"Good. You didn't run away." Ben walked into his office and caught sight of Aria on the couch. She was already halfway through her sandwich.

She glanced up at him, mouth full. "Sorry, I couldn't wait. I was starving."

Are her eyes red?

He took the seat next to her and grabbed his sandwich, beginning to unwrap it. "You okay?"

She shrugged but wouldn't look at him. "I'm fine. Unless you're getting back together with your wife. That would be decidedly not fine."

Ben chuckled. "Never going to happen. Marion just likes to tell stories. She's all about image, and likes people to see her in the most dramatic way possible. One of the many reasons she and I didn't work out."

Aria raised her sandwich to her mouth but, on second thought, put it down on the wrapper instead. "Tell me about that.” She tucked her feet underneath her on the couch. “Why did you two get married in the first place?"

Ben swallowed the bite he was eating and cleared his throat. "Stupidity? If that can be an excuse. We just kind of went along with what the public expected from us because we didn't know what we actually wanted, or who we really were."

"And now?" Aria tilted her head to the side. "Do you know what you want?"

Honestly, he wasn't entirely sure, but he certainly knew what he didn't want—Marion. "I think I'm still figuring it out," he replied instead. "But for the first time, I'm not complacent. I'm not just going along to get to the end of the day or following expectations others have set for me. I'm excited about life again. I'm excited about you..." He reached out and rubbed his hand across her knee, putting his food down on the coffee table next to hers. "I'm really excited about you."

Crimson flooded her cheeks, the corners of her lips tilting into a smile. "Yeah? How...excited?" She slid a hand up his thigh to his groin, brushing against his cock which was already rock hard and uncomfortably pushing against his slacks.

"Aria..." he warned. "That door is not locked, and you've still got a shoot this afternoon."

Aria got to her feet, but never took her eyes off his. She sauntered to the door slowly and reached out. The click of the lock engaged echoed in the quiet office. "There. Locked." Her voice was so sultry it made his dick throb.

She walked over to his desk next and slid her hands down her thighs to the hem of her dress. Sliding her hands beneath, she wiggled slightly. Her panties dropped to the floor and she picked them up with one finger, tossing them at him.

Ben was still sitting on the couch watching her, but he was already unbuckling his slacks because he feared he might rip a hole right through them if he didn't.

When she turned around, he thought he was done for, but he wasn't even remotely prepared for what was coming.

Aria grabbed the hem of her dress and flipped up the back, exposing her bare ass to him. The bunched-up fabric from her dress rested on her lower back and she leaned forward, placing both hands squarely on his desk. She turned her head to look at him over her shoulder.

She smirked. "Don't mess up my dress, and the photographer will never know."

He practically exploded off the couch, striding toward her with his pants undone and his shaft rock hard. "Jesus Christ, Aria. You're more than any guy could ask for."

"Good thing I don't want any guy," she teased, pushing back against him as he slid a hand between her legs. "Just you, Ben."

He growled, sliding two fingers against her core. She was already soaked, and he easily pushed inside her. "Say my name again."

She groaned, grinding back on his hand as he pumped in and out of her.

"Aria..." he warned. "Say. My. Name."

Her head fell forward, her breathing increasing. "Ben...Oh, God...Ben!"

He removed his hand, pressing himself against her entrance instead. Gripping her hips, he thrust inside her so hard they both fell forward into the desk.

She gasped, righting herself with her hands back on the desk's surface. Her core squeezed around him, and he was almost dizzy at how amazing she felt.

Reaching one hand around her body, he found her clit and became rubbing quick circles over it.

"Ben!" Aria jolted and began trembling, her climax overtaking her as she pulsed around his shaft. "Oh, God, I'm coming."

Pleasure barreled up his spine, making his eyes roll back as he approached his own climax. He was about to pull out, since their impromptu rendezvous hadn't come prepared with condoms, but she grabbed him and held him against her. "Come inside me, Ben. Please."

"Aria..." But it was too late, he slammed against her and dissolved into a million pieces as her own orgasm made her squeeze tight around his cock. "Fuck." Ben groaned, his forehead against her back. "What did we just do?"

If he'd thought he wasn't ready for a single relationship, he most certainly wasn't ready for an entire family. Panic swelled inside him as his brain thought of every worst possible outcome, including both of their careers.

Aria laughed, light and sultry. "Relax. I got a birth control shot this morning—lasts three months."

Relief washed through him. "Oh. Okay, good. Not that I was worried."

"You were terrified," she teased, heading for the small private bathroom attached to his office to clean up.

"You have a shower in here?" Aria gasped a few minutes later, peeking her head out of the bathroom as he buttoned himself up.

"I'm big-time, baby," he teased, winking at her.

She raised one brow, sauntering back out of the bathroom and into his office. "Oh, I always knew you were big."

Ben laughed. "We should do lunch in my office more often."

