“I know what you mean. I’ve moved around a lot being in the military and all. It suits me though,” he said with an easy shrug.
I finished my second glass of wine and decided to quit while I was ahead. We’d had a nice chat, but I should probably just head back up to my room and let each of us go our separate way. Maybe I’d call my friends, and they could put me on speakerphone so I could pretend I was there with them. I at least wanted to find out what Morgan thought of all the activities I’d arranged for the evening: drinks at a swanky bar, dinner at a top-rated restaurant on the other side of town, and then dancing at one of our favorite clubs. I’d arranged for a limo service so we didn’t need to worry about finding cabs after each stop, and I imagined my friends laughing and giggling, sipping champagne, as they went from one venue to the next. We didn’t usually have a big night out like that, so I’d wanted to pull all the stops for Morgan’s last night out as a single girl.
I grabbed my purse and opened it up, pulling out a twenty.
“No, I got it,” Ryan said, holding his hand up in protest. “I would’ve been lonely sitting here all by myself.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course,” he said easily.
“If you insist,” I said with a shrug. “Thanks. Maybe I’ll see you around,” I continued, sliding off my barstool. “You know, if I can’t get a flight out of here soon.” I was gazing directly into Ryan’s eyes now, standing between my barstool and his, and I felt an unexpected feeling of sadness that I was about to walk away and probably wouldn’t ever see him again. Why couldn’t I meet a nice guy like this when I was back home in Chicago?
“Hopefully so,” he said. “Well, of course I don’t want you to be stuck here,” he added with a grin. “But if you are, then hopefully we’ll run into each other again.”
I was about to say goodbye when a drunk guy bumped into me, pushing me even closer to Ryan. Ryan reached out to steady me, the touch of his warm fingers on my bare arm burning into my skin. Our eyes locked for a moment at our sudden closeness before we were interrupted again.
“Can I buy you a drink?” the newcomer slurred.
I turned slightly to face him, puzzled as to why he’d decided to approach me now. I was getting ready to leave and was obviously already having a conversation with someone else. “No,” I said, shaking my head.
“Just one drink,” he insisted, reaching out like he was going to touch my hair.
I took a step back, ending up nestled between Ryan’s legs where he remained perched on the barstool. His broad chest pressed up against my back, and I felt his muscular arms come protectively around me. I felt safe with him and wondered if he noticed that I was shivering slightly, taken aback by the drunk guy’s attempt to touch me. “She’s not interested,” he said in a deep, authoritative voice, holding up one hand to indicate the guy should back off.
“Sorry man, I didn’t realize you guys were together.”
Neither of us corrected him, and Ryan draped his leather jacket over me. “Come on,” he said, resting his hands on my shoulders as he got to his feet. He towered above me, able to rest his chin atop of my head if he wanted to. “I’ll walk you to your room.”
“Thanks,” I replied, warily giving the creepy guy a once over before we walked away. Ryan kept one hand lightly on my shoulder as he let me lead the way out of the crowded bar, almost as if just to reassure me he was still there. I hadn’t exactly planned to leave the bar with anyone, but Ryan was definitely the lesser of the two evils. Although I wasn’t completely sure that I wanted him to know where my room was either. The potential of spending time alone together outside of the crowded bar and in my hotel room sounded enticing, and somehow I sensed that it might lead to nothing but trouble. Trouble in the best sense of the word.
We walked into the elevator, and I pressed the button for my floor. Ryan hovered close to me but in more of a protective manner. Not that it mattered because the creepy guy from the bar was long gone. I was relieved to have him by my side though, still feeling slightly shaken up. We got off at my floor and silently walked down the hall to my room, Ryan slowing his long stride to match my pace. I stopped when we reached the door. “So,” I said, turning to face him.
“So,” he echoed, seeming unsure himself.
I kept his jacket over my shoulders, making no move to take it off. He stood gazing down at me, making no move to leave. Suddenly feeling bold, I met his blue eyes. “I still haven’t eaten. Want to order room service?”
