by M. S. Parker
“Should I make myself come?” I asked, dragging my eyes open and meeting his.
His lashes had drooped until he watched me with hooded eyes. “Do what you like,” he told me.
I wanted to know what he liked. But I could already tell he was enjoying this, so I moved my fingers quicker.
Head falling back, I rocked my hips against my hand. My knees wobbled, and I sagged a little.
Ryder caught my hips in his hands and drew me closer. I braced one knee on the arm of his chair, opening myself more completely. The air caressed me, and it was almost more than I could stand.
I thrust two fingers into my pussy, but it wasn’t enough.
I almost called a halt to it then because I wanted to have him touching me. But one look at his taut features had me stilling my tongue.
A muscle pulsed in his cheek.
One hand lay on his thigh, fist clenched.
Oh, no…I wasn’t stopping.
I looked down, staring over my torso at the way my fingers played over my flesh.
“How does it feel?” Ryder asked. Intensity underscored his words, and I looked back at him.
“I’m wet,” I answered. “So wet.”
“I bet I can make you wetter.”
“I bet you can,” I said, my breath hitching. “But…not yet.”
I was enjoying this, I realized, him watching me as I pleasured myself.
My hips rocked harder. The one leg still braced on the floor trembled, and I worried for a moment that I might lose all my strength and fall. Ryder must have sensed what I was thinking because he caught my hips and pulled me in closer.
I whimpered in dismay, my climax hovering just out of reach.
He didn’t take over, though. He simply pulled me onto the chair, guiding my other knee until it was braced on the opposite arm. He gripped my hips, his eyes locked on the hand between my thighs.
I moved quicker, lost in the sensations and the feel of his eyes on me. But just as I teetered on the edge of orgasm, Ryder pulled my hand away.
“No…” I whimpered.
But then I was catching my breath because he’d abruptly pulled me up against him and pressed his face to my cunt.
I cried out in startled pleasure, burying my hands in his hair.
He mimicked the actions my fingers had been doing only seconds ago, using his tongue instead. It was rough and hot, and I thought I just might die from the pleasure of it.
He shot me into a quick, hard climax and while my head was still spinning, he tugged me closer, then stood up.
I gasped as I found myself bent over the chair. I heard foil tear, then Ryder was pressed up against me.
I cried out as he drove inside, filling me with one hard, demanding thrust. He hauled my hips back as he moved, demanding a response from me.
I’d braced my arms on the chair, and now my muscles trembled, threatening to give way. Then they did collapse, and I half-sagged, face first against the chair. Ryder moved with me, and soon, we were bent over the chair, me on my hands and knees while he rode me from behind.
He tangled a hand in my hair and pulled, bringing my head up. His cock swelled inside me as he guided my face around to meet his, then we were kissing, our tongues tangling together as he fucked me hard.
My second climax seemed to start even as I was still shuddering from the first.
I whimpered and tightened around him, loathe for this to end already.
But it did, the orgasm slamming into me like a velvet-draped fist, knocking the breath straight out of me.
I only barely remembered dropping my head onto the chair, only barely remembered the hard, demanding thrust of his cock as he chased his own climax.
Then he was groaning behind me, the sound strangled and tight…and hungry.
Black dots danced in front of my eyes, and I sagged, my strength completely gone.
I had only one thought in my mind as I struggled to catch my breath.
Wow…
11
Breanna
I woke slowly, my body aching in the sweetest of ways.
Part of me took in the fact that I wasn’t in my bed and my mind turned toward that puzzle even as I reveled in the blissful ache between my thighs and the way my muscles still felt all loose and limp.
Memory returned slowly, and I realized I was smiling as I opened my eyes and found myself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. Everything was unfamiliar. The bed beneath me, the way the light slanted into the room – it came from the wrong angle for me to be in my room.
Ryder’s bed.
Or at least a bed in Ryder’s house.
I sat up, dragging the sheet with me as I moved. I looked around, taking in things I hadn’t noticed about the room last night.
No, this wasn’t Ryder’s room.
It was too…impersonal and the colors, warm blue and pale cream, were nothing like what he’d choose.
I had no idea how I knew that, but I didn’t doubt that I was right.
The bed next to me was empty, and when I swept a hand down the sheets, I found them cool.
He’d been gone a while.
I didn’t let myself brood over it.
Sliding from the bed, I paced around. I saw my clothes, folded neatly and draped over the back of the chair where Ryder had sat last night. I was reluctant to put them on just yet. Some part of me thought that once I pulled those clothes on, the night was officially over.
Of course, logically, I knew it was over. It was morning.
But I wasn’t ready to dress and officially end this time with my sexy friend with benefits.
Not questioning, I took the dress shirt that had been flung carelessly on the foot of the bed and pulled it on, my fingers racing over the buttons. The shirt smelled of Ryder, and I couldn’t stop myself from lifting my forearm to my nose and dragging the scent of him deeper into my lungs.
I only did it once, then I made myself stop.
This is just sex, I reminded myself. I didn’t need to go getting moon-eyed just because something that smelled of him lay against my skin.
