The Secrets of Sin

Mari

“Marcella,” Ben says in a hushed and serious tone.

“Yes, Benny? Is something wrong?” I lean further in, playing dumb till the very end.

It’s just a small clue. How many other people could have that same mark?

Rare, yeah. It’s rare but so what? He can’t prove anything. If he says something to Erik, no one would believe him.

Erik.

Wait, does Erik know that Ben is in a fight club?

“It was you, wasn’t it?” he says with a growl.

The music is up so loud that Ben and I are reading each other’s lips.

“What was? Ben, are you sure you’re okay?”

Deny, deny, deny all of it.

Nope, couldn’t have been me.

No way would I ever strip.

A stripper? Me?

No. That’s crazy.

“Hey, guys, we’re gonna stop at the gas station, need anything?” Erik turns the music down.

“Uh, no, bubba, I’m fine. Thank you. Ben, would you like anything?” I flash Ben a sweet smile and play it cool.

He never takes his eyes off me while he answers with a harsh “No.”

The rest of the ride is done in a thick silence between Ben and me.

Erik doesn’t notice. None of them do.

I can feel the tension rolling off him in thick waves, crashing into me and making me sick.

***

We drive to the cabin, which is beautiful. It’s hidden between two huge pine trees on a dirt road that winds and turns in the green forest.

The cabin sits on top of a small hill; a country wrap-around porch, and a rocking chair that sits out front. The door is a wooden screen that opens up to the rest of the house.

Getting out, I know I can’t be alone with Ben while he thinks I am Sin. I have to keep a buffer.

Inside, I hang around Erik. The guys lounge around for a second before they unload the truck, pulling out towels, sunscreen, bug spray, and some household things.

“All right, Mari, are you ready to get in the water?” Erik calls from the living room.

This cabin is so nice. The kitchen and living room occupy one big space and a flight of stairs, which looks like it should lead to an attic space, but actually is the way to access to the bedrooms.

Six of them.

“Yes!” I run past him and break out of the house, jumping from the second step to the grass. Erik and the rest of the guys come out, and I follow them down a trail that leads to a little beach.

“This is beautiful. It’s like a hidden oasis; a little piece of paradise,” I say in awe.

Stevie laughs and pats my back as he passes by.

The guys step out of their sandals, take their shirts off, and throw their towels on the low-hanging branches.

All but fucking Ben.

“Swing in, Mari!” Erik yells after he cannonballs into the water, splashing all of us.

I tuck my flip-flops aside from the rest of the others and move toward the rope swing.

“Aren’t you taking that off? Where’s your bathing suit?” Erik asks.

“I have it on. It’s just…a little revealing.” I run a hand down my arm.

“It’s just us, Mar, it’s okay. Go ahead,” Erik encourages.

I gulp. It’s really, really, revealing. I would wear it on stage if my belly showed.

Nodding, I walk away and hide behind a bush to undress in private.

I pop the button on my shorts and move them away from the dirt. I pull my shirt off along with my tank top and fold them on top of my shorts.

I tug at the crotch of my bathing suit and stuff my boobs into the sides.

This isn’t going to work, it’s so tight.

I peek around the bush and see Ben’s back facing me.

Sugar snaps! Why is it only him? Why couldn’t it be Erik?

“Ben?” I called out but he didn’t hear me. Or maybe he just wanted to ignore me. “Ben?”

He turns, glaring daggers with a stone-cold expression.

“Ben…, can you ask Erik if I can borrow his shirt while I swim?”

I only poke my head out from behind the bush, keeping the rest of myself hidden.

Ben’s lips twist into an evil smirk. He starts walking toward me.

“It can’t be that bad. We’re all family here.” His tone is so cold toward me.

“Come on, Mari,” Erik calls out from the water.

Crap on a cracker.

Taking a breath, I close my eyes for a second and take a step from behind the bush, turning to face Ben with my arms behind my back.

Suddenly, I feel rooted to the spot as his eyes scour every inch of my exposed body. They fill with lust, and while his fists are clenched at his side, the cold look on his face melts away.

We stand frozen, staring at one another.

The air feels thick—suffocatingly so. Like gravity has intensified.

My stomach drops when he takes a step closer, and his eyes move from my bare feet to my long ponytail.

Another step.

Then another.

Ben’s long legs clear the space in no time, and he stops stiffly in front of me, towering over me, lighting me on fire with his intensity.

My heart is like a hummingbird’s wings—beating so fast, I’m sure he can hear it.

“What have you done, kitten?” he says in an airy whisper. His hand comes up to my lips, and he brushes my lower one with a finger.

I tremble, and my breath hitches in my throat.

“Mari?” Erik steps into view.

I make an X with my arms to cover my chest and hide behind Ben.

“I’m coming. Ben was just giving me his shirt.”

Ben turns away from me, pulls his shirt off, and throws it behind him.

I work fast, pulling it over me and smoothing it over my body. It’s so big on me, it’s like a dress.

“All better. Let’s swim.”

