Chapter 17
Ben - 10:30 AM - Help.
Madison - 10:31 AM - What’s wrong?
Ben - 10:31 AM - I went to this little café after the gym and I ended up with an extra latte, some freshly baked croissants and Nutella.
Madison - 10:32 AM - OMG no. That’s terrible! And I usually complain about sore muscles!
Ben - 10:32 AM - It is. Especially since I’ve been told that the Nutella goes very well with the croissants.
Madison - 10:32 AM - You thought it was for the latte?
Ben - 10:33 AM - Play along, will you? I’m trying to get this hot chick to open her front door for me so I can surprise her with breakfast.
Madison - 10:33 AM - Have you tried ringing her bell?
Ben - 10:34 AM - I considered it but I was afraid she was still asleep.
Aww. Surprisingly thoughtful and considerate Ben was striking again. A few months ago, she would have thought he was joking. Now, she knew him well enough to be aware of the fact that, had she not replied to his text, he would have headed back home instead of taking the risk of waking her up.
Silly man. As if she would have minded. Croissants and a hot guy playing delivery man? Her door would have been opened in the next three seconds, even if he had foregone the Nutella.
Madison - 10:34 AM - Maybe she leaves her phone on during the night, and you would have woken her up nonetheless.
Ben - 10:34 AM - I don’t think she has ever taken her phone off mute since she got it. Nice try. Now, let me in.
Madison grinned when her buzzer bell went off. She rushed out of her room where she had just finished getting ready for a trip to the grocery store and pushed on the button to let him inside. A quick glance at the mirror by her door confirmed she looked nice enough in her dark jeans and black sweater. She passed her hands through her hair, making sure it was still soft and silky. She wasn’t wearing make-up and it was unfortunately showing. There was no time to fix the small red patches and the faint dark circles under her eyes, though.
Ben, on the other hand, looked as handsome as usual when she opened the door. Neatly shaved even if, yes, he did seem to sport similar signs of lack of sleep. He was in a casual outfit, a beanie on his head and one bag hanging from his hand, the other occupied by two giant coffee mugs.
“It’s not as good as breakfast in bed but…”
“It’s perfect,” she said with a smile as she let him in. He leaned in, giving her a long, lingering kiss. He tasted like coffee, his lips surprisingly warm compared to the cold she could feel radiating from his face. It was still a little new and, yes, weird, to welcome him that way. Especially since whenever they’d be with anybody else, they kept their usual greeting habit of a nod and a smile.
Truth be told, it was also exciting. It was like having a secret affair, and it brought an edge of naughtiness to her life. She had never been the kind of girl to have a hot, clandestine, torrid affair.
“Good morning,” he murmured when they eventually broke apart. “You’re awfully cute today.”
She scrunched up her nose, eyeing her outfit again.
“Love the slippers,” he specified before pressing another kiss on her cheek.
She grinned, wiggling her toes in her BB-8 slippers. “Aren’t they stylish?” She freed his hands so he could get rid of his coat, then headed straight to the kitchen. “I was about to go to the store. But the coffee-delivery is so much better.”
“They don’t do pumpkin spice anymore, but they added cinnamon and some other stuff. The guy said it would be similar,” he explained as he joined her while she was unpacking their food.
Her teeth dug into her lower lip in an effort to hold back the beaming smile that was threatening to escape her at the thought that he had noticed what her favorite hot drink was. And that he didn’t mind asking for it, while many other guys she knew scoffed at what they deemed “ridiculous girl coffee.”
They hadn’t seen each other in two weeks, which had seemed unpleasantly long to her. But Ben had gone on a business trip, and then she had been crazy busy at work, dealing with the new semester. Their relationship was still too new to really schedule things or prioritize each other, but she had been awfully tempted to sneak in a surprise visit to his office once or twice when she had unexpectedly found herself with a couple hours of spare time around her lunch.
She hadn’t dared, because… they were casual. It was something they had both agreed to. If only he wasn’t that good of a kisser, she’d have an easier time remembering that small detail.
“So, how was your week?” he murmured as he stepped behind her, his arms going around her waist. She tilted her head to the side, giving him easy access to her neck, and allowing him to nibble to his heart’s content. It was good that it was winter time because Ben loved to spend time in that area. Turtlenecks made sure no one could see the marks he often left. “Apart from those procrastinating students that kept you busy every night or so, obviously. Those fuckers can choke as far as I care.”
