Mystic Park (11 page)

“We want different things out of life.” Vaughn worked hard to keep his voice steady.

“But you still love her.” It was a statement, not a question.

“We're not together anymore.”

“The two of you dated for half of your life. You don't just wake up one day and decide you're over the other person.”

“I wish it was that easy.” Vaughn looked away from Olivia.

“Each time we went out, I sensed someone else was on your mind.”

“I'm sorry.” He'd never meant to make her feel uncomfortable or disrespected.

“So am I.” Olivia stood. “I think our relationship was over before it had a chance to begin.”

Vaughn rose to his feet. “Olivia—”

She raised her right hand, palm out. “Benita's a very lucky lady. I hope she comes to her senses soon.”

“I'm an idiot.” Vaughn scrubbed his hands over his face.

“No, you're a man in love.” Olivia turned toward the door. “Like I said, Benita's a very lucky woman.”

“Thank you, Olivia.”

She paused with her hand on the doorknob. “I've heard you have two brothers who look a lot like you. Any chance they'll be visiting soon?”

Vaughn smiled. “They're coming home for my play.”

“I look forward to meeting them.” Olivia disappeared through his office door, closing it behind her.

There was a burning sensation where his heart should have been. Vaughn drove the heel of his hand into his chest. Did Benita consider herself a lucky woman? Somehow he didn't think so.

“Thanks again for dinner. It smells delicious.” Benita stole another look at Vaughn, seated across from her at his small circular ash wood table in his tiny kitchen Thursday evening.

Benita gathered a forkful of the wild rice Vaughn had made to accompany the curried chicken. She'd bought the set of dishes for him as a housewarming gift when he'd moved into his first apartment in Trinity Falls.

Vaughn was a wonderful cook.
Has he cooked for Olivia Stark yet?
Benita felt the sharp bite of jealousy.

“Thanks for your help.” Vaughn seemed preoccupied as he sliced into his chicken again.

“Does Olivia know you invited me to dinner?” From where had that question come?

“Don't start, Benny.” Tension bracketed Vaughn's mouth framed by his neatly shaped goatee.

Interesting
. “I just asked whether she knew we were having dinner together. I'm curious.”

“There's no need for you to be.” Vaughn drank his iced tea.

“Is that your polite way of telling me to mind my own business?” Benita cut another piece of chicken. It had a strong, spicy flavor and melted on her tongue like well-seasoned butter.

“Yes.” Vaughn paused as he ate more rice and drank more iced tea. “Olivia and I aren't dating any longer.”

“Oh? What happened?” The stranglehold around Benita's throat eased. Her heart felt lighter.

“Nothing happened.” Vaughn shrugged his broad shoulders under his gray long-sleeved TFU jersey. The material flirted with the well-developed muscles across his chest. “We just aren't right for each other.”

“I see.” Joy washed over her.

For the remainder of the meal, they talked about their day, shared memories from their past, and discussed their plans for the rest of the week. Benita helped Vaughn clear the table and load his dishwasher. Then they made two cups of chai tea.

“OK, let's talk about casting your musical.” Benita led Vaughn back to his kitchen table. She resumed her seat, crossing her legs. “I assume I can't talk you out of giving Ginny Carp the lead female role?”

“Not a chance.” Vaughn's warm cocoa eyes laughed at her as he sipped his tea.

“And I can't change your mind about holding another audition?”

“No, you can't.” Vaughn set his mug on the table and cupped his hands around it. “Why would you want to?”

“Producing this musical has been your dream for years. Now that you have your chance, you should give it your best shot. Instead you're rushing it.”

“I'm satisfied with the people we found during yesterday's auditions.” Vaughn shrugged off her suggestions.

“That's my point. You've worked too hard to settle for being ‘satisfied.'” She flung her arm in a dramatic flourish. “You should be thrilled, excited, enthusiastic.”

“Another day or two of auditions isn't going to make a difference. I'd rather start the rehearsals.”

