Slow Burn (All Heart Series) Read online

  “What’s your description on the menu?”

  “Louisiana Hot Link. Ben, age forty-one, brown hair and brown eyes. Always the gentleman, Ben will remind you how a woman is supposed to be treated. With arms thick and strong, he’ll wrap them around you and make you feel safe and protected.”

  She smiles brightly. “A gentleman?”

  “I try to be.”

  She lifts her glass to her lips and drains it. I glance around, looking for the waiter to refill it for her, but there is no one around. In fact, I find it odd that no one has bothered approaching for a drink order since I sat down.

  “I asked them to stay away,” she explains, reading my mind. “My sister owns the place, and I asked her to make sure no one approached us unless I summoned them.”

  “I see. Would you like more wine?”

  She pauses, contemplating her choice.

  “No.” Her voice is soft, but her eyes have turned golden. “What if I don’t want you to be a gentleman?”

  I lift an eyebrow, watching the way her face flushes and her chest puffs as her breathing rate increases. She’s feeling braver now.

  “I can be whatever you want me to be, Cami.” I lower my voice and narrow my eyes on her, watching the way my words physically affect her. She shivers, and her nipples harden, peeking at me from underneath her dress. Her tongue flicks out and runs across her lower lip. I hold back the urge to throw her over my shoulder and carry her out of here.

  5

  Cami

  Lord, help me, I don’t want him to be a gentleman. We’ve been playing cat and mouse for too long, and I want to take advantage of the moment.

  Yes, I was shocked to discover he was my date, that he was an escort, but I’m not unhappy about it. I’m actually excited, and for the first time since deciding to do this, I’m completely comfortable. But he’s always had this effect on me.

  “How does this usually work?” I ask, suddenly wanting to skip dinner and take him to my place and realizing the part of the evening I was most unsure about is now the one I want the most. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my insides.

  It’s because it’s with him, my mind whispers, and as much as I want to deny it, I can’t. It’s true.

  “Usually, dinner first, and then whatever a client wants.” He tilts his head and places a hand on the table next to mine. His fingers close the distance and gently stroke my fingers. “But, Cami, you are anything but usual.”

  I try to hold back my reaction, but it’s difficult, especially when he says things like that.

  “Are you hungry?” My heart beats wildly in my chest.

  “Yes.” He smirks, and his eyes glitter at me with need. “But not for anything they serve here.”

  Oh my…

  I press my thighs together, trying to ignore the wetness now soaking my panties. The Ben I’ve known all along still prominent in my head only makes this moment even more exciting. As much as I like that Ben, I’m falling pretty quickly for this new side of him.

  “Cami, do you want to get out of here?”

  “Your place or mine?” I respond without hesitation.

  “Yours,” he breathes, making me think about the fresh sheets I put on my bed this morning.

  “Are you able to drive?” I frown, but he explains. “How much wine have you had, Cami?”

  “Three glasses,” I answer, suddenly wondering if that’s why I’m feeling brave with him.

  “I’ll settle the check. Leave your keys with the valet, and I’ll drive you over in the morning to get your car,” he tells me, not really giving me an option.

  “Ben, I can drive.” He stands up, places both hands onto the table, and leans into me. I swallow hard as the scent of him surrounds me, intoxicating me until I no longer feel the effects of the wine because I’m drunk off him and this moment.

  “I want you in my truck, Cami. I want to smell you as I drive to your house. I want to see the look on your face when you think about the things I’m going to do to you. I want to reach across and touch you.” I squirm in my seat, no longer worried about the people around us or even my nosey sister watching us from the kitchen. He chuckles throatily and offers me his hand. “Good, now stand up and let’s get out of here.”

  I take his hand and stand. His jaw tightens as he takes in the sight of me in my new strapless mini dress and fuck-me heels. I’m tall, especially in these heels, but the man in front of me makes me feel tiny and delicate. I let him take all of what I have to offer in, enjoying the effect it has on him.

