Best Friends Forever

Lindsay looked doubtful, but nodded.

Shortly after, the meeting was over, and we walked to the limo in silence. Hector waited with the door open, and she slid in first. I followed, sitting on the same seat, but not as close this time. “Let’s get a drink and talk this over.”

Lindsay frowned. “We should probably get home to Elle.”

“An hour more won’t hurt,” I said. “We need a strategy.”

With a little sigh, she nodded. “All right.”

Almost two hours, three drinks, and one phone call from Margot announcing Elle was fast asleep, we headed back to the apartment. We were no closer to figuring out the best way to help Elle, but at least we weren’t awkward now.

Awkwardness became awareness. Lust had kindled from a spark to a raging fire, and I was certain she felt it as intensely as I did. It was a bad idea to indulge in it, but I couldn’t seem to resist adding kindling to the fire as I slid first from the limo before offering her a hand out. She took it, and I kept her hand in mine as we walked toward the building. When she trembled, I asked, “Cold?” If she was like me, she was burning up with desire.

She just shrugged as I led her into the building from the back entrance.

She looked around with a frown. “What are we doing?”

“There’s a party going on in the penthouse, so the front entrance will be packed. I had the driver bring us here instead.”

I took her to the elevator on this side of the building. “This will be faster.” She didn’t pull her hand from mine until we stood in the elevator, and the doors closed behind us. I stood behind her, but off to her side, eyeing her in the mirrored walls. She shouldn’t be so irresistible in the sweater dress and tights, but it was a struggle not to reach out to slide the shoulder down where it hung precariously on her left side.

I couldn’t resist moving behind her. Her shoulders still beckoned, and I lifted my hands. I tried to hold out for another second, but lost the willpower to do so. I cradled her shoulders in my hands and was almost embarrassed by how much pleasure I took from such a simple touch. I bent my head to hide from my own reflection for a moment and inhaled a lungful of her crisp scent. “Why do you always smell like sunshine?”

She giggled, and it was an anxious sound. “I didn’t know that I did. I’m not even sure what sunshine smells like, Ben.”

“Like citrus and happiness and innocence.” I pressed closer to her, and my cock responded, hardening against her soft body. There was no way she could miss the bulge pressing into her backside.

I pushed back her hair as she trembled, sweeping my lips across her neck before moving my mouth to her ear. “Are you very innocent, Lindsay?” Her only answer was a whimper as I nibbled down the side of her neck, as though I could devour her essence. “Are you?” I asked the question more sternly, refusing to allow her to evade answering. I had to know. I wanted to pretend to myself it was because I’d do the right thing if she was a virgin, but I knew I was lying.

I groaned when she angled her hand to touch my hip. Her hand was so tantalizingly close to my shaft, but still so far away.

“Yes.” Lindsay practically exhaled the word.

I stiffened for a moment as her words confirmed what I had expected. She was too young and inexperienced for what I wanted to do to her. She didn’t know how to guard her heart. I had no right to want to be the one to ruin her, but damned if I didn’t want that more than anything. “Fuck, that makes me hot. I should do the right thing and push you away, and we should both pretend this isn’t happening.”

She whimpered and shifted in my arms.

“That’s what I should do, but unless you tell me that’s what you want, I can’t.” I spun her in my arms, no longer content to look at her through the mirrors on the wall. I needed to see her gaze connect with mine.

There was shyness there, along with more than a hint of bravado. I think she was trying to look confident, but she still seemed unsure. “Is that what you want, baby? Do you want me to take you to my huge, empty bed, where I can make you feel good?” I bent my head to bring my lips close to hers, but didn’t kiss her. Yet. “Do you want me to sink inside you and shatter that innocence, or should I send you to your own empty bed without me?”

She stared at me with wide eyes for a long moment, and I could see her mind racing as she came to a decision. I held my breath, but I knew what her answer would be as soon as she relaxed against me.

“I want you, Ben.”

With a harsh groan, I bent my head to kiss her with all the passion I’d been holding inside. Her mouth soon softened under the onslaught of my lips against hers. I threaded my fingers through her brown locks and anchored her against me, not willing to risk the possibility of either one of us coming to our senses. Instead, I seduced her with long kisses and slow strokes of my other hand up and down the side of her body until I was certain she couldn’t think at all, let alone think about changing her mind.

I slid my hand under the hem of her sweater to explore the tender skin underneath. My fingers brushed her soft flesh, and she moaned as she writhed against me. Her mouth never left mine as my fingers managed to slip inside, moving slowly down her belly. When I stroked her pussy through her panties she moaned as she kissed me.

With a growl, I broke the kiss, wanting to see her expression as I fingered her. “Has anyone ever touched you like this?”

Lindsay shook her head, her eyes closed as she threw back her head. It left a tempting expanse of neck bared to me, and I couldn’t resist the urge to suck and nibble on her throat as my finger moved down her wet slit, gliding easily over the panties. I was certain she’d have a hickey in the morning, but I didn’t stop sucking her neck. I wanted her to wear my mark, to have proof that she was mine.

That made me pull away. It was a dangerous thought, and I couldn’t risk it. She was mine tonight, but that’s all it could be.

She opened her eyes as my fingers hesitated. Seeing confusion starting to appear, I shoved aside my doubts and slipped my finger under the side of her panties. She was warm and wet, and from that point all I could think about was sinking my cock inside her wet slit.

Her gaze didn’t leave mine as I stroked her with gradually increasing pressure. She bucked against my hand and grasped the walls of the elevator when I slid a second finger inside her. Lindsay pressed against the wall and splayed her legs, opening for me, and I murmured sounds of encouragement for her as my cock jumped and strained against my pants.