Derailed (Clayton Falls #1)(15)
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

I tugged at the shirt, wanting the barrier out of the way. He drew away from me long enough to pull it over his head and toss it. His hand moved to the top of my dress, trying to yank the fabric down. He grunted in frustration when it wouldn’t move.

“You have to unzip it.”

“Oh,” he breathed, his hand finding the tiny zipper and pulling it down with urgency. “No bra?” He smiled, running his hands over the sensitive skin of my br**sts before continuing his assault on my dress, grumbling when it took a moment to pull it down over my hips. I loved the way his hands felt—and the excitement he stirred in me with just the smallest touch.

“The dress has one built in.” I looked up at him as he hovered above, running my hand down his chest, trying to get used to this older and more muscular version of the boy I grew up with.

His eyes raked over me, doing a similar evaluation. “I didn’t think it was possible, but you’re even more gorgeous now.”

“You don’t look so bad yourself.”

He grinned. “I’m glad you approve.”

As his hands continued their exploration, I tried to unbutton his shorts.

He put a hand over mine as it uselessly messed with the plastic. “I’ll get it.”

My body missed his touch as he moved to slip out of his cargo shorts and boxers.

“You’re still wearing too much clothing.” He hooked a finger in the side of my panties before slowly sliding them down and off of me. “That’s better.” He moved back to lay down next to me, his lips finding my ear and trailing down a path to my neck, his hand sliding between my legs.

“Ben?” I said breathlessly.

“Yeah?”

“Are we really doing this?”

He chuckled. “I hope so, or you picked a really bad time to change your mind.”

“I’m not changing my mind.”

“Good.”

His weight shifted as he reached for his discarded shorts, retrieving his wallet and pulling out a condom.

“You still carry one around with you?”

“You know, just like the house key, you never know when you’re going to need one.”

Various parts of my brain warned me that I was about to make a mistake, that having sex with Ben was the least intelligent thing I could do, but Ben silenced my concerns when he returned his lips to my neck, moving lower, only removing them to speak. “Tell me you missed me.”

I didn’t hesitate to answer. “I missed you.”

“Good. That’s all I needed to hear.”

***

“Damn, I forgot what that was like.” Ben flipped onto his back, clasping his hands behind his head, pulling his knees up.

I mirrored his movements, loving how uninhibited I was with him. Even after four years with Adam, I’d still had to fight the urge to cover up my body around him. “You forgot what sex was like?”

“I forgot what sex with you was like. Either my memories didn’t do it justice, or it’s gotten even better.”

“I think it was even better.” I hadn’t ever remembered feeling so physically fulfilled. I tried to hold onto the feeling of completeness so I could hold off the other thoughts that threatened to drown me.

“I’m glad you’re back.” He clasped my hand, placing our joined hands on his leg.

I thought about how the chemistry between us was too hard to ignore. Unless we found a way to avoid each other, this wouldn’t be a one-time occurrence. “This is going to keep happening, isn’t it?”

Ben turned to me with a sheepish grin. “If I have any say in it, it will.”

“Then we need to set down some ground rules, or well, at least one.”

“Okay, what rule?”

“We keep things purely physical.” Sex with Ben was fine, but I couldn’t let it go any further. I had nothing else to offer him

“So pretty much you want to use me for my body?” He arched an eyebrow.

“Is that going to be a problem?”

“Do I want no strings-attached sex? Hmm, let me think about it.” He pretended to mull it over before grabbing me to pull me on top of him. I looked down into his eyes, loving the contentment I saw there. “Okay, I know I just said it, but I’ll say it again, I’m glad your back.”

Chapter Eight

After kicking Ben out around one a.m., I got three hours of fitful sleep in before waking up screaming in a cold sweat. The nightmares were worse and seemed endless.

The dreams usually followed such a set pattern, but that night they almost felt like a movie stuck on replay. Just as I was ready to hit the water, I’d be back where I started. Then to make matters worse, images of my dad entered the fray. I’d never had dreams featuring both of them before.

Leaving Boston might have been a way to avoid memories of Adam, but I couldn’t stay in my childhood home without thinking about my dad. I idly wondered if I was being punished for actually enjoying myself. With relief, I pulled myself out of bed and got dressed.

Heading out for another run, I decided to take a different route. I wasn’t about to take the chance of running into Mr. Mathews again considering his son had just left my bedroom a few hours before. I headed up a few blocks, running along the beach, but in the opposite direction. The downside was that I was running into the wind when it was earlier and cooler out. At least I hoped that, when I was exhausted on the way back, it would be easier.

I saw a figure a little way ahead of me and contemplated hanging back so I wouldn’t come up on him. I changed my mind when he stopped. I would just have to pick up the pace and pass him. It was definitely a him—broad shoulders and extremely tall. I realized exactly who it was as I got close. He was still retying a shoe lace when I ran past. I hoped I would go unnoticed.

“Molly?” My first thought was whether I could pretend not to hear him, but the wind wasn’t that loud. Reluctantly I slowed down and stopped, turning to face him as he jogged to catch up with me.

“Hi, Gavin.”

“Hey. I never see anyone on my runs; nice to know I’m not the only one crazy enough to get up at the crack of dawn for exercise.” Gavin seemed to be in his natural element, and I doubted he really considered himself crazy.

I kept the fact that I hadn’t actually chosen to get up to myself. “I usually take another route.”

“Oh, okay. Do mind if I join you?”

“Sure, why not?”

“Great.” He started moving again, and I matched his pace. I assumed he was going slower for me, so I gradually sped up. He followed.