Ray of Life

by E. L. Todd

  Ryker pumped harder, pressing me against the couch as he panted.

  My orgasm still lingered after it passed, like smoke hanging in the air from an old cigar. My pussy clenched around nothing, expecting his cock to be there.

  Ryker suddenly pressed his lips to mine and gave a final grunt, his thrusts slowing down as he breathed harshly into my mouth. His cock hardened even further then suddenly began to soften.

  He pulled away and looked into my eyes, satisfied and sex crazed at the same time. “Jesus, I just came in my boxers…”

  I came in my underwear, and my panties were soaked with my own fluid. “Brings back happy memories, huh?”

  He stayed on top of me even though he was probably uncomfortable. “I wouldn’t consider those moments to be good ones. But this…this is something I’ll never forget.” He kissed me before he pulled himself off me.

  I continued to lay there because I was exhausted and satisfied. I wanted that strong body to return to mine again, to cuddle beside me as we fell asleep together. “I feel dirty.”

  He smiled before he walked away. “Then my job is done.”

  Vanessa knocked on my open door. “Dude, some super hot guy is here to see you.”

  “Super hot guy?” I skimmed through my calendar. “Do I have a meeting today?”

  “No. He wanted to know if you’re free for lunch.”

  It was probably Nathan. “Did you get his name?”

  “I think it was Ryder… He was so hot, I couldn’t really pay attention.”

  Then it was Ryker. He’d never stopped by my office and invited me to lunch before. After last night, my head was still in the clouds. His kiss, his body, his touch…everything was magical. “Oh…”

  “You know this guy?”

  “I’m kinda talking to him…”

  “What?” She placed both of her hands on her hips. “A different hot guy took you to lunch last week. Now you have another boo? Girl, what’s your secret?”

  “Neither one of them are my boo. I’m just talking to them.”

  “You still need to teach me a thing or two.”

  Before I left, I made sure I changed into my heels. I didn’t want to repeat the embarrassing episode I had with Nathan. I walked into the lobby and spotted Ryker sitting in the armchair, looking gloriously handsome in his fitted t-shirt and dark jeans. One of his legs was crossed, his ankle resting on the opposite knee. He shaved that morning, so his mouth was clean and smooth.

  I wanted to stare at him a little longer before he noticed me.

  I walked up to him, and the tap of my heels against the floor announced my presence. “You wanna take me to lunch?”

  He looked me up and down, and when he reached my eyes, he winked. “I’d take a sexy lady like you out for lunch anytime.”

  Would I be a loser if I said that wink actually gave me chills? “That’s cheesy, but I’m never gonna turn down a free meal.”

  He grinned. “That just makes you sexier.” He stood up, rising to his full height on his long legs. “What are you in the mood for?”

  “Anything.”

  “I like how simple you are.” His arm moved around my waist effortlessly, and he guided me outside. He looked down at me as he led me down the sidewalk. “I like that dress.”

  It was one of my office dresses, simple and professional. I tried to stick to clothes that weren’t too distracting, making people remember me for inappropriate reasons. Some women wore dresses that were too short for the office, or the kind that showed too much cleavage. I wanted to be remembered for my work, not my body. “Thanks.”

  “You look like a boss lady.”

  “I’m definitely not a boss. I just work in the marketing department.”

  “You’re the director of the marketing department. Pretty big deal.”

  I shrugged it off, choosing to stay humble. “It’s not like I’m retired in my thirties.”

  “Well, I didn’t really work for that. I was given a lot of money, and I just invested it wisely.”

  “At least you didn’t piss it away like most people.”

  He shrugged then guided me down the street. “How about Chinese? I could go for some chow mein.”

  “How about a poo-poo platter?” It was a stupid joke, and I regretted saying it the moment it came out of my mouth.

  He stared down at me with a suppressed smile on his face. “You’re cute, you know that?”

  “It was a bad joke, and we both know it.”

