Slow Ride Home (The Grady Legacy) (17 page)

* * *

What the hell had just happened? Allie had frozen up, got this panicked look about her. Had he hurt her? Ben held himself still. “Allie? Where’d you go? What’s the matter?”

“What am I doing?” she whispered. “What are we doing?”

Ah fuck, she was thinking again. She’d climaxed, he was certain of it, and then click, just like that her brain had started churning again. How the hell did a woman’s brain function? Because as far as he was concerned, a good, hard bout of sex meant no thoughts at all other than how to draw his next breath.

“It’s called makin’ love.” He eased down to his elbows. There was no way he could continue now. Goddamn it, he was so fucking close to coming himself. “Having sex, or if you want me to be crude—” which normally he wouldn’t be, but Allie enjoyed dirty talk, “—fucking.”

“That’s not what I meant. I mean why are we here? What are we doing having sex?”

With a groan he felt down to his aching balls, he pulled out of her and rolled beside her. “Is it something I did or...?”

She waved a hand in this little fluttery motion. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Then what’s going on?” Confusion mingled with suspicion that he’d fucked up somehow, though he didn’t have a clue how.

She rested her chin on her knees and stared at him. If he was reading her right, she was afraid. “Where are we going with this, Ben?”

“You’re having second thoughts? About us?” Panic roiled his stomach at the thought she might pull away now. End things. Not that either of them had made any commitment yet but...shoot, was he falling for her again?

“I don’t know.” She’d scooted to sit up, hugging her knees. Not a good sign in his experience. “I just...I need a minute, okay?”

She scooted to the side of the bed and hurried to the bathroom. Which reminded him—he rolled on his side and removed the condom.

He gave himself a quick clean up in the smaller bathroom and returned to the bed to wait. Running water echoed in the bathroom, for a shower or a bath. Guess she wasn’t returning any time soon.
Wow
,
you really screwed up this time
,
Grady.
He pulled his clothes back on and walked out to the patio to stare unseeing over the city skyline.

Where are we going with this?
she’d asked. Were they going anywhere? The quickie session out in the field had been impulse, with no thought as to any future. Same thing when he’d taken her up against the tree. That night, when she’d been waiting for him on his porch. Something more had happened, even before they’d made it to the bedroom.

What had happened just now, he wasn’t quite sure. Was it a memory of when they’d been in love before? Or was he falling in love with her again?

What was he thinking falling in love with her again, opening himself to another world of hurt when she left—knowing she would leave? She was a lawyer, working in the big city, used to fancy things, a fancy life. She didn’t fit in his world any more. Any more than he fit into hers.

Yet, as he fought the ache growing at the realization, if there’d been any question of whether he was falling in love, the urge to cuddle her, to make her laugh and wipe that damned forlorn look off her face, told him the love meter arrow had already tipped to the Hell Yes side.

Shit, maybe she was right to question them right then. Before he took that big leap off the relationship cliff.

Chapter Eleven

If any woman ever confessed to her they’d stopped a guy mid-sex and demanded they have the
relationship talk
and then fled like a screaming schoolgirl who’d found a big hairy spider in her shoe. Allie would have thumped her over the head and called her an idiot.

Except Ben wasn’t a big, hairy spider. He was a guy. A really nice guy.

What was it about falling in love with him that scared the bejesus out of her?

Allie sunk beneath the water of the bath she’d drawn in her desperation not to face Ben until she’d figured this out. Was it one of those
once bitten
,
twice shy
scenarios? God, she hated that expression. Even if it was true.

So she’d gotten burned during her marriage to Lewis. He hadn’t asked her to change, had simply told her what he was looking for, yet she’d quietly acquiesced and changed in order to please him, to have someone care about her. She could have just as easily walked away; no guy had control of her, never had.

No guy had control of her
.

Ben was the one man who might have the power over her. The power to change her mind, to make her want to give up her job. To make her want things, do things, grown up Allie had decided not to do. Never to want.

The thought of falling in love with him again scared her on too many levels. If Ben wasn’t as committed to the relationship as her, if whatever they had fell apart between them like had with her and Lewis, she wasn’t sure she would be able to pull herself together again. No, worse. In comparison to how she was falling for Ben, her relationship with Lewis was more of a comfortable friends-with-benefits agreement.

When she’d first met Ben, she’d thought him funny and smart, and he’d respected her brains too, unlike some other guys in their class. She’d been jealous too. Of his family and his roots. If they did end up together, the Gradys might not welcome her in and Ben would always choose his family over her. Or maybe they would welcome her with open arms, trusting in Ben’s choice, and she’d have a family again. People to laugh and joke with over Christmas dinner, Thanksgiving. Birthdays. Anniversaries.

And he still had the family she’d always dreamed of. But he hadn’t let them define him. When he’d fought with his grandfather he’d walked away, seeking his dreams, the same way she’d sought hers. And now he fought to keep his brother and his mother and his family’s legacy safe.

He respected her career choices, encouraging her in a way no one else did. He even believed her about the video—and was searching for it to put her at ease that it would never see the light of day to anyone else.

So why was she so scared of taking their relationship to the next level?

