Virtually Perfect (11 page)

'...Oops!'

'Oops indeed!' Ben grinned, shaking his head.  'Don't smoke, she said.  Filthy habit, she said.  Then I come around here tonight and catch you with a fag in your gob, nicotined up the the eyeballs...'

'OW!'

Ben grinned, screwing up the patch and tossing it away.

He lay down beside her on his elbow.  They were almost nose to nose.

'Those things will kill you.'

Eve flinched as she felt his fingers between her legs.  Her eyelids slammed shut.  She looked a little bit scared.  Ben leant in and kissed her lips.

She gasped as his hand gently parted her.  Ben's fingertips slid around the warm, wet interior.  Her breath grew shallow; fast.  His fingers found the little bump.  She murmured into his mouth.

He kissed her harder, his tongue glancing hers as his hand slid down.  Eve whimpered, his tongue pushing harder, his finger slowly pushing inside her. 

She felt hot and smooth; tight around his knuckle.  Ben's heart was thundering in his chest.  She gasped as he withdrew, sliding his wet finger back up.  He circled her slowly.  Eve tried to swallow a groan.  Her eyes were clenched shut, her fingers gripping the towelling robe, pulling it hard.  Ben drew back, watching her, absorbed by her, quickening the pace. 

Her breaths came in rapid gasps, mouth open, back arching, groans faster, louder.  Her face contorted, her brow crinkling, her legs writhing beneath them. 

Ben's lips inclined in a smile.  He was fascinated with her.  Another second...

Eve grabbed his wrist hard.  Her eyes sprang open.

'Stop!'

Fuck!  ...Not now!

'...What's the matter?'

'Nothing,' she panted.  'Just...  Do you have a condom?'

Ben smiled, reaching into the dressing gown pocket, pulling out a Fetherlite. 

Eve pursed her lips, raising her eyebrow.

'Dib dib,' Ben grinned.  Eve grimaced.  'No?  ...I'll just put it on, shall I?'

Eve heard him rip the packet, saw him go up onto his knees in her periphery, but kept her eyes on the ceiling.  The fire cast Ben's shadow across the room.  Eve saw the dressing gown slide from his shoulders, Ben tussling his arms free.

He looked down at her.  It was like in the darkroom.  She lay there, hand outstretched, pleading eyes, but instead of pushing him away, she was reaching for him. 

The hair on his chest felt soft under her fingertips.  His skin was warm and clammy.  Ben lowered himself down onto his elbows.  His shoulders were smooth, muscular, his arms were strong.  His thighs pushed in between her.  Her thighs instinctively tightened around him.  Her gaze met his.  He'd found her. 

She bit her lip.  She felt the head of him push in.  He pushed a little harder.  She whimpered, her arms wrapping themselves around his neck. 

She saw his brow gather.

'It's OK,' she said.  'I'm... I'm...'

'Relax,' he whispered.  'Just relax.'

He stroked her face, kissing her gently.  Eve's fingers wandered down his sides, tumbling down his ribcage, drifting up his smooth, clammy back.  Eve gasped as he withdrew slowly, his hips hovering over hers, then whimpered as he pushed again. 

He moved slowly, very gently, a little further, a little deeper.  He didn't want to hurt her, but he knew that he was. 

'Relax,' he said, running his fingertips up and down her thigh.  'Relax.' 

Eve flinched as she felt his fingers between her legs, touching her, sliding across her, his other hand gently gripping her waist.  She reached out to push his hand away, but he wouldn't stop.  His fingers moved faster. She closed her eyes, groaning, drawing her hand back behind her head. 

He could feel her trembling beneath him, and at the same time relaxing.  His hand tightened on her waist.  He started to thrust.

She groaned, her toes gouging the rug.  He started thrusting harder.  Her hands were limp above her head, delicate, curled white fingers.  He watched her breasts, bouncing against every thrust.  She was softening to him.  He slid deeper.  She felt fantastic.  His fingers moved faster.  She was writhing beneath him, panting.  Her cheeks were flushed.  Her groans were loud.

