Running Wilde (The Winnie Wilde Series Book 1) Read online

  Ben put a hand under her chin and turned her face back toward him. He had a big grin plastered on his face. “Good for you! Nothing wrong with that.”

  “You sound like Kathy.”

  “Who’s Kathy?” he asked as he traced her face with gentle fingers.

  “She’s my best friend. Has been since before you were born. She gave me a sex toy for my birthday.”

  Ben grinned. “I like her already.”

  As she looked into his young face, Winnie couldn’t help but think about how different her generation was from his. Sex wasn’t dirty or hidden away; it was celebrated as a normal part of life. There were fewer strings and certainly less guilt. For a brief moment she wondered if Tiffany was comfortable with her sexuality and if she wasn’t, was it Winnie’s fault? Of its own accord, her mind wandered to Ben’s father. Did Don Church take care of his wife as well as his son took care of his partners? Was the comfort level taught at home? Did Don pat his wife on the fanny in front of the kids, or plant big wet kisses on her. Edward had barely touched her in front of Chet and Tiffany, except for the perfunctory peck on the cheek when he got home at night, and sex was always quiet and after the kids were sound asleep and never in the morning. His parents appeared stiff like that, too. Her own were much more demonstrative, hugging and kissing often, even when they got older.”

  When Ben’s hand moved away from her face to the sash at her waist, Winnie stopped him. “Are you,” she stammered, “are you married?”

  He shook his head. “No, never have been.”

  She searched his face for signs of deceit and found none. There was no guile or guilt in his eyes. He was either telling the truth or a very good liar. Making up her mind, she removed her hand from his. Slowly he undid the sash and opened the robe, exposing her nakedness beneath. He bent down and kissed each nipple, his mouth trailing down her breasts and across her stomach.

  “Your skin is so soft and smooth,” he said between kisses, making Winnie very glad she’d had the torturous deep scrub at the spa the day before.

  When Ben’s mouth continued its march down her body and into the softness between her legs. Winnie let out a small cry of surprise.

  Ben raised his head. “I just had the one condom. Do you have any?”

  When she shook her head, he smiled and said, “No problem. Plan B is good too.”

  He slipped off the chaise so that he was on his knees at the end of it. Latching his arms under each of her legs, he dragged Winnie down to the end of the chaise. She yelped in surprise. He spread her legs and his fingers gently probed and tickled. Winnie squirmed and giggled. When his tongue entered her, she squealed with delight and wondered if they’d ever get any work done.

  An hour and a half later, Winnie found Ben in the laundry room downstairs. He’d gone downstairs and got to work right after they’d finished playing while she’d taken another quick shower and redressed. She’d also texted Kathy: We did it again. I may be a tramp, but I’m a happy tramp.

  Kathy responded quickly, Call me tonight!

  Ben had pulled the washer and dryer away from the wall and was examining the plumbing behind them when he heard her steps on the tile. “My dad was right,” he said without looking at her, “there is a leak back here, but it should be easy to fix.” He poked his head out from behind the washer and studied her. “No tears, this time?” He winked at her.

  “No tears.” She laughed. “It’s almost lunch time. I was going to make myself a chicken salad sandwich. Would you like one?”

  “Sure. Sounds a lot better than my usual burger.”

  “I’ll let you know when it’s ready.”

  Winnie was worried that lunch might be awkward, but it wasn’t. Ben was very comfortable to be around and he never once made any reference to their morning activities. It wasn’t like they were pretending it never happened, just that they were at ease with each other and could fill their break with pleasantries. He told her that he was the middle child, sandwiched between two sisters; the oldest was married with two small children. His youngest sister was studying fashion design. His mother was a Latina and he and his sisters were brought up bi-lingual. Even his father spoke perfect Spanish. He said he’d like to expand Church Construction and had talked to his father about it.

  Winnie told him about her children and Emily. She told him she didn’t know what she wanted to be when she grew up, which made him laugh. Then she told him about her dream of writing and he didn’t laugh.

  “I’m going to go around the house and fix all of the plumbing problems first,” he told her as he wolfed down cookies after his sandwich. “Then I want to fix the doors.”

  “Doors?” she asked as she took their dirty dishes to the counter.

  “I noticed that the door in the downstairs bathroom doesn’t close right and when it is closed, it sticks.”

  She nodded, “Yes, I forgot to put that on the list. Thank you.”

  “I’ll fix it and then check all the other doors. I’ll make sure they are all easy to open and close, oil some hinges. It’s minor stuff, and easy to take care of, but you don’t want a prospective buyer struggling with a door.”

  “How long before you think you’ll start painting?” she asked him.

  “Why?” he asked with a slow grin. “You anxious to get rid of me?”

  “No, not at all,” Winnie said a bit too quickly, then realized he was teasing her. “No,” she said again with an amused shake of her head. “I just need time to decide on colors and pick up some paint chips.” She glanced out the door leading to the garage. “By the way, the pool side of the garage might also need painting. There’s a stain on it. I forgot to show that to your father.” She came back to the table and refilled his iced tea. “We had the house painted just a couple of years ago and I think there’s some extra paint in the garage to match it.”

