The extra set of hands should have made the morning chores go faster, but those extra fingers kept finding their way in her hair, under the hem of her sweatshirt, tickling her neck, and on her butt. Alexis swatted at him more times than at a pesky horsefly.
“You’re annoying.” She shoved him away with a laugh and pointed her pruning shears at him. “I thought you’d be more eager to be done and go…” she waved her hands through the air, “do whatever it is we’re going to do.”
“We’re doing it.” He clipped at the dead vines, tossing one in her hair.
“Pruning?”
“Spending time together.” His blue eyes filled with heat and desire as his gaze roamed over her, taking in her Muck boots and baggy jeans, to her bulky coat and warm cheeks before settling on her lips.
A burst of desire sprang from her center working its way through every vein, every muscle, every ligament in her body. She licked her lips in anticipation, in need, in want.
Oh shit. There was no denying the visceral attraction between the two of them. But it was more. So much more than a quick romp in her bed. Ben had traveled the country, twice, to see her. No man had ever done that.
Heck, Paul or Peter, whatever his name was from Belfast, said the one hour drive was too much. After three dates, the third ending semi-naked, he’d called it off.
No one had ever gone to so much trouble just to be with her.
“You’re doing that thing again.”
“What thing?” She lowered the shears and tilted her head.
“You always have a lot on your mind. I’m a good listener if you ever feel like unloading.”
He wasn’t helping her heart any. Where were Ben’s faults? Besides being overly opinionated and arrogant…only he wasn’t. It was a good thing he lived so far away or she’d be pining away for him, looking for him to show up on her doorstep every night, make love to her all night long, hold her hand as she walked through the vineyard and fields.
“I’ll take that as a mind your own business.”
Heck. She hurt his feelings. Another score for him. Ben had a way of showing his feelings without being too emotional or overwhelming, unlike Alexis who preferred to hide how she felt. He called it the Italian-Irish curse, known for talking and arguing.
Alexis was known for…not much.
“Sorry. No offense. I’m not used to sharing my thoughts with others.” Usually it was her and the grapes. And Hemmy.
“No offense taken. You’re not obligated to tell me what’s on your mind, but if you need an ear, I have two. Got a couple shoulders as well.” Pocketing his shears, he held out his arms. “And two arms. Two hands. Ten fingers.” He waved them and inched closer, taunting her.
Oh, she knew firsthand how his fingers worked. “What are you doing?” She stepped back, licking her lips, ready to run if he pounced.
“Showing you what I have to offer.” He arched his eyebrows and wiggled his fingers in threat.
Alexis took another step back, holding out her hand to stop him “Don’t you dare. I don’t like to be tickled.”
“These fingers are itching to touch you.”
“Then touch me, but don’t tickle me.”
Ben paused and she took the moment to spin on her heels and dart down the path, cutting across to the blueberry bushes. It would be another month before they began to bud.
The scrawny branches did nothing to hide her from Ben’s teasing.
“You can run, but you can’t hide,” he called out, chasing after her.
Laughing at his screechy voice, she spun again and ran down an open path. Almost at the end, her boot sunk deep into the mud, halting her body, causing her to hurdle down to the ground, face first in the muck.
“Freaking crap,” she muttered. Her hands dug into the wet earth as she tried to right herself. The incessant laughter coming from behind made her growl in contempt. “Shut up.”
Two strong hands gripped under her arms, helping her stand. Her foot had slipped out of her boots nearly causing her to topple again, and she would have if Ben weren’t there to support her.
“You’re a mess.” He smiled down at her.
“You think?” Alexis looked down at her chest, covered in mud, as were her legs, hands, and boots. The wool sock dangled from her left foot, it, too, caked with mud.
So much for showing off her athletic ability.
“It’s sexy.”
“Seriously? I’m disgusting. You said it yourself.”
“No.” Ben’s hair, free from gel, swayed as he tilted his head. “I said you’re a mess. A beautiful mess.”
He bent to her lips, capturing them between his, sipping at her, sighing into her mouth, sending what had become a familiar wave of lust and comfort through her body. Molding herself into him, she lifted her hands to run them through his hair and remembered they were covered in mud.
With their bodies so close to one another, his front had to be a mess as well. Keeping with the playful nature, she grinned into their kiss and threaded her fingers through his ebony locks and brought them along his neck, finally cupping his cheeks.
Opening her eyes, Alexis bit back laughter at the dark streaks across his face.
Realizing what she’d done, Ben pulled back and cast a speculative glint her way. “You evil little…”
“You asked for it.”
“Oh, sweetheart, you asked for it.”
She yelped as he picked her up by the waist and tossed her over his shoulder, her face deliciously close to his bum. Alexis smacked it with all her strength.
“Put me down, you big buffoon.”
“Buffoon?” He cracked up and jogged down the path toward the house.
“Wait! My boot. It’s still in the mud.”