“Fine.” It was clear she wasn't going to change his mind.
Stubborn man.
Benita studied him over the rim of her cup. His determination was sexy—except when he was being obstinate with her.

“With Ginny as the female lead—the water fairy—whom do you have in mind for the male lead—the farmer?” Vaughn referred to his notes.

“Glenn Narcus.” Benita opened her project folder and scanned her summaries.

“I agree.”

“Well, that's a nice change.”

“Be kind, Benny.”

“Whom do you want to play the villain, Mama D'Leau?” Benita ran her right index finger down the sheet of paper.

“That one's hard.” Vaughn shuffled some papers. “I'm torn between Belinda Curby and Yvette Bates. What do you think?”

“Yvette Bates.” Benita was decisive. “Her voice is fuller, richer. Belinda fits better in the fairy chorus.”

“Good point.” Vaughn looked up from his papers and captured her gaze.

Benita smiled into his eyes. Was Operation Lure Vaughn Brooks to L.A. working? “This is fun. It reminds me of working on our high school senior project together.”

“Yeah, it does.” His voice was full of special memories, some innocent, some not quite as innocent. “Whom do you have as the villain's accomplice?”

They agreed on all of the remaining roles: Simon Knight, Darius's father, as the villain's right-hand person; and Stan Crockett as the hero's neighbor and best friend. In addition to Belinda, they agreed to cast as members of the fairy chorus Ethel Knight and Cece Roben.

The only casting on which they disagreed was Ginny Carp as the water fairy. Benita considered Vaughn in her peripheral vision. She'd pushed as hard as she dared. Vaughn was immovable. She'd have to come up with an alternate plan just in case her worst fears of Ginny flaking out on the production came true.

Vaughn gathered together his summary sheets. “It's nice to have someone to bounce off ideas about the play. Thank you.”

“You're welcome.” Benita packed her notes as well.

“I also owe you my thanks for defending the performance schedule to the auditioners yesterday.”

Benita smiled at his wry tone. “You'd have done the same for me. We make a good team.”

“We always have.”

Benita folded her arms on the table and leaned into it. “It's like the time in high school when you backed my campaign for senior class treasurer against one of your football teammates.” The memory of his support made her feel warm inside even eighteen years later. She needed him to stand with her again now and agree to her decision for them to live in L.A. Why wouldn't he?

“I still think you should've run for president.” Vaughn leaned back on his chair. He rested his right ankle on his left knee.

Benita pulled her gaze from his muscled thigh wrapped in denim. “And you'd still be wrong. I've explained this a thousand times. First, Jack was running for president. No one would've voted for me over a descendant of our town's founding family.”

“I would've.”

Benita ignored his interruption. “Second, the real power is with the money. Aunt Helen told me that and she was right.”

“You drove Jack nuts.” Vaughn chuckled.

“You guys had to justify every penny to me—for homecoming, prom, the senior class trip, everything. It was wonderful.” Benita licked her lips at the memory.

“Jack wanted to impeach you.” Vaughn's husky voice shook.

The comment burst her happy bubble. Vaughn had shared that insight before.

“You can't impeach a treasurer.” Benita scowled. “Can you?”

“If you hadn't relented on the prom theme, we would've found out.” His voice was full of laughter. She still couldn't decide if he was serious.

“Whatever happened to the football player who ran against me?”

“He works on Wall Street.” Vaughn propped his elbow on the table and cradled the side of his head on his palm. The movement brought him closer to her. She could smell his soap. Her heart fluttered.

“Are you serious?” It was a struggle to concentrate on their conversation, especially since she didn't want to.

“He must have gotten Ms. Helen's speech on money and power.” The warm laughter glowing in Vaughn's eyes was like a caress.

Benita's body responded to it. She didn't want to lose this man. Could she find a way to hold on to him as well as her dream of living in L.A.?

“I'm glad losing the election for high school senior class treasurer didn't distract him from his career goal.” Benita stood, carrying her empty tea mug to the dishwasher. She could feel Vaughn behind her.

