See Part One for Disclaimers and Author's Notes
Part Four: Benton, Nina, and "Guests"
"I don't think I've ever seen a more glorious sunrise. Well, we didn't see the actual sun, of course, given that we were in an apartment building, but the windows did face east, so --"
Sigh. "Son."
"Right. Sorry, Dad. The point is, it has been a very long time since I've woken up with a woman in my arms with whom I am -- I'm certain of it -- completely in love, and who loved me in return. And whom I didn't have to worry about turning in to the police."
Say what?
"That was a joke, Dad."
Oh. "Of course it was, son. I knew that." Really, I did. "Speaking of that, though. . ."
"Yes?"
"Well, you have noticed the resemblance?"
This time he sighs. "Of course, Dad. To be perfectly honest it was one of the first things I noticed, but that's not why I'm in love with her -- or why I was interested in her in the first place. If anything, it should have made me run."
"From her or to her?"
"Dad!"
"It's just that the last time you saw Victoria, Ray had to shoot you to keep you from going with her."
"Ray shot me by accident, Dad. And that was almost a year ago."
I stay silent.
"I'm over her, Dad! And she has nothing to do with why I'm in love with Nina. She is nothing like Victoria!"
Sigh.
"I can't believe you're doing this! I'm truly happy for the first time in I don't know how long and you're trying to make me doubt it!"
"I can't make you feel anything you don't already feel, Ben."
Blue eyes flash, just like his mother's. "So you're asking if I have doubts? All right, I admit it: I have doubts! But they're small ones and most of them disappeared last night!" A little sigh; he looks so young when he does that, so very young. . . "I love her, Dad. Whether I was first attracted to her because she looked like Victoria has nothing to do with that. She is," he struggles to find the right words; he never was eloquent when it came to this kind of thing, "warm, and giving, and intelligent. She makes me laugh, makes me feel like I'm a child again -- innocent and free and. . .happy, Dad." Quietly, now. "She makes me happy. I didn't think I could ever find that, not after. . . I would hope and dream, but I never really expected it to happen. But it has. With her, because of her."
His eyes lighten a bit and he smiles, that little half-smile I've only seen a few times in my life -- and death. "When I woke up today," he continues, "the first thing I was warm. . .and content. . .and for a second I wasn't even aware of why. And then she shifted a little in my arms, and I looked down at her. . .and. . ." He looks at me, with a mixture of surprise and delight and triumph. "And I knew it was Nina! Not for one moment did I think it was Victoria, not for even a split second, half- awake. I knew it was her. The smell of her -- her shampoo, her perfume, her skin -- and the feel of her in my arms. And it felt. . .right, Dad. It felt right."
He smiles, caught up in memory. "I touched her hair, and ran my hand down her shoulder and arm. . .her skin is so smooth. . .and I touched her hand, curled my fingers between hers. . .and she woke up and looked at me with those beautiful, deep, brown eyes. . .and then she smiled and lifted her face towards me to kiss me, and --"
Okay, that's enough! I'm dead, but I'm still his father for heaven's sake!! "That's nice, son, glad you had a good morning." I start getting ready to leave and he blinks and looks at me as if he'd forgotten I was there. Huh. No respect. "I'm, ah --" Damn, but I'm as bad at this as he is. "I'm happy for you, Benton. I'm very. . .happy for you. . .for both of you."
He smiles, his eyes soft and glowing; just like his mother's. He really is happy. "Thank you, Dad. I appreciate that." I nod and smile. And then I'm gone. I have a lunch date with Nina's grandmother at two . . .
Oh my god . . . I have in-laws again.
***
I can't believe I have in-laws again. I mean, Frank's family was nice enough but I thought when I died I wouldn't have to deal with them unless I really wanted to and the living ones aren't the type to see spirits, so why expend the energy? and the dead ones are. . .well, they have no sense of obligation. Go flitting off to the hereafter and their next lives and leave their kin all by their lonesome. No sense of family. I was born and raised in a big family, raised one of my own, and I'm not leaving my grandbabies without some guidance. Not that they ever listen. . .
"So does he wear red undies?"
"Grandma!!" She looks so cute when she's indignant. "First off, that's not any kind of question to be asking me and second, do you think for once you could appear in front of me?!"
"That wouldn't be any fun," I answer, and survey the bed critically. "Didn't I teach you to make your bed? I'm turning over in my grave."
