A Mess of a Man (Cruel & Beautiful #2)(111)

“For now,” I groan.

If she only knew how bad I wanted to be buried to the hilt in her, she might be afraid. The need I have for her is all consuming.

I head in the kitchen for the one other thing I need. With glass in hand, I head back to the living room and strip off my shirt. Before this is over, I want to be skin to skin with her. I want to remember every curve. And I don’t want to take too long to be free of my clothes.

Planting myself between her legs, I take an ice cube from the tumbler I brought. Placing it in my mouth, I lean in. I press the tip of the frozen cube gently against one of her nipples. And after a second it draws tight.

“See, it’s still responsive,” I say, as if I needed another experiment.

She sucks in a breath as goosebumps erupt on her skin. It isn’t as if we haven’t tested her nipples a million times before, every chance I get. But still, I say the words. With my hand, I cup and massage her perfect tits. No, they aren’t the ones she was blessed with originally. But they’re even better. And not because they feel better, because they don’t. Don’t get me wrong, they are so much more real than I expected. The reason they are better is because they won’t be the cause of her death.

And even if one day she’s diagnosed with cancer, we will fight it together. And God forbid it steals her life from me. Thankfully the chances of that are small. But if it happens, I will rejoice in our time together. I will celebrate her life, not mourn her death. Like I know she would mine, if fate takes me from her first.

I continue to squeeze and tease her breast as I head lower with the ice to settle between her legs. I plan to spend an eternity here. Or whatever time we have. I’ve learned my lesson on that score.

I force all other thoughts away as I push what’s left of the ice inside her. Her back arches off the chair as I suck her clit into my mouth. I stroke my tongue over it and suck it again for however long it takes until she shatters around me screaming out her pleasure. Because even though I will have a bad case of blue balls for the next several weeks, this night is all about her.





One Month Later



The wedding is fast, but not fast enough. My cruel sister convinced Sam it was a good idea we abstain for a month before the wedding. I sit and fidget in my chair as my cock decides to make another protest by beating at the fly of my pants. Sam’s delicious tits are practically spilling out of the top of her dress. I’m afraid I’m going to drool and the photographer is going to catch it. Every time I’ve seen her, she’s been in loose fitting clothing. She told me it was so she wouldn’t tease me. But I say just the opposite. Imagining what lay beneath has had me practically investing in a lube company. She’d taken our month long vow of chastity to another level. I blame it on my sister’s encouragement. My lovely but somehow sadistic fiancée found it funny that my hand developed blisters that have now turned into calluses.

The joke is on me, but the results are incredible. The first time I kissed Sam in a month is today at the altar. I have to admit, I will probably remember that moment more due to our abstinence. And I had to fight myself not to squeeze her ass during that kiss while my groomsmen made jokes behind my back.

I look down the long table of the wedding party and notice my bride is too kind for her own good nature. The sheer number of our wedding party nearly overwhelms me. She had to have her sister, her best friends, plus Jenna stand up for her, which meant I had to recruit two other guys for my side.

When my best man, or should I say, best woman, taps her wine glass with a spoon, I know we’re in the home stretch.

I watch as Cate stands in her fitted tux. What I don’t expect is for her to pull out a letter. And immediately, I know whose words she’s about to read.



Benny,



Well, dude, you finally did it. I knew this day would come, even though you had your doubts. You never had faith in yourself, but I always did. I would’ve placed all my money on you any day of the week—that’s how much I believed in you. And do you know why? Because no matter what happened, you always had my back. Even when the chips were down, and you know what I’m saying here, you always looked for the brightest spot. That includes the time I decided to learn how to skate. I think you were the only one who thought I could do it. I told you that you were my mountain. And it’s true. You were when I was five and you stayed that way to the end. That’s why I loved you so much.

You have no idea how much I wish I could be with you today to celebrate, but know that I'm here in spirit. There are so many things I'd like to say to you right now but the number one thing that stands out the most is—damn, I wish I could've seen your face when you said, “I do.” All those times I told you how you'd know when you found your one and only—brother, what I wouldn’t give to have seen your eyes shine with love when you looked at your wife walk down the aisle. She must be one very special lady to have landed you. Treat her with kindness, Ben, like the most precious bird. Be gentle and caring and love her with everything you have.

To that special lady my brother married—I know he can be an idiot and hardheaded at times, but be patient with him, and trust me on this—you will never find a man who is more generous with a bigger heart than Ben Rhoades.

And to both of you—live life to its fullest. Cherish it like it’s your most prized possession. Never take each other for granted or the time you share together.