Ray of Light

by E. L. Todd

  I bit my bottom lip and gripped his biceps as the unstoppable pleasure hit me like a bulldozer. It crashed into me hard and shattered me to pieces. My mouth formed an O, and I started to moan. I panted and yelled, loving the way I automatically constricted around his dick. I came all around him, providing more lubrication than he would ever need.

  When the moment passed, I was suddenly covered in sweat and heat. But it still felt good, so I didn’t want it to end. My hands moved down his back, and I felt the clear definition there. Every muscle was defined and toned. I could sketch the anatomy of the human body just by touching him.

  “Mmm…” He put more weight on his arms as he leaned farther over me, giving me longer thrusts as he moved.

  I wanted the reins for a little bit. After that performance, he deserved to lie back and let me do some of the work. I gripped his shoulders and rolled him to his back, clinging to him as I moved. His dick slipped out then landed with a noticeable thud against his stomach.

  I balanced with the balls of my feet on either side of his hips and pointed his tip at my entrance.

  Ryker stared at me with lust and awe. His hands moved underneath my ass cheeks, and he guided me down his length, wanting me to take him all in. Then he gripped my hips as he lay back on the pillows.

  I gripped his waist and bounced on his dick, using my glutes and thighs to keep up the pace. Even when I felt the burn, I kept going because it felt so good.

  Ryker loved it. “Fuck, baby.” He thrust into me from underneath, wanting even more.

  My hands moved to this chest, and I bounced up and down, taking in his big dick over and over. I didn’t think I could have another orgasm, at least that quickly, but I felt it start all over again. That was rare for me and could only happen if I was particularly horny.

  Or because the guy was particularly good in bed.

  A moan came from the back of his throat. “Sweetheart, I can’t last that long if you keep this up.”

  My nails dug into his skin and I moved harder, working up a sweat across my chest and shoulders. My hair stuck to the moisture and couldn’t move. “I’m about to come again anyway.”

  “In that case…” He pressed his thumb against my clitoris then rubbed it aggressively. He moved in a circular motion, just the way I liked. The pressure was good, but he applied more the longer we moved together. When he gave it to me hard, I knew he was about to explode.

  “Right there…”

  “Come on, sweetheart.” He closed his eyes and breathed hard, fighting off his urge.

  I didn’t tell him when I reached my threshold because my yells and screams were sufficient. I gripped him for balance then shoved him far inside me, enjoying the way he throbbed from within.

  He gripped my hips and moaned with me, reaching his point at the exact same moment. He breathed through the pleasure and became red in the face.

  I stayed on top of him as I wound down, suddenly aware of how sweaty and hot I was. We both worked our ass off during that rendezvous but all the effort was worth it.

  I slowly pulled him out of me and felt the tenderness from his semi-hard dick. Then I lay beside him, still catching my breath.

  He lay there in silence before his hand moved to mine and gripped it. He didn’t cuddle with me because it was way too hot for either one of us.

  After that workout, there was no way I could walk home. I was exhausted and satisfied. All I wanted to do was go to sleep and worry about it in the morning. I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and sent out a quick message to Rex.

  Hammered. Staying with Jessie.

  I sent a text to Jessie just in case Rex asked about it. If Rex asks, I was with you tonight. I’ll tell you the details later. I tossed my phone on the nightstand and closed my eyes. Almost immediately, I was asleep.

  ***

  “Morning, sweetheart.” Ryker kissed my neck until I woke up.

  It was a great way to start my day. “Morning.”

  He kissed my shoulder then my chest. “Sleep well?”

  “Yeah. Your bed is comfy.”

  “You were able to sleep without Safari?” A teasing note was in his voice.

  “Once in a while.” I opened my eyes and looked up into his face. He was leaning over me, resting on his elbows.

  “You look pretty in the morning.”

  “I do?” My makeup must be smeared all over my face. My mascara was probably running and my hair had to be a mess. Since I didn’t look like Miranda Kerr, I couldn’t just wake up and roll out of bed.