Because of Lewis? Because of...doubting herself?

Damn it. Enough of this waffling.

She sat up, sloshing the water over the edge of the tub.

She had a college degree. She’d passed the bar in New York
and
Texas. She’d survived being shunned by her father, survived being publicly humiliated by Lewis when he’d cheated on her. She could survive anything else life threw at her.

Her head swivelled at a sound on the other side of the door, followed by Ben’s voice. He wasn’t speaking to her. From the low, murmured masculine response, someone else was in the room too.

“Allie?” he called through the door. “I’ve ordered dinner. If you want to come out now, we can just talk. No pressure.”

Poor guy. She’d left him in the middle of sex, with a hard-on that probably left him with a really bad case of blue balls. She owed him more than just conversation. Especially since Ben, like most guys, wasn’t big on talking. He was more the “let me fix it” type of guy.

Trouble was she had no idea how he could fix it. If he could. She had to be the one to take the leap. And right now, her fear of heights was kicking into hyperdrive.

Still, he deserved better than to be left alone out there. He at least deserved an apology, if not an explanation.

She rose from the tub, dried herself off and pulled on the hotel robe hanging on the back of the door. She padded from the bathroom into the bedroom to find it empty. So was the living area. Someone—probably the wait staff—had set the table, placing the dining cart in the corner. She smiled at the thick slab of steak he’d wanted for lunch, along with his favorite baked sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping. He’d also ordered a Waldorf salad, some pickled beet dish, arugula, baby kale and...she lifted a lid and found a serving of the most decadent macaroni and cheese she’d ever seen. And sitting in a bucket of ice, an assortment of sorbets. But no trace of Ben.

She found him on the patio, fully dressed, his back to the door, a black silhouette against a splendid red evening sky.

He turned as she padded toward him, concern filling his face. “Are you all right?”

Relief flooded through her, letting the shoulders she’d drawn up relax. “I’m sorry. I know my timing really sucked donkey balls.”

“You’re scared of getting hurt again. I get it.” He closed the distance between them, pulling her into his arms. “I don’t want you to regret anything about us. And I’d rather you get whatever was bothering out of you now than you have panic and be filled with regret when I’m not around.”

“Are we an us?”

“Yes,” he answered without hesitation. “I wouldn’t have brought you here if we weren’t. I’ve even turned off my phone so we can’t be interrupted with ranch business. I don’t do that for just anyone, you know.”

Good answer. And shit, that she hadn’t even noticed.

“I’m not out to hurt you, if that’s what you’re thinking. But I don’t know what to do or say to convince you I’m in it for the long haul. Short of getting on my knee, and I don’t think either of us are ready for that. Yet.”

“Oh Lord.” She rested her forehead on his chest. “I am not ready to consider a marriage proposal.”

“Then how about a proposal that we eat.” He pulled back and cupped her chin, lifting it to meet his gaze, which was twinkling with laughter and anticipation. “And then you march back to that bedroom and do whatever I tell you do. So I can remind you how good we are together in the bedroom again.”

She squeaked. Actually squeaked. What the hell was with her turning into this girly girl? She’d never been a girly girl.

* * *

Once they’d helped themselves to the various dishes, Ben attacked his steak, but he slowed eating when he noticed the gap in Allie’s bathrobe getting lower and lower, giving him a tantalizing view of her cleavage, the soft mounds of her breasts rising and falling with each breath. Hot damn, she was totally naked underneath the robe.

His unsatisfied cock punched against his jeans again, urging him to forget eating steak and lay Allie out on the table as the most delectable dish of the evening. To spread her thighs and feast on her breasts and her pussy. To hook her knees over his shoulders and ram his cock into her. To take her like a barbarian.

Yeah, right. Like that wouldn’t send her screaming back into the bathroom.

Ben stretched out his legs and hooked an arm over the back of his chair. Where he’d cleaned the food off his plate, she’d organized her food into neat little sections. Steak in one quarter of the plate, not quite touching the Waldorf salad, which was carefully kept away from that weird beet-mix thing she’d helped herself to. From what he could tell, she’d barely eaten a bite of any of it. Granted, she’d helped him polish off some of the ribs down at the Stockyards earlier, and she’d eaten more of her lunch at the restaurant than he had—though the servings there weren’t enough to feed a sparrow. But he got the feeling she wasn’t eating because she was thinking again. Overthinking, more like it. “You done?”

She frowned at the plate then let her fork drop. “Yes.”

“Good. Because it’s time for dessert.”

“I really can’t eat another bite.”

“I’m not talking about food. Not for you anyway. Tonight, you’re gonna be my dessert.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh.”

“Take off the bathrobe, Al.”

Her tongue darted out to lick her upper lip, and her pupils dilated. She slowly stood and untied the belt, and then with a shrug of her shoulders let the robe fall to the floor.

“Come here.” His voice had dropped at least an octave. His dick hardened even more when she stopped between his outstretched knees, her breasts tantalizingly at eye level. He reached over and dipped his fingers in the sorbet. He’d originally intended to spread it over his cock and order her to suck him off but changed his mind. She had too talented a mouth for him to last very long, and he wanted to enjoy the night. All night. Instead he spread the softened ice over her hardened nipples until they were coated then scooped up another handful and smeared it over her belly.

