Page 96 of The Dating Prohibition
“I’d like to see that sometime.”
“I am not spending hours getting my hair straight and silky just to go outside and ruin it in humidity.”
He twirled a curl around his finger. “I have my ways of convincing people to do things.”
Kendra parked and bit her lip. “Is that right? I definitely want to hear more about that, Dr. Stephens, but first, let’s go inside.”
As they stepped into her place, he admired what she’d done so far.
“You know, it’s actually a good thing that I haven’t gotten all of my furniture yet. Especially if you’re going to be here...Wait.” Her face colored. “I didn’t mean to assume that we were going to be living together.”
His lips parted as he froze. “I’ll admit it was presumptuous of me, but I just want to be where you are, and honestly, I’min a temporary role for right now. So until it’s permanent, it doesn’t really make sense for me to try to buy something andyou’re gonna be at the restaurant all the time. I’m sorry, is that okay?”
She beamed at him. “Of course it is! I probably would have insisted,” she laughed.
He blew out a relieved breath. “Okay, cool. Did you have plans for an office?”
“I already have one. Come back here. Let me give you the tour.” She walked him around the first floor, showing him the mainliving space. They went downstairs so he could see the progress she’d made on the bottom level entertainment room and storage.Once upstairs, she showed him the bedrooms. “I still haven’t really done much for this room over here, but it’s going to bethe guest room once I decide what furniture I want. And then this is the master suite.” They walked in the room and Kendraclosed the door behind them. “We’ll have to bring your bag up later,” she murmured.
BJ pulled her to him, his mouth immediately finding hers as he wrapped her in a kiss that curled her toes and left her breathless. His head tilted and he licked at the seam of her lips. Once he gained entrance, his tongue danced with hers, Kendramoaning against his mouth. “I intend to make you make that sound on a very regular basis.” The rumble of his voice vibrated within her.
Kendra’s eyes squeezed shut as heat built at her core. “I’m gonna hold you to that, Dr. Stephens.”
“Kenny. Just call me Ben.”
She smiled up at him, kissing him slowly, savoring his scent and the softness of his lips and the way he trailed kisses fromher jaw to her collarbone as he unbuttoned her denim shirtdress slowly, undoing her belt and pulling the fabric from her shouldersuntil it dropped to the floor.
Kendra tugged off his blazer, laying it on an accent chair across from the bed by the window. As their lips met again, herfingers continued to unbutton his shirt, which Ben pulled off as soon as the buttons were clear. Kendra fumbled with his buckle,cursing to herself until she had it undone.
They kicked off their shoes in a fervor, disposing of the last of their clothes before they landed in the bed. Lying on theirsides, Kendra wrapped her leg around his waist. “I’ve missed this. I missed you.” Kendra dragged her index finger gently downhis chest to his stomach.
BJ’s eyes closed and he smiled. “You have the softest touch. I swear, if you did that on my back I would just fall asleep.”
“That’s for later. There’s no sleeping right now, Ben.”
“Oh no?”
She shook her head, mouthing the word.
“I’ve had a very long day of travel,” he murmured against her lips, his hand gliding down her back to cup her ass as he pulledher closer.
“You want to sleep, there’s a comfy couch downstairs,” she teased.
He nipped at her playfully. “Wow, really, Kenny? You know I have no intention of sleeping . . . Condoms?”
Kendra stopped. “Fuck, I don’t have any idea where they are. Half of my stuff is still in boxes.”
“That’s okay. I’ve got some in my bag downstairs.”
“Well, hurry up.”
He kissed her hand, her wrist, the inside of her arm, her shoulder—each breath against her skin, lighting her insides on fire.
“Ben,” she whispered.
His eyes shut as he breathed out slowly through his nose. “Yep, you’re right.” He squeezed her thigh before making his wayoff the bed and out the door. He returned with his suitcase and searched inside until he pulled a giant carton out from undersome clothes.
Kendra burst out laughing. “Dear god, did you buy that at Costco?”
