With purpose, I near door 523, sliding the card as Ryder’s presence fills in the space behind me. When the door opens, I pull the card out, and he finally says, “I got it,” in regard to the door.
His gruff, deep voice breaking our restraint turns me into a liquid mess.
I flick on a light and take off my coat. The door slowly shuts, and I feel like I am waiting for the verdict on a judge’s score after sticking a landing—I just want to know what the score is. What is he thinking? What amIthinking? Why are we even acting as if this is something we can get away with?
I pivot to face him. An intense vitality hardens his gaze, mirroring a ghost of what I witness when he’s in the heat of the ring. He takes a few steps forward, running a hand over the top of his head to smooth out his hair. “We really do need to talk, though.”
“Oh?” I hum, trying to conceal the immediate dryness of my mouth, as if his words are cotton on my tongue. I don’t like his tone, like he is prepared to leave at any second.
He places his hands in his coat pockets, staring me down with a clenched jaw. He quickly bites his lower lip before saying, “I just need to clear the air—I don’t want to fuck up whatever goals you have with your gym.”
“What do you mean?”
His gaze rakes over me. “I want to make sure you’re okay with everything.”
Blood rapidly pulses in my neck and ears, considering all my obligations at once. Andrew’s anger means nothing in the shadow of Ryder’s reciprocation. It’s been too long since I felt such an easy connection with someone.
I still want him to clarify, just to ensure we are on the same page. “In regard to?”
He takes another step forward, his attention wandering around the room before landing back on me, a fierce craving morphing his gaze, his voice low and assertive. “You know I want you. I know you want me. If I touch you like that, just even a little, I’m not stopping. I don’t want to make this complicated for you. I can’t even try to predict where the fuck this will all end up, and Andrew will hate it. Even though every fiber of my body regrets saying this, we can still quit whatever the hell is going on between us without it being awkward. We can do that now, if you don’t want to risk anything. Either way, we gotta figure this shit out because I’m losing my ability to control myself with you… If we get into one more awkward bathroom encounter, I’m pushing you up against the wall next time.”
Everything hazes as my breathing hitches. I swallow thickly, the hairs on my arms rising, relief pebbling my skin. I mutter, “Please don’t say that unless you mean it.”
There are many small, subtle twitches of his face, as if dissecting every possibility. I’ve never seen his eyes so intense and emotional.
We stare each other down, like we aren’t sure how to proceed. Or maybe we’re just being cautious, some last dose of common sense prevailing…
Without saying another word, Ryder leans in, grabbing the back of my head with one hand and snaking his other arm around me.
His warm lips crash into mine.
Inhaling deeply, I reach underneath his jacket, the heat from inside shrouding me. There’s no softness in the way his tongue parts my lips, dipping into my mouth, our tenacious grips erasing any remaining space.
I severely underestimated how it would feel to be gripped by his strength. My knees buckle, and holy shit, can the man kiss. His small groans vibrate against my lips, his dexterous hands tightening their hold.
Pressure on my lower back from his hand pulls me closer, a growl escaping him when my breasts press against his chest. His broad lips are soft and commanding, our noses rubbing the other’s cheek as our lips move.
Ryder parts to remove his jacket. A wild, concentrated haze is directed right at me. With no shame, I take in how that tight shirt clings to his muscular body, every ounce of caution completely thrown to the wind.
He has a way of silencing the world for me.
Once he drops his jacket, Ryder moves toward me in the same manner that he moves in the ring. I love how all I see is that man’s strength coming right at me, subjecting me to his complete whim.
When he kisses me again, after giving me thatlook, I become so slick that I can feel it against my underwear. I wonder what he’ll say when he knows how wet he makes me... He moves his hands to grip the backside of my thighs, lifting me, my legs wrapping around him for stability. It’s as if I weigh nothing, a giggling moan escaping me as I steady the kiss. The amount of pleasure that streaks through feels like lightning.
The power in Ryder’s grip is something that I’ve never felt before.
We momentarily part when he lays me down on the bed, maneuvering himself over me, gripping my hip while he kisses my neck, almost possessively. He places his hot breath on my ear and says, “You feel fucking good in my hands.”
“Fuck, Joey,” I moan. The sensation of his warm kisses, coupled with the weight of his body lowering onto mine… my eyes close.
A rasping, needy sound vibrates in his throat. “You been thinking about me fucking you, haven’t you?”
I smile, running my hands on his back as he kisses my jawline. I want to give him a tease or a joke, but I also want to say something that will make him even harder, evenmoresalacious.
With a wild grin, opening my eyes to look at the ceiling, I say into his ear, “Yeah, fine. I’ve been thinking about your dick a lot and how Ireallywant you to fuck me.”
His weight lowers even more, his groin grinding against me as his face hovers over mine. I love how powerful he feels and how I’m not goinganywherewithout him moving, not with me pinned like this.
