“You wanted to go slow,” I said.
Disgruntled rumbling came from beneath me.
“You really want to be my boyfriend?” I asked, half opening one eye.
A hand smoothed down the fabric of my skirt and he shuffled us down the bed a little, getting comfortable.
“Boyfriend? Huh.” His rough, deep voice rolled through me, lulling me further toward sleep. “Never been anyone’s boyfriend before.”
“No?”
“No.”
Arms encircled me, the bristle of his beard brushing against my forehead as he settled back against the cushions.
“Your boyfriend,” he mused.
“It’s a big decision. You should take your time, think about it. Let me know when you’re ready to talk about it again.”
His forehead creased. “You sure are playing it cool.”
And about time, frankly. Lord knows, chasing after the man hadn’t gotten me anywhere. A girl could only beat her brains against a brick wall for so long before it was time to rethink things.
I shrugged and slid my hand up his side, getting closer. His skin was so smooth, his smattering of chest hair delightful to the touch. Everything about him was delightful really. In all likelihood, even his toenails would thrill me. Didn’t mean I’d be making it too easy on him.
“Liz?”
“Hmm?”
“This boyfriend position … it come with perks?”
“Maybe.”
“Do I get to sleep with you and shower with you?”
“Yes.”
He made a happy noise. “What about touching? Do I get to feel you up when I like?”
“Within reason.”
“Got to say, sweetheart, your body was always gorgeous. But it’s seriously off-the-fucking-charts beautiful right now.”
“Really?” I asked, raising my head to give him a curious look. “Mostly I just feel leaky and lumpy.”
A large hand cupped an ass cheek, rubbing. “Fuck no. You’re all soft curves and you’re carrying my baby. Never thought that’d be a big turn-on—never thought about it at all. But, sweetheart, it is.”
“Huh.”
“What else is involved in this boyfriend shit?” he asked, his voice rumbling through his chest and into my ear.
“‘This boyfriend shit’? Seriously?”
“Sorry. You know what I mean.” He gave me a squeeze. “What else? C’mon.”
“All right. Let me think.” I trailed my fingers through his beard, sliding them back and forth through the soft whiskers. I could lie on him all night, happily, listening to his heart beating strong and steady within his chest. Feel the rhythmic rise and fall of his ribs with each breath. To lie there and know that this special man was alive and chose to be with me, here, right now. That sounded just like heaven.
“You know, I’m really not sure myself,” I said in a quiet voice. “I’ve never had an official boyfriend before. But we have to be there for each other, and we have to talk. I don’t see how it could work any other way.”
“Hmm.”
“And obviously, we’d be exclusive.”
A grunt.
“If you decide it’s what you want, then we take it slow and figure it out as we go, I guess.”
“Yeah.” He rubbed the heel of his hand gently up and down my back, smoothing out the tension.
“Ben, I don’t want to take your freedom. I just want a place in your world. An important one.”
He craned his neck, tipping my chin up to make me look at him at the same time. “Sweetheart, you’ve been important since day one. Only girl I kept coming back to. Didn’t matter how far I ran, I couldn’t get you off my mind. Never been this way about another woman.”
“No?”
“No.”
Fingers rubbed at my neck, working out the kinks. Silence fell between us for a while.
“I want to be your boyfriend, Liz.”
I couldn’t have held back the smile if I’d tried. “I’d like that.”
He brushed the hair back from my face, gazing down at me. “Okay.”
“Okay.”
CHAPTER TEN
I slept well that night. Tattooed, bearded, bass-playing males easily outdid hotel pillows in terms of comfort. We slept in our underwear because of the whole taking it slow thing. I’d never spent the whole night with a man before, sexually active or no. But what could have been awkward, Ben made right. He fit himself into my life just like he belonged there.
My dreams were suitably pervy, though that was nothing new. The waking up with a man’s head between my thighs, however, was a rather dramatic and welcome change. A hot, wet tongue dragged through the lips of my sex, startling the hell out of me. My hips bucked, eyes were suddenly wide open.
“Ben. What are you doing?” I gasped, the brain still in sleep mode.
“Licking my girlfriend’s pussy,” he said. “Perks, remember?”
Hands held my legs spread open, fingers digging into the flesh of my thighs. Then he did it again, the licking thing. I groaned and twisted, trying to get away, but not really, because holy shit. Nirvana.
“Go you,” I happy-sighed.
The feeling of a man’s beard brushing against your private parts cannot be adequately explained in words. It’s a tactile delight. Soft and ticklish and amazing in all the ways. My muscles tensed, heels digging into the mattress. Where my panties had gotten to I had no idea. Nor any interest. What my boyfriend was up to, however, concerned me deeply. His tongue flicked back and forth over my clit, then his lips sucked at my labia. The man’s oral skills were off the chart. Such attention to detail. And the enthusiasm—the man was starving and I was his meal. I shoved my pussy into his face, needing and getting everything he was giving.
But the raw energy between my hips, low in my spine—there wasn’t enough me to contain it. The glorious sensation built and built, charging my whole being, lighting up my limbs. I came hard, calling his name. Pleasure tore me in two, my mind circling high. I was everything and nothing. Just floating around in the ether, enjoying the high.
But he wasn’t finished.
He climbed up my body, shoving his boxer briefs down with a hand. Once, twice, three times he pumped his hard cock, spilling his hot seed on my breasts and belly. His forehead pressed against mine, warm breath on my lips.
“Hey,” I mumbled, still trying to find my breath.
He kissed me, lips covering mine, tongue diving in. The rich taste filled my mouth as his fingers stroked over my belly, rubbing his cum into my skin.