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  “Are you also gonna tell me to shut up about what happened between us?” she asked with a kind sass I hadn’t seen before.

  This time, I actually rolled my eyes. “Of course. It’s one of the conditions for your new position.”

  Vanessa held my gaze for a few more seconds, then sighed and turned away. “Make it a good job, please. I’d hate for your wife to learn about me—or Jessica.”

  The forced smile slipped from my lips, and my jaw tightened at her threat. I was honestly getting sick and tired of being threatened by women but decided to push the thought out of my head knowing I had more important things to worry about.

  As I grabbed my lunch and walked back to my desk to eat, I felt like a weight had been taken off my shoulders. I had promised Jessica that I would be hers alone, and now that I had fulfilled my side of the bargain I was finally excited to go home and see her. I knew I still had the Pam situation to deal with, but something within me said that as long as I had Jessica beside me, everything would work out.

  Reinvigorated, I poured myself into work and, before I knew it, my day was done, and I was driving back home. Both Pam’s and Jessica’s cars were parked in the garage when I finally arrived home. To my surprise, there was also a beat-up truck parked in my driveway. I frowned at the sight as I got out of my car and walked home.

  Loud music and the smell of burgers grilling assaulted my senses as soon as I walked through the front door. Still frowning, I followed the scent and the sound to the back of the dining room and out the French doors that led into the patio where Pam stood alone by the grill.

  “Hi, Pam,” I said, looking confused from the beautiful set table to my happy looking wife.

  At the sound of my voice, Pam turned to look at me, and her smile grew even bigger. “Hi, Ben! I was hoping you wouldn’t be home too late today. Grab a beer, the burgers will be ready soon.”

  “Okay. Those smell really good,” I said as I grabbed a bottle from the fridge at the far corner and approached her. After kissing her on the cheek, I asked, “What’s all of this about?”

  Pam stole a sideways glance at me and smiled. She opened her mouth to reply, but before she had a chance Jessica’s voice echoed through the open space. “It’s good news, but she won’t tell you until the burgers are on the table. Mom takes her traditions very seriously.”

  My cock twitched, and my lips curled into an involuntary smile as I turned around to glance at Jessica. She was wearing a pretty, flowery dress as she entered through the double doors with a bowl of buns in one hand and her motherfucking boyfriend clinging to the other. Her eyes were angry as they stared at me, but I didn’t give a shit why. Every thought in my head was instantly consumed by a murderous rage at the sight of them all cozy like.

  I opened my mouth to give Jess and that prick a piece of my mind, but Pam spoke reminding me that we weren’t alone. “Damn right, I do. Traditions are important and this weird family we got here certainly needs some.”

  As much as I didn’t want to pay attention to my—fake—wife, I forced myself to. “Well, honey, I’ve never had many traditions, but anything that involves burgers sounds good to me.”

  Pam smiled at my words, and then asked, “You remember Trey, right Ben?”

  I turned to glance to Jessica and Trey once more and almost laughed at the terrified look on his face. Forcing a smile, I nodded and took a step in their direction. “Of course, I do. How could I forget Jessica’s boyfriend?”

  From the corner of my eyes, I saw Jess squirm at the last word in my question. Or maybe it was the serious, angry tone I used to say it. Either way, I appreciated the sight as I extended a hand to greet the boy.

  “Hello, sir,” he greeted as he placed his hand on mine with a hefty dose of hesitation. I didn’t really blame him for it since I had crushed his hand the previous time we met, but this time I was determined to be on my best behavior and shook his hand nicely.

  Jessica stared from her boyfriend to our handshake to me with pain in her eyes. Considering that I had dismissed Vanessa while she was here, at my house, with her sorry excuse for a boyfriend, I had no idea why my niceness toward the boy pained her. Still, her discomfort pleased me. She had to be punished for what she was doing to me, and I would make sure she got what she deserved.

  “Just call me Ben,” I told him in an open and friendly tone. Honestly, I had no desire to be nice toward that asshat, but since it seemed to put Jessica on edge, it would be my mission for the rest of the evening. “I feel like I didn’t give you a proper chance before and I should. So, how about you and I sit and enjoy our beers while the women finish their tradition?”

  A broad smile curled on the boy’s face. He instantly released Jessica’s hand and walked toward me. “Sounds good to me, Ben.”

  “Perfect,” I muttered with one final long glance at Jessica.

  After a quick trip to the fridge to grab Trey a beer as well, we sat at the table and talked. There wasn’t a particular subject to be discussed, he just asked about my company and talked about his band. To be honest, I didn’t pay much attention to half of it. My focus was solely centered on the nervous energy that seemed to pulse from Jessica as she watched us from afar.

  Once Pam and Jessica finally joined us at the table, I grabbed my beer bottle and raised it to offer a toast. “A toast, to my lovely wife, this fun meal she prepared and good company. May Trey and I always be this blessed.”

  Pam and Trey cheered at my words, but Jessica just stared at me with the hottest fire I had ever seen in her eyes. I could tell that she was beyond annoyed by my words and the warmth I was showing her boyfriend and mother, but since she was the one who had started this, I simply didn’t give a crap. I was angry as shit at her, and if me being nice bothered her like that, then that was exactly what I was going to do.

