Lessons in Love

Chapter 79: Not Quite Mated

POV: Beta Ben Westlake

I could feel her jealousy, but she was fighting it. She wanted to be okay with this. “Riley, are you sure you’re okay with all of this?”

She let out a sigh and gave me a lopsided smile. “No, but weird revelations seem to be our new normal.” She laughed.

“I’m sorry,” I started, but she cupped the side of my face with her hand and shook her head.

“I slept with Alice.” She admitted. “We both knew there was a possibility we could be mated to women, and we wanted to know what that would feel like.” She blushed a little and looked down at our hands. “We knew we weren’t mates, though. We slept together just to do it. I’m not jealous or upset that you slept with Rick. I’m jealous that you have a special connection to him, a bond that is like ours. The way he described your aura earlier, that’s what I feel. I guess I’m a little sad I’m not the only one who feels you like that.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that at first and sat there, trying to think of a way to make her understand she had nothing to be jealous of. “I never took my shirt off.” I said quietly. Her eyes met mine. “With Rick, I never took my shirt off. He’s seen my back, he patched me up, but you’re the only person I’ve ever felt safe enough with to be completely naked in front of. You’re the only one who has ever kissed my back or touched it like you did. Your hands are the only ones that make my back feel whole.” I whispered.

She gripped my hands tightly in hers. “I love you, Ben.” She said softly.

I felt a slow smile spread across my face. “I love you.” I said before leaning in and kissing her. She ran her fingers into my hair as she kissed me back passionately. Her tongue dove into my mouth as she stood in front of me. She leaned down, kissing me desperately, holding my face between her hands.

I took hold of her wrists and pulled out of the kiss panting. “Riley,” I panted, looking up to find her whole face radiating love and desire at me. “I had a whole plan.” I said sheepishly.

Riley laughed and planted a kiss on my forehead. “Are you planning to romance me, Benji?”

“Not if you call me that,” I grumbled even though I was smirking. She laughed harder. “There’s somewhere special I want us to go. We can go tonight if you want. I just need an hour to get everything organized.”

She stepped back from me, tapping her finger on her chin like she was thinking hard about it. She put her hand on my shoulder as she walked around behind me. I started to turn, but she gripped my shoulders, holding me in place as she kneeled on the coffee table behind me. She put her face close to my ear and whispered breathless at me. “I don’t know if I can wait an hour.”

Riley flicked her tongue under my earlobe and sucked it into her mouth as she snaked her arms around me. She bit down on it gently, and I found myself tilting my head away from her to give her more room to play. She kissed down my neck and licked my mate spot. I moaned and dropped my head back against her.

“I don’t want to wait an hour.” She growled seductively against the spot before gently raking her teeth over it. I grabbed her, pulled her around into my lap, and kissed her. I slid my hand into the waistband of her jeans and slid my fingers over her c**t making her hips buck. She was warm and wet, and my finger glided over her in rhythmic circles as I kept her mouth trapped under mine. She moaned into my mouth as wetness covered my hand and her pants.

My fingers moved faster, and my tongue became more demanding. She was desperately panting. When she came again, she had to pull away from my mouth to gasp for air. I started to slowly pull my hand from her pants, but she grabbed my wrist, spreading her legs as she undid the button and zipper on her jeans. She pushed against my wrist. I let her guide my hand back into her underwear. Her head dropped back off my arm and she moaned with satisfaction.

“Tell me,” I growled quietly. “Tell me what you want.”

“You,” she breathed.

“You can’t have me yet. What can I do to help you be patient?” I said against her lips. My tongue came out and lighted across her bottom lip.

“Touch me,” she begged. “Be inside me.”

“One thing at a time,” I smiled against her lips as I started playing with her c**t again. She moaned loudly, rolling her hips to meet my fingers. “How’s that?” I whispered.

She moaned and shuddered but was robbed of her words as her body clenched with another orgasm. I plunged my fingers inside her. Her eyes opened wide as she gasped at the sudden sensation. The palm of my hand rubbed mercilessly against her c**t as my finger roamed in and out of her.

“Ben!” She clawed at my shoulder as I pushed her closer and closer.

“What to do you want?” I growled against her mouth.

“To come,” she breathed. “Make me come.” She begged. “Please,” she panted. “Please, Ben, please.”

I took her mouth again. She breathed noisily through her nose before she dropped her head back gasping for air and covering my hand again in that hot wetness.

I sat her up. Her eyes were glassy as she looked at me. I smiled at her and kissed her gently. “Go clean up.” I said against her mouth. “Take your time about it.” I grinned, standing up and steadying her on her feet. “I need about an hour.”

I was out the door before she had a chance to argue with me. I ran down the stairs to find Lulu standing at the bottom of them, ladened down with several bags and a medium sized box. “Hey,” I smiled happily. “Need a hand?”

“Thank you,” she smiled brightly at me, handing over the box and two of the bags. I walked her back up to Rick’s door and rang the bell.

“PJ’s madam. Chop chop!” I heard Rick exclaim as he opened the door.

“Delivery.” I grinned. Rick’s back straightened at the sight of all the luggage.

“Come on in,” he grumbled. I put her things down and started for the door. “You’re leaving?” Rick sounded surprised.

“Yeah,” I turned to look at him. “I … uh … I was just on my way to the kitchen to grab the stuff for tonight.”

The corner of Rick’s mouth turned up into a half smile. He came to stand in front of me and gave me hug. “I’m happy for you.” He said in my ear. When he pulled back from me, I saw the genuineness of the statement in his eyes. He was happy for me, for us.

“I could …”

“No,” Rick shook his head. “Go, we’ll be fine here on our own. Wait!” He stopped me and turned to Lulu. “Does Riley like champagne?”

“Loves it.” She replied.

Rick scribbled something down on a piece of paper and handed it to me. “Look for this in the wine cellar. You got the strawberries?” I blushed as I nodded. Rick had given me a laundry list of food to set the mood. I had listened to him about the strawberries and had the staff dip them in chocolate for me. “Then you’re set.” He smiled. “I expect to see a great big mark in the morning.” He called after me as I left his suite.