by Lacey Wolfe
This time as she pressed him into her opening, she removed her hand and sunk all the way down the length of his shaft. He groaned as he gripped her waist.
He held her tightly as they moved in a quick rhythm. His eyes were on her breasts as they bounced. Normally, she didn’t like it, as big as they were, but with Ryan, she was comfortable. He pulled her forward slightly so her tits were in his face.
She grinded faster as he buried his head between them, kissing. Everything he did rocked her body. She grabbed at the pillow behind him and squeezed as her release got ready to take off.
“I’m ready.” She panted.
He ground his hips up and deeper inside her. That was all it took. She cried out along with him as they found their sweet release together. This man was it for her. As she laid her head on his chest, catching her breath, she knew there would never be another. This was it.
“That was much better than that crappy movie,” he whispered.
She nodded against his skin. She couldn’t agree more.
* * * *
Kayla followed behind Ryan, staring at her phone screen, as they left the grocery store. She hadn’t bought so much junk food in a long time. But Ryan insisted. This was part of living with someone. Too bad he couldn’t just change his ways to be like her.
She slammed into Ryan’s back. “Ah, why’d you stop?” Kayla looked up to see Abbie.
“Aw, don’t you two look cute grocery shopping together.” Abbie put a hand on her hip.
“People gotta eat. Now if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got frozen stuff to get home,” Ryan said.
“So you’re all moved in together?”
“Yes.”
Abbie’s gaze moved past Ryan and to Kayla. “How could you do this to me? I thought we were friends.”
Oh, the nerve of this woman. Friends? Ha. “I never knew you liked Ryan. You never mentioned him. Hell, whenever I talked about him, you sat there the whole time knowing it was the same Ryan and kept your lips zipped.”
“Isn’t our friendship important to you?”
“There is no friendship. It was based on a lie. Besides, we never really clicked.”
Abbie rolled her eyes. “He’ll get bored with you before long and you’ll find yourself lonely like I did.”
“Go home to Taylor. For whatever reason, he still wants you. You’d better hang on to that.” Ryan pushed the cart away.
Kayla followed until Abbie reached out, grabbing her arm. “Don’t get too comfortable playing house.”
Kayla pulled her arm from her grasp. “Leave us the hell alone. You heard what he said. Go home.”
As Kayla caught up to Ryan, she had a feeling this thing with Abbie wasn’t over. Now that she’d had a taste of Ryan, she could understand why Abbie would still want him. However, Abbie was the one who left Ryan. Was there something he still wasn’t sharing?
Chapter 14
Kayla had no work at the moment. It was odd. She always had something to do, but as she started at her to-do list, nothing was on it. She needed to be busy. Needed something to occupy her thoughts so Ryan didn’t.
God, the man was sexy. Sure, he’d been attractive before, but now she got to see him get out of the shower with just a towel around his waist and his hair dripping with water. He’d grin at her, sending a shiver through her. And sex was now a nightly thing and often a morning wake-up. That part was going well. But actually living with him...that was going to take some getting used to.
Just this morning she found his used boxers on the bathroom floor next to the hamper. Why didn’t he just put them into the dirty clothes basket? Why right next to it? It wasn’t like it was full and overflowing. The opposite actually. She remembered her friends complaining about their husbands after moving in. This underwear problem seemed familiar. She’d have to call one and ask how to solve it, because there was no way in hell she was picking up his boxers each morning. He was a grown man.
Her computer dinged, bringing her from her thoughts. An email from Ryan.
Miss me?
-R
Miss him? She smiled. Boy was he getting cocky.
Quite the opposite actually. I wasn’t pleased to have your dirty underwear on the floor this morning. Did you grow up in a house that had this thing called a hamper?
-K
She giggled and waited for his reply, which came quickly.
Sorry. Bad habit. Good thing I’ve got you to whip me into shape. If I forget tomorrow, be sure to spank me when I get home.
-R
She covered her mouth. This man was something else.
I’ll hold you to it.
-K
She pushed back from the desk and began to walk away when her email alerted her again. Another from Ryan. He must be bored today.
Did you want me to pick up dinner, or want to go out? I’m in the mood for a big plate of lasagna.
-R
As much as she’d love to eat out or order it, she didn’t want to start a bad habit.
I can make lasagna.
-K
A moment later, he replied.
Homemade is even better.
-R
It was a good thing she didn’t have much on her to-do list today since making lasagna had just been added, and she was going to have to go back out to the grocery store.
Bunny hopped over and stopped in front of Kayla’s feet.
“Let me guess, you want something too.” She scooped the furball up. “I suppose I can go to the pet shop and get your some of those yogurt bites you love so much.”
Placing the rabbit back on the floor, she headed to the bedroom to get dressed.
* * * *
Kayla pulled into her parents’ neighborhood. While at the store, she’d found melons on sale and decided to buy a few. She’d never be able to eat them all and figured her mom could use some.
