Beautiful Beginning

I remembered when, during a meeting once, Henry had found the buttons to my ruined blouse on the floor of the conference room and Bennett had taunted me, asking me if they were indeed mine. He’d been the one to ruin the shirt, and there he’d been, acting blameless. I remembered the hurt, and the anger, and the terror I felt as I realized he was out to ruin my career in front of his family.

But he actually hadn’t been. He was simply as fumbling as I was, trying to form a connection somehow, and completely at the mercy of this undeniable fire between us.

I’d run, livid, from the meeting as soon as it finished. The memory was so sharp in my thoughts, I could still hear the elevator doors close, feel the heat of his breath on my neck from all those months ago.

“Why are you suddenly so much more pissy than usual?” he’d demanded.

“It would be just like you to make me look like a career-climbing whore in front of your father.”

“We’re getting married tomorrow,” I said on an exhale. “Right?”

“That’s right.” Bennett patted my hand, smiling indulgently at me, but I shook my head, reaching to grip his arm. My pulse spiked and I felt my hands grow clammy.

“I have the power? You’re the one who pressed into my dick in the elevator. You’re the one doing this to me.”

“We’re getting married. Tomorrow. Say it.”

His smile faltered slightly, eyes searching mine, and he nodded. “We’re getting married tomorrow.”

I closed my eyes, remembering now how his expression had fallen wide open, his heart exposed to me for maybe the first time as I got myself off in his office. “What are you doing to me? he’d asked, almost bewildered.

“You okay there, Mills?” he whispered, glancing up and smiling tightly at a waiter when he put the first course down on the table in front of us.

“I don’t want to walk out that door and lose what we found in this room.”

I pushed my chair back, lurching away from the table and tripping down the row of seats, past our wedding party, and to the restrooms.

I ran upstairs and burst into the small side room reserved for the wedding party, set near the restrooms, and didn’t even bother turning on the light. The room was small and stuffy; we’d kept the flowers in here earlier and the cloying perfume filled the dark space. I took gulping breaths, looking up at myself in the mirrors lining the entire span of the wall in front of me.

It was as if I could feel every emotion I’d ever experienced with Bennett, and all at once. Hate, lust, fear, regret, need, hunger, love,

love

love

blinding love.

I pulled at my necklace, feeling like I was being strangled with nostalgia, anticipation, and, above it all, need for it to be done, for us to make it official so fate couldn’t suddenly decide to take a different path and somehow leave us enemies instead of lovers.

“Breathe, Chloe,” I whispered.

The door opened and a slice of light cut into the space before it returned to darkness. Bennett’s big, warm hands slid down my back and came to rest on my hips.

“Hey,” he said, kissing the back of my neck, his deep voice spreading like a current across my skin.

I closed my eyes, straightening and turning into his arms. Pressing my face into his neck, I inhaled his aftershave, opened my mouth to suck hungrily on his skin. He felt like home, he tasted like home.

He groaned quietly, fingers digging into my sides, dragging up my back, shaking.

But with this reminder of the restraint he was making us both endure, a wave of anger and heat and frustration overtook me and I shoved at his chest, slamming my fists into him. “You did this to me! You and your stupid rule and your teasing smirk and the giant c**k you won’t share! Your long fingers and tongue that does that . . . that circle thing! You!” I gulped down a giant breath of air and continued, “You’re such a perfect, shit-talking, stubborn, exacting, bossy asshole! And f**k you, Bennett! Why are you so damn smart and good at everything? Why do you love me? How did I get so lucky? You’re turning me into a maniac! I thought I was going to start crying out there!”

He laughed silently and I could feel him shake his head next to me. “Unlikely. You cried a couple of years ago. I don’t think you’re due again until—”

I cut him off with a kiss, and I really had intended it to just be a firm, relieved kiss to shut him up—shut myself up—and thank him for being him when I needed it. But it went from playful to fevered as soon as he opened his mouth, let me slide my tongue over his bottom lip, and met me halfway with his.