“Hemsworth!” Ben shouted at the dog who’d abandoned the fallen branch he was chewing on to run over to them. “Grab Alexis’s boot. Or do you go by Mommy?” he asked her.
“He knows who I am. Put me down. I can walk.”
From upside down she could see Hemmy gripping the boot in his teeth and toddling after them. If there was one thing a Bernese Mountain dog loved, it was having a job to do.
“I know you can. This is more fun though. Better view.” He patted her backside as she’d done to his a minute before.
“This is embarrassing.”
“There’s no one out here to see.”
When he carried her out of the fields they were greeted by the construction crew taking a break around the work trucks.
“What’dya find out in them woods?” Wade asked.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that’s little Alexis, covered head to toe in shit,” she heard Ty joke.
“Very funny. You will all be fired if a word of this spreads around town.”
“A word of what? That you slipped and fell in the mud and needed that Italian guy from California to come to your rescue and carry you home?” Ben propped her up higher on his shoulder and she ummfed.
“You’re fired too, Italian.”
“I’m not working for you so I don’t know how you’re going to do that.”
She smacked his butt again, regretting it when she heard Wade and Ty’s laughter. When they went back inside, Ben lowered her to the ground. Needing a minute to let the blood rush in the right direction, she closed her eyes and sighed.
“No more sex for you.”
“Sounds like you’re punishing yourself as well.” He kissed her on the lips and she opened her eyes in shock. Alexis’s gaze darted around the parking lot. Her parents could be anywhere. Ty could be peeking out the newly installed windows. “You okay?”
The tenderness in his voice took her by surprise. Ben touched her chin, tilting her face toward him and waited until their eyes met.
“I’m sorry if I overstepped. My intent was not to make you uncomfortable.”
How could she be angry with the man when those eyes spoke of such honesty and integrity?
He was a rotten bastard, and hated himself more and more for dishonesty to Alexis. Not that he outright lied to her, he simply left out a few details from his life in California…like he was going to be a father any day now.
Felicia wasn’t due for a few weeks, but Ben knew babies had their own timetable. His niece came a week early and his nephew came a week late. His window for coming out to see Alexis was short, and he somewhat erred on the side of caution.
Granted, he should have worked his schedule so he’d have more open days once the baby came, but seeing Alexis was more important than a baby he didn’t want.
Ouch. Now he really sounded like an asshole. While he didn’t want a baby, it wasn’t the kid’s fault for being born. Or almost born. It wasn’t Felicia’s fault the condom malfunctioned. It wasn’t his fault she got pregnant, even though she said she was on the pill and they still used a condom.
Life had a funny way of throwing curveballs at you. Ben hadn’t ruled out kids completely. They were okay, his niece and nephew were cool little people. Kids weren’t something he’d planned on having though.
At least, not any time soon.
They required too much. Time. A wife. A commitment. None of which he wanted. But he wouldn’t ignore or dislike his child. He’d seen enough neglect in the shelters and community centers where he volunteered. Husbands neglecting wives, moms neglecting their children. The cycle would continue if there weren’t enough people to love and support each other.
The tricky part would be to make sure his child didn’t feel like an obligation, when in reality that’s exactly what he—or she—was. Ben didn’t want a life with Felicia. He didn’t want to pretend to be a happy unit, only to be destroyed down the road. If their child grew up flip-flopping from Mom to Dad’s house, it would always be the norm, and he—or she—would be semi-ignorant to what should be normal.
In today’s day and age there was no more normal. They’d create their own. He’d had this talk with Felicia a dozen times, yet she continued to try to convince him to live together. They could have separate bedrooms, separate wings of the house, she’d pleaded.
Even after dating only a month, he knew her too well. She’d work her way into his room, and then attempt to guilt him into marriage. Better off keeping the line in the sand clear as mud.
And speaking of, here he had the most beautifully innocent, muddy, mess of a girl in his arms and he’d been lying to her from day one. Alexis deserved to know the truth. To know he’d be a father in a matter of weeks, and then she could decide if she still wanted to continue their affair.
God, he hoped so. In the meantime, he’d cherish every moment with her, soaking up those rare times when she smiled and let out a laugh. They were never fake, never forced. When Alexis lit up, it was from the heart. Pure as crystal ice.
Ben had no idea how long he’d been lost in his thoughts, in his guilt. Hemmy pushed Alexis’s boot into his thigh and he reached for it, thanking the dog and rubbing behind his ears.
“You need a bath, and so does your mama.”
“I wouldn’t need one if you didn’t push me into the mud.”
He snapped his head up and lowered his lashes, giving Alexis his best evil eye. “I did not push you in the mud. You fell.”
“My boot wouldn’t have gotten stuck, and I wouldn’t have twisted my ankle if you weren’t chasing me, so I’d say it’s your fault.”
“You twisted your ankle? Why didn’t you tell me?” He picked her up again, this time cradling her in his arms, concern and worry weaving their way through his chest.
