“It’s comfortable. Surprised you know that expression, little lady,” I said without thinking.
I wasn’t sure how she would react to that, but she laughed and worked her way down my body, kissing every inch along the way. Taking my length in her hand, she caressed me up and down and back up again.
“Rougher,” I grumbled, and she obliged.
It was my turn for my head to fall back, and multiple moans poured from me. I was so enthralled by her small palm working me, it wasn’t until her lips ghosted over my tip that I realized she’d leaned over me. She took all of me in her mouth, still using her hand, and I was going to explode. Soon.
“Murph, I’m not going to last.”
“Good,” she mumbled, refusing to back off.
On a load roar, I emptied myself into Murphy’s mouth, something my high school self never believed would happen. But my adult self was embarrassed by how quickly it had all gone down, and worse, before I took care of her.
Flipping her onto her back, I kissed her hard, tasting myself on her lips and not caring. “I believe in ladies first, Murph. Don’t test me again.”
Not waiting for a response, I crawled down her body, grabbing her cutoffs and practically tearing them off. Remembering her feminine scent from the other night, I couldn’t wait to dive in. This time, I took it slow, building her to a crescendo and then bringing her down, not wanting to end this too quickly. I was at my new favorite buffet, and planned to eat as many desserts as I wanted.
“Please,” she finally whimpered.
Sliding a finger inside her, I put pressure in the same place that had set her off a few nights ago, and she jolted off the mattress, calling out my name as her body spasmed.
“Ben, what are you doing to me?” she whispered when I made my way up to her, settling next to her on the pillows.
“Just the beginning, Murph.”
My hair fell in my eyes and she swept it out of the way, then placed a kiss on my lips. “I see you still refuse to cut your hair. How can you see to operate?”
Turning away from her, I hid a smile. “Promise not to tell?”
She nodded as her fingers drew figure eights on my chest, and I ran my palm up and down her thigh.
“I wear it back in a headband under my cap.”
Surprising me, she quickly turned over, yanking me so we were front to front, my hardening length poking her. “Stop. No you don’t.”
“I do.”
“If the guys from Pressman could see you now—fancy doctor, pretty boy, amazing lover.”
I scowled. “They’d laugh all the way home to their mansions.”
Squeezing my ass, she said, “Stop it. Don’t be like that. Own it. As for me, they’d run all the way home to tell their moms and dads how I ruined my life.”
“I don’t care. I’m the lucky one holding you now.” Sliding my hand down her back, I bumped my hips against hers, and we started to grind into each other. “I want you, but also want to take it slow.”
“Why don’t you have me slowly?” she whispered. “Oh God. Did I just say that out loud?”
Running my tongue along her bottom lip and then the top one, I said, “You did. And I think you were on to something.”
I reached behind me into the nightstand drawer to grab a condom from the new box I’d stashed there. “Ready for me, Murph?”
All she had to do was nod, and I was on top of her. Kissing her mouth, I ran my hand down her side as I slid into home.
20
Murphy
“I should go home,” I murmured sleepily, curled into Ben’s side.
“You don’t have to.” He ran his hand down my back, sending shivers up my spine and causing goose bumps to break out all over my skin.
“I know.” The words came out a bit melancholy. This felt incredible, glorious, being cuddled with Ben in his big king-size bed with sheets that smelled exactly like his woodsy Vermont scent.
A little chuckle bubbled up my throat.
“What?” he asked, never missing a thing.
“You’ll laugh too. I just remembered always thinking you smelled so good at Pressman. When we would sit next to each other, I would sneak a sniff here and there. You always smelled so natural.”
He rolled on his side, sliding me the other way so we were face-to-face. “That’s because I didn’t wear all that expensive cologne like everyone else. Christ, I couldn’t stand the locker room after practice.”
As he twirled a strand of my hair in his fingers, I wished I could stay. A chill made me shudder, and Ben pulled the blanket over my shoulder.
Burrowing under it, I said, “I can’t believe how chilly it gets here at night. Even in the summer.”
“No humidity,” he said, brushing his lips over my cheek.
“In the city, we would roast no matter the time of day. We’d head home late at night after having dinner or drinks and the lights would be flashing, horns blowing, and the humidity was no joke. But it was okay. The city felt so alive. Electric, almost.”
As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I regretted them.
“I’ll bet it was,” Ben said evenly.
He didn’t stop rubbing my back or occasionally kissing my neck, but the air around us changed. I’d tipped my proverbial hat, which was why I had to leave Vermont. Eventually, I was going to move to a big city. Not New York, but somewhere I could make a name and a new life for myself.
“Shhh,” Ben whispered into my temple. “I can feel you thinking. Don’t do that. Enjoy this moment.”
Agreeing, I nodded, scrunching my nose as the ends of his hair tickled my face. “I still need to go. It’s a weeknight. Tomorrow, I work noon to five at the Bean, and I still have to finish up some details for Hunnie.”
“Okay,” he grumbled. “But I’m going to keep