by Robin Falcon
She looked up, just as I needed her too, letting me know she was listening to what I was trying to say.
“What about now?” She asked the hard question.
“Now?” I paused briefly, “now, I’m still scared.”
It was the truth, but not in the way Ryder might assume.
When woman usually started talking about a long-term commitment, I ended it. I knew before relationships even started that it was only temporary.
I never saw a future with any of them.
Ryder was different though, forever never scared me when it came to her. There was never a future I wanted without her in it, she’d always been my forever.
“Scared of what, hurting me?”
I shook my head. “No, not anymore. I used to be terrified of that, but now I’m scared of how much you can hurt me.”
She was so cute in my sweats, still fiddling with her fingers and eyeing me as she over thought her response.
Her eyes held mine for a moment, and we shared something between us, in the silence. I only wish I could put a label on what I was feeling.
“Ty…” She whispered.
“You leave tomorrow, and that terrifies me. I can’t let you go again, Ry. I just can't.”
She reached out one of her hands out, and she rested it up against my face.
She felt so cold.
I pulled her towards me, and she nestled into my chest in a way that was so normal for us. She fit there in my arms as if they were made to hold her and, right now, I was pretty sure they were.
“Ty, I can't stay.”
I remained quiet for a second, just memorizing the way it felt to hold her again.
“What if I move to the city?”
She pulled away from me slightly, moving so she could look up at me. “Ty, you can't. You bought a place here, and you have your dream job. This is your home.”
I finally knew how she felt all those years ago. I was ready to risk everything for her, and she wanted to protect me from making a decision she thought I’d regret.
I stared at her, a familiar expression mirroring mine.
“Ty, I love you.” The words left her lips in a whisper, but the instant she said them, it gave me so much clarity.
The way we’d looked at each other all those years, in those moments of silence and longing. The friendship, the connection. It was love.
I love, Ryder.
“You don’t have to say it back.” She reassured me, “I just needed to say it.”
I stared at her for a moment, brushing some hair from her face. My fingertips tracing down her cheek to rest below her chin. “Ry?”
I didn’t wait for her to acknowledge me, I nudged her lips up to meet mine, and leaned down to kiss her.
I touched my lips to hers, resting them there until our lips parted against each other at the same time. Then, in a moment of raw emotion, we crashed our mouths against each other, with a desperate groan.
Fuck. My tongue traced hers, soft, and slow. Savoring each moment, like it might be our last. I felt her whimper softly into my mouth, and it drove me mad with impatience.
I eased her back on to the blanket, never breaking my lips from hers, until she lay flat on her back. Then, as I broke the kiss, she lay there staring up at me, the silence between us now undeniably, loud.
Wow.
“What?” She asked quietly, breaking into my thoughts.
“I love you, Ry.” I finally said out loud, for the first time.
I watched her eyes flood a bit with tears, and she looked away from me. I reached out to turn her face back to mine and caught sight of a tear gliding down her cheek.
I lifted my thumb to her face and brushed it away. “I mean it, Ry. I’ve always loved you.”
She stared up at me with an expression that, suddenly, had so much power over me now that I knew its meaning.
I leaned down to kiss her again. Only, this time, my kiss was brash, and demanding, with a hunger for her that had only grown with time.
I caught her mouth with mine, and she lifted her shoulders up off the ground to indulge in the same addiction that I’d succumbed too. Her arms came up, reaching for me, pulling me down against her mouth with the same deep seeded need that was burning inside me.
I felt one of her hands dip down between us, tugging at my shirt. I sat up quickly, pulling it off and tossing it to the side.
Her hands found my bare skin, and her fingers traced the ridges of my body.
I groaned.
Ty, wait. This is, Ryder. A familiar voice warned me. Only this time, I smiled.
Yes, this is Ryder.
My own hands worked at the zipper of her jacket, pulling it open, eager to feel her skin against mine as I pushed her shirt up over her head. I tossed the articles of clothing next to us, on the floor. Then, I felt her slender fingers shoving at the waistline of my sweats.
I broke our kiss. “Here? Are you sure?”
“Ty, please.”
I needed no other explanation, as I grabbed the edge of her sweats and shoved them down her legs. My eyes tracing over every detail of her body, as she kicked them off the rest of the way.
I found my rightful spot back between her legs within seconds and traced my lips along her neck.
It had been five years since I’d last been with her, and right now every second I wasn’t inside of her, felt like many more were passing.
We were moving even more urgently now, pushing, and shoving each other out of the last layers of clothes that separated us.
Then, when my bare body rested against her own, I sighed in undeniable relief.
“Say it again, Ry.” I whispered against her ear as I shifted back between her legs, once more.
I felt her lift her hips up, to brush against me, and I groaned.
“Ry, careful.” I warned.
She smiled. “I love you.”
The second she said it, I caught her gaze and thrust into her without a moment of hesitation.
We both managed a strangled cry of relief, as I felt her body constrict around me for the first time in years.