“Stop.” Alexis patted his shoulder. “I might be exaggerating a little about the twisted ankle bit.”
“Don’t try to be tough. You can worsen the injury by putting pressure on it too soon.” He carried her toward his car, not caring about her protests.
“Ben. Seriously. I was kidding. I didn’t hurt myself.”
He stopped and stared into her coffee eyes. Streaks of mud caked her hair, her face, her clothes. Ridding her of the grime and stripping her naked, soaping her body from head to toe sounded like the best day ever.
“You’re thinking about sex.”
“How did you know?”
“Your eyes darkened and your erection is poking my hip. I don’t need my ankle looked at, but I may need a hip replacement if it gets any harder.”
Ben laughed and set her gently to her feet. “Damn I lo—” He stopped himself. Never, not once in his entire life had those words come close to slipping through his lips with a woman. They flowed easily when he was with his family. He loved his parents and siblings, he showed his love freely and unabashedly with them.
With a woman, though? Never. Was it love he felt for her or the guilt of possibly hurting her, the guilt of keeping a secret?
No, not that either. He’d never felt guilt with a woman. There had never been anything to be guilty about.
Taking her mouth with his, he silenced his words and his thoughts and got lost in all that was Alexis. Feeding off her goodness and warmth, he promised himself he’d tell her about the baby soon.
After tonight. One more day and one more night being lost in her kisses, in her arms, in her world, and then he’d tell her he couldn’t come to Maine anymore.
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” Alexis drummed her fingers against her travel coffee mug and huffed.
“Nope.” Ben glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as he drove up Route One.
“Are we going somewhere to eat?”
“Are you hungry?”
“How could I be? My mom stuffed us with meatball subs. I can’t believe you ate two.”
“I’m a growing boy and your mom’s a great cook.” He flipped his blinker on and turned down Cascade Road.
When Alexis had gone inside to shower, he’d toured the function hall again, garnering info from Ty and Wade. It was coming along well, and would be open for spring tourists, the only decision that had yet to be made was flooring.
After tossing around some ideas with Shane over the phone a few weeks ago, he’d had an epiphany, remembering a church fire he’d seen on the news the last time he was out. Seeing the building on his right, he pulled into the parking lot.
“We’re going to church? You know this building has been condemned.”
He knew. He called the town hall earlier and made sure it was safe to poke around. The fire chief would be meeting them in a few minutes.
“Trust me. Come on.” Ben hopped out of the car and rounded the hood, opening Alexis’s door for her. She hadn’t even unbuckled yet, doubt in her eyes, a skeptic’s sneer crinkling her lip.
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Nope.” He leaned in, unbuckling her, and taking advantage of their positions, kissed her lips, gently sucking her bottom lip into his mouth. Alexis reciprocated, touching him with her tongue, moaning into their kiss.
“I’m addicted to your kisses too,” she mumbled into his mouth.
Had they not been in public…no, that wouldn’t have mattered…had they not been waiting for the fire chief to meet them, they’d be a beautiful mess of naked, intertwined limbs on his backseat.
The sound of tires on the gravel parking lot had them moaning again, this time in disappointment.
“Stop distracting me.” Ben stepped back and offered his hand.
“You started it.” Alexis took his hand and kept their fingers interlocked as they greeted their visitor.
“You must be Martelli?” The chief stepped out of his truck.
“Ben, yes. Thank you, Chief Byron, for meeting us on such short notice. This is Alexis Le Blanc, her family owns Coastal Vines in Crystal Cove.”
“My wife likes your wine. Buying local, you know?”
“Thank you. Please tell her to come by in the spring.”
“Which is why we’re here.” Ben nodded toward the burned building. “You said the fire destroyed the sanctuary and left most of the hall undamaged?”
“It was a shame, this fire. Electrical fire started in the church. There’s some water and smoke damage in the back hall, but yeah, there may be some salvageable wood and windows. It’s still all coming down as soon as the church gets its insurance money. Too bad. Good people here.”
The front of the church was charred, the roof gone, the walls now only about ten feet high. Ben pictured it in its glory before the fire. A century-old church, the center of town, a place of refuge for hundreds.
They walked along the charred ruins to where the building had been somewhat saved. It stretched a good forty feet, the white paint on the siding blistered in some areas, blackened by smoke in others. They followed the chief to the rear door, or what used to be the door.
“Kids these days. Caught a few having parties back here. It’ll be good when she’s torn down. Safer.”
Alexis remained quiet, her hand firmly gripping his, as they stepped into the building. It smelled of smoke and ash and must. Sodden couches, tables and chairs set up for refreshments and socializing in one corner of the room. Broken beer bottles and empty pizza boxes littered the floor.
Ben looked past the rubble and trash and scuffed his toe along the wide wooden planks on the floor. He walked along the perimeter of the room, Alexis in tow, and examined the wood. The planks would need a good sanding, some staining, but would work.
“Are you going to tell me why we’re here?”
