The grin Amber shot my way was a relief. It meant she wasn’t put out by the lack of invite this weekend.
“Awesome. You said she’s great, right?” she asked.
“She’s funny as hell and was fun to watch when I saw her perform.” Aware Ryan had kept quiet, I turned to him. “That all sound okay?”
His nod came quickly. “Definitely, especially if I get to meet your friends.”
The people I’d met via Tallis were still new friends, but time meant nothing when you connected. And that’s how I felt about the group I’d met at Bar QK.
“You guys mind helping Gran with the dishes while I put Ivy to bed?” Standing, Amber reached over to her daughter, who appeared super tired. A quick glance at Gran showed she didn’t look much more awake.
Before I could respond, Ryan stood and started collecting the bowls. “Nate and I have got this. Gran, thanks for the meal. Why don’t you go and chill?”
Gran had been suspiciously quiet during the latter half of the meal. Earlier, she’d implied she’d been excited about her grandson’s return. No doubt that meant she’d barely had any sleep.
“We’ve definitely got this, and honestly, I expect I’ll be heading to bed straight after.” While jet lag hadn’t hit hard again, courtesy of awesome beds in business class, we’d had virtually a whole day of traveling with the two flights, plus the car journeys.
I was beat. I was also desperate for a moment alone with Ryan.
“Thanks, boys. I think I’ll get ready for bed and turn in, if that’s the case.” Ryan’s gran stood, said goodnight to us all, making a fuss of Ryan in the process, which was super sweet, and then headed off. Amber followed after a hug from us both, and finally, after a whole day, Ryan and I were alone.
I gathered the glasses, side-eyeing him. I smiled softly when I realized he was doing the same thing. He followed me to the kitchen, stepping directly behind me when I stopped at the sink. His chest brushed my back as he leaned around me and placed the bowls down.
The air seemed to suck from the room, making it hard to breathe.
“I’ve missed you.” The quiet rasp of his voice next to my ear caused goose bumps to erupt on my skin. Air finally rushed into my lungs when his lips pressed against my neck. A groan quickly followed. “It’s been so ridiculously hard not to touch you too. Fucking torturous.”
I closed my eyes and sighed as he followed up with another kiss. “I think we need to load this damn dishwasher and take this to my room.” Having the guest room at the far side of the house had its merits. While I heard Ivy’s loud cries at night, the room was far enough away to offer a semblance of privacy.
“You want me to sneak in at any particular time?”
I turned in Ryan’s arms and raised my brows at him. “You think I can wait?” I snorted. “Hell no. Say goodnight again to your sister and get your arse in my room. It’ll be quicker for me to tidy the kitchen by myself.” I eyed his mouth as I spoke. The temptation to lean up and kiss him was visceral, but stopping would pose one hell of a challenge if I gave in.
Feeling needy, I didn’t think I had the willpower to stop and not devour him. “Seriously, go. I can’t concentrate while you’re so close.”
The smirk Ryan shot my way was sinful and filled with so much promise I legit shooed him away. He left with a chuckle, and I raced around the kitchen, ensuring everything was clean and tidied away.
A kiss and hopefully some cock from Ryan was one hell of a motivator.
Fifteen minutes later, after just one glance at Ryan as he stepped out of my room’s en suite, I almost swallowed my tongue. The man was perfection personified. All hard muscles, the ridges protruding and perfect for trailing my tongue over. But it was the look in his eyes, the way they roamed over my face, my body, a small smile forming that made my heart beat double time.
With the bedroom door firmly closed behind me, the lock engaged for good measure, I leaned against the hard surface. At my blatant perusal, Ryan’s cheeks turned pink. That slight reaction reminded me of one of the many reasons why I’d been attracted to Ryan in the first place. Sweet, soft edges of personality contrasted endearingly with the confidence he exuded. Both on and off the court.
We remained staring at each other for a beat. While I wanted to commit to memory every inch of this man, I couldn’t help but wonder what he thought, what he saw when he looked at me.
The question remained on the tip of my tongue as Ryan shifted his hands to the waistband of his package-hugging boxers. In one swift movement, he tugged them down and stepped out of them.
“Fuck.” The word tumbled out of me as a needy groan, earning me a confident smirk.
Ryan’s dick bobbed up and down, and he quirked his brow high. My laughter cut through the tension, and I latched on to the sensation rippling across my skin.
I loved I could laugh with this man. Loved how good he made me feel and in so many different ways—whether it was with his cock in my mouth, the words we shared, or the sweet care he offered.
It took but a beat before I stood before him, still smiling. Cupping his face, I swiped his bottom lip with the pad of my thumb. “Kissing you this morning seems like forever ago.”
His gaze darted around my face, and he nodded. “I don’t like not being able to touch you whenever I want.”
Pursing my lips, I worked hard at not sharing my immediate thoughts.You don’t have to hide.
