Enraptured by you the co.., p.1
Enraptured By You (The Consumed Series Book 2), page 1
Enraptured by You
Alicia Marino
Enraptured by You
Copyright © 2018 by Alicia Marino.
All rights reserved.
First Print Edition: December 2018
Limitless Publishing, LLC
Kailua, HI 96734
www.limitlesspublishing.com
Formatting: Limitless Publishing
ISBN-13: 978-1-64034-479-2
ISBN-10: 1-64034-479-9
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.
Dedication
Nanny, you have inspired me more than you know. I carry your strength with me always, no matter how far apart we may be.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
Chapter Two
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER ONE
“I-I love you.”
My eyes snap open at the faint words echoing in my eardrums. My stiff bones refuse to budge even an inch, for fear that this is a dream and movement will bring me into consciousness.
My gaze lands upon Benjamin in the moonlight, seated on the mattress, dressed in the suit he wore to Arthur’s funeral earlier today. His arms are on either side of me, his overpowering physique bent over mine. When he reaches out to touch me, and solid, slender fingers brush my cheek, this is suddenly very real.
“What?”
He smiles knowingly and leans in. He confesses the words again against my lips so sweetly, I’m struck speechless. Studying my reaction, he waits patiently, only revealing his discomfort when I’m forced to repeat my stupid question, finding it hard to believe he’s doing this.
His mouth splits in two at my reaction, feeding off my awe. He chuckles under his breath. “Damn it, woman! Can you just say it back, so I don’t feel like a complete idiot?”
Fisting his suit jacket, I urge him closer. “You know I do.”
Quick, firm lips swoop in on mine then, leaving me astonished by the unusual abandon in this declaration. Taking his face between my hands the moment I can react, I’m sitting up, bringing us nose to nose. His restless fingers tangle in my mess of dark, charcoal-hued hair, his mouth achingly dependent on the closeness of my own. Euphoria, pure candescence is what hits like a freight truck as he comes at me full force, touching my flesh as if he’s unable to remain in one place for more than a second. I’m an apparition, and part of my soul has left my body to hover mid-air, needing to memorize this moment. The moment I’ve struggled and waited so long for.
Overcome by the tumble of thoughts and questions bumping around the walls of my brain, I pull back despite his urgency, needing to think clearly about this. The baggy t-shirt of his I threw on before climbing into bed is bunched around my hips. I tug on the hem and meet his eyes with trepidation.
“What made you change your mind? What happened?”
He regards me, and I note that this is the happiest I’ve seen him in days. With just a short pause to gather his thoughts, he answers clearly, like he’s experienced an epiphany.
“I opened my eyes, Darcy.”
I let those words sink in, because while they are touching, it’s not what I’m seeking.
How could a man with such reluctance to even think of the words utter them so easily?
I glance over at the clock, then back at him. “Only a couple of hours ago you told me to give you time. What’s changed since then?”
“I was just talking to Doris, and you know how she is,” he says, seeming still immersed in that conversation, “and I don’t know…it just hit me.”
My chest tightens with a magnitude of reactions. “Ben…”
What is there to say? Thank you? I’m so happy? Don’t ever leave me?
I rely on a less verbal, unmistakable action. The t-shirt falls to the floor soundlessly, and within seconds, the chill of the bedroom raises goose bumps over my bare skin. Inching closer to him, slightly hesitant in my decisions, I help shed his jacket. The moment my fingers are fumbling with the smooth buttons of his dress shirt, his chest is noticeably extended, his breath leaving him in uncertain, tough exhales.
“Darcy, we’re going to need to talk about some—”
I cover his mouth with mine, with intent to stop him from saying more. I refuse to let anything hinder this moment. “Later. Tell me later.”
The last button slips from its home and his crisp shirt parts, revealing the taut, healthy body I can never get enough of. My hands dive beneath the fabric, nails dragging over the symmetrical hills ascending his abdomen. I smile into his parted mouth when a sharp shudder snakes through him and he brings his hand up to my hair, consenting to my advances.
While he removes his own cufflinks and discards the shirt onto the floor, I adore his chest with hunger, my lips dragging over the salty, clean skin, tickled by the soft, short hairs scattered across his pecs. He’s forced to tilt back as I urge him toward the mattress. He’s constantly touching me, sometimes forcefully, as I take my time removing the rest of his clothing, in no hurry for this to be over. However, my languid style is too much for him.
I gasp, accompanied by a startled giggle when his arm wraps around my waist, heaving me up onto his legs. He lifts himself so we’re face to face, mouth to mouth. Needing nothing more than to see his face in the moonlight, I reach back and guide him into me, sinking down onto his cock, trembling at the delight of fullness. He presses one hand to my lower back, using the space to rock me to his steady rhythm. His hands greedily explore my back, drifting over the tiny scars. I have no discomfort at the knowledge that they do not faze him.
