Proposal in Room 309 Page 2

  Your past has nothing to do with Ben, she told herself, forcing herself to smile. It’s a night in a nice hotel, Bennett, not a prison sentence.

  She slipped her hand into Ben’s broad one and squeezed. ‘It sounds amazing, Ben.’

  It didn’t, not really, but a little white lie could be forgiven since he’d gone to so much trouble to organise this for her birthday. ‘Luggage?’ she asked, still looking for an excuse.

  ‘Waiting for us at the front desk. Clothes for the morning, an outfit for tonight, your make-up bag and toiletries.’

  God bless Ben’s organisational skills, she thought.

  She lifted a naughty eyebrow. ‘Pyjamas?’

  ‘Jo…’ Ben drawled. ‘In the six months we’ve been living together, how many times have you slept in pyjamas?’

  Ah, good point. ‘Never,’ she admitted. ‘Mostly because you take them off as soon as I get into bed.’

  Ben’s eyes darkened with passion. ‘Exactly. So, we’re going to go up to our room, get naked, play around and then we’re going to have dinner and then we’re going to play around some more.’

  Yeah, dinner and stunning sex. Brilliant birthday present!

  ***

  Ben and Joely walked into the lift and when the lift doors closed behind them, Joely stood in front of Ben, her hand behind her, resting on his thigh. Ben wound his arm around her waist and nuzzled that sensitive spot just under her ear. The other couple in the lift, huddled into opposite corners of the lift and looking middle-aged and tired, glanced their way.

  ‘We used to be like them,’ the woman hissed at her husband and in the reflection of the metal panels Ben saw her pursing her lips.

  ‘Like what?’ the husband asked in an equally low but easily distinguishable tone.

  Pursed Lips threw a malevolent glance at her husband. ‘You know…happy. Young, excited to be together…then we got married!’

  Ben tipped his head back and swore silently. Seriously? Again? He thought the divorcing couple in the bar were a one off and he was now stuck in a lift with Mrs Unhappy and her Furious Spouse. Ok, universe, catch a clue. I want to ask her to get married, not reinforce her beliefs that marriage is very bad idea. Help me out here, ok? Happy married’s only please.

  ‘Can we not discuss this now?’ the man asked.

  Good plan, Ben thought, hoping the wife would keep their marriage woes to herself. He saw her take a deep breath and knew that he was out of luck. Forgetting, or not caring, that Ben and Joely were in the lift with them, the volume of her voice lifted. ‘I cannot believe that you hauled me off to this stuffy hotel when you knew that I wanted to go to Vegas! Before we were married, you listened to me and paid attention to my needs!’

  Ben wanted to send the man a sympathetic look but refrained. Guess you’re not getting lucky tonight, mate.

  ‘Twenty five years and it comes to this!’ The woman hissed the words and Ben saw Joely grimace.

  This being a holiday in one of the greatest cities in the world, staying at one of the greatest hotels in the world. Not exactly a shabby proposition, Ben thought.

  The lift stopped and the husband looked at his wife with blazing eyes and didn’t bother to keep his voice down. ‘Frankly, twenty five years is far too bloody long to put up with you and your miserable attitude.’

  ‘Wow,’ Joely said to Ben as the couple stomped out of the lift. ‘And I thought this hotel was supposed to be super-romantic, an oasis away from all of life’s troubles.’

  Yeah, so did he. Dammit.

  Chapter Three

  Ben reached for her as soon as the door to their room shut behind him. Joely had an impression of a small sitting room with a couch and a chair, the scent of flowers, before Ben’s arms wrapped around her back and lifted her up and into him. Joely wrapped her legs around his waist and lowered her mouth to his and fed him kisses in a long, passionate stream. She adored the way she felt in his arms, feminine and small, protected, loved. There was so much to love about Ben and her passion for him was as strong as it had been when they’d first met and that was a constant surprise to her. She was still in awe of his strength, loved the play of those hard muscles under masculine skin, the deep groan of appreciation he made in his throat to tell her he enjoyed her fingers skittering across his body, the way his grey eyes deepened with passion as she rubbed herself against the long length of him, a promise of naughtier, sexier things to come.

