Page 79 of Off Script
Love,Ben
Forgetting that I have an audience, I sigh happily, pressing the letter to my chest. My melodramatic reaction causes Joanna to laugh.
“I take it that you like Ben’s surprise for you.”
“Indeed.”
“I know it doesn’t make up for not being able to take you to the premiere, but he’s really trying to woo you as best he can.” Jo pushesoff the doorframe, leaving me in the bedroom to pack my overnight bag.
Joanna accompanies me to the hotel and expedites the check-in process. When the door to the suite swings open, I’m greeted by a bottle of chilled champagne and a catering cart laden with a bevy of appetizers. Ben knows that the way to my heart is through food. I try my best to convince Joanna to stay and drink with me, but she declines because she’s on standby in case Ben needs something.
Snacking and sipping, I wander around the spacious suite before ending up on the balcony. Lingering outside, I realize that it overlooks Ben’s film premiere. From my seat on the balcony, I listen to the crowds below loudly cheer as the stars walk the red carpet. When the screaming reaches fever pitch, I walk to the edge of the balcony. Gripping the railing, I lean over to catch a glimpse of the action.
Even from this distance, my heart skips a beat when Ben emerges from the black luxury sedan, waving at the legions of fans who have come out to support the movie. Always the gentleman, Ben walks around to the other side of the car to help Willa exit the car before they walk the red carpet together. I watch the procession, as they stop to talk to fans, pose for photographs, and sign autographs.
I wish I had binoculars so that I could see them better.I spent weeks worrying that Ben might be a stalker, butwho’s the stalker now?That errant thought elicits a chuckle.
After polishing off the rest of the bottle of champagne, I lounge on the king-sized bed and flip through the TV channels to find a movie to watch, but I pause on an entertainment channel when I see videos of Ben and Willa at tonight’s premiere.
Unfortunately, the videos only confirm my worst fears and increase my anxiety because Ben and Willa play the part of a happy couple with conviction. Willa looks radiant, dressed in a bold red, skintight sheaththat hugs her curves. Like a Hollywood bombshell of yesteryear, she represents every man’s fantasy with her beautiful face and stunning, sensuous curves.
My insecurities are magnified exponentially when I compare myself to her.
Willa is like the luxury designer handbag and I’m the cheap knock-off you buy in the back of a sketchy bodega in New York City. Squint your eyes and it might look like the real thing, but up close, all the imperfections show.
Ben warned me that it would be a late night for him. I try to wait up for him, but I can’t stay awake. The bottle of champagne acts as a sleeping aid, and sometime around midnight, I fall asleep.
In the very early morning hours, I roll over and sigh in relief when I feel Ben next to me in bed. My eyes adjust to the darkness, and I study Ben’s gorgeous face, memorizing each detail of his features, from the angles of his cheekbones to the pronounced divot above his upper lip to the small mole on his cheek. Unable to stop myself, I reach out and lightly trace my fingertip down his profile as he sleeps. I begin at his forehead and skate down his nose, stopping to gently rub his lower lip with my thumb.
When I stop to look at him, really look at him, he steals my breath from my lungs.
“Even before I felt your fingers, I could feel you watching me,” he rasps sexily.
“I’m sorry. Go back to sleep,” I whisper, withdrawing my fingers, feeling guilty that I woke him. “You need your sleep.”
Gathering me in his arms, Ben hugs me tightly, murmuring in my ear, “Not as much as I need you. I missed you tonight. Let me show you how much.”
His words send a direct shot of pleasure to the pulse now beating between my thighs. I lift my leg to wrap it around his hip as he rocks against my center.
“You did?” My voice sounds breathy and needy even to my ears as I squirm in his arms, desperate for him.
“I did.” He replies quietly, tightening his grip on me. Ben’s lips brush mine ever so lightly, sending sparks to my heart. He caresses my cheek, and I lean into his comforting touch. Nibbling my bottom lip, he drops his brow to mine, gazing into my eyes. There's an intensity present. He pauses as something powerful flows between us.
The smoldering look he gives me both incinerates my panties and makes me think that he’s on the precipice of admitting the depth of his feelings for me. I know I’m standing on the edge with him. Those three little words pop into my head and the need to say them is strong, but I’m too scared to be the first to voice those feelings.
While I may not say them aloud, I feel them deeply.
Stubbornly, he too remains silent.
Instead, he pulls me atop him, his warmth and his scent enveloping me. My legs fall open, settling on either side of his hips. I sigh at how good his hard length feels as I press and rub my core against him. I flex my pelvis and nearly groan in ecstasy. His hands slide up and down my thighs, caressing and squeezing, encouraging my movements.
Sitting up, I shuck off my camisole, leaving me only in panties. Ben cups my bare breasts in a bruising grip before his mouth latches onto one of my nipples. He licks and sucks and bites with this mouthwhile his fingers play with my other nipple, pinching and rolling it and driving me crazy with need. I arch my back, pushing into his touch.
My moans grow louder, and my movements grow more frantic as I grind my drenched center over his erection. I feel the telltale tingling sensations moving down my spine as my body tightens in preparation for its release.
But before I can come, Ben flips me onto my back and rips my panties off before taking his boxers off. Sliding over me, he drapes his body across mine and I relish feeling the weight of him atop me. He kisses me until my breath is ragged and I’m aching for him to fill me.
Pleading, I gasp, “Please, Ben.”
