The Bottom Line (15 page)

Amber shoved her arms into the jacket sleeves, dragged up the zipper, and left without another word. Ben followed her to the front door.

Mallory scarfed down another donut while waiting for Ben to return. Part of her wanted to let this whole stupid episode go by without any kind of discussion. Part of her wished they could hash it out now so the problem wouldn’t fester. Perhaps his approach of acknowledging the elephant really was for the best.

“Sorry,” he said again. He sat in the chair Amber had vacated and picked up a donut.

“Not your fault.”

“I didn’t want you to have to deal with Theresa. Ever.”

“After what happened between us, I don’t think that was likely.” The words were out before she thought. Just because Ben had slept with her, that didn’t mean—

Bullshit.
It
did
mean. She wasn’t the kind of woman to fall into bed with a guy and not expect that to be part of a committed relationship. Ben knew that.

“You’re right,” he replied. “Doesn’t mean I didn’t hope to avoid it for a while.” He ate the donut, chewing slowly, probably turning things around in his mind.

“Like I told Amber, you’re not Theresa’s keeper.”

A snort slipped out. “That’s exactly what she needs: a keeper—a zookeeper. I got tired of the job pretty quick.”

“Then why did you marry her?” Mallory almost groaned at her own stupidity. “Wait! Don’t answer that.”

“No, it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. It’s none of my business.”

Ben took her hand in his and tugged at her until she finally understood and got up. Then pulled her onto his lap. “It’s very much your business.” He kissed her chin. “At least I want it to be. We’ve got something exclusive going here, right?”

Mallory cupped his cheeks and kissed him. “I sure as heck hope so.”

“Good.” He gave her a decisive nod. “Good.”

“So why did you marry her?”

“Because I knocked her up,” he admitted. “I’m not proud of it. We met at a bar. I let her pick me up. Would you believe she can be sweet when she tries? I never saw the side of her you just saw until after the wedding.”

“Lots of people are like that,” Mallory said. “They wear some kind of mask or something until they’ve snared you. Then they show their true colors.”

“Your ex like that?”

She shook her head. “But Juliana’s sure was. Like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”

“Theresa can be a real bitch, but I wouldn’t change a single minute of the aggravation because of Amber. She was worth it.”

“She’s a great kid, Ben.”

“She is, isn’t she?” He gave her a quick kiss. “Unfortunately, the baggage that comes with her is her impossible mother.”

Since he seemed to be in the mood for sharing, Mallory let her curiosity loose. “Why’d she hunt us down?”

“Honestly?”

“Isn’t that the only way we do things?”

“Absolutely,” he replied. “She’s not happy that I’ve moved on.”

That made no sense. “You’re divorced. You already moved on.”

“We might be divorced, but she knew there wasn’t anyone else in my life. Now that I have you, she thinks she finally lost me.”

Looping her arms around his neck, Mallory smiled. “You do have me, you know.”

“Yeah, baby. I know.”

Juliana plopped into the chair and sprawled out as though she were at home sitting on a sofa. “One more final exam to give and I can get the hell outta this place. Not even grading ’em. Leaving that for Teacher Work Day in January.”

“No way. I’m getting all my tests graded before I head home.” Mallory grabbed her lunch from the refrigerator and set it on the table. Her thoughts were on her upcoming surgery, but she needed to find some focus and do her job for another few hours. She sat down and spread out the containers of food. “I’ve got enough to deal with over break. I’m not about to come back here in January with final exams to finish.”

“I’m staying, too.” Bethany started pulling her food from her bag. “I have lots of better things to do the first day of a new semester. Seating charts. Lesson plans. Talking to a few teachers about the problems I’m inheriting from their classes.”

Danielle all but slammed the door to the break room. “I think my brain just exploded in an avalanche of words—all badly spelled and poorly used. I need to read some Jane Austen to cleanse my mental palate.”

“
Pride and Prejudice
?” Jules asked with a grin.

“What else?”

“That’s what you get for giving essay finals, Dani,” Beth quipped. “I’ll take my bubble sheets any day. Run them through a scanner and… voilà!”

“I used those for the literature questions, but…” Danielle sat down and shrugged. “Sometimes teaching English sucks.”

“But think of all the good you’re doing,” Mallory insisted. “Without English teachers, these kids would write in text-speak all the time.”

Juliana settled a concerned gaze on Mallory. “Are you ready for your surgery? Are you sure you don’t want any help from us?”

“No, I really don’t,” Mallory replied. “But thanks. Ben’s going to stay for a couple of days. You all go and enjoy your breaks. You’ve earned them.”

“What about Amber?” Beth asked.

“You know, she offered to help,” Mallory replied. “I really like her.”

“She’s staying at your place?” Danielle took a bite of her baby carrot.

“No. Theresa’s taking Amber to visit her parents for Christmas. They’re flying to Dallas Sunday afternoon. Won’t be back until after the new year. Ben’s going to take care of me and do some work on the house. His regular job’s on hold until after the holidays.”