  “Yeah.” He kissed the corner of my mouth.

  That lit me up all over again.

  “Sorry to wake you. I just wasn’t sure if you had work or something.”

  “You don’t?”

  “Not yet. I don’t start my job for another week.”

  “That must be nice.” I sat up and looked at the time. “Damn, I do need to get going. I was going to head home last night, but I was too tired.”

  “It’s okay. Want to take a shower? I can make you some breakfast.”

  “No, I’m okay.” I quickly dressed myself then walked to the mirror on top of his vanity. My hair was a bird’s nest, but I managed to fix it with my fingers. My makeup wasn’t running, but it was non-existent. I must have sweat it off the night before.

  Ryker walked me to the door, wearing his sweatpants and a t-shirt. I was jealous he got to lounge around the house while I had to go to work and study pH levels and helpful bacteria. “Last night was fun.”

  “It was.” Without saying anything, he made it clear what last night was. It was just a fling between two acquaintances. I probably should have just stayed away from him, but I really needed my fix. Actually, I didn’t have any regrets. One-night stands could be an incredible experience depending on the way you looked at it. We would be able to keep it between us, and no one would ever know about it. It would be our dirty little secret. “I’ll see you around.” I leaned in and gave him one final slow kiss. “I wanted to take that to go.”

  He smiled, and it was the kind of smile that reached his eyes. “Do you need a box?”

  “No. I’ll keep it in my back pocket.”

  Chapter Four

  Rex

  If Rex asks, I was with you tonight. I’ll tell you the details later.

  I stared at the text message with squinted eyes. Did it say what I think it said? I read it again and cocked my head to the side, unsure what to make of it.

  “What?” Zeke sat beside me, a beer sitting on his thigh.

  “Rae sent me a weird text.”

  “What does it say?”

  I handed the phone over.

  Zeke read it aloud. “If Rex asks, I was with you tonight. I’ll tell you the details later.” He kept staring at the screen and read it again silently. “Did she send you anything else?” He scrolled up and saw the previous message she sent. “Hammered. Staying with Jessie.”

  I took the phone back. “I think she meant to send that last one to Jessie but sent it to me by mistake.”

  “But why would she lie?”

  That was my concern. Rae never lied to me. She told me the fat, ugly truth right to my face—every time. “I haven’t got a clue.”

  Zeke stared off into the distance, his thoughts hidden behind his eyes. “Do you think she hooked up with someone?” The hollowness of his voice fell even on my ears.

  “I don’t know. If so, I hope it wasn’t with Ryker.”

  Zeke immediately tensed in irritation. “He’s the biggest player I’ve ever known.”

  “Bigger than both of us combined.”

  Zeke took a long drink of his beer, silently brooding. “She’s too good for him.”

  “I know.” I teased my sister a lot, but I truly thought the world of her. We both had a hard life growing up, and she still came out on top. She was never pompous with her success, and even though she was smarter than me, she never belittled me. When I hit a financial crisis, I didn’t even have to ask if I could move in with her. S
he just offered.

  “Are you going to talk to her?”

  “I don’t know what I’m going to do.” She and I butted heads like opponents on the battlefield, but there were unspoken rules between us. We never lied to each other, and in a complicated way, that’s what made our relationship unique. No matter how dark the sky became or how difficult times got, I could always rely on her. But if she couldn’t be honest with me, then something was up.

  “I can say something to her,” Zeke offered. “Our relationship is a little different.”

  “No.” It had to be me.

  Zeke backed off, knowing this wasn’t his territory. “Okay.”

  Ryker was a decent guy, but I’d seen him do a lot of things that would make any brother forbid him from being near his sister. I just assumed Ryker understood Rae was off limits. And if he touched her, I’d have something to say about it. Actually, my fist would.

  Zeke set down his bottle on the coffee table and rubbed his temple like he had a migraine.

