Con Artist

“Close your legs,” Bennett breathes out and it’s then I notice my legs are over the edge of the counter and parted wide.

His eyes are locked there and his breathing is heavier than my own. His eyes look wild and the hard outline of his cock is clear through his sweatpants. There’s a small wet spot on them and I wonder if he came a little while I tried to steal an orgasm against his chest. It’s in this moment that I see how easily I can hold all the cards. I could get anything I want from him right now and I bet if I put my hand between my legs and started to play with myself he’d be back on me. But when a pained please comes from him I find myself closing my legs.

“I promise I’ll make the ache go away soon enough, but I have to feed you.” He has one hand braced on the counter next to the stove and his knuckles are white with how hard he’s holding it as he fights for control.

“I’m hungry,” I admit, licking my lips. This somehow helps calm him and he nods.

“I have to feed you,” he says again and he pushes away from the counter. I have a feeling he’s talking to himself this time.

I watch as he goes back to cooking and the sweet smell of pancakes and chocolate fills the kitchen.

“You know, I can’t really check your security if you told your men to ignore me.”

I hadn’t broken in last night. I walked right up to the front gate knowing the two guards stationed there had been following me. They parted and I walked right up the long path.

“I didn’t want them touching you. It’s enough they have to look at you,” he says as I watch him flip a pancake.

“Is that jealousy I hear?” I tease.

“Yes,” he responds instantly without sounding apologetic or embarrassed. It takes me aback for a moment.

“Boys don’t like to share their toys, do they?” He doesn’t answer me as he puts the food on a plate and adds the whipped cream and syrup. He brings it over to me and sets it down.

“I’m not a boy,” he corrects, and I can’t argue with that. “And I don’t share you.”

“But you share other women?” I laugh, and it’s forced.

“I don’t have other women, and when I did I couldn’t have cared less who they fucked.” He shrugs as he cuts me off a piece of pancake and holds it out for me.

He brings the bite to my lips and I take the sweetness into my mouth. I let out a small sigh at how good it tastes.

“Open,” he orders, and I realize I closed my eyes as I enjoyed the breakfast. Hell, I’m just enjoying being taken care of.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” I ask when my plate is almost empty.

“Oh, I have plans to eat, little jaguar.” My cheeks heat as my eyes go to his.

“When was the last time you had another woman?” I ask, finally letting my jealousy show because curiosity is consuming me. We’re moments away from this going all the way and crossing a line that might be easy for him but difficult for me.

He shakes his head. “I don’t remember, to be honest; it’s been a long time.”

“I’m not like them,” I whisper, letting my own insecurity show.

“Who?”

“The women you’ve been with.”

“It sounds like you’ve been googling me.” His cocky smile is back and I can see he’s enjoying this way too much.

“You cuffed me, obviously I googled you.” I shake the bracelet and don’t let him know I searched him before he did it.

He grabs my cuffed hand and entwines our fingers together. His thumb slides across the ring I still don’t understand the need for. The cuff was enough and this feels like something else.

“You wouldn’t be here if you were them.”

“You didn’t take them home?”’ It’s hard to get the bitterness out of my words when with each second I’m liking him more and more. I feel closer to him right now than I have with anyone else in my whole life.

“No.” His fingers lock tighter around mine. “I don’t bring anyone here.”

“But I’m here.”

“And you’re staying,” he adds.

“Tonight,” I agree, and his nose flares.

“I can’t remember the last time because it’s been so long. I couldn’t even remember a name if you asked me,” he says and his body tenses. “It’s not like that with you. I would never forget you.”

His other hand cups my cheeks and it’s obvious he thinks what he admitted is going to make me mad. Maybe I shouldn’t like it, that he can’t remember their names, but I do.

“Why am I so different?” I ask, leaning into his touch.

He chuckles. “I don’t know, but I felt it that first day you ran into me.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t stand on sidewalks and people won’t run into you.” His grin is soft, and I realize he’s right. There’s something different about him to me too. I tease him because I feel safe around him. Normally I hide in the shadows, but I enjoy him seeing me.

“I wanted to catch you then but—” He shakes his head. “I’ve never seen something I wanted so badly move so fast to get away from me.” I open my mouth to speak, but he shakes his head. “It’s not about the chase, not that I mind chasing you. I have a feeling you’re always going to keep me on my toes.” He lifts me from the counter and into his arms. “But not tonight. Tonight you’re all mine.”

He might be right when the morning comes, but right now the last thing I want to do is run.

Chapter 10

BENNETT

“Why do you work for Bradford?” I finally ask the question that’s been burning inside me since I found out what she did. “Do you owe him or something?”

She laughs and shakes her head as I carry her through the house. My grip on her ass tightens when she doesn’t respond right away, and I don’t like the thought of her being a criminal because she’s been forced into it. Bradford didn’t give me many details when I asked him about it.

“Ouch!” she squeaks when my grip intensifies. She laughs again and shakes her head. “I think I like working you up.”

I carry her up the steps and down the long hall to my wing of the house. Double doors lead to the master, and the room itself is probably the size of a modest home. I like space even though I don’t have anyone to fill it up. I just like knowing the room is there around me.

When I walk inside I kick the door closed and toss her in the middle of the bed. She laughs again when I pounce on top of her and then pin her wrists to the bed.

“I’m serious,” I say, and her laughter slows as she smiles at me.

“He gave me a job when I was just a kid. He took care of me the best way he knew how when my parents weren’t around to do it.”

I have so many questions after this confession, but I can see that even admitting that small amount was difficult for her. Bradford alluded to her family life being shit, but I didn’t want to press him on it. For some reason I wanted her to be the one to trust me enough to tell me what was happening. I’ve got a need for her that’s over the top, but I want her as more than just a one-night stand. I’ve never felt so possessive of anything in my life and I have to have her.

“So let’s just say you didn’t have a need to do the job anymore. Would you? Is there something stopping you from giving it up?”

“That’s kind of been the plan all along. I want to get out of it and start over somewhere new.”

“Care to tell me where this new place is?” I ask, leaning down and kissing the hollow at the base of her neck. I want her new start to be with me.

“I don’t know where that is yet. I need a little more before I can decide.”