WIFE WANTED (A Billionaire Bad Boy Romance) (14 page)

“Well then, seeing as I’m a pirate, I think I might kidnap you and take you anyway.”

Phoebe’s heart fluttered in her chest. If only he could kidnap her for real and take her away from the madness that had become her life.

***

Phoebe couldn’t stop laughing as she and Ben stumbled up the stairs to her apartment door. She reached into her purse for her keys, having to stop and catch her breath. “I can’t believe you did that!”

“I didn’t know what I was doing!”

“I don’t know,” she said, trying to get the key in the lock. “You looked pretty at home up there with those three guys.”

“You didn’t take a video did you?”

“You’ll never know,” she said as the door finally swung open and she flipped on a light. “Want to come in for a bit?”

She thought he would say no and head back down the hall. That was usually how her dates went. But Ben straightened and said, “I’d be delighted.”

He followed her inside and closed the door. She felt his eyes on her as she went around and flipped on the living room lamps and the light in the kitchen. “Well, this is home. Can I get you some coffee? Or wine? Ben?”

She turned to find him staring at the grey suit jacket still hanging by the front door. The way he looked at it, reached out to touch the sleeve and felt inside the pockets, made it seem like he either had a very strange fetish for suit jackets, or he knew that jacket.

“This…how long have you had this?” he asked.

“A week? A little more? Some guy gave it to me when I was at the cemetery visiting my dad’s grave,” she said, heading over to him. “It was pouring with rain and he said his friend said to give it to me.”

“Yeah, I know,” he said as he took it off the hook and slipped into it. The jacket fit like a glove.

“It was yours? You were there that day?”

“My grandfather died last week,” he said as he glanced up. “I saw you through the rain. You looked just as distraught as I did and I had…Frank…take you the jacket. I wanted to do more for you, but I had to take care of some things.”

“What things?”

He took the jacket off and hung it back up on the peg. “That is a story for another time.”

She was barely a foot from him and saw a flicker of pain in his blue eyes as they deepened in color. He was haunted by something, and she wanted to know what. She wanted to understand what went on inside this man’s head, this man with the beard and the silver stud and the beautiful tattoos on his arms. He closed the distance between them and reached out a gentle hand to cup her cheek. Phoebe leaned into his touch, the warmth of his skin slightly rough against her soft face. He bent down, and she stood on tiptoe to meet the kiss.

Their lips met, questioning at first, barely touching, but when he started to pull away, she pulled him closer with a hand on his neck. He met her kiss with the same fire that suddenly consumed her. Their lips moved against each other in an intricate dance as his arms wrapped around her, just as strong and comforting as she remembered. They massaged her back as she ran her fingers through his black hair, longer since the first time they met. This was like nothing she’d ever experienced before. Everything was craving for his touch, screaming for her to be closer, infinitely closer.

“Anna,” he whispered against her lips.

“What?”

“I don’t…I don’t know if this is a good idea,” he said, trying to catch his breath as he stared into her eyes. He brushed the hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “There’re some things about me…I haven’t…it’s been a long time since…”

She placed a finger on his lips and smiled, trying not to let her shyness creep back in and ruin the moment. “Whatever happens tonight, I won’t hold it against you. But do you really want to stop kissing me? Because I can tell you, I don’t want to stop kissing you.”

Phoebe waited to see what he would do. Her heart sank when he started to pull away, but then he scooped her up in his arms. “Bedroom?”

Her stomach clenched as she pointed down the short hallway, unable to form words. Was this really happening? This man, this pirate of a man who had come to her rescue, was going to just sweep her off her feet this easily? She never took risks like this! Why was she doing it now?

Because this feels right
, the voice in her head yelled.
This is more than right
.

“It’s perfect,” she whispered aloud.

“What?”

“Nothing,” she said as he set her gently on the bed. “Uh, I should tell you I guess, I’ve never…you know.”

“How is that even possible?” he asked.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean that you’re a beautiful woman,” he said, laughing at her narrowed gaze.

“I’ve never met the right man,” she whispered and felt her whole body flush with embarrassment.

Ben leaned in, resting his hands on either side of her hips as he kissed the top of her head. “Then I consider myself a very lucky man.”

She leaned back as his lips met hers again and all concerns and reasons for worry disappeared. She felt her hands reach up and start to unbutton his shirt, each one taking far too long for her liking, before finally, she saw his naked chest. For a tech guy, he was well muscled with a near-perfect six-pack. Her hands moved against his warm skin, and she felt him shudder at her touch. He straightened long enough to slip out of his shirt, then found her neck. His kisses were soft and long as they made their way down her neck to her collarbone. A warmth began between her legs, and she squirmed beneath him, needing more contact.

His hands slid up under her shirt, and her breath caught as they found their way to the underside of her breasts. Her body arched up to his touch, and she fell back against the bed, pulling him down with her. Phoebe kicked off her heels and heard his boots thud against the floor as well. She giggled as his stubble tickled her neck and against her bare stomach. He pushed her shirt up until she grabbed it and pulled it the rest of the way over her head.

Ben sat upright for a moment and stared down at her body.

“What?” she asked, nervousness sliding in again.

But he smiled crookedly. “Nothing, just admiring my kidnap victim.”

Her laughter turned into a quiet moan as his kisses traveled across her stomach and higher up. His fingers pulled the straps of her bra down before one hand reached behind her and popped the clasps. Phoebe felt her breath quicken as he pulled it away, leaving her completely topless. Her arms wrapped around his muscular shoulders and pulled him to her. His lips closed around one of her nipples, and Phoebe thought she was going to explode. Never had a man touched her like this, and she never wanted it to stop. But she wanted to feel more of him, have him closer.

