the walls were creamy yellow. “I love it. It’s fantastic.”

“I don’t know if this will be any good or not, I sort of experimented with some stuff,” Emma said, serving food onto thick white plates with a spatula. “It’s chicken with a lemon and white wine sauce. I made risotto, too.”

Layla pulled a stool up to the island and sat down, taking the plate her sister slid her way. The chicken was rich, moist and possibly the best thing she’d eaten in a very long time.

“You just made this up?” Ben asked as he wiped a napkin across his mouth. “It’s amazing.”

Emma grinned at him. “You like it?”

“I love it.”

“It’s great, babe,” Cole said, laying a hand on her back. “Sit down and eat, you’ve been working all day.”

“Do you guys want wine or bread?” Emma asked. “Let me get those out and then I’ll sit with you.”

She sliced and poured and Layla’s brows shot up when Ben sipped wine from the glass Emma passed him.

“You hate wine,” she said.

He shrugged. “Thought I’d try it. Come share it with me.” He patted his thigh and Layla moved from her stool to sit on his lap. He wrapped an arm around her lower back while they ate and she decided to forgive him over the wine.

“How’s our tile looking, Ben?” Emma asked.

He glanced at the white subway tile on the backsplash. “Not bad. If the contractor left his tile saw I’ll cut pieces for your edges.”

“Maybe we should just let the contractor finish,” Cole said. “You’ve been working really long days here, Em.”

“You have, too. And we need to save money where we can.”

Ben finished his food and nudged Layla off of his lap, getting up to examine the tile.

“You’ve got to use the spacers,” he said.

“I know how to space it,” Cole said sharply.

“But even if you get it perfect they can slide while the adhesive’s drying.”

Emma intervened and grabbed a couple plastic tile spacers. “Show me again how they go,” she said, handing them to Ben. She leaned down near the counter and he bent next to her. Layla felt a flare of jealousy over the thought of Emma smelling Ben’s sweat and sandalwood scent.

Ben’s shoulder brushed Emma’s as he showed her how to install the spacer, and Layla furrowed her brows, reminding herself she was being irrational. She’d just eaten dinner from his lap.

Cole blew out a breath and shook his head from the other side of the island. “Alright, Bob Vila, I think she’s got it.” The edge in his voice made Ben, Emma and Layla all turn to look at him.

“Cole?” Emma tipped her head with confusion.

“You don’t need to fucking touch her to show her how to use tile spacers,” Cole said to Ben.

“I’m not
touching
her.” Ben stood up and glared at Cole. “You’ve been a dick all night, what’s your problem?”

Cole’s eyes widened and he stepped closer to Ben. “Did you just call me a dick?”

“I believe I did.”

“You guys, stop,” Emma said firmly, approaching Cole. “It’s late and we’re all really tired. Let’s just call it a night.”

“Yeah, good idea,” Layla said, gathering dirty dishes. Ben and Cole were still having a staring contest. She tugged on Ben’s hand after stacking dishes in the sink.

“What’s your fucking problem, man?” Ben asked Cole, his tone laced with anger. Cole’s eyes widened as if it was obvious.

“Emma’s my girlfriend. I’m not standing by while some playboy tries to impress her with his blue collar skills and touches her so he can ‘show her’ how to do things.”

“Cole!” Emma cried.

Layla joined in immediately. “He’s helping you guys out, asshole!”

“I’m a playboy because I know how to hang fucking drywall and wire outlets?” Ben gaped at Cole.

“No—” Cole stopped himself, running a hand through his hair.

“What, then?” Ben demanded.

“Layla doesn’t exactly attract the good guys. If you’re with her, I know why, and I don’t want your type getting cozy with my girlfriend.”

For a second, no one said anything, and then everyone was moving and yelling so quickly Layla was dazed. Ben was on Cole, wrestling him to the ground. Cole got out from under him and sprang back up and they came at each other at the same time. Their arms flew and Layla stood back, her mouth falling open with shock. Her eyes met Emma’s for an instant before they both jumped in.

“Ben!” Layla touched his shoulders from behind, and he growled at her over his shoulder.

“Get back!”

“No! Don’t do this!” She shoved herself in front of him and his fists stilled. “Ow! Stop it, Cole!”

Ben’s eyes widened and his face darkened a shade. “Did you just hit her?”

“I’m
fine
,” Layla pushed him back, her hands against his chest.

Emma was yelling at Cole beside them. “What the hell was that? What is your problem?”

“You know I don’t like other guys touching you. And I’m sick of his cocky attitude.” Cole glowered and Layla rolled her eyes.

“You’re sick of looking dickless in front of your girlfriend cause you don’t know how to swing a fucking hammer!” Ben yelled. “If you say anything else about Layla, she won’t be able to stop me from kicking your ass next time!”

“Stop!” Emma yelled. “You’re both such babies.” She rounded on Cole, her face just inches from his. “Don’t ever talk about my sister like that again. Ever.”

