Sprung Read online

  sprung

  kate benson

  COPYRIGHT © 2017 BY KATE BENSON ALL RIGHTS RESERVED NO PART OF THIS BOOK MAY BE REPRODUCED OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL, INCLUDING PHOTOCOPYING, RECORDING, OR BY ANY INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHOR, EXCEPT FOR THE USE OF BRIEF QUOTATIONS IN A BOOK REVIEW. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. Editing and formatting by Chasing Sophie Publications © 2017

  also by kate benson

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  The Secret

  The Commitment

  The Compromise

  The Sacrifice

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  Ignite

  Smolder

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  The Callie Leveaux Series

  Escort

  SAVAGE

  The Callie Leveaux Novella Boxed Set

  Traitor

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  Beyond the Pine

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  The Frenemy Series

  frigid

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  The Vault: A Sinfully Sexy Collection

  Redemption

  For Ciara

  You may not have been my best friend, but you were one of the very best friends I’ve ever had.

  Thank you for supporting me, for making me smile and for reminding me every day that no matter what we do in life, we should do it with all our hearts.

  I love you and I miss you.

  “My only love sprung from my only hate.”

  ~William Shakespeare

  table of contents

  table of contents

  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

  chapter twenty-six

  chapter twenty-seven

  chapter twenty-seven

  chapter twenty-eight

  chapter twenty-nine

  chapter thirty

  about the author

  acknowledgments

  chapter one

  dash

  The loud rapping on my door pulls me from my sleep, the low string of profanity leaving my lips an automatic response to the noisy intrusion as I glance over at my phone to check the time.

  “Who the fuck is banging on my front door at eight o’clock in the fucking morning?”

  I lift from the bed in an exhausted rage, pissed at the intruder, whoever it may be.

  With the exception of Walt, my boss at the bar, two people know where I live. The first had already woken me up on his way to work and the second isn’t due to be picked up until tomorrow.

  Bottom line? There’s no reason why I’m pulling on pants right now to answer the fucking door.

  I barge through the apartment, hell-bent on giving whoever has the audacity to wreak such havoc on my life the shitty start to their morning I’m receiving, but as I swing the door open, I stop in my tracks.

  “Evie?” I start, glancing down at her petite frame, my chest clenching slightly when I meet her blue eyes. “Baby, what are you…?”

  “Hey!” she cuts me off, rising on her toes to give me a quick kiss before pushing passed me in a rush. “Gotta pee!”

  I’m still standing in the doorway, staring at the now empty doorstep as I hear her racing toward the bathroom behind me.

  Half asleep, I kick the door shut and stumble into my kitchen, filling my mug from Mason’s earlier intrusion with the last of my leftover coffee and setting it in the microwave before I move toward my bedroom. My mind still sitting somewhere stuck between confused and content, I pick up her abandoned bags off the floor on my way and set them at the foot of my bed with a yawn.

  “I thought I was picking you up tomorrow?” I call out, slowly sitting on the edge of my mattress as I rake my palms over my face, trying to force myself awake.

  “You were, but my last class got cancelled because my professor got food poisoning or something and I was able to finish my other exams online last night, so I got a ride with a friend,” she explains, the sound of water running causing her voice to rise before she pulls the door open once more. “I was going to have her drop me off at mom’s and let you sleep, but there was no way I was making it another ten minutes,” she admits dramatically, moving toward the bed with a smirk as she takes in my hair. “Hi, baby.”

  “Hey,” I yawn once more, gripping her waist as she straddles me and wraps herself around me in a tight hug.

  We sit quietly for a moment while I savor in the feel of using her tits as a pillow, gently nodding off, before her voice breaks the silence.

  “So, are you happy to see me or what?” she demands, making me smirk before I press my lips to her neck. “I mean, seriously! I just saved you from sitting in traffic for four hours and showed up on your doorstep looking cute as shit. I feel like that deserves more than a ‘hey.’ Don’t you?”

  “You know I am, my little monster,” I say low, kissing her skin once more, tickling her with my beard this time. “Sorry, I’m just crazy tired. I didn’t get home from the bar until after three.”

  “Well, if you’d given me a key last time you came up, you could still be sleeping,” she says easily, the comment rolling off her tongue like it’s nothing sending my chest into a silent panic, making my eyes pop open in terror.

  A fucking key?

  Evie and I had spent plenty of time together over the past couple of months. In fact, I’d driven up to her campus more than I think either of us expected. No more than two weeks had gone by where I didn’t see her and I had no problem admitting to myself that I’d missed her like crazy, but giving her a key to my place?

  I think I’d be less freaked out if she’d asked me for a kidney or something.

  The look on her face as she takes in the distress on mine tells me she disagrees.

  “Oh, my God…” she rolls her eyes, pulling herself off me and moving toward the hallway. “You’re such a dumb guy.”