Eve reached out, eyes pleading.  Ben came down on her heavily, panting, his forearms either side of her face.  She clamped her thighs around his hips, tried to slow him down.  It only let him go deeper. 

His rough chin glanced her cheek, his breath ragged and loud in her ear, making her shudder.  Her fingertips slid down his hot back, caressing him, stroking him.

'Mia colomba,' he groaned.  Ben slipped his hand under her neck, his strong forearm gripping her to him, her breasts sliding against his chest. 

Eve pressed her lips to his cheek: hot, rough, salty, pushing back against his thrusts. 

Eve's eyes sprang open. 

She felt his hand slide between them again.

His fingers rested on her pelvis, his thumb quickly finding the little bump.  Eve began to wriggle.  Her hands slid down, skidding on his hips, her fingers trying to push him away.

'No,' he groaned, drawing his head back, thrusting again, watching her.  His arm tensed around her, his back arching deeply as he thrust again.  'No.'

His thumb whirled in little circles.  Eve murmured.  His hand worked faster.  Eve could feel him deep inside her, see him watching, feel the blood flooding her cheeks.  Her eyes clenched shut, her toes gouging into the rug, her legs tensing, writhing.  She couldn't hold it.  Ben felt her hips rising, letting him in deeper.  He could feel her back arching, her stomach pressing hard up against him. 

Her arms wrapped around him, her hands sliding down his back, gripping his firm buttocks, pulling him in harder.  He drew his face back, watched her face contort.  He felt her fingernails digging into him, thrust hard, watched her head fall back, saw her let go. 

Her body arched deeply.  He continued gently thrusting, quicker, shallower, as he felt her constrict around him.  Eve's cry echoed around the walls.  She convulsed beneath him, contracting around him in pulses, tingles surging through her like electricity,  all the way down her legs, all the way back, throbbing through her in waves. 

Eve eyes flicked open.  Ben's were clenched shut, buried in a frown.  She could feel him, pushing again.  Eve bit down hard on her bottom lip.  His breath was ragged through his open mouth, his heart thundering, his chest sliding against her ribs, she could feel him getting harder, deeper.  She wriggled.  The arm beneath her tightened, his hot hand gripping her shoulder hard.  His pelvis drove in and out of her quickly, his gasps fast and shallow, eyebrows raising, eyes opening, almost completely  black.  He stared at her for a moment, struggling for breath.  His eyes clamped shut, his head fell back, teeth gritted, arching his shapely neck, his shoulder muscles tensing, thrusting into her with a loud groan. 

Ben's grip slackened.  He slumped over her: breathless, hot, clammy.  She could still feel him inside her, juddering, pulsing.  He kissed her.  He stroked her face.  She whimpered against his lips as he withdrew.

He collapsed beside her.  They lay there panting, arms wrapped around one another. 

Eve heard the snap as he pulled off the condom, saw his head turn, saw him raise his hand.

'No!'

Eve watched the condom sail through the air, igniting in the flames, spluttering all over the hearth.

She lay back, shaking her head.

'It's not a real fire, you know.  I'll have to clean that up.'

Ben grimaced.

'...Sorry.'

The condom fizzled and crackled behind them.

'Can you hear that?' asked Ben. 

'What?' asked Eve.

'That's the sound of three hundred million tadpoles, all screaming out at once.'

'...Do you think?'  Eve closed her eyes, smiling.  'It felt like more, to me.' 

He watched her expression change, eyes flutter open, hand come up across her face. 

'Jesus, Ben... that stinks!'

Ben laughed, squeezing her.

'Come on,' he said.  'Let's go and smoke that cigarette.' 

Eve gave him a look. 

'...Then I'm going to take you to bed.'

'Allo?'

Eve's eyes blinked open.  Light streamed through the sash window, bathing the room in magenta and gold. 