  ‘Birthday sex,’ Joely said, smiling against his lips. ‘Yay.’

  ‘And how should birthday sex be better than normal sex?’

  ‘You’re a smart guy, I’m sure you can figure it out,’ Joely told him, sliding down his body so that her feet hit the floor.

  ‘Well, if I’ve got to raise my game than we need to get naked.’ Ben’s voice drifted over her, raising the fine hairs on her forearms. His voice was as deep as the night, as sexy as sin. Joely knew that Ben had the ability to talk her into an orgasm, mostly because he’d done it before. Ben often travelled for business but he didn’t believe that should put a stop to their sex life. They’d shared many late night phone calls - and one mid morning one, if she recalled correctly - and he always brought her to an earth-shattering orgasm just by telling her what he wanted her to do to herself.

  And she to him. They were really good at phone sex, hell, they were really good at everything together.

  Ben lifted her t-shirt up and over her head. ‘Fast now, slow later.’

  ‘Sounds like a plan,.’ Joely muttered against his mouth.

  Ben stepped away to efficiently strip himself of his shirt and tie. His underwear came off with his suit trousers and then he was naked, his long, lean body an unending delight. He had the face and frame to grace any sports magazine cover but got incredibly embarrassed when Joely told him how hot she thought he was.

  He still liked it though. She poked her finger into his stomach. ‘You’re getting fat, Duncan. Only a seven pack today, not an eight.’ His eyes danced with pleasure as she ran her hand over his hip and down his oblique’s. ‘You know what we doctors call this muscle?’

  ‘Oblique’s, I think.’

  ‘Nah, that’s what the male doctors call them.’

  Ben sucked in his breath as her hand moved over his hip and his erection jumped.

  ‘It’s a highly scientific phrase…’

  ‘Yeah, yeah…what?’

  ‘The make-women-drool muscles. And yours are pretty spectacular.’

  ‘Shaddap.’ Ben flicked open the clasp holding her bra cups together and her breath hitched at the look on his face as her breasts were revealed to his hot gaze. He licked his lips as his thumb brushed over her pale skin before sweeping over her puckered nipple. ‘God, you are so beautiful.’

  The world could go to hell around them and they wouldn’t surface until they’d satiated this crazy compulsion they’ had for each other, until they’d rid themselves of this burning, aching need. Suddenly Joely couldn’t wait a second longer until she had Ben inside her, rocking her, chasing her to one of those magnificent orgasms that he’d been the only one to coax from her. She lifted her hand to his neck to pull his head down to hers.

  ‘Fast and hard. Now.’

  ‘It’s your birthday…’ Ben agreed.

  ***

  So, that was different, Joely thought as he watched through slitted eyes as Ben left the massive bed after round two of birthday sex and headed towards the massive en-suite bathroom. Ben was, consistently, an amazing lover but he’d surpassed himself tonight.

  If round one had been wild and crazy then what they’d just shared had been sublime. He’d worshipped her. There was simply no other way to describe it. It had been as if he was making love to her for the first and last time, anxious to imprint every nuance of her body on his memory. He touched and kissed and…and drank her in; inhaled her, tasted her, consumed her.

  Her orgasm, when he’d finally allowed her to explode, nearly blew her head off. As a result she just wanted to roll over and bury her he
ad in this squishy pillow and drift off…

  Ok, Mr Chatsfield, sir, this really was a super-fine bed.

  Sublime sex, check but - and she really wasn’t being picky - but she couldn’t help noticing that for the first time in…well, forever, he didn’t tell her that he loved her as he pulled away from her, didn’t kiss her stomach as he left her. It was such a little thing, kissing her navel, but he always, always did it and she had to wonder why he’d forgotten tonight. She was shocked at how much it worried her that he didn’t do it either…

  She felt Ben sit on the side of the bed, felt him pull a strand of hair off her cheek. She rolled over to look at him and her breath caught at the emotion flickering in his eyes…was that trepidation? Anxiety? What on earth…

  ‘Are you ok?’ she asked, sitting up.

  One big muscled shoulder lifted and fell. ‘Sure, why wouldn’t I be?’

  Joely bit the inside of her lip, searching his eyes. Yep, it was still there. ‘You’re worried about something.’

