I felt him as if he was pressed against me. As if he was inside me.
Time did that funny stop-watch thing. It slowed down and froze.
The grass stopped growing. The ants stopped moving. I think my heart even stopped beating.
But the rain still fell. It slid over my hot skin like a frantic caress and I groaned, so incredibly confused and turned on. I was chasing that shooting star that held him so far above me and right now, in this moment, I would do anything to catch it.
I held my breath because something was about to change.
Ben ran a hand through his hair, pushed it off his face.
A heartbeat passed-then he stepped off the deck.
And everything changed.
Chapter Seventeen
Ben
I had to hold myself back when I first saw her so I shoved my hands into my pockets and hunched my shoulders in an effort to deflect whatever the hell it was she had that pulled me in.
She was wet from the rain, her white tank top transparent so I had no problems seeing the black bra she wore underneath it. Riding low on her hips was a pale blue skirt and I don't know if it was because it was weighed down with water or if I was just fucking lucky, because a lot of skin showed above it. And because it was short, those sexy legs were bare from mid-thigh down.
Her hair was wild, curling around her shoulders in long, dark, wet ropes, and my gut tightened when she took a step forward. I was wound so tight it felt like I was going to break apart, something I'd never felt before, not like this. No fucking way.
And I was hard. Instantly, painfully, hard. I wasn't used to wanting something and not getting it. And I hadn't been laid in a few weeks-not since I'd met Georgia-so the situation between my legs was pretty damn intense.
I don't know what happened between us the day before but I sure as hell didn't believe she was fucking some guy named Seamus. Not anymore. I'd stopped by Matt's this morning hoping to see Georgia but she was gone. She was already here.
And while Matt tried like hell to get rid of his hookup, I'd grilled him about this Seamus guy. Though he'd been vague, the one detail he was willing to give up was that this guy was old-like in his forties-and there was no way she was into him.
It had been the best feeling in the world-knowing that-and then Matt had gone quiet. He'd told me that if I hurt her he would break my fucking legs.
Hurt her? I wanted to do a lot of things to Georgia King and hurting wasn't even close to any one of them.
I wanted her. I wanted to make her scream my name while I was inside her. I wanted to look into her eyes while she came and know that it was because of me. I wanted to touch her face. Steal her kisses and share her breath.
She was turning me inside out and I was fucking done.
I stepped off the deck and put one foot in front of the other until I was inches from her. Until I could smell the summer that clung to her skin and see the raindrops on the edges of her eyelashes.
Her eyes were almost opaque, the hint of green so light they looked like mirrors. I could fall into them if I wasn't careful. Her lips trembled and her chest heaved. A smudge of brown paint marred her cheek and she froze when I reached for it.
I froze when I touched her.
She was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. Hands down.
Slowly, I wiped the paint off her face and then both of my hands crept into her hair, holding her hostage as my eyes memorized everything about her. Her eyes fluttered shut and she leaned into my touch, moaning softly.
I was done for. Totally fucking wrecked and I'd barely begun.
I bent forward bypassing that amazing mouth, my lips caressing along her jaw until I rested against her neck, just below her ear, and whispered.
"I'm sorry I was such an asshole yesterday."
She shuddered in my hands and pitched forward, her forehead on my chest. "Where were you last night?" Her words were hesitant and I stilled, a little confused and not really sure where she was headed.
"I was here."
"Were you alone?"
What the hell?
I moved and lifted her chin so that I could see her. So that she could see me and know I wasn't fucking around.
"What do you want to know, Georgia? Just ask. I've got nothing to hide."
She blinked slowly as if thinking of the right words and then with a small breath she spoke. "Your truck wasn't here this morning and I thought … " She paused, her eyes widening, her mouth open. "I thought you might have spent the night with someone. I know what it's like for you guys, girls are all over you and I … we haven't … "
I knew that I was in serious shit because I cared what she thought. I cared that she was upset at the thought of me with someone else. Hell, I liked it. It meant that we were even. The thought of her with Seamus had nearly driven me over the edge but at least I hadn't suffered alone.
"I drove to Philly this morning but I guess we just missed each other. I've been back for a while, holed up in the house thinking about you. Wanting to give you some space and going crazy."
My hands slipped behind her head again and I reached for her, my lips grazing the corner of her mouth. "Don't you know the only girl I want to be with is you? I haven't even looked at anyone else since I walked into your brother's loft." I nuzzled her neck. "Damn, you in those fucking panties have kept me up way too many nights."
My hands were now rolling down her back and I cupped that sweet ass, pulling her in as tight as I could so that there was no way she could miss how badly I wanted her.
"There's only you, Georgia."
She made this noise-one that drove me crazy and then her arms snaked up my shoulders, her fingers digging in hard as her mouth kissed butterflies along my neck until we met in the middle.
She opened beneath me and I kissed her hard, my tongue delving deep as if claiming every inch of her was important. I wanted to go slow and tender but there was no way that was happening. I was barely holding on. She kept making those noises-those crazy fucking noises that went straight to my dick-and with my hand still on her ass, I kissed her like I'd never kissed a woman before. This was no soft and gentle taste. I was too far gone for that and when she bit my bottom lip, whimpering, I knew she was too.
Her body was flush to mine and when she squirmed against me, my insides nearly fucking exploded.
"Ben," she whispered hoarsely, breaking the kiss and staring up into my eyes.
The rain still fell, soft drops that slid down her face, rolling across skin and dampening an already see-through tank top.
I held her gaze, mesmerized at the sight of her pink tongue against her teeth. When I bent forward, she inhaled sharply, and with my eyes still on hers, I caressed her hard nipples and then followed my fingers with my mouth, closing hard over one hard nub.
"Ben, that's so … so good," she said on a groan.
I was breathing heavy and for a moment we just stared at each other, knowing we'd crossed a line somewhere and not giving a shit.
"I want you," I said, barely able to get the words out. "I want you right now. Right here. But I won't … " God I was coming apart, my body so tight and hard it felt like I was gonna rip wide open. I pushed away, shaking my head in an effort to get it together. "Even though it's killing me I don't want to push you, not if you're not ready. I can wait."
I think I can do this. I can wait.
Georgia's hands crept down, her fingers rolling beneath the edge of her tank top. I took another step back, exhaling roughly and running my hands through my wet hair, not really sure what was happening.
Those big, expressive eyes of hers were latched onto me with an intensity that set my world on fire.
"Ben, I've been waiting for you since before we met." With one quick movement she pulled her top over her head and tossed it to the ground.
"Shit," I whispered roughly.
"I'm done waiting," she said simply and then she undid her bra and it let it fall away from her.
For one red hot moment I didn't know if I was coming or going. I didn't know if this was real or fantasy-hell, I'd been dreaming about her for days. Her nipples were hard, her breasts perfect and soft.
"Touch me, Ben."