Ben opened one eye to watch Rachel silently scurry about the room. The corner of his mouth turned up in an evil smile, observing her flustered panic as she ran a desperate hand through her tousled long hair, frantically looking around with exasperation.
Eventually Ben chuckled, and Rachel jumped as she realised he was awake and watching her.
"Dressed already?" he innocently inquired, slowly rolling onto his back to fold his hands behind his head, completely at ease as she continued to look around furtively.
"Y-yes. Well..." she stammered, wringing her hands and averting her eyes from his muscular bare chest. "I was just looking for my handbag."
"Oh," Ben said lightly, offering no assistance. He could almost read her thoughts as though they appeared above her head in block-lettered speech bubbles.
I can't leave without my handbag! And if I do... I'll have to come back!
"Come back to bed," he purred, patting the empty space beside him.
"But...but I'm dressed now," Rachel objected, edging toward the door.
"You're not leaving."
Rachel paused, unsure whether it was a question, statement, or an order. In the harsh light of morning Ben looked sensually hot, like the heartthrob centrefold of a women's magazine. And she was dishevelled and dirty, and probably looking like she ought to go out with the trash.
"Anyway," Rachel chose to ignore his unnerving words, and roughly secured her hair in a ponytail. As the silky tresses were restrained behind her head, Ben frowned disapprovingly.
There was a pregnant pause as both of them wondered what she would say. Ben watched curiously as Rachel opened her mouth. But her mind was blank, so she opted for the exit of an undignified one-night-stand - she turned and ran.
"The fuck?" Ben jerked up in bed, not believing his eyes. So much for hiding her stuff to anchor her to the apartment!
With an effort, Rachel finally unlatched the front door and heaved it open, before it snapped shut in her face with a force that sent her stumbling backward into Ben's arms.
"That's enough. We're having a talk," he said bluntly, pointing to the couch.
Rachel didn't move. When Ben seized her arm to lead her, he felt her tension, and it wasn't the nervous, excited vibe she normally emitted from his touch. Peering down at her face, he was shocked to see she was on the verge of real tears.
"Talk to me, Rachel, please," he softly pleaded, releasing her arm and tucking loose strands of hair behind her ear.
"You don't understand!" she said wretchedly, unable to look at him. "You're making a mistake with me."
"Why? Is your dad head of the mafia, or something?" he raised an eyebrow with a wry smile.
"You don't get it," she muttered, and Ben was horrified when tears dripped down her cheeks. He wanted to kiss them away, immediately, but he held back, eager to hear her explanation.
"You think...I mean..." she began, struggling to find the words. "I'm boring."
"
Huh?"
Ben gasped, completely baffled. He experienced a very strange sensation of both wanting to laugh at the absurd claim, and feeling outraged that she dared say such a thing. His hand twitched with the temptation to spank her.
"I mean, you'll get tired of me. Someone like you-" Rachel shook her head. "I could never be good enough. There, I said it. Let me go."
"Fuck that!" Ben exclaimed, with a very dark frown.
Suddenly comprehending her insecurity, little could Rachel know that it was only with every ounce of his self-control that Ben supressed the evil smile that fought to surface, and it was a big one. Everything made sense now, with perfect clarity. She was naturally shy, yes. But there was more. How could he not realise?
Rachel had been burned. Someone had hurt her, badly. Ben felt a twinge of guilt about how deeply grateful he was for it. Without it, who knows, she could still be dating the guy whose teeth he'd like to knock out for being such a bastard, a person to whom he simultaneously wanted to send a gift of expensive scotch for releasing her. Otherwise, they likely would have never met...
Stifling this upsetting line of thought, Ben noticed Rachel was rudely staring up at him with a 'Don't you get it, moron?' look.
Ben took a deep, contemplative breath. Then without warning he picked her up and carried her to the couch.
"Ben! What are you doing!" Rachel squealed, struggling as she was lowered to the cushions.
Ben ignored her, and gently pushed her back when she tried to get to her feet. Seated beside her, he took her hand and held it very firmly in both of his.
"I'm going to say this once," he said bluntly, trying not to be distracted by her cheeks again turning adorably red. "We all have issues, and I can deal with yours. But you're not leaving. Understand?"
Rachel looked rebellious for the first time, and opened her mouth to argue, but he continued without giving her the chance.
"I don't sleep with girls in a first meeting and I don't stalk them at their work - I normally have more dignity than that. I never bring them to my home. But now, it feels right. Not because it's a good time for me. Because
you
feel right."
Rachel widened her eyes at her lap with a superior scepticism that made Ben reconsider spanking her.
"I don't give a fuck whether or not you believe me," he growled, releasing her hand so he could pinch her chin and force her to meet his eyes. "You're not leaving."
"I have to go home at some stage," she mumbled.
Ben mouth formed a thin line as he conceded her point. But instead of talking, he leaned forward to smooth tears from her face, and began to plant gentle kisses across her cheeks.
"Ben-" Rachel argued, but with a light giggle that made him shiver. Suddenly her hair was released from the ponytail, and Ben stroked the long, reddish-brown tresses free with relish.