  “I’ll check out the stain and see if it needs painting or just some scrubbing.” He ate the rest of his last cookie and washed it down with some tea. “Now back to work.” He stood up. “What are your plans for the day?”

  “I’m going to begin going through upstairs closets and start sorting and tagging things. Some of it will go to charity and some to storage,” she said. “I’m hoping my kids will come over this weekend and take care of the things they left behind.”

  Ben looked around. “This is a big house. It will be a lot of work.”

  She nodded. “Yes, but it has to be done. My ex still has a lot of his stuff here.” She laughed. “Maybe I should put those things in a big pile in the driveway and light them on fire. I saw that in a movie once.”

  Ben reached out and touched her face. “Don’t be bitter, Winnie. It doesn’t suit you. And he was the loser here, not you.”

  “Thank you, Ben.” She cupped a hand over his. “The truth is, after the shock of his leaving, I was rather relieved. One of us should have left a long time ago.”

  She got up and went to the sink to rinse the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. “By the way, my cleaning lady comes every Thursday. Her name is Nadia.”

  Ben had taken a couple steps back toward the laundry room and stopped. “I guess Thursday is our no-play day then.” He grinned.

  Winnie turned off the water in the sink. Grabbing a kitchen towel, she dried her hands and turned toward him. She started to say something, something that had been on her mind for the past couple of hours, but was worried that it would make her sound paranoid and needy. Instead, she said, “Help yourself to more tea or anything else you’d like in the fridge. If you have any questions, I’ll be upstairs buried in closets.”

  The afternoon went by quickly. Since her decision to move, Winnie had collected a supply of large trash bags, plastic storage containers and cardboard boxes, along with bubble wrap and tape. Some were in the garage and many were in the upstairs guestroom, which was command central for the move. It would be the easiest room to tackle first because the items in the closet were extra things they seldom used. Most of them, she knew, wou
ld be given to charity.

  She worked diligently for a couple of hours filling the various containers. There were a few things she thought her children might like and those she took to their respective bedrooms for them to sort through.

  The last items she pulled from the large closet were clothing – old coats, ski outfits, a few costumes they’d worn to parties and two large dress bags of cocktail dresses and evening gowns. She opened one dress bag and pulled out a pale green evening gown that she’d worn to a charity event many years before. She held it up in front of her and checked herself. It would still fit, but she had no idea where she would ever wear it again. Maybe Tiffany would like it, she thought. They were close in size and the dress had been quite expensive and was a classic design so it could be worn again without looked dated. She set it aside and pulled another dress from the bag – a black strapless silk cocktail dress with beading on the bodice. She’d worn this to the one of the dinners held by Edward’s company. Taking it, she went into her bedroom. Standing in front of the full-length mirror in the master bathroom, she held it up to her. She’d always liked the dress and had only worn it once. Still holding the dress up to herself, with one hand she scooped her hair up off her shoulders.

  “Beautiful,” said a voice from the doorway.

  Winnie jumped, her heart fluttering from the surprise of seeing Ben Church standing in the door. His eyes appraised her from head to toe. She’d almost forgotten he was in the house.

  Winnie let go her hair and lowered the dress. “Thank you. I found a stash of eveningwear in the closet. My daughter might want some of them.”

  “Why not keep them?” he asked.

  She nearly snorted. “I don’t think I’ll be having much call for them anymore.”

  “Don’t be so sure,” he said. “That dress is awesome. I’d love to see you in it.” He stepped behind her and pulled up her hair with both of his hands. A tingle went through her body.

  “Hold it up again,” he said. She did and they both surveyed her reflection in the mirror. “It looks really amazing with your hair,” he told her.

  Winner scrutinized her image. The dress actually did look better with her silver hair – much more striking. “You’re right,” she admitted. “It looks much better now with my hair. The last time I wore it was just over two years ago, to the last dinner Edward and I attended as a couple. My hair was dark blond then.” She lowered the dress and stepped away from Ben. Her hair fell back down. “This was always one of my daughter’s favorites, so she might like it.”

  “Don’t give it away,” Ben told her. “Unless you can’t wear it again because of bad memories. I’ll bet you’ll get lots of chances to wear it again.”

  She laughed. “Yes, I can wear it to the next cougar convention I attend.”

  He joined her in the joke. “Trust me, Winnie, you’re not a cougar.” He leaned against the vanity and looked directly at her with his stunning eyes. “Cougars are predatory. They hunt young men for sport. You won’t have to hunt. Men of all ages are going to be coming to you, prostrating themselves at your feet.”

  Again she let loose with a very unladylike snort.

  Ben laughed. “That sound really doesn’t match the package, which is why it’s charming.” He stood up straight and planted a soft kiss on her lips.

  She thought he was going to initiate another adult play date, and was a bit disappointed when he didn’t. Instead, he stepped back. “I actually came up to say I need to shove off. I have a family thing tonight. But how about tomorrow morning I come by around seven? Does that sound good?”

  Winnie was both thrilled and worried about the prospect of early morning sex. The idea excited her, but she’d have to get up much earlier to make sure she looked presentable. She gave him an exaggerated flutter of her eyelashes. “And what would you like me to be wearing when you get here?”

