He reached behind her head and put one pillow on top of the other. “I want you to be able to see what I’m doing to you.”
He stood before her, naked. His hands moved along her legs, up her thighs and her waist, until she arched instinctively.
“Ben—”
“Shh. Be still.”
He wanted her to give herself over to him, even as hard as he knew it would be for her to do it. He wanted her to let him take control the same way he’d let her this morning, without her realizing he did.
Every second had been pure torture for him. He’d wanted nothing more than to grab her and throw her under him, but he hadn’t. He let her eyes, her hands, and her lips linger on his body, unhurried, at her pace. Now he needed the same thing from her.
“Put your hands at your sides, Liv, and don’t move them.”
He needed to prove to her that he was the man to take care of her, love her enough to make it all about her, satisfy the need he saw in her eyes. He was long gone for this woman.
He hoped she hadn’t gone to sleep, that he hadn’t worn her out. “Liv?”
“Hmm?”
“Is there anyone else?”
“Ben—”
She sounded exasperated, and he couldn’t let her dissuade him. “Tell me I’m the only one.”
“You’re the only one.”
“Say it again.”
“Stop it, Ben.”
“I need to know.”
Liv sat up and pulled the sheet over her. “What’s going on?”
“I want to know.”
“I answered you, but you haven’t answered me.”
“Why didn’t you ask me to come, Liv? Why did Paige have to do it? Didn’t you want me here?”
“Because we promised not to do this. Not just me, both of us. You promised not to ask me to give up my dream for you, and I did the same. That’s why, Ben. I didn’t think it was fair to ask something of you that I couldn’t give you in return.”
“Is this enough for you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Seeing each other once every three or four months?”
She got up and grabbed her clothes.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m getting dressed.”
“Why?”
She turned and glared at him, dropping her clothes back on the floor.