Theresa had mellowed some since the confrontation the day after their Chicago trip. Perhaps the shock of Ben seriously dating another woman finally settled in as the weeks passed. She and Theresa had little contact, and from the time Mallory spent with Amber, she’d learned that Theresa seldom mentioned her or Ben. When she did, her main gripe was that Amber spent more time with Mallory than her. Since that was Amber’s choice not to be with Theresa often, as well as what the court ordered, there wasn’t much to be done to change things.

“I can’t believe how long he’s been working on your place,” Danielle said. “Shouldn’t it be done by now?

“Not so long, really,” Mallory insisted. “He can only do projects here and there since he started full-time with the builder. He’s at my place today, trying to get the gas logs in so the great room is done before I go to the hospital.”

“Key Club’s decorating the tree at the Community Center this weekend and singing carols,” Danielle said. “Any of you coming?”

“Sorry. I can’t,” Mallory replied.

Jules snorted. “That’s why I don’t sponsor clubs anymore. Look at the stuff you get roped into, Danielle.”

“I like being with Key Club,” Danielle insisted. “They’re great kids.” She shifted her gaze to Mallory. “Sure you can’t come?”

Mallory shook her head. “I’m going to try to get the house straightened up, finish the laundry, and shop for enough groceries to last until I’m up and about again.”

Danielle smiled at Beth. “How about you?”

“Sorry, hon. I’m out.” Beth fished some change out of her purse. “Heading straight to my parents’ place after school.” She popped up and bought a can of soda from the machine.

“That’s right,” Jules said. “I forgot you’re all going to Vegas.”

“Yep. Mom, Dad, and me in Vegas. What was I thinking?”

“You were thinking they offered to pay for the trip,” Jules replied with a smirk.

“That and I saved up a nice little bankroll to blow on slots. Maybe I’ll strike it rich.”

Mallory held up her Diet Cherry Coke in salute. “Merry Christmas, Bethany. May you win enough to retire!”

* * *

“Ben?” Mallory dropped her purse and her tote—now empty because she’d graded every last stupid test—next to the coat closet.

She was almost afraid to go into the great room. Ben would be upset if he didn’t get everything finished. He’d kicked up a fuss about getting several things done before her surgery on Monday.

No sounds of work greeted her. In fact, she heard…
Christmas music?

After shrugging out of her coat, she tossed it on the coat tree and hurried down the hall. When she saw the great room, she gasped in surprise.

A fire burned in the fireplace. The gas logs looked so real, she had to wonder for a moment if he’d changed his mind about using them and just gone ahead and built a wood fire. He’d finished painting the walls, and all the furniture was back in place. Her flat-screen had been hooked back up to the stereo, and a soft instrumental version of “White Christmas” floated from the speakers.

Ben had put up her Christmas tree in the corner. It was fully decorated with all the ornaments she’d collected from the time she’d been a teenager. The multicolored lights twinkled from the branches of her artificial spruce. Gold tinsel hung from the restored oak mantel.

Tears pooled in her eyes. The amount of work he’d done and the trouble he’d gone to in finding her holiday decorations amazed her.

“Merry Christmas, Mal.”

Ben’s voice coming from behind her made her smile and sniff back the threatening tears. “It’s all so… beautiful.”

He put a hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him. “Our first Christmas together. I wanted it to be perfect.”

“It’s not Christmas yet. We’ve got a few days before the twenty-fifth.”

His lopsided smile was intensely charming. “You’ll still be laid up on the twenty-fifth. So I figured we’d celebrate tonight.”

Wrapping her arms around his waist, she smiled up at him. “How exactly did you think we’d celebrate?”

“How about I take you to a nice dinner? Then we can come back here and make love by firelight.”

“I’ve got a better idea.” She kissed him quickly before taking his hand and tugging him into the great room.

“And what exactly is that?”

She flipped off the lamp. Since dark was rapidly descending, the lights from the Christmas tree and fireplace gave the room a cozy glow. As he waited in the middle of the room, she grabbed the afghan from the back of the couch and spread it in front of the fire.

“Why, Ms. Mallory. What are you up to?”

Instead of answering, she tossed him a saucy grin and reached for the top button of his flannel shirt. After opening each fastener, she helped him shrug out of the shirt. She let out a frustrated growl that a T-shirt blocked her access to his skin. She jerked the garment over his head, glad that he grinned in response.

Would she ever tire of looking at him? Her dark knight. So very handsome.

As she ran her tongue around his flat nipple, she fumbled with his belt buckle until she could whip the belt out of his pants. Then she took a step back, enjoying his confused expression.

“Mal?”

Mallory followed up by folding the belt and snapping it hard enough the sound echoed through the room. “You’ve been a bad boy, Ben Carpenter.”

He quirked an eyebrow.

“You haven’t finished my house yet.”

“Been a little busy. Work and all…” He popped the button on his waistband and unzipped his fly.

She snapped the belt again. “Excuses, excuses. You’ve been a bad boy, and bad boys need to be punished.” A slap of the belt against her thigh accompanied her authoritarian tone.