Erik nods, but he stalls, staring at Ben until I tug on his arm and lead him away.

Erik looks over at me; his lips pressed into a white line; his eyebrows furrowed.

“How do I do it?” I ask, pointing at the thick rope tied to the tree limb.

“What? No! You can’t do it!” Ben says, jerking away from me.

I gape at his answer. “I can’t swing?”

His whole body relaxes, and the color in his face drains. He lets out a deep breath and mumbles something I don’t pick up.

“Yeah, you can swing. Come on, I’ll show you.” He lets out a small chuckle.

***

We swing into the water for hours. The guys do flips and splash each other, and we play Chicken and Marco Polo.

I ignore Ben the best I can, but it feels like we keep getting pushed or pulled together. Somehow, we always find a way to be side by side, or just closer than anyone else.

Erik keeps me busy, though, by having me judge who is the best diver.

Ross, Erik, and Stevie all climb the tree and jump from the highest point and into the water to send tidal waves that sweep me into Ben’s arms.

The first few hours go by in the blink of an eye, but as the sun starts to get low, Ben says he has to make a call and leaves to go back to the cabin.

After spending a good six hours in the water, we all get hungry. Our bellies growl for food since we played so hard.

“I’ll go back and make us something. You guys can stay and swim while I cook. I’m all swimmed-out anyway.”

I smile at the guys while paddling over to the shallows, then walk back onto the sandy bank.

“I don’t think you should walk back alone, Mar. You might get lost or something.” Erik starts to paddle over.

“It’s a straight shot, bub. I won’t go off the path. I promise.” I pull up the shirt and start squeezing out the water.

“Are you sure you remember? I can walk you back. It’s fine. Come on.” He climbs on the bank and starts pushing me away.

I walk with him back to the cabin, ringing out what water I can on the way. When we get onto the porch, I realize Stevie’s cabin has carpet and I’m still dripping wet.

“Oh, I forgot my towel. Can I go back and get it?”

Erik opens the door for me. “I’ll get it. Go ahead and go in. Take off Ben’s shirt and put it out here so the sun will dry it.”

I nod, watching Erik go back down the trail and out of sight.

I peel Ben’s shirt off, ring out the rest of the water, and lay it out like Erik asked.

I go inside to the kitchen to figure out what to cook. I comb through the cabinet, pulling out some pots and pans to get started, then decide to make biscuits and gravy, eggs, and waffles.

I use the dish towel to pat my hair as dry as I can get it, but when I squeeze the ends into a ball, my hair tie pops, letting it fall free and hang onto my lower back.

Thinking I can rig it up to hold my hair back, I bend over and look for it on the floor.

I look under the fridge, under the cabinet, then turn to look under the stove, when I notice a pair of big man feet behind me, and I jump up straight, spinning on my heels to look up at Ben.

His whole body is coiled so tight, and his beautiful sky-blue eyes look dark like a thunderstorm clouding the clear skies.

“Marcella Sinclair,” he hisses, putting extra emphasis on my last name while taking a step toward me.

“Benjamin Monroe, I’m not sure why you—”

“You know exactly why,” he growls.

I gulp. Ben presses his body to mine, pinning me to the kitchen cabinets behind me.

“Why would you do it, Mari?” he asks softly.

I shake my head slowly and swallow hard.

“Don’t make me punish you,” he says.

That one threat makes my thighs press together. A whimper leaves me, and my lips tremble for something I’d never wanted before.

I want another kiss.

I want Ben.

Laughter booms from outside. Ben growls again in my ear as he nips my earlobe and pulls it into his mouth.

He moves away from me and jumps up the stairs, leaving me stuck to the cabinet and flustered by his actions.

The door opens up and Erik, Ross, and Stevie file in, all looking me over.

I forgot I’m in nothing but the bathing suit that has me spilling out the top and falling out the bottom.

“Mari, wha-? Put this on. Go change. Now.” Erik runs to my side, covering me from view. “Don’t look! Eyes elsewhere! She’s just a kid!”

Erik pushes me up the stairs, yelling at the guys for looking. “You’re not wearing that ever again. Throw it away when you get out of it.”

“Okay, I will. I’m sorry. I didn’t have anything else.” I close the door to the room Erik has pushed me inside of.

“It’s fine. I know you didn’t. I’ll get you a better one. Just change and come back down when you’re done,” he calls through the door.

Doing what he asked, I started changing.

I pull the string around my neck and my top falls loose. I peel it down my stomach, exposing my chest. I push it past my hips, picking it from my crack, and letting it drop to the floor.

I use my towel to pat myself dry, then drop the towel as well.

Bending over, I pick up the bathing suit, looking for a trash can to throw it away in. Not seeing one, I turn to the bathroom and push the door open.

Ben stands on the other side.

His eyes closed.

His member in his hand.

Jerking off.

I blush, quickly backing away, trying not to make any noise. But then I hear Ben moan, and the sound sets my body on fire.

“Mari…,” he gasps.

Oh, my god. Ben is jerking off while thinking of me!