  “Exactly. That’s why it makes you cute.” He pulled me into his side and pressed a kiss on my forehead. “And just for that, I’m gonna get the poo-poo platter. I’ve never tried it before.”

  “I haven’t either. Wanna split one?”

  “Sounds like a great idea.”

  We finished our meal, the empty plate between us demolished because we both liked it so much.

  “What are you doing for the rest of the day?” I loved the way he filled out his t-shirts so perfectly. His chiseled physique was obvious even when he was dressed. His arms looked toned and big at the same time, muscular and lean.

  “Playing video games.”

  “That’s it?”

  “Yep. I went to the gym in the morning, so I’m done for the day.”

  I wished that was my lifestyle, minus the gym part. “Maybe I’ll get into video games. See what the fuss is about.”

  “Greatest invention ever, other than sex.”

  “You can’t invent sex. That’s always been around.”

  “But not good sex.” He winked.

  The waiter brought our tab as well as two fortune cookies. Ryker quickly handed him the cash so I wouldn’t have the opportunity to do the check dance. Ryker never let me pay for anything. He was far too stubborn for that.

  “You know, you need to let me pay sometime.”

  “Nope.”

  “We live in a world where women are equals now.”

  “We’ll never be equals.”

  My eyes narrowed on his face, my fire burning white-hot with rage. I was a bit of a feminist. I hated hearing both men and women make comments like that. It was bullshit.

  He smiled when he saw my anger. “Women will always be superior. You’re far more beautiful than us. Much smarter. More logical and compassionate. You’ll always be the better sex, which is why men need to worship the ground you walk on.”

  My rage died quicker than a snap of a finger. I should have known Ryker didn’t have any sexist views like other pigs I’d met in my lifetime. And I should have known he would say something sweet like that.

  “I like getting a rise out of you.” The smile never left his lips. “It’s fun.”

  “You mean, you like making me mad.”

  “No. I just like getting you worked up. Your cheeks get red, and you look so cute.”

  “I do not look cute when I’m mad.”

  “I beg to differ.” He handed me a fortune cookie and opened his own. He cracked the cookie then took the advice strip from the inside. “What does yours say?”

  I unrolled mine. “Listen to your heart. It’ll show you the way.” It was vague but sweet. “What does yours say?”

  He unrolled his then his eyes moved across the words. “The one you’ve been waiting for will walk into your life. Lock the door and never let them leave.” He folded the paper in half then looked at me, a half smile on his face.

  I wasn’t sure if he made that up or if that’s what it really said. I didn’t dare ask since the air was tense between us. I broke off a piece of my cookie and ate it just so I had something to do.

  He stuffed the fortune into his front pocket. “Need to get back to work?”

  “Yeah, probably.”

  “Could I pay you to play with me all day?”

  “That sounds like the best job in the world,” I blurted. “But I do like my career.”

  “As much as getting laid for a living?” He waggled his eyebrows.

  “Kinda sounds like I’d be a prostitute.”

/>   “But you’d be a classy prostitute.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “I don’t think such a thing exists.”

  “You can start a trend.” He rose from the table then extended his hand. “Think about it.”

  I took his hand, and we left the restaurant. We never walked anywhere with our hands held together like this. It made it seem like we were a couple, and the idea didn’t scare me. Ryker was the first guy I’d dated that I pictured myself with in a serious manner. If only Ryker and I had solidified things before Nathan apologized to me, my life may have been more simple. I wouldn’t have to choose between two guys because there would have only been one guy.

  Ryker walked me back to the office, turning heads of the women that we passed. If he was aware of the constant stares, he didn’t show it. For a man so unbelievably attractive, he was a lot humbler than anyone would expect.

  “You don’t have to walk me all the way inside.”

  “I don’t mind.” He opened the door for me, and we walked in together. “Besides, I gotta make sure all your coworkers know you’re unavailable.”

  I wasn’t committed to anyone, but I certainly was off the market. “None of my coworkers are interested in me in that way.”