  “Fuck, Cami, what you are wearing?” He steps in front of me, placing himself between me and the rest of the room. His eyes narrow on me, and he reaches down to adjust himself. I can’t help it; my eyes travel down the length of his body, stopping at his hard cock. A chill runs through my body knowing I’m the cause of it.

  “Too much, if you really want to know.” I laugh and move around him. He places a hand on my waist and follows close behind me. I stop in my tracks and feel the brush of his hard-on against my ass when he tries not to ram into me. “We both are.”

  I hear him groan and smile inwardly. Score one for the librarian.

  He follows me to the hostess, where he settles the bill. Hand in hand, we leave the restaurant, and I give my ticket to the valet, quickly explaining what the plan is. I also send a text to my sister, telling her I’ll stop by in the morning for my car. I already know the barrage of messages I’ll likely wake up to. She’ll want a full report; after all, it isn’t every day her baby sister meets a date at her restaurant and leaves without eating.

  Ben leads me into the parking lot, and I spot his truck immediately. It stands out like a sore thumb amongst the sea of luxury vehicles. We barely make it to the truck before he grabs me, spins us both, and pins me against the passenger side.

  His hands cup my face a second before his lips find mine, and a hungry growl emanates from his chest. It’s a demanding kiss, one meant to mark and claim. I open my mouth, pushing my tongue into his, deepening the kiss, moaning over his minty taste.

  I lift my hands and push aside his suit jacket to find the soft fabric of his button-up shirt. I shiver, picturing what the muscle underneath my fingers looks like, needing to feel the heat of his skin pressed against me. He lets the jacket slide off him and to the ground.

  One less piece to remove later, I think as his hands release my face and make their way slowly down my body until his fingers brush against my naked thigh. He hooks one hand under my knee, and his other holds at my waist. I hike my leg up, instinctively wrapping it around him, granting him further access while he pushes up my skirt. He settles himself between my legs and surges against me, grinding his hard, hot length against me.

  “Fuck,” I moan, enjoying the feeling of him against me.

  “Babe…” He pulls away, leaving me gasping for breath. He places his forehead against mine, his hands still holding my body tightly. “Need to get you home.”

  I respond by pushing my hips into him, grinding even harder against his cock. I need him just as bad.

  “So, get me home.”

  He groans and reluctantly pushes off me. When he opens his eyes and finally looks down at me, I see desire burning there. The same desire I feel burning throughout my body.

  Ben

  The drive to her house is excruciating. More so because of the faces she makes when her eyes dart from me to the road. I know what she’s thinking. What she’s picturing. Because I’m thinking the same.

  The kiss wasn’t something I’d planned. It was something I needed. It was the kind of kiss that told me everything I need to know about the woman sitting next to me and the dynamite night we are bound to have. I can still taste her cherry-flavored lip gloss.

  She directs me to her house with ease, and it surprises me to find out how close we live to one another. The world keeps getting smaller and smaller. Her bungalow is similar to my own.

  “This is me,” she breathes, and I pull into the driveway. I put the truck
in park and look over at her. She’s nervous. More than she was earlier at the restaurant.

  “We don’t have to do this, Cami.” I turn toward her, reaching for a hand and giving it a little squeeze. “I’ll take you back to your car.”

  Her brown eyes soften on me before fire begins to slowly burn in their depths. “I’m not going to change my mind.”

  She opens her car door and slides out of the truck, leaving me at a loss for words. The timid Cami I know is suddenly a smoking vixen. I scramble out of the truck, quick to follow her lead. We stop on her porch as she fishes through her purse for her keys. Her bright yellow door glows in the dark of the night, its color reflecting her friendly personality. I like it.

  She opens the door, and I follow her inside, kicking it closed behind me. I’m no longer able to keep my hands to myself. I reach for her and press myself against her back. She responds by pushing her ass harder against my cock, moaning loudly when my hands cup her breasts over her dress. Her nipples harden under my touch.

  “Fuck, babe, you’re responsive.” I slip my hand into the top of her dress, finding her nipples instantly. She arches into my touch. My lips find her neck, and I run my tongue along the column up to her ear.

