BENNETT (Leaves of a Maple Book 3) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Epilogue

  Sneak Peek: Luca

  Bennett and Darci’s Playlist

  BENNETT

  a Leaves of a Maple novel

  by Haley Jenner

  Copyright

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Copyright 2018 Haley Jenner.

  All rights reserved.

  Published by Haley Jenner.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Editor: ellie at Love N. Books

  Cover design: ellie at Love N. Books

  Image: Sophie Lawson and Kate Paraskevos

  This book is intended for those 18 years and older. It contains content of an adult nature.

  Dedication

  For ellie.

  This one is yours.

  Acknowledgments

  We always find acknowledgments incredibly difficult because finding the right words to say thank you is near impossible. Nothing we say can ever come close to expressing how very thankful we are to each and every person on this journey with us.

  ellie. Firstly, Word attempted to correct your name three times before it accepted the correct version. We think you’re amazing and the work you do for us is always complete perfection. This crazy journey we decided to embark on has been so much easier with your endless support and guidance. With everything we have inside of us, thank you. Only three hundred and one days until J can hug you. *wiggles eyebrows*

  To our husbands. The men who don’t quite resemble the characters in these pages, but for some crazy reason, we love them all the same. Thank you for accepting this very random journey we decided to take without question. For two people that tend to give us shit (albeit, playfully) at every given opportunity, we appreciate that with this adventure you’ve shown us nothing but support.

  To our kids; Kye, Benny, Kate, and Tommy. We love you more than you could possibly know. Our hearts and lives are fuller because of you. Our hair has also already started greying, but we forgive you. Each and every one of you make us proud, every day. You make us question our sanity, every day. But we’ve come to realize, they go hand in hand. We love you.

  To Kate and Sophie. Our wolf. Wow. The image you guys created for Bennett’s cover is so ridiculously perfect. We’re in love. It’s exactly what we were looking for. The two of you are so epically talented. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Special shout out here to Samara, thanks for the hookup. We love you.

  To Sarah and Stacey. Once again, you’ve done wonders for this book. Bennett’s story is stronger because of you and we can’t thank you enough. We’re grateful for you both every day. Thank you for loving our words, for supporting us so hard and for the hot boy posts in Group Therapy. We adore you both.

  To all the beautiful, wonderful people who make up our reader’s group. Man, we love you. Thank you for always engaging, for appreciating the man candy we post and for sharing in our love for books as hard as you do. Group Therapy is one of our MOST favorite places. Ever. Thank you for being you.

  To our readers, without you, NONE of this would be possible. Every time someone reads our book, posts a review or messages us to tell us how much they enjoyed one of our books, our hearts grow incredibly full. We are so humbled by the support and encouragement offered to us on a daily basis. From the very depths of our heart and souls, thank you.

  We hope you enjoy Bennett; our wickedly, sexy charmer. He’s one of our favorites. (Don’t tell Archer).

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Epilogue

  Sneak Peek: Luca

  Bennett and Darci’s Playlist

  Prologue

  Bennett

  * Somewhere at a time when Annabelle and Archer are separated, Archer is finally sorting his shit and Jake and Aubrey have yet to fuck *

  “Harder,” she begs, arching her back farther, allowing me deeper access.

  “Yeah?” I grunt out, the skin of my thigh muscles connecting with the back of hers in a loud slap of skin.

  “Yeah,” she groans out, her head flying back on a sharp cry as I slam into her with greater intensity. It feels fucking amazing, the euphoria activating every nerve in my body. Her body is soft and pliant; bent slightly at the waist, dress pushed up over her hips, ass on display. Her arms are braced against the wall, helping to keep her upright.

  We're in the darkened storage closest of The Coffee House, unpacked boxes of books brace both my feet, and build into a solid tower above me. Our bodies barely fit with everything packed inside but I have enough room to push myself in and out of her body and that's all I need.

  Warm and wet silk glosses over my cock on every pull and push as I thrust into her. “Faster, Bennett. Fuck me,” she begs and my balls draw up in readiness to spill at her quiet desperation.

  Fuck! She's amazing.

  My legs ache with the energy I use to pound into her but I'm not the only one working for it, she pushes back just as hard as I thrust forward. In perfect rhythm, completely in sync. We’re virtually strangers, but our bodies seem to read the other effortlessly like they're well acquainted. I knead her ass with my large palm, feeling the soft, supple skin move with my hand. I bring my hand down hard on the olive skin of her backside and groan out loud at the handprint that marks the spot. She screams out in a mixture of shock and pleasure and her pussy soaks me further at the action.

