Eden's body convulsed, a strangled cry tearing from her throat as the pleasure finally broke. The vibrator slipped from her grasp, but the aftershocks continued to ripple through her, a lingering echo of the fantasy that had been so real, so intense.
She touched herself, avoiding her swollen clit while momentarily impressed with how wet the fantasy had made her. She brought her fingers to her stomach. Slowly, Eden rubbed her arousal into her skin, as if anointing herself.
In her mind, the texture was different. It was thicker, warmer, with a faint, salty scent that was uniquely him. Itwashim.Benson. The fantasy was so vivid, so potent, that she could almost feel the phantom weight of him on top of her, the last, shuddering thrust as he emptied himself inside her.
“Fuck, I’ve got it bad.” Eden left her legs open as she plopped her head back against her pillow and sighed. Even after all that, she was still thinking about him. How could she not, when he had been everywhere last weekend? Having his fill of her?Filling her?
He had made other men jealous. He had made other men want to join in with them.If that’s not the kind of dominant behavior I seek out in bed, I don’t know what is.
Eden sat up and grabbed her phone. She had to do it now before she lost her nerve.
“Tomorrow night. Dinner. No promises of more, but…”
She sent the picture she had just taken of herself, leaving in nothing identifying – except to a man who knew what her stomach looked like when wet enough to hydrate the horniest bitch in the building.Me. I’m the bitch.
“I think I need this again already.”
To his credit, Benson didn’t indulge the mind-fucked side of her. He merely confirmed that he would send her the time and address sometime the next day. Oh, and ended it with,“I think that can be arranged, by the way.”
Eden found her vibrator. This time, she would purge that man from her mind. It was the only way to get some peace around there.
Chapter 4
Liam
The lounge was busy for a Thursday night, something Liam both appreciated and despised. Normally, he’d be all over a busy lounge full of people going about their business and perhaps open to meeting others. But tonight, he had a date with a busty brunette who had swiped right on him just the day before.
Very, very busty.
Jana wasted no time ordering drinks while making small talk with the bartender. Her mouth was so busy sipping and yapping with everyone that, often, the only thing for Liamtodo was stare at Jana’s cleavage… and try not to think about another brunette with tits carved by God.It’s bad form to think about the last woman you slept with while out with another.Liam had a short code of ethics, but that was number four. Or so.
The object of such chatter was Tom, the longstanding bartender of this chill lounge right in the city’s center. Liam hadcome here for years before moving to LA, and was thrilled to see that Tom still worked behind the counter upon the triumphant return to New England. Tom was the type to knoweverythingabout everyone while keeping his mouth shut… unless the right regular came along. Like Liam. Tom had been essential to Liam’s social life when he started dating around and even brought would-be clients for cocktails and chipper conversation. When he walked in with Jana that night, Liam beelined for the bar, happy to see that there were two stools available down at the far end where the lights were bright, and people were around, but they could still hear each other.
“Oh, you know Courtney!” Jana feverishly stirred her cocktail with a tiny paper straw when Tom indulged her next question. Liam sat beside his date, desperately attempting to keep his eyes off his phone.That’s number three on my code of ethics.Donotscroll on your phone when on a date! “Yeah, yeah, she’s the one who got me my first modeling gig back in the day. Do you know Ford? No, not the agency – God, Iwish.I’m talking about Kandy Ford, the woman in charge of…”
Liam tried. He truly did. But, at this rate, not only was this date a boring bummer, but he wasn’t holding out for getting laid, either.Do I really need to, after last weekend?He had been on the apps as a lark, since even a stud like him usually had to spend a few days swiping until he found someone agreeable to go out with over the weekend. But Jana had been available tonight before going out of town for work. This was Liam’s chance to at least have a pleasant date with a pretty woman.My favorite thing.After that, it was hanging out with other guys, shooting the shit, and pretending they knew fuck-all about love.
Tom glanced at Liam as if to say,“This is the best you could do tonight? My mom would have been better, and she’s sixty.”
“Soooo,” Jana teased when Tom had to walk away. She perked up her posture, sticking out her chest and catching all of Liam’sattention once again. “Tell me all about this tropical island in the Caribbean you went to this past weekend!”
“Huh?”
“Don’t you remember? You told me in our chat that you had just gotten back from the Caribbean.” Her grin was full of veneers. Nice ones, at least. “I haven’t been since a photoshoot six years ago. Right before all the lockdowns! Such great timing. Never been able to go back.” She sipped her cocktail. “So? Which island did you go to? What country?”
“Uh, well…” Liam supposed he should have concocted a plausible story, because no woman wanted to hear that he went to a resort to fuck random sex workers. Especially when hepaidfor that privilege.They like the idea that I have that kind of money, but not what I do with it.“I don’t really remember the name. Just the resort. It was called White Surf.”
“Hm. Never heard of it. Is it Hilton? Marriott?”
He was sorely tempted to sayBest Westernwhen someone familiar caught his gaze.
“What’s wrong?” Jana turned in her stool when she saw how pale Liam’s face was. “Oh. Hi!”
A purr cradled her throat as she twiddled her fingers at a tall man with broad shoulders and the finest facial hair one guy could achieve with an electric razor. Liam had recognized Benson before Benson recognized him, and it didn’t require that whiff of spicy aftershave that followed the man everywhere he went. That came later. When Liam realized he had to say something. Now.
“Well, look who still haunts the best lounge in New England.” Liam turned on the backup charm that he always had on reserve.Man. Woman. I’ll ooze with it.Got him out of the tightest spots of his life. “Ben.”
Benson stopped in front of the bar just on the other side of Jana. The look on his face implied that he hadnotintendedfor this to happen.Miss me, mother fucker?Now, that was a genuine grin on Liam’s face. And Jana’s. She couldn’t take her eyes off this guy!