With a growl, he had me lifted and pressed against the back wall, his hands sliding up the skirt of my dress, fingertips digging into my thighs. “You’re not getting cold feet, are you?”

“No!” I gasped, my head falling back and hitting the wall heavily as he ground his c**k between my legs.

“Because I’d drag you by your hair down that aisle.”

I laughed, and it turned into a moan as his lips played their way up my neck and over my chin. “It’s funny that you think you could drag me anywhere,” I told him.

When he returned to me, I tilted my head away, pushing on his shoulders. “On your knees.”

He glared at me. “Excuse me?”

“Knees,” I repeated.

If looks could kill, I would be chopped up into tiny pieces and served with the calamari. But without speaking, Bennett lowered my feet to the floor before kneeling in front of me. He didn’t require further instruction; he simply pulled one of my legs over his shoulders, leaned forward, and opened his mouth against my clit.

Bennett’s only goal was to get me off, in record time. There was no teasing; there was no flicking of the tongue or gentle warm-up kisses around my soft, bare skin. There was only open mouth, suction and, finally, the press of his fingers at my entrance, swirling, gathering my slick lust with his fingertips.

But he didn’t do what I expected. Instead, he slid his thumb into me and dragged his wet fingers to my backside, where he carefully pressed one just inside. I let out the most desperate, pathetic moan of my life and slid my hands into his hair, holding him steady so I could rock against his face. Bennett didn’t penetrate me there often, but when he did it—whether with fingers or his cock—it always left me sated and dopey for days.

His mouth sucked and pulled at my tender skin, and his finger and thumb pressed together and away, a pulsing dark pleasure. The sensation was somehow both too much and not enough. I wanted everything he was doing to be deeper, and harder, and bigger almost to the point of pain. My pleasure built low in my belly, a steady, throbbing hum between my legs. I feared the explosion would elude me, that there was too much else happening out there, on the other side of the door. I worried nothing but Bennett’s na**d body would be enough, heavy and commanding, pounding into mine.

But then, as if reading my thoughts, he slid a second finger into my backside, and f**ked me hard and fast until my thighs shook, my hands curled in his hair, and the growing sensation between my legs exploded into delicious flames that shot down my thighs and bowed my spine, tearing a cry from my throat.

Bennett didn’t let up until I was gasping, clutching at his shoulders and trying to push him away. Then, gently, he kissed my cl*tand leaned back, looking up at me.

“Think that will hold you over until tomorrow night?”

I let my head fall back against the wall, feeling like my legs were made of jelly. “Yeah.”

“You look properly fucked.”

Sighing, I mumbled, “I feel properly fucked. You and that magical mouth and those naughty fingers.”

“Figured that might be in order.” He stood, straightening his jacket with his other hand.

I reached down, cupping his cock, stroking down to his balls and back up, feeling the thick head of his erection. “One of us should get back out there. We’ve been gone . . . a few minutes. Seriously Bennett, that was pretty stunning.”

I heard his teeth grind, and peeked up at him to see his tense jaw working side to side. “I know.”

“So sorry I don’t have time to reciprocate,” I whispered, stretching to kiss his jaw.

“No you’re not.”

“Well,” I said, patting his cheek, “you need to go wash up anyway. May as well pull double duty and jerk off in the bathroom.” I kissed his chin, adding, “Again.”

He bent low, inhaling into my neck, before slamming his hand on the wall beside my head, turning, and storming out of the dressing room. Walking to the wall, I flipped on the light and studied my reflection in the mirrors lining the room. I tucked a stray strand of hair back into my little diamond clip and smiled at myself in the mirror before stepping out into the hall.Will walked out of the men’s room just as Bennett shoved past him inside. Turning to me, he laughed, asking, “What’s with him?”

Shrugging, I said simply, “It’s his own fault.”

He nodded in mock sympathy and then asked, “You ready for tomorrow?”

“Not remotely.”