  “Ben…” she purrs, letting me hear the need in her voice. She grabs my thighs tightly. Her fingernails bite through my slacks, making me harder. “More…”

  I grip her shoulders and turn her quickly before pinning her against the nearest wall. Pictures fall from the force of our bodies knocking into it, but we ignore them. I push her skirt up and lift her, cupping her ass. She wraps her legs around me like a vise, and I press my throbbing cock against her core.

  I nearly come in my pants. The heat of her body makes me spin. Having her like this, sandwiched between me and the wall, is a dream come true. Everything about her—her scent, her taste, the feeling of her body pressed against me—is better than anything I can dream up. Our lips meet in a hurried but deep kiss. I send up a silent prayer of thanks to whatever fate put us together tonight.

  Her hands are warm on my chest, and her fingers push and pull at the buttons on my shirt until it’s open and off my shoulders. Her hands touch my bare skin, sending a bolt of electricity shooting through me, making my cock throb.

  “Babe.” I pull back, holding on to her like my life depends on it. “As much as I want to fuck you against the wall, the first time I have you, I want to take my time.”

  “Ben,” she moans, her eyes half-lidded with desire. She snakes her arms around my neck, kissing and licking along my jawline.

  “Bedroom?” My hands grip her ass tightly when I move away from the wall, and I carry her down the hallway.

  “End of the hallway,” she murmurs. Her heels hit the floor as we go, and her legs tighten around me.

  I push open the door at the end of the hall and enter her bedroom. The scent of vanilla and lavender surrounds me, and I note the neutral tones covering the walls, her furniture, and bedding. After laying her down on the bed, I push her skirt up around her waist, and I groan loudly at the sight of her blue lace panties. They barely cover her pussy. I’m not a man who likes lingerie, but for this woman, I’m willing to change that aspect, especially if her closet is filled with items like these.

  Looking up at me with lust-filled eyes, she reaches for me, but I grab her wrists and pin her hands above her head.

  “Don’t move, Cami.” I capture her lips with my own and swallow her husky moan. My hands travel down her body, and when I reach her legs, I brush my fingertips along her inner thighs.

  “Please,” she begs, thrusting her hips up, but I continue on course, teasing her soft, silky skin. I trail my lips down her neck and pull her top down with my teeth, revealing two dusty pink rosebuds just waiting for my mouth to claim them. I flick my tongue over one of the sensitive buds, once, twice, before sucking it into my mouth. She arches her back, giving me better access to them.

  I slip one hand between her legs, and I trace the line of her pussy through the delicate lace, groaning loudly at the way my fingers slide along the material. She’s fucking soaked. I kiss and lick her creamy skin, stopping at the top of her panties. I pause and meet her gaze. She’s holding her breath, waiting and watching me. I breathe in deeply, inhaling her sweet scent.

  Mine.

  She opens her legs to me, the anticipation too much, and she thrusts her hips forward. I know what she wants.

  “Patience, beautiful. I’ll get there.” I chuckle and kneel on the floor beside the bed, pulling her to the edge and spreading her legs even further. After hooking a finger in the delicate material of her panties, I pull at it, ripping them from her body. Her pretty pussy glistens up at me, and I lower my head and kiss along her inner thigh, biting her flesh.

  “Ben,” she pants, tensing each time my lips move and don’t make contact where she needs them most. I smile, loving the power I hold over her. It’s intoxicating.

  I pull back for only a moment before placing my mouth over her clit, flicking it with my tongue before sucking the swollen bud into my mouth. Her body quivers from the pressure, and she lets out a hiss as I release it from between my teeth. I slide a finger into her tight warmth and continue to lap and tease her bundle of nerves until she’s gasping for breath.

  “Don’t stop,” she pants. Her fists grip the sheet above her head like it’s her lifeline. Sensing how close she is to the edge, I slip a second finger inside her, stretching her tightness. I groan, wishing I were already plunging balls deep inside her.

  6

  Cami

  He slips in a third finger, filling and stretching me until I don’t think I can take any more. I welcome the feeling, knowing soon I’ll take more. I felt the size of him pressed firmly against me in the parking lot. My guess is, I’m going to feel him for days.

