Misbehaving

  The music started and two ushers opened the double doors. In an elegant single file, the bridesmaids stepped onto the red-carpeted aisle in their matching orchid-hued dresses. Beatriz couldn’t stop smiling as the music played and the guests turned their heads. Ben grinned back at her, the huge grin on his face rendering him so breathtakingly handsome she almost ran up the aisle. The past four days had passed in a blur of sex and laughter and more sex and trying to write her book review while Ben did everything he could to distract her. Typing with Ben’s head between her legs was one of the most challenging and enjoyable writing experiences of her life. Especially since she had to balance the laptop against his forehead.

  She took her spot on the opposite side from the groomsmen and tried to focus on the wedding. Claudia looked breathtaking in her strapless Vera Wang gown. Henry had already teared up and was trying not to show it. Beatriz half hoped Claudia would include in her vows a promise to never fuck Henry up the butt. Poor guy—he didn’t know what he was missing.

  Beatriz knew what she would be missing—Ben. Today was Saturday. Her flight and his flight left first thing tomorrow. She’d return to D.C., where she’d gotten a one-year contract working on a large translation project. Ben would go back to the West Coast, where he’d settled after college. She couldn’t imagine how much she would miss him. And not just the sex, but him—everything about him. Between fucking sessions the past four days, they’d gone for walks together along the river’s edge. They’d watched a movie together and had thrown popcorn at each other. They’d had long talks about what they’d been doing since college and what they wanted to do in the future. She admired Ben for not obsessing over climbing a corporate ladder. He only wanted enough money to own a nice place to live, travel and enjoy his life. She talked about wanting to go back to El Salvador and reconnect with friends of her parents and relatives. He said if she didn’t want to go alone, he’d go with her.

  She didn’t want to go alone. She wanted Ben with her now and always. She’d only planned for him to spend the week inside her body. Somehow he’d gotten inside her heart, as well.

  A single tear ran down her face as Henry and Claudia kissed and the assembled guests burst into cheers and applause. They would have a beautiful life together. They’d already started talking about when they’d have children and the house they would be buying in the suburbs. Good for them. If anyone deserved happiness, it was Henry and Claudia. And Ben. Of course Ben. Maybe she could find a way to give him equal happiness—minus the the suburbs.

  She walked to the center of the aisle. Ben met her with his arm out. She took it and smiled up at him.

  “I have something for you,” she whispered between smiles at the guests.

  “Does it come in a plain brown wrapper?”

  “No. But I think you’ll like it anyway.”

  She reached into the neckline of her dress and pulled out a folded piece of paper.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  “The review I wrote about the book.”

  He grinned, but didn’t unfold the sheet.

  “I sort of wrote something, too. But you don’t have to use it on the blog,” he said, digging into the pocket of his tuxedo jacket. “I hope you like it.”

  Once more they were separated as the crowd made its way out of the hotel ballroom and toward the restaurant that they’d reserved for the reception. Ben was led outside with the other groomsmen for a set of pictures. Claudia stayed with the other bridesmaids as they helped pin up her long train.

  But Beatriz couldn’t wait to read Ben’s note. She excused herself, saying she needed something from her hotel room, and raced to the elevator.

  Once inside her room, she opened the note and read.

  THE MANUAL might be the greatest sex book ever written. It might be the worst. But I have to give it five stars or bees or whatever because it allowed me to have the best week of my life with the most amazing woman on earth. This book should probably come with a warning—be careful, or you might just fall in love with your partner. I know I did. I love her and I want her in my life forever. And I never want to walk away from her naked goddesslike body ever again.

  Also, chapter six on woman-on-top positions was my favorite. Because boobs.

  Beatriz slapped her hand over her mouth to silence her laugh. But it didn’t work. The laugh bubbled up out of her. Her heart danced in her chest. She could barely breathe or stand.

  “Ben loves me?” she asked the empty room. “Why?”

  But then she decided she didn’t care why. She just wanted to find him and kiss him and tell him the same thing.