  I follow her into the kitchen, watching her pull my now steaming coffee from the microwave and begin dumping sugar and milk into the cup.

  “Baby!”

  “Hmm?”

  “Did you seriously just do that?” I ask as I watch her take an unapologetic sip before offering it to me with a shrug, smirking when I glance down at the now ruined coffee in disgust before handing it back and starting a fresh pot. Dick. “And why are you getting all pissy over a key? I let you in, didn’t I?”

  “You let me in?” she deadpans, making me chuckle to myself. “Even if that wasn’t the worst argument I’ve ever heard in my entire life, it’s not about the key, it’s about the gesture, Dashiel,” she says, hoisting herself up onto the counter while she watches me. “You should want me to have a key because I’m your girlfriend and you love me.”

  “First of all, that’s not true at all. I should want you to fuck me and not take my shit because yo
u’re my girlfriend and I love you,” I argue, arching my eyebrow at her as I gesture toward the stolen coffee she’s still drinking. “Those are the rules and I’ve got both down pat. Nowhere in there does it say anything about my love coming in the form of a key three months-”

  “Four.”

  “Whatever… four months into some shit,” I continue, reaching for another mug. “There’s nothing wrong with taking things slow, ya feel me?” I continue, making her smirk. “Second of all, don’t call me Dashiel. That’s not my fuckin’ name.”

  “Oh, calm down. I was just screwing with you,” she laughs, making me look at her sideways. “What’s the matter? I thought you’d like roleplay.”

  “Really? You thought I’d like you calling me the wrong name?”

  “Do you not?” she smirks.

  “Well, how’d you like it if I called you another woman’s name? How ‘bout I start calling you Delores when I fuck you, baby? Would that turn you on?” I challenge, leaning one hip against the counter as I watch her nostrils flare and her cheeks heat while she struggles to keep her expression even. “I’ll make you a deal right now. When I walk in this motherfucker and you’re prancin’ around here in a school girl outfit askin’ for licks, I’ll smack that hot little ass of yours with a ruler and we can revisit this charming little conversation. Until then, use my name and stop arguing with me before I have coffee.”

  “How am I supposed to get in here to put on the stupid outfit if I don’t have a key, genius?” she asks, setting her empty cup onto the counter beside her and facing me as I move to stand between her legs. “See? Your rules are dumb.”

  “Shut up,” I tease, making her giggle against my lips as I give her a quick kiss. “You’ve only been here for ten minutes and I’m already sick of you.”

  “You’re sick of me? How do you think I feel?” she tugs at my sweats, pulling me closer as her eyes dance. “I only came over so I could use your bathroom and steal your coffee, but instead we’ve been talking about your stupid feelings the whole time.”

  “You poor thing,” I arch my eyebrow, gently wrapping her hair around my fist and burying my lips into her neck. “That’s all you came over here for, huh?”

  “Pretty much,” she lies, her eyes fluttering as I begin to lap at her skin. “Well, there might be one other reason.”

  “Well, if you’d shut up for ten minutes and ditch your fuckin’ shorts, maybe I’d give it to you,” I grumble, sliding my palm up her thigh. “I know you’ve never been a fan of quiet, but it’s okay to give that pretty little voice box of yours a break sometimes.”

  “Baby!” she smacks me.

  “Shh… I promise it’ll come right back.”

  “You’re such a douchebag,” she chuckles, making me smirk. “Why are you so cranky right now?” she asks as I work my way toward her collarbone and pull her shirt over her head. “You haven’t seen me in over a week and you’re about two seconds away from kitchen sex. What’s your damage?”

  “You mean besides the fact that it’s eight o’clock in the morning, I’ve had three hours of sleep, you’ve stolen my coffee, called me the wrong name, demanded a key to my apartment and you’re still arguing with me while making no effort to take off your clothes?” I counter playfully as I unhook her bra and toss it carelessly onto the linoleum, far more interested in her nipples than the stupid argument we’re having. “I have no idea.”

  She pulls away slightly, studying me for a moment before her gaze begins to narrow.

  “You know something?” she asks, pulling a questioning grunt from my chest. “I really don’t think I like you very much in the morning.”

  “No?” I smirk, moving my way up her neck as I palm her tits, honing in on the barbells I crave in my sleep as I pinch her nipples between my fingers, my dick swelling as her breathing grows heavier.

  “No,” she shakes her head, the contradictory expression she’s wearing at this epiphany making me stifle a chuckle. “You’re kind of a dick.”

  “Aww,” I croon against her lips as I release my tight grip on her nipples and give her breasts a light smack from each side, making us both hum. “I know, sugar,” I bite her lip, holding her blue gaze as I slip my fingers into the waistband of her bottoms, peeling them down her legs and leaving her completely naked on my kitchen counter. “That’s okay,” I husk, the subtle twist of her hips as she begins to breath heavier making my cock so hard, it’s almost painful. “I think you’re about to like me a whole lot more.”