  “You okay, man?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” He stared at the ground and appeared to be lost in his own world. “I should go.” He left the couch and grabbed his keys before walking out. He didn’t say goodbye or anything else.

  Something was bothering him.

  ***

  I just finished a pot of coffee when Rae walked inside. She wore the same clothes from the night before, and her hair was in a bun. She looked tired but rested at the same time.

  “Hey.” She tossed her purse on the counter along with her keys.

  “Hey.” I poured a mug of coffee.

  “How was your night?”

  She never made chitchat with me, and I suspected she was only doing it now out of guilt. She lied to me when she shouldn’t have. In fact, she could have said nothing at all. If I were worried about her, I would have texted her. But she didn’t need to report to me like I was her dad. “Good. Yours?”

  “Good.”

  “What did you and Jessie do?” I kept the edge out of my voice so she wouldn’t know how irritated I was.

  “You know, we hit up a few bars and wreaked havoc all over the city.”

  “Sounds like fun…”

  “Then I crashed on her couch.”

  “Your neck must be sore.”

  “Eh.” She shrugged then massaged it. “Well, I need to get ready for work. When I’m off, we’ll talk about all the adjustments for the bowling alley.”

  “Cool.” I had to get to work too. Working behind the counter was boring as hell. I wish I could afford a worker to do it for me.

  “Alright.” She walked down the hall and went into the bathroom.

  I stood at the counter and kept drinking my coffee.

  ***

  “I’m taking off.” I shut the register then washed my hands vigorously.

  Helena stood at the counter, scrolling through Facebook on her phone. “Okay. See you tomorrow.” She was covered in ink from head to toe, and her black hair had a few streaks of purple in it. She was pierced from her earlobes to the tops of her ears.

  She was one hot piece of ass.

  The second she turned eighteen, she came here and asked for a job. She needed to move out of her parents’ place and get her own space. I said yes, of course.

  “Call me if you need me.”

  She gave me a flirtatious look. “I always need you, Rex.”

  A shiver moved down my spine, and my dick hardened in my jeans. I wanted to take her in the back and fuck her on my desk. But she was ten years younger than me. Even though she was eighteen, she was still so young and ignorant. I had a feeling she was more delicate than she seemed.

  I headed to the apartment and walked in to see Rae and Zeke sitting at the kitchen table. Chips and salsa were on the surface, as well as a few bottles of beer. Rae had her laptop out, and Zeke sat there with his phone on the table.

  “The life of the party is here.” I tossed my keys on the entryway table then opened a beer.

  “Yay…” Rae’s voice was full of sarcasm, like always.

  “Helena is keeping an eye on the alley. And she looks damn fine doing it.” I sat at the table beside Zeke.

  “Be careful,” Zeke warned. “Young girls can be clingy.”

  “That tattoo girl with all the piercings?” Rae asked. “Rex, you better stay away from her. She’s way too young for you.”

  “Get off my back,” I said. “If I were going to screw her, I would have done it by now.”

  “You shouldn’t have hired her to begin with.” Rae opened her laptop.

  “What’s wrong with her?” I asked. “Just because she’s a little rough around the edges?”

  “No,” Rae said. “Because she’s a terrible worker. How many complaints have you gotten because of her?”

  A lot. “She’s fine. I’m not going to fire her if that’s where this is going.”

  “Obviously,” Rae said. “But don’t keep hiring chicks just because they’re hot.”

  “They bring business,” I argued.

  Zeke shrugged. “True.”

  Rae rolled her eyes. “Sorry, do you want to run a bowling alley or a Hooters?”

  My eyes widened, and I looked at Zeke.

  He had the same look on his face. “Dude, that would have been sick.”

  “Goddammit! Why didn’t I do that instead?” That would be my biggest regret.

  Rae was used to the two of us so she ignored us. “Let’s focus on what you do have.”

  “Let’s sell it and open up a Hooters,” I said. “Hot chicks with big tits. Perfect.”