A bubble of laughter escaped her throat. “I’ll make sure to tell them exactly that next time they all ask for special sessions at the same time. Positive the college will love it.”
“That’s what they deserve. My bed was cold and empty.”
“Get yourself a heating pad.”
“I’d rather a very, very pretty brunette who likes to wiggle her ass over my dick first thing in the morning.”
She gasped, turning around to face him. “I do not!”
“Oh, yes, you do.”
“I remember clearly every night we spent together. Twice I was awake before you, and I did not wiggle!”
“Oh. Then maybe I’m confusing you with someone else,” he said with a small frown.
Her mouth dropped open in outrage as she slapped his shoulder. “You did not just say that!”
“I have a very bad memory,” he explained innocently. “I think we could clear that up real quick if you allowed me a good look at said-ass.”
“Oh really?” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Do you also want me to wiggle it?”
He pulled her back in his arms before leaning in to press a peck on the corner of her lips. “I always…” He paused to peck the opposite corner. “Always…” His next stop was the tip of her nose. “Want you to wiggle it,” he concluded before kissing her lips fully.
“That is one of your worst lines, you know?”
“I’m getting rusty. Care to help me with that?”
“Help you charm girls out of their pants? Err, no, thank you.”
He huffed out a laugh. “No. Help me charm you out of your pants?”
She blinked when he pressed his hips against hers. Someone was clearly wide awake. “Now?”
“I love morning sex.”
“Yeah, but we’re dressed and… really? Right in front of the croissants?”
“We’ll have the birds and the bees talk with them after if it makes you feel better.”
His hands grew heavier on her hips, lingering, stroking, rubbing. She got suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to feel those same hands on her naked skin. To feel him above her, inside her, giving her that intense pleasure only great sex could provide. The flash of arousal hit her fast, deep, and hard. Secret affairs were insanely satisfying, she had recently found out.
“I’ll make it quick,” he promised before suckling on the lobe of her ear.
“Not too quick, I hope,” was her breathy reply as she grabbed his hand and guided him to her bedroom. “First one naked decides on the position,” she said as she threw her sweater over her head and toed off her slippers at the same time.
He gaped at her for a solid second, which she took advantage of to unbuckle the belt of her jeans. She was shimmying out of them when he was jumping from one foot to another to get rid of his socks.
Her bra hadn’t even hit the floor before she was yelling a loud “Yes!” of victory.
“Damn it,” he grumbled, as he lowered his pants and threw them on the large chair in the corner of her room. “You better pick a good one!”
“I hope you’re in good shape because you’re doing aaaaall the work,” she said teasingly before reaching on her tippy toes to kiss him fully.
Being naked, skin to skin as they kissed, was one of the best feelings in the world. His body was warm, the hint of chest hair deliciously rubbing against her softer skin. Ben was well-built, with lean but strong muscles, and the contrast with her curves was absolutely divine.
Smoothly, he walked her backward until the back of her knees pressed against the edge of the bed, their lips never breaking apart. He lowered her, then his body was weighing over her, a blanket of strength and heat that awoke sparks of pleasure deep inside. Her body had a good memory, and it remembered perfectly that the last time they had been in this position, it had been really, really good.
A whine escaped her when he broke their kiss, and his low chuckle made her pull on his hair in retaliation.
“Patience,” he murmured, slowly making his way down her throat, then to her breasts. His mouth on her tight, hard nipple made her bite her lips in pure bliss. He licked the areola, then sucked hard, his cheeks hollowing as his tongue played with the small bud. She felt warm, so, so warm, like her blood was turning into liquid heat, bringing every cell to awareness.
Her hips rolled in response to his ministrations, seeking more. His hand took over, massaging, kneading the flesh while his mouth traveled down the valley of her breasts and wreaked havoc there as well.
Something warm and soft curled up inside her stomach as her legs automatically parted to give him more room.
“Fuck, Madison, I’m trying to go slow here,” he said with a small chuckle as the back of her heels pressed down on his thighs in a very clear invitation.
“I don’t want slow,” she protested, her breathing short and heavy as he lifted his head to meet her eyes. He had that heavy, lust-filled gaze that only heightened her own arousal. She had never realized how much of a power trip it could be to see a man so obviously turned on.
He slipped a hand between their bodies and the breath caught in her throat when his fingers found her center. She was wet and ready for him and the lazy circle he gave to her clit made it impossible to hold back her moan.
