Ray of Heart (Ray #5)

by E. L. Todd

  Zeke nodded but didn’t say anything.

  It didn’t seem like Zeke was mad about the situation, not the way Rex implied. Maybe he really did trust me. Maybe he really was trying to prove something to me.

  The pizza arrived, and Zeke took three enormous slices. He ate as much as he wanted but still stayed in perfect shape. Sometimes it annoyed me, but since I was the one who got to enjoy him, my jealousy faded away.

  But when I realized he wasn’t mine anymore, I felt like shit.

  I missed him so much.

  This was so hard.

  Could I really keep doing this? Keep him at a distance?

  Could I ever truly just be his friend?

  “What’s Safari up to?” he asked after he finished his first slice.

  “Being cute, like usual. I took him on a walk this morning, and he tried to chase a squirrel. Thankfully, I had a good grip on the leash. But my coffee went flying everywhere.”

  He cringed. “Hopefully, there were no victims in the mess.”

  “I almost hit a jogger, but he got out of the way in time. But Safari caught a little of it, so he smells like coffee.”

  Zeke chuckled. “There are worst things to smell like.”

  “I’ll give him a bath when I get home. It was easier to do that at your place since I could just spray him with a hose.”

  “You’re still welcome to do that.”

  That was a red flag. Zeke’s house only made me think of beautiful nights when we slept in each other’s arms. Being there would make me melt into a puddle on the floor, and I would be powerless not to do something stupid. “I should probably take him in for a haircut anyway...”

  Zeke grabbed another slice of pizza and didn’t press the matter. “So, have you stopped gambling?”

  “Ryker won’t take any of my money, so I’m safe with him.”

  “I wouldn’t take any either, so you’re in the clear. But steer away from Rex. He’ll run you dry.”

  “I know. He already has.” He lived in my apartment for almost a year, rent free. And then I gave him a huge loan for his failing business.

  Zeke chuckled. “You need to make a good bet so you can get all your money back. And then never bet him again.”

  “That’s a lot harder than it sounds.” Even when a team was favored to win, that didn’t mean anything.

  “Maybe Tobias could help.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Things seem to be getting serious with him and Jess,” he said. “At least, that’s what he tells me.”

  “I don’t know if serious is the right word. She’s just glad the sex is good. You know her, she doesn’t look far into the future about stuff like that.”

  “Well, I think he’s smitten. Hopefully, he doesn’t get his heart stepped on.”

  “There’s a good chance of that happening.” Jessie was a notorious heartbreaker. All the men wanted her, but never got her. And when they did, she usually dropped them pretty quick. Unpredictable and free, there was no telling what she wanted.

  We finished the pizza together, just like old times, and before I knew it, I had to head back to work. “Well, I should get going.”

  “Yeah, me too.” Zeke left the table and threw our trash away before he walked outside with me. Even though it was a cool day, he didn’t wear a jacket. But with arms like that, he really didn’t need one. “I guess I’ll see you later. Maybe all of us can do something fun this weekend.”

  “Yeah...” I wanted him to hug me. But I also didn’t want him to hug me. Damn, I didn’t know what I wanted. “I’ll see what the girls are up to.”

  “Cool.” He gave me a handsome smile before he turned around and walked off, his office in the opposite direction of COLLECT.

  I watched him go, staring at the fine piece of ass. And I had a feeling he knew I was staring at it.

  ***

  I didn’t know if it was because of my conversation with Ryker, but my sexuality had been awakened. I couldn’t sleep because I kept dreaming about Zeke doing amazing things to my body, making me writhe underneath him while he pounded into me. My hands gripped the sheets, and I woke up in a sweat.

  When the dream faded away, I tried to go back to sleep but the area between my legs burned. My nipples were so hard they chafed against my t-shirt. I tossed and turned, trying to shake the feelings out of my body.

