Kevin smiled down at her. “I have to get back to work,” he said, giving her a wink. “I’ll check on you later.”
Avery frowned. He was aggravating Ridge on purpose. Why?
Kevin turned and headed down the steps.
“I have to get my stuff,” Ridge snapped.
“If you two so much as touch each other I’ll call the cops and have you both arrested,” she shouted at them. Dumb men, anyway.
Avery watched from the door as Ridge picked up his duffle bag and Kevin lazily strolled to his cruiser. She swore they muttered something between them but couldn’t hear what they said. When Ridge came back through the door she slammed it, crossed her arms beneath her breasts and scowled.
“What the hell was that all about and what is this?” she asked, pointing to his duffle bags.
“First things first,” Ridge snapped, tossing the bags to the floor. “I don’t share, Avery.”
Amused, she cocked an eyebrow and kicked out her hip. “Yes, you do. Lots of times I gather. What’s that got to do with Kevin?”
“Damn it,” he spat, taking two long strides toward her and gripping her arms. “I don’t share you, understand? He wants you and I’m not sharing you.”
Oh, this was good. He was going to pay for leaving her this morning without so much as a kiss-my-ass. “What? Never did a male-male-female sharing? You’re only into two females? Pity. You don’t know what you’re missing.” As if she did, but Ridge didn’t need to know that.
Ridge flinched. Actually flinched and she had to keep from laughing at the surprise filling his eyes. Good. Let him chew on that for a while.
“That’s not funny,” he gasped.
“No, it isn’t. What difference does it make, Ridge? I don’t know when you’ll be around.” Avery jerked out of his hold and turned her back. Okay, maybe she shouldn’t have taken that route, but damn it, he deserved a little punishment.
“I’m here now,” he told her quietly. “And while I’m here I don’t want anyone seeing you like that.”
Avery shook her head. “Like what? Standing in my door? Are you going to lock me up in my room? Are you so embarrassed to be seen with me that you don’t want anyone knowing we’re fucking each other like rabbits?”
Her heart sank. Was that what this was all about? He didn’t want anyone seeing him with a common woman? God, could she be a bigger loser?
“No!” he shouted. “I don’t want any other men seeing you nearly naked.”
Naked? For the love of God, she was wearing clothes. What the hell was wrong with him? “What are you talking about?”
“Look at you,” he said, jerking her around. “Fuck, Avery, you’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen. That’s the problem. Everyone else sees it but you don’t.”
Avery staggered. No one had ever said those words to her before. Did he mean them?
“This top,” he whispered, cupping her breast through her tank and caressing her nipple with his thumb. “You might as well not be wearing anything. In the light, you can see right through it. I know the heaven hidden beneath this flimsy material. No one else needs to see.”
Oh, God. His charm could melt her like ice cream in the middle of the street on a ninety-degree day. She’d been his victim of charm before, only to be left dangling.
“You’re insane,” she choked, backing away from him. “You’re already fucking me. You don’t need to sugarcoat anything and you don’t get to tell me how to dress. Let’s just keep things simple. Sex.”
There, she’d spoken the words. They were only about sex. Step one on the reality charts.
Silence filled the space between them. She waited on the edge, wanting to hear him say it wasn’t about the sex, wanting to hear him tell her those three words she dreamed of hearing.
“Fine,” he finally spoke with a touch of anger in his voice. “I still won’t share you, Avery. Stone has it bad for you and while I’m here, he keeps his distance.”
He might as well have slapped her across the face. The sting would have at least hurt less. The urge to tell him to go to hell burned in her throat. She wasn’t a toy. Why couldn’t he see that? Still, all those years of waiting for him, could she throw him out now? God, she was such a fool.
“So, what’s with the bags?” she asked, changing the subject.
“When I woke up this morning,” Ridge spoke with a hoarse voice, “I wanted to take a shower and realized you didn’t have any towels. Then I realized you didn’t really have anything, not even food. I ran home and grabbed some things for you.”
He pulled out a couple of towels and washcloths, some dishes and glasses and a bottle of juice, bread and other things for the fridge. He even had some sheets for the mattress and a blanket. Avery watched in amazement.
“I was hoping I’d get back before you woke up. I wanted to take a shower with you,” he whispered. “I wanted to leave a note, but you didn’t even have a piece of paper.” He pulled out legal pad and a pen and handed them to her.
Guilt churned in her stomach. “I owe you an apology,” she said, staring at the simple pad of paper and pen. “I thought you skipped out on me again. I’m sorry.”
Ridge nodded as he avoided her gaze. “I guess I can’t blame you for that.” He rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat. “So, ah, what did you have planned for the day?”
“I’m going shopping. I need things,” she said, smiling as she held out his gift.
“Good, then I’ll take you to breakfast and we can pick up whatever you need.”
Stunned, Avery blinked several times as she watched him get to his feet and wince in pain. “You’re coming with me?”
Ridge reached down and lightly rubbed his leg. “Unless you don’t want me to, then I guess I’ll have