  Ben nips at my clit, grazing his teeth against it. The sensation winds me tighter. I’m desperate to come. Flattening his warm tongue against me, he thrusts his fingers in and out, driving me to the point of no return.

  “Please,” I beg, needing him to push me over the edge. He smirks up at me before granting me mercy and clamping down, sucking my bud into his mouth. I shoot off like a rocket as my orgasm hits me full force. He replaces his fingers with his tongue, assaulting my clit with a slippery finger. The sensation is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.

  “Ben!” I yell, convulsing around his tongue. Our eyes connect, and a new wave hits me. This time, I relax, my body tingles, and my breath hitches. It makes me question why I waited so long to be with someone.

  Never again, I vow, my brain barely able to function. He begins to slow his assault on my clit, letting me gradually come down from the intense pleasure. My body feels reenergized, and as satisfying as that was, it wasn’t what I want most.

  I curl forward and reach for him. He follows my lead and climbs up the length of my body, briefly settling over me. I kiss him hastily, tasting the remnants of my orgasm on his tongue.

  “You’re glowing,” he whispers, looking down at me with awe.

  “It’s been a while since I’ve felt like this.” I laugh, pushing at his shoulders and shoving him onto his back. I straddle him and pull my dress over my head, tossing it somewhere behind me. “You ruined my panties.”

  “I’ll buy you new ones.” His voice is husky, filled with need.

  I make my way down his chiseled chest, kissing and nipping as I go. It isn’t until I reach his belt buckle and slowly release him from the confines of his clothing, that I truly understand the sheer size of him.

  Holy shit, he’s huge. At least eight inches, but it isn’t his length I find most shocking. I reach down to wrap my hand around him, but my fingers are nowhere near touching.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll fit.” I look up to find him staring down at me. He chuckles because my wide-eyed stare gives away my thoughts. He lifts himself, allowing me to pull his jeans and boxer briefs down past his hips. I remove his shoes and finish pulling off the rest of his clo
thing.

  Shaking of my initial shock, I move closer to him and run my tongue over the head of his cock. Wound tight like a rubber band, ready to snap at a moment’s notice, his body shudders from the sensation. I place a soft kiss over the same spot, watching his cock twitch from the sensation.

  “You don’t have to do that, Cami.” His voice is strangled, like he’s having a hard time focusing. I love seeing him this way.

  “I want to taste you.” My voice is a whisper. Opening my mouth, I swipe my tongue along the underside of his cock, sucking him as far down my throat as I can. When he hits the back of my throat, I adjust myself, taking on more. He groans, hands thread through my hair, and he grips it at the root, stopping me from going any further.

  “Babe, I’m not going to last.” I snicker, wanting him to lose control, so I can swallow every drop of him I can get. “We have all night. As much as I want to come from that sweet mouth of yours, I need to feel you milk my cock with that tight pussy more.”

  Smiling inwardly, I comply, rising up from my position to straddle him. I place him at my entrance, but before I can move, he grips my hips.

  “Condom.” The word is like a bucket of ice, but his brown eyes never waver, keeping me in the moment.

  Shit, what was I thinking almost taking him bareback? He lifts me up and settles me off to the side. He grabs his jeans and takes out a silver foil packet from one of the pockets. I lean back on the bed, watching as he rips it open with his teeth and slides the rubber down his large shaft. I swallow hard, and wetness surges between my legs.

  He moves, hovering over me for a moment, catching my eyes. He lifts a hand and caresses my cheek with such tenderness, it leaves my heart aching in my chest. I see warmth in his eyes, behind the need, and I let myself embrace it. His hardness presses at my entrance again. I open for him, wrapping my legs around his middle.

  “Ben.” My voice is gentle, dripping with need I’ve never felt before. He lowers his head and catches my lips before slowly surging forward with his hips. I’ve never experienced a slow burn, but this has to be what it feels like. He shifts, holding one hand at my hips, keeping me from moving, and the other hand supporting his weight. He slowly fills me, stretching me so tight, I feel desperate for more. “Please, more…”