It wasn't the polished chic you might see in a magazine, but it looked cozy and comfortable, exactly the kind of place I would love to curl up and work or watch TV. Or read the romance novels that Cam sent me even though I pretended I didn't. Not because I didn't love them, but because I loved driving her nuts.
Yes, it had already been established that I have a perverse sense of humor.
A huge sectional in a smoky blue was angled toward the corner, which would normally be weird but there was a fireplace in the corner, which was unique and gorgeous. It took up the entire corner and was faced with slate in dark and light grey. A huge TV was mounted above the mantel and I could almost see Ben sprawled out on the sofa with his feet resting on the coffee table in front of him as he watched a ball game or movie.
"You think?" he asked. "My mom always tells me that I need to hire an interior decorator."
I couldn't control my cringe because that sounded exactly like something my mother would say.
Ben laughed. "Yeah, I feel the same way. I want my furniture to be comfortable and not cost an arm and a leg. I don't want to be worried about spilling my drink or getting crumbs all over it. This is my house, not a museum."
"I totally agree. Though I draw the line at crumbs. Gotta clean those up or you get bugs."
He grinned and shook his head.
"I love your fireplace, too," I added.
"Thanks. Wanna see the rest?" he asked.
If it was anything like this living room, the answer was yes.
He showed me his office, the guest room with its own bath, and the spare room he'd turned into a gym. Well, I could understand now why his body was amazing. He had a lot of equipment in there.
Then, he stopped in front of a closed door at the end of the hall.
"What's in there?" I asked. "Your dungeon?"
Ben grinned. "Not quite. It's my room. I wasn't sure you'd want to see it."
"See it or do other things in it?" I took a step closer.
"Either. Both."
4
I touched my fingertips to the center of his chest. I could feel his heart speed up beneath my hand and I liked that he had such a strong reaction to my proximity.
"I think I'd like to do both," I said.
"You sure?" Ben asked. "I can take you home if—"
I lifted my hand from his chest and laid my fingers over his lips. They were softer than I expected, but I could still feel the slight rasp of his five o'clock shadow. He stopped talking and stared down at me.
"I'm staying." I paused, realizing that maybe all his offers to take me home were because he was the one who'd changed his mind. "Unless you don't want me to."
His response was to open the door to his bedroom.
"Is that a yes?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
"Definitely a yes." His mouth moved against my fingertips. Ben curled his fingers around mine and lowered my hand back down to his sternum.
I closed the miniscule distance left between us until our bodies touched. My breasts brushed his ribs just below my hand. I lowered my eyes and watched as my palm moved from the center of his chest to where the vee neck of his shirt revealed his collarbone. He inhaled sharply when I traced the line of his collarbone with one finger, curious about the texture of his skin. Whether it would be hot or cool.
He was warm and his skin was soft. A light dusting of chest hair peeked out of the neckline of his tee and I trailed my finger lower, touching the center of the vee.
Ben's hands closed around my waist, lifting me up on my toes. I raised my other hand and cupped the back of his neck as he lowered his head. It had been a long time since I'd anticipated a kiss this much, so long I'd forgotten the sweet torture of wondering and waiting. Of wanting to taste and touch.
His lips stopped just short of mine, as if he was giving me one last chance to change my mind. I didn't wait for him to realize that I was all in. I used my hold on his neck to tug him the final inch closer and pressed