  He released a sarcastic snort. “Sure, sweetheart.”

  “I’m serious. Just because you find me attractive doesn’t mean everyone else does.”

  “Trust me, every straight man in that office has checked you out. And all the lesbians too.”

  I swatted his arm playfully. “I’m kind of the office goof. I’m clumsy and make a lot of mistakes. People find it endearing, thankfully.”

  “Everything you do is cute, so I believe you.” He stopped when we reached the lobby and didn’t try to intrude by entering the hallway where my office was located. “I guess this is where I’ll leave you.”

  “Okay.” I faced him, feeling the same butterflies in my stomach as always. I had a great time with him. There was never a time when we hung out that we weren’t laughing or being happy. It was like hanging out with Madeline…if she was a hot dude. “I’ll see you later.”

  He cupped my face and craned his neck down to kiss me. It was office appropriate but a little long. His tongue stayed in his mouth, but his kiss was just as tantalizing without it. When he pulled away, he had that intense look in his eyes that said he didn’t want the kiss to end. “How about tonight?”

  I didn’t have any plans, but I felt like Ryker was hogging most of my time. “I’m free.”

  “Great. Let’s play laser tag.”

  I expected him to ask me out on a date—a romantic date. “What?”

  “You’ve never played?”

  “Not since I was ten…”

  “I’ll get everyone together. It’ll be fun.” He gave me a quick kiss on the lips before he walked away. “I’ll pick you up at six.”

  8

  Ryker

  When I called Rae, Rex answered. “What’s the scoop?”

  “Rae, when did you start sounding like a dude?”

  “It’s me, dumbass,” he said without identifying himself. “I stole Rae’s phone to make her mad. Now that we don’t live together, I’m running out of ways to tick her off. This is the only trick I have up my sleeve.”

  “Rex, give me the phone,” Rae said in the background. “Zeke, grab it.”

  “I’m staying out of this,” Zeke said.

  “Rex!” Rae shouted.

  “Anyway,” Rex said. “How’s the girl trouble?”

  “It’s getting better,” I answered. “I think it is, at least.”

  “Have you tried the slippery dolphin?” Rex deadpanned.

  “Oh my god.” Rae finally got the phone back and put it to her ear. “Sorry about that. Everyone came over to watch the game.”

  “It’s okay.” Honestly, it was nice to talk to Rex as a friend again. “I didn’t think he was ever going to stop hating me.”

  “At least put it on speaker phone,” Rex said. “I want to know the dirt about this hot…I mean…mediocre chick that’s just alright.”

  Rae put it on speaker phone. “Can you hear us, Ryker?”

  “Loud and clear,” I answered.

  “Yo,” Zeke said. “Zeke here.”

  Safari barked.

  “What’s up, guys?” I said. “I was just calling Rae for some chick advice.”

  “How’s that going?” Rae asked.

  “Pretty good. I invited her over for pizza, and we watched Dumb and Dumber.”

  “Best movie ever,” Rex said.

  “I surprised her at her office and took her to lunch,” I continued. “We had a good time there. And then I invited her to play laser tag with a group of friends tonight.”

  “Damn,” Rex said. “I want to date you. That sounds like fun.”

  “Thanks,” I said with a chuckle. “I have no idea what the other guy is doing, so hopefully this is enough.”

  “The other guy is a douchebag,” Rex said. “So he’s probably doing douchebag things.”

  “You could always ask her,” Rae said. “Feel her out on how she feels.”

  “That’s too awkward,” Zeke said. “That’ll just make her uncomfortable. Act like you don’t care. Be confident. Women respond to confidence. If you act like you’re worried about Nathan, it’s a turn off.”

  “That’s true,” Rex said in agreement. “Yeah, don’t ask.”

  “What about one of her girlfriends?” Rae asked. “There’s gotta be someone who’s not a fan of Nathan.”

  “Well, her best friend isn’t.” Madeline and Liam both said the same thing to me.

