Nina Ch. 02

Nina spent the morning sneaking around.

She snuck around her house, packing for the trip at an hour too indecent to wake her housemates.

She snuck along the sidewalks, around early-morning drunks and coffee-clutching workers, heading for the bus stop.

She should have been excited for this summer getaway, and part of her was. But it would be the first time seeing Ben since the incident eight months ago, and every time she thought about it, she burned with shame.

Shame and something else. Some nights, it was all she could think about as she laid in bed, her hands straying to that warm and longing place between her thighs...

As Nina sat on the bus, she remembered Ben's hands spanking her ass, rubbing it so sensually... She remembered him holding her head as he thrust himself inside her mouth. She sucked on her bottom lip absently as she recalled what it felt like to have the hard head of his cock pressed between her lips. And of course, he had been doing this while her other coach had been fucking her from behind. She squirmed in her seat, beginning to perspire despite the coolness of the hour. Was this trip really the best decision?

Although she was eager to reconnect with some old friends at their family's summer home, these were the same old friends who were friends with Ben, and he would be there.

Maybe if he hadn't called her. If he hadn't left her that voicemail-so simple, so direct. "It's Ben. Call me back." Or maybe if she'd just responded then and fobbed him off, something mollifying, something apologetic: "I'm sorry, I have too much going on."

But he had left the voicemail, and she hadn't responded. And here she was, feeling this simmering heat inside of her.

So it was that an hour and forty-five minutes later, after her friends Vic and Felicia had driven Nina to the vacation house, she found herself sneaking into the entryway and sneaking right on down the hall, listening carefully for Ben's low voice as she picked a room.

There were seven bedrooms in total-after all, this was a big vacation home built by Felicia's family in the 80s, back when they knew aunts and cousins and generations would all be getting together every summer, and when the little kids crammed into bunk beds in an upstairs room-and there would be ten or eleven occupants for a full week.

The rest of them had planned a short backpacking trip. It was May, not yet hot as Hades, but getting there. Nina would not be backpacking, since she didn't own the right gear, and she looked forward to having some time to herself. She had brought a swimsuit for the hot tub, money to contribute for the group's food expenses, daytime clothes, and running clothes. Although she was not as slender as many runners, she was in good company as a muscular, curvy woman with powerful legs-and a generously-developed ass.

Vic and Felicia had wanted to arrive early in order to make sure the house was set up and ready for people, but everybody else was hard on their heels: Dominic and Bethany had carpooled with Alexis and Charlotte; Tomas was giving a ride to Renata and Nate; and Ben was just pulling up in the driveway, too, Nina saw from the bedroom window.

Her knees trembled and she ordered them to be still. For some reason, she had the urge to lie down on her bed, stroking herself until Ben would come in...

She snapped out of it. This was too wild for her.

Nina had already said hello to everyone else and was now hidden away in her room, arranging and rearranging her things, trying to work up the courage to go out there and act like everything was normal. Being around these people brought back memories of when they had all taken kickboxing at the community center, and how she had felt hit over the head by her attraction to Ben.

Of course, she'd been totally mortified. Her self-regard was dangerously low, and combined with her lack of kickboxing skills, this didn't motivate her to try her best. Ben had become somewhat irritated with her and seemed confused by her reticence. Nina had feared he would get too close and she would crack, drunk on his nearness. Exposed.

She had unpacked her things and changed shirts twice. Settling on a comfortable tank top, Nina took a deep breath and opened her door, stepping into the hallway.

Everyone was chatting in the family room, lounging on chairs and the long leather sectional, and at first it seemed like she might get away without saying anything to Ben. He appeared to be deep in discussion with Vic. Relieved, Nina picked her way around Alexis and Charlotte, who were snuggled close in an armchair as they talked with Bethany and Felicia about dinner plans, and settled herself against the fireplace. It was close enough that she could join in conversation, but not so close that she felt uncomfortable.

"Hey, Nina," said Bethany warmly. Dominic, listening to Nate and Tomas describing the ancient video games up in the bunk room, sat next to his girlfriend on the sectional, holding her small white hand with his large brown one.

"What do you think about chili for dinner?" asked Alexis. With one hand she absent-mindedly stroked the length Charlotte's bare arm, from wrist to shoulder, squeezing the smooth muscle that ran between shoulder and neck.

