AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yum!” Ever exclaimed, taking a long pull from her straw, closing her eyes, and letting out a satisfied moan.
Ben’s eyes hooded instantly as he took in her guttural sound. His body responded instinctively in appreciation.
Ever opened her eyes and looked up to meet his hungry gaze. Her face flushing, she commented huskily, “Sorry, it just tastes so good!”
Hayden and Bea simply watched Ben and Ever with interest and amusement as if waiting for something to happen between them, resulting in an awkward silence between the foursome. Ending their observation, Bea slapped Hayden on the back and suggested. “Why don’t we go say hi to a few friends and leave these two alone?”
Hayden, taking her hint, wiggled his eyebrows and followed Bea, disappearing into the crowd.
Ben gave his brother a sideways smirk, took a long pull of his beer and rocked on his heels, nervously letting his eyes drift over the crowd.
Ever admired him thoughtfully, head cocked to the side. “Do you dance?” she asked.
“I can... yes,” he responded. “Do you want to dance?” he asked, putting his beer down on the bar and reaching for Ever’s drink. She nodded, took another long sip from her straw, and quickly handed it to him. “Do you know how to two-step?”
“No, but can you teach me?” she asked, bouncing with excitement.
“I would love to!” Ben replied, flashing her a confident smile. Taking her hand and leading her to the middle of the dance floor, he looked down at their feet and showed her the movement with his own. “Slow, slow, quick, quick. Make sense?” he asked, raising his eyebrows in question. “Don’t worry, I’ll start us off, and you just follow my lead.”
Ever nodded with delight.
Ben started to move, and she quickly picked up on the tempo, following him step for step, gliding across the floor. She beamed with joy and a giggle escaped her lips when he whirled her around, turning her to go another direction. Ben relished the feel of her close to him. Her soft hand in his and his large hand splayed on her shoulder blade. His fingertips instinctively reached for the bare skin, brushing it lightly. She radiated in his arms, laughing and squealing with each twirl and spin. Pure joy marked her beautiful face and his heart swelled at her happiness.
After a few up-tempo songs, the music transitioned to a slow song, “Amazed” by Lonestar. Both still laughing and breathing hard, Ben still holding her hand. He raised his eyebrow in question. Ever nodded, no words needing to pass between them, just knowing that they wanted to continue to dance with each other. Ben wrapped his strong arm around her waist and pulled her into him, his right hand still holding hers. A faint gasp escaped her throat as he brought her flush with his body, looking up at him nervously but with approval. He took in the feel of her so supple against the hard concrete of his body. Such a contrast, like cotton against steel. Looking down into her stunning eyes, a deep longing formed in his chest and with the hitch of her breath, he knew she was feeling it too.
* * *
Ever smiled up at his unbelievably handsome face and was overcome by a feeling of warmth and desire building low in her core. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered strongly as he held her close and swayed to the gentle beat. The movement of his rock-hard body against hers made her feel lightheaded and needy for him. He brought their coupled hands in close to their bodies, an affectionate gesture aligning their hearts. As she looked down at their fingers intertwined so perfectly, she felt all her resolve melt away. She could no longer fight off her attraction to him. Her heart hammered in her chest, and she could feel his pulse, fast and steady, against the back of her hand. Her rapid breaths synching with his. Deep with desire and sparking with electricity, she looked up at him and licked her lips to steady herself, knowing exactly what he wanted, because she wanted it too. The burning heat of his hunger seared her with a single question. Yes, she nodded, wanting nothing more than his lips to touch hers. Slowly Ben leaned down, never wavering his gaze from hers. Stopping mere millimetres from her lips, they stole a final breath together, hot and heady with anticipation. Her eyes fluttering closed, she felt his deliciously soft lips cover hers, igniting a flame in her heart.
* * *
Ben could feel the desire burn from deep inside her as his lips gently, wantonly moved over hers. He felt her give into him fully, all doubt gone as she melted in his arms. His tongue darted out boldly, tracing the rim of her lips until they parted, allowing him in, his tongue sliding with hers in a beautiful tangle. He deepened their kiss, feeling the passion in him rise, wanting to consume her in every way. She tasted so sweet, like a ripe red strawberry in the summer. Pure perfection. Like no other kiss he had experienced before or would ever again. Their searing kiss lit a match inside his chest, burning a trail straight to his heart. Ben knew, right there on that dance floor, that there was no other woman he would want to hold, kiss, and someday soon, make love to. Ever Wolton was his. They parted breathlessly and with a single look into her rapturous eyes, he knew she had claimed him too.
CHAPTER 5
They danced the night away, laughing till their sides hurt and stealing kisses as much as they could. Kissing him felt natural to her, like they were always meant to kiss. She could feel the sexual tension building between them with each tender touch of his fingers on her skin when they danced. It was intoxicating and made her head spin. She felt drunk on the feelings he was stirring in her, and she could not get enough. Inevitably, the night had to end, so she pulled Bea aside. “Do you mind if Ben gives me a ride home?”
Bea grinned naughtily, giving her a little waggle of her eyebrows. “Go climb that tree!”
Ever burst out laughing and shook her head at her friend’s crazy comment. “Will you be okay to drive Hayden home? Pretty sure he will need a ride”.
“Yep, I am way under my limit so I can take that goon home.” She replied, looking at Hayden putting the moves on a busty brunette on the dance floor. Bea shook her head. “That boy has no pride.”
They both laughed and Bea conceded, flashing her a wicked grin. “Go on, get out of here, have fun and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”
“So, anything I want!” she quipped back to her friend with a giggle.
“Pretty much!” Bea laughed, giving her a shrug.
Ever turned and sauntered back to Ben, slipping her hand into his.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked, giving her one of his devastatingly handsome smiles.
“Yes!” she replied.
They waved to Bea and Hayden and to a few other people they knew as they left the bar, hand in hand. Getting to Ben’s truck, he led her to the passenger side and opened her door for her. The chivalrous gesture not lost on her, she went on her tiptoes and kissed him chastely on the lips. Giving her a tender smile, he helped her into the truck. He circled back to the driver's side and hopped into the cab, his hands gripping the wheel as he turned to meet Ever’s intense gaze. I want him so much, she thought, transfixed by his beautiful eyes, so full of passion and promise. Feeling her body vibrate with a nervous desire, she slid up next to him, wanting to feel his closeness and warmth. Wrapping his large arm around her, he pulled her into his chest and started tracing his fingertips under the edge of her blouse, over the exposed skin of her shoulder. The heat of his touch making goosebumps cover her skin. Resting her hand on the taut, hard muscles of his stomach, her hand burned from the heat radiating off him. Ben shivered from her touch, and she smiled up at him wantonly, loving that he was feeling the intensity of the building tension between them, too.
“I like touching you.” She whispered, peering up at him through her long lashes, licking her lips and letting her fingertips slip boldly between the buttons of his shirt to his bare skin. He groaned and quivered under her touch.
