Finding Forever (Smoky Mountain Lawmen Book 1) (15 page)

She
pulled the sheet down and swung a leg over him.  “Don’t get your panties in a
twist.  There’s only been one other besides you.”  Ben groaned at the contact. 
She was already wet for him.

He
struggled to follow the conversation as she continued talking.  Having her
naked body situated on top of his own naked body was short-circuiting his
brain.  “I dated a man in college for several years.  We couldn’t make it work
once we graduated and I’ve only ever dated casually since then.”  She bent low
so her hair created a curtain around them.  “You’re the first to survive
Tristan long enough to make it to this point.”

His
hands found her hips and he lifted her.  “Yeah?  Well, I hope I’m the last.” 
Ben brought her back down while he thrust up.  She gasped at the invasion and
her head tipped back, her long cascade of hair flowing around her.  Her wet
heat surrounded him and he held on tight as she recovered and began to move. 
She rocked slowly, driving him mad.

He
skated his hands up her sides, gentle on the bruises that still darkened her
body from her fall from Jasper.  Anger flared at the sight, but was quickly
wiped away as she moved on him.  He cupped her breasts, teasing the tips.  She
arched her back into his touch and her rhythm faltered.  Ben took the opportunity
to change their positions.  He slid from beneath her and moved around behind
her in one fluid move. 

If
possible, he hardened even more as she looked at him over her shoulder, her
delectable tush in the air waiting for him.  He stroked the globes of her
perfect bottom and ran a finger through her wet curls. 

She
whimpered.  “Please, Ben.”

He
stroked her softly.  “It’s coming, baby, but I’m gonna play a little first.”

Gemma
whimpered again.  He lowered his head and nipped at the soft flesh of her
bottom before sliding his fingers through her wetness.  She rocked into his
hand.  He slid his free hand up to toy with her breasts.  She moaned at the
dual sensation.  Ben teased and taunted as he drew circles around that tight
bundle of nerves and dipped his fingers inside her entrance.  It wasn’t long
before she shattered, shouting out her pleasure.

Before
the spasms of her orgasm even subsided he flipped her over and sat back on his
haunches bringing her over him to straddle his legs.  Ben cradled her like she
was made of glass as he slid smoothly into her.  She cried out again and pushed
down against him.

“You’re
so tight,” he growled.  Her walls squeezed him like a vice, clinging to him
every time he tried to pull out.

She
ground into him.  “You feel so good,” she whispered.  

Ben
took his time this time.  The first time had been fast.  A slaking of need. 
This time it was about learning each other’s bodies.  So he raised her slowly
before letting her down just as gradually.  She caught on to his plan and took
over the slow pace.  Ben turned his attention to the delectable sight right in
front of him.  She had tipped her head back exposing her soft skin from her
neck all the way down to her belly.  He nipped at the creamy expanse and laved
the bites with his tongue.  Her hands ran over his shoulders and through his
hair, holding him in place.  Unable to hold the slow pace, Ben tipped them over
so she was under him.  His mouth sought hers, his tongue mimicking what his
body was doing to hers.  Within a few strokes he felt her orgasm begin to
build.  His own was tingling up and down his spine just waiting for her to come
first.  With a final deep thrust, he felt her let go, triggering his own
release.  The force of it was so powerful it actually hurt.  Their mingled
shouts of ecstasy ricocheted around the room.

Utterly
spent, Ben slid to the side just as his arms gave out and he sagged against the
bed.  He couldn’t do more than pull the sheet over them before they were both sinking
into a sex-induced coma.

Gemma
stretched languidly, a delicious soreness registering in her lady parts, as
sunlight streamed through the bedroom window the next morning.  She rolled and
reached for Ben only to come up empty.  Her eyes popped open and she sat up. 