"With cornbread, sweetie, don't forget the cornbread," Charlotte said, kissing her cheek.

"Sounds great," Nina replied. "Do we need to make a grocery run?"

Felicia thought for a moment before calling to Vic. "Hey, hon! Hon. We're thinking chili for dinner. Did you see cans and cornbread in the pantry?"

Vic got up and teased her. "You don't make real chili with canned beans. I don't think there's beef in the freezer, but I'll check on everything."

As he stood, Nina's glance fell on Ben, who had been talking to him. Ben met her eyes with a look that was hard and knowing. Even though he was several feet away, she felt suddenly as though he were only inches from her face. Nina blinked and sat back, breathing hard.

"Are you okay?" asked Bethany. Nina looked at her in time to see Bethany's gaze wander from Nina to Ben and back. Bethany's light blue eyes were wide and gentle under her fringe of wispy red hair, inviting Nina's confidence.

"Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, I'm good." Nina smiled and shrugged, hoping Bethany wouldn't ask anything else.

Vic returned with the news that the pantry was sorely lacking in everything besides cereal and coffee, and they would need to make a food run.

"But should we hit the local mart or go into Carleston for the big store?" Felicia mused. Her thin black brows drew together and her plump, raspberry-gloss-covered lips pursed as she considered their options.

Felicia, Vic, and Renata decided to sojourn to the town thirty minutes away for supplies. Everybody handed them cash-Felicia's complaints that "We can get receipts!" went unheeded-and they took off after another ten minutes of coming up with a list.

This prompted the breakup of the rest of the group. Dominic gave Bethany's hand a squeeze and asked if she would join him for a run, which she declined. Nate and Tomas, who had taken the bunk room, went up to play those primitive video games, while Charlotte, Alexis, and Bethany planned to hit the hot tub. "Come join us, Nina," Alexis called as she and Charlotte went to get changed.

Nina was edging out of the open-concept family room, trying to get down the hall and to her room but stuck behind a dawdling Bethany, when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"Nina," said Ben quietly. It was amazing, the bubble of instant privacy he could create when he said her name. She started to turn back toward him, but a heavy hand settled on the back of her neck, keeping her facing forward.

"Keep walking," he commanded, too low for Bethany to hear as she started up the stairs to her room. Bethany's slender, white legs, just covered by a short dress, jogged up the steps and carried her out of sight.

Alexis and Charlotte were already in their room, which Nina knew must be one of the ones they were going to pass as Ben guided her down the darkened hallway. She thought about flicking the light switch, but Ben made an impatient sighing sound and she kept walking.

When they finally reached the end of the hall, Nina felt her heart race as she reached out for her door knob, trying to shrug out from under Ben's large hand. No such luck. He tightened his fingers just enough to let her know he expected some kind of conversation.

Reluctantly, she turned to face him, unaware in her nervous state that she was hugging herself, the squeeze pushing her breasts up under her tank. She felt like it had been only yesterday, not more than half a year ago, that she and Ben had had their encounter-that she had been half-naked, vulnerable, aroused in front of him. She swallowed and found herself waiting for him to speak.

Ben could not help but feel frustrated. When he'd run into Nina at Coach Carter's gym so many months ago, he had thought they'd had a breakthrough.

Looking down at the anxious young woman standing in front of him, his hand the only thing keeping her from retreating to her room, he knew she was back in her shell.

The silence grew thick and heavy and warm with words unsaid. Ben drew his hand around Nina's neck until it cupped the side of her face, his thumb grazing her cheek, her chin, finally her lips, which parted for him. He resisted the urge to sink his digit into her mouth, though the images of their last meeting-his cock head pressing against the kiss of her lips, her mouth opening to receive him-blazed through his mind like wildfire. In the shadowy hall, he saw that she did not look into his eyes. Her gaze rested somewhere around his clavicle, or the hollow of his throat.

Some hot emotion rose inside him. Ben felt himself begin to harden at the lusty combination of memories; his need to dominate, to rule, to be acknowledged; his knowledge that Nina would only respond, and would respond powerfully, when she had no option but to admit to her desire, her role in this duet.