“Look at this floor.” He crouched down, tugging her down with him, and ran his free hand along the planks, noting the character, the knots, the grain.
“What about it? It’s a wood floor.”
“We could salvage it. Strip it and lay it in the function hall.”
“In my function hall?”
“Yeah. Ty said you hadn’t settled on flooring yet. New hardwood would look nice, but the rustic wood would create that rural feel you’re going for. You can’t buy wood in this width anymore, not with this character. Well, you can, but it would cost a fortune. And you’d be saving a piece of the Eastcliff. A different town maybe, but still part of your community. It’s a win-win.”
“Seriously?” Those chocolate eyes lifted to his and filled with something he couldn’t identify. She was good at that, masking her feelings, covering up her emotions.
“Or not.”
And then the lines at the corners of her eyes grew deep, her smile grew wide, and her face lit up like a Christmas tree. “You’re amazing. This is fabulous. I love it.” She slipped her hand from his and tackled him in a surprising hug, nearly knocking them to the floor. “You’re ingenious. I never would have thought of this. Thank you.”
His body warmed with pride and joy. Making Alexis happy, bringing a smile to her face was more rewarding than his first big paying client.
“When can we get started? Crowbars? Is that how we do it?” She jumped to her feet in excitement, stopping now and then to examine the floor.
“Pipe down, pipsqueak. Ty said he and his dad could handle it.”
“You talked to Ty about this?”
“And your dad. They all said it was your call. If you approved, they’d come out as soon as they got the all clear from the fire department and church.”
“This is so cool. My parents used to bring us here when we were little. Yeah, we were the Easter and Christmas churchgoers. We’d come for the church fairs and town celebrations too. I love the sense of keeping a piece of the church in our community, even if we weren’t devout members.”
“Your parents said the same thing.”
“I talked with Reverend Carpenter after I got off the phone with you,” Chief Byron interrupted. “It’s been hard on him and his family, as you can imagine. They live down the road and are on their way up here to meet with you. Wanted to thank you for salvaging some of their church in a function hall that would continue to bring the community together.”
An hour later, after talking with the reverend and his wife, calling Ty with the news, and meeting with the building and code inspector, they finally left.
“This is way cool,” Alexis repeated. Her entire demeanor changed into a pumped up teenager, and she had never looked more adorable.
“I like seeing you happy.”
“You’re a genius.”
“I like the hero worship as well.” He turned the rental car on and let it idle while it warmed. “It’s almost four. We never discussed what classified as afternoon and when evening starts.”
She tilted her head in confusion. “Does it matter? Oh.” The giddiness in her face changed and worry set in.
“It doesn’t matter at all. As long as we’re together, I’m happy.” Ben winced at his corny lines. “I have a few more ideas if you’re up for it.”
“I’m up for anything.” Her shoulders relaxed and her eyes softened.
There was a level of insecurity underneath the façade of confidence she liked to portray.
“That’s what I like to hear.” He lowered his gaze to her feet, glad to see she wore her hiking boots. “You brought a hat and gloves, right?”
“It’s March. In Maine. You’d be stupid to leave the house without proper precautions.”
“That’s my girl.”
Ben pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward the coast. March may not be prime time to walk along the rocky coast and explore the lighthouses, but his time was limited on the east coast, and he wanted to spend every moment making memories with Alexis.
Their afternoon together, heck, the entire day, had not been what Alexis expected. From their playful banter in the fields and vineyard, to the church, and Ben’s ingenious way to restore the flooring, to their walk along the beach, it was all such simple fun.
Their day had been much like one from a book she’d picked up from the book club last week. Alexis had been hesitant to stop by unannounced, but she’d mustered up the courage and met the Thursday night crew.
As promised, all the women were welcoming. They knew Alexis and she them, but they weren’t what she’d call friends. Friends meant you talked to one another on a regular basis. That you knew more than just the other person’s address.
Jenna Snyder didn’t live too far from her. She seemed like a shy woman with a lot on her mind. Lily Novak wasn’t what Alexis anticipated either. The tall, beautiful blonde spa owner was sweet and real, not artificial like Alexis had expected by her beauty. And there was Mia, Ty’s sister, whom Alexis knew as well, even if they weren’t close. And of course, Hope.
Celeste Parker had stuck around for a bit before reminding them to lock up her book store. She and her husband Wade had always been friendly with Alexis’s parents. Hard not to be when you were business owners in a small town.
She’d felt welcomed, but didn’t say much since she hadn’t read the book they were discussing. By the end of the night Alexis had her first TBR—To Be Read—pile, and what she hoped to be a few new friends.
A new life. She now had a social life. Sort of. It was invigorating, going out to the book club and being social with other women in town. And now her all-day date with Ben.
A thing of beauty, he was, a satisfied smile on his face, sitting behind the wheel driving them to dinner.
He was right. Being together was enough. And romantic. There were no flowers, no music, no fancy clothes, and still, her heart raced every time he took her hand in his. Every time his knuckles skimmed across her cheek. Every time his lips caressed her neck, her mouth.
