Page 198 of Burn Bright
He lists off all my name suggestions. “Cubby? The cub? Baby lion? Son of Ben?”
“What I lack in creativity I make up elsewhere,” I say a little defensively, forgetting how much I love my audience.
Because Ben immediately says, “You’re plenty creative, Fisher. SOB is pretty funny.”
I smooth the golden-yellow fur. “If you had an actual baby, would you name them something earthy like Clover or Aspen?”
“You trying to tell me something?” he teases.
I peer up at him, my face warm. “Unless the condom broke, I think we’re in the clear on the baby-making front, Cobalt boy.”I hold his gaze. “But I wouldn’t mind forgoing the condom next time. I’m on birth control.”
His smiling blue eyes sink down on me. “Yeah, I know, you mentioned being on the pill.”
So hedidprocess that information a while back. “Just letting you know. I’ve also been tested recently, all negative, and I’m not sleeping with anyone else, so…”
“Same and same.”
“Cool.” I’m smiling off his sexy widening smile. “So you’re going to have a baby Thistle one day?”
He laughs, and I feel the rumble of his chest against me. “You want to name our kid Thistle?”
My heart double-beats.Our kid?Obviously, we’re messing with each other. This is playful banter, where we’re constructing a future that can’t even happen. “You have a better earthy name?”
“Why are we going earthy?”
“To appease your tree-loving soul, nature boy.” I rotate around, wanting to face him, but the most natural maneuver is to straddle Ben on the couch cushions. He rests his hands on my thighs. This time, I did remember to bring cotton pajama shorts, but his fingers slip up the hem.
His touch is magma. I heat all over. Our breaths sound shallow, and his muscles flex as I shift a little on his waist. The gray sweats and blue tee are typical Ben attire.
I hold on to his lion cub. “And?” I ask.
“And…” He clears out husky arousal from his throat. “I’d rather we pick a name that appeases your punk-rock-loving soul.”
“Baby Spike,” I joke.
“Whatever you want, Fisher.”
Now my heart flutters. It’s how he’s staring at me, like he would literally give me anything in the world if he could. “No,see there is a compromise here, Ben.” I hold out a finger. “Stone.Earthy and rock-forward.”
“We better get cracking if we want to make our baby Stone.” He brushes his knuckle against my clit, and I clench my thighs around him.
“Fuck,” I curse. “Ben.”
He grins. “Keep glaring at me like that, it’s only going to make me want to push inside you faster.”
I place the lion cub behind me and plant my hands on his chest. He hardens against me, and he brings his lips to mine. He kisses me once, twice, pulling me closer, but I break apart to pant out, “You want a blow job?”
That sounded sexier in my head, but whatever, I offered.
He sucks in a contemplative breath. “Do you enjoy giving them or is this just something you feel like you have to do?”
I shrug. “I want you to feel good too.”
“Trust me, I already do.” He’s slouched on the armrest of the couch, his reassuring hands gripping my hips. He even grinds me down on him, so his erection rubs against my pussy.Oh my…God.“And if I don’t come inside you here, then how are we going to make our baby?”
I can’t decide if this conversation is torture of the best kind or the worst. “Our fictional baby,” I say like a dumbass.You aren’t dumb, Harriet.I blow out such a heavy breath, my bangs billow. I’m about to launch myself off him, but Ben’s grip tightens on me.
He’s sitting up. “Hey.”
