Can't Make This Up

by C. Morgan

  But then, out of nowhere, jealousy settled low in my stomach, thick and heavy. I found myself curling my lip at the mere idea of him being with another woman right across the hall from me. He wasn’t mine to claim, but damn if I wanted to share him with anyone else. Oh, I was keeping my dinner date with him. He could go out catting around afterward if he needed to.

  I ordered the food and used the company card he’d presented to me on Friday. It was both flattering and intimidating to hold the card. I was going to assume the limit was ten times my own limit. I tucked it back into my wallet, hiding it under my other cards.

  I changed into a pair of leggings and a T-shirt before opening the patio door and stepping out to enjoy the fresh air. It was warm out, but the sun was finally going down, and the heat of the day was subsiding.

  I sat down in one of the chairs and put my feet up on the railing. My room overlooked a wooded area. It was tranquil. As I sat back and relaxed, I thought about the day.

  We had eaten hot dogs and drank beer while we watched the game. No one got hurt, which was good, but it also meant we weren’t really needed. I wondered if that was what was bothering Ryker. On the way home from the game, he suddenly seemed withdrawn.

  I heard a knock on the door and jumped up. It was Ryker with wet hair and looking sexy as hell. He’d put on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and a pair of slip-on shoes. He looked like he was ready to hit the beach.

  “Come in,” I said and opened the door wider. “The food isn’t here yet.”

  He nodded, his eyes going to the patio. “It’s a nice evening.”

  “It is. I don’t know what your view is, but I love mine.” I walked to the patio with him behind me.

  “Wow,” he said. “Yours is way better. I’ve got a view of the pool.”

  Another knock on the door pulled me away. I collected our food and beer and carried it out to the patio. Ryker’s attention seemed to be somewhere else.

  “Is everything okay?” I asked him.

  “Yes.”

  “You seem like you’re upset. Are you bummed there aren’t any injuries to tend to?”

  He smirked. “No. Definitely not. I don’t wish ill will on them. I get paid regardless.”

  We started to eat, drinking our beer and chatting about nothing. I could feel him settling. The tension I sensed earlier was gone. This was the guy I liked hanging out with. I knew everyone called him a player and Naya was adamant I stay away from him, but I had a feeling his reputation was inflated.

  The more I got to know him, the more I liked him. I shouldn’t like him. He was my boss and we said we were going to keep things separated but damn. One kiss. Couldn’t I have one kiss? One night? I shook my head.

  “Something wrong?” he asked.

  “No,” I said with a high-pitched voice. I took a drink of beer to help wash down the feelings bubbling to the surface. I wanted him. I craved a kiss from him. I craved his touch. This was bad. So bad. I had been fighting the feelings for too long. They were taking over.

  He took a long drink from his beer with his eyes locked on mine. There was an imaginary crossroads in my mind. I had a choice to make. I knew what I wanted. It took me about five seconds to weigh the pros and cons.

  I put my beer on the small patio table and got to my feet with my eyes locked on his the whole time. He never looked away. He was challenging me to do it. I was up for the challenge. I leaned down and kissed him. I didn’t have to wonder if he was into it. I heard the bottle being put down on the table. The next thing I knew, he was pulling me into his lap with his arms wrapped around me. My hand rested against his cheek as we kissed. It was like I was starving. I couldn’t get enough of him. I rubbed against him.

  “You’re good with this?” he said as he pulled away from my mouth.

  “Yes!”

  He stood, sliding me down his lap until my feet hit the floor. He grabbed my hand and led me to the bed. We were barely inside the room before I attacked him with all the pent-up frustration I had been holding back since that first morning after.

  “Woah,” he said and grabbed my wrists when I started to push down his shorts.

  I stopped and looked up at him. “You don’t want to?” I asked with alarm. I was suddenly embarrassed.

  “Oh fuck no. I want to, but woman, you’ve had me half-hard for two weeks. You take these shorts off and it’s all over.”