  How can I ever fuck anyone else after this? She's perfect. I'm ruined. Officially. No one could never compare. Not to this. Not to her.

  Skating an arm up her back, I brace a hand over her should
er and use the strength in my arm to pull her back harder onto my length. “Yes,” she breathes out on a gasp, finding satisfaction in the way I handle her body. Angling it, positioning it, working it to my advantage. And to hers, if the way she clenches around me is any indication.

  “Feel good?” I grit through clenched teeth, warding off my release, waiting for her.

  “Yes,” she stutters out, her walls starting to contract around me, readying for her orgasm. “Again,” she pleads and my brow furrows slightly at her request. “My ass,” she clarifies as though she can see my facial expression and the smile that breaks my face would be nothing short of feral.

  Like I said, ruined.

  My palm comes down on her ass cheek once again, slightly higher, not to connect with the same spot and her movements falter as she cries out. Her back curves painfully, driving her ass into my groin as her breath skips a beat and I know she's about to explode. The hand holding her shoulder moves upward, over her mouth as she screams out her release. My name echoes along my palm just before she bites down; her teeth connecting to my skin is my undoing. My movements turn desperate as I slam into her, surrendering to the overwhelming need to come. I bite my bottom lip as I break, stopping the roar wanting to tear from my throat. I collapse on top of her body, an arm wrapped around her waist to keep us upright. She lets her body fall against the wall, taking mine with her. Her entire body vibrates with her labored and shallow breathing. We're covered in sweat and I can feel her heart beat through her spine and into my chest. My own heart replicates the rhythm; constant and loud in my body.

  After a few undisturbed breaths she begins to straighten, and I step back to allow her room, causing me to fall from her body and for her to whimper at the loss. Glancing over her shoulder, her eyes reach mine and the smile she bestows on me is shy and satiated. I can't help it when I lean forward and claim her mouth. Without a beat of hesitation, she turns in my arms, opening to allow my tongue access. I kiss her wet, deep and desperate. Exactly as we fucked and she returns it with enthusiasm, little moans escaping from her throat and into mine. My cock twitches, starting to harden against her thigh and she shivers in response. Regretfully though, she pulls away, ducking her head and hiding her eyes as she begins righting her clothes.

  “I can feel you falling from my body, on my thighs. It's nice,” she admits softly, and I groan at how hot her small, quiet voice sounds vocalizing that point.

  Ruined.

  I smile wide but she doesn't see, her face still averted from my gaze. Not that it matters, she'll see it soon enough. Can't see this smile being wiped from my face anytime in the near future. Not after what we just did.

  Tucking myself back into my boxers, I pull up my jeans and fix my belt into place. Eyes cast downward, she mumbles that we should head back out and I lean forward to kiss her forehead before turning and opening the door. Scanning the immediate vicinity, I theorize we're alone and hold the door open, allowing her to slip past me. Her exit causes her curves to brush against my body and I'm tempted to pull her back in and do it all over again. Without waiting, she begins a fast-paced walk back into the middle of the shop and I follow a short distance behind. Hopefully it's not glaringly obvious, but I still want to be close enough to smell what we just did on her skin.

  Adjusting my clothes as I walk, I hear Willow before I see her. “Darci, there you are. I wondered where you... oh... ah... babes, you've got, ummmm... there's lipstick on your... well, it's kind of smudged,” she says, her words an awkward mix of amused uncertainty and tenderness.

  My head lifts upward to meet four sets of prying eyes as I move to stand next to Darci. Glancing at her face, sure enough, red lipstick stains the area surrounding her mouth, discoloring her complexion from our wild kisses. I can't stop the feral smile ripping along my face. Again. But I have the decency to duck my head before lifting back up to look at our friends.

  “Ahh. Ben, mate, you gotta little bit’a,” Toby laughs, indicating to my mouth and I wipe along my lips with my hand, pulling it away to see a nice streak of red lipstick transferred onto my skin. My eyes flick to Darci and her eyes are magnified under those hot-as-fucking-sin glasses she wears. Gulping down forcefully she drops her head, and I look up to see them all trying their best to hide their grins. Jake has turned away, body shaking with visible laughter. Toby's eyes bounce between Darci and I like he's watching an epic rally in tennis, teeth on show in his wide grin. Archer's mouth twitches once, twice, before he clears his throat. “Why Bennett, what big teeth you have,” he finally loses the battle, and his wicked smile takes over his face. It's nice to see after these last few years of watching his misery cripple his ability to function. I bark out a laugh at his teasing causing Darci's eyes to dart to mine, and I school my expression, slightly, before winking at her. Her cheeks glow with a deep shade of red, quite complimentary to the red lipstick still staining her face and she chokes on a cough.