He put an arm around me. “It’ll be perfect. And even if it’s not perfect, there will be alcohol.”

“I know,” I said, smiling. “I’m actually not nervous, just—”

“Mommy, that’s the man with the big weenis! I saw him in the bathroom earlier!”

We both looked down to see the small son of Bennett’s third cousin Kate pointing at Will.

I slapped a hand over my mouth to hold in a loud burst of laughter. Will’s hands flew up into the air and a look of horror passed over his face. “I swear I did not show him—”

“Oh, I know you didn’t,” Kate assured him, eyes wide and apologetic. She bit her lip, staring maybe a beat too long at Will. A long, uncomfortable silence passed before she seemed to remember herself and blinked down to her son. “He’s potty training and my husband told me he was checking you out earlier.” She did a full-body wince, adding, “Not that my husband was checking you out. And not that he wouldn’t. Except, he wouldn’t because he’s married. And not into guys? But he did mention that our son was walking around and . . . Oh, God.” Without another word, she grabbed her son’s hand and pulled him into the women’s room.

I blinked up to Will, eyes wide. “What was that?”

He shrugged, laughing a little. “The kid was walking around us at the urinals while his dad washed his hands. It wasn’t a big deal.”

“Why do women lose their ability to speak around you?”

“Do they now?” he asked, grinning flirtatiously at me. “You’re speaking.”

“That’s because I’m more dragon than woman,” I replied with a wink.

“Touché.” Looking back at me, his eyes grew a little heated, as if he had a bone to pick with me. “There is something I want to discuss with you, however.”

“William,” I said, leaning against the wall, “I’m flattered, but if you’re going to chastise me about something, you won’t know what hit you when it’s my turn to speak.”

He exhaled, staring me down. “Honestly, Chloe, you’re the one woman I’m sure would take me over her knee and break my spine. This is about your husband-to-be.”

“What did he do now?”

Will exhaled slowly, eyes moving over my face. He was a worthy opponent, for sure. “I think you know what he did.”

Looking over at him, I could see traces of lipstick on his cheeks, claw prints practically drawn through his hair. Will was the poker-faced, wisecracking brainiac seduction artist. It was actually a little fascinating to witness the cracks forming in his shell. “Oh, come on. Judy and Mary are kittens.”

“Right,” he said through a sharp laugh. “And I know Bennett put them up to this. I’m telling you, Chloe, that I’ll behave myself for the rest of the weekend. I’ll play along. But the second we’re back from this wedding, and you’ve returned from your sexfest in Fiji, it’s on. Do you understand?”

I gave him a thrilled smile, nodding enthusiastically.

“The psychotic clown I sent for his birthday will feel like a feather falling on a pillow atop a cloud. The laxative in my lunch? Child’s play. If you think it was bad when I sent that fake resumé for his open assistant position and the stripper came for the interview? No. We’re talking Defcon Five, Vietcong-level mind f**king, do you hear me, Chloe?”

“Can’t wait, Dr. Sumner.”

He pulled back, studying me. “It’s a little unnerving how excited you look.”

Straightening up, I pushed off the wall and patted his cheek. “I am excited. I like seeing that the only thing that will change after this week is that Bennett will have a ring on his finger and my last name after his first name. I like knowing that you guys will continue to escalate this big testicle war. You and Hanna will continue to be adorable and giddy, Max and Sara will continue to be disgustingly in love. Bennett will continue to alternately rock my world and make me insane. It’s life as it should be.”

As if on cue, Bennett stepped from the men’s room, wearing an expression that told me he was much calmer. He gave me a little wink.

Will glared at him before turning and walking past us to head back downstairs to the party.

“Well?” I asked, when Bennett came close and bent to slide his lips across mine.

“Well, what?”

“Feel better?”

He shrugged. “Marginally.”

“What was the fantasy?”

His hazel eyes grew heavy as he stared at my mouth. Leaning forward he murmured, “You were bound and gagged. I f**ked you from behind, and didn’t let you come.”