Aria was already sitting and finishing the rest of her sandwich. "As long as it includes food, too—yes. A girl needs to eat."

He joined her on the couch, loving that she never shied away from food. She was thin, but not stick straight. She had natural curves and a soft, slightly rounded belly that he absolutely loved. Her confidence was so attractive, and another reason he loved her.

Love. That word again. It was getting harder not to say now.

Aria finished her sandwich and tossed the wrapper into the trashcan. "I've got to head back to set. I'm probably already late."

"Text me when you're done," he said, taking the last bite of his sandwich as well.

Aria pushed onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Are you telling me, Ben Lawson? Or asking?"

"Not just telling...demanding." He swatted her ass. "Text me when you're done, because I've got plans for you tonight."

She giggled and covered his mouth with small, quick kisses. "Fine, but only because I want to. I rarely do what I'm told, Mr. Lawson."

"I am well aware."

She kissed him one more time. "You know, you're beginning to sound more and more like a boyfriend."

"I'd hope so," he replied, his tone more serious now. "You're mine, Aria."

She stared in his eyes for a minute longer, a smile on her lips. "Are you mine, Ben?" It was almost a whisper, and his heart warmed and burst with affection.

Ben slid his hands up her waist, holding her against him. "I've been yours since the first moment you smiled at me, baby."

When she smiled at that, he covered her lips with his. Soft, slow, sensual. He told her he loved her in that kiss, even if he wasn't quite ready to say it out loud.

She moaned against his mouth, then pushed on his chest. "I swear, if I don't leave now, we're going to end up locked in this office all afternoon."

"Can't have that," he teased.

Aria giggled, straightening her dress as she stood and then checking her reflection in the mirror. "It's not too obvious, is it?"

"Is what obvious?" Standing and walking back over to his desk.

"That I've just been fucked senseless, of course."

Ben burst out laughing, and shook his head. "You look practically virginal."

She scoffed. "Now I know you're lying."

Sitting behind his desk, Ben watched her leave. He tried to stifle his laughter when he heard her politely saying hello to Jackson as she passed his desk. Ben made a mental note to give his assistant a raise after what he'd most certainly heard.

The rest of the afternoon breezed by quickly. He was still riding high from "lunch" with Aria, and the satisfaction of having been able to tell off his ex-wife after she'd tried to manipulate Aria. She hadn't left quietly, but she'd gotten the message that he was involved with someone else now and wanted nothing to do with her.

"Hey, boss." A knock on his open door made him look up from the paperwork he was doing.

"Hey, Russ," Ben greeted the director. "What can I do for you?"

Russell Rains walked over to his desk and handed him a camera with the back screen lit up to a photo of Aria and Travis. "We had the photographer take a few fake candid photos of our lovebirds. Thinking it'd be a good idea to release them right after ticket pre-sales go live on Monday."

"Fake candid...so, you know they're not really dating?" Ben took the camera from him, surveying the image. Travis had his arms wrapped around Aria's waist and was kissing her right on the lips, both in their normal street clothes. Ben knew Travis wasn't a threat to him, but a small surge of jealousy still spread through him at the idea of anyone's mouth on Aria's.

"Well, yeah. They told me," Russell admitted, looking pretty sheepish for his usual cocky demeanor. He sat in the chair across from Ben. "But my lips are sealed. Scan through the photos and let me know if we have your approval to leak them."

Ben nodded, looking back down at the camera. Clicking through, he saw frame after frame of Travis and Aria laughing, cuddling, kissing, hugging. Swallowing, he turned off the screen. "These are fine."

"All of them? You looked at them all?" Russell asked.

He'd seen enough to know he couldn't see another man—even a gay man—all over his woman. "Yeah, they're great. And you've got their permission?"

Russell nodded, smiling wide. "Yep. They're all for it." He pulled a few papers out of a folder he’d been holding and laid them in front of Ben. “Sign these, boss, and we’re good to go.”

Ben scrawled his signature across the photo release forms, all pretty standard and mundane. "Okay. Done." Ben straightened the stack of papers and handed them back to Russell. "Let me know when they come out."

"Sure will." Russell stood and began heading for the office door, but then turned back to look at him. "Hey, Benji?"

Ben glanced back up. "Yeah?"

"You're doing a really great job here." A slow smile spread over Russell's face, excitement in his eyes that made Ben feel a little weird. Was he hitting on him? Was it sarcasm?

"Uh, thanks, Russell." Ben gave him a small wave. "Have a great evening."

"Night!" Russell left, practically skipping.

Ben frowned, but then pushed away the feeling of discomfort. Working with creative types often meant dealing with strange behavior—whether producers, directors, sound men, actors. They all shared an eclectic personality that served to make his life difficult. Luckily, he loved his job and he loved handling the talent.

That thought made him smile, because it was almost time for him to head home for the night and…handle the talent.