  Before she can retaliate, I yank the drawstring on my sweats and gently tug on the back of her knees, pushing into her in one swift movement, simultaneously stealing her breath and releasing mine.

  “Son of a bitch,” she mewls as I begin to move, her head falling gently against the cabinet doors behind her. “I really hate it when you’re right.”

  chapter two

  evie

  “Are you kidding me right now?” I huff, looking over my cup toward her in the small, yet already overcrowded lobby of the local Starbucks. “I’m only home for a few days and I am your only daughter! You remember that, right?”

  After a couple of hours at Dash’s apartment, I was itching for a latte and a visit with my mom.

  It was obvious by the nosedive his personality took once the afterglow of sex and his shitty coffee had faded, he was itching for a much needed nap.

  The morning had been perfect, as most of our mornings together had been since we’d decided we were a thing, but I’d learned much along the way about dating Dash Hunter. One thing being that if we wanted the afternoon to flow just as seamlessly, we had to give each other a little break sometimes. We loved spending time together and missed each other like crazy, but I knew going into this things would be a little tricky at first. Not only were we still hiding our relationship from my brother, Mason, but monogamy and commitment were two things Dash had little experience with. It wasn’t something he’d ever brought up, but he didn’t have to.

  Even if I hadn’t known him most my life, there had been little telltale signs of his fears from the beginning. He was admittedly a much better boyfriend than I thought he’d be. However every so often, like this morning, I’d catch him in the midst of some kind of weird key-induced man-panic. I tried not to take it personally, usually succeeding, but the more attached I got to him, the harder it was to deny the tiny sting that came with his fears.

  Surprisingly, though, it was also worth it.

  What started as a drunken mistake and morphed into day after day of horrible decision making had turned into what I could both happily and unexpectedly refer to as the most balanced and honest relationship I’ve ever been a part of. I was sure that our blunt personalities and sharp tongues would have sabotaged us long before now, but they hadn’t. In fact, I can say confidently that those are two of the things that had worked for our advantage, especially long-distance.

  Well, that and some insanely good make-up sex.

  Unlike with the guys I’d dated before, I never felt the need to keep secrets from Dash and I love that he’s never pulled any punches with me. Between his work and my classes, we both stayed busy enough that we were comfortable doing our own thing until we’d had enough of being apart. School was just far enough away that we were safe from worry of Mason finding us out before we were ready, but close enough that Dash had been able to keep his promise to visit.

  It hadn’t been as often as we’d always have liked, but it was often enough for us both to be sure that we knew what we wanted.

  Pretty sick balance, but I’d spent my entire childhood honing my skills to dry hump Dash Hunter’s nerves at every given chance and I’d gotten ridiculously good at it. As fun as it could be, after all we’d been through, I knew sometimes I just needed to give the poor guy a break.

  Besides, sometimes a girl just needs to have a good cup of coffee with her mama.

  I’d been enjoying myself immensely until she decided to piss in my cornflakes.

  “Of course, honey,” sh
e says, pulling me from my thoughts. “And I truly feel terrible, but there was no getting around it. Besides, I honestly thought between seeing your friends and spending time with Dash, you probably would be pretty busy the first few days anyway,” she explains, trying in vain to keep from rolling her eyes at my theatrics. “For the record, when I told my only son I’d be out of town for a few days, he was much more reasonable.”

  “Well, of course he was,” I argue. “He sees you almost every day. I’ve only seen you a few times a year since I started school. I’m surprised you even remembered my voice when I called you, ya know…”

  This time, her expression is softer as she reaches over and gives my hand a small, affectionate pat.

  “I know, honey,” she says again. “I’ll be back before you leave, though. I fly back into town next Friday. We can still spend some time together before you go back. I’m sure Dash will be working on Saturday,” she offers. “Why don’t we make a girls day of it? That would be nice, wouldn’t it? One last hurrah before you graduate.”

  I consider her words, grateful for the effort, but admittedly spoiled enough to give her a little extra grief over leaving town while I’m home. Leaning back into my chair, I slump my shoulders and cross my arms, settling in to full-pout mode.

  “Mason said you were going to spend Saturday helping him with something.”

  “I was supposed to, but we can do that after you head back. I can’t get out of this trip, but we deserve our girls’ day. Mason will just have to understand,” she shrugs, throwing me a wink. “He does see me almost every day and you are my favorite daughter.”

  “Okay,” I relent, unable to keep the wide smile from stretching over my lips. “I always knew I was your favorite child.”

  “Favorite daughter. I don’t have a favorite child.”

  “Oh, that’s crap and you know it!” I disagree playfully. “Parents not having favorites is just a lie they tell their kids so they’ll get along and leave them alone for ten minutes so they can drink wine and take a bath in peace.”

  “Evie…”