Cole sighed and dropped his head. “Yeah, I know. I’m sorry.”

“Whatever,” Layla said. “We all know I’m on the edge of whore-ey.”

“Not anymore!” Emma locked eyes with her. “Cole’s just in a mood. He’s frustrated because I’ve been too tired for sex every night for more than a week.”

“Jesus, why would you tell them that?” Cole threw a hand in the air and glared at Emma.

“We’re leaving.” Layla took Ben’s hand and led him toward the door. “Everything’s fine, no one’s mad, we’re just all gonna cool down now.”

She found her bag and Ben picked up his tool belt from the floor.

“Still want me to come over?” she asked as they neared the front door.

“Of course.”

Layla smiled as she looked at his tousled hair and saw a little boy who was still brooding over a scrape with another boy. “You don’t have to stand up for me, you know.”

Ben furrowed his brows and looked at her. “I’m not letting anyone talk about you that way.”

“Well, seeing you defend the shred of honor I have left was kinda hot.”

He smiled and grabbed her around the waist. “What am I gonna do with you?” His voice was low and sensual.

“What would you like to do with me?”

“You really wanna know?”

Layla squeezed her thighs together, enjoying the tingling sensation he was causing. “Yes.”

“I want to take you home.” He spoke softly, bending his face down to hers. “And then I want to bend you face down on my kitchen table. And while you’re pressed against it, I want to raise up that skirt and pull down your panties.”

Her breathing was shallow as she listened to him, mesmerized and more turned on by the second.

“And then I want to put my fingers inside you. Would I find you wet if I did?”

“Yes.” Her voice was a reverent whisper, and Ben groaned, his lips grazing hers.

“I want to spank your ass and hear you moan while I play with you until you come around my fingers.”

“Ben . . .” She closed her eyes and he made an amused rumble in his throat.

“Hmm?”

“We need to go out to your car. I can’t wait until we get back to your place. I need you to touch me right now, and I want to suck you off while you do it.”

“Isn’t that my decision?” He raised his brows in admonishment.

“Uh . . . yeah, it is. If you don’t want to . . .”

“Oh, I fucking want to, baby. Let’s go.”

He led her down the sidewalk toward his car, which was parked in the alley behind the building. Illegal parking must’ve been a job perk for cops. But Layla was glad for the relative seclusion as he pressed a button on his keychain and the doors unlocked. He opened a back seat door and watched her climb in.

She was on him as soon as he got in, before he’d even had time to pull the door closed. He whipped it shut quickly and fisted a section of her hair, pulling it back as she straddled him. His mouth was hot on her neck – licking, kissing, nipping, and she clawed at his shoulders as she moaned his name.

He grabbed her hips and flipped her onto her back on the seat, narrowly avoiding knocking her head on the door. Layla reached for her suit skirt frantically, trying to force it around her hips so she could spread her legs and feel Ben between them on top of her.

They were both clawing and grabbing, and a wave of satisfaction washed through Layla as she Ben ripped open the buttons of her blouse. He forced her skirt up and ground his hips into her, and she gave a cry of arousal.

His mouth was hard and demanding against hers, and she sank her fingers into his hair to push him closer, wanting to feel more of him.

It was the way he’d defended her to Cole, she realized. Seeing Ben want to punish someone for hurting her made her crave him deeply. She didn’t just want him; she needed him.

Their hands were everywhere, pulling frantically at clothes and groping each other. Ben reached around her back with both hands and gripped her bra strap, ripping it apart with both hands. The feel of it falling away, in the back of Ben’s car in an alley, made Layla’s body clench with arousal. His mouth closed around one of her hard nipples, and his teeth nipped just hard enough to send a jolt between her legs.

She reached for the button on his jeans, her chest heaving as she pulled it apart and forced the jeans down. Her hand went right to his hard cock, and he groaned as she enclosed the thick shaft with her fingers.

When he sat back in the seat and leaned his hips up to pull his jeans and boxers all the way off, she dove, taking him in her mouth and finally getting what she wanted. She needed his taste in her mouth, the part of him that was hers. When he’d stood up for her, he’d made her feel cherished, and this was her way of showing him how much it meant.

She kneeled on the seat next to Ben, taking him in and out of her mouth as far as she could. He reached around her thighs and pushed a finger inside her, and she cried out against his cock.

“Holy fuck, you feel amazing, baby.” His voice was low, and Layla could tell he was already fighting to keep control. “So swollen and wet. I can’t wait to fuck you here.”

Another finger slipped in, and she was soon working her hips against his hand in the same rhythm she was sucking him.

The deep tremble of an orgasm started low in her belly and swelled through her, and Layla had to open her mouth to scream her satisfaction. Ben kept rubbing, making it last longer, and her legs shook with satisfaction as she exhaled when she finally started coming down.