Turning onto her parents’ street, she could see the house. Her dad’s car was sitting in the driveway. She bounced a little in her seat, excited to see he was there. After parking the car, she grabbed the extra fruit from the passenger floorboard and practically danced to the front door. It was an excellent sign that he was there. Maybe she hadn’t been seeing things at the dinner.
She knocked lightly, then let herself in. It was quiet. Oh God, she hoped she wasn’t going to catch them in the act.
“Mom,” she called out.
A door slammed at the back of the house. Kayla headed for the kitchen. She set the food on the cluttered counter and waited. She bet her parents would come sauntering in with their arms around each other and would give her the great news. After a few minutes, she poked her head out the doorway and called out to them again.
Maybe they didn’t want to be bothered. Kayla had a feeling she might not want to know what they were doing. She’d leave the fruit and call later.
As she opened the front door, she was met by her mother, walking up the front steps.
“Mom. What are you doing out here?”
“I went for a walk. It’s lovely to see you.” She brushed past Kayla.
“I brought you some fruit. Dad’s here.”
“He is?”
Kayla rubbed her cheeks, confused. “His car is out front.”
“No it isn’t.”
She stepped outside onto the porch and glanced at the driveway. Only her car sat there. There was no way in hell she had imagined seeing his car.
Kayla closed the door and went in search of where her mother had disappeared off to. “What’s going on, Mom? When I got here his car was here. Then a door slammed.”
“I have the windows open. It’s possible the wind slammed a door.” Her mom picked up a melon. “Did you bring these, dear? Thank you. I’ve been on a diet. This will be perfect for my sweet tooth.”
Something was going on, but Kayla knew her mom wasn’t going to say anything, no matter how much she hounded her. She noticed her mom wore sandals with a one-inch heel. She didn’t believe that her mom had gone for a walk in tho
se shoes.
“I need to go, because I’ve got perishables in the trunk. We’re having lasagna tonight. Care to join us?”
She shook her head. “No thanks.”
“I’m out of here. See ya.”
Kayla left, feeling even more confused than before. As she drove home, she thought about how to get to the bottom of this. Something was going on with her parents, something they weren’t sharing. She’d seen the way they looked at each other and she’d seen her dad’s car in the driveway. She didn’t believe for one second her mother had been out on a walk. She just had to find a way to prove it.
* * * *
Ryan took a bite of the most delicious lasagna he’d ever had. This life could work out well. Home cooked meals each night, someone to talk to, and a gorgeous woman to share it with. Making this choice with Kayla had been one of his best decisions yet. He couldn’t have found a better person to spend his life with.
Kayla sat across from him, and he could tell something was bothering her. He hated seeing her so distracted. He wasn’t sure if it was best to ask her if she was okay, or to leave her be. When he found himself frustrated from work, he usually liked to have a few beers and take a nap. But she was a woman and chances were she wanted to talk about it.
Talking about feelings wasn’t his thing, but for some reason, he wanted her to feel better. So if talk was the only way to do it, he was willing to listen.
“Everything okay?”
She stared at him. “Just have some things on my mind.”
“Is it me? I did kinda push you into this. And I’m sorry about the boxer thing. I’ll do better, I promise.”
She smiled. “Living with you is an adjustment, but it’ll be fine.”
If it wasn’t about him, that left one other thing. “Your parents?”
“I’m either losing my mind—which is possible—or…or…I don’t know to be honest. I swear I saw them share this look. One that only couples do. You know, where they’re speaking to each other with their eyes? Anyway, I let that slip as though I might’ve imagined it. But today…” She set her fork down. “Today my dad’s car was at the house when I stopped by. When I went inside I heard a door slam. Moments later, my mom came through the front door claiming she’d been on a walk. But if you’d see how she was dressed, you wouldn’t have believed her. Anyway, when I asked her why Dad was there, she said he wasn’t. I looked outside and his car was gone. But I didn’t imagine it. I’m not losing my mind, but they’re making me feel like I am. Something is going on.”
“Maybe he was there and he wasn’t supposed to be. And you startled him, so he left.”
“I would’ve seen him leave.”
“Back door?”
Kayla slumped in her chair. “Maybe.”
“I’m not saying nothing weird is happening. I believe you that he was there. But I think you’re looking for anything to indicate they’re getting back together.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“A shared look… They were married for years. I’m sure it happened. But I bet your dad snuck out the back.”
He could tell his words were sinking in. He hated to see her so upset about her parents, but if fifty percent of marriages ended in divorce, why were people so surprised when it happened? Everyone always said ‘I can’t believe it, they loved each other so much.’ Love. That was the problem.
Gazing at Kayla, he felt a tug at his heart. Love. He could fall fast for her, and it was taking everything in him to keep himself from being in love with her. She was his first thought in the morning and his last before drifting off at night. He found himself thinking about her throughout the day when he should’ve been working on his formulas. He was walking a fine line, but as long as he stayed in control, he’d continue walking it.