A lesson in love learned in one afternoon. No, not love. Alexis wouldn’t admit to Ben, or to herself, that she’d fallen in love with him. A wonderful friendship formed, yes, and she knew all too well how friendships didn’t bode well with love.
Friends with benefits was more their style.
“You know I’m not the creative type,” Alexis warned Ben. She pointed at the next intersection. “Turn right up ahead.” They’d have a nice dinner and sneak back to her bedroom for quiet sex while her parents slept downstairs. Not exactly original. “We’re here.”
Ben turned into the China Dragon. “Chinese?”
“We’ve had seafood and I didn’t want to attempt Italian. I’m sure Maine’s idea is vastly different than what you’re used to. I figured Chinese was a safe bet.”
“It’s perfect.”
“I don’t really do the date thing,” she said, nerves twisting in her gut. “I’m not the dating type.”
“I’ve seen the way Ty and Wade are with you, and the way the townsfolk talk about you. I don’t know why you’re so hard on yourself. Everyone respects you.”
“Exactly. I have respect.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Ben turned off the ignition, but didn’t reach for the handle. “You’re an amazing woman, Alexis.” He stroked her cheek with his finger, and those warm and fuzzies filled her insides again.
“I don’t date regularly.”
“Why not?”
“Honestly?” Could she tell him?
“Only if you want to tell me,” Ben said, as if reading her thoughts. He always knew the right words to say.
Feeling comforted by his touch, by his eyes, by the softness in his voice, she fidgeted with the cuffs of her coat and opened up.
“Grace is the pretty one—”
“I beg to differ,” he interrupted.
Alexis rolled her eyes, brushing off his compliment. “You’ve never met her.”
“I’ve seen pictures.”
“You’re just saying that because you know you’ll get lucky later.” She rushed with her words, not letting him interrupt again. “Grace attracted a lot of boys in school. When she was a freshman and I was a senior, my friends still invited me to hang out with them, but would ask if I could bring my sister with me. She loved being the center of attention, and dated the entire football team. Well, it seemed like it at least.”
She shifted in her seat and continued. “She started using more make-up, hit up our parents for more trendy clothes, even though she knew they couldn’t afford it, and…matured too quickly. I found myself spending more time comforting her broken heart than I did studying. And I was a good student. She went through boys faster than Hemmy goes through rawhides.”
“And you were there to pick up the pieces.”
“Yeah. She changed. A lot. And the boys loved it, but they weren’t looking for anything long term. I mean, we were in high school. After I graduated I took a few business classes at the community college while keeping my schedule open to work at the winery. Grace waited tables at the Happy Clam and then got a job at one of the tourist shops in Rockland. She used to love working the fields. Until she discovered boys. She was more concerned about having enough money to go out, do things, dress better.”
“So you stuck around here to help your parents.”
Alexis turned to face Ben. “Yes and no. Running the winery has been my dream since I was a little girl. Coastal Vines is my life, and I love it. It’s not in my dad’s or mom’s blood. I swear it skipped a generation. I want to be here.”
“And part of you resents your sister for not wanting it, too?”
That was the crux of it all. Had Grace wanted to be part of Coastal Vines they’d probably be at each other twenty-four-seven. Deep down inside Alexis was happy to have the responsibility of the winery.
“No. I resented her for having a social life when I didn’t.”
“Resented as in past tense?”
“I worry about her. I don’t think she’s happy. Our phone conversations are practically null now. We used to talk all the time, even if it was mostly bickering.”
He cupped her cheeks in both hands and drew her across the center console until their breath mingled. “You have a heart of gold, Alexis, and you don’t see your true value.”
Dangit. Ben wasn’t supposed to be so perfect. He leaned in and touched her with his lips, a gentle kiss that branded her to him. He may not have meant for the kiss to be so powerful, but it was. She wanted to stay in his arms forever.
He pulled away first. “It’s getting cold in here. Let’s go inside. Wait here.”
Alexis nodded and watched him round the car, and waited for him to open the door for her. Simple gestures, the little touches, and her heart danced a slow waltz. Like the kind she’d seen her parents do in the barn when she was younger when they didn’t think anyone was watching.
Once inside the restaurant, they shared a Pu Pu Platter and a scorpion bowl, Alexis drinking most of it since Ben had to drive. They shared stories, laughing a lot, flirting even more, and ignored the clock, knowing tomorrow would come too soon and Ben would be on a plane taking him three thousand miles away.
When he parked the car in her parents’ driveway hours later they grew silent. She needed to think about investing in her own place. Money was still tight. Maybe in the late fall. Six more months living in her old bedroom. She could handle it. Hopefully.
“Is this where I kiss you goodnight and thank you for a wonderful evening?” he asked, turning off the ignition.
“You could. Or I could invite you in for a nightcap. Maybe a little fooling around action on the couch.” If only they weren’t sharing the house with her parents.
