It was the green light he seemed to be waiting for. Ben scooted to the edge of the couch and then stood up effortlessly, clutching me against his chest.
“Room,” he demanded.
“There,” I pointed.
Chapter Forty-Four
Ben wordlessly stomped down the hall, kicked open the door, and walked directly to the cardboard bed we were about to christen. The room was dark and half packed up, with the only light coming from the streetlamps through a small rectangular window.
“Is it okay if we break this thing?” Ben asked as he lowered me down onto the worst bed I’d ever slept on.
Although sleep was the last thing on my mind.
“Exactly how much force are you planning to use, sir?” I teased.
He straightened and looked down at me through narrowed eyes. “As much as it takes.”
Ben couldn’t maintain the tough-guy act and broke into a laugh.
“Get over here,” I giggled as I grabbed his hand and pulled him down on top of me.
The running joke around the Village was how strong the things were, with social media posts featuring athletes doing all sorts of jumps and suggestive contortions on top of their beds to prove the readiness. I was about to find out for myself.
“Ah yes, just as shitty as I remember,” Ben said as we tried to get comfortable on the equivalent of a refrigerator box.
He raised up on his elbow to stare down at me.
“What?” I whispered, feeling studied and adored at the same time.
“I’ve just been thinking about this since Connecticut.”
“Then stop waiting and do something,” I teased.
Instead of moving he remained there, hovering above me and taking me in, one centimeter at a time. He finally reached down to tug at the zipper of my hoodie, raising one eyebrow as if asking for permission.
I nodded, holding my breath.
Ben drew the zipper down slowly, pausing when it cleared my breasts. I hadn’t worn a bra or underwear, hoping for this very happy ending.
I shivered and sucked in a breath as he gazed at me.
He swept his palm across my chest, partly to move the fabric away and partly to tease me with the faintest drag across my nipples. I squeezed my eyes shut and arched against his hand, desperate for more contact.
Ben sat halfway up and wrenched his thermal over his head. He tossed it on the ground by the bed, then lowered himself on top of me again.
I sighed when his naked chest came down on top of mine and I felt the faintest tickle of his coarse hair. Our eyes met and we smiled at each other in unison.
“I’m really happy,” I whispered.
“You don’t even know,” he replied, his dark eyes glinting hungrily.
He leaned down to kiss me and our tongues connected immediately, fast-tracking us to what was to come. Ben’s kisses managed to find hidden spots on my body that I had no clue were sensitive, and I was surprised by the noises that came out of me when he took my earlobe into his mouth for a suck and nibble. But then hemoved on to twisting my hair around his hand and tugging ever so slightly to give him access to more of my neck to kiss, which sent a roll of pleasure through me.
I wiggled beneath him to get all the way out of my hoodie. After being encased in down and wool and more down every time we tried to connect, I was eager to give him as much access to my body as possible.
He seemed to understand and hooked his thumbs under the elastic of my sweats. I raised my hips up and he inched them down, planting kisses as each new patch of skin was exposed.
“Commando,” he murmured appreciatively and kissed each hip bone.