She lets out an explosive sigh. Lord, but this is so much fun! "Grandma," she says sweetly, "you don't have a grave. You were cremated and your ashes spread over the lake. If you're doing anything, it's agitating the fish."
I raise an eyebrow. "Have some respect -- I raised you."
She sighs and tosses her hair out of her face. "I know. I'm sorry, Grandma. but -- well, I don't like you talking about him like that."
I smile. It's so sweet I could cry; my grandbaby's all grown up, defending her man. . . "I'm sorry, cara. You really do love him, don't you?"
She gives me that little smile that always made my heart light up. "Yes. Yes, I really do." She sighs and sits on the bed, looking all fresh and a still a little rumpled in her robe. "He's -- he's wonderful, and loving, and generous, and. . .I didn't think someone like him existed. To have gone through what he has, and still be so . . . sweet, and innocent, and . . ." She smiles a little, looking up at me, and I sit by her on the bed. "It scares me sometimes, to tell you the truth. I mean, there aren't supposed to be men like him in the world. A real-life knight in shining uniform. But there are, and this one's mine. And I'm happier than I've ever been. Sometimes I can't believe it's real. Even now, after last night. . ."
I smile a little slyly; it's the best way to get her off that train of thought. "So how was he?"
"Grandma!"
She blushes and I realize a) it must have been good and b) do I really want to know? I mean, I'm dead, who am I gonna fool around with? Though that Vecchio guy does keep making eyes at me. . .naah.
"It was. . .wonderful," she says finally, shyly. "Just wonderful." She shivers a little and I sigh. My grandbaby is definitely grown up now. . .and in love. "And when I woke up. . .he was stroking my arm, real light, you know? And then he put his hand in mine, and then I looked up at him and kissed him and. . .and then we made love again. . ." She sighs and looks at me, smiling. She's got her Daddy's eyes, all wide and brown and sincere. "I love him so much, Grandma."
I smile and nod, wanting so much to squeeze her hand. "I know," I tell her. "And he loves you too."
A little frown at that. "How do you. . .Grandma, you weren't. . .!!"
"No, I wasn't!" Then. "But I have seen the way he looks at you, cara. He loves you too." She smiles and I stand up. "Well, I'd better be going. Don't want your Mountie thinking you're talking to yourself."
"And since when have you worried about someone thinking that?"
"Since the someone was tall, dark and handsome with big blue eyes. You take good care of him, cara."
"I will, Grandma."
"Good, or his wolf might eat you."
"Grandma!"
I disappear halfway into the word. God, I love this!
***
I just barely resisted the urge to scream. Barely. Wouldn't do to have Benton think I'm insane. I sighed and came out of the bedroom to see our clothes off the floor and neatly piled on the sofa. And standing there in the middle of my living room, still gloriously bare-chested, was Benton. My Benton.
"Thank you, Dad," I hear him say. "I appreciate that."
I freeze halfway into the room, not sure whether to be worried or relieved. I mean hell, I talk to my Grandmother and she's been dead for eight years, why shouldn't Ben talk to his father, who's been dead for three? I must have made some sound, because Benton turned to me with a startled, and a bit sheepish, look on his face. Hurriedly, I say, "It's okay, I understand."
He blinked and frowned. "You do?"
I nodded. "I get, ah, guests, every once in a while too. It's nice, isn't it? To be able to talk to them."
He smiled slowly. "When they don't have advice."
I winced dramatically and then laughed. "Eek, no!"
He laughed also and then came forward, wrapping strong arms around my waist and leaning down to kiss me softly. Amazing how so chaste a kiss could make my knees weak. He pulled away after a long moment and gazed down at me; I felt like I was drowning happily in his eyes. "You are an amazing woman," he murmured, and then kissed me again.
I could feel him growing, hardening, against me and my breath caught as his hands ran up my back to the collar of my robe and pushed the fabric down. His mouth trailed kisses down my neck to my shoulders and I sighed a "Yes" into his ear as his hands slid my robe down further. Tongue and teeth sent electric shivers through me and I stood, trembling, while the robe slid down to pool at my feet and that wonderful mouth found its way to my breasts. I ran my fingers across his shoulders, marveling as always at their breadth and strength, and that he could be so incredibly gentle when those muscles slid smoothly under my hands. But he was, as he lowered me slowly to the floor. He stripped off his pants and boxers, then knelt, pulling the throw-blanket from the couch to make a cushion for me as he continued his caresses.
