Forbidden Ch. 02

When she moaned, and he felt the vibration against his tongue, he loosened his hold on her before he gave in to the overwhelming urge to let her feel his need for her, and she tore her mouth away from his, turning her back to him. His chest heaved, and he stepped away, struggling to control his breathing. He waited for the evidence of his need to loosen its death grip on him before he approached her again. When he touched her arm, she flinched, and his heart ached. He'd broken his promise to her, and now she would never have anything to do with him again.

"Let's get you home," he said, his voice hoarse.

They walked back to the stand of taxis without touching each other, and he led her to the closest one. In the car, they sat as far apart as they could, neither speaking to nor touching each other. The ride was unbearable for Ben, who found his anger and frustration growing as they neared the hotel. He paid the cabbie and followed her up to her room. She already had the key card out and in the door, and she would have let herself in without another word if he hadn't stopped her with a hand on the door.

"Bronwyn, I'm sorry." He sighed, a frustrated sound, running his hands through his short black hair. "I don't want to lose you, and I'll probably never see you again after tomorrow. I need you, but you belong to some other guy. How do you think I feel, knowing you'll be going back to him, and I won't have you?"

He turned her to face him as he spoke, and watched her face change. Then he felt the tentative touch of her hand on his arm.

"Ben," she said his name shyly, making his heart turn over again, "How do you think I feel, knowing that I have a husband, and now you...?" Her words trailed off into silence, the words she had left unsaid speaking volumes of the feelings he had stirred up in her.

"The last time I felt like this about a woman, Jackie was alive, and I could make love to her. What am I supposed to do now?" His voice was hoarse with emotion.

He bent his head, and when she tried to dodge his kiss, he said, half-jokingly, "I've already broken my promise, and you're still intact. A kiss goodnight? That's all I ask."

Bronwyn couldn't resist him. She raised her face and let him kiss her, and only at the end did she open her mouth and let him taste her. She moaned when his tongue touched hers, and Ben lost himself, pulling her fully into his arms. Their breathing became labored, and Bronwyn wrapped her arms around his neck, finally pulling away from him only when she felt his arousal on her belly, trembling so badly she could hardly slide the key card into the slot.

"Goodnight," she said, looking into his passion-filled eyes, and slipped into her room.