I slid from the room, glancing up and down the hall.
I had no idea where to find Ryder.
I lingered on the second floor for a few moments, hoping he’d emerge from another room.
He didn’t though, and I found my way to the steps, moving swiftly and silently down them.
He’d showed me the house last night, but my head had been a mess of need and nerves, and I hadn’t taken in that much. Now, I found myself more curious and I moved over to the big window that faced out over the back of his property.
It was beautiful here, the peaks of the Rocky Mountains punching up into the clear, blue bowl of the sky, white with winter snow.
I didn’t know how long I stood there, but when I turned away, the house was still as silent as it had been when I emerged from the bedroom.
I found my way to the kitchen and poked around until I found the glasses. I got some water from the technological behemoth masquerading as a fridge. I glanced around, then, curiously, I peeked inside.
Most of the men I’d dated weren’t much in the kitchen so I half-expected to find a lot of nothing.
To my surprise, the fridge was well-stocked. I could make any number of meals just judging by the quick glance I gave the interior.
My belly rumbled, but I closed the door and turned away. I wasn’t about to dig in without asking Ryder if it was okay. I wasn’t even sure if our relationship extended to that. We were all about a mutual, physical relationship. That might not extend to me making us breakfast.
I told myself to be content with water for now and took another sip as I closed the fridge.
My gaze landed on the coffee machine, and I thought maybe the relationship could at least extend to coffee, but one look at the elaborate set up made me rethink that plan. I might just need a degree in astrophysics to run that thing.
Sighing in misery, I turned to the sink and rinsed out the glass I’d used, lea
ving it to dry in the rack on the nearby counter.
My feet were cold, and I wished I had a pair of socks as I padded across the hardwood floors down the hallway. If I remembered right, this led to the living room.
Ryder wasn’t in there either, and I rolled my eyes, wondering where in the hell he was.
Hunger panged again, and I debated on whether I should just leave.
Just as I was about to do that, the front door opened. I hurried out of the living room, already smiling. The smile fell away and died at the sight of the woman standing in the doorway, stamping snow off her feet.
She looked up at me, and I found myself staring into a pair of eyes that looked almost exactly like Ryder’s.
For a few seconds, neither of us moved, or even blinked.
Then she came inside and shut the door, head cocking as she studied me.
“Um…” I dredged up a smile. “Hi.”
“Hi back,” she said, her voice curious. She looked around, then back at me. “You here with Ryder?”
“Yes,” I answered guardedly, uncertain of the dynamics that was happening.
“Wow.” A bright smile wreathed her face as she came closer. “I’ve never been here when my brother had a woman over. And you spent the night?”
Instead of answering that, I said cautiously, “Ryder is your brother?”
“Yes.” She shoved a hand out. “I’m Ginnifer – Ginny to my friends. I’m Ryder’s youngest sister.”
The bright, easy cheer in her eyes made it easier for me to accept her hand. “I’m Breanna.” Curiously, I asked, “How many sisters does he have?”
“There are three of us,” Ginny said. An impish grin curled her lips as she added, “I’m his favorite.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Is that a fact?”
“Yes. I’m loveable that way.”
She shrugged out of her coat and hung it up in a closet I hadn’t noticed. Her familiarity with the place didn’t go unnoticed by me. “I’m not sure where Ryder disappeared off to,” I told her.
“Oh, he’s around. I saw his truck.” She shrugged and moved deeper into the kitchen. “Man, it’s cold out there. I need some coffee. You want some?”
I glanced back over my shoulder in the direction of the kitchen, before giving Ginny a rueful grin. “I’d love some. I would have already started a pot, but the coffee machine he has in there is…impressive.”
“That’s Ryder for you.” She made a face. “He likes the fancy shit. It’s not as complicated as it looks, though. Come on, and I’ll show you how to use it, so you’ll know next time.”
I opened my mouth to comment about whether there’d be a next time but decided to stay mute.
It didn’t take Ginny any time to get a pot of coffee brewing, and she walked me through the steps. I committed them to memory and offered my thanks.
“No problem,” she said. “Man, it’s so weird to see a woman here. Ryder never has women over.”
“It’s not like that,” I told her, shaking my head.
She leaned back against the counter. “Not like what?”
“I…” A blush rose up to heat my cheeks, and I looked away, crossing my arms over my chest, aware of my disarray. “We just fell asleep. It’s not a big deal.”
“So, you’re not dating?” Ginny continued to watch me with wide, curious eyes.
“We’re…” Hell. How did I answer that? I wasn’t about to tell this young woman who barely looked old enough to be out of high school that Ryder and I had agreed to a mutually beneficial relationship based on sex and sex alone.
She zeroed in on my reluctance to answer and pumped a fist in the air. “Thank goodness. I was starting to wonder if he’d ever get around to finding himself somebody.”
“It’s not like that,” I rushed to tell her.
But judging by the way Ginny watched me, she didn’t believe me.
Blood rushed to my cheeks, and I looked away, staring outside.
“Coffee’s done,” Ginny said in a cheerful voice.
