Simply Sensual (Simply 3)

“Did you win the campaign?”

“Sure did, but not on my own merit. Because my father the judge had convinced every kid present that Montgomerys were born to be public servants and that a vote for Grace was a vote for the Constitution.”

His gut clenched at the way her father had so obviously belittled her in front of her friends and teachers. At the way she’d spent a lifetime trying to please a man who couldn’t be pleased, and how she’d lost herself in the process. But she was on her way back now, and he couldn’t be more proud of her.

“I’m sure people saw through your father.” He knew his words were lame.

“Maybe. But they voted his way anyhow. It was revolting. The other runner-up was so much better qualified. I wanted to run against him and win because I’d swayed people my way. Instead, I won on the family name and because my father called in all the favors people owed him. As if I wasn’t smart enough to win on my own.”

“You must know now you’re smarter than any of those kids you went to school with.”

She shrugged.

“But I’m sorry you had to live through that. And even sorrier you had to relive it by repeating the story to me now.”

She met his gaze with glistening eyes. “Don’t be. If I didn’t want you to know, I wouldn’t have shared. Besides, it wasn’t all bad. I had Logan and Emma who loved me for myself. And if you ever met my grandmother, you’d understand what a different experience she can be. Eccentric doesn’t begin to cover it.”

He agreed, not that he was free to tell Grace. “And you adore her.”

She nodded.

With the ends of the towel, he traveled a path up the inside of her thighs until her skin began to quiver and her legs started to shake. “Ben.”

Warning tinged her tone and he laughed. “Yes, Gracie?”

“I know exactly what you’re up to.”

“I should hope so.”

She let out a near-growl of frustration. “You’re avoiding answering questions.”

“Untrue. I’m merely taking advantage of your gloriously naked body.” He settled himself between her thighs, and using the terry towel, he rubbed gently over the damp folds of skin lying bare for his touch.

At his first caress, she moaned softly, and his body hardened upon hearing the seductive, husky sound. He rolled over, taking her with him.

Grace knew she’d found heaven in Ben’s arms. She’d find answers later. Just feeling the strength of his need pressing against her thigh, desire bordering on exquisite pain rippled through her. She lifted her hips, thrust herself against him, welcomed the beginning waves. But knowing how incredible making love with Ben was, she didn’t want just solitary pleasure, so she raised her head toward the nightstand.

She looked him in the eye, and his gaze deepened, darkened. The next few seconds passed in a rush of anticipation as he shed his briefs and took care of protection. And then he was back, kneeling over her, spreading her legs wider.

“Sit up.”

She couldn’t ignore the command and pushed herself up on her elbows.

“Now look.”

She did, gazing down as he spread her with his fingers, seeing her own dampness beckon to him, and watching as he eased the long, hard length of his erection into her swollen, waiting flesh.

“It’s so erotic,” she whispered in awe at the sight of their bodies locked intimately together with the feel of every rigid inch of him filling her. A feast for the senses, she thought in a daze, unable to distinguish the host of feelings swamping her.

He eased her back down until he was lying on top of her, moving inside her, making love to her. And she refused to believe what they shared was anything less. Especially when every upward thrust not only brought him deeper—but closer to her heart.

Chapter Nine

Grace woke up with a shiver and realized she’d rolled away from Ben in the middle of the night. They’d fallen asleep exhausted in each other’s arms on top of the covers, and when she’d eased away from his body heat, she’d instantly sensed the change.

“You okay?” he asked in a sleep-roughened voice.

“Yeah. Just cold.” Better that than to admit she’d missed him. He’d think her ridiculous since he was lying beside her throughout the night. The last thing she wanted to risk was spooking him away.