“Thanks,” Ben and I said at the same time.
Kyle waved goodnight and headed down the hall.
Ryan smiled at me. “You need anything, you come knock on my door. Room 307.” He winked, then followed Kyle.
When they were out of earshot, Ben let out a long breath. “Aussie asshole,” he muttered.
“You handled that well, not rising to the bait.”
“You forget I grew up with two annoying-as-fuck siblings.”
He carried my bag for me, and I rolled my suitcase behind me. With every step, weariness sank deeper into my bones. He led us to the end of the hall. He pushed open the doors to the left and the right.
“They look like mirror images,” he said. “Do you have a preference?”
Part of me wished he would have asked if I wanted to share one room. But we’d been up close and personal—way too personal—for the past two days.
“This works.” I stepped into the room to the left.
He set my bags inside the door. “If you need anything—”
“I know. Knock on Ryan’s door.”
His face darkened. “Not funny.” He winked dramatically, imitating Ryan, and we both laughed as he headed into his own apartment.
I closed and locked my door, then surveyed my temporary home. It looked like a long-term hotel rental, all beige and neat and unlived in. There was a big open area with a sofa, chair, and TV to the left, and kitchen counters and appliances to the right. The bedroom was larger than the room Ben and I had shared last night, with plenty of space all around the king-size bed. There were nightstands on each side, another TV on the wall, a desk under the window, and a small dresser beside that.
The en suite was very white and sparkling clean. I sighed with happiness. A clean bathroom always did my heart good. I took a quick shower, brushed my teeth, and crawled between the bed’s crisp, clean sheets.
I stared wide-eyed into the darkness.
I was wired with pent-up adrenaline and nowhere to go. Last night, I’d burnt off my excess energy with Ben. Now that I knew we were alone at our end of the hall, I could easily knock on his door. But he had looked exhausted.
After a few minutes, I switched on a lamp and hopped out of bed. I unpacked my clothes into the closet and dresser drawers. I set up my toiletries in a neat row on a glass rack in the bathroom. I lined up my boots and sneakers on the closet floor. The last thing I took out of my suitcase was the box with my designer blue heels. I placed them gently on top of the dresser. A reminder from home, of who I was, of what I’d built. Of what I might lose.
I climbed back into bed but didn’t feel any more tired. I wondered if Ben was asleep. I imagined him climbing into his bed, the cool sheets against his warm skin. Did he ache for me the way I ached for him? Maybe he was worried he’d wake me. Maybe he was touching himself right now, wishing I was touching him, tasting him, taking him inside me. I imagined him holding his thick, hard dick in his hand. Stroking it. Pumping hard. Moaning my name as he got himself off.
I slid my hand under my T-shirt and slipped my fingers under the top of my shorts. A small noise startled a gasp from me. I sat up and switched the lamp back on. The noise came again, louder this time. A knock on the door. Had my fantasy summoned him? I could only hope.
I practically ran to the door and pulled it open. Ben stood there in the flesh, better than any flight of fancy could ever be. I raked my gaze down his body. His erection made a tent in his shorts. He’d definitely been thinking about me, too. I gathered a handful of his T-shirt and pulled him inside.
He pushed the door closed and grabbed my ass in both his hands, lifting me up to straddle his hips and rub my sensitive bits along the length of his hard-on, rock solid and ready for me. He nibbled my throat.
I threw my head back and gasped. “What took you so long?”
He sank his teeth into my soft flesh. I writhed in his arms.
“Didn’t realize I was on a timeline,” he murmured.
“I almost started without you.”
He went still and stared down at me with hooded, hungry eyes. “Now that I would like to watch.”
“Another time.” I rocked against him. “Right now, I needthis.”
He kneaded my ass and devoured my mouth as he carried me to the bedroom. He closed the door and pressed my back against it. He slid me down the length of his body, setting off sparks between my legs that shot through my veins.
We pulled off each other’s shirts. He plied my lips and nipples and the dip of my belly with his fingers and tongue. He slid off my shorts and panties together, and they pooled at my feet.