  I considered touching myself. I used to do it all the time. But once Ryker came into my life, using my vibrator was a rare occurrence. And then when I got together with Zeke, I stopped altogether.

  I couldn’t go back to that.

  If I thought about Zeke, it would just depress me because my imagination wasn’t as good as the real thing. It would remind me I was alone, missing the man I loved. I couldn’t think about anyone else because that would just feel like a betrayal even though I wasn’t seeing Zeke anymore. Ryker always turned me on, but that felt even worse. I couldn’t think of an old ex so I could stop thinking about my current ex.

  So what should I do?

  I tried getting comfortable enough to go to sleep, but that didn’t work.

  My mind kept picturing Zeke shirtless and sexy.

  My nub was throbbing.

  Could I go over there for a booty call?

  Would that cross a line?

  Would I just be playing games?

  Ugh, I didn’t know what to do.

  Since I couldn’t sleep, I threw on sweatpants and a hoodie, left Safari asleep on the bed, and walked out of the apartment. It was three in the morning, so there was no possibility of Zeke still being awake. It was a bad idea, but I kept walking.

  I took a cab to his place and stood on the sidewalk, seeing all the lights off in the windows. I walked up the path right to his door, staring at the beautiful white door that led to the entrance of his home.

  This was a bad idea.

  Where would it lead?

  Could we have a one-night stand? Was that even possible for us?

  Was that insensitive of me?

  Without realizing it, my knuckles had already collided with the wood. I knocked three times, knowing he would hear it since he always left his bedroom door open so he could hear everything throughout the house.

  I always felt so safe with him.

  A moment later, his footsteps hit the hardwood floor as he approached. I pulled my hood down so he could see my face when he looked through the peephole. The door opened and Zeke looked down at me, in only his boxers. His hair was messy, his eyes were lidded and sleepy, and he looked sexy as hell.

  Now I definitely couldn’t back down.

  He stared at me with concerned eyes, unsure why I was standing on his doorstep at three in the morning.

  “I can’t sleep, and I keep thinking about you...” Once I tried to explain why I was there, I suddenly felt self-conscious. I was asking for a hook-up, and I definitely didn’t look sexy doing it in a baggy sweater, sweatpants, and no make-up. “I just want one night, you know. I’m just so horny, and I don’t know what to do about it.”

  He grabbed my hand and pulled me inside the house, locking the door behind me. His hands cupped my face and he kissed me, just the way he used to when we didn’t see each other for over a day. With desperation and longing, he devoured me, slowly guiding me down the hallway and up to his bedroom.

  The second I felt his lips, I was in heaven. I melted and swooned, my legs turning to Jell-O and my heartbeat racing to a terrifying level. My hands felt his powerful chest, recognizing the heartbeat that had become my lullaby over the past eight months. My lips were throbbing from our hard kisses, but I wanted more.

  He pressed me against the foot of the bed then pulled my sweater over my head. I was still in my nightshirt without a bra, and he tossed that aside as well. His arms circled my body, and he kissed my neck and shoulders, his teeth nipping at me from time to time. He gripped my sweatpants and pulled them down, letting them fall to my knees.

  I didn’t think twice about what I was doing. I just wanted him
without any concern of the consequences. Tomorrow morning, I would feel terrible after what I did tonight, but I didn’t care. I would worry about that later.

  He got my panties off then positioned me on the bed, laying his massive body on top of mine, his cock hard and ready for me. His mouth pressed against mine again, kissing me like we were back in time. His knees separated my thighs, and he pinned me underneath him, aggressively taking me like he never had before.

  My nails trailed down his back, remembering the feeling of every single muscle and groove. His smell washed over me, and I basked in our memories, taken to a time when I was on the verge of moving into this very house.

  The head of his cock pressed against my entrance, and with a single shove, he thrust inside me.

  It felt so good I wanted to cry.

  I hadn’t felt him inside me, his length and his girth, for far too long. My body clenched around him in longing, adoring the sensation of him between my legs. My nails dug into him harder as I fell into the euphoria we shared. “Oh, god...”

