ughn used his hands to move her. He squeezed her cheeks. He rocked her hips, pumping them until Benita took up the rhythm mindlessly. A pulse beat inside her, pitching her desire. Her core tightened. A pressure built and built and built until it broke. She gasped as her body spun free. Finally, Vaughn released her hips, laying her back down on the bed. Then he surged into her.
Her core was moist and ready, accepting him. Benita gasped again as her body flooded with pleasure. Vaughn’s hips pressed into her. Benita wrapped her legs around him. Her body rose to meet his thrusts. His features were chiseled with desire. His cocoa eyes scorched her. A sheen of perspiration cloaked him. She lifted her head to kiss him. He kissed her back, hard and deep, as though he wanted to touch her soul. His heart beat against her.
Benita moaned as her desire rushed to a peak inside her. She freed her lips from Vaughn’s and tried to catch her breath. Her body twisted and turned beneath him. He tucked his hands beneath her hips and pressed her tighter against him. She rocked her hips, following the motion he directed.
Vaughn moved his right hand between them. Benita felt his fingers at her folds.
“Vaughn, touch me.” She whispered the plea into his ear.
“I will.” Vaughn’s finger slipped within her folds and pressed her spot.
Benita’s body stiffened. She felt Vaughn tense above her. Their bodies rocked together until spent. Benita went limp in his arms. Exhausted, she slept.
CHAPTER 23
Ms. Helen’s doorbell rang Thursday afternoon. Benita set her basket of freshly laundered clothing on the floor beside the staircase, then changed direction to answer the door. She found Vaughn on the other side.
“Did you get my message?” She stepped back, inviting him in. He looked very professorial in his tan blazer, black shirt, and brown pants. “I hadn’t expected you to come over. I thought you’d call.”
“I wanted to see you.” He placed a brief kiss on her lips as he crossed the threshold. “Is Ms. Helen home?”
Benita’s heart skipped a beat. “Vaughn, I’d rather not—”
“I want to give your great-aunt my regards. Why? What were you thinking?” Vaughn arched a brow, though his eyes laughed at her.
Benita rolled her eyes at him before turning to lock the front door. “She’s at a breakfast meeting with a committee at her church. But I’ll give her your regards. Would you like something to drink?”
“No, thank you.” Vaughn hung his blazer on the onyx coat tree in the corner before following Benita into the living room. “Your message said you’d finally heard from Ginny.”
“I went to her office. She said she got my message but she’d been too busy to return it.”
“Did she tell you why she missed rehearsal last night?” Vaughn settled beside her on the thick purple couch.
“She went out with her new boyfriend.” Benita tried to keep the irritation from her voice. She failed. “I reminded her of the commitment she’d made to us. But she said that, since we’re not paying her, we’re not her priority.”
Vaughn sprang from the sofa and paced across Ms. Helen’s hardwood floor. “No one’s getting paid. This play is a fund-raiser for the community center.”
“I told her that her new guy would be turned on by her beautiful singing and sexy costume.” Similar to the way Benita was getting turned on by staring at Vaughn now. Her gaze moved over his broad shoulders, paused at his firm gluts, then continued to his long legs.
“Did it work?” Vaughn turned to face her. This view was even better.
“She said she’s committed to the play. But she’s said that before. We need an understudy.” She shook her head when Vaughn’s cocoa eyes focused on her. “Not me.”
“It’s too late to get anyone else.” Vaughn returned to the sofa. “We only have seven rehearsals left.”
“Then we’ll have to hope that Ginny keeps her word.” Benita crossed her arms and legs.
Vaughn rubbed the back of his neck. “I do have some good news. Thanks to people like you, Jack, Ean, Darius, Alonzo, and Juan donating your time and talents, I’ve been able to cover expenses with the artist’s grant and other donations.”
“Then all of the proceeds from the ticket sales will go to the center.” Benita’s scowl cleared.
“We’re already receiving ticket orders.”
“That’s wonderful news.”
“Trinity Falls needs more people like you, who are willing to help in the community and who can inspire other people to volunteer, too.”
“This town needs a lot of things.” Benita shifted toward Vaughn. “Luckily, L.A. has those things and more.”