'...Comment vas-tu, mon petit homme?'

Ben was sitting up next to her, mobile pressed to his ear.

'Ils ont eu des bébés?  Combien?'

She felt herself frowning, saw Ben looking down. 

'...C'est fantastique!'

He smiled and tweaked her nose.

'Dès que je peux...'

She could hear a shrill, faint voice on the other end of the phone.  It sounded like a child.  

'Oh, Je t'aime aussi.'

I love you too.

Suddenly, Eve was wide awake.

Ben was still looking at her, still smiling.  Eve could hear a woman's voice.

'Comment ça va, Monique?  Tout va bien?'

Who's Monique?  Who's 'my little man'?

He was playing with Eve's hair, stroking it from her face, twirling the soft curls around his fingers.  It was coppery in the light.  Her eyes looked so dark, almost black.  Today, looking at them, Ben saw something he'd never seen before.  In the depths, there were flashes of gold.

Eve was getting annoyed. 

He paused, placing his hand over the receiver.

'It's my sister,' Ben mouthed. 

He watched Eve's frown subside.

'Oui.
elle est ici avec moi maintenant.'

Yes.  She is here with me now.

'Benjamin!' cried Monique.  'Why are you speaking to me in French?  Where are your manners?  That's incredibly rude.'

'
Chut,' said Ben.  'J'essaie de l'impressionner.'

Shush.  I'm trying to impress her. 

Ben looked down at Eve, raising an eyebrow.  Eve could hear laughter on the other end.

'Oui.
Je pense que cela fonctionne aussi bien.' 

I think it is working. 

Eve rolled her eyes and grinned.  Ben laughed back at her.

'Très bien alors. 
Avoir une bonne journée...  Salut, sis.  Salut.'

He snapped his phone shut, clunking it down on the bedside table before bouncing onto his side, leaning over her on his elbow. 

'My nephew wanted to let me know that the baby geese have hatched.  Such a cute kid!' 

Ben stroked Eve's cheek with his forefinger.  She looked pale again. 

'I'm sorry I woke you up.'

'No.  No, that's ok.'

'Your face was a picture though for a minute there.' he grinned.  'I know exactly what you were thinking.'

He's told his family about me...

His skin was amber against her white sheets.  There were glints of gold in his hair.  His eyes were cobalt, framed with thick, black lashes.  Eve couldn't stop looking at him.

'Come away with me.'

'What?'

'Come away with me,' he said. 

'When?'

'Now,' said Ben. 

Eve thought for a moment.

'I can't.  What about the cat?' 

'The cat can come,' said Ben.  'That isn't a problem.'

Eve sprang bolt upright.  

'Where is the cat?'

The headbutting and meowing always started at first light.

'Relax,' said Ben.  'He's eating his breakfast.'

Eve sat rubbing her eyes. 

She felt warm fingertips wandering down her back.  She held the duvet tight across her chest.

'Has anyone ever told you, you really do have a lovely bum?'

She felt the fingertips drift down a little lower.  She lay back down quickly, still holding the duvet, pulling it up higher.  She raised her eyebrows and shrugged, smiling coyly.

'So?' Ben smiled back.  'If you've got things to do, it's OK.'

'I do want to...'  She really did.  'But I have work on Monday.  I can't just up and leave.'

'Eve, it's Saturday.  I'll have you home by Sunday night.'

Eve started doing the maths in her head. 

She had about £200 to last until next payday, that was two weeks away.  She wouldn't need to buy a new coat now, and she'd just had a fresh batch of cat food delivered,  that should see him through...

...Shit! 

She still hadn't bought a wedding present...  Oh well.  She could always get it online and stick it on the card.  But should she really be running her cards up again?  That's why she'd torn up her pin numbers.  That's why her cards were stashed in the freezer...

Would they still be alright?  They'd been in there for months.  Should she have a go with the hairdryer and see?  No, she couldn't...

Frigging Martin Lewis and his money saving tips...