Ray of Hope (Ray #2)

by E. L. Todd

  ***

  Staying at Ryker’s for a few days was exactly what I needed.

  The house was clean, Ryker didn’t do annoying things to get under my skin, and I got to have great sex every night before I went to bed. The top floor of his building had extraordinary views of the city, including the Space Needle. The lights flickered through the window, making it seem like we were on top of the world. His bed was the most comfortable thing I’d ever slept on besides his chest, and his sheets were made for royalty. I would be lying if I said I didn’t fantasize about living there permanently—as his wife.

  Safari liked it too. He had a lot more space than he did at my apartment, and a park was right outside the building, so he could do his business. He slept at the edge of the bed and had more room on the king-size mattress than the full-size one at my apartment.

  Neither of us wanted to leave.

  I got to know Ryker in a way I didn’t before. I got to see his habits and his routine. He got up every day at five in the morning to head to the gym. Then he showered, had a protein shake, and then went to work.

  I couldn’t get up at five with a gun pointed to my head.

  When he got off work, he jogged around the park then showered again before he threw on a pair of sexy sweatpants and kept his chest bare. Then he made dinner, something light like grilled chicken and vegetables.

  His extremely healthy lifestyle made me feel like a pig.

  I was too lazy to get out of bed a second earlier than I had to, and my idea of breakfast wasn’t a protein shake. It was usually an Egg McMuffin from McDonald’s or a leftover slice of pizza. I worked out sometimes but only a few days a week—if that. And his idea of dinner repulsed me. I needed carbs and fat in order to be happy.

  Ryker sat across from me at the dinner table. He ate his chicken and vegetables slowly, taking his time like he was savoring the meal. “How’s your stay at Hotel Ryker going?”

  “The hospitality is good. That gets five stars.”

  “What else?”

  “The sex is good. That gets five stars too.”

  “Alright.”

  “And cleanliness gets a five-star too.”

  “So I get a perfect score. Awesome.”

  “Actually…you get a zero for food.”

  He stopped eating and stared me down. “A zero? You don’t like my cooking?”

  “Your cooking is fine. But when I opened the freezer, there was nothing in there.”

  “So?” His powerful shoulders coiled and moved every time he took a bite. The muscles of his body fused together so flawlessly it was hard to believe his physique was real. He looked like a model from an ad. “I don’t eat anything from the freezer.”

  “No ice cream? No popsicles?”

  “That’s not food.”

  “Not food?” I asked incredulously. “That’s absolutely delicious.”

  He chuckled. “I’ve never been a sweets kind of guy.”

  “And the only things in your fridge are meat and vegetables.”

  “Your point?”

  “There’re other food groups too. Like, you don’t even have a carton of orange juice. Every person in America has a carton of orange juice in their fridge.”

  “It’s full of sugar. And like I said, I don’t like sweets.”

  “I couldn’t live like this permanently. Next week, I’m stopping by the grocery store and getting normal people food.”

  He drank his wine and masked the smile on his face. “Staying in shape isn’t about working out around the clock. It’s about what you eat. And I’m very picky when it comes to putting food in my body.”

  “I’d rather have some fat on my body than be miserable all the time.”

  “I’m not miserable.”

  “I don’t believe you.” He ate a protein shake for breakfast, a banana for lunch, and meat and vegetables for dinner. I’d die if I did that every single day.

  “What’s real food to you?”

  “Cheetos. Those are awesome. Macaroni and cheese. That shit is the bomb. Cheese quesadillas with some guacamole.” My stomach rumbled just thinking about it. “Top Ramen and Rice-A-Roni.”

  “When you talk about food, you sound hard up.”

  “Because I am. You eat to live, and I live to eat. That’s the difference between you and me.”

  “In that case, I’ll make sure Mindy gets everything on your list. I want you to be full and horny.”

  “Perfect.” I ate the rest of my dinner to be polite, but having it three nights in a row was getting old. It was fine if Ryker was committed to a life of healthy eating, but I would never conform to that lifestyle—ever. “When my belly is satisfied, I’ll make sure you’re satisfied too.”