“That sounds great,” he said. “I’m starving.” He flashed me a quick grin, and for a moment he looked like he was hungry for much more than just a good meal. I knew nothing would happen between us unless I wanted it too though, and I slid my card into the door, gesturing for him to come inside.
Chapter 2
Later that evening, I playfully tossed a french fry at Ryan, laughing as he teased me. We’d been enjoying a leisurely dinner together, talking and joking around back in my hotel room. I didn’t want to wear my bachelorette party black dress all evening, so while Ryan had ordered us food, I’d gone into the bathroom and pulled on a stretchy camisole, loose open cardigan, and dark jeans. The camisole dipped low and wasn’t any less revealing than the dress I had on earlier—just more comfortable. Ryan had ordered a full spread from the room service menu while I changed: burgers, fries, a cheese sampler platter, slices of cake, chocolate-covered strawberries, and a bottle of wine. They’d wheeled it all in for us on a cart covered in white linens and set it up on the tiny table in my room. We’d been having such a good time it felt like I was having dinner with a guy friend I had a huge crush on, or maybe someone I’d been on a few dates with but not yet kissed, not a handsome stranger I’d met only hours ago. I mean how many times did you meet someone new and have instant rapport? It just didn’t happen.
Ryan easily caught the french fry midair and raised his eyebrows. “Did you just throw a fry at me?” he asked in mock disbelief.
“You totally had it coming,” I said, not denying it in the slightest.
“You know I’m in the Special Forces, right? I have all kinds of military training,” he teased.
“Oh, so they prepare you for french-fry attacks? Food fights with 28-year-old-women?”
“Something like that,” he replied, his eyes not leaving my face.
The only kind of food fight I wanted to get into with Ryan involved him licking chocolate syrup off my body. But since we didn’t have any, and I wouldn’t exactly have put up a fight if we did, there was no sense in mentioning it to him right now.
“You look cute when you’re trying to be mad at me,” he said.
“I’m not mad at you,” I replied with a laugh.
“Exactly. ‘Trying to be’ were the key words.”
I opened my mouth in protest but suddenly found myself speechless for the first time all night.
“Here, have one of these,” he said, passing the plate of chocolate-covered strawberries over to me. I took a bite of one and felt his eyes on me, watching my every movement. All of a sudden it felt like our playful evening had taken on a different tone. I licked my lips and then brought a napkin to my mouth, not wanting chocolate all over my face or to have him think I was making a suggestive come-on. I watched his gaze lower, taking in my cleavage, and then his eyes hastily returned to mine, as if he didn’t want me to know where he’d just been looking.
“You’re really pretty,” he said. “I can see why that drunk guy was hitting on you at the bar.”
I found myself flushing as I gazed back at him. “Right, but you weren’t when you sat down beside me.”
“No, I just wanted to order a beer,” he said with a grin. “But I’ll tell you what, meeting you was the best part of my day.”
My heartbeat sped up as I looked at him. Certainly he wasn’t just feeding me lines. I mean he was already in my hotel room for God’s sake. “It was that bad of a day, huh?” I joked, attempting to keep things light.
“As a matt
er of fact, it was kind of bad. But even if it had been perfect, it still wouldn’t have topped this.”
I smiled, because even though I hated to admit it, I felt exactly the same way.
“I know you’re probably leaving tomorrow,” he continued, “but if you’re still here, what do you say we go sightseeing together?”
“So you want to make plans even though you know I’ll probably have to stand you up?”
“Life is short,” he said with a shrug.
“How about you call me in the morning,” I said, not willing to let this be our last conversation. I couldn’t bear to agree to meet him somewhere tomorrow and then just never show. I’d been trying to reschedule my flight all afternoon and probably would be long gone by whatever time we arranged to meet. If he called me tomorrow morning, I’d at least have a chance to say goodbye.
“I can do that,” he said, his voice low. He stood up, and I followed suit, suddenly feeling like the little table in my hotel room was a huge obstacle separating us. He was so close yet so far away. Ryan gestured for me to go ahead, and I slipped by him, our bodies barely brushing against one another as I walked across the room. I could feel his eyes on me the entire way, and as I reached out to unlock the door, something inside me made me turn back to him once more.
