Page 48 of Extended Bridge

Chapter Twelve

“Shh,” Bennett croons. “Talk to me.” His arm secures me at his side, not allowing me to move an inch.

Keeping my eyes closed, I ask, “Is the ice helping?”

His chin bumps my head as he nods. “Do you want to hear what’s helping me more?” I remain silent, so he plows forward. “You. How you see me as a person, not just the lead singer of UC. You want me as a woman wants a man.”

This man, naked, holding me in place, is getting under my skin so deeply I toss all caution to the wind, no longer caring about ethical rules. “I’ve never done this before.”

“What? Get so caught up in passion you don’t care about anything or anyone other than sharing our bodies like an unending encore?”

I half-smile. Into his ripped chest, I admit, “Sort of.” Sucking in air, I disengage from the cocoon he’s wrapped me in. “You make me lose control.”

“Who needs that anyway?” My face remains neutral, so he continues, “We’re different, you and me. You crave order and rules while I do my best to avoidthem.”

“It’s more than that. You thrive in chaos, while I wilt.”

“Hey.” He tilts my chin. “I’ve heard we can do all things in moderation. Some rules are good. Some disarray can lead to an exciting adventure. You don’t have to be as buttoned up as you have been. I also don’t have to flout authority at every turn.”

“That’s simply how we’re wired, Bennett.”

“My point exactly.” His lips cover mine in a soft kiss. “Guess what? It’s okay for us to be a little different than we have been.” His shoulder rises. “Well, I kinda like making my own rules, but I know I should stick to at least some of the ones the powers above me hand down.”

“I can’t imagine anyone being the boss of you.”

“Well, the label likes to think they can plot out my life. The PR team prefers I color within their lines as well.” Two fingers rub over his nose. “The meeting today gave me pause.”

I don’t want to rehash what Darren’s mother spewed. “Because of the warning she issued?”

He doesn’t have to ask to which “she” I’m referring. “No.” He brings me against his chest again. “Because of the scholarship we’re going to set up. I want to make this succeed. In order for that to happen, I’ll need to follow the rules.”

“That you will. It’s for a good cause.”

“Wanna know what else is for a good cause? You letting go sometimes. I promise to be the one to catch you if your safety net disappears, but I doubt it’ll come to that.”

I shake my head. “I don’t know—I thrive in structure.”

“Because of all the bad things that have happened in your life. Your grandmother and Darren both dying before they should have. You crave control over the uncontrollable, I get it. I just don’t want rules to suffocate you and keep you from having fun and letting your hair down a little bit.”

I force my lips to tip upward. “Like with you?”

His eyebrows bounce. “I wouldn’t say no.”

My hand finds the ice pack. “See. This is whythere are rules, Bennett. The doctor told you not to have sex for another week and look what happened when you broke his rule. You got up to a level nine.”

“Seven,” he corrects.Riiight. His palm lands over mine. “Worth it. Besides, we didn’t violate his rule. We didn’t have sex.”

I roll my eyes. “I had three orgasms. You had one. I’d say we had sex.”

The gleam in his green eyes is unmistakable. “Were they good orgasms?”

I punch his shoulder. “You know they were.”

“Good isn’t great.”

“Fine. They were great orgasms. Better?”

“But—mind-blowing, earth-shattering, body-melting orgasms?”

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