“That’s a tempting offer. With your parents home though, I think I’m going to have to pass. I’ll walk you to the door.”
Alexis slumped in disappointment. She wasn’t ready for their evening to end. Who knew how long it would be before she would see him again. He came to her side and helped her out of the car, his hand on her lower back, guiding her to the front door.
“I thoroughly enjoyed myself today.” Ben took her hands in his and lifted them to his lips, kissing her knuckles.
That’s it? If he had a wonderful time, and the laughter over dinner was genuine, why the sudden brush off? And where was he staying tonight? If she asked, it would mean she cared, and Alexis’s heart couldn’t afford to let him know she cared.
“Yup. Me, too. Guess I’ll be seeing you around.”
There was a glimmer of amusement in Ben’s eyes but she found nothing funny about the abrupt ending of their date. If he wanted her to come out and beg him to stay with her, he’d be waiting for a long, long time.
“Good night, Alexis Le Blanc. You’ll see me in your dreams.” He bent his head and touched his lips to hers before slipping away into the night.
No tongue, no fondling, no suggestive talk. “Well doesn’t this just suck?” She let herself inside, relieved to see her parents were already closed up in their room for the night. Hemmy lifted his head from the dog bed in the corner of the living room and plopped it back down again.
Not even the dog was excited to see her. She brushed her teeth, tugged her hair out of the elastic, and slipped into her ratty old sweats and favorite T-shirt. Sliding between the covers of her bed, she nuzzled her face into her pillow, inhaling Ben’s lingering scent.
Spice and Italian man.
It troubled her that she was so hurt over his quick departure. She shouldn’t care. It was best this way, giving them space, allowing her heart to get used to sleeping alone. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her quilt tighter around her shoulders and prayed sleep would come easily.
It didn’t. She opened her eyes in alarm and listened to strange noises coming from her rattling window.
“What the hell?” She bolted to a sitting position, gripping her pillow in front of her chest. Like a case full of feathers would protect her from whatever was outside.
The tapping came again. Followed by a familiar voice. “Alexis. Let me in.”
She scrambled out of bed, tripping on the tangle of sheets around her ankles. “Ben?” Pushing back the curtain she gasped at his large frame crouched on the roof outside her window. “What are you doing?”
“Sneaking in your window.”
She covered her mouth with her hand to ward off a laugh, which subsided into a gush of emotion. “You didn’t.” He could break his neck, slip and fall. Die.
“Obviously I did.” He tapped the window with the top of a wine bottle. “Are you going to let me in or am I going to have to climb down that maple? It’s not as easy as it looks. Especially with your hands full.” He held up a bottle of Crystal Ice and two wine glasses.
“Oh, Ben.” She unlocked the window and shoved it up. “Scoot over while I take off the screen.” With trembling fingers she unlatched it and it went flying down to the ground with a quiet thud.
“I’ll get that later.” He stuck his head far enough through the window to give her a kiss. “You didn’t think I was leaving without a proper kiss goodbye, did you?”
She shrugged and stepped back, giving him space to crawl through the window.
When he was inside, he set the bottle and glasses on the sill and shut the window. Turning to her, he cupped her face in his hands and frowned. “You did.” She shrugged again, not wanting him to see the hurt she had felt, the familiar sting of rejection. “Oh, sweetheart.”
Ben drew her in his arms and hugged her. Hard. A blend of friendship and sensuality radiated through his body and into hers.
“You must think I have Superman powers to restrain myself against your lure.”
“My force isn’t that strong.”
“Ah, but it is, young jedi.” He kissed her like he hadn’t seen her in days, weeks, months. His hands tangled through her hair and then lowered to her back, gliding lower until they cupped her butt. “You’re incredibly sexy, my bella.”
“I’m wearing sweats.”
“Mm. They are hideous. You should remove them.”
Alexis didn’t have time to lower her hands from his shoulders before he had her sweats off and flung across the room. “Impressive.”
“I know.”
“What about your clothes?” She stood in her underwear and T-shirt while Ben was bundled from head to toe.
“I’m too busy touching you.”
While he returned his lips to hers and his hands massaged her stomach, and then her breasts, Alexis attempted to focus on her task at hand. She managed to unzip his coat and untuck his shirt before her knees knocked together in lust.
Ben’s fingers played with her breasts, pulling, tweaking, teasing, and her head went light and spacey. Needing to find her ground, she gripped onto his sides and pushed him back toward the bed. Still, he didn’t relent, even on his back with her splayed on top of him.
“Help me get your clothes off.”
“I can’t.” His hands continued to massage her breasts, and then traveled south to her heated core.
“You have to,” she panted, attempting to unbutton his jeans.
“I can’t keep my hands off you, Alexis. Don’t make me stop.” He flipped her so she was on her back, powerless to his strength. Ben made a deep, guttural sound in his throat and covered a breast with his mouth.