His
side of the bed was rumpled, but the room was empty.  The smell of coffee
reached her nose.  Hopping out of bed, Gemma dashed into the shower and quickly
washed before pulling on a pair of jean shorts and a simple gray t-shirt.  She
wandered out to the main room and stopped at the edge of the hallway,
awestruck.  Ben stood on the balcony, shirtless, his jeans riding low on his
hips.  He held a steaming cup of coffee in his hand while he watched the
waves. 

Heat
coiled in her belly and she clenched her thighs together at the flood of heat
he induced.  The man was beautiful. 

And
he was all hers.

Sunlight
glistened off his tan torso, his tattoos intensely black against the gold of
his skin.  Chains coiled his left bicep and wrapped his shoulder.  She knew
that if he were to turn around she’d see them wrapped around his Army Ranger
insignia that was inked on his chest.  A cross adorned his right shoulder blade
while the words to a biblical quote wrapped his right bicep and went up over
his shoulder to surround the cross.

Getting
control of her raging hormones, Gemma walked to him and slid her arms around
his waist.  She pressed a kiss between his shoulder blades.  “Good morning.”

He
turned in her arms and slid his free hand around her to hold her close.  Gemma
lifted her face as he bent to kiss her.  She opened to him as he deepened the
kiss, tasting coffee and something uniquely Ben.  She slid her hands up his
sculpted torso to clutch his shoulders as he took his time exploring her
mouth.  Gemma felt her bones liquefy and let her body melt into his.

Ben
gentled the fire and pulled back.  “As much as I’d like to continue this, we
have plans.”

Gemma
frowned as his words sunk in.  She pulled away some so she could see his face
more clearly.  “Plans?”

He
nodded.  His hand had drifted down over the curve of her butt and he kneaded
her flesh as he spoke.  “I got to thinking about things we can do while we’re
here and googled activities.  There’s an equestrian place here on the island. 
I called and booked us on the tour that starts at ten.”

Gemma
perked up.  ‘Riding?”  She smiled.  “That sounds great.  I haven’t been on a
horse since the accident.”

Ben
smiled down at her.  “I thought you’d think so.”  He released her and swatted
her on the butt.  “Go eat something and we’ll go.”

Gemma
scurried off with one last, hard kiss to do just that.

It
was a good thing that riding a horse was almost as natural as breathing for
Gemma.  The functioning, conscious part of her brain was so distracted by the
sight of Ben on his horse that she could do nothing more than hold the reins on
her mount and let it play follow-the-leader as they rode across the dunes.  The
man was a sight to behold atop the gray gelding the resort had paired him
with.  He was already the epitome of masculinity with his tall stature, wide
shoulders, and beautifully sculpted muscles.  Put him on the back of a horse
and he looked like a god come down from the heavens.  He made her mouth water
without even trying.

Gemma
jerked as her mount picked up the pace.  She clenched her thighs so she
wouldn’t topple off and mentally shook herself.  She really needed to pay
attention.  They had reached the beach and the trail guide had quickened the
pace, letting the horses frolic in the surf.  Gemma rolled her hips with her
horse as they cantered through the sand, salty spray hitting her face as the
horses splashed through the waves rolling onto the beach.  She lifted her face
to the sky, basking in the warm sun, happy beyond measure.  If only they could
catch the psycho threatening her, her life would be darn near perfect.

Ben
looked back at Gemma just in time to see the euphoric grin split her face as
they dashed down the sandy beach.  God, she was beautiful.  He was hard-pressed
to remember why he had been so reluctant to start something with her.  After
last night, he was all-in, in this relationship.  The sex was fantastic, but
that wasn’t all that had washed away the last of his doubts.  She touched
something in him no one else ever had and it brought a warm light to all the
dark, cynical corners of his soul.  He wanted this woman in his life any way
she’d have him. 

He
slowed his horse slightly, so he could fall back to her side.

“Having
fun?” he asked, grinning.

She
nodded, her smile still in full force.  “This is great!  It’s been a long time
since I’ve ridden on a beach.  Thank you for taking me.”                 

