Never Too Much Read online

“What are you talking about?”

  “Sexual promises, and we still have”—he twisted to see the clock—“a good hour before either of us needs to be anywhere.” He touched her upper arms where the colorful bruises showed stark against her fair skin. His voice turned gruff. “Are you okay? Do your arms hurt?”

  “No.”

  He didn’t believe her, but her pride was important to him, too, so he didn’t push the issue. “I’m glad. So how about we spend our hour having fun?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Ben cupped her breast, and immediately felt her heartbeat tripping beneath his hand. “I can get you to agree.”

  Her eyes drifted shut, and she said with a hopeless groan, “I know.”

  Smiling, his own heart heavy, Ben kissed his way down her body, wanting to show her with touches what he couldn’t yet tell her with words. “I love your breasts, Sierra. They’re so sweet.”

  Her strangled laugh delighted him. “They’re not real . . . bountiful.”

  “They’re perfect.” Ben held each soft breast in turn and slowly licked her nipples.

  “Ben,” she complained around a moan, trying to push him away, “I’m already too sensitive for that.”

  “Here?” He sucked her softly into his mouth, drew gently on her.

  “Yes.”

  “By the time I’m done with you,” he promised, “you’ll be that sensitive all over.” He caught her cautiously with his lips and tugged. She stiffened, and Ben held her still, ignoring her small pleas while flicking her with the tip of his tongue.

  Holding her close when she automatically tried to draw back, he said, “I won’t let you push me away, sweetheart. Ever.” Then he sucked her deep.

  She quit fighting him and pulled him closer.

  Ben moved to the other breast and treated it to the same. Her fingers clenched in his hair while she writhed under him. Ben carefully caught her wrists and lifted her arms over her head. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself. Lock your hands behind you.”

  “Ben . . .” She said his name as a broken moan.

  “Do it, Sierra. Trust me.”

  Showing plenty of uncertainty, she laced her fingers together beneath her head. Her whole body was taut, braced for the unknown. “What are you going to do?”

  “Make you wild.” He stroked his hands over her, from her shoulders to the smooth undersides of her arms, to her breasts and her belly and down her thighs. She was small and sleek and silky. She was his.

  Her eyes closed. “I’m already there.”

  “Not yet.” Ben licked his way down her belly, watching her muscles twitch from the tickling caress. He dipped his tongue into her navel. “I love your belly.”

  Her hips twisted, and he had to catch her and hold her still. “Stop fighting me, Sierra.”

  “Then stop teasing me!”

  Ben grinned. “I’m going to have to teach you some patience.” He slid to his knees on the floor and pulled her around so that her calves dangled over the side of the mattress.

  Sierra lifted her head to stare at him in confusion.

  “Put your hands back behind your head.”

  Panting, she hesitated, struggled with herself, and finally complied. She dropped back against the mattress and stared at the ceiling, taut, uncertain.

  “That’s it.” Ben smoothed his rough palms up and down her thighs to her hipbones and back again. Her stretched-out position made her belly more concave and emphasized the rise of her breasts, her sex—the places he wanted to devour. Hungry for the taste of her, he growled, “Now open your thighs. Wide.”

  With another small moan, she did as he asked. Ben helped her, easing her legs farther apart until she was spread before him, her knees bent. He looked at her, so damn pretty with her soft curls and pale thighs. Using both thumbs, he opened her, enjoyed the sight of her so vulnerable to him. His voice sounded hollow around the rushing of blood through his veins. “I love this, too, Sierra, knowing you’re mine, every soft, pink, wet inch of you.”

  She shifted—and Ben covered her with his mouth.

  With a broken cry, her hips lifted and Ben caught her small bottom in his big hands. He kept her arched high, his shoulders between her legs keeping her open while he tasted her deeply, thrusting with his tongue, sucking at her swollen lips, and finally drawing in her small, quivering clitoris for a long, soft, devastating suckle.

  He loved her scent most of all, he decided minutes later. He inhaled deeply as he ate at her, filling himself with her scent and taste. He couldn’t get enough. She suddenly stiffened, made a small rough sound deep in her throat.