  “Perfect,” Rae said. “Get the dirt from her since she’s on your side.”

  “That feels deceitful,” I said.

  “Who cares?” Rex asked. “All is fair in love and war, right?”

  “I think you should ask her,” Rae said. “I doubt she’s gonna tell Austen you’re snooping around if you’re the guy she wants Austen to be with.”

  “True,” Zeke said.

  I’d never put so much work into a single woman before, but here I was, trying to win over a woman I could have had a long time ago. I had three perfect months with her, and I should have sealed the deal then.

  Before that dickface had the chance to grow some balls. “Yeah, maybe I will.”

  “Let us know what she says,” Rae said. “We’re all pretty invested now.”

  “Is this how people feel when they watch soap operas?” Rex asked. “And why are they called soap operas? Do they have anything to do with soap?”

  “You’re such an idiot,” Rae said. “I swear, you get dumber and dumber.”

  “I’m the idiot?” Rex asked incredulously. “Weren’t you the one that scored in the wrong hoop the other day?”

  I suspected this fight would take a while.

  “Ryker, we’ll talk to you later,” Zeke said. “Let us know how it goes.” Just when Rae started to scream at Rex, Zeke hung up the phone.

  “Thanks for meeting me.” This time, I picked a random pizza parlor that Austen and I had never been to. I didn’t want to run into her again like last time.

  “No problem,” Madeline said. “Austen told me that she’s got two guys on her leash now. That’s a lot to juggle.”

  “I’ve only got one woman, and that’s a lot to juggle.”

  “So, what did you want to talk about?” Her dark skin contrasted against the bright colors she wore. Anytime she wore yellow or blue, the vibrancy popped. It was perfect for a summer day. She had the same natural beauty that Austen possessed, but a different kind of elegance. I thought she was pretty, but I never felt any attraction. Come to think of it, it was very rare for me to be attracted to any woman besides Austen. There was Cheyenne, but that was forced. Even with Rae, I didn’t want to jump her bones the way I used to.

  “I need to know what she’s saying about Nathan.”

  “You mean, the stuff she tells me?” She ordered a salad while I ordered two slices of pizza
. As a dancer, I didn’t expect her to eat something greasy and covered with cheese.

  “Yeah.”

  “You want me to violate her confidence?”

  “Not necessarily. I just want to know what Nathan is doing with her, what she likes and doesn’t like. That way I can always be one step ahead.”

  She used her fork to mix her salad around. Her dressing was on the side but she never poured it into the bowl. It was probably too many calories even though she couldn’t be any thinner without looking unhealthy. I was glad Austen had meat on her bones, curves on her frame. She complained about her belly and her ass, but damn, they were sexy. “I don’t know…”

  “Come on. You don’t want her to end up with him, right?”

  “Preferably, no. But I also don’t want to interfere. I have to be supportive.”

  “You aren’t interfering with her relationship with Nathan. You’re just giving me some extra leverage. Big difference.”

  She stirred her salad around again before she finally took a bite. “I think she’s gonna pick you. At least, I hope she does.”

  That gave me a rush of happiness I didn’t expect. “Why do you think that?”

  “You make her really happy. It’s obvious every time I see her with you. Nathan is more of an…infatuation. But they don’t have a friendship. They don’t have fun the way you do. You know what I mean?”

  I didn’t have a clue. “Not really.”

  “I think she wants to be with Nathan for the wrong reasons. I think she used to be really happy and thinks she can get that back if they work it out. But she doesn’t understand that you could make her way happier than he ever did if she just wasn’t so scared. She wants to stick with what she knows rather than taking another risk.”

  “Maybe you should give up dancing and be a shrink instead.”

  She laughed. “No, thanks. No one likes a shrink.”

  Liam would like her no matter what.

  “She needs to let Nathan go. He’s given her the closure she needs to finally move on. But she’s gotta figure that out on her own.”

  “But you think she prefers me?”

  “I think she does…deep down inside.”