“Oh my God,” Brianne whispers. “You’re in love with him.”
My gaze goes to Ben, who’s talking to his sister but looking at me with adoration in his eyes, and that makes my heart swell. All those years with Neil and not once did he ever look at me like that. And because I never experienced that look, I didn’t know it was missing… until now.
“Yeah,” I admit, “I am.”
Chapter Twenty
Benjamin
Around this time last Valentine’s Day, I was balls deep in some woman I met at a party at one of my clubs for a quickie in the office. I couldn’t tell you her name or even what color her eyes were. Once we both got off, I threw the condom away, zipped up my pants, and then we parted ways. I went back to my place and spent the rest of the evening getting lost in my work. That was the norm for me. The occasional hookup. Working too damn hard. Not being enough of a father to even know what my son was doing on a day supposed to be about love.
This year is different because not only do I have Brody but I also have Savannah. We’ve dropped Sariah off, and Brody has headed up to our place to, I’m sure, call Sariah so they can continue their evening on the phone. I’m currently standing in front of Savannah’s door, staring into her azure eyes as I thank her for tonight. For going along with the double date. For showing me that there’s more to this life than faceless, meaningless sex and that it’s okay to let someone in.
“Why does it sound like you’re saying good night?” she asks with a soft laugh. “You don’t really think we’re going to end tonight out here, do you?”
She opens the door and tugs on my lapels, pulling me over the threshold. “Bri texted me and said Marcus booked a room for them tonight, so we have the place to ourselves.” She waggles her brows playfully.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t book a room—” I start, feeling bad that I couldn’t give her the romantic night she deserves. Of course she cuts me off, not wanting to hear any of it.
“Stop. Tonight was perfect. The dinner and then the movie. The way you shared your popcorn with me. I don’t think I’ve even been on a real date before like that. It was nice.” Her lips curl into a smile that I swear could light up even the darkest of rooms.
She pushes me gently onto her bed so I’m sitting on the edge and she’s standing in front of me. “But you know what will make it even better?” Instead of answering her own question, she unzips her dress on the side, pushes the thin straps down her shoulders, and lets the material pool at her feet, leaving her in some sexy as fuck red lingerie.
“Did you buy these for tonight?” I ask. Running my finger over the swell of her breast, I watch as goose bumps appear along her flesh.
“I did,” she breathes, already squirming in anticipation. “You like?”
“I more than like.” I pull both of the straps down, exposing her perfect tits. Her areoles are a dusty pink, and her nipples are pointed and hard, begging for my attention.
I glide my hands down the curves of her hips and over her plump ass, pulling her close to me. She comes willingly, groaning when I wrap my lips around her nipple and swirl my tongue around the beaded tip. I trail my mouth over to her other nipple, giving it equal attention, while Savannah runs her fingers through my hair. As I kiss and suck on her sweet flesh, I can’t help but compare the intimacy of this moment to where I was a year ago. I can’t imagine ever going back to being with someone I don’t have this intense connection with.
I lift her to change positions, placing her on the edge of the bed, on her back, with her thighs spread for me. She arches her back to unclasp her bra and drops it to the floor once she slides it off. Her breasts fall slightly, exposing the pendant around her neck.
“It’s starting to feel a bit one-sided.” She pouts, nodding toward my still clothed body.
When I don’t move quick enough, she sits back up and reaches to undo my bowtie, throwing it to the side. Piece by piece, she helps me remove each article of my clothing until I’m only in a pair of black boxer briefs.
“That’s better,” she breathes, pressing a soft kiss to the center of my torso.
I drop to my knees, so I’m eye level with her satin-covered cunt, and press a kiss to her mound, taking a moment to inhale her scent. When I glance up at her, I find her on her elbows, staring down at me with awe and lust in her eyes, and I know this woman is it for me. I can feel it. I want nothing more than to worship her every day for the rest of my life.
I tug her underwear down, revealing her neatly trimmed hair, and kiss her again. Everything about her is perfect. Separating her legs farther, I lick up her center, making her gasp. She tastes as good as she smells, like the best addiction. I get lost in her pussy, licking and sucking and eating her raw. In her sounds, every whimper of pleasure. I work her up until she’s trembling under my touch, begging for a release. I push two fingers into her, and she explodes, screaming my name.
Needing to be inside her, I push my briefs down and crawl up her body, kissing every inch of her flesh I can get my lips on. Our mouths unite, tasting, caressing, nipping. She wraps her legs around my waist, and I sink into her tight warmth, our two bodies becoming one.
After we’ve both found our release and are lying in bed, Savannah’s resting her head on my chest with her body wrapped around me like a warm blanket, and the mood seems to grow somber. It’s getting late, and I have to go back to my place soon. I hate the thought of having to sleep apart from Savannah. She’s become a necessity in my life, and every time we’re apart, I crave her. But she won’t spend the night with me, wanting to provide stability for Brody, so I doubt she’d be up for moving in with me—and holy shit, I can’t believe I just suggested that in my head like it’s no big deal, when we’ve only been dating for a short time. But the truth is, I want her all the time, and if she was willing to move in with me, I’m positive Brody would be on board with it. But in order to get there, I have to take baby steps with her… Start off small… But how do I get her to spend the night with me without spending the night?
And then an idea hits me…
“Let’s go away this weekend.” People take trips all the time. It’s not technically spending the night if we’re away, right?
“What?” She lifts her head. “Where?”
“To my house in Miami Beach.”
“Miami? Don’t we have to like… make flight reservations?”
“Something like that. We’ll use the plane Sharp and Fields Enterprises share.”
Her eyes go wide. “You own a plane?”
I chuckle. “With someone else. With all the flying I used to do, it was worth it. Now that I’m home, though, and don’t plan to travel as much, I should probably reassess.”
“What about Brody?”
“He’ll be ecstatic. I promised to teach him how to drive, and the house in Miami has my Maserati. We can fly in tomorrow and spend the weekend, then fly home Sunday night. It might be too chilly to go in the ocean, but the pool is heated, and”—I lean forward and nip her bottom lip—“it’s three stories. My room is on the bottom floor, and Brody’s is on the top. We’ll have plenty of alone time.”