“Ry…” I growled, as I pulled out and thrust into her again.
Her small frame shifted against the old wooden floor beneath the blanket.
“Ty!” She whimpered, lifting her hips up against me, so I could drive into her once more.
“Ry.” I rasped again, mid breath. “You feel amazing.” I nuzzled my face against her neck.
I was doing everything in my power to hold back for her, but I was already lost to her. She had so much power over me, and she had no idea.
I sat up in an attempt to regain control, only to lose it a bit more, when I saw the way she looked beneath me.
“Ty, I’m close.” She moaned, on a deep intake of breath.
I grabbed her waist, pulling her greedily into my next few thrusts, driving myself as deep as I could inside of her.
I watched her head roll back, as she screamed. “Tyyyyy!”
My named never sounded so good on her lips, her eyes fluttering back open as she skirted the edge of her orgasm.
I thrust into her with two more deep thrusts. My heart pounding, and my fingers digging into her hips to keep hold of her.
I felt her body vibrating around me, like it was riding the same high I was, ready for the wave of relief.
Then, on my last thrust I felt her let go. Her eyes connected with mine and I watched as each wave of her orgasm hit her.
The overpowering experience caught me by surprise. I came so hard, that I couldn’t grasp the concept of anything else. I buried myself as deep as I could and clung to her like a life raft.
By the time I’d regained some control, I was laid out over her, her legs wrapped around me. The heels of her feet pressed into my ass, as if she was doing all she could to get me as deep as she possibly could.
I felt both our hearts racing, and I was in no hurry to pull free from her.
“That was…” She was panting for air.
<
br /> “Incredible.” I finished in my own rapid breaths.
I finally shifted to the side, freeing her of all that weight resting on top of her and moved to grab the spare blanket.
I tossed it over us.
“I have to get back into the house,” she reminded me.
“Just lay here with me for a bit.”
She smiled, and then turned to lay her head on my chest. I moved my arm to cradle her against me.
“What time do you have to leave tomorrow?” I asked, not really wanting to accept the fact she was still leaving.
“Kirk wants to pick me up around nine, for breakfast. He told me to invite you along.”
I nodded. “I’ll be there.”
I moved my hand to find hers, lacing our fingers together. We talked like that for another hour, just laying in each others’ arms.
I’d never had moments like this with anyone else. Nothing ever existed outside of the physical aspect of my past relationships. Even then, they didn’t even come close to how it felt being with Ryder.
At some point that night, I broke my promise. We never got her home. Instead, she fell asleep in my arms and I got the best sleep of my life.
Chapter 17
Ryder
It must have gotten cold that night because when I woke, I was tangled tightly around Tyler’s body.
I smiled when he let out a loud snore, oddly comforted by the familiar sound. I was so content and happy, just to be laying next to him.
However, then panic set in.
Did I have a chance at getting back into my room unnoticed? Had my parents already come to wake me up, only to find me gone?
I went to roll away, but Tyler stirred and his hold on me tightened.
“Ty…” I called to him in a whisper. Wanting to wake him, but not call attention to anyone within ear shot.
He grumbled a bit, and I snickered.
He looked so sexy when he slept. Especially, when it was me he was latched on too.
Suddenly, I heard someone clear their throat and I glanced towards the ladder of the treehouse.
There stood, Kirk.
“Am I interrupting?”
I jumped up, a breeze hitting my bare skin, as I realized I’d just flashed Kirk on accident. I yanked the blanket to cover myself, and that’s when Tyler finally opened his eyes and stretched.
“Not what I wanted to see before breakfast.” Kirk responded, and I shot him a glare.
Tyler glanced between us.
“Yep, you’re definitely gay.”
I nudged Tyler with my elbow. Shooting him a glare next. “Ty!”
“What?!” He asked innocently, as he yawned. “I don’t mean it in a bad way, I'm just saying. You are definitely what I want to see before breakfast.”
I rolled my eyes but grinned as a blush touched my cheeks.
Tyler gave Kirk a head nod. “What’s up man, is it time for breakfast?”
“Well, I mean, only if you two are done here.” He shot me a look that meant something like, ‘Mhm, see what happens when I’m not around.’
Tyler laughed, unfazed by it all. “I don’t think what we’ll ever really be done, but nonetheless, we can meet you on the ground in about fifteen minutes.”
Kirk shot Tyler an amused look, almost as if he was debating on if he liked Tyler, after all. “Okay. You guys got fifteen minutes. Then I’m out of here without her.”
He started back down towards the ground and I looked to Tyler.
“He will never let me live this down, you know that right? How did he even know I was up here?”
We heard Kirk yell up to answer, from the ground. “Your mom told me where I could find you. I don’t think this get together is as secret, as it was meant to be.”
“Go away, Kirk!” I yelled.
“Fine! You don’t have to be a brat about it.” He shot back before I heard him walking back inside my house.
I dropped my head down into my hands. “This is a mess.”
Tyler just laughed. “I think you’re stressing to much.”
