The first slap came as a surprise, fast and light, stinging Elle's pride more than her flesh. She had closed her eyes when she felt Ben pushing into her, his rules momentarily forgotten, briefly lost as reluctance bloomed into pleasure with each inch of her body accepting his.
That was her first mistake.
She had two smacks left before he would deliver on his threat to abandon her, leaving her aching and hungry for release.
It's true after all
, she realized with shame.
Before tonight is over, I'll be begging him for that gag.
*
"I don't think it's going to work out," Elle sighed, gratefully accepting the lilac-hued martini balanced precariously in Abby's outstretched hand. "I really like him, but he might be too nice."
She scrunched her nose then paused, debating. "Does that make me an asshole?"
"Probably," Abby shrugged, sliding into her seat across the table. "He's also really hot. And funny. And smart. So yeah, you're probably the asshole."
"Thanks," Elle laughed and took a sip of her drink, but she worried that Abby was right. She'd known the girl for most of her life and there was always some scrap of honesty buried beneath her typically deadpan humor. Besides, everything Abby had said about Ben was true. He was incredibly attractive, charming, and knew how to make her laugh. Uninhibited by the opinions of others, he would sing every lyric to some corny pop song as confidently as he might answer a round of trivia, and yet he was never sarcastic or self-deprecating about his interests. What you saw was what you got, as far as Elle could figure.
Well, everything except for one blaring mystery, the single piece he'd kept off the table.
Sex.
Ben hadn't tried to sleep with her yet. He was a perfect gentleman, attentive and sweet, the kind of guy who kissed her goodnight at her doorstep, but that was as far as it went. Like they were eighteen instead of twenty-eight.
No, Elle realized, even an eighteen year old would have wriggled his hands beneath her shirt to feel her breasts or fumbled with the zipper of her pants by now. What the hell was going on? She decided to grab a quick drink with Abby before her date so she could mull it over.
"I think you should give him another chance," Abby insisted, swirling a dark, liquor-soaked cherry around her glass before popping it into her mouth. "He's clearly shy when it comes to that stuff."
"Maybe," Elle considered, "but how good is 'shy' sex going to be? I don't feel like playing teacher. Or leading an expedition to my clit." She giggled, imagining Ben with safari clothes and a map, trying to translate various routes to the female orgasm.
"Dude, he could be a beast," Abby raised an eyebrow. "You never know."
A beast? Elle laughed. Not likely. A lovable puppy, maybe, but certainly no wolf.
One more date
, she thought, bringing the cocktail to her lips, the concoction both sharp and sweet on her tongue. She set down the drink again, lightly circling her finger around the rim.
One last shot.
*
They'd met through mutual friends, occasionally running into each other at parties and bars. There was always a hint of mischief in Ben's otherwise innocent face which made it impossible not to smile while talking to him. Elle noticed that he was often surrounded by women, yet this ever-present and vivacious flock of birds never seemed particularly intentional on his part. There was simply something infectious about his energy, especially if you were looking to unwind and have fun. Elle had always been too preoccupied with her own life and relationship drama to spend much time dwelling on it though; she enjoyed Ben's company and certainly didn't mind looking at him, but she never took him too seriously until suffering through a particularly nasty breakup.
Elle was heartbroken and barely pulled herself together enough to leave the house, terrified she might run into her ex at a party that night. Fortunately the ex never made an appearance, but Ben made Elle a drink and let her talk his ear off about it, never once complaining. He even managed to cheer her up, to offer the welcome distraction she sincerely needed, and that distraction helped her see him more clearly. Yes, he knew how to have a good time, and sure, he might be a bit of a flirt, but beneath the obvious he was also a genuinely good guy. He seemed to truly give a shit about her, which caught Elle by surprise.
Had she been looking the wrong way this whole time?
She approached it cautiously, not wanting to rush into anything after her breakup, and eventually they started hanging out and making plans independent of their shared acquaintances. They'd watched a couple movies, grabbed tacos, hit up an opening in town.
But they didn't fuck.
Elle would have assumed she'd been friend-zoned if not for the way Ben looked at her and the fact that he kissed her first. So what was he waiting for? Did he have some embarrassing secret? She'd spent more time than she cared to admit wondering about it, not knowing whether to blame herself or to give him credit for being so careful with her. Did he think it was too soon? Why hadn't he tried anything else?
She didn't understand and was tired of guessing. He needed to make a move but she wasn't going to push it. That wasn't her style.
She would follow his lead.
*
Ben picked her up a little before seven, driving to a new fusion restaurant he thought they'd both enjoy. He looked handsome as usual, a casual plaid shirt rolled to his elbows. Elle kept staring at his forearms, imagining how they tightened as he jerked himself off. Was he as sexually frustrated as she was? She wondered if he touched himself after their dates or if the thought never crossed his mind. She masturbated immediately after most of them, but maybe he charmed women so easily because he didn't care either way.
