Free The New Rule: (The Casual Rule 2) by A.C. Netzel

are for cuddling in bed and making love in the afternoon, not watching Ben get dressed and leave. I wonder if we have time for a goodbye quickie. I’ll have a few days to recover from all the sex. I can pre-empt a UTI with the bottle of cranberry juice at my apartment. A quick wham-bam won’t kill me. I may walk a little funny— Fuck it; it’s a small price to pay for that towel wrapped, glistening, sex-on-two-legs man.
    “What are you gawking at?” he asks, amused.
    “You.”
    “Oh? Like what you see?”
    I tap a finger on my cheek a few times and purse my lips. “I’m undecided. Drop the towel and I’ll make a more informed decision.”
    He tilts his head slightly and smiles. Unceremoniously, he drops the wet towel on the floor and stands in front of me in all his glorious nakedness.
    Someone should declare a national holiday every time he drops a towel. I squirm a little, my nerve endings tingling as my teeth sink slowly into my bottom lip. He’s scrumptious.
    “Well?” he asks, amused.
    “So far, I like what I see. Why don’t you turn around and flex that ass of yours for me? Then you can come back to bed and stick that bad boy inside me. He looks depressed. I know just how to perk him up.” I jut my chin toward his crotch.
    “Flex my ass?” he asks, shaking his head. “That will never happen. Anyway, I have a plane to catch. Didn’t I give you enough over the last twelve hours to hold you over?”
    “I want more,” I murmur.
    “You’re insatiable.”
    “You made me this way. Come on, big boy.” I pat my hand down on the empty spot on the bed next to me. “I’ll be gentle.”
    “You know, you haven’t taken your eyes off my dick since I dropped this towel.”
    “What can I say? It’s awfully pretty.”
    He tilts his head back slightly and laughs. “Well, my pretty dick and I have to go. You’ll have to wait until we’re back. And no touching yourself while I’m away.”
    “Sorry, Ben. I’m not abiding by that insane request. You sex me up with your dirty talk and flirty texts while you’re gone and leave me no recourse to soothe it. I’m using my fingers, BOB, the showerhead, the washing machine… whatever I can find to get off while you’re away.”
    “Washing machine?” He frowns as he slips on his boxer briefs.
    “Don’t ask. Just come back soon. You haven’t left and I already miss you.”
    He sits down on the edge of the bed, holding his arms out toward me. “Come here.” I scoot in close to him. He wraps his arms around me and kisses the top of my head. “I already miss you too.”
    “How many days will you be gone this time?”
    “Three days/two nights. I don’t want to be away too long…” Aww , that’s sweet; he’s rushing to get back to me. “With my grandmother’s health the way it is.”
    Time for me to swallow a humble pill. Ben’s entire life doesn’t revolve around me.
    “She’ll be fine. Try not to worry.”
    “There’s so much shit on my mind. I wish I could delay this trip but baseball season is only so long, and as you know…” He arches a brow. “I have deadlines.”
      I don’t like his tone. The deadlines aren’t my fault. You want to blame someone, blame my boss. I’m just the messenger.
    He continues. “On top of that and my grandmother’s health issues, when I fly back I’m meeting with my father and his lawyers.”
    “For what?”
    “To get my grandmother’s estate in order. And likely listen to more digs about me wasting my life.”
    Talk about morbid. She’s still breathing, and they’re acting like she’s six feet under already.
    “I’m sorry. Is that photographer on the same flight as you?”
    “No. She’s flying out from Charleston. She had a family wedding or something down South. She’s meeting me at the hotel.”
    “Okay.”I nod, looking down at my lap, and hugging myself, feeling a sudden burst of emotion.
    Ben lifts my chin up to meet his gaze with his index finger. “Stop it.”
    “Stop