Breaking All the Rules (22 page)

              She watched as he pulled out the ball gag, then shook his head, “I want to be able to hear you scream my name.”

              Next came the nipple clamps. Again, he shook his head and dropped them back, “I want to be able to suck on your nipples.”

              Benson continued the teasing with a few more toys before his eyes lit up. He pulled out the Hitachi wand and Mia moaned instantly. He looked at her with lust, “Is this what you want?”

              “Yes,” She nodded eagerly. “Please, Benson.”

              Her voice was drenched in sexual anticipation. He stroked his cock once, unable to resist the throbbing hardness. Mia’s breath hitched and her eyes were fixed on his hand. He stroked a few more times. She didn’t even look up at him. Her eyes followed his hand movements. When he stopped, she licked her lips. He plugged the toy in beside the bed and climbed into the bed with it. He positioned himself between her legs and flicked the switch on the toy, turning it to the first level of vibration.

              Even on the so-called low level, the wand was extremely powerful. The buzz was loud, but as soon as Benson pressed the toy against her clit, the noise was canceled out by Mia’s wild yell. It startled Benson. He’d never used one of the toys on or with a woman before, though he’d seen them before. He held it in place and watched Mia with his mouth open. He used one hand to steady the toy and the other to stroke himself as he watched her.

              She thrashed against the restraints as she was overcome with pleasure. Her body seized with orgasm after orgasm as she succumbed to the intense vibrations. She begged for him to move the head around a little and he complied. His eyes widened as she lifted off the bed and squirted a mass of clear liquid out of her body. Her moans and screams were constant now, though she never asked him to stop. They were accompanied by the utterly erotic sound of the toy vibrating against the wetness of her pussy.

              He didn’t stop himself from coming. He let himself spray onto Mia’s stomach. Upon feeling the warmth, her eyes opened and she looked at the mess on her stomach then up at Benson. He met her eyes. They were drunk with lust.

              “Let me taste,” She cried out, arching her back.

              He turned the toy off and her body shook as it calmed itself. She didn’t protest the removal of the machine from her clit as he thought she would. Instead she swallowed hard and let out a constant stream of rugged breaths. Benson swirled two fingers in his own cum on her stomach then inched forward to press them in her eager mouth.

              The feeling of her warm tongue as it lapped up his seed was nearly enough to send him overboard again. His fingers lingered against her lips as he stared at her. His eyes were full of adoration and lust.

              “I don’t know how you’re real,” He whispered, afraid of his own voice.

              She didn’t say anything back. His voice was too raw. She couldn’t process anything at the moment, let alone his unwavering feelings towards her. Benson dipped his head and flicked his lips over her neglected nipples. She arched into the licks and let out a sensitive cry. As good as she looked tied down; he wanted to feel her fuck-me-pumps digging into his back. He wanted to feel her hands claw down him as she searched for something to hold on to. In a hurry, he set the toy on the nightstand and reached down and undid her restraints.

              Free from the restraints, Benson slid between her legs. The pool of her juices had sunk deep into the mattress. The dampness heightened his arousal. He hooked her legs under his arm and slid into her in one solid motion. Her sex was swollen and sensitive from the toy. Finally deep inside her, Benson let out a strangled cry. He sunk into her over and over again, his hands moving from massaging her tender breasts to trailing her long legs as they bounced above his head. Mia had tears pouring from her eyes as her hyper-sensitive body was riddle with pleasure.

              Releasing her legs, Benson bent down over her. He grabbed onto her shoulders and used the leverage to help slam her body into his as he thrust. His extensive moans heightened Mia’s pleasure. She dug into his back and he arched into the pain. It fueled his frenzy and with a final grunt he came inside her, almost violently, as he shook.

              They lingered in their position for a few heavy seconds. Once he was sure he wasn’t going to have a heart attack, Benson lifted his head and placed a kiss on Mia’s damp forehead. Her eyes were heavy and rimmed with leftover tears. She looked as if she were going to say something. When she didn’t, he climbed off of her and on shaky legs made his way to the bathroom.

             
I love you
. Mia had almost said it. She watched as Benson disappeared into the bathroom and frowned. She couldn’t love him. It had taken her nearly four months to say those words to Grant, and even then she wasn’t sure if they were true. After two weeks there was no way she loved Benson. He came back with a wet towel and began to clean her up, as he often did.
You love the sex, not the man
. Mia told herself that a dozen times while he tenderly cleaned her body. She couldn’t convince herself.

              When he went back into the bathroom, she stood, catching her balance on the bedpost. She gathered the restraints and the toy that had made their way out of the drawer. Benson came strolling back out of the bathroom wearing his boxers as she was tucking the items back in the bedside drawer.

              “Are you okay?” He asked, his voice teasing slightly, as he wrapped his arms around her. “You were crying there at the end.”