  “I’ll go in with you,” Zeke said.

  Rae didn’t seem the least bit surprised. “Why don’t you just open a strip club?”

  Zeke nodded vigorously. “I like that idea.”

  “That really is perfect,” I said. “Let’s just sell the bowling alley—”

  “We aren’t selling the bowling alley,” Rae said with unusual patience. “You wouldn’t even get half of what you paid for it. Let’s work on the place and get business up. Maybe when things are rolling, you’ll have enough money to open a second business.”

  “That would be awesome.” Girls would be dancing around me every day—and I’d be getting paid for it.

  “So, let’s focus.” Rae was always the serious one of the two of us. I looked after her, but she had the personality of a drill sergeant sometimes. “We need to remodel the outside. A new coat of paint and a sign would do wonders. But we should wait until the rainy season passes. Otherwise, it’ll just run right off.”

  “True,” Zeke said.

  “We can work on the inside now,” Rae said. “Having a bar should draw people in. Maybe not a full bar, but at least something with beer and wine. If you have too many options, it might draw in shady people. Remember, this is a family place.”

  “Got it,” I said.

  “I think an arcade would help too. Keep the environment friendly.”

  “Aren’t those gaming machines expensive?” I asked.

  “We can get refurbished ones,” Zeke said. “If we keep our eyes open on Craigslist, we should be able to get good stuff for a reasonable price.”

  “Cool,” I said.

  “We’re going to have to tear out that carpet,” Rae said. “It smells like ass.”

  “Hey, I have the janitor clean it,” I argued.

  “It still smells like two hundred cats came and peed all over it.” She made the notes on her computer.

  I turned to Zeke and gave him a look that said, “Really?”

  He shrugged then nodded.

  Damn.

  “With all these changes, the place will look brand new,” Rae said. “And I really think people will come flocking in.”

  “And then I can hire more staff so I don’t have to be there all the time.” Running a business had its positives, but also its drawbacks. Since I couldn’t afford much help, I was working all the time. I just wanted to work in the morning then leave.

&
nbsp; “I’m not sure when that’s going to happen, Rex. Most business owners work their asses off for years before that happens.” Zeke gave me a sad look.

  “Ugh.” I covered my face and sighed.

  Rae started up her usual argument. “You could have invested in—”

  “I bought the bowling alley. It’s done.” I held my hand up so she wouldn’t keep yipping like a small dog.

  Rae shut her mouth, but there was a bit of attitude in her eyes.

  “So, how much is all of this going to cost?” Or did I not want to know?

  “I won’t be certain until I get an estimate,” Rae said. “But after eyeballing it, I would say…at least forty thousand.”

  I almost fell over. “Forty thousand? Dollars? Please tell me you mean pesos.”

  Zeke nodded. “That sounds about right. The bar will be the most expensive part. And I think you should have food too. Pizza and fries or something.”

  I covered my face with my hands. “I’m going to be sick.”

  “Maybe you can have a consignment agreement with a business,” Rae said. “Like Pizza Hut or Starbucks. They run their business inside the bowling alley, and you get a profit from their revenue since they’re using your facility.”

  “But would they want to open a business in a bowling alley that has no customers?” Zeke asked.

  Rae nodded. “Good point.”

  “Hold on,” I said. “I’m still stuck on the forty thousand.”

  “Rae and I will split it,” Zeke said. “That way it’s not too much money for either one of us.”

  “Too much money?” My eyes almost fell out of my head. “How much money do you have just lying around?”

  “It’s called a savings account,” Rae said.

  “And I’m a doctor,” Zeke said. “In case you forgot.”

  “But even then,” I said. “I can’t take that kind of money from you guys—not when I’m not sure if I can ever pay it back.”

  “We understand the risk, Rex,” Rae said.

  “I can’t let you guys do it.” I shook my head. “I’m sorry.”

  “Then you’re going to go under in a year,” Rae said. “Two tops.”