He walked over, his blue eyes piercing even in the dim light. The five-o’clock shadow across his face made him sexy as hell, and my eyes ran over his strong jaw and chiseled face before I once again met his gaze. Now on the pretense of him leaving, we were standing face-to-face in front of the door. I could feel the warmth radiating off his body as he stood only inches away, and the electricity between us was palpable. Slowly he leaned down, the air growing thicker. I could hardly breathe as his face hovered near mine, and then he was kissing me at last.
His warm mouth and full lips were soft against my own, his kiss somehow both gentle and hungry at the same time. I raised my hands to his face, running them over the stubble on his cheeks and strong jaw, holding him to me. Stretching up on my tip-toes, I kissed him back, not wanting to let the moment between us end. His gentle kiss gave way to something more, and soon his tongue was gently pushing inside my mouth. I backed against the door as he stepped even closer, neither of us speaking a single word. His mouth hot on mine, I was finding it hard to concentrate on anything else. Ryan was supposed to be leaving, but somehow none of that mattered when he was kissing me this way. His tongue thrust inside my mouth, exploring, and I felt the stubble on his face rub roughly against my skin in his eagerness. He planted heated kisses along my neck, causing my breathing to become shallow. I tilted my head back, closing my eyes and gasping against the door, as an electric current shot straight through me. He lowered his mouth to my chest, kissing the tops of my breasts as they rose and fell beneath his touch. Finally he raised his mouth back to mine, and his full lips crushed against my own again and again.
His hand lightly grazed my breast, and I gasped as his strong fingers squeezed and caressed me. I could feel every touch beneath my thin camisole as he began to run his thumb back and forth across my nipple, and I felt a sudden dampness in my panties. He easily slid my cardigan off my shoulders, letting it fall into a crumpled pile on the ground. Ryan then slipped his strong fingers beneath the slinky straps of my camisole, sliding them down off my shoulders as well. He tugged the fabric of my top down, releasing my breasts from the material that contained them. They pushed out over my camisole, which now covered only my midsection.
“God, you have amazing breasts,” he said appreciatively, his eyes eagerly drinking them in. He bent down and planted heated kisses across my chest, worshipping each breast with lust in his eyes. He took one nipple into his mouth and sucked on it intently, flicking his tongue back and forth, and I gasped, writhing against the door. Moving to my other breast he did the same, putting his warm mouth over my firm nipple and then delicately teasing it with his experienced tongue.
“Oh,” I moaned, running my hands through Ryan’s short hair. Desire shot straight through me, and I felt a throbbing between my legs. He took my breast further into his mouth, his warm breath on my flesh leaving me yearning for more. After a moment he knelt down before me. He undid the button on my jeans and slowly slid the zipper down. Slipping his muscular hands inside my jeans, he pushed them down, his hands running over my hips and down my thighs. I stepped out of my crumpled pants, and as Ryan pushed them aside, I trembled at the anticipation of what I knew was next. Making a pleased sound at the sight of my silky red thong, he didn’t waste any time, kissing me on the thin triangle of fabric. I practically withered under his touch, grateful that I had the door to lean against for support. Now slick with arousal, I whimpered as he kissed me again. He moved his mouth to the side, just along the thin patch of fabric, and planted a trail of kisses upward. His teeth gently tugged at the string across my hip, and I looked down in awe, wondering if he was about to tear my panties right off. Finally, he slid his strong fingers beneath the fragile strings on each side of my thong, pulling it down in one easy tug.
“Sexy,” he said, casting the skimpy undergarment aside with an amused smile.
I flushed, but before I had time to think about it, Ryan hitched my leg up over his strong shoulder. He leaned in again and kissed me where the fabric of my thong had just been. “Ryan,” I moaned, barely able to stand anymore because I felt so dizzy with lust.