              “Never been better,” Mia closed her eyes and sank into the embrace.

              He kissed the top of her head, “Your bed is soaked. There’s no way we can sleep in it tonight. I’d offer to take the wet side, but the entire thing is a mess.”

              Her heart leapt out of her throat, “We?”

              Benson tilted her back, “Yes, we. You’ve spoiled me. If I don’t wake up with you I’ll have a bad day.”

              Full of emotions that she couldn’t quite understand, Mia began to cry. Benson raised an eyebrow, though his face was concerned. Before he could ask what was wrong she shook her head.

              “I’m sorry,” She laughed a little. “That was just really sweet and my hormones are all messed up from having a hundred orgasms.”

              “I’ll give you a hundred more if that’s what it’ll take to get you to stay with me this week.”

              Mia didn’t hold back her surprise. She stuttered, “The whole week?”

              He leaned in and whispered, “I thought if I asked you to move in with me you’d get spooked. I think a week is fair.”

              “You can’t be serious?” She exclaimed, taking a step back. “You go from being utterly confused about your feelings towards me to wanting me to move in with you?”

              “Something like that. Mia, you know I see what I want and I take it. I don’t care about anything else other than wanting you with me every morning and every evening. Give me a week.”

              She looked up at the ceiling and spoke, “Okay, aliens who took over Benson’s body. This is hilarious, but please bring back the normal guy I l-like.”

              Mia stumbled over her words. She had nearly said love. Benson noticed the stumble but didn’t seem to catch on. That or he chose to ignore it.

              “I don’t believe in aliens,” He stated smugly, crossing his arms in front of him.

              “You’re afraid of commitment but are asking me to move in with you. I just think it’s a little absurd, Benson.”

              “I really didn’t think it would be a big deal. I’m tired. Come on, Mia. You can come back here tomorrow if it’s such an issue with you. I just don’t want to sleep on a wet bed.”

              She closed her eyes. She had made him angry. No, he was pissed. She could hear him gathering his clothes and pulling them on. She finally opened her eyes and found him staring at her as he buttoned his pants. She finally nodded in agreement and put on a pair of yoga pants and a tank top. She grabbed a piece of luggage from under her bed and gently folded a few days’ worth of clothing into it. Benson watched with a smug expression.

              As soon as Mia grabbed her purse, her eyes lit up.

              “I almost forgot!” She exclaimed, digging through the bag. Benson looked at her with curiosity. “I bought you something today.”

              “Don’t waste your money on me, Mia,” Benson frowned.

              “I can spend my money how I want,” She rolled her eyes and presented him with the tiny box, suddenly nervous about his reaction.

              He quirked his head to the side and then opened the box. His eyes looked from the lion cufflinks to Mia’s face and then back to the jewelry. His lips pressed together and he let out a quiet, “Oh.”

              “You don’t like them,” Mia sighed. She looked at a spot on the floor. “I’m sorry. They just reminded me of you.”

              “They’re amazing, Mia. Thank you.”

              She looked up and caught his grin. He held them tightly and leaned forward to kiss her. He rested his forehead on hers for a long moment. With his eyes gazing into hers, Mia felt a wave of uncertainty sweep over her. She felt vulnerable and unhinged. When she tried looking away, Benson guided her back to him and kissed her again. His lips were gentle and chaste. He thanked her again and it was genuine.

              She had loved spending the weekend with him. But as they climbed into the back of the Bentley and drove to the penthouse, Mia’s stomach churned. She knew Benson would get bored with her. He’d grow tired of her presence and want her gone. And when he did, she wasn’t sure she’d survive. 

Chapter Ten

              It
was
nice waking up to Benson. They got ready much the way they did the morning before, though they opted for slow morning sex instead of a slippery pass in the shower. They still showered together. It was more of a comfort than anything sensual. When Mia emerged into the main area of the penthouse, she found Benson making coffee in the kitchen. He had two travel mugs and passed her one with a smile.

              He was wearing the cufflinks she had given to him the night before. They looked good with his suit, and paired with his crimson tie, he radiated power. She sipped on the coffee while he quickly made them bagels to go, and then they headed down to see Victor.

              They talked about a story that had ran on the news that morning about a train that had derailed upstate, and when they pulled in front of Monarch Records, Benson placed a hand over hers.

              “Hold on a second,” He set down his coffee and lifted to reach his pocket. He pulled out a black electronic square and handed it to her. “For the elevator and penthouse.”

              She held back anything negative she had to say and forced a smile, “Thank you, Benson.”

              He kissed her, “I’ve got a late meeting tonight. I won’t be home until after seven.”

              “Oh… okay,” Her smile wavered, but she looked away before he caught it. She thought briefly about asking him if he was busy for lunch, but tossed the thought aside, not wanting to seem too clingy. “I’ll be fine. See you tonight, Benson.”