  ***

  We sat on the couch together snuggled under a blanket. I hadn’t removed my makeup once since I shacked up with him. He’d never seen me not wearing any, and I was a little self-conscious about it. Normally, I wouldn’t be. But Ryker was perfect around the clock, and I wanted to be too.

  I rested my head on his shoulder with my arm wrapped around his waist. Even when he was sitting, his stomach was flat like a slab of concrete. I inhaled his scent and didn’t pay much attention to the TV because I was treasuring him instead.

  The night when I flipped out over Ryker’s behavior, I knew I was in deep shit. This whole time, I thought I had a healthy attitude about our relationship, but I realized it was sucking me in like a black hole. My heart was growing more attached the longer we were together, and I knew falling for him was simply inevitable.

  And I was pretty sure I already had.

  He turned my way and brushed his lips across my temple. Lightly, he pressed a kiss against my warm skin. The affection was delicate and gentle, not aggressive and sexual like it usually was. When I stayed with him for any real duration, we did other things besides sex. We talked, watched TV, and played board games. He felt more like a boyfriend than he ever did before.

  “I don’t want you to go back home tomorrow.” He kissed me again, right at the hairline.

  “I don’t either.” I loved watching him shower every morning, the beads of water running down his ridiculously hot body. I loved hearing the alarm go off so we could have a quick fuck before he went to the gym. I loved walking through the front door and seeing him play tug-of-war with Safari in the living room. “But I need to.”

  “No, you don’t.”

  “I have to check on my apartment. It could be in ruins by now.”

  “Oh well. You lost your security deposit.”

  If I had it my way, I would stay. But I didn’t want to overstay my welcome and have him get tired of me. I knew he was the kind of man who needed his personal space. I didn’t want to push him, even though he thought he wanted to be pushed. “I lost it when Rex tried to fix the sink and made a huge hole in the wall.”

  He pressed his face into my neck and gave me gentle kisses. “Come on, sweetheart.”

  It would be so easy for me to fold. But I had to stay strong. “I’ll be back again next week. And you know I’ll see you in the meantime.”

  He breathed a sigh of defeat against my skin. “Alright. You win.”

  “I always win.”

  He grabbed my chin and directed my gaze on him. He stared into my eyes for a second before he pressed his mouth against mine. He gave me a slow kiss, the kind that was so good my thighs ached. It was full of passion and longing, like he never wanted to let me go.

  I was in deep and there was no going back.

  Chapter Seven

  Rae

  “Sorry, do I know you?” Rex looked at me from the couch with a beer in his hand. Zeke was sitting beside him watching the game on TV. Rex shaded his eyes with his hand and squinted. “I don’t recognize you.”

  “Shut the hell up.” I dropped my bag on the ground.

  Safari ran over to Rex and licked his face.

  “Don’t worry, man.” Rex gave him a good rubdown. “I could never forget you. But that lady you walked in
with…don’t have a clue who she is.”

  I ignored the jab and sat on the other couch. “It’s good to be home…” My sarcasm was heavier than rain from a storm. “I’m surprised the place isn’t in shambles. I really thought your boxers would be all over the place.”

  “I’m not as messy as you make it sound,” Rex argued.

  “A damn milk carton in the middle of the kitchen.” I turned to Zeke. “Do you have milk cartons hanging out on the floor?”

  Zeke smiled then took a drink of his beer. “How was Hotel Ryker?”

  “Really nice,” I said. “He keeps his milk carton in the fridge.”

  Rex didn’t crack a smile. “You’re doing this every week now?”

  “As long as you’re still living here.” I couldn’t share a bathroom with him much longer. When I got up to go to work last week, Rex had already demolished the kitchen and eaten all the bagels. He was the biggest pain in the ass.

  “At least you know he really likes you,” Rex said. “I would never offer that to any girl I’ve ever dated.”

  “Me neither,” Zeke said. “Except Rochelle.”

  “Oh yeah,” I said. “How did your date go?”