She pushed these thoughts to the back of her mind, enjoying their playful banter throughout dinner, learning more about his family and friends. They were both transplants to this city, buzzing in with all the other bright-eyed college students then staying behind to work as most of their swarm dispersed throughout the country again. He showed her some of his latest projects and made her laugh with tales of his colleagues, letting her sample his entree after jokingly swatting her off. After the meal Ben took her to catch some new indie flick everyone seemed to be raving about; Elle was unfamiliar with the director but Ben promised her his other films had all been solid. The movie was surprisingly sad and beautiful, and occasionally Ben would reach for her hand or gently touch her arm, his clear affection towards her only solidifying her guilt over their inevitable breakup. By the time the credits rolled and he asked if she'd like to grab a drink, Elle felt so disheartened that she simply shrugged and announced she would probably turn in for the night.
She stole the occasional glance in Ben's direction during the ride home, but his expression was calm and he kept the conversation pleasant, seemingly oblivious to the unspoken ultimatum choked in Elle's throat
.
Fuck me, or else...
Parking the car outside her apartment, a clear path through fallen leaves.
The sweet, damp scent of an autumn night.
Kissing Elle softly before stepping back down.
Waiting for her to say goodbye.
"Ben..." Elle began, disappointed that this was how it would end. Should she tell him right away or call him later? He deserved better than a text but it would be so hard to have that conversation on her front steps.
Before she could decide, his eyes met hers. Searching. Questioning.
"Can I come up with you for a bit?"
Hoping.
Elle's face flushed and the warmth spread instantly throughout her body.
Yes. Yes, that would be alright. God, yes, that would be alright.
"Of course," she smiled, delighted, hoping he wouldn't notice the slight tremble of her fingers.
She led him up to her apartment, barely closing the door before his hands were turning her around. Bringing her lips to his.
Elle kissed him back, cautiously at first and then passionately, breathing in his scent, dizzy at the sensation of his tongue moving against hers. She pressed her hips against his body, unable to contain how desperately she wanted to feel him. How ravenous she was after holding back the last few months.
Ben's mouth was on her neck. Kissing. Biting.
His hand in her hair as his lips moved to her earlobe.
"Undress for me," he whispered.
Elle was surprised but aroused by this unexpected command, carefully lifting her thin sweater and unbuttoning her pants. Stepping out of them slowly.
His eyes travelled along her body, the deep emerald lingerie contrasting with her lightly tanned skin, memories of summer beginning to fade.
"All of it," he said softly.
She obeyed, feeling suddenly shy as she unhooked her bra and slid her panties down her thighs. She was fully nude now, naked and vulnerable in front of him, her pulse racing. He said nothing, but took a step back to admire her, her chest rising and falling with each anxious breath.
Ben reached out to brush a smooth brown wave behind her shoulder then drew his fingertips down her neck and collarbone, tracing the tan-lines accenting her breasts, her nipples dark and pink and tight. He circled one gently and cupped his hand around her, easily filling his palm with her pert tit. He gave a small tug on her nipple and she sighed, closing her eyes. She wanted to watch him as he looked at her but she felt inexplicably embarrassed, as though something was happening that she couldn't quite understand. She had never expected Ben to be so forward, to know what he wanted so surely and entirely. If there had been signs, she'd been too self-absorbed to see them. Now she felt at least two steps behind.
He moved his hand down along Elle's stomach, her heart pounding, ribs barely able to contain her expanding lungs as Ben's fingertips brushed the small patch of dark hair between her legs, moving lightly to her bare slit. This was the moment she loved the most, the moment he would part her and see how wet she was. How ready she was to be taken.
But he stopped just shy of opening her and feeling how much she wanted him. Maybe he already knew.
His fingers moved instead to his pants, silently unbuttoning and unzipping them. Elle didn't need to be told what to do, she found herself naturally, hungrily moving to prove that she was worth the wait. She helped release his erection from his pants and let out a small moan.
Jesus, Ben's dick was larger than she'd expected.
No wonder he was so confident.
She knelt down and brought his head into her mouth, tasting the salt of his smooth, warm flesh. Her hand moving to his shaft, tightening firmly around his impressive girth.
Sucking him was going to be a challenge, but Elle had always secretly loved the feeling of a cock in her mouth. And now Ben's cock was in her mouth.
Ben's cock. Her mouth.
She thought the words again as she throbbed, the juices of her arousal beginning to run. She sucked him greedily until he told her to slow down, to take her time, tilting her chin up to face him.
Elle flushed, embarrassed. She nodded, and slowed her pace for him, filling her throat steadily and deliberately with his thick penis, pulling her circled hand along his length.
Ben ran his fingers through her soft hair then began to push. He wanted it faster now.
"God, you're good at this," he exhaled. "You actually like it, don't you? It shows."