She pushed a mug into my hand just a few moments later, and I lifted it, so desperate for caffeine that I didn’t bother with sugar or milk.
Ginny wasn’t so desperate, and I watched as she pulled out milk from the fridge, then a small sugar bowl from a nearby cabinet.
My tongue was already scalding so after two sips, I lowered the cup and went to doctor my own coffee as Ginny leaned back against the counter. “I don’t know how anybody drinks coffee black.”
“Desperation will do that to you. I learned that back in college.”
Her face lit up. “Man, college. I can’t wait until I start next fall. I’m planning on going to Northwestern.”
“It’s a good school,” I said, nodding at her. “What are you going to major in?”
She made a face. “I haven’t decided yet.”
“What pulled you toward that school?”
“My boyfriend goes there.” She shrugged and took another sip of her coffee before darting a look at me. “Of course, if my parents had their way, I’d go to college somewhere over in Europe, just so they could keep me away from him.”
I decided to err on the side of caution and I didn’t respond.
That didn’t stop Ginny from talking animatedly about her upcoming college career and the guy she was dating – a guy who clearly hadn’t met parental approval. I heard the frustration in her voice and silently commiserated.
I’d had protective parents and several protective brothers to boot. Sometimes it was hard finding yourself when you came from such a large family.
12
Breanna
It seemed like Christmas week passed in a blur.
I’d spent the holiday with my family as I always did, but come Saturday, the day before New Year’s Eve, I was already back home.
Soaking in a hot tub of water, I contemplated the evening ahead of me.
I was having dinner with Lukas and Stella…and Ryder.
Stella had offered the invite and casually mentioned that I should bring him. I’d brought it up to him, expecting him to say no. We didn’t have that kind of relationship after all.
But to my surprise, he’d said yes.
I had no idea how the night ahead was going to go.
I hadn’t seen Stella since the Friday before Christmas. The agency had closed for the week between Christmas and New Year’s and wouldn’t reopen until the following Tuesday. Both Stella and Lukas had traveled back to New York City for the week, and although we’d shared a few texts and a call on Christmas evening, we hadn’t really had time to…talk.
I had no idea if she was still nervous about what was going on between Ryder and me. I knew I was. But that didn’t tell me what I could expect in the hours that lay ahead of us.
With my head resting on the lip of the tub, I closed my eyes.
“You worry too much, Bree,” I said to myself.
I purposefully blanked my mind. Worrying about what was ahead wouldn’t do anything but make me more nervous than I already was.
Ryder and I hadn’t seen each other since the previous Saturday when he’d finally shown up and dropped a kiss on my lips just before I left.
We’d shared several texts, and I’d called him to extend the invite from Stella, but beyond that, we hadn’t communicated much.
This whole relationship had me on edge and knowing that I’d just make a fool of myself if I kept getting worked up over everything, I pushed the thoughts of Ryder and the coming night out of my mind.
Slipping beneath the surface of the water, I wet my hair then remerged and reached for the shampoo.
Ryder was picking me up in just a couple of hours, and I needed to focus on getting ready.
Since it was dinner with friends, I didn’t pull out the big guns. Another little black dress and slinky heels wouldn’t fit in the night ahead. That made it more complicated in my opinion, but I finally found a silk top in a rich shade of rose that flattered my coloring and played up my figure. I p
aired it with skinny jeans and black knee boots.
I was still brushing makeup on when Ryder arrived, and I paused in the middle of applying my mascara at the sound of the firm knock on the door.
I hurriedly finished my other side and moved down the short hallway to my living room.
I opened the door only a second after Ryder knocked again.
He looked me up, then down, a slow smile curling his lips.
I curled my toes inside my boots and smiled back at him.
I’d missed him.
Weird, I thought. And probably unwise, even letting myself think about whether I’d missed him.
This wasn’t any sort of romantic relationship.
That didn’t keep a shiver from racing down my spine as he moved in closer and brushed a kiss over my lips. “You look beautiful.”
“Thanks.” I took in the sight of him, dark gray sweater paired with a faded pair of jeans that clung to tautly muscled thighs. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”
He glanced down at his clothes with a shrug. “I was figuring things would be casual.”
“They will be.” I offered a nervous smile as I stepped back and gestured for him to enter. “I’m not quite ready. Do you want to come on in?”
I left him sitting in my living room as I hurried back to the bathroom and stared at my half-made-up face, trying to remember what I’d been doing before he showed up.
My hands shook a little as I brushed bronzer on my pale cheeks, then rooted through my makeup bag, looking for the right shade of lipstick. My mind was racing, and it made figuring out the right shade a little difficult.
I settled on a shade of rose just a little darker than my blouse and leaned in, steadying my hand as I put the lipstick on. I tucked the tube into my pocket then set about putting the bathroom back to rights.
My small purse sat on a table just inside the living room, and I dropped the lipstick in, pausing to make sure there were condoms inside, just in case.
Ryder hadn’t said anything about us going anywhere after dinner, but I did believe in being prepared.
His gaze slid to me as I put the purse back down and I cleared my throat. “Are you in the mood for a glass of wine or anything before we leave?”