  “Great.” He smiled from ear to ear, truly seeming happy. “We went out on Friday and had a great time. She slept over and stayed until Monday morning.”

  Rex gave him a high five. “Sex-a-thon. Awesome.”

  “She was at your place the entire time?” Ryker didn’t invite me to stay over until we’d been dating for two months. Zeke invited Rochelle over immediately. She must be really cool.

  “Yeah.” Zeke took another drink of his beer. “It kinda just happened. We had a great time on Friday then went bike riding on Saturday. Got some dinner. Then she came over again, and we got down to business. On Sunday, we watched football all day. On Monday, she had to go home because she had work.”

  “Damn,” Rex said. “Your dick must hurt.”

  “Nah,” Zeke said. “She’s a pro.”

  “Where does she work?” I asked.

  “She’s a pediatrician,” Zeke answered. “She works at the hospital down the street, actually.”

  “Seriously?” Rex asked. “What are the odds she would be a doctor too?”

  Zeke shrugged. “Crazy, huh? Like dissolves like.”

  “Huh?” Rex asked.

  It was a scientific term we learned in chemistry. It wasn’t surprising that Rex didn’t understand it. “It just means things that are similar go well together.”

  “You mean, go good together?” Rex challenged.

  Why did I bother? “That’s great, Zeke. She sounds like a catch.”

  “Totally,” Zeke said. “We should all go out together so you can get to know her better.”

  “Is that where this is going?” I asked. “In the relationship direction?” Most of the time, Zeke had flings. We saw the girl once, and she never made another appearance. But sometimes he would have short-term relationships. This one seemed different from all the others.

  “Yeah,” Zeke answered. “We’re already exclusive, so I would say so.”

  Damn, she had game. It took me forever to get Ryker to call me more than a friend. “Cool.”

  “What about you and Ryker?” Zeke asked. “Sounds like things are getting serious.”

  I would normally spill my every thought and feeling to Zeke, but it was just strange with Rex there. “I’m not sure. He gave me a drawer at his place and lets Safari stay there, so I think that’s the direction we’re going.”

  “That’s more than he’s given any other woman,” Zeke said. “I’d say Ryker will be around for a long time.”

  There was nothing I wanted more, and I hoped he was right on the money.

  ***

  “So you stayed at Ryker’s for three whole days?” Jessie asked in surprise. She wore a low-cut top with skinny jeans and heels. Her hair was done so well it could have been her wedding day. She sipped her cosmo then set it on the table.

  “That’s a lot of sex,” Kayden said. “Like, a lot.”

  “But it’s never enough when it comes to Ryker.” I saw their faces soften like my words were deeply romantic.

  “Does this mean anything?” Kayden asked. “Do you think he’ll ask you to move in with him?”

  “I don’t know,” I answered. “When I had to leave, he asked me to stay…”

  “This is getting really serious,” Jessie said. “He went from wanting a one-night stand to making you his girlfriend and giving you a drawer. For a guy who doesn’t do relationships, that’s a pretty big deal.”

  “I know.” It was almost too good to be true.

  “You’re the woman who changed him,” Kayden said. “Like in all those romance movies.”

  “It’s only a matter of time before he asks you to move in,” Jessie said. “I can feel it.”

  “What would you do if he asked?” Kayden asked.

  “I really don’t know.” I looked down into my drink and tried not to smile as I thought about it.

  Jessie caught the look. “You know exactly what you would say.”

  “Yeah,” Kayden said. “It’s pretty obvious.”

  I looked up and didn’t mask my grin. “Yeah…I probably would. I haven’t felt this way about a guy in a really long time. I’m just…I don’t know.”

  “Head over heels in love with him?” Jessie pressed.

  “No…” I couldn’t admit to myself I was there. If I did, my heart would explode. I hadn’t been dating him that long, and just the fact that I had to stop myself from making that last leap told me this was serious.

  Kayden looked at Jessie. “She does.”

  “I know.” Jessie upturned her nose in the air like the little know-it-all she was.

  I didn’t waste my time arguing with them. “Since I stayed there for so long, we did things we’ve never done before.”

