She pulled her mouth away, flickering herlong eyelashes.“I couldn’t stop thinking of you, even when I waswith him.”Sky let out a little, almost nervous laugh.“That reallymakes me sound like a bad person.”
“No.It doesn’t.You have no idea how muchthat admission pleases me.”
She startled, eyes wide as he leaned inclose and finally took what he wanted.Ryker kissed her like hemeant it, like this moment might be his only chance.He plunderedher mouth, taking her hungrily, roughly.She didn’t resist, simplymelting against his mouth, and fuck.She tasted better than he everimagined, like heaven.
He moved his hand lower, to cup one asscheek through the denim of her jeans and gave it a squeeze.Rykerwanted to shove her up against the wall, to do away with herclothes.He wanted her bare for him, to own every inch of thecreamy goodness of her skin.To see marks of his possession allover her body.
She parted her lips so sweetly for him, andhe thrust his tongue down her throat.She rubbed her body againsthim, and Ryker could have taken her right here and then.No more.After seeing the rat bastard she put up with, he knew he couldn’tallow any other men near her.
Sky was his, had always been his from themoment she closed those broken fingers over his ankle all thoseyears ago.In that moment, he’d been floored, shocked anyone inthat state could summon the strength to live.Any other personwould have surrendered to their fate but not his Sky.
Ryker had been the fool.He’d let her goonce, but he wouldn’t let it happen again, not after seeing howunhappy she’d been.He pulled away first, knowing that if thiscontinued any longer, he’d end up taking her right here and now.No, she deserved better, and Sky said so herself.Too many thingshad happened tonight.
She was still probably still reeling fromleaving her old life behind and Rodney—he wanted her to think ofonly him the first time they had sex.
Sky panted, staring at him.“Why did youstop?”
“When it comes to you, I don’t trustmyself.”He took a step back, giving her space.“Rest tonight.We’ll continue this tomorrow.”
She let out a huff and stalked past him.Shit.He grabbed her arm, not wanting her tomisunderstand.
“I’m sorry I acted like a bastard two yearsago, but I’m going to make up for that mistake starting now,” hesaid.
Sky bit on her bottom lip, as if she didn’tquite believe his words.
“You’re it for me, Sky.You’ve always beenthe one.I’ve held myself back but not anymore,” Ryker added.
She glared at him.“Do you think it’s thateasy?You really have no idea what kind of state you put me in whenyou told me you only saw me as a sister.I never recovered fromthat rejection.”
“Believe me, sweetheart.It’s been hard forme, too.Even Giovanni agreed you deserved so much more than theonly life I can offer you.”
“What about whatIwant?Ever thoughtof that?Only you saw the real me, Ryker.Guys like Rodney, they’donly see me as this broken—”
He stopped her right there.Ryker couldn’tbelieve after all these years, she couldn’t see what a strong,beautiful, kind soul she was.Ryker stole another kiss, this onequick, but equally full of need.
“Stop doing that.When you kiss me, I forgetwhy I’m mad at you in the first place.It’s unfair.”Sky soundedgrumpy.
“You’re not broken.Rodney’s an ass.Hedoesn’t see how strong you are, or how he’s so far beneath you.Ittakes a real man to appreciate you.”
“And that’s you?”she asked with a raise ofher eyebrow.“Show me.”
“Oh, I plan to.Have a good night sleep,sweetheart, because tomorrow, I’m not about to let you rest.”
She opened her mouth, closed it, then walkedup to her room and slammed it shut.Ryker returned to his own room,grinning.
Chapter Four
Sunlight hit her face, and Sky yanked up thecomforter to cover her head.Was it morning already?She dreadedwaking up only to see Rodney slumped on the living room couch, beercans all over the floor and coffee table.She always cleaned upafter him, even when she needed to rush to work for an earlymeeting.
Strange.Usually she woke up crankyfrom a lack of sleep.Sky couldn’t recall the last time she’d sleptthis soundly.What had changed?
Wait a second.She took a sniff ofthe comforter.Not the brand she used but it was familiar.Shepeeled it off her and sat up.Her old room stared back at her—pinkwalls, old posters, sturdy desk.Even the bookshelf where she keptall her accounting text books lay intact.
She stood up, walked over to her desk, andran her finger over the wood.No dust.Her heart warmed, thinkingabout Ryker, having her room cleaned along with the rest of thehouse.
I wanted you to have a home to returnto.
Yesterday, she called him, and he came totake her away without hesitation.Sky touched her lips, rememberingthe searing kiss he gave her, the look of pure and undiluted lustin his intense blue eyes.