  Ben felt the small tremors in her legs that signaled her rising orgasm. Her panting breaths turned to raw, guttural moans. He kept her steady, his heart rioting as she came. He kept the pleasure acute, going and going until she was weeping, drained. The second he released her, he rolled on a condom, moved over her body, and slid into her. She was very wet, tender, and she took him completely with that one deep push.

  “Sierra.”

  She lay spent beneath him, still struggling for breath as he quickened his rhythmic thrusts. God, it wasn’t enough. It’d never be enough.

  Ben hooked his arms behind her knees and lifted her legs, spreading them wide, pushing them high so that she had no choice but to take more of him, all of him. He pressed forward to kiss her, stifling her small cry of surprise at the position. He thrust his tongue into her mouth just as his cock thrust into her body. She didn’t fight him, even managed to kiss him back and all too soon, Ben was lost. He turned his face into the side of her neck and growled out his release, his whole body shuddering, words of love burning in his throat.

  As his senses returned, Ben became aware of the fact that his fingers were tangled in her fine hair, his mouth open on her throat, and she was utterly still beneath him. He’d been rough, damn it. He’d been wild.

  Alarmed, he carefully untangled her curls from his fingers and struggled up to his elbows, ready to apologize, to explain—and saw she was dead asleep. Again.

  Her arms were still above her head, her palms up, fingers loosely curled. Slowly, with a bloom of happiness that made him feel whole, Ben smiled. But his smile soon faded.

  God, he loved her so damn much it hurt, and another man had abused her.

  He squeezed his eyes shut and fought for that last small thread of control. She didn’t want him involved? Fuck that. In the normal course of things, he never lied to women. He’d never had any reason. But now, he’d tell Sierra whatever he had to, whatever she needed to hear, so that he could stay close.

  And he’d do whatever needed to be done to see to her safety.

  Suddenly her alarm went off with a shrill, ear-deafening ring that made Ben jump a good foot and curse like a madman. It was a wonder he hadn’t hit the ceiling, he was so emotionally jarred.

  Amazingly enough, Sierra slowly stirred awake. With a shake of his head, Ben crawled over and slapped the alarm off. “God almighty, Sierra, that thing about startled me out of my skin.” He disposed of the condom, then rejoined her in the bed.

  She yawned hugely and stretched. “Sorry. I’m a sound sleeper.”

  Watching her sluggish attempts to awaken brought back his grin. She really had been fatigued to fall asleep so soon again. He sat beside her. “Especially when you’re satisfied.”

  “Hmmm.” She touched him, her eyes still sleepy, the tension gone from her face. “What you did . . . I want to do that to you, too.”

  Ben froze as pictures of her on her knees in front of him, taking him into her mouth winged through his already flogged brain. He dropped back on the bed with a groan. “You’ll be the death of me, woman.”

  To Ben’s astonishment, she laughed and tickled him and they ended up spending the next few minutes wrestling in bed. She was surprisingly strong, very agile and quick, and he had a heck of time getting her gently pinned down beneath him. He liked this playful side of her and decided he could spend the rest of his life romping with Sie
rra, making love to her, and protecting her.

  When she’d finally worn herself out and made to leave the bed, Ben asked her, “What do you have planned for today?”

  Adorably naked, she padded to her dresser and located panties, jeans and a shirt. “I’ve got errands to run, some grocery shopping to do, stuff like that. Then I’m going to your brother’s new property to give him an estimate. Kent’s going to your mother’s to finish up her job. We should have an earlier day of it today.”

  “Then how about a date? A movie, dinner. Whatdya say?”

  Smiling, she started to answer, and her phone rang. They both hesitated, staring at each other, but in the next second Ben slid out of the bed, determined to get to it before she could. She stopped him with her tone.

  “Ben.”

  Damn it. He looked at her over his shoulder and his eyes widened at the sight of her. She wore her jeans, but hadn’t yet put on her shirt. Bare from the waist up, breasts bouncing enticingly, she marched past him and snatched up the phone. “Hello?”