              “Precious,” He warned, his voice low. “Look at me.”

              She obliged and looked at him with a smile, “What?”

              He studied her for a moment before releasing her, “Nothing. Have a good day.”

              He didn’t help her out of the car. She clutched her travel mug and strode into the building, lingering by the large glass doors as the vehicle drove away. She let out a sigh, hoping it would release the tension that was coiled tightly inside her. It didn’t.

              Mia was surprised to see Tyler waiting for her by her office. She was even more surprised when she saw how he looked. His eyes were dark and he had a beard that indicated he hadn’t shaved in days. His clothes were rumpled, no doubt having been worn at least for a day. He looked exhausted both mentally and physically. She ushered him inside her room and closed the blinds. She extended her travel mug, now half full of black coffee, but he shook his head.

              “You look terrible, Tyler. Have you slept?”

              “Barely,” He muttered.

              “I tried getting ahold of you at least a dozen times. You can’t just fall off the face of the planet like that. I was worried.”

              “I’m sure you were.”

              She shot him an angry look through slatted eyes, “What’s your problem?”

              He laughed tersely, “Other than the fact that one of my best friends nearly died and is now going to prison? Or that his band- the one I manage- is in shambles?”

              “You can’t take it out on me, Tyler. I didn’t cause this. I
warned
you guys about getting caught up in the scene.”

              “Monarch wants us to stay,” He said abruptly.

              Mia smiled, “Great! That’s really rare, Tyler. He really likes your guys’ sound. Anybody else he would’ve sent packing.”

              “I don’t know if we’re going to, though,” He whispered.

              “Excuse me?” Mia’s eyebrows bunched together. “Have you lost your mind?”

              “We can’t have the band without Max. He was talking about bringing in a professional just to finish up the album. He even said we can find our own replacement- granted it’s within his timeframe and he approves. It’s just… they made the band together. Max is our friend. How are they supposed to play
their
music with someone else?”

              “Easily. They just play. You’re really going to throw away their future… your future… because of this? You do realize nobody else will sign you if this contract is broken. You’ll go back to Indiana and have to work in factories for the rest of your lives. Isn’t that what you told me? You have to at least try to make it big so you don’t have to live your life on an assembly line wondering what could have happened?”

              “Fuck, Mia,” Tyler’s sob startled her.

              He kept his face buried in his hands. She processed the scene for a moment, unsure of what to do, before abruptly standing and going to his side. She bent over him and hugged him awkwardly. The closeness made her uncomfortable, but she didn’t know how else to comfort her friend.

              “You’re a good manager, Tyler, and Burnside is a good band. Don’t throw it all away.”

              “It’s easy to say for you because you’re not in my shoes,” He hiccupped.

              “If I were in your shoes, I would have slapped some sense into Max weeks ago.”

              He shifted and looked at her with puffy eyes and a scowl, “That’s not helping.”

              “And I’m not a therapist,” She cocked an eyebrow.

              “Max will never forgive us.”

              “I don’t know if you heard, Tyler, but Max is going to be in prison for a very long time.”

              His breath hitched, “Yeah, I know.”

              “I can’t tell you what to do, Tyler. I know you want me to, but I can’t. You and the guys need to figure it out, soon, though. Monarch won’t let this deal rest for very long, and I’m sorting through the mess for the gig on Saturday at The Dark Room. Does that ring a bell? Playing before Charlotte’s Drive? Don’t pass this up because you will regret it.”

              In the silence that followed, Mia became acutely aware of how close they were. Before she could unwrap her arms from around him or move her face, Tyler tilted his head and kissed her. His lips were warm and salty from tears. When his tongue grazed her bottom lip, she tore herself away, nearly stumbling into the file cabinet near the door. She touched her lips. There was no spark or fire like when Benson kissed her. There was nothing at all.

              Nothing but a very upset looking Tyler sitting in the chair.

              “Why did you do that?” Mia breathed, her hand still on her lips.

              “I have wanted to kiss you for months. It seemed like a good opportunity,” He grumbled as he rose from the chair. He crossed over to her and she took a step back further into the cabinet.

              “I’m dating Benson Ward,” Mia sputtered.

              Tyler’s eyes widened slightly, “I thought you were just sleeping with him.”

              Mia closed her eyes and tilted her head back, “You should go, Tyler. You need to figure out what’s going on with Burnside before you try to kiss every woman in this office.”

              “I only wanted to kiss you.”

              “Tyler.”

              He moved away from her and stepped towards the door. His hand lingered and he looked back at her with a sad smile, “I know.”

              He left and Mia scrambled to raise the blinds around her office. She wished she had left them open. Maybe that would have stopped her from hugging him or him from kissing her. Mia sat at her desk and pulled out her phone, looking at it long and hard before she pulled up her text messages and composed one for Benson.