"I want you. Again," he breathed against her temple. One hand lifted her shirt while the other fumbled with her pants. "Besides, you can't leave in dirty clothes," he insisted, with an agenda that had nothing to do with chivalry. "I'll wash them for you."
"But I don't have anything else! I can't always be naked!" Rachel exclaimed shrilly, feebly pushing against his chest as he moved in close to reach around and unclasp her bra.
"Why not? Will you feel better if I'm naked, too?" Ben offered, deliberately embarrassing her. "I forgot how much you like my being naked..."
And there it was, the sexy blush that complimented her features. Too impatient to carry her upstairs, Ben briskly pulled off the rest of her clothes and settled her in his lap. She was naked on top of him, and it was wonderful.
"My God," he breathed, his hands full of her breasts. They were pale, silky and firm. Her nipples were the same delectable pastel pink colour as her lips.
"Kiss me, Rae," he groaned, gently kneading her breasts. The nickname wasn't planned, it just came naturally. Ben closed his eyes as her lips tentatively met his, and at that first moment's contact his cock hardened painfully.
Held comfortingly close while she kissed him, Rachel felt a strange sensation as the concrete walls she'd built around her emotions began to chip and crumble. Marcus, her ex, was so adamant that no one could love her. That she was a dud in bed, and out of it. That she was so lucky he even put up with her, because no other man would tolerate the way she was.
But Ben was fervently kissing her, holding her close and touching her chest with a joy that she knew was real. And he hardly knew her at all, and he still wanted her. Dared she think...
"Will you give me a chance, Rae?" Ben said huskily, kissing her cheek and running a hand through her hair to look into her eyes.
In the natural light of day, he saw Rachel was really pretty. She was alluring in a natural, wholesome way that just drove him crazy, knowing how sexual she was beneath the prudish exterior. She was nothing like the confidently smokey-eyed, modelesque, party girls he usually went for.
Ben loved lipstick on women, but right now, the idea of masking the precious pink tones of Rachel's lush mouth beneath a sticky coat of paint made him mildly angry. Who'd have thought he'd fall in love with a timid girl?
Ben took a moment to comprehend his last thought. Yes, it was love. Physical as his attraction was, he was genuinely interested in Rachel. And for a man with a nonchalant thick skin when it came to dealings with women, he desperately wanted her to return his feelings. He never cared what women thought of him in the past. Suddenly, it vitally mattered.
"Just give me a chance," he whispered. He felt like an animal trapper luring a suspicious, breathtakingly rare and beautiful bird that he wanted to keep forever.
"I'll be kind, I won't hurt you. I'll be nice, if it doesn't work out," he gently reassured her, though almost laughed out loud with his next thought.
As if I'd let you slip through my fingers.
"Alright," Rachel murmured doubtfully, also sensing he wouldn't exactly take 'no' for an answer.
"Great!" Ben grinned hugely, and not without relief. His features were light-heartedly charming, a very different appearance to the brooding scowl that surfaced when he'd caught her sneaking off.
"You liked watching me from a distance. Take advantage of me, now you've got me."
"What?" Rachel said faintly, feeling overwhelmed.
It was as though she'd stumbled into a fantasy world where time stood still, and she'd inevitably wake up in the dusty, abandoned offices to discover it was all a pathetic dream.
Watching her hungrily, Ben lifted her from his lap so he could shift down the couch and lie back. He beckoned her wickedly, but Rachel didn't move, genuinely puzzled by the movement.
"What...what do you mean?" she faltered, looking over his hard, flexing body. His giant erection pointed her direction though his underwear.
"I want to taste you. Sit on my face."
"
What
? I couldn't do that!" she gasped, scandalized. At the same time, a sharp tingle rattled through her pussy at the obscene image that followed.
"Yes, you will. Hurry up, I can't wait," Ben cheekily licked his lips, reaching for her. "Just straddle my face, and relax."
Hesitantly crawling up his body, Rachel was very conscious of his guiding hands squeezing and stroking her bare skin as she moved over him.
"Yeah," he muttered, her pretty, pink pussy in his face. "Oh, fuck yes."
Moving his dark gaze from her spread exposure, up her smooth stomach to her tits, roundly protruding from her chest, he reached to seize one in his hand and extended his tongue to lick up her soft, velvet folds.
"OH!' Rachel gasped, instinctively pressing down against his mouth. His warm breath, tongue, and lips massaging her so intimately felt incredible. Then his hand moved on her breast with his mouth's rhythm, his thumb circling and pressing down on her erect nipple.
"You taste so good! Come in my mouth!" he thickly muttered, his mind blissfully consumed with rampant ideas of sex. For once he wasn't thinking about work, and didn't even know what day it was. He didn't care.
Rachel trembled when he spoke, his hot words reverberating against her sensitively. Even before he gave the order, she didn't think it could be avoided.
Ben heard her breathing accelerate and looked up to see her arch and moan. Sadly he couldn't see her face, but he imagined her eyes were closed, her mouth slightly ajar with desire for what he was doing to her. Pinching her nipple, he edged his other hand under her pussy, spreading her wide for his searching tongue.