  I smiled and relaxed. He wanted me just as much as I wanted him. That was flattering. That was a huge turn on. He released my wrists and grabbed at the hem of my shirt. I lifted my arms and let him pull it off. I stood before him and traced my fingertip down his bare chest. This was going to be good.

  “Lay down,” he ordered.

  I knew what I wanted, and I knew what was coming. I didn’t need to play the innocent. Before getting on the bed, I stripped off my pants and panties before dropping my bra to the floor. I stood in front of him and let him look before I slowly turned and strutted toward the bed. I took my time and made sure to move as seductively as possible. I crawled onto the bed, tapping my inner kitty.

  When I slowly turned and sat down instead of lying like he probably wanted me to, I saw heat in his eyes. He was breathing hard and his hands were clenched in fists at his sides. “You are dangerous,” he growled.

  I smiled and leaned back with my hands behind me. His eyes dropped to my breasts. That empowered me. I reached for one of my breasts and cupped it, holding it up before gently squeezing. He cursed under his breath.

  “I’m waiting,” I told him.

  He lunged forward, kicking off his shoes at the same time. He grabbed my feet and jerked me forward. I fell onto my back and barely caught my breath before my legs were open and his mouth was covering my core. I cried out with shock and pleasure.

  His hand covered my belly and pushed me flat on the bed. My knees bent and my heels dug into the mattress while my hands gripped the blanket. His tongue lapped over my clit. The pleasure was exquisite. I felt like I was going to shatter into a million pieces.

  “Ryker!”

  His tongue pushed inside me. A moment later, a finger slipped inside while his tongue lapped over my sensitive flesh. I bucked once. His hand pushed down again, forcing me to stay put while he feasted on my body. When the orgasm hit, I felt like my head was going to blow off. I writhed on the bed, my hands combing through his hair.

  He leapt off the bed. I lay with my knees bent and my legs open with my arms limp at my sides. I was dazed. He stripped off his shorts and underwear reaching for a condom before leaping back on the bed and planting himself between my legs. His cock nudged at my opening as soon as he had the condom on and pushed inside with one slow thrust. I groaned, wrapping my legs around him and pulling him close against me.

  “Holy shit,” he breathed. “You’re so wet.”

  “You make me that way. Always.”

  “I’ve wanted this since that morning,” he whispered close to my ear.

  His tongue lapped over my earlobe before sliding down my neck. His arms went under me, curling my body against him. With the hip thrusts of a skilled lover, he plunged inside me over and over while holding me close to his chest. I wrapped my arms around him. We were held together in a tight embrace, as close as two people could be.

  He released me, dropping me back on the bed and rising up on his arms. He stared down at me. His eyes were filled with passion and tension. “Stay with me,” he whispered.

  I didn’t understand what he was asking. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  He began a slow roll of his hips, sliding in and then out. The entire time, his eyes were locked on mine. The connection was intense. It was like he was staring into my soul. He watched me. I could see him observing every nuance and expression as his body rode mine. When he hit a good spot, my expression changed. He would repeat the action. I gasped when he hit the right spot again and again.

  “Yes. There.”

  “I’ve got you,” he grunted. “I’ve got you. Hold on, baby.”
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  I reached up and squeezed his biceps as my body reacted in its own way. The heat started low in my toes. It rolled over me and sent shivers out over my lips and down my spine. “That’s it,” I moaned. “Yes. There.”

  He was moving faster and harder. I could feel his muscles tightening and knew he was close. I raised my hips and thrust up. He roared, his head going back as his back arched and his dick pressed deeper inside me. He shouted again as his body erupted inside me. It was better than good. It was better than I remembered from that one glorious night.

  He gently lay beside me. His hand cupped my breast while his face nuzzled my neck as we basked in the afterglow.

  Chapter 18

  Ryker

  I wasn’t mad. I woke up with her hair splayed on the pillow once again. I rolled to my side and stared down at her. This woman was doing something to me. I couldn’t quite explain what was happening.

