Page 34 of Powerless

“It’s already on.” When did he do that? I close my eyes so I can feel when he starts slowly moving his hips. “Open your eyes, Kathryn. I want to see all of you.”

I open my eyes and keep my gaze glued to his. Bennett’s tempo increases, and he squeezes his eyes shut when he’s just about to come. But then he stops moving. “What’s wrong?” I whisper.

“I want this to last forever.” He kneels back, grabs my leg, and places it over his shoulder before impaling me with his erect, hard cock. “This feels so much better.”

“You have no idea how good it is.” I snake my hand between us so I can rub at my clit, but Bennett smacks my hand away and makes circular motions there with his thumb. I clamp my pussy around him and Bennett groans. “Do that again.” I repeat it and Bennett takes a sharp, short breath. He grabs my hips and digs his fingers into my flesh while he thrusts furiously into me. I clench around him once more, and Bennett groans as he comes.

There’s a vein straining in his neck as he grits his jaw. God, he’s so beautiful. Bennett turns his head and kisses my leg before lowering it to the bed. He stays inside me for a moment, then he moves to lie beside me on the bed. I snuggle into his side and on his outstretched arm.

“Jesus,” he murmurs as he traces lazy shapes on my back with his fingertips.

“I enjoyed that. I think there should be conditions to our relationship.”

Bennett smiles as he moves to drag the covers up our bodies. “Conditions?” A snicker escapes his lips. “What should they be?”

“First, your mouth needs to do that more often.”

“That’s a little difficult to do while I live on the other side of the country. However, when I move here, then yes, my mouth is always available for your pleasure.” He kisses my forehead. “Are there any other terms?”

“You know, let’s start with that one, and we can add to it.”

Bennett hugs me tight to his body. “I need to go to the bathroom so I can dispose of this condom, but I don’t want to move from here.”

“I need to go too. Thankfully, the bathrooms are only at the end of the hall.”

We spend a few moments in silence, entangled in bliss before I move off the bed and wrap my dressing gown around me. Once we’ve both been to the bathroom, we snuggle together in my single bed. I find myself falling asleep wrapped protectively in Bennett’s arms.

I like this. I can get used to being with him.

11

BENNETT

“The Marshalls should be arriving soon,” Mom says in passing on the way to the kitchen to check the food.

“I know,” I call as I fix my tie and prepare for this fake Christmas onslaught. Thankfully, Kathryn is home for the holidays and she’ll be attending my parents’ ostentatious Christmas party with Liam.

“No, this isn’t what I asked for.”

I turn to look for Dad, but he’s most likely in his office and immune to Mom’s stress around Christmas. I head into the kitchen to find Mom pointing at one of the dishes on the island counter while shaking her head. “Everything okay?” I look to the caterer who’s standing tall taking whatever Mom is saying to her.

“I asked for no cilantro, and look.” She points to a tray of deviled eggs that have a sprinkling of cilantro on top.

“Is this all the cilantro you’ve used?” I ask the caterer.

“It is.” She takes a sharp breath.

“It’s one tray, Mom. Who cares?”

“I care because I asked for it not to be on anything.” Mom looks between me and the caterer, as if she’s waiting for me to say something.

“This is an easy fix.”

“What is?”

I don’t want to show her up in front of the caterer, but she’s seriously losing her mind over one tray of eggs with cilantro? “Leave them in the kitchen, and Liam and I can eat them.” A tray of eggs is certainly not going to have an adverse effect, but it is what it is. The caterer turns to Mom, waiting for her approval. Mom huffs and glances at me before giving the caterer a small nod. Mom pivots and effortlessly glides out of the kitchen. “Mom,” I say to stop her from losing her shit at someone else for something as trivial as the cilantro. “What was that about?” I point toward the kitchen.

“She included cilantro when I specifically asked for no damned cilantro.”

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