He grabbed his sweats and pulled them on under the blanket, tossing mine at me before pulling on his shirt.
“I'm hungry. Let's get some food.” His tone sounded off, like something was wrong. “Meet you inside.” He finished, as he started his way down the ladder.
I pulled my clothes back on as quickly as I could. The idea of Kirk, and Tyler, chit chatting without me there, left me scattering to my feet.
“Wait for me!” I yelled, storming off after them.
By the time I reached the back-patio door, to the house, they’d both made it into the kitchen.
“Morning.” My mom smiled at me.
Crap. Think Ryder, think.
“Mom, sorry I ditched out early last night. I just…”
“Ryder, it’s fine. I assumed you two would probably hang out before you left town anyway. Plus, I’ve honestly heard you fall out of that tree so many times in the past.” She chuckled. “So, when I heard you last night, I figured you were just going to meet up with Tyler.”
“You knew? Even when we were kids?”
She smiled. “Of course. It's just, it was Tyler. He was always such a good boy. He would text us and let us know you were with him and when he would have you back safely.”
I shot a look to Tyler. “All these years you were ratting me out to my parents?”
Tyler held his hands up in defense. “I told you, I looked out for you. That way your parents didn’t worry, you didn’t get in trouble, and you got to feel rebellious.”
Tyler grinned and Kirk spit his coffee out in the sink when he burst into laughter.
“It’s not funny!” I yelled at Kirk.
“It kind of is.” He laughed. “You really don’t have a dangerous bone in your body.”
“Ughhh.” I grumbled. “I’m going to go shower and grab my bags.”
“I guess I should go change too.” Tyler said, and then we both stared at each other.
Were we supposed to kiss, hug… high five? Who knew, definitely not me.
What we did do was share an awkward silence with my family, before Kirk spoke up.
“Hurry up you two. We got to get on the road.”
“You’re right, I’ll be quick.” I turned and ran upstairs to get ready, without so much as a wave.
Chapter 18
Tyler
I headed over to my parent's place once Ryder had gone upstairs. I managed to get a pair of jeans on before I plopped down on to my bed with a heavy sigh.
The thought of Ryder leaving today was leaving a pit in my stomach. I felt like I’d been here before.
Five years ago, she left town, and I let her. Now, it was happening all over again.
I headed downstairs with my shirt in my hand, trying to find my shoes. Then, after about twenty minutes, I heard a knock on my front door.
When I opened it, Ryder was on the other side. I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face as she stood there rocking back and forth on the heels of her sneakers.
“Hey Ty, you nearly ready? Kirk said you should take your own car. That way when we are done eating, we can just head out of town.”
Just like that, the smile faded.
To think I was just starting to like Kirk too, and now he was taking Ryder away from me again.
“Almost. Are you guys heading out right now?” I asked.
Her eyes found my chest, taking note I didn’t have a shirt on yet.
“We can wait for you. Kirk is still loading my bags anyway.”
She stepped inside and I closed the door behind her. Then, we stared at each other in silence.
Last night had been so intense and perfect. Yet, this morning we both couldn’t ignore the fact we were saying goodbye again.
“Ry, everything I said last night… I meant it.”
She looked away from me. “I know. Let’s not talk about it, though. It’s too hard.”
I moved towards her. “Ry, please stay.”<
br />
“I can't, Ty.”
“Why? I want this. I want to be with you. I want to wake up with you every morning.” I moved my hand to her cheek, forcing her to look at me again. “One day wasn’t enough, Ry.”
We stood there staring at each other, as I waited for her to say something, anything. Instead, she threw herself towards me, colliding with my chest.
My arms instinctively wrapped around her, something I’d been dying to do since the moment we’d woken up. I scooped her up into my arms and I felt her arms fall around my neck.
I kissed her, walking with her in my arms towards the entryway pillar of my living room, pinning her to it.
My fingers started working at the buttons of her pants, before I finally set her back on her feet so I could peel her clothes from her curves, shoving them down as she fumbled with mine.
Once she’d managed to get mine down far enough, I grabbed her again and lifted her up into my arms.
As I held her pinned to the pillar, I shifted her legs open, and buried myself inside of her. She moaned into my mouth as we kissed, and I groaned.
Then, as I gained some composure over my intense need to have more of her, I started bouncing her up and down against my body.
“Faster,” she begged in little pants for breath.
I slammed her up against the pillar behind us. Thrusting into her faster and grunting as I lost myself in the familiar urgency to take her.
“Fuuuuck.” I growled as I pounded into her over and over again. Her moans driving me closer to my own undoing. “I'm close, Ry.”
She whimpered as she clung to me, and I yanked her shirt up her body.
I buried my face in her chest, nudging my way past the barrier of her bra, so I could claim a nipple in my mouth.
“Yes!” She screamed, throwing her head back and wrapping her hands around the pillar to ride me.
I’m not that strong, not when it comes to Ryder. I growled out, thrusting into her each time I heard a new sound escape her lips.