Nina had known him intimately, and yet she acted as though he didn't exist-just like before. He knew she had wanted him that evening in the gym. Had that changed? He would listen and find out.

But first, before he would give her that space, he would push her.

When his voice finally came out, he was surprised by how much it growled. "Open your door." He let his hand drop back to rest on her shoulder.

Nina drew in a shaky breath, turned to her room, and twisted the knob. She pushed it so it swung open, but she made no move to go inside.

He felt a warm rush of approval tingling in his hands and his groin. Still his voice rasped almost angrily, a sign of the tension gripping his chest. Ben wanted both of his hands on Nina; he wanted everything on her, he wanted to lie on top of her, he wanted to be inside her. He wanted to see her bare body fall open to him, for his consumption, for his need. He shook with a vision of her trembling with her own desire-asking him to touch her, to-

"Stop there," he said tightly. Nina had walked into the room with him close behind and was almost at the edge of the bed. Ben restrained himself from taking hold of her right then. For good measure, he took his hand off of her shoulder.

Holding himself back was a favor to them both, he knew, but it was increasingly difficult as she stood before him. Was she afraid or excited or both? It was beginning to torment him, not knowing.

"Put-don't hold-put your arms down," he said, too loudly, stopping himself from grabbing them and wrenching them down. He saw her eyes flick to his hands, which had begun to reach for her. When he did not touch her, she slowly let her arms come down to her sides, where they stayed tucked close.

This only piqued his lust and his frustration. She was so goddamn nervous. What had he ever done-besides now, he thought diplomatically, besides his aggressive orders now-but before, what had he ever done to cause such watery nerves in this woman?

"For god's sake, look at me!" He took two quick steps close to her until he was leaning over her, breathing his frustration into her face. She shied. Before she could match him step for step backward, he said, "Oh, no, you don't," and grasped her by the upper arms. She stiffened. They stood locked in that position, locked in a silent battle, for several long moments. Nina's beautiful lips formed a thin line as she sucked the bottom one between her teeth.

"Come on," Ben said cajolingly, rubbing his thumbs in friendly circles along her biceps, which were taut with her stress. "Look at me, please, Nina. Hmm?" he rumbled.

Nina's thoughts were going a million miles an hour, though she tried to keep her expression placid. She had seen his frustration before, but this new hands-on approach-she had to stop herself from laughing at the unintentional joke, as she was prone to do when stressed-was making her pulse race. Her mind was a mess of confusion. Hadn't Ben got what he wanted? Okay, so he had contacted her before, but she'd told herself he was just checking to make sure she had no regrets.

Then what was he doing here, in her room, so close to her that she could see the muscles standing out on his neck?

Perhaps she had offended him by not responding. She had wanted to respond, of course; she had wanted to hunt him down and give herself to him, to feel him handle her, to feel him explore her and pleasure himself with her; but she had buried those desires, or at least it was easier to convince herself that she had if she ignored his call. And he was a good man: he had not tried to contact her again.

If she had called him back, she would have tried to go to him, she knew. And he would have rebuffed her-crushed her-or he would have accepted, and she was terrified at what that would have meant, going down that road. Not to mention, she didn't want to be the beneficiary of his pity; if he accepted her, it was because he was too kind. He had always been so kind and patient.

And now, here he was being kind and patient again. He had hold of her, and the heat of his body was making her tremble, and the backs of her knees were hyper-aware of the bed behind them.

Here he was, imploring her patiently to just look at him.

Just a little look in his eyes, she told herself. In those beautiful, deep, warm eyes... Eyes Nina used to think she could fall into if she looked too long. Eyes that had made her feel weak and willing...

She marshaled her strength and forced herself to look up from his strong neck, past his chin rough with stubble, lingering on his sensual mouth, over his nose, and finally arriving to meet his eyes.

Nina felt like a deer in headlights at the intensity of his gaze. Her mouth opened in surprise, and Ben made a tight noise somewhere in his throat, his eyes raking over her lips. She felt his hands loosen their grip on her arms; instead his thumbs were rubbing again, the pads rubbing on her arms and the backs of them grazing her breasts, which heaved a little with her unsteady breathing. Overwhelmed, she tried to tear away from his look.