  “Like anal?” Jessie asked.

  “No,” I said quickly. “Like, we watched TV, played cards, cooked dinner together. You know, like married couple stuff.”

  “And?” Kayden asked.

  The simple tasks touched my heart like nothing else ever had. “It was just as good as the sex.”

  “Aww,” Kayden whispered.

  “You got it bad,” Jessie said. “But you know what? He does too. It’s obvious.”

  I knew he cared about me. He wouldn’t have stayed with me this long if he felt otherwise. I just wondered if he felt the way I did. Maybe he just wasn’t ready to say it. “I’ve never been so jealous in my life. Last week, when I saw that hooch practically on his lap, I flipped a switch. I wasn’t myself at all.”

  Jessie and Kayden both listened to me, hanging on to every word.

  “It hit me then how I felt about him. In the moment, it felt like the end of the world.” I could continue to mask my feelings, but it would only last for so long. A part of me wanted to tell Ryker how I felt and hear him say it back so we could move forward. I didn’t need to get married or even move in together. But I just wanted him to know how I felt, that I was so hung up on him that I couldn’t picture myself with anyone else for the rest of my life.

  Shit, that’s scary.

  Jessie turned to Kayden. “Are you seeing anyone?”

  “No.” Her answer was so quick that it was awkward.

  “Nobody?” Jessie asked incredulously. “You aren’t even talking to someone?”

  “Well, there’s this guy I’ve been kinda fooling around with,” Kayden said. “But it’s more of a booty-call situation.”

  “Is he hot?” Jessie said.

  Kayden nodded her head dramatically. “The sexiest guy I’ve ever been with.”

  “Damn,” I said. “Maybe you should make something more serious happen.”

  “We’ll see,” she said non-committally. “He’s not really the commitment type.”

  “None of them are until they meet the right gal,” Jessie said. “I’ve been single for a while. Haven’t found anyone interesting.�
�

  Sometimes I forgot she tried to hook up with Ryker. It seemed like a lifetime ago now. “Zeke is seeing some woman now. Seems like they hit it off.”

  “Good for him,” Jessie said. “He’s such a catch. If I didn’t see him like a brother, I’d make a pass at him.”

  “Me too,” Kayden said. “He’s so sweet and smart…”

  “Yeah, he’s pretty perfect,” I said. “I hope she’s perfect too.”

  “I’m sure she is,” Jessie said. “Zeke isn’t really the relationship guy either unless the woman is exceptional.”

  “I’m not sure why my brother is such a screw-up,” I said. “You’d think Zeke would rub off on him.”

  “Rex is perfect the way he is,” Kayden said. “You’re just bitter because he’s driving you crazy. He did a great job taking care of you, and he’s working his ass off at that bowling alley. Don’t you forget it.”

  Jessie stared at her with wide eyes.

  I was just as surprised.

  “Damn,” Jessie said. “Someone’s protective…”

  “I’m just saying…” Kayden masked her awkwardness with a drink. “I know he can be annoying but he’s definitely not a screw-up. Just because Zeke is a doctor doesn’t mean he’s better than Rex. They’re both great.”

  I thought it was weird she defended Rex so viciously when she knew I was just annoyed with him. As his sister, I could say whatever I wanted about him. Everyone knew I loved him regardless. Jumping to his aid so quickly when he wasn’t even there wasn’t really her style. But I didn’t overanalyze the situation. “So I’m not sure what to do about Ryker. I guess just coast.”

  “Yeah, see where it goes,” Jessie said. “You guys are in a great place anyway so just enjoy it.”

  “When he’s ready to move forward, he’ll tell you,” Kayden said. “He’s given you so much already that I think it’s safe to say he’s going to be around for a while.”

  “Yeah.” I smiled at the thought. “I think you’re right.”

  Chapter Eight

  Rae

  Ryker pinned me to his bed the second I walked out of the elevator. He held himself over me, his naked body all hard muscle with a throbbing cock. His biceps tensed as he held his weight effortlessly. “I missed you.”