  Then again, she didn’t have to.

  Her review would.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Ben excused himself to go to the bathroom. It took ten minutes for the photographer to find the right light and angle for every stupid picture. Surely they wouldn’t begrudge him a bathroom break. He nearly ran for it, wanting some privacy for when he read Beatriz’s review. Since the review was going to be all about them having sex, reading it in a bathroom stall seemed the safest way to go. He locked the stall door, leaned back against it, opened the note and started reading.

  Five big buzzing bees to THE MANUAL. Friends, Miss Bea loved this wonderfully witty and insightful sex position manual with the SHOUTY CAPS title. While other sex position manuals focus on the intimate details of the sexing and confuse readers with fancy terminology and complex position names, THE MANUAL simplifies things, throws in a sense of humor, and gives you enough information and encouragement to just do it.

  And boy, we did it. A lot.

  My partner and I started with the modified missionary positions. Does your partner have an amazing body? Mine definitely does. This position allowed me to get a great look at it during the sex. The Figure Eight brought us face-to-face. Does your partner kiss so well he makes your thighs melt? Mine does. Figure Eight was a win for that reason alone.

  The tips on oral sex worked as well, although there isn’t room for much improvisation in the art of the blow job. I appreciated the paragraph on how to modify your technique if your partner is well-endowed (like mine is).

  The chapter on anal sex was especially helpful as it suggested trying double penetration using a toy. The position gave me the best orgasm of my life. And yes, Miss Bea keeps track of these things. I even have an orgasm spreadsheet.

  The review continued. Beatriz had something nice and sexy to say about every chapter in the book. But it was the last paragraph that got his attention.

  As much as I enjoyed THE MANUAL, I do have to add one caveat. No sex position, no matter how well-written, can make up for the lack of a good partner. A good partner can make even awkward sex enjoyable. If the sex doesn’t work, at least you can laugh about it together. A good partner makes sure you’re enjoying yourself as much as he’s enjoying himself. A good partner is adventurous, open-minded, willing to try anything his partner wants to try. I had such a partner this week and the only thing I can say is, Back off, ladies. He’s mine. The only thing I loved more than the sex I had while trying out THE MANUAL is the man I had it with.

  Sex, Love and Bees,

  Miss Bea Haven

  Ben stared at the last sentence and read it over and over and over again.

  The only thing I loved more than the sex is the man I had it with.

  Beatriz loved him?

  “I have to love her back for the rest of my life,” he said to himself. “It’s the only gentlemanly thing to do.”

  Ben raced from the bathroom and ran to the restaurant. He glanced around for Beatriz, but didn’t see her anywhere.

  “Claudia, where’s Bea?” he asked, interrupting her conversation without remorse.

  “She said she had to run up to her hotel room for a second. What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. It’s just I love her, and she loves me. It’s an emergency.”

  “Love is an emergency. Go get her. Just hurry back. We’ve got cake.”

  Cake would h
ave to wait. Ben headed to the elevators. If the elevator had broken the sound barrier getting to Beatriz’s floor it wouldn’t have been fast enough. At last he made it to her room and just before he could knock on the door, it flew open.

  “Ben.”

  “Bea.”

  “I was just coming back down. To you. To see you, I mean.” Beatriz held up his note. “You love me?”

  “Yes. Like crazy. You love me.”

  “That wasn’t a question, was it?”

  “No. I just like saying that.” Ben took her in his arms and held her close. He’d walked away from her five years ago. Never again. “You love me.”

  “I do,” Beatriz said. “I thought I was over you. But then I was under you. And now I’m in love with you. And it sucks because we both leave tomorrow.”

  Ben shook his head.

  “This is 2013. There are airplanes and trains and cars. Do you have to go back to work Monday?”

  “I work from home most of the time.”

  “Then you can work from my home. Just change your flight.”

  Beatriz grinned. “I can do that. I will do that.”