            
 
Are you busy? I need to talk to you.

            
 
He didn’t text back immediately, so Mia assumed he was tied up and started flipping through her morning emails. Nearly an hour later she received a response.

What’s wrong?

Nothing. I will see you tonight.

She slid her phone into her desk and ignored the buzz indicating she’d received a message. Mia didn’t get much work done throughout the day. Her mind was in a thousand different places. Tyler had texted her shortly after lunch apologizing and saying the band was accepting Monarch’s deal. Mia emailed Grant and Benson, letting them both know about the update. When five o’clock came, she bolted out of the building.

Unsure of what Benson had in his refrigerator, Mia had Victor stop at a local market where she picked up some ingredients. In her attempt that day to not do any work whatsoever she had stumbled upon a delicious Mediterranean salmon dish she wanted to try.

Using the private elevator and walking into the penthouse alone gave Mia butterflies. As she prepared dinner, she hummed along to her music and wondered if she really could move in with Benson. There was no doubt that he was a little commitment shy, but when the man knew what he wanted, he took it. She rolled her eyes. They could barely go twenty four hours without bickering. There was no way they’d be able to live together.

It was just before seven when she set the table. She had bought a few candlesticks at the market and arranged them on the table to give an ambient glow when she dimmed the lights. She poured two glasses of an aged pinot noir, switched her music over to a playlist she crafted early that day called ‘Songs to Bone Benson To’ and dipped into the bedroom to change out of her work clothes. She slipped on the incredibly sexy black Dita Von Teese bustier she packed while Benson wasn’t looking and covered the lingerie with a sparkling cap sleeved cocktail dress that made her feel like a sexy disco ball.

By eight o’clock Mia had drank half the bottle of pinot noir herself. The candles were no longer fresh, the hardened wax melting around the sides. Setting her wine glass on the coffee table, Mia nestled into the extra-large sectional sofa, falling asleep with
Ride
by SoMo playing in the background.

By the time Benson reached the door to his penthouse he felt like he was walking on pins and needles. Mia hadn’t answered his calls or texts all afternoon. He had tried letting her know his international meeting had ran over, but she never responded. Victor had told him she stopped at the market after work and hadn’t left the building since, but if Mia wanted to slip away, Benson had no doubt in his mind she could.

He opened the door cautiously. Soft music drifted through the darkness. His eye caught the candlelight from the table and he swore under his breath. Benson quickly closed the door and crossed the room, approaching the sparkling figure on the couch as he removed his jacket and loosened his tie. When he reached Mia, his heart jumped to his throat and his cock stirred.

              She had changed out of her pencil skirt and blouse and into a tiny dress that would drive any sane man crazy. Leaning against a pillow, her dark hair was rustled and displayed around her like an ethereal crown. The dress was short by nature, but it was scrunched up exposing even more of her silk thighs.

              Benson lowered himself over her. His fingers gently trailed up her leg. Mia let out a moan and stirred beneath him. When he reached the curve of her ass, her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him with bedroom eyes tainted with anger. The look was a missile to his heart and his groin.

              “You’re late,” She muttered.

              “I’m sorry,” His jaw was tight as he spoke. “I texted you and told you I’d be staying over.”

              Her eyes looked over at the docking station and then back at him. She didn’t say anything. Rather, she closed her eyes and wiggled into a comfortable position. With an eyebrow cocked, Benson watched as she quickly drifted back to sleep.

              He bent down and kissed her. She woke up slowly, pressing into the kiss as her hands rose and latched onto his back. The couch was wide enough for them both to lie comfortably. He tilted to the side without breaking their kiss. Mia tasted like wine. One swipe against her tongue and the flavors tingled.

              They weren’t hurried. Both seemed content to stay on the couch exploring mouths and bodies with roaming hands. Mia felt like a teenager again, a slight buzz running through her veins as someone’s hands ran through her hair. But that someone was Benson. When her lips were swollen and the ache between her legs was too intense to ignore, Mia reached down for the zipper on Benson’s pants. He stopped her. Before she could say anything he gave her a wicked grin.

              “Dinner first. You worked hard on it, and I don’t want it to go to waste.”

              Mia whined, “Dessert first. Then you can punish me for being a bad girl.”

              “If you want spanked all you have to do is ask,” Benson teased as he sat up.

              Mia swung her legs off the couch and stood smoothly, crossing her arms in the process, “This isn’t fair. I want you now.”

              “A very sexy woman once told me delayed gratification made things better,” He winked and extended a hand. “Come, precious.”

              “That’s what I’m trying to do!” She exclaimed with a laugh.

              Benson chuckled and she finally accepted his hand. They crossed over to the table where the candles were burning low and the food was cold and untouched, looking as if it belonged in a magazine spread.