She gasped, gripping the sheets under her for support as he sucked and lapped, bringing her close to the edge. When his mouth left her breasts and made a trail down her belly and to the apex of her thighs, she was goner.
Body. Mind. Soul.
And her heart.
They all belonged to Ben.
Damn, she was beautiful. Naked and splayed under him, ripe for the taking. Hell, he just had her, and he needed her again. He felt like an animal, taking her like that, his jeans around his ankles, his boots still laced. Hell, he still wore his winter coat.
Ben rolled off her, shucking his clothes and returning quickly to the cramped bed. He found he preferred the cramped twin over the giant one he had at home. Sure there was less room to roll around, but there was also less space between their bodies.
“You planned that all along, didn’t you? Climbing up my window?”
“It was a total turn on. Not that I need any help where you’re concerned.”
“And you brought wine.”
He almost forgot about it. Again. Rolling to his side, he sat up and reached for the wine bottle. He handed Alexis the glasses while he rummaged through his coat pocket for a wine opener.
“Such a boy scout. You came prepared for everything.”
Not quite. He hadn’t been prepared to fall so hard, so fast for Alexis. Once he got home and put some distance between them he’d be able to figure out if it was all chemistry, or something else.
And when the baby came in to play…yeah, that would shake things up a bit. Better to keep it all about the sex with Alexis before he lost his heart and mind in this wild affair of theirs.
Popping open the bottle, he inhaled the sweetness and held the wine to Alexis to smell.
“I can’t believe I made this.”
“I can’t believe I waited this long to taste it.” He poured two glasses, the wine a rich, deep liquid gold, and set the bottle on her nightstand. When he took the glass Alexis offered, he tipped his glass to hers and toasted. “To…” To what? To friendship? Their relationship? Keeping it cool, he winked at her. “To the finest winemaker in the east. May this be only the beginning of a new, successful venture for you.”
They clinked glasses and sipped the sweet wine. Bursts of honey and apricot, followed by luscious peaches coated his mouth. A lingering essence of ripe mango and honeydew melon lingered on his tongue. All from a frozen grape.
“This is amazing. If I didn’t see you press and rack the wine I’d swear there was a fruit blend mixed in. And I say that as a compliment. Your fruit wines will be a big hit this summer. I know it.”
“Your faith in me is ill-deserved.”
“I beg to differ.” He sipped his wine and studied her reaction to his words, and the taste of her special ice wine on her lips. “Finish your wine. I need to do something.”
“Bossy much?”
“All the time.” He hated swilling the delicate wine, but time was not on their side. Setting their glasses on the side table, he drew her face closer to his and sipped at her lips, tasting the honeyed nectar from her tongue. “Mmm. So much better than I had imagined.”
He didn’t need the fancy wine; all he needed was the sweet taste of Alexis.
In an attempt to make the night last, he drew away, wrapping his arms around Alexis’s middle and pulling her body into his.
They fit together well; her petite body molding into his long frame. He played with her hair and soaked in her sweet scent. Leaving in the morning would be harder than before. For many reasons.
“You’re very good at this.” She stroked his chest, rubbing her fingers across his nipple.
“At?”
“The sex stuff. The cuddling. The romance. The women in California must love you.”
He’d rather be the one doing the fishing. “I’ve noticed the accolades the men around town have for you. If John Miller had his way, he’d export you to Portsmouth, or send his son up here to marry you.”
Alexis snorted. “Trust me. He’s not interested.”
“I doubt that. Not only are you a beautiful woman, but you’re strong, hard working, and have a kind heart.”
“No need to bring on the BS. You already have me naked.”
Ben hugged her tighter. “I thought we went over this earlier tonight.”
Letting out a huge sigh, she rolled to her back and stared at the ceiling. “The men in this town see me as the jock. The tomboy. Not as a woman. And Brandon…let’s just say I’m not his type, so no worries there.”
“And if you were?” If she still held a torch for the man it would make leaving her easier. His gut churned at the thought.
Hell, it wouldn’t. It would rip out his heart.
“If you want the whole sordid story, Brandon and I were best friends for years. Pretty much our whole lives. The night before he left for college, we…we had sex. It meant something to me. Didn’t mean shit to him. Never really talked to me again afterward. Like I said. Guys around here don’t see me as anything but a friend.”
Her voice didn’t hide the hurt. The rejection had to have stung, and obviously hardened her view on men. Earlier she’d made it sound like her sister was the reason for her self-doubt, but there were layers of rejection and hurt she’d been hiding.
“High school was a long time ago.”
“Yeah. I got over Brandon. I confused friendship for love. It was smart of him to blow me off or we would have gone down another path. Either into a relationship that he’d later regret, or having an awkward friendship with me looking like the stalker girl. We’d end up hurting each other either way. Going our separate ways was best.”
They were about to face a similar situation. Only he’d be the one stalking her. There was no way he could walk away from her. “I’m sorry you lost your best friend.”
