Page 16 of Savage Romance
The man deserves a raise.
Wetting the tip of the towel, Ben wiped away the stains on Zoe’s face and cleaned his own hands the best he could. There was nothing much he could do about his clothes or shoes, though.
“I guess we’ll have to miss out on the charity luncheon,” Zoe said as he handed the articles back to Lenny.
Ushering Zoe into the car, Ben couldn’t say he cared. He wanted to get his woman home and to make love to her. Seeing the swan couple gliding through the water had made him want for something deeper as well.
“Please drive us back to the mansion and arrange for an extra donation to be deposited to the Rose Brooks Center to make up for us not attending the charity luncheon,” he ordered Lenny before slipping into the back of the Bentley himself.
“Yes, sir.”
“I was wondering,” Zoe began when Lenny performed a U-turn and they headed back, “do you know why Byron Nolan decided on this particular cause to benefit from the lunch?”
Ben narrowed his eyes as he wondered what he could tell Zoe without breaking Charlotte’s confidence. “His wife was married before to Liam Randall.” Okay, this portion was easy enough and the knowledge was public, now came the trickier part. “Let’s just say that Charlotte had some experiences which taught both her and Byron how important women’s shelters and education on abuse are for people.”
“Ah.” Zoe’s gaze slid away from him, and she silently stared out of the window as she digested the information.
Bidding Lenny good afternoon, Ben escorted Zoe away from the car and toward their home. Strange how a brick-and-mortar building Ben used to regard as merely a house to live in had turned into a home since Zoe became his wife.
When did I turned into this sappy dude?
After entering the mansion, they left their muddy shoes at the front door and frolicked their way to the bedroom.
Giggling and holding hands like teenagers, they entered the bathroom. With deep and prolonged eye contact, Ben let go of her hand, shrugged out of his expensive suit jacket, and undid his knotted tie with deliberate and confident masculinity. Anticipation built inside her as he let the silk material slide through his fingers, and her thighs clenched expectantly.
Zoe arched her back and exposed her neck by letting her long hair slide across her shoulders. Her eyes stayed trained on the tie while she wondered what he would do with it.
As he dropped the silken material on the vanity, a twinge of regret swept through her, but when he started to unbutton his shirt, her disappointment vaporized.
When he unfastened the last button, she slipped her hands between his warm skin and his shirt and slipped the fabric from his shoulders. The muscles beneath the palms of her hands flexed and bunched. A fluttery sensation tingled in her chest and stomach.
His lips curled in a sensual smile, and creases teased the corners of his eyes. “If you keep looking at me like that, we won’t make it to the shower.” The sparkle in his eyes told her he wouldn’t mind either way.
She couldn’t wait to have him in her, but the goosebumps on his skin didn’t escape her notice.
“You need to get in the shower. I don’t want you to become any colder,” she said, running her nose up the column of his throat. Underneath the earthy tone of mud, Ben’s fresh vetiver and citrus scent with a touch of warmth stroked her senses and she almost forgot her purpose, but then he shuddered. Whether it was from excitement or cold, Zoe didn’t know but it kicked her into gear. Pulling away from him to make room for her hands, she found his waistband and fumbled with the button. She lowered his zipper over a growing erection and pushed his slacks and boxer briefs over his lean hips.
One hand lightly resting on her hip, Ben leaned into the shower stall and twisted the tap to start the water.
His hands bunched the material of her dress up at her hips. “Let’s help you out of this as well.” He dragged the fabric up around her waist and helped her shimmy the garment over her head. Letting it drop to the floor, he knelt while skimming her pantyhose down her legs.
She rested her hand on his shoulder for balance as she stepped out of the nylons. Rising gracefully, Ben pressed her body against his front and pulled her forward by curling his arms around her waist and settling his hands on her buttocks.
She squeaked.
“Cold?”
She slapped his chest. “Yes, your hands are cold.”
He hummed and ran the tip of his nose over the outer shell of her ear. “How about here?” Teasingly he ran his freezing fingers over her nipples, the tight buds immediately responding to the cold.
She moaned.
“Shower,” he ordered and pulled her with him under the spray.
Squinting against the torrent of water, she brushed her wet hair from her face and scowled at the infuriating man. Unrepentant, he flashed her a grin and melted her heart when he cradled her face between large hands and softly, but soundly kissed her lips. She lifted her arms to slide around him, but he snatched her hands from the air before she could curl her arms around his neck and spun her around.
With his wet front plastered against her back, Ben caged her against the wall and pinned her wrists against the tiles.