They
slowed as they reached the trail at the end of the beach.  Ben reached out and
took her hand.  “You’re welcome.”

They
continued hand in hand down the trail until it narrowed to the point they had
to pass through single-file.  Ben watched Gemma ride in front of him, her hips
rolling gently with her mount.  As much as he hated to admit he’d been wrong,
she had been right to force the issue and get them alone together.  They had
been walking on eggshells virtually since they met and he hadn’t realized how
tense he’d been, both from their dance around each other and from the case.  He
couldn’t completely relax because he knew they would have to return to reality
tomorrow night, but it was nice to drop his guard a fraction.

The
rest of the ride flew by as they wound their way down the resort’s trails
before ending up back at the stables.  After dismounting, he wrapped an arm
around Gemma and led her out of the barn.

Warmth
unfurled in his chest as she sighed deeply and wrapped her arm around his
waist.  “I love the beach,” she said.  “The warm sea air, the salty spray.  The
fresh ocean smell.” 

His
arm tightened around her a vision of them here in the future unfolding before
him.  “Maybe we’ll have to make this an annual trip.  And stay longer than a
couple days.”

She
beamed up at him.  “I’d like that.”

Heart
lighter than it had ever been, Ben led Gemma away from the barn.

Gemma
sighed noisily and patted her full stomach as she leaned back against the
headboard.  “That was so good.  But I ate too much.” 

She
giggled as Ben settled next to her with a groan.  “So did I,” he grumbled.

Upon
leaving the resort after their ride, the pair had made their way to Charleston
where they had wandered through The City Market.  Gemma had spent entirely too
much money and eaten entirely too many goodies before they’d called it a day
and swung past a food truck for barbecue on their way back to the condo.

That
was several hours ago and she had discovered that barbecue chicken was just as
good cold, especially when eaten after some of the best sex she’d ever had.

Speaking
of…

Gemma
let her eyes travel over Ben’s naked torso, her gaze tracing his tattoos where
they wound around his powerful muscles.  

“Gems,
don’t look at me like that right now.  I’m not sure I can move.”  He thunked
his head against the headboard and rubbed his full stomach.

Gemma
grinned devilishly.  In one move she rose and whipped off the t-shirt she had
donned earlier, leaving her stark naked.  She pulled the sheet down where it
covered his hips and slung a leg over him.  Fingers in the waistband of his
boxer briefs, she tugged.  He lifted his hips to allow her to pull them down.

“Well,
the good thing is you don’t have to move.”  She tossed his underwear over the
side of the bed and settled on top of him.  He slid into her in one smooth
stroke.  “You can just lie there while I ride.”

Hands
braced on his shoulders, Gemma did just that.

Gemma
felt the silence close around her like a wet cloak close when Ben shut the
engine off after he pulled into the garage at her house.  Her bubble had
officially popped and they were back in the thick of things.  Oh, how she
wished they could have stayed in South Carolina.      

But
she wanted her life back and she wanted that life to include Ben.  Until they
caught the bastard murdering her friends and trying to kill her that would
never happen.

So
pull up your big girl panties and get back into it!
 
Gemma sucked in a breath, silently cursing that voice in her head and pulled on
the door handle.  Ben followed her out of the SUV and into the house.

More
silence greeted them inside.  They had put off coming back as long as they
dared and had even stopped several times for extended periods reluctant to
return to Marshall.  Now, it was nearly midnight and the house was eerily
silent.  Figuring Tristan had turned in for the night already, Gemma crept
quietly through the kitchen toward her bedroom.

“Christ,
what’d you guys do?  Take a detour to Florida?  It’s fricking midnight!”

Gemma
shrieked and braced herself against the living room doorway as light flooded
the room and Tristan’s large frame rose from the couch.  Ben wrapped an arm
around her to steady her.

“Tristan! 
You scared ten years off my life!”  Gemma sunk into Ben’s chest and willed her
heart rate to slow.