As he nuzzled her breasts, her hands crept down to his jeans and started to mess with his belt. She got the buckle free and heard him grunt when her hands undid the button and his zipper. She slipped her fingers inside. They met the very erect and warm length of him, hard and ready. She wrapped her hand around it and squeezed gently until he grunted.

“Careful now, love,” he whispered.

“What? I’m not the only one who gets to have fun.”

“No? But I want to make sure you get the full experience,” he said, grinning as he reached down and undid her jeans and slid them slowly down her hips, inch by painful inch. For a second, Phoebe forgot what underwear she was wearing…until he let out a curse. “You’re trying to kill me.”

She smiled wider as her jeans hit the floor and his fingers trailed back up her legs, playing with the lacy black panties she wore. His breath was warm against her, and she sat up, asking him just what he was doing.

“Just relax,” he said, gripping her panties with his teeth and pulling them down, baring her to his gaze. Phoebe felt her chest clench, feeling like she should cover herself until his hands gently parted her legs and his lips met an area she’d never thought would be kissed by a man. And definitely not like that.

“Oh my God,” she gasped as he kissed and caressed her. She reached for his shoulders, massaging them, gripping them as the intensity of the feelings grew, building until she thought she would burst into a thousand pieces. Her body twisted as the sharp feelings of ecstasy flowed through her, wave after wave crashing until she thought there was nothing left to feel. “What…oh, my God, that…was incredible.”

“And I’m just getting started.”

“Oh no, you don’t get to have all the fun,” she said and wiggled out from under him. She pushed him backwards until he lay flat on the bed, and she straddled him, kissing his bare chest as her hands worked at his jeans. “Could you not have worn looser pants?” She laughed as she worked them down his hips and legs, dragging his boxers along with them.

Ben started to say something, but his words were cut off when her fingers wrapped around his length once more. She paused, admiring the smoothness of him as she moved her hands slowly up and down. He groaned, trying to touch her, but she stayed out of his reach, enjoying the look on his face as his body arched slightly off the bed. She would have kept going, but he sat up and pulled her onto his lap so her legs were wrapped around his hips.

He held her up; then, as he kissed her, Phoebe felt him slip inside. It was tight at first, but after the third gentle thrust, she relaxed, letting him hold her as she stared into his eyes, those deep blue eyes that held so much caring, so much of something she couldn’t yet see. But she wanted to. She wanted nothing more than to become a part of his life and to be with him. He moved within her, and for those few moments, Phoebe felt home.

She groaned, and a moment later, he joined her, their bodies quaking against each other as pleasure rippled through them before they fell sideways, panting. Phoebe grinned as aftershocks continued to roll over her. Ben propped himself up on his elbow and trailed his fingers down her stomach.

“So, was it everything you expected?” he asked, still trying to catch his breath.

“No,” she whispered. “It was more.” She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his head down for a long, deep kiss. He clutched her body to his, returning the kiss, until the heat between them started to grow again. Phoebe laughed as he grabbed the quilt and pulled it up over their bodies.

***

Phoebe felt warmth on her face, and it was bright behind her eyelids. Morning? She yawned and stretched, reaching across her bed, searching for Ben. But the bed was empty. She sat up, pulling the sheet up to cover herself. She glanced around the room, but Ben was nowhere in sight. His clothes were gone, too. Had he just left her? Just like that?

“Seriously? That’s bullshit—” she muttered until she heard something in the kitchen.

A dish broke. She froze, searching for her cell, but it wasn’t on the nightstand. There were footsteps…was it Ben? Or did someone break in? She grabbed a t-shirt from the floor, which covered most of her, then reached for the lamp on the nightstand. She unplugged it, took the shade off, then tip-toed from the bedroom and down the short hall. Someone was rustling around in her cabinets. Her hands shook as she raised the lamp over her shoulder like a bat. She was at the edge of the hallway…so close to whoever was in her kitchen…she rushed around the corner and yelled.

“Holy shit!”

“Ben?”

He stood there, wearing his jeans and nothing else, holding two cups of coffee. Phoebe stopped her swing just in time to bring the lamp down on the counter instead of the intruder’s head.

“What the hell are you doing?” he asked.

“You…you weren’t in bed…I thought you’d left,” she muttered. “You scared me.”

“I scared you?”

She stared at him, then started to laugh. “I’m sorry. I woke up and heard the crash.”

“Yeah, sorry, I broke a mug trying to find your coffee.” He nodded to the pieces in the sink. “I hope it wasn’t a favorite.”

“Not even close,” she said as she admired his shirtless body standing in her kitchen. It was quite a sight…then she caught his eyes traveling the length of her body, and she realized she was hardly wearing anything. “Uh, so…you made coffee?”

“And breakfast,” he said, lips curling into a crooked grin. “Hope you don’t mind.”

She glanced over at the two plates of eggs and bacon. He’d even made toast that was sitting in the toaster, waiting to be taken out. “A man who cooks.”

“Oh, trust me, I do more than just cook.” He gave her a coffee mug, then set his down and proceeded to finish making breakfast. Phoebe took a seat at the counter on the opposite side and watched, not even caring anymore that she, too, was half naked. When was the last time that had even happened? Oh wait, she knew—never. It had never, ever gotten to this point in her relationships.

That left her with more questions than she wanted. What was she supposed to do now? The morning after? She’d half expected him to be gone, anyway, but he’d stayed and made breakfast.

“What are your plans for the rest of the day?” he asked as he slid a plate towards her.

She played with her eggs as she tried to decide what to tell him. Should she make something up? The voice in her head nagged her to make this last as long as possible. “Nothing, really. Just another Saturday.”