"No," he said, his voice low and compelling, his eyes boring into hers.

Now it was Nina's turn to make a small sound. It was like a complaint, Ben thought; almost akin to pleading. To what? Let her go, hold her harder, take her now? The soft, feminine noise triggered further stiffening of his erection. He kept it carefully away from her. He would press, but not like that. Not until he was sure of her.

Ben leaned in further until his cheek was nearly resting against the side of Nina's forehead. Chest to chest, he reveled in the feeling of her body trembling against him. He turned so his mouth came close to brushing her ear.

"Would you like me to leave? Hmm?" On this last syllable, she let out a frustrated sigh and, to Ben's delight, swayed into him. Between them, his thumbs had turned and he drew them in circles along her breasts until he had let go of her arms, bringing his palms over her chest, rubbing the warm flesh gently through her shirt. The tips of his fingers caressed the soft cleavage revealed by her tank top.

He stopped abruptly, straightened, and leaned back. The rush of cool air seemed to startle Nina out of a dream.

"Would you like me to stay?" He looked evenly at her.

He would find out for sure if she wanted him. Beyond her, the bed called to him. He saw himself bearing down on her, leaning over her face, seeing her emotions naked in her eyes as he thrust inside her again and again-

His throat was so tense with need that he almost couldn't managed to demand: "Tell me if you'd like me to stay," he whispered hoarsely.

Nina's face was pink, but she was nodding slowly; so slowly that Ben wasn't sure if she was even aware of it.

"I-" she began.

A knock sounded at her door.

"Nina?" A pause. "Hey dear, we're hitting the hot tub if you want to join us." It was Charlotte.

"Okay," Nina called softly. She hoped Charlotte couldn't hear the quaver in her voice. She swallowed to moisten her throat. "I'll be out."

Her eyes were no longer locked to Ben's, and she found she couldn't stop shaking. Out of all of her other feelings, intimidation had taken root and flowered in those last few minutes with him. She wanted him-she wanted him to take her-but the spell was broken and she felt like a silly schoolgirl, or maybe a dowdy old woman. Certainly outclassed by this magnetic man.

But he was still looking at her. Granted, his look wasn't quite as burning, and there was a curiosity in there that really frightened her-like he wanted to know her, or know something about her. Unconsciously she drew her arms around herself again.

"I'd better-I'm going to-," she started to say, but the shaking was in her voice and she shrugged and laughed, backing her way around the bed, as casually as she could. Ben hadn't moved but he seemed to be very far away from her now. She wanted something. For a minute she couldn't think what it was, until-

"Okay. Go ahead and get changed."

Permission, she realized. First intimidation, now permission? What was she getting involved with?

Ben smiled as though he knew what she was thinking. Nina lowered her eyes, embarrassed.

For several minutes, Nina just sat on the edge of her bed. She couldn't figure out how she felt. She looked down at her chest and remembered his hands...

When she finally joined Alexis, Charlotte, and Bethany at the hot tub, she didn't get in. Over her swimsuit (rather too skimpy, she'd thought wryly as she'd studied herself in a mirror) she wore a coral sleeveless dress, and she laid out a towel on which she sat and read in the afternoon sun. She had thought about bringing out her drawing book, but she felt shy about it, thinking the others might ask to see her work, so it sat on her dresser.

The girls talked lazily, warm and sleepy with that comfortable excitement of nearing the end of the first day of vacation, until the rounded shadows of the surrounding cedar elms lengthened into dark pools on the patio.

After a dinner of chili and cornbread, someone brought out four bottles of wine. The group that had gone to the store had gotten firewood, and then Vic and Felicia had found some stashed away in the garage, so they made use of the fire pit.

Renata had taken Tomas' place battling it out with Nate in Jungle King and Frogger, but everyone else gathered around the fire. Nina, Alexis, and Charlotte were on clean-up duty. With only a few dishes left, Nina firmly dismissed the other two, wanting a few minutes to herself.

She was slowly rearranging the bottom rack in the dishwasher when she felt Ben's presence. Sure enough, there he was when she looked up, on the other side of the counter.

Her desire for time by herself vanished. Although she felt wary and confused, she also felt her every nerve waiting on him, ready for him to say something.