Ben let out a ragged groan as he dropped his jeans. They pooled around his ankles.

“Tighty-whities, too, mister.”

After peeling them down his body, he kicked both garments aside and yanked off his socks. His erection bobbed, drawing a smile from her.

“That’s better.
Much
better.”

“So where should I be for you to punish me?” he asked, his voice husky.

Mallory’s bravado vanished. While it might have been fun to tease, she wasn’t sure she could actually hit him, especially with the belt. She was definitely in over her head—
way
over her head.

Ben bent over the arm of the sofa and wiggled his ass at her. “I’m ready.”

This time, she was the one to groan at the tempting picture before her. She’d often taken the lead in sex. Why should this be any different?

How could she ever deny him?

She smacked the belt gently against his tight buns. His responding yelp made her jump. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Do it again.” His voice held a note of desperation she didn’t understand.

She found herself in uncharted territory. Sex with Jay had been nothing but normal. Missionary. Her on top. From behind once or twice.

Vanilla.

Watching Ben’s eyes fill with desire just because she’d given his ass a light tap left her feeling heady. Empowered. Each encounter, each time they made love, was still so new, so exciting. He took advantage of her small body to take her up against the wall. In the shower. On the backseat of her car. Now it appeared they’d be on the floor in front of a roaring fire.

“Do it again, baby,” he said. “Spank me.”

She did, a little harder but with a smile on her face.

Ben surged against the sofa, let out a rumbling growl, and then came to her. Without a word, he stripped her quickly and efficiently until they faced each other.

The air between them fairly cracked with anticipation. Mallory was no longer afraid to show Ben her body. From the first time he’d made love to her, he’d shown nothing but appreciation, so why try to hide?

She’d learned that her missing breast didn’t define her. Not personally. Not sexually. He made sure she enjoyed each tryst every bit as much as he did. And he
did
enjoy himself, despite her scar. She had no doubt that if she decided not to have the reconstructive surgery, he’d still desire her, still want her, every bit as much as he did right now.

The love swelled in her heart until tears stung her eyes.

How long had she loved him? Mallory wasn’t sure.

Love hadn’t snuck up from behind and clubbed her over the head. There had never been a moment of clarity that screamed her love. Nothing so deliberate. Instead, he’d stolen her heart in small pieces, claiming a new bit with each kind gesture and loving word.

He reached for her the same time she took the last step toward him. The feel of his skin as he enfolded her in his embrace sent heat shimmering through her veins. She was hot, wet, ready—had been from the first button opening on his shirt. The smack on his butt, tender though it was, lent an air of naughty that heightened her desire.

Who knew the prim and proper schoolteacher enjoyed giving her man a spanking? The school board would be scandalized should they discover the truth.

His kiss was possessive, downright frantic. She matched his need with her own, thrusting her tongue past his lips to mate with his—wild kisses she used to show him what she couldn’t find the courage to confess.

Would Ben welcome her declaration?

Probably.
But Mallory was going to take the coward’s way out and show rather than tell.

She stroked down his body, over the hard planes of his chest and the defined abs until she could capture his cock. Wrapping her fingers around him, she loved the hot feel of the silky skin over the hardened flesh. “I want you.”

“Oh, baby. I’m so past that. You’ve worked me up so much.” He glanced at the couch. “Think you can let me go long enough so I can grab a condom?”

“No.” She punctuated her word with a few pumping strokes. Then she rubbed her thumb over the crown, smearing the drop of fluid that had pooled at the tip.

“Don’t we need birth control?”

She gave her head a shake, figuring it would be easier to reveal the truth at a time when he was so drugged with desire the weight of the words couldn’t quite sink in. “I can’t get pregnant.”

* * *

Ben hadn’t expected her to be so blunt about something that might devastate most thirtysomething women. Not Mallory. The woman’s spine was made of the strongest steel.

The way she was touching him made it impossible to think, especially about such an important topic. All he wanted was to toss her on the afghan and bury himself so deep inside her they became one.

She released his erection long enough to crook a finger at him. Then she sat down, dragging him with her until he was sprawled over her.

He would never tire of the feel of her skin against his. She’d gained a little weight, enough that her hips and collarbones were no longer so sharply evident. She was round and soft and so incredibly beautiful.

Even her scar.
It was such a part of Mallory, in some ways making her who she really was deep down inside. He was sure he wouldn’t give a shit if she didn’t have the implant or if she didn’t have the new nipple tattooed to give it color. While he’d support her through the recovery, he’d have to make sure before she checked in at the hospital that she knew she was doing this for herself. Not for him, because to Ben, it truly didn’t matter.

He spread her thighs with his knee, loving how she pressed her core against his leg. She was so open about her desire, something he’d quickly learned to enjoy. To have a woman who knew her own mind and her own body was exciting.

Holy shit, she’d actually spanked him. Mallory had really followed through and used his belt on his butt. He’d been teasing, figuring she’d back down if he pushed her. He should have known better. But he’d loved it enough he’d probably ask her to do it again.

Probably?

No.

Definitely.