“You’re right,” she softly said as she pushed her plate across the table. She stood and left the kitchen.
Damn it. The lasagna was so good, he didn’t want to stop eating it, but he also couldn’t let her walk off and pout. He groaned and got up, following her into the bedroom.
“You can eat. I’m just not hungry.” She fidgeted with her hands nervously.
No, he couldn’t. “You can’t sit in here alone.”
“Why?”
“Because.”
“Because why?”
“Crap. Why does this have to be so complicated?”
She rolled her eyes. “Go eat. Don’t let it go to waste.”
“It’s not going to. I plan to eat the other half. But first…” He scooped her up in his arms and laid her back on the bed, climbing on top of her. “I plan to cheer you up.”
“I’m really not in the mood.”
Ryan kissed the crook of her neck, and her body shivered under him. His lips trailed down to the neckline of her blouse, then as far as they could down the shirt. He pulled back and gazed at her eyes, dark with passion.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered.
She chewed her bottom lip. “I don’t want to be Kayla right now. I want to be Tatiana.”
“Oh, yeah.” He smirked, liking where this was going. Grabbing the top of her button-down blouse, he pulled it, popping the buttons off. “I’ve been dying to do that for so long.”
She giggled. “That was a fifty dollar blouse.”
“I’ll buy you twenty more.” He kissed her. “Now shut up, and let’s get wild.”
* * * *
Things between Kayla and Ryan seemed to be going well. She was glad they were finally moving into a groove together, and she was actually enjoying having him for a roommate. They were still different in many ways, but not a day went by that they weren’t laughing at one another.
He helped keep her mind off her parents, and other than that, things were perfect. Maybe Ryan had been right all along. They went into this with an agreement to not fall in love and to make it work, for better or worse. Why didn’t more people do that? Who needed love?
But if Kayla was honest with herself, which she tried not to be, she had to admit that her feelings for Ryan were strong. She couldn’t say for sure she was head over heels in love with him, but she was moving in that direction. If only he had some gross habit, like leaving dirty socks on the counter or something. Instead, he was the man of her dreams and keeping her feelings in line was hard.
Each day he kissed her before he left for work and then again the moment he walked in the door each night. They showered together, slept together, hell they even did the dishes together. This was a real relationship. She’d expected them to be more like friends with benefits. That they would decide who was in charge of what when it came to household chores. However, they worked together, grinning the whole time.
Kayla climbed out of her car and walked into the coffee shop where she was meeting her father. She’d been calling him since that day at her mother’s, and he’d been short with her. He’d finally agreed to meet her today after she’d thrown a fit. She was still daddy’s little girl.
He greeted her at the door. “I already ordered your drink and got your favorite muffin.”
“You rock.”
“Grab us a seat outside on the patio. It’s nice out today.”
She found a table that was somewhat secluded and waited. A moment later, he rounded the corner. She grabbed her cup from the holder and took a sip. White chocolate...he was obviously sucking up.
“All right, Dad. Dish. Why were you at Mom’s?”
He smirked. “You’re wasting no time. Here I was hoping to you’d tell me about things between you and Ryan. When’s the wedding?”
“I’ll tell when you tell.”
“So there will be a wedding? Soon, I hope.” He bit off a piece of his danish.
“It can be this weekend if you want.”
He chuckled. “Things must really be going well if you’re ready to walk down to the altar.”
“Yeah, well, you’re not walking me down until you tell me why you were at Mom’s when she wasn’t there.”
&
nbsp; He rubbed his chin. “I was looking for something.”
“I’m sure you could’ve asked Mom for it. What did you do, stake the house out waiting on her to go for a walk?”
He laughed again. Obviously this was a funny subject to him. “I suppose you could say I did that.”
Kayla groaned as she took the plastic wrap off her pastry. “What did you need she couldn’t help you with?”
“I just didn’t want to see her.”
“Why?”
“Kayla, it’s complicated.”
She set the muffin down before taking a bite. “I’m getting sick and tired of this. I feel like I know nothing about you two anymore, and yet, you’re all up in my business when it comes to Ryan.”
“Noted. I’ll stop asking.”
That wasn’t what she wanted. He was supposed to give her some sort of insight into this. But no, he wasn’t budging.
She took a drink of her coffee, followed by a bite of the banana nut muffin. She could talk to him until she was blue in the face, and he’d still tell her it was between her mother and him. There was no point in asking anymore. She was going to have to let this go, somehow.
“Hi, Kayla.”
Shit.
Kayla turned to see Abbie standing there.
“Hi, I’m Abbie,” she said, holding hand out to Kayla’s father.
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Kayla’s father, Mr. Ames. Are you one of her friends?”
“Yes, the best.” She looked at Kayla with a smirk, then said, “Scoot over, bud, so I can join you, if you don’t mind.”
Kayla was about to tell her to go away, but then her dad said, “Not at all. Please, sit.”