  I noted every detail of her face. She’d kill me if she knew I was staring. I couldn’t help myself. It wasn’t like I could openly ogle her in the middle of the day while we were at the office.

  Her eyes fluttered open. At first, she smiled and then her eyes widened. She stared at me with horror on her face. “You’re staring at me.”

  “I am.”

  “Why?”

  I smiled. “Because I like staring at you.”

  She put her hand on my face and pushed me back. I was laughing as I pulled her hand away. When I looked at her again, my laugh died. “What’s wrong?” I asked her.

  She looked away, but not before I saw the one thing I hoped I wouldn’t see. It was a look I knew well. It was a look I had seen on my own face.

  It was regret.

  I didn’t want her to regret our night together. If she regretted it, it meant she didn’t want whatever this was. At some point last night when I was buried deep inside her, I had decided this was a thing.

  “Nothing.”

  That was bullshit. It was clear she was not happy to find me in her bed in the morning. Because I had some pride left, I went on the offense. “We should probably stop doing this, huh?” I said.

  She looked at me. I couldn’t tell if she was relieved or pissed. “Probably,” she said with a tenseness I didn’t expect.

  I got out of bed before I made a total fool of myself. “I need to shower. I have a meeting with some of the other medical staff. I don’t need you to be there. Feel free to work from here. I can set up a late checkout if you’d like.”

  She cleared her throat and pulled the sheet up to her neck. “I’ll be fine. I’ll work in the lobby. What time will we be leaving?”

  “I would guess after one. I’ll text you and let you know.”

  “Okay. I’ll be ready.”

  I pulled on my shorts and carried my underwear, shirt, and shoes out of the room. That was not the way I expected things to go. Leaving her bed in the morning made me feel like we had just concluded a business meeting.

  Last night had been so good. She’d invited me to her room. I wouldn’t have touched her. I even took a cold shower before I went to her room to cool things down. She kissed me. She made the move.

  I showered and dressed for the day before packing my bag and leaving it with the concierge. I didn’t want to see her again. Not yet.

  Initially, I was planning on her being at my meetings, but the way she looked at me this morning changed my mind in a hurry. I couldn’t be around her. I would be tempted to ask her what it was about me that she didn’t like. She didn’t mind using me for sex but she sure as hell didn’t want anything more than that.

  It was insulting. It made me feel like I wasn’t worthy of her. It made me feel dirty. I was the one that was determined to be the one walking away. I didn’t like this shoe on the other foot nonsense. It left me feeling out of sorts.

  I tried to focus on the meetings but my mind just kept going back to that morning. That look on her face was forever burned into my brain. It was an image I couldn’t get rid of. With the last meeting done, I sent Trinity a text and let her know I was on my way to pick her up.

  “How did it go?” she asked when we were in the back of the car once again.

  “Good.” I didn’t mean to sound curt. “You were a huge help this week. Do you have any questions about the business? What you’ll be doing?”

  “I think I understand it. Basically, I take notes, coordinate your schedule, and make sure you are on time. Is there something else?”

  I shook my head. “No, that’s it. There might be some errands, but other than that, yeah, that’s it.”

  She smiled but I knew her smiles well. It wasn’t a real smile. She was being nice and trying to pretend I had not just eaten her out twelve hours ago. That was fine. I could play that game as well. “Then I think I got it.”

  “Good. You know, since you did so well this week, you don’t need to come in tomorrow.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “What?”

  “Take the day off. Catch up on stuff you would have done during the week.”

  “Are you working tomorrow?”

  “Yes, but I don’t need you there. It isn’t going to be anything exciting. I doubt I will work a full day either.”

  “You don’t need me there?”

  “No.”

  She slowly nodded. Her lips were set in a tight line. “Okay.”

  “You’ll still be paid.”

  “Okay,” she said again.