Both completely silent apart from our uneven gulps of air, our gentle moans when the pleasure reaches its peak, we cling to each other, brought to the brink not by duration or finesse, but by the sheer ability to connect.
He lies back, taking me with him. Although my muscles are contracting, making it difficult to move, I curl all my limbs around him, not wishing to disrupt the serene bond we’ve just brought to summit.
He loves me.
Benjamin Scott loves me.
He’s never loved any woman before. Only me…
The realizations that go through my head as we lay entangled in each other have the power to illuminate my skin, my organs, my mind. I kiss his chest, letting out a contented sigh and clutch him tighter.
“Still awake?” I ask, gazing up at his chin.
I hear the smile in his voice. “Barely.”
“What is it that you wanted to tell me?”
There’s a long pause of silence and I tug on his hand in silent query.
“Let’s talk about it in the morning. I can barely think, let alone talk.”
He pulls me closer, extending his hand over the length of my spine to my backside, somehow shielding me from any chill with just one arm.
***
Benjamin’s whispered confession is replaying like a CD skidding over a favorite track, unable to continue forward even as I pull on clothes, the warm morning sun beating onto my back from the frosty windows. He is unmoving in bed, sound asleep. It’s early, but considering he didn’t get to bed until late, and the fact that we spent a good portion of the night pleasuring each other, I don’t expect him to stir for a while. I’d be right along with him if it weren’t so crucial to make it into work today. With only one day until the weekend arrives, and considering I took yesterday off for the funeral, I cannot press for any further time.
I head to the bathroom with my makeup bag, not wanting to make too much noise and wake Benjamin. Feeling like my old self for a multitude of reasons, I try to work a decent hairstyle on my hair, which has grown fast, stopping just above my waist. I stick my feet into a pair of nude heels and, unable to wipe the gigantic grin off my face, I walk back into his bedroom to fetch my purse.
His shrill alarm clock blares in dreadful drones of sound, sending me on a mission to silence it before he wakes. His green eyes snap open, initially startled by the noise, but rousing without reluctance, he reaches over to do it for me.
“I was trying to let you sleep more,” I murmur. I run my fingers through his tousled waves, elated to see him close his eyes serenely, enjoying the attention.
“No, I need to get up.” His voice is deeper than usual, throaty. The raspy vulnerability he projects just moments out of sleep is fascinating to hear. He’s still not sure how to behave on mornings I’m here and it shows. I surge onto my feet as he moves onto his palms, heaving himself to the edge of the mattress. Lean and sculpted, his body i
“Hello.” He leans down and seals the space between our faces. “Are you going to work?” he asks, pulling back from my greed.
“I have to get some hours in. You should sleep. You didn’t get much.”
He grabs a fresh towel from his oddly large closet. “I need to be there right now.”
“Okay. Will I see you later?”
“I actually wanted to talk to you about that.” He drapes the towel over his shoulder, clearly prepared to lay something serious on me. “What would you say to living together?”
Although I’m shocked to my core, I resist falling back a step. “What?”
He smiles patiently. “You heard me.”
For a split second after the words fell from his mouth, the overwhelming emotion coursing through my marrow was only elation, the purest kind. Benjamin Scott wants me to live with him, morning, noon, and night. After so many highs and lows, pushes and pulls, he really wants to make this work. It’s that thought that transforms my glee to uncertainty, our complicated past taking the forefront to my excitement. The fear of losing Benjamin is too painful to comprehend, especially after last night, and our track record displays no sense in jumping head first into territory we’re unfamiliar with.
“Ben—”
“Darce, just think about it.”
“I think it’s too soon for that.”
His ashy brows shoot up high on his face. “I really don’t think it is.”
“Benjamin, just yesterday I had no idea what our future even was.” I move up to him and take his hand in an attempt to lessen the blow. “I think we should wait a little while, to make sure this is…is something we can do.”
When his expression falters, then hardens, I’m full of regret. Instant regret.
“Something we can do?” He rubs the stubble on his chin. “I didn’t know you doubted it.”
“That didn’t come out right. I know I want you, but we haven’t been together for long.”
“We’ve known each other for seven months.”
“And more than half that time we were not speaking.” I hold his face, seeking, his rough stubble coarse beneath my palms. “I just want us to work out. We need to trust each other, be open with each other for that to work. We have a long way to go.”
I clearly haven’t placated him. His eyes are swarming with fire. “So what I said yesterday meant nothing?”
I let my hands drop. Now he’s just being unreasonable.
“You know what yesterday was to me. Benjamin, I just want to wait a little while.” I take his hand, which is balled into a tense fist, now curious by his odd reaction. “Why do you want to do this so bad?”