He drew a finger in lazy circles around her nipples, loving the shivers and trembles each touch elicited. When he pulled one cream-coated nipple into his mouth, Allie gasped and clung to his shoulders. With tongue and teeth, he cleaned both breasts.

Soft pleas spilled from her lips, cursing him, begging him. He slipped his clean hand between her thighs. “Christ, you’re wet.”

She squirmed against his hand, rocking her clit against his palm, which made licking the rest of the cream off her belly a messy endeavor. By the time he’d cleaned her off, she was about ready to come, and he had cream smeared all over his cheeks, forehead and chin.

He grabbed one of the linen napkins and wiped off his face. “Okay, maybe that wasn’t such a good idea.”

“Worked great for me,” Allie gasped. She dropped to her knees and reached for his fly.

“Not so fast. I’m in charge tonight.” He couldn’t stop his grin at her raised eyebrows. “You owe me for that skedaddling act earlier, remember? You’re all mine tonight.”

Something flared in the back of her eyes, heat and excitement and maybe just a little contrariness. Bring it on.

Grasping her hips, he turned her to face the bedroom. “Go lie down on the bed, face down, but leave your ass up.”

When she hesitated, he swatted her behind. Not hard, but enough that she jumped. “Hey!”

“Then get movin’, darlin’. You’re wasting time.”

“Fine.” Despite that landmine of a word, she sauntered out of the dining area, her ass flexing with each step. Taunting him. Oh man, he was going to have so much fun teasing her tonight.

Only once she was in place did he rouse from his seat and wander into the bedroom. His cock was rock hard, and his balls ached at the sight of that fine pink ass lifted just for his pleasure. He reached down for the box of goodies he’d ordered online and pulled out his pocket knife, slicing through the tape with ease.

“What are you doing?” Allie had turned her head to watch him.

“You’ll see.” Without removing any of the items, he carried the box into the bathroom and cleaned off the items that would touch her skin. Once he was satisfied they were completely sanitized, he returned to find her still in place, her hand between her legs. “Uh-uh-uh, no touching the goods tonight. That’s only for me to do.”

“Then do it, damn it.”

“You’ve had that pleasure already, remember? Now it’s my turn.” Enjoying the frustration in her voice, he placed the box on the dresser. After a quick search of the contents, he chose the set of leather restraints and the clit stimulator that attached to a garter-like belt.

Now, how to attach them. Behind her back would make her chest stick out, accentuating her breasts, but if she was on her face it might be uncomfortable. If he wanted to flip her over onto her back, he’d have to move them too. “Stretch your arms above your head, Al.”

Her butt wiggled as she obeyed him, making him rethink his decision about the butt plug he’d bought online, but he decided against it. Maybe he could use it another day, when she wasn’t so skittish. He wrapped the leather restraints around her wrist and attached them to each other.

“I like these better than the rope,” Allie announced.

Considering they wouldn’t leave marks on her skin, so did he. He’d hoped to use the ankle restraints too, but given the design of the bed, he couldn’t figure out what part of the bed he’d fasten them to. But back home they’d work like a dream. Sweat broke out on his upper lip as he imagined her tied spread-eagle to his bed, open and available for whatever he wanted.

He attached the clit stimulator to her next. “Now,” he whispered in her ear. “Here’s the challenge. You can’t come unless I tell you.”

Her “oh” was pure need, pure greed. Chuckling, he positioned himself between her thighs, spreading them out a little wider until he got a good view of her glistening cleft. After sheathing himself in a condom, he grasped her hips and nudged the head of his cock at her entrance. Then he hit the remote and turned on her vibrator. Her knees damned near lifted off the mattress.

“Remember, darlin’, no coming until I do.”

* * *

Allie hissed in a breath when he buried himself in her pussy, the sudden stretch around his engorged cock burning until her body adjusted to his girth. The damned vibrator buzzed away over her clit, making every nerve ending tingle. Once her body softened for him and accepted his invasion, Ben moved.

Where he’d taken his time before, he was a man on a mission now. His hipbones slapped against her ass, his fingers digging in to her hips as he held on for the wild ride. She curled her fingers into the bedding, trying to stop the orgasm that built deep inside, trying to stop the relentless crawl across the mattress with each of Ben’s powerful thrusts.

Her body clamped around him when the head of his cock found that sensitive spot deep inside, and she whimpered.

“Don’t come,” he growled. “Not unless you want your ass filled too.”

What would it be like? Being full in both passages? He already filled her pussy until she swore she couldn’t stretch another millimeter. She knew it was her imagination—women had babies after all, but the thought of having both her ass and her pussy filled set off another fluttering mini-climax.

He slapped her ass and growled another warning. Then the little vibrator began buzzing faster over her clit. With a scream, she buried her face in the bedding and lost control, her orgasm taking her beyond any she’d had before. Behind her, Ben shouted and thrust in once more, burying his cock so deep she swore his balls slapped her mound. Or maybe that was the vibrator, still merrily buzzing, driving her crazy.