“He seems to have everything: a job he enjoys and a family he loves.”

“His life does sound perfect.” Benita turned, finding Vaughn too close. She extended her hand for his mug, placing it beside hers in the dishwasher. “And what is it that you want?”

“What I've always wanted—you.” His voice was low, dark, and deep.

CHAPTER 13

Benita didn't know how she ended up in Vaughn's arms, but it was exactly where she'd wanted to be since the last time she'd felt his embrace. He held her so tightly to him. She felt every long, hard inch of him against every welcoming part of her.
Delicious
. His touch made her body ache. Benita twined her arms around his shoulders and slipped her hands up his neck and over his clean-shaven head. His skin was warm and smooth. Electricity coursed through her.

Vaughn's mouth moved over hers, caressing her, teasing her, filling her with anticipation. Benita parted her lips to catch her breath and Vaughn swept inside. His tongue slipped past her entrance, giving her a taste of what she could have again. And she wanted it. She craved the way he made her burn. She needed the excitement of touching him, tasting him. She longed to hear her name on his lips that way. But most of all, she ached for him to know she was the only woman who could give him what he needed. She would start by showing him what he liked.

Benita stepped away from Vaughn, ending their kiss. He looked at her with hot cocoa eyes. Benita braced her hands on his shoulders and leaped, wrapping her legs around his hips. Vaughn's eyes glowed. His hands squeezed her hips, pulling her tighter against his torso. The message in his eyes made Benita dampen. Her breath caught.

She lowered her head for another kiss. But this time, she took control. She pressed her way inside and explored. She ran her tongue over his teeth. He held her tighter. She stroked the roof of his mouth. His body trembled. She suckled his tongue. Vaughn groaned, long, low, and deep in his throat. A shiver of awareness rippled through her blood.

Vaughn turned and crossed the room. He stopped when her back pressed against a wall. “I don't want to drop you.”

“You're stronger than that.”

Vaughn groaned. “You make me weak.”

His words, his touch, his taste, his scent, his everything conspired to make her head spin. She lowered her hands to tug his jersey over his head. Vaughn helped her. Her lips parted with awe as her gaze ate up the broad expanse of muscled nutmeg torso. Her gaze followed the narrowing trail of hair until it disappeared between them. She lowered her head to kiss him again. Her fingers played in the hair on his chest.

Vaughn tucked a hand between them. A tug at her emerald silk blouse let her know he was freeing the row of buttons on the front of her shirt. Benita kept kissing him, tasting his lips, caressing his mouth, sucking his tongue. Vaughn stepped back from the wall and stripped her blouse free. A pull at her bra and the flesh-colored lingerie followed suit, falling to the wall-to-wall cream carpet.

She was topless before him. Her perch at his waist left her bare breasts practically at mouth level. Benita's breath grew shallow. Her pulse beat harder. Her nipples pebbled, aching for Vaughn's lips.

He lifted his gaze to hers. His cocoa gaze was scalding and intense. “You've always been my fantasy.”

Benita's heart melted. She offered him her breast. Vaughn drew her into his mouth. He suckled her, nipped her, rolled her on his tongue. Benita cupped the back of his head. She moaned her pleasure as her body flooded with desire.

Vaughn nudged her legs free of his waist. Together, they quickly disrobed, leaving their clothes in a pile near their feet. Benita's gaze rose from Vaughn's large, bare feet to his long, lean legs, and up to his bold erection. Her body grew hungry at the sight of its thick, proud length. Benita stroked it with her fingertips. Vaughn caught his breath. Benita lowered herself to her knees to taste him.

“Benita.” Vaughn's hand cupped her shoulder. His voice held a note of caution. Was he close to the edge? So was she.

She ran her tongue over the length of him, then drew him back into her mouth. Benita cupped his hips and found a rhythm for her ministrations. She wanted him to know this is what he'd have—and more—if he moved to L.A. with her.

“Benny, wait.” He sounded urgent.