  “Good. You do that. I’ll do this.” Ben kissed her hard on the lips and she opened her mouth to him. He pushed her back as he kissed her and pulled the silk ribbon from her hair.

  “What are you doing?” Beatriz demanded, trying to sound stern, but laughing instead.

  “This,” he said and pushed her onto her back on the bed.

  “Ben, we have to—”

  “Nothing. We have to do nothing but this,” Ben said and unzipped his tuxedo pants as Beatriz yanked her full skirt of her purple bridesmaid’s dress up. Beatriz had on stockings and garters under her dress so he just grabbed the flimsy fabric of her panties and ripped them off. He didn’t have time to deal with uncooperative lingerie. With the long silk ribbon he tied her wrists to the headboard.

  “You’re tying me up?”

  “I don’t want you getting away from me again.”

  “Have you been tested for everything?” Beatriz asked.

  “Everything,” he said. “Had a physical last month.”

  “I’m good, too. Clean and on birth control. Skip the condom?”

  “Yes, please.”

  He pushed inside her as she wrapped her stockinged legs around his back. The raw heat of her around his bare penis made his eyes nearly water with the incredible shock of pleasure. He pounded into her like a madman and she took everything he gave her, raising her hips to meet his thrusts. He had to come in her, had to fill her with his semen, had to make her completely his.

  The frenzied sex lasted only minutes. Beatriz came so hard her shoulders lifted off the bed and he felt her vaginal muscles slamming into his cock. He came seconds after, pouring into her as he thrust with everything in him.

  He pulled out of her, still gasping, untied her hands, and passed her the box of tissues.

  “Sorry about that,” he said as she started wiping herself off.

  “Don’t worry. Claudia paid for the dress. A little cum never killed anyone.”

  “We should probably go back downstairs. Do I look like I just fucked someone’s brains out?”

  Beatriz stood up and pulled a new pair of panties on under her dress.

  “Yes.”

  “Good.”

  They returned to the reception, now in full swing. Both Henry and Claudia gave him the “we know what you’ve been doing” eyes. They tried to play it innocent. Ben justified his ravenous fucking of Beatriz by telling himself if he hadn’t fucked her before the reception, he’d be sporting an erection during the entire rest of the evening. He was really doing the guests a favor by getting it out of his system.

  He and Beatriz danced. Then he danced with Claudia while Beatriz danced with Henry. The night wore on and everything turned into a slightly inebriated haze of laughter, music, alcohol, dirty jokes and cake.

  And love. So much love.

  At midnight the limo arrived to haul away Henry and Claudia to the tiny B and B where they’d planned to spend their wedding night before heading to Key West the next day. Beatriz helped Claudia with her dress. Ben helped Henry with his walking.

  Just before the bride and groom shut the door, Claudia smiled up at them.

  “We’re re-gifting you a wedding present my weird cousin Griffin from New York sent us. It’s not our thing, but I think you two might like it. I sent it up to your room, Bea.”

  And with that they closed the door and drove off.

  Ben looked at Beatriz.

  “You think it’s safe to get out of here?” he asked.

  The reception seemed to be emptying out.

  “Hell, yes,” she said and took his hand.

  When they reached her hotel room, Beatriz found a white box sitting outside the door. They took it inside and laid it on the bed.

  “I’m scared,” she said.

  “Me, too. Terrified.”

  “Should I open it?” Beatriz asked.

  “If you don’t, I will.”

  Beatriz lifted the lid off the beautifully wrapped box and pushed the tissue paper aside.

  Ben leaned over and peaked inside. He raised his eyebrow at Beatriz.

  “Well, we did finish THE MANUAL,” she said. “And John asked me to branch out into reviewing other kinds of sex toys.”

  “I’m game if you are.”

  Beatriz pulled a book out of the box. Underneath it lay a pair of handcuffs, some sort of whip, two floggers and something that looked like a paddle made of leather instead of wood.

  She threw a copy of Kink for Beginners onto the bed.

  Ben glanced down at the book and back up at Beatriz.

  “God, I love your job.”