  There was an amicable conversation as we enjoyed the delicious homemade burgers Pam prepared. To a passerby—and, probably, Pam and Trey as well—the dinner was just a relaxed and fun family event, but for Jessica and me it was anything but. Every second we were forced to sit together with our official significant others, made the atmosphere between us grow heavier and more intense with guilt, questions, hidden lust, memories that didn’t want to stay in the past and a growing sense of possession that was hard to control.

  The whole thing was painfully awkward and equally sexy, which meant that by the end of our meal, my cock was so hard I could barely sit still. The flush in Jessica’s cheeks and the pebbled nipples that were visible through her dress were further proof that she was as aroused by this situation as I was.

  “Okay, mom,” Jessica said once all of our plates were clean—apparently trying to make the night end faster. “Now that we’ve eaten, are you gonna tell us what this burger dinner is all about?”

  Pam’s face beamed with excitement, but as I peeled my gaze from her daughter to look at her, I saw a hint of apprehension as well. Because she was a dear friend and a part of me felt guilty over the silent angry eye fuck happening between her daughter and me, I placed a hand over hers for support and received a smile in return.

  From the corner of my eye, I saw Jessica staring daggers at my tender gesture toward her mother. Although making her jealous hadn’t been my goal, I couldn’t help the fluttering in my gut or the twitching in my cock at the sight.

  “As you know, a few months ago I applied for a promotion,” Pam started after a long breath, commanding both Jessica and me to stop our little fight of wills and pay full attention to her. “Well, this morning when I landed my supervisor told me that I got it. After twenty years of hard work, I’m finally going to serve first class on international flights.”

  Overjoyed for her, Jessica yelped and clapped her hands while I tightened my grip on her hand and brought it to my lips for a congratulatory kiss. Even Trey jumped in with kind words, but before our celebration was complete, Pam raised her hand and shook her head.

  “I’m not done,” she said in a more contrite tone. I raised my eye
brow, and Jessica demanded to know what else she had to say. With a deep breath, Pam added, “The post is in Paris. I’ll have to live there for at least two years.”

  Panic at the thought of having to go away flashed in Jessica’s face as she stole a quick glance at me before looking back at her mother. “I’m super happy for you mom, but I can’t go with you.”

  Seeing her daughter’s expression, Pam smiled a small, sad smile and nodded. “I know, honey. You have school and a life here.” Jessica nodded as Pam continued, “I thought you could stay here, with Ben, until you’re done with school, and I’ll come visit as often as I can. But, if you want me to stay, I’ll stay.”

  With my heart pounding a million miles per hour, I looked at Jessica with anticipation at what her answer would be. To my surprise, a little smirk formed on her lips as she innocently said, “Of course, I’ll miss you like crazy, but this is your dream, and I’d never keep you from it. As long as Ben is okay with it, I’ll be fine.”

  Sweet relief filled my body at her words. It was as if life was handing me the answer I had been looking for all day. With Pam permanently gone, Jessica and I would be free to live our affair without fear of getting caught by her mother. It was the perfect solution.

  Or it would be if it wasn’t for Trey.

  With all eyes on me, I looked at Pam and said, “I could never deny you your dream, dear. It won’t be the same without you, but Jessica and I will manage.”

  Now that her only impediment was solved, Pam’s shoulders relaxed and her smile widened to the biggest grin I had ever seen on her face. For the next half hour, Jessica and I stole loaded and forbidden glances while we talked about her mother’s exciting adventure. Meanwhile, all I could think about was how to convince Jessica to ditch the weasel so I could finally make her mine.

  Then, out of the blue, Jess excused herself to go to the bathroom. Knowing it was now or never, I waited a few seconds and then told Pam and Trey I had to make a phone call and followed Jess inside the house. After a whole day waiting and agonizing over what would happen between us, I was finally going to get this mess over with and make Jessica mine. Halle-fucking-luiah!

  Chapter 17 - Jessica

  I closed the powder room’s door and placed both hands on the counter as I looked at myself in the mirror. My face was flushed, and my eyes glimmering, which made me want to punch the glass.

  Although I knew Ben was a very busy man with a hectic schedule, I had spent the entire day worrying myself sick over his lack of contact. No matter how much shit he had to do, I doubted that he didn’t have five minutes to talk or text the virgin he almost fucked. Leaving me hanging like that, with all sorts of insecurities and doubts running wild through my brain, was mean and confusing. As a result, I was mad as hell at him.

  Still, after all the headache he put me through, stupid little me actually felt bad for flaunting Trey in his face. And, to make matters worse, I felt happy that my mother and best friend was leaving the country simply because her absence meant I could be with her husband worry free.

  Unable to face myself, I closed my eyes and shook my head. “You’re sick, Jessica. You’re dirty and filthy and stupid and sick.”

  Taking deep and calming breaths, I made up my mind that I was going to resist Ben. Despite the lack of fireworks, Trey was a safe bet. He was nice, and I had to be insane to throw it all out for a man like Ben.