  Ben rested a shoulder against the wall and watched her for any signs of distress. He saw the surprise that flickered in her gaze. She tucked her hair behind her left ear and fidgeted. “Oh, uh, hello.” She looked at Ben with something close to helplessness, or maybe confusion. “Yes. Well . . . I don’t see . . . No, I . . . All right.” She glared at Ben, as if he’d done something wrong. “I suppose that would be okay. Just a second.” She reached to a drawer in the kitchen and pulled out a pen and pad of paper. “Okay, go ahead.”

  Ben watched her jot down directions though he couldn’t see what she wrote. A new job? But then why did she look so wary, so secretive? He knew it wasn’t her ex; there was no fear or anger in her eyes, and for that reason, he didn’t try to peek over her shoulder.

  Sierra said a polite good-bye, hung up, stared at Ben a moment more, then tore the top note off the pad, folded it and tucked it in her fanny pocket. Damn, she was being secretive.

  She gave him a sunny, totally false smile. “Now what were you saying? Oh yeah, a movie. How about we just watch something on cable? You have that at the motel, right? We could lounge out in your rooms and watch TV and I could get my turn to make you nuts.” She licked her lips.

  Ben’s mouth fell open in combined shock and lust. He’d waited forever it seemed, to see that particular look of hunger and . . . willingness in her gaze.

  He started to give his wholehearted agreement, then paused as he rethought things. He’d expected an argument to the idea of a date because that’s what he usually got. Instead she’d offered a very tempting alternative and made it sound like she wanted to be with him. But since when? Then it dawned on him.

  Sierra didn’t want to be out in public with him for fear her ex might find out. She expected to keep their relationship hidden, but she was smart enough to know he wouldn’t like that idea. Hell, he loved her. He didn’t want to sneak around as if they were doing something wrong. He damn sure didn’t want to hide from her bastard ex-husband.

  Oh, she was good, he’d give her that.

  But he was better. After all, he’d had more practice. “I know what you’re doing, Sierra.”

  She breezed past him, beguiling him with her attitude and her near nakedness. “Is that right?”

  Ben followed. He wanted to grab her naked, too-proud shoulders and shake some sense into her. He wanted to insist that she share all her secrets with him. He wanted to drag her back to bed where they were usually in perfect accord, where she clung to him and gave him everything.

  He wanted to marry her, to claim her legally as well as emotionally and sexually. Feeling taut from his ears to his toes, he growled, “Yeah, you’re distracting me with promises of sex. Only it won’t work.”

  Her look was sultry, sensually suggestive, her voice a low purr when she turned to him. “You don’t want me to take a turn kissing you all over?” She glanced at his lap.

  Ben stiffened, then clenched his jaw to swallow his groan. He was quickly getting hard again, but first things first. “Who was on the phone?”

  The suggestive tone disappeared. “None of your business.”

  “The hell it isn’t.” He didn’t mean to roar, but he was not going to go through this again. Naked, feet braced apart, hands on his hips, Ben got in front of her, blocking her way into the bathroom. “You said us before, remember?”

  Her brows rose in bafflement. “What are you talking about?” She sidetracked around him and went into her bedroom instead.

  Feeling like an idiot, Ben again followed and watched her pull on her bra and shirt, then shove her feet into socks and battered work boots. She sat on the side of the bed to tie up her laces. Watching Sierra dress was a distinct enjoyment, an intimacy that he wanted to share with her the rest of his life. They’d shower together, eat together, argue and love and . . .

  He stationed himself in front of her. “Us, you mentioned us before, as in a couple.” Why did he have to explain this to her? Most women he knew wanted to be involved with him. He didn’t have to explain things to them, unless he explained that he didn’t want to be involved.

  But Sierra, the one woman he’d fallen irrevocably in love with, wanted to keep him an arm’s length away.

  That thought made him frown.

  Sierra gave him a patronizing look and stood to tuck in her shirt. “There are two people, Ben, you and me, thus an us. Right?”

  His eyes narrowed. It seemed there was only one way to deal with her. “I could get you to tell me.” He took a step closer, lowered his voice. “We both know it.”