  I picked up on her frustration. I was just as frustrated. I wasn’t feeling sympathetic. She’d dissed me pretty hard that morning. I was really feeling used for my body. I didn’t think it was possible for a guy like me to feel something like that, but I’d been wrong.

  The car pulled to a stop in front of her building. I climbed out and grabbed her suitcase.

  “I can get it,” she said and took it from me.

  “I can carry your bag.”

  “No thanks,” she said with that same forced smile.

  “All right, see you Monday,” I said and got in the car.

  I didn’t look back as the driver pulled away. I was finally able to breathe again. The ride back had been brutal. The tension between us was thick. The ride home couldn’t have been more different than the ride out of town. We were both trying to be nice without actually talking.

  I got home and still couldn’t shake that feeling of icky-ness. There was only one person I could talk to. I grabbed my phone and called Ryan. I hoped like hell he could break away from his wife long enough to hang out with me for a bit.

  “What’s up?” Ryan asked.

  “Are you in town?”

  “I am.”

  “Are you at work?”

  “I am,” he said again. “What’s up?”

  “I need to talk to you. Can you spare an hour?”

  “Is everything okay?”

  “Yes, fine, I just need some advice.”

  “I can leave here in twenty minutes,” he offered. “Want to meet somewhere?”

  “The usual place.”

  “I’ll be there,” he said. “Little brother to the rescue.”

  “Yeah, yeah, hurry up.”

  “Wow, this is serious,” he said. “You’re going to let me get away with that?”

  “I’ll see you shortly.”

  I grabbed my keys and headed right back out the door. I needed him to set me on the right path. I had gotten in over my head with the woman and I was going to be paying a heavy price if I didn’t find a way out. I sat down at a table and waited. I couldn’t believe I was going to talk to him about this. I felt like a girl.

  “I’m here,” Ryan said and flopped down in the chair opposite mine. He was out of breath. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Did you run here?”

  “No. Yes. I couldn’t find anywhere to park and had to park around the block. So, I ran around the block, but I didn’t run all the way here.”

  “Thanks, but this isn’t an emergency.”

  “You called me and I heard t
he emergency in your voice. What’s going on?”

  “I slept with her.”

  He raised a hand, caught the attention of the waiter, and held up two fingers. Then he gave me his attention. “Slept with who?”

  “Her.”

  He eyed me. “Trinity?”

  I slowly nodded. “Yes.”

  “Dammit, Ryker. There are no less than a million women in just our little corner of the world. Why do you have to mess around with that one?”

  “It’s called sex,” I said dryly.

  “And now you’re being weird. Why? I suppose you don’t want to work with her anymore and you’re trying to figure out how to fire her without getting sued.”

  “No. For your information, she came onto me. She kissed me.”

  “So, what’s the problem? I told you not to sleep with her again. You did. You did and that means you like her.”

  The waiter delivered two beers. I waited until he walked away before I made my confession. I wasn’t embarrassed but I sure as hell didn’t feel like shouting it to the world. “I do like her, but she doesn’t like me.”

  He smiled before quickly wiping it away. “You said she kissed you. I don’t know a lot of women that kiss men they don’t like.”

  “Oh no, she likes that part of me.”

  He threw his head back and laughed. “You think she’s using you for sex?”

  “Yes.”

  “This has to be some kind of Freaky Friday shit,” he said while still laughing.

  “What are you talking about? I’m having a real crisis here.”

  “You got used for sex. Is this not what you have spent the last ten years of your life doing to women?”

  “I’ve never used anyone for sex. There has been sex with women who don’t want, need, or expect a call the next day. I don’t use them.”

  “Why do you think she is using you?” he asked.

  I blew out a breath. “Because we had a great night together. We’ve been getting along really well all week. Two weeks. It’s been fun and casual and flirty. I’ve kept my distance. I’ve not made a move. She kissed me, and trust me, I know women. She was feeling something.”