“Ben…”
He pressed a finger to her entrance, inching it inside. It was painfully slow, sinfully erotic, and she was about to snap his head off his shoulders if he didn’t give her what she really needed.
His smile was large and, of course, more than a little smug when he had the physical proof of how ready she already was.
“Not a word,” she warned him in the sternest voice she could manage. Seeing as she was rocking against his hand, trying to get more of his finger, it wasn’t the most effective.
“I’ve been hard ever since you opened the door, so no judgment.”
He abandoned her to retrieve a condom and she couldn’t keep her hands from covering her breasts, pinching the nipples to bring the blood back to the surface, desire lingering on her skin as she watched him.
He grabbed her thighs, then pulled on them, making her slide on the bed until her butt was close to the edge.
“Hey! I won, I get to-”
“You already picked. You said I had to do all the work. I will.” His hands gently went under her thighs, caressing all the way down to the inside of her knees before pulling them up, and opening them. The position was a little more… revealing than she was comfortable with, but then he thrust inside her, sliding easily. His hands tightened on her knees, and the position allowed him to be really deep while he hovered above her.
She watched, almost mesmerized when his face tensed in pleasure for a few seconds, as if that very first thrust was a special treat he wanted to enjoy as long as possible.
The way he was holding her legs open was leaving her clit exposed, but the angle wasn’t quite right.
“Your hand,” he whispered. She blinked, trying to make sense of his words, unsure of what he meant. She let go of one of his arms, hesitantly lifting her hand. He lowered his face to capture her index and middle fingers in his mouth, sucking on them, then letting them go. “Touch yourself.”
Normally, she’d feel self-conscious. But Ben had a way of freeing her of her inhibitions, and her hand slid between their bodies almost automatically. A small, strangled noise escaped her throat when she reached the little pearl of pleasure.
“Good?” he asked in a breathy voice.
All she could do was nod, not trusting her voice, but he must have sensed she was clearly more than enjoying herself because his hips gained in rhythm. His thrusts became shorter, sharper, hitting the right spots every time. She rolled her clit under her fingers, pressing a little harder as her pleasure started to build.
It must have lasted two minutes tops, but everything was just so right in the moment, the way he was gripping her, the position, his heavy breathing, and how perfectly their bodies were working together.
“Oh God,” she breathed out, her hand gripping the sheets when a sharp thrust kicked up the heat inside her. Her fingers moved faster on her heated flesh, creating a low, intense throbbing that seemed to promise an earth-shattering orgasm. “I’m close. I’m so close, Ben, don’t stop.”
He didn’t relent, keeping the same hard, deep pace that was fulfilling the craving need she had for him, and then she was coming, a warm wave born deep inside her core spreading to her lower abdomen as the orgasm claimed her. Her back arching, her mouth opened on a soundless scream of rapture.
Ben gave her a few more thrusts, then a deep groan tore from his throat and he slammed deep inside, his eyes closing as he found his own climax. He rode it out with a few lazy strokes, his head dropping as his hands turned gentle again on her legs.
“Wow,” he whispered when they both finally made it back to earth. He pulled out, then laid down over her, sweaty skin against sweaty skin, their hearts now beating wildly in their chests.
“Well,” she said in a still slightly panting voice, “that was quick.”
He lifted his head from his spot - snuggled between her boobs - to throw her a glare. “Well,” he mimicked, “it’s not my fault if you’re so quick on the draw. I just followed your lead.”
“Then I’m a damn good leader because that was great.”
“You do know that I quite literally did all the work?”
“I was there for moral support,” she said in a fakely offended voice. “Not to mention, I did a little work, too, even if just for myself. And I told you I was starving. You should have let me get a croissant first. Or at least my… oh, no. The coffees are gonna be cold!”
She pushed on his chest until he dropped to the side.
“Are you seriously kicking me out so you can get your coffee?!”
“Don’t be so dramatic. I’m pushing you aside, not kicking you out.” She quickly stopped in the bathroom to clean up then headed to the kitchen.
Surprisingly, the mugs still seemed warm enough. She didn’t like to nuke her coffees, especially lattes.
“Still good?” Ben asked when he joined her a couple of minutes later, slipping his long-sleeved shirt over his head.
“Yup.”
“God, I have great timing.”
She took a bite of her almond croissant and rolled her eyes. “How’s the ego?”
“Like the rest of my body.” He leaned in to press a peck on her hair before grabbing a pastry as well. “Extremely satisfied.”