Page 97 of Stick Side
He was lost in reverie until she moaned his name and bit down on his bottom lip. The pleasure-pain was enough to jolt him out of his dream state and back into the moment. Unsure whether Melody was as into their kiss as he was or trying to get his attention, he drew back a little, the better to survey her.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” Ben said as he pressed his forehead against hers and leaned back a little until a few inches of space separated their bodies. “I didn’t mean to jump on you like that.” Ben ran a frazzled hand through his hair. “I guess my only excuse is that I missed you even more than I realized.” He resisted the urge to kiss her again, not wanting to deny her the opportunity to say whatever she might wish to.
Melody took a step forward and closed the distance between them. “You don’t have to be sorry,” she said as she reached a hand up to caress the hair at the nape of his neck. “I didn’t mind at all.” Melody bit down on her bottom lip before looking at him through her lashes. “It feels good to know you want me so much.”
Ben smiled when he realized her love bite had come from passion rather than a desire to cool things down. Damn, but that made him feel good.
As he watched, two tiny spots of color appeared in the apples of her cheeks. The color was subtle, but he saw it since he was looking for it.
“I definitely want you, sweetheart,” Ben said as he slipped a hand behind her back and pressed her closer to him, at once hugging her and allowing her to feel the full effect she had on him. “I will happily pick you up right now, carry you into your bedroom, and show you just how much I want you.” Ben paused to lay a soft kiss onto her passion ravaged lips. “But I could just as soon pause to catch up and enjoy what smells like an amazing dinner before getting back to showing you just how much I missed you.” He felt one corner of his lip hook up into what he hoped was a seductive smile. “I’m flexible when it comes to the order of operations.”
Melody returned his smile shyly, leading Ben to guess that dessert might precede dinner. Tension mounted and anticipation coursed through his veins until he heard the telltale rumble of her belly.
Ben smiled his acceptance, choosing to be amenable to the pleasures of delayed gratification. “Maybe dinner first?” he suggested.
Her blush deepened as she gave a slow nod. A shy smile that was somehow infused with the perfect hint of feminine wiles on her lips, Melody moved toward the kitchen. She’d only progressed a few feet before she stopped, looked over her shoulder, and caught his gaze. “But we’ll pick this up again after?” she asked coquettishly.
Ben groaned. “You can bet on it.”
A bright, beatific smile bloomed on Melody’s face before she resumed her path.
His dick twitched as he watched her walk away, her hips swishing in a seductive rhythm. For such a seemingly-innocent woman, she sure knew how to ignite his passions.
He looked up at the ceiling before blinking his eyes closed. He strove to think unsexy thoughts. Mankinis. Traffic jams. Tax returns.
Ben didn’t really think there were thoughts unsexy enough to dim his ardor for Melody, but he was willing to try if it meant he didn’t come across as a sex-starved fiend. He doubted he would ever be able to get enough of her, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t work to keep his inner barbarian in check. She deserved a gentleman and an ardent lover, and he would do his best to give her both.
He readjusted his dick in an effort to ease his discomfort before following Melody. He found her pulling roasted potatoes out of the oven.
He walked up behind her and looked over her shoulder, the better to see what all she had cooked. He was careful not to touch her since he hadn’t yet cooled off enough to do so without fanning the flames of his discomfort. He was no masochist.
“That smells absolutely delicious,” Ben praised as Melody used a metal spatula to flip the potatoes. They looked perfectly browned and crispy on all sides.
Oven mitts still on her hands, she pulled out a tray of what looked like roasted vegetables.
“Holy cow,” Ben raved, sounding a bit like the farm boy he was as he took in the plate of herbed mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, onions, and bell peppers. “This looks incredible.”
Ben waved his cupped hand over top of the food to better direct the smells to his nose. He groaned as the mouth-watering aromas hit his olfactory pleasure centers.
“Smells good, huh?” Melody asked with the quiet confidence of someone who knows they’re good at something.
“It doesn’t just smell good, sweetheart,” Ben praised, “it smells phenomenal.”
Pleasure lit Melody’s features. “Thank you,” she said with no small amount of obvious delight.
Melody moved over to another counter and grabbed a plate of steaks. “I just have to finish these and we’ll be good to go.”
“How do you like your steak?” she asked, placing the meat in a large cast iron pan.
“Medium-rare would be amazing. Thank you,” he said, as the steaks started to sizzle on the pre-heated pan.
Melody nodded in acknowledgment.
Ben stood back and watched as Melody tended to their steaks, humming and swaying ever so subtly to whatever soundtrack was playing in her mind. Whatever tune she was humming was beautiful but unknown to him.
There was something so special about simply being able to watch Melody as she worked. She was so fluid and graceful that just observing her made him feel practically hypnotized.
“Would you like to prepare your plate, or would you like me to?” Melody asked, glancing over at him before she gave the steaks what looked to be a final flip.