Benita took him deeper, moving her tongue over him. Vaughn stepped back, his breathing ragged.

“I want to come inside you.” He helped her to stand, then escorted her to the living room.

Benita watched as he tossed his sofa cushions to the floor. He came back to her, swept her from her feet, and carried her to the makeshift bed. He laid her on the cushions, then braced himself on his arms above her. “This is what I want.”

Vaughn cupped her breast, kneading it and pinching her nipple as he gazed into her eyes. Benita couldn't lay still. Her legs shifted restlessly on the pile of cushions as sensation radiated from the tip of her breast to the core of her desire.

“I thought you were going to come inside me.” Her voice was broken and breathless.

“I am.” Vaughn lowered his head and kissed her.

He stroked his tongue across the seam of her lips at the same time that he separated her folds with his fingers. Benita shivered with surprise. He penetrated her mouth with his tongue as he pressed first one finger, then a second inside her. Benita gasped. Vaughn deepened their kiss. He picked up a rocking motion with his hand. His thumb stroked her clitoris. Benita spread her thighs, hungry for his attention. Her hips lifted to him, twisting under the sensation. And then he stopped.

“Vaughn.” Benita gritted his name past her teeth. “I need you.”

“I need you, too.” He gave her a full-body caress with both of his hands. His palms moved over her breasts, down her torso, past her hips.

His mouth followed. Vaughn kissed her nipples, then took her breast into his mouth. Benita's core heated again. She felt her desire pool inside her. Vaughn kissed his way down her body, lingering at her navel, her waist, her hips. His breath blew against her nest of curls. Desire flowed freely now. Vaughn dragged his fingers through her soft shield. Her lips trembled. Benita's muscles tightened with anticipation. Then he cupped her derriere and lifted her to his mouth. Benita gasped in surprise, anticipation. Joy. Vaughn kissed her intimately, deeply, over and over and over again. He licked her. He sipped her. And when he slipped his fingers inside her again, a fireworks display exploded behind her tightly closed eyelids. Blood pounded in her ears. Wave after wave of sensation rolled over her. Her body shook and tossed like a toy lifeboat at sea. Vaughn kissed her one last time, then lay her hips back down on the cushion.

Benita spread her thighs as the echoes of pleasure still pulsed inside her. They'd stopped using condoms years before. Benita was on an oral contraceptive and they were both clean. Vaughn came to her and with one long, smooth thrust joined with her. Benita's body trembled with sensation.

Vaughn's heart pounded in his chest so hard he thought it would punch its way free. Benita was driving him crazy with desire. It was more than her sultry body, the sexy way she kissed, or the seductive way she touched. It was the way she looked at him that said they were together. It was the way she reached for him as though she needed him close. He held her gaze as he moved inside her. He felt her inner muscles squeezing him. He clenched his teeth as sweat broke out all over his body.

He whispered with his lips beside her ear. “None of your tricks, vixen. I want to stay inside you a little bit longer.”

“Stay as long as you'd like.”

Vaughn groaned. He pressed against her and rolled his hips. She wrapped her legs around him and held him close. Vaughn gathered her against him and turned onto his back.

“Ride me.” Vaughn stared up at Benita as she straddled him. Her firm, curvy figure wore a sheen of perspiration. Her hazel eyes glowed with desire. Her hair was tangled around her heart-shaped face.

Benita smiled. She arched her back and set a rhythm that made his eyes cross. Vaughn cupped her breasts, letting her nipples graze his palms as they bounced in time with her movements. She rocked him, squeezed him, pressed her hips against him. Vaughn panted, straining toward completion. He felt himself slipping toward the edge. He released Benita's breasts and cupped her thighs, holding on for dear life. He heard her groans like the lyrics to a song as her body urged her to pleasure with him. Vaughn raised his hips against her, deeper, harder. His body bowed with strain. He slipped his hand between Benita's thighs and found her spot. He touched her. Benita gasped. Her body convulsed, drawing him with her over the edge, falling together and landing as one.