  “Darci, babe, you okay?” Willow murmurs, sending the boys daggers with her eyes. They have enough manners to drop their eyes, apologetic for their actions. They don't mean any harm. They aren't built that way, I think the turn of events has shocked them, and Darci is all kinds of adorable in her shyness, adding to the impact of the situation.

  “Me? Oh yeah. I'm fine,” Darci dismisses, clearly not. “You know I'm pretty beat, I think I'll just, ummm, call it a night,” she stutters and Willow moves toward her slowly, trying not to make her more uncomfortable.

  “Darc, babe,” she prompts and Darci closes her eyes in embarrassment.

  “Yep. That's right. I'm not actually leaving because I own the place. This is me. In my shop. I actually have to close before I can leave, which means everyone has to go and,” she pushes out a long breath, nudging her glasses up the bridge of her nose when they were already comfortably in place. I want to pull her into my chest and calm her. Whisper in her ear and kiss her forehead to show her she isn't alone and that she has no need to be flustered. That we're both grown adults that have clearly wanted this for a long time coming. But the truth is, Darci unhinged is one of her personality traits. One I actually adore about her and I don't actually think my reassurances would help. So I help the only way I can. Yelling above the loud chatter of the shop, moving to give her the exit she so desperately craves. “All right guys, closing up now. Finish up and head on out so we can all go home.”

  Darci’s gaze pauses on my face for a brief second, gratitude clear in her features before she says something about cleaning up and walking away from the group toward her office. I watch her retreat and have an overwhelming urge to follow her, but Willow touches my elbow softly. “Give her a sec, Bennett, she's feeling swamped with doubts right now. She's embarrassed at the reaction these douche-farmers flaunted in her face. Give her some time to pull herself together, eh?”

  It makes complete sense, and I nod my head in agreement. The crowd slowly starts to dissipate, and I'm thankful I could at least give her that. “Hey, Ben, we didn't mean anything by all that. Just a little shocked and psyched that it finally happened for you brother,” Toby apologizes, and I wave him off.

  “Don't sweat it, it'll work out. She knows us, knows your horribly timed comments are just a sign of your approval,” I say, eyes flicking back toward her office.

  “We'll leave you to it, brother,” Archer announces, moving in to grasp my hand and pull me in for a one-armed hug before nodding at Jake as an instruction for them to leave. Jake offers a chin lift before following his brother and I watch them chat easily as they exit Darci's store. They've come a long way over the past few months and I'm grateful for Jake. Archer has been one of my closest friends since school days and watching him self-destruct for so long was difficult to stomach. Toby and I were out of our depths at trying to find the right way to help him. Shit, even Annabelle couldn't pull him back from his abyss of torment and if she didn't know how, what the fuck kinda help would Toby and I be? So we gave him what we could. Our loyalty. No matter how much he fucked up, we stood
at his side offering our support. He didn't want it, that was clear, thought he was undeserving of everything in life, but he never vocalized his dislike of us surrounding him. Which for me, showed the strength in his mind, never actually taking that final step of complete surrender into nothing. Jake was who changed it, who finally made him see the life he had created for himself. Admittedly, it took a fist fight and Jake's face being decorated a few shades of purple and blue to get him there but who cares about the path as long as you get there, right?

  “Good to see, yeah?” Toby moves in closer, indicating to Archer and Jake's departure and I nod in agreeance, smiling at his observation. “Catch you soon.” He taps his fist against my own and swings an arm over Willow's shoulder pulling her in close. Willow offers a small wave before curling into his side and walking in the same direction of the others.

  I watch their exit and notice the rest of the place is deserted, the room cast in silence. Moving around the space, I tidy the obvious: removing trash, straightening chairs, collecting glasses and stacking them in the small dishwasher housed in the prep area. I struggle to come up with anything to say to her. Do I tell her I want this? Regularly? Would she accept it or shut me down? Her actions are so contradictory; she'll shy away from looking me in the eye when she greets me but begs me to fuck her harder. Pleads for me to slap her ass while I have her bent at the waist hammering inside of her. But embarrassment shades her cheeks if I smile or wink at her. I'm completely lost as to how to make my approach. If I'm honest with myself, I don't really know her. I mean, she's been around for years, always sending me approving and needy eyes, albeit timid as all fuck, but she's never stationary enough for me to connect with her on a personal level. Fucking now aside of course. An issue I plan on rectifying. I'll approach it the way she wants me to but whether she wants to admit it or not, Darci Walker and I are gonna be the best of friends. Friends who I hope with every morsel within my body and soul, continue to fuck. Because, holy shit... ruined.