  Her head shot up. “Hold it right there, Ben Badwin!” She flattened a palm on his chest, then even gave him a small shove. He didn’t budge. “I’m going on record right now as saying no, so don’t even think of using your sex tricks on me.”

  “Sex tricks?” He tried to sound bewildered, innocent.

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about.” Her eyes were bright green and glittering. “I’m . . . susceptible to you and you like to use that against me. Normally I don’t mind because, truthfully, I enjoy your efforts. But not this time.”

  Shit. He shouldn’t have warned her.

  Now annoyed, she marched past him and made it into the bathroom. Ben got right up to the door when she slammed it in his face. He heard the lock click and backed up.

  Damned irritating, stubborn . . . He paced away and saw the pad of paper still sitting on the kitchen counter by the phone. He practically leapt on it. Sure enough, when he held the paper just right, he could read the impression left from her pen.

  The address he saw made his blood boil.

  His grandmother. Oh, she’d gone too far this time. If Aggie tried badgering Sierra . . . Ben decided he’d follow her there tonight. He’d be close at hand and he’d hear for himself what Agatha had to say. And if she hurt Sierra in any way, he’d . . . Well, he didn’t know what he’d do. But he damn sure wouldn’t let his formidable grandmother intimidate Sierra. He had enough obstacles without adding her to the equation.

  Ben looked at the note, trying to see when they planned to meet, but he didn’t see a time written down. Would she go after work? During a lunch break? She’d be meeting with Noah, so he’d notify his brother to let him know the second Sierra left him.

  Ben shoved the notepad in the drawer and went to dress. Five minutes later Sierra came out of the bathroom with her hair in a high smooth ponytail and her face scrubbed clean. She looked like a teenage tomboy and still he wanted to drag her to the floor and ravage her.

  Rather than risk hanging around and maybe saying too much, Ben pulled her to him, kissed her hard, and said, “I have to go.” He slipped his hands down to her jeans-clad bottom and caressed her, hoping to soften her frown. “Let me know when you get home tonight, okay? We’ll figure out a movie to watch then.”

  Confused by his quick turnaround, Sierra stared at him hard, but Ben just kissed her again and left. He had his own work, and he also needed to talk to Noah. His bro
ther would know what needed to be done to protect Sierra. Once she was safe, Ben could decide what to do about Griffin.

  He supposed he couldn’t kill the man, but he’d definitely exact some retribution. He’d have to hit him at least once. Maybe twice. Ben rubbed his knuckles, thinking how much satisfaction he’d get out of bloodying Griff’s nose. He even smiled.

  Because Sierra was so touchy about it, so worried, he’d try not to do more than that. He respected her and wanted her to see that whenever possible he’d follow her wishes. But there were some things that couldn’t be helped.

  She was his now, and whether she liked it or not, he intended to take care of her. She’d see that loving him wouldn’t be a hardship. She’d see that she could trust him.

  Hopefully she’d see that she needed him too. Because God knew, he needed her.

  Kent raked the remaining mulch into place, then stood back to admire the job. Lush green shrubs contrasted with flowering bushes and blended with precisely placed annuals and perennials. It looked great, if he did say so himself. Brooke would be pleased.

  Of course, he’d worked at a leisurely pace, extending his time around Brooke. It had never taken him so long to finish a job that size, and she’d grumbled the whole time. To him. With him.

  Being near her had made it worthwhile.

  Kent grinned and swiped a bandanna across his sweaty forehead, then tucked it back into his pocket. Brooke Badwin did her best to make him think she wasn’t interested. It did her no good. Ever since he’d started working on her yard, they’d indulged in several nice conversations, mostly because she couldn’t seem to stay away.

  She might be out of practice as far as dating and such, but her body language was right on target. She wanted him, not as much as he wanted her, but Kent figured once he had her in bed he could fix that. His instincts told him that Brooke would be as wild in the bedroom as she was sedate out of it. He could barely wait to have her under him.

  Once, when she’d been sweet enough to carry him out an icy cold beer, he’d thanked her and then, casual as you please, stripped his shirt off. He wanted to see her reaction, and he hadn’t been disappointed.