  No matter how much I wanted him, or how good and alive he made feel, he wasn’t right for me. It was as simple as that, and I knew it. He was too experienced, we were too different, and I was too fragile to be his. A man like him would drive me crazy and break me apart, both things I really didn’t want to experience. Therefore, I stood there, in front of the mirror, breathing and reaffirming my not so firm resolve for a few minutes before I finally felt ready to return to my mother’s celebration.

  With a long and empowering breath, I smoothed the fabric of my dress and reached for the door knob. As soon as I opened the door, I regretted it. Leaning on the wall facing the bathroom door, looking like hot sex on legs, was Ben. His eyes were intense and his stance almost predatory.

  I pulled in a deep breath and tried to find something smart to say. However, before I had a chance to make my brain work properly, he crossed the hallway, grabbed my neck and kissed my lips.

  His lips pressed against mine with so much force it was almost painful and, as a result, my mouth parted with a gasp. Wasting no time, Ben pushed his tongue into my mouth and deepened the kiss. Unlike the needy, horny kisses we had shared the previous night, this one was pure anger and lust. It was like his lips were trying to punish me and brand me all at the same time and, despite my weak resolve to resist, the kiss made me want to do those same things to him.

  I wanted him to suffer for keeping me wondering all day and also mark him as my own so he would never put me through this again. Preferring this resolve to my previous one, I dug my nails into the skin of his neck as I pressed my body against his and deepened the kiss.

  A throaty groan echoed from somewhere deep inside Ben as he fisted my hair and pulled so hard I felt like the roots would be ripped off my scalp. The pain mixed with the pleasure of his kiss was maddening and addictive. I wanted to push him away and slap his face just as much as I wanted to take off my clothes and beg him to fuck me.

  Feeling my center grow wet with desire, I moaned against Ben’s lips and slid one of my hands down to his firm ass. I pushed his pelvis forward and moaned again as his erection dug into my belly. Despite Ben’s groan, he tugged at my hair once more, but this time he also pulled his head away from mine ending our kiss.

  I opened my eyes and looked at him with desire and confusion. His eyes were stern and sexy as they stared back into mine.

  “Why did you bring that boy into my house?” he demanded.

  His question and tone sobered me up a bit and reminded me that I was angry too. Instead of replying, I just a raised brow, dug my nails a bit harder on his skin and asked, “Why did you leave without so much as a hello this morning?”

  Ben rolled his eyes as if my question and anger were annoying to him, but still replied, “Because I didn’t want to see you with your mother present. Now answer, why is that assclown here?”

  “He’s my boyfriend, Benjamin, and I live here too,” I shot back in my most petulant tone. “I don’t owe you explanations regarding who comes to visit me.”

  At that reply, Ben’s gorgeous face turned into this stern mask of disappointment. He held my hair even tighter and angled my head sideways to expose my neck and ear. A hot shiver went down my spine as he leaned his body forward and lined his perfect lips to my ear.

  “Less than twenty-four hours ago, you put my hand in your pussy and said you would be mine,” he started in a low, contained tone that was filled with fury and need. His words made my heart pound and my breaths turn into pants, but he just ignored my reaction and continued, “You took your clothes off for me and rubbed yourself into an orgasm. You asked to see me come and I did.”

  Another shiver raced down my back as the memory of his cock returned to my mind. His free hand moved to cover one of my breasts as he added, “I kissed these perfect tits and coated them with my load, and you loved it. So, yes, baby. You do owe me an explanation as for why you haven’t kept your end of the deal and dumped that prick.”

  For some unexplainable reason, his words and the closeness completely erased the anger I felt. They also made me realize how stupid I had been to even think that my life would be better without him in it.

  Bitter and lonely, it had been easy to forget that Ben’s kisses had felt like water after a month in the desert, that his presence had filled me with something so much more vital than air, and that his touch had made me feel complete for the first time in my life. However, now that I was back in his arms, feeling his warmth and seeing the desire he felt for me shine in his eyes, I couldn’t deny that no matter how crazy or stupid or broken he made me feel, nothing would be right without him.r />
  Panic at the possibility of losing him gripped at my insides making me almost frantic to make things right.

  “I was going to, but you ignored my calls, and I got mad,” I blurted out in a pathetically desperate tone.

  He angled a brow at me as the fire in his eyes intensified. “That’s it? That’s the only explanation you have for torturing me all night?”

  “Yes,” I whispered and pulled in a deep breath through my lips. Bothered by how much power he seemed to have over me, I forced a more dignified tone into my voice and added, “But you deserved to be punished. Last night was a big night for me, and you acted like it was nothing. Besides, you tortured me too by making me jealous of my own mother.”

  A small smirk tugged at Ben’s lips as he repositioned my head to look straight at him. “It wasn’t intentional. Pam is a good friend, and I was happy for her good news.”

  “I don’t care,” I blurted out.

  “You should.” With a widening smirk, Ben held my hand and slid the one he had on my breast down my torso. Once his palm reached my hips, his fingers started pulling the soft fabric of my skirt up. “Her good news is ours as well. Or at least they will be if you ditch that tool and give yourself to me.”