Page 79 of Stick Side
Sensations exploded from thetop of her head to the tips of her toes at the full-body contact. She wasn’t sure when it had happened, but her body was now melded against his. She doubted there was enough room for even the most opportunistic breeze to pass between them.
Ben’s lips moved over hers with perfect pressure. He kissed with an impeccable blend of lazy exploration and unequivocal need that left her shaking with longing.
She was more than ready for him when he applied gentle downward pressure to her jaw and licked at her lips, his tongue the best kind of tease. She needed no further enticement to open for him.
She groaned when his tongue swooped into her mouth, ready to lay claim to all that lay within. He began with feather-light touches, enticing her with the gentle glide of his tongue over hers, under hers, against the smooth skin of her inner cheek.
He tagged her tongue with his and retreated, inviting her tongue to follow his. She took Ben’s lead, mimicking his earlier actions by keeping the kiss light and shallow before moving in for a more thorough exploration.
Ben tasted delicious. Had he managed to sneak a slice of red velvet cake when she wasn’t looking, or was it simply the silky-smooth warmth of his mouth that was leading her to wonder? Deciding that a deeper taste was required, she caught his tongue between her lips and sucked gently.
The intimate contact didn’t bring her any clarity. It was hard to think when her nerve endings were exploding with sensation, but even through the fog of her lust, she was certain Ben tasted as outstanding as any cake she’d ever sampled.
She whimpered when she felt the evidence of his desire pressing against her belly. There was something gratifying about knowing she’d brought this sinfully delicious man to such heights of arousal.
She drew back just enough so that she could speak. “Your lips are like some kind of dream,” she breathed.Like some kind of delicious, pastry-filled dream. “You could teach lessons.”
“Kissing 101?” he chuckled as he delicately tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear.
“Oh, no,” she corrected. “You’d have the advanced class.” As if this man’s skill should be wasted on amateurs.
“You’re adorable when you’re spouting nonsense,” he said with a soft smile and a gentle tap to the tip of her nose.
“I’m not even kidding,” she admitted. “It would be a crime to hoard all this skill.”
Supposed nonsense aside, Ben must have liked what she was saying because his smile deepened until twin dimples appeared in his cheeks.Lordy, but he probably couldn’t teachthat.
“I’ll tell you what,” Ben said with undisguised warmth as he moved a comforting hand to her low back. “I’ll teach whatever class you want. The only catch is that you have to be my teaching assistant.”
Her attraction to him ratcheted up by multiple degrees. He was like a silver-tongued devil the way he always seemed to know what to say.
She allowed him to hear her groan, briefly dropping her head against his shoulder before reconnecting her gaze to his. “You’re going to ruin me for anyone else,” she admitted with an only semi-joking twist of her lips.
Ben smiled saucily, his dimples on full display. “That was the plan all along.”
She shivered for what felt like the millionth time in as many minutes, her muscles tightening and then relaxing in rapid succession. The words had been said lightly, but she had a feeling he wasn’t joking.
“Are you cold?” Ben asked with evident concern. He placed warm hands just below her shoulders and rubbed her upped arms with just enough friction to send heat coursing through her limbs.
She couldn’t help but smile at his sweet ministrations. It wasn’t the cold that had made her shiver. It was him and the very physical effect he had on her.
“Come on,” Ben said, drawing her close. “We’re almost there. Let me get you out of the cold.”
She’d been so caught up in Ben and everything he was making her feel that she’d barely noticed the temperature. Now that he mentioned it, though, there was definitely a bite in the late autumn air.
She let out a contented sigh as she nuzzled more firmly into Ben’s side, eager to enjoy all the warmth he seemed so willing to offer her. A pleasant heat spread through her body as he held her close and guided her toward their destination at a steady, measured pace.
It wasn’t long before Ben stopped in front of a medium-sized building. It was dark out, so she couldn’t make out all the details—nor could she see within the enclosure—but the structure appeared to be made almost fully out of glass. If she had to hazard a guess, she would wager that it was a greenhouse.
“Here we are,” Ben said as he led her to a stop in front of the door. He twisted around to look at her. “Would you do me one more favor and close your eyes?”
She lifted a questioning brow she wasn’t sure he could even see within the shadow cast by the building.
“Please,” he requested.
She couldn’t help but give into his quiet entreaty.
“Okay,” she agreed as her eyelids fluttered closed.