The sunlight made his pale skin glow golden, prism-like patterns shifting from the sun-catchers I had hung up. I watched them, entranced by the play of light and color on his back and the blue-black shadows of his hair as he moved down the length of my body. I arched up as he reached my thighs, anticipating that warm, hot touch. He chuckled and looked up at me, his eyes sparkling. "Patience, Nina," he whispered, and lowered his head.
His tongue darted out, tickling as it slid into and around my belly- button, and I laughed and tugged playfully at his hair. "Benton!" I started to admonish him, then froze as teeth nipped at where his tongue had been. The laugh turned into a moan, electricity shooting through me. I've been tickled, and kissed and even nipped, but with him it was. . .different. His hands slid down my hips and around to my buttocks, slow, soft, while his mouth continued at my belly. "Benton. . .," I whispered, at a loss for anything else to say, only thinking that this was the most sensual, incredible feeling I'd ever had. I remembered thinking that last night; things just kept getting better with him.
Then he slid back up and whispered in my ear, "Turn over."
The words seemed to arrow straight into my groin; inner muscles clenched suddenly and I gasped as I complied. I was trembling, knowing what was coming and wanting it so badly I thought I would die if he didn't hurry. But he didn't. He kissed his way down my back, his tongue flicking out to trace slow, delicate patterns, until I thought I'd go crazy. It suddenly occurred to me that the box of condoms was in the bedroom and I groaned in frustration. I didn't want him to stop for even that long. I said his name and he caught the note in it and laughed.
I turned my head to frown at him and saw him reaching for his pants to withdraw his wallet. I stared as he took a packet out of the billfold. "Always be prepared," he said with a smile.
I raised an eyebrow. "Is that standard issue for Mounties?"
His eyes twinkled and for once he didn't take me too seriously. "Only," he said softly, and I realized that he, at least, was serious, "when they're seeing a beautiful woman they've dreamed of making love to since the first day they met."
I stared at him and then smiled, feeling tears prick at my eyes. "Benton," I whispered, and sat up. I sat back on my heels and reached for him, pulling his head to me for a deep kiss. When I finally pulled away, I let my hand drop to his thigh, sliding slowly across his bare skin. I felt him harden even more against my hips, his eyes heavy-lidded from the kiss and my touch. "Then make love to me, Ben. Now. Please."
He smiled and curved his arms around my waist, leaning forward so that I was pushed back down. His hands slid to my hips and then thighs, pushing my legs further apart. It felt like forever as I listened to the packet being torn open. I imagined the condom sliding onto him and shuddered. I wanted him inside me so badly. . . Then his hands were back on my hips, pulling me back. . .onto him. . .I moaned and felt myself invaded, again, and again. Slowly speeding up, coming into me faster, harder, his breath warm in my ear as he curved his body over mine. He said my name and I cried out as his body slammed into me. Over, and over, and over, notching the tension tighter and tighter, but not giving me release. And then suddenly the hand that had cupped my breast as he moved slid down, down between my legs, touching me where we were joined. His thumb slid against my clit, hard, fast, and I almost screamed at the intensity of it. A finger joined it, sliding hot, and hard, while he thrust. . .
Harder. . .
Faster. . .
More. . .
Yes. . .
Until I felt like I was going to split into two, each stroke seeming to go deeper, the feeling more and more intense. . .and I exploded around him, his name tearing out of my in a scream of soul-wrenching ecstasy. I felt him climax, pounding into me as his body pulsed, our souls merging as our bodies had. One arm was still wrapped about my waist and he pulled me with him as he slid out of me and lowered us onto our sides, both of us shaking. His chest heaved against me, his breath cooling the sweat on my neck as he pressed his face into my shoulder.
He whispered, "Nina. . .I love you."
My breath caught and I turned in his arms so I could look at him. I caught his face in my hands and kissed his mouth, his cheeks, and eyes and nose, then back to his mouth. "I love you too, Benton," I told him, my heart soaring. "I love you too."
Benton smiled slowly, his eyes glowing, and kissed me back.
It was noon by the time we got around to breakfast.
Blame it on the Mountie.
Finis
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