He avoids my question. “There are many reasons.”
My eyes dart to the clock and I cringe. I’m already late, but I want to finish this. “Ben…”
“It’s all right. Just go to work,” he mutters sullenly, entering the bathroom.
I stare at him in disbelief. “You’re not going to kiss me goodbye?”
He does return, but his kiss is quick and devoid of feeling, and my stomach does a somersault in my hollow belly.
“Have a good day,” he says and shuts the bathroom door behind him.
What the hell just happened?
Unable to dwell on his mood, I scoop up my purse and start for the door. The strong aroma of freshly ground coffee wafts through the air when I enter the living room. Doris is by the window, a steaming cup in her hand.
“How did you sleep?” she asks, raising the mug to her chin. Her eyes are surrounded by dark and hollow circles, indicating she probably didn’t sleep a wink last night.
“All right. Have you slept?”
“A little.” She squints, telling me without words that she’s lying. “How’s Ben?”
“He told me he loved me last night,” I state, matter-of-factly. “He said you made him see it.”
She smiles secretively. “Took a lot too, let me tell you. That boy has some thick skin.”
Don’t I know it?
She tilts her head with curiosity. “Did he talk to you about anything else?”
“No.” I blush, submerging into my own recollection of the night we shared. “We didn’t do much talking after that.”
“Oh. Are you going to work now?”
I nearly miss it. The unusual question concealed in another question.
“Wait, why did you ask that?” I ask, realizing I’m the only one acting normal in this house.
“Ask what?”
“If Benjamin had talked to me about anything else?” I lace my arms over my chest protectively. “Is there something he isn’t telling me?”
“I think he should be the one to tell you.”
At that, there’s a crash, a massive pitfall to my nerves, and being late is the last of my worries. I shut myself into the bedroom within a few beats of time, rushing toward the bathroom. I twist the knob to the door, hearing the shower on but unable to care. His hands are in his hair as he spins and spots me in all my rage.
“What are you not telling me?” I blurt out.
Benjamin runs a hand over the glass of the shower to wipe away the condensation.
“Doris just asked if you spoke to me last night about anything,” I continue.
I keep a hard concentration on his face, focused on his eyes, not wanting to be distracted by any other part of him.
“Yes,” he says quietly, and I already sense a diverted response coming. “We did speak last night.”
“She had already spoken to me about that. She meant something else,” I respond firmly, unmoved. “What is it?”
He sighs, shutting off the shower. “Darcy, you’re late. So am I. Let’s talk about this tonight.” He opens the shower door and steps out to retrieve his towel. He tucks it around his waist, avoiding my gaze.
“Why does it have to wait, Benjamin?”
“It’s just…it’s a sensitive situation.”
“That’s it? That’s all I’m going to get?”
He faces me, but not wishing to get into this while he’s being his usual pain-in-the-ass self, I leave, deciding work will give me less of a headache.
***
“I’m so sorry I’m late.”
Cindy peers up from her computer screen when I rush into her office manically. “Relax, darling. It’s been a slow morning.”
I deposit a please-don’t-fire-me gift on her desk. “A cinnamon swirl bagel and soy latte.”
Her face lights up like Christmas. “All wrongs forgiven. I didn’t get breakfast this morning.”
“Then I’m glad I stopped.” I snatch my mess of a clipboard, ready for her usual chaos of reminders. “Okay, lay it on me.”
“Before we start, how’s Doris? I called, but she hasn’t gotten back to me yet.”
“She’s hanging in there.”
“Is she staying with Benjamin?”
Just hearing his name right now makes me clench fists in anger. “Ben is worried about her, so I think she’ll be there until she’s ready to live on her own again.”
Cindy clicks her pen absentmindedly. “And you and Benjamin? You two have been seeing quite a lot of each other. How’s that working out?”
I run a hand over my skirt in frustration. “We’re good.”
***
Benjamin:I’m sorry.
I received a text from Benjamin two hours ago, but I haven’t been able to reply to him. That’s a lie. I could, but I’m waiting until I’m less ticked off. I lay a rejected manuscript aside on the desk with a note to tell Cindy on Monday and then get up, flicking off my desk light. I’m the only one still in the office. Cindy left early for a date, very unusual. She’s normally tied to her desk every day of the week, which is why she’s one of the most established editors in the city. Her date with the handsome banker is probably the reason for her carefree attitude all day.
I pick up my bag from the floor and stand with a heavy sigh. I haven’t been able to get the argument from this morning out of my head. Through lunch, and meetings, he dominated my thoughts. I hate leaving Benjamin like that. I don’t know what he’s hiding, but it’s scaring the hell out of me.