  Again, Ben laughed. And again, he kissed her, but this time on her nose. “Your running gear,” he said with a wink. “I thought we might do the trail before I start work.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  “Come on, slow poke,” Winnie called over her shoulder as she jogged up the trail.

  “The view’s better back here,” Ben called to her.

  Winnie felt herself blush at the words, knowing he meant her ass. In response, she increased her speed, but he caught up to her in a few easy strides. Together they continued up the trail until they reached Inspiration Point. At the top, Winnie stopped and took a drink of water. They’d taken the trail at a faster pace than she was used to and she was winded. One of the benches was empty and Ben steered her toward it.

  “You’re in great shape, Winnie,” he said after taking a drink of his own water.

  “You mean for someone my age.” She looked out over the cliff. It was a very clear morning and the view stretched for miles.

  “For any age,” Ben said. “I know a lot of girls in their twenties who couldn’t jog that trail. Some could barely walk it without gasping for breath.”

  She looked at him and saw he was serious. “Thanks,” she said with a smile. “Physically, I’m in almost as good of shape as I was in college, before I started having my kids.”

  “And emotionally?” he asked.

  Winnie turned back to look out at the view. “I’m getting there,” she said with a positive jerk of her chin.

  “This is where we met,” he said as he slipped an arm around her.

  Winnie was quiet, then turned to him and asked the question that had been nagging at her since the day before, “Do you often have flings with older women?”

  “Flings?” Ben asked. “Is that what you think this is?”

  “Yes,” she answered honestly. “At least it’s all I want out of it for now. I’m not ready for a real relationship with anyone of any age.”

  “So you want me to be your boy toy?” He removed his arm from her shoulders and studied her face.

  “I want us to be friends, Ben. Friends with benefits.” She paused. “Isn’t that what it’s called?”

  He nodded and smiled. “Yes, that’s what it’s called.”

  “Did you expect more?”

  An older couple who had been sitting on the other bench got up and started walking back down the trail. Ben waited until they passed before speaking. “Honestly no, but if something did develop between us, I would be open to seeing where it went. You’re fun, Winnie. And very smart. And attractive and sexy. All the things I look for in a woman, no matter her age.”

  “So you have had flings with women my age before?”

  Now it was his turn to blush. “Yes, I have,” he answered after a few moments. “A couple. In general, I find them less complicated than women my age.” He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his spread knees, his hands clasped between them. “Remember how I said I wandered around after college with a buddy of mine?”

  She nodded.

  “That wasn’t planned. I was engaged and supposed to get married the summer after graduation. I’d barely gotten my diploma when she broke it off. Two weeks later, she and some guy she met at a party got married in Vegas.”

  Winnie put her hand on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Ben. That’s really crappy, but better it happened when it did than after you got married.”

  “Yeah, that’s what everyone tells me.” He leaned back against the bench, took off his cap, and ran a hand through his thick black hair. “And I know it’s true. Since then I’ve dated quite a few women, mostly older.” He turned to her. “Do you mind?”

  She looked into his eyes – his beautiful blue-gray eyes – and answered with what was in her heart, “No, I don’t. Like you said, it’s less complicated. Maybe it’s because we’re more realistic in our expectations. We have fewer fairytales scrambling our brains.”

  “More like you’re more independent. You’ve been married and had your kids. Most of the older women I know are just looking for fun and companionship.”

  “Friends with benefits,” Winnie added.

/>   “Yep, and for now that’s all I want too.” He shot her a smile. “So we’re on the same page.”

  When they got back to Winnie’s house, they ran up the stairs to the master suite and started pulling each other’s running clothes off. Once naked, Ben pushed Winnie back onto her still unmade bed. He was fully erect and breathing heavy as he climbed on the bed and locked his mouth onto hers.

  “Damn,” he said, pulling away. “The condoms are in my jeans which are still in the truck.” He started to get up, but she stopped him.

  “In the nightstand,” she told him in a breathy voice. “In the drawer.”

  Ben pulled open the small drawer of the nightstand and laughed. Inside were a couple of new boxes of condoms of various sizes and colors. He opened one box and pulled a few out, holding them up. “At this rate, your house will never be done.”

  Winnie laughed and pulled Ben down to her but he held back. Instead, he grabbed the condoms, gathered her into his arms, and carried both into the bathroom.

  Winnie stood under the hot shower, letting the tingly spray of the shower massage hit her in the head and face. It was a large custom shower that could easily hold a couple of people, with multiple showerheads and even a bench at one end. It had been the one thing Edward had insisted on installing when they remodeled the master suite ten years earlier, even though they had only occupied it once as a couple shortly after it had been finished. She had wanted a whirlpool tub. She lost, but now was glad she had.

  Winnie turned on the multiple jets so that the water hit them from the front, the top, and behind, and turned around to face Ben, kissing him hard while the shower rinsed away the sweat from their run. When they broke apart he instructed her to turn back around. Grabbing shampoo from the shower shelf, Ben poured some into his hand and began massaging the fruity scented soap through her wet hair.