  Ben held her look and she sighed when she saw the shutter close in his eyes. She hated when he did that, hid his emotions from her. ‘I’ve just had amazing sex with the woman I adore and we’re about to have dinner in a world-class restaurant. Nothing is wrong.’

  Uh…yeah, that wasn’t the truth. And she couldn’t believe how much it hurt to know that he’d evaded her question. It wasn’t what he did, they did…they were always unfailingly honest with each other.

  ‘I’m going to shower. Or do you want to go first?’

  God…now he was being polite? What was going on with him? Ben - her Ben - was never polite. He was straightforward and bold… Joely felt a ball of cold anxiety in the pit of her stomach as he walked back towards the bathroom.

  Was this their last hurrah, was he thinking of calling it quits? Was this fancy hotel room and reservations at the restaurant a way to pave his way to a kiss off? The last couple of months had been hectic with them both working long hours but everything was fine with them….wasn’t it? Would she be even able to tell? She came from a home where break ups came out of the blue and, because she was too busy studying; she’d hadn’t really had a proper, adult relationship before Ben. She wasn’t clever when it came to people and emotions…

  Joely bit her lip and felt frustration with herself. You’re looking for ghosts where there aren’t any, she told herself. You’re having a major over-reaction here, blowing everything out of proportion. Get a grip, you idiot.

  She would, Joely assured herself, as soon as she managed to dissolve the ball of anxiety lodged deep in her duodenum.

  ***

  Standing at the vanity, in front of the massive mirror in the bathroom Joely pulled her long hair into a twist and anchored it with a couple of pins she held in her mouth. Standing in her black strapless bra and panties, she saw Ben lean one shoulder into the frame of bathroom door, his black tie hanging against his white dress shirt.

  ‘I can’t believe that we have reservations for the restaurant here,’ Joely said, swiping blush across her cheeks.

  ‘Food and sex, two of your favourite things,’ Ben replied. He folded his arms and crossed one ankle over the other. ‘Are you happy, Jo?’

  Surprised at the out of the blue question, Joely jammed her mascara wand into her eye. ‘Ow, dammit, ow…hell.’

  She slapped the palm of her hand over her eye and cursed, knowing that she’d smeared the eye shadow she’d carefully applied to get those smoky eyes that were all the rage at the moment.

  ‘Dammit, Ben…you have to give me some warning if you’re going to ask a question like that.’ Joely grabbed a cotton wool pad - thank you Chatsfield housekeeping! - and swiped it across her eye.

  ‘I didn’t ask you to donate a kidney, I just asked you if you were happy,’ Ben retorted.

  ‘You know I am.’ Joely wiped away the mess and picked up the eye shadow to start again. ‘Why would you even doubt that?’

  ‘Do you want to change anything, mix things up a bit? Add something new?’

  If she angled her head she could see the edge of the bed, the now very messy bed. The pillows were on the floor, her feet had been on the headboard at one point, the covers were a tangled mess. Joely sucked in a deep breath. Oh boy…they had a pretty inventive sex life but that was all it was…creative. Inventive. Different positions, a little this, some of that but nothing that she couldn’t handle and nothing she felt uncomfortable with. She’d read her fair share of the bondage books that were now popular - who hadn’t? - and while it was titillating, she really didn’t want to go that far. She was a doctor, she knew what could go wrong…God, she’d retrieved things that got stuck, treated heart attacks after sex. No, she’d keep doing it the way God intended…with a little variation here and there.

  Where was he going with that question and did she want to go there?

  ‘Earth to Joely?’

  Joely shook her head. ‘A threesome is out, so are whips, chains and butt plugs. I might consider role playing if it wasn’t weird.’

  Ben sent her a I-have-an-alien-standing-in-my-bathroom look. ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘Sex.’ Joely replied, confused. ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘Not threesomes and bondage or…flipping butt plugs. God.’ Ben started pulled on the ends of his tie, flipped them over and let out a huge sigh. His eyes met hers in the mirror and he shook his head. ‘For a super-smart woman you can be extraordinarily dense sometimes, Doc.’

  Joely turned around and watched him walk away, non-plussed at their conversation. What did she do and where, exactly, did she lose track of this conversation?