  He stopped kissing me as he savored the feeling of our bodies joined together, breathing into my mouth quietly as his throbbing cock stretched me. “Baby...” He dug one hand into my hair and began to rock into me, still breathing into my mouth.

  I never wanted this to end.

  His headboard tapped against the wall as he slammed into me, his thrusts setting a hard pace. He slid in and out of my slickness, knowing just how soaked I was the instant I arrived on his doorstep. His eyes locked to mine as he moved, telling me he loved me with just his look.

  And I said it back.

  Within minutes, he hit me in the right spot and made me convulse, tears forming in my eyes because the orgasm felt so amazing. I wasn’t sure if it was the satisfaction or the connection, but one of the two made me crumble apart.

  The sensation felt amazing, but there was something else I also looked forward to. I missed the way he used to come inside me, to dump all of his seed as far into me as he could. It made me feel owned, possessed. I hadn’t felt that sensation in so long, and I needed it now. “I want you to come inside me, Zeke.”

  He kissed the corner of my mouth as he kept thrusting. “I was going to anyway.” He gave a few final pumps before he released with a moan, coming longer and harder than he ever had before. His seed felt heavy, having more than weight than ever before. When he finished, he remained inside me, kissing me gently along the mouth.

  All the aches and pains in my body went away, leaving me relaxed and even happy.

  Zeke slowly pulled out of me then positioned me against his body, cuddling with me under the sheets of his enormous bed. It felt just the way it used to, except without Safari at the bottom. The sheets smelled like him—smelled like home.

  We both had work in a few hours, so we drifted off immediately, exhausted and fulfilled from the intense lovemaking. His lips found my shoulder, and he gave me a gentle kiss just before I slipped away. “I love you, Rae.”

  I said it back automatically, my mouth making all the calls. “I love you too.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Rex

  The second I got off work, Zeke called me. “What’s up, pimple popper?”

  Zeke ignored the insult. “Are you free right now? We need to talk.”

  “Dude, I’m always free for you.”

  “Good. Hot wings?”

  “Anything is good for me.”

  “Alright. Meet you there in five.” He hung up.

  I walked down the block and headed to the wing place while I called Kayden.

  “Hey.” Her feminine and sexy voice came through the phone, sounding like an angel without even trying—a Victoria’s Secret angel. “Are you on your way home?”

  “Actually, I’m having an early dinner with Zeke. He asked me to meet him.”

  “Oh, okay. Then I’ll make something light for dinner.”

  “Thanks, baby.” I felt like the center of her universe in all the good ways. She always made sure there was a hot meal on the table. But the second I left my socks on the ground, she turned on me quicker than a snake. “I’ll be home later.”

  “Alright. See you then.” She hung up.

  I walked into the place just as the conversation ended, and I found Zeke already sitting at a table. Wings, fries, and beers were on the table. But the thing that stood out the most was his enormous grin.

  “What?” I sat in the chair across from him. “You had sex or something?” Obviously, he didn’t, so there had to be a different reason.

  “As a matter of fact...”

  Rage rushed through me quicker than I could form the words I was about to say. “What the fuck? What about Rae? You said you were getting back together.”

  He rolled his eyes and drank his beer. “You’re such an idiot, Rex.”

  “What?” I asked, still clueless.

  “Rae is the woman I slept with. Geez, you’re dense sometimes.”

  “Oh...” Actually, that made more sense. “Wait, that’s great! Are you guys back together?”

  “Technically, no. But pretty much. I think she’ll take me back in a week or so.”

  “Dude, you’re gonna have to start from the beginning. How did this happen?”

  “We had lunch together yesterday and everything was normal... Well, as normal as it could be. I saw her with Ryker at the game the night before, and he didn’t try to kiss her during that kiss cam stunt. We talked about a few other things and went our separate ways.”