“Trust me,” he said, his voice deep and gravelly. He placed one hand on my thigh, firmly holding it up on his broad shoulder, and slid his other hand to my hip. His mouth eagerly kissed the folds of my sensitive skin, and as his tongue slowly licked my fleshy nub, I almost collapsed against him. Raising one hand to my breast, his thumb started caressing my nipple. Simultaneously, he lightly flicked his tongue up and down across my most sensitive spot, tickling me with pleasure. I cried out, but he didn’t let up. He teased me with his tongue again and again until I was gasping for breath. Suddenly I felt his strong fingers slipping inside of me. I was wet with arousal, and he easily began to slide them in and out, encouraging me on. With his fingers filling me up and the teasing dance of his tongue across my sensitive bundle of nerves, I knew I was going to come at any moment. A hot white light was filling my vision, and as his tongue lapped back and forth, again and again, I finally cried out in ecstasy.
His hands grasped my hips to keep me from collapsing and then he gently lifted my thigh off his shoulder. Ryan stood up before me, his fingers lightly trailing over my hips, as I rested my head on his strong chest. “Let’s get this off,” he said huskily, slipping his fingers beneath the bunched-up camisole and lifting it up over my head. He tugged his own shirt off, and I gazed admiringly at his strong chest and torso. Hard muscles covered every square inch of him, and I reached out, running my hands over his firm chest, feeling the ripples across his abdomen. He unzipped his pants and quickly slid off both them and his boxers. His manhood sprang out against me, and I could feel it pushing against my stomach as he leaned in for a kiss.
“I can’t wait to be inside you,” he whispered into my ear as he slid on a condom. “Think I can make you come again?”
My mouth dropped open in surprise, and his hands reached around, cupping my bare bottom as he kissed me. His tongue slipped into my mouth, and I ran my hands over his pectorals, feeling the hard muscles, when Ryan suddenly lifted me up into his strong arms. I wrapped one arm around his shoulder and reached down with the other to guide him to my entrance. Ryan kept his strong hands on my bottom, squeezing gently, as he backed me against the door. The tip of his manhood pushed into my opening, and I gasped as he slowly inched his way inside. His thick length filled me up, overwhelming my senses. I kissed him as he held me suspended between the door and him, and as he gently began rocking his hips, I clung to him, loving the way I could feel every movement of his in this position.
Ryan’s tongue thrust into my mouth again, and I let him explore as he slowly made love to me. The feeling of him inside me, filling me up, was turnin
g me on all over again. He gently rocked against me, and I was relaxing into the rhythm of our lovemaking when the base of his penis suddenly brushed up against my sensitive nerves as he plunged deeper. I gasped, feeling the beginning of a second orgasm starting to form. Ryan lowered his head so that his lips brushed against my neck. “Mmmm, you like that?” he whispered softly. He gave another powerful thrust, and I gasped as he again came into contact with my fleshy nub. He began to rock his hips faster, thrusting into me again and again. I was powerless to control any of our movements in this position as he kept up his new unrelenting pace. The feeling of his length and girth inside of me was overwhelming, and each powerful thrust sent me spiraling toward ecstasy. As he filled me up over and over, I was soon crying out his name.
“Ryan,” I panted, holding on tightly to his strong shoulders as he hardened more and finally came as well.
He began to slow down until he had stopped moving completely and was holding me tightly against the door. He lifted his head, his blue eyes piercing into mine. “I want to make love to you all night long,” he said gruffly, brushing his lips against mine.
“Does that mean you’re staying over?” I teased.
A new trace of lust was present in his eyes, and I could feel him start to harden again, already inside of me. “Absolutely.”
Chapter 3
I shivered and snuggled closer to the warmth beside me. I was freezing, but for some reason the other side of my bed felt so amazingly warm. Suddenly strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me close, and I awoke with a start, remembering that I wasn’t alone in my bed. It was hard to remember the last time I’d slept so well, and I knew it was partly from our amazing lovemaking session last night and partly from the comfort of falling asleep safe in Ryan’s arms.
Valentine from a Soldier Page 2