  Chapter Four

  There was something about walking into a restaurant with a stunning woman on your arm and having everyman present turn to look and look again. So his ego liked it, Ben thought on an internal shrug, so sue him. He was a man and just a couple of evolutionary steps up from grunting ’she’s mine‘. Was that another reason why he wanted his ring on her finger, as a physical representation of ownership? He’d never believed in the concept of a woman as a possession but when male eyes bounced between her impressive cleavage in that sexy black cocktail dress and her long, slim legs and her knock-the-breath-away face, he could make a case for it.

  Joely’s hot factor aside, he had work to do tonight. Serious work, important work - planning-the-rest-of-their-lives work. He was determined, one way or the other, that Joely would end up wearing his ring tonight…

  Over supper he would broach the subject again and this time he wouldn’t beat around the bush like he had earlier. They would have a rational, adult conversation and he would talk her round. Hell, he negotiated deals and contracts on three continents, surely he could talk his lover into making their live-in arrangement a little more structured, a great deal more permanent?

  Ben slipped his hand inside his jacket and touched the box holding her ring. He wasn’t picky, if he saw a weakening in her defences or any opening to get it on her finger, he’d take it. It was galling to admit that begging wasn’t out of the question either.

  Having been raised by his aimless father, he was a product of a single parent home and he wanted his offspring to have a mother and he wanted to raise his kids in the most secure environment he could, which he believed was marriage.

  But, at the end of the day, it was all about Joely; smart, opinionated, full of integrity. Having her in his life, as his companion for the rest of his life, would make him…well, better. Bolder. The best version of himself.

  Joely’s tug on his arm pulled him back to the opulent restaurant. Both Joely and the maître d were looking quizzical. ‘Sorry, what did I miss?’ he asked.

  ‘Do you have a reservation, Sir?’

  Ben greeted the maitre d, absently gave his name and followed as they were led to a corner table in the black and white and silver restaurant. Yeah, this was what he imagined; tables draped in Egyptian linen and precisely dressed with heavy, sparkling cutlery and glasses. Massive black and
white abstract photographs decorated the walls, cleverly placed. Rich, classy, opulent.

  And they hadn’t even looked at the menu yet.

  ‘Oh this is just fabulous, Ben. Wow! I’m overwhelmed and touched that you’ve organised all this for my birthday.’

  Ben pulled out Joely’s chair and took his. Her birthday…right. He’d momentarily forgotten that she thought that they were there to celebrate her birthday and he twisted his lips. Maybe he should delay this whole proposing thing to a more suitable time. You’re in a beautiful, romantic restaurant that is world class and you are spending the night in a lavish suite that is made for romance. When exactly are you going to find a more suitable place and time, Duncan? You are looking for a delaying tactic, he mocked himself, and that’s a pathetic excuse to delay the inevitable.

  ‘Ben?’

  Joely’s hand smacking his yanked him back to the present. ‘What?’ he asked, looking confused.

  ‘The sommelier is asking whether we’d like some wine.’

  Wine, God, of course. Wake up, Duncan! ‘Sorry…wine, of course.’ He looked at his lover. ‘Would you like a red or would you prefer some champagne as we are celebrating?’

  ‘Champagne please.’ Joely’s dimples deepened as she smiled.

  ‘Excellent. I have a new dry champagne in that I highly recommend.’

  Ben nodded. He couldn’t remember the name of a single champagne at the moment if his head was on the line. ‘That sounds great.’

  ‘May I be so bold as to enquire what the celebration is? Honeymoon, anniversary, engagement?’

  A look of surprised horror passed across Joely’s face; well, there was a hint that she wasn’t in the same place as him with regard to marriage. Hell, she wasn’t even on the same planet! Joely jumped into the ensuing, awkward silence. ‘Um…it’s my birthday.’

  ‘Then happy birthday, my dear.’ The sommelier bowed once and backed away.

  Joely looked at the extensive place settings and scratched the back of her neck. Why was Ben looking like a thunder cloud because that nice man had asked them what they were celebrating. It wasn’t like it was a state secret. And what was with his long silences and wafting off to Never Never land every so often? What was going on with him?