Alexis shrugged. “I’m too busy to have relationships, friends or romantic, anyway.”
She was lonely and hurt. He’d picked up on the undercurrent of heartache when she’d mentioned her sister in conversations as well. She didn’t think she was worth much, and Ben planned on showing her how much she meant to him. He wouldn’t be able to come to Maine for some time, not until he knew what was going on with Felicia and their baby.
If all they had was tonight, he would make it last until they couldn’t move their limbs. He’d kiss her until their lips grew numb, he’d give her his last breath, his heart.
His everything.
Covering her body with his, Ben hovered over Alexis, whispering kisses along her chin, down to her neck. “You’re beautiful, Alexis. Inside and out.”
“You don’t have to say that.”
“I know.”
They kissed until they were both breathless and longing to make love again. This time he didn’t rush, taking in every inch of her body, loving it as if it would be his last time.
Which he very much feared it would be.
This time when he woke before the sun, he nuzzled Alexis’s hair instead of sneaking out of her bed. Not that he’d intentionally snuck out before. “Sweetheart.” The endearment slipped easily from his lips, and he hoped she didn’t tense at the term.
“Mmm.” She snuggled into his side, her head cradled on his chest, her thigh crossed over his middle. It was nice. Too nice.
“I have to catch my flight.” He smoothed her hair away and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead.
“No.” Alexis hugged him tighter and his heart surged with emotion, his body warming beneath her touch.
“I don’t want to leave. Unfortunately, my work is piling up at home.” He thought he’d be able to squeeze in a few hours of work on his computer each day while in Maine so he wouldn’t fall behind, not expecting Alexis to agree to spend twenty-four hours a day with him.
He came to Maine to sample the ice wine they made together, hoping to bed Alexis again, and maybe get to know her a little better.
What he hadn’t expected was to fall in love. Of all the times, in all the places, his heart betrayed him and chose the impossible.
“When will you come back?” She snuggled in closer, sliding her body on top of his, her face nestled in the crook of his neck.
Ben stroked her naked back, torn between telling her the truth and placating her with a lie. Neither appealed, so he evaded.
“I’ve been taking a lot of time off lately to come out here. I’m backed up with meetings. I have a…needy client who is going to require a lot of my time. I don’t know when I’ll be able to get away again.” That needy client was due to be born any day now.
He’d checked in with Felicia daily through texts. He had to read through her tirade of complaining about weight gain and the lack of social life now that she couldn’t drink to finally read she hadn’t had any contractions.
It wasn’t fair to Felicia. It wasn’t fair to his child. It wasn’t fair to Alexis. He couldn’t have it all and it sucked. Sucked big time.
Alexis sighed and kissed his chest. He held her like that, enjoying the simplicity of their naked bodies, warming each other, comforting each other, even without the sex. Not that he would have minded if it turned in to that.
She lifted her torso, her palms flat against his chest, her dark hair falling across her shoulders. Ben captured this moment in his photographic memory and stored it close to his heart, taking in her soft curves, the fullness of her lips, the sad eyes.
Brushing back a lock of her hair, he lifted his head and kissed her shoulder. Then her neck.
Always her neck.
He sat up and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, and her arms around his neck.
“I’m going to miss you,” he whispered in her ear.
“I’m going to miss you, too.” She rested her forehead against his shoulder and sighed again. Not a heavy, annoyed sigh, but one of sadness, of possible heartbreak.
He had to get out now before their feelings got too deep, too impossible to run away from. The distance, the distraction of a baby, would be good for his mind, or so he told himself.
“Is it okay if I…” Alexis licked her lips and cast her gaze to the side. “If I…uh, text you or…call you sometime?”
Ben palmed her cheek, rubbing his thumb across her lips. “I’d like that very much.” She nodded, and he needed to lighten the moment before he caved, revealing his true feelings. “Feel free to send me naked selfies as well.”
Alexis gasped, her head snapping up, her eyes big and round. He slapped on his big goofy grin that only she could bring out, and Alexis scrunched her face into an amused sneer. “Jerk.”
“Maybe just a little of this.” He cupped her breasts, lifting them and wiggling his eyebrows in jest.
“Stop.” She laughed, smacking his hands away.
“At least send me a picture of this.” He traced her lips with his finger, replacing it with his mouth.
They remained like that, legs wrapped around one another, lips locked, hands holding each other in place, until Ben reluctantly pulled back. “I need to go.”
He’d have to break every speed limit to get to the Portland airport to make his six AM flight. As usual, his clothes were strewn all over the cramped space and he tugged on each piece as he found it, shoving his boxers in his pocket when he discovered them wedged between the bed and the wall. He’d packed his bag yesterday, hoping the night would end as it had, and stored it in his rental. All he needed to do now was say goodbye.
“Drive safe.”
“I will.” Ben studied her, memorizing her features once again, then leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “Sono pazza di te.”
And he left, closing her bedroom door quietly behind him, knowing what they shared, what they had would never be the same.