  “Okay...this is really boring so far.”

  Zeke ignored that last comment. “And around three am last night, she showed up on my doorstep.”

  “Really?” What the hell was she doing up at three in the morning?

  “She said she was horny and wanted a one-night stand.”

  Now I wanted to throw up. I usually liked hearing Zeke’s stories because they were about sexy ladies. But when they were about my sister, they just sucked.

  “And obviously, I gave it to her. She slept over, but she slipped out when I was in the shower—probably because she didn’t want to have the conversation.”

  “What conversation?”

  “You know, about where we stand.”

  “Oh...are you gonna have that conversation?”

  “Not necessarily. I know where we’re at.”

  “Which is...?” This just sounded confusing to me.

  “She needs a little more time, but she’ll be back.” He tossed a fry in his mouth then sipped his beer.

  “How do you know this?”

  “Why would she stop by for a booty call if she was really intent on moving on from me? When she came to get her stuff, I made a move on her, and she turned me down. She said it would just make it harder for her to move on. But then she comes to my place, in the dead of night, and asks me to make love to her. Trust me, I know her. We’re getting back together. I just don’t know when that will officially happen.”

  I sincerely hoped he was right. “Good. The sooner that happens, the sooner everything can go back to normal.”

  “And Ryker will stop sniffing around...”

  When I saw him the other night, I wanted to break his face. I hated looking at him. He was an arrogant asshole that didn’t deserve Rae’s compassion. “If she slept with you, I’m pretty sure that means she’s not interested in sleeping with him.”

  “I know,” he said with confidence. “But I’ll be glad when he’s gone for good.”

  “That makes two of us. Actually, three. Safari hates him too.”

  Zeke smiled. “I miss that dog almost as much as I miss Rae—almost.”

  “I’ve been training him to attack Ryker, but he still won’t do it. Just growls at him.”

  Zeke laughed. “That would be awesome if Safari tore him to pieces. I’d certainly get a kick out of it.”

  “Yeah, me too.” I finally scarfed down some food and drank my beer. “Why don’t you just ask Rae to take you back instead of waiting around?”


  “Doesn’t work. The harder I try, the more I push her away. I’ve got to let her come to me.”

  “Man...chicks are confusing.”

  “Is Kayden?”

  I guess in the beginning she was. I didn’t have a clue how she felt about me. Rae was the one who had to break everything down for me. “Not really. Now that we’re living together, she’s pretty forthcoming about what she wants. If she wants sex, she tells me. If she wants me to clean up after myself, she tells me. She’s pretty bossy, actually.”

  “Good for her. I remember she used to be shy around you.”

  Those days were long gone. “She has no problem being herself now.”

  “So, who asked who to move in?”

  “I asked her.” It was a spontaneous decision. When she was sitting in my lap, I didn’t think twice about it. The question just popped out.

  “Does that mean you’ve dropped the L word?”

  “Absolutely not.” The L word was for people like Zeke and Rae, not me.

  “You’re gonna live with this woman but you don’t love her?” he asked incredulously.

  “Look, I like her. That’s not enough?”

  “But you want her around 24/7. That must mean your feelings go beyond general liking.”

  “Not for me, man.” I didn’t have deep feelings about anything.

  He leaned back in his chair, watching me with a serious gaze. “Then what made you ask her to move in?”

  I shrugged.

  “Rex,” he pressed. “Come on, it’s me. You can tell me anything.”

  “I don’t know... I don’t like it when she’s not with me. When she’s not in my bed, I feel alone. When I’m not with her, I’m always thinking about her. If we live together, then I’m guaranteed to see her every day. Plus, I know she’s safe with me. No one is gonna break into her apartment and hurt her. As long as I’m around, no one will ever touch her. It just made the most sense.”

  Zeke’s eyes softened.

  “What?”

  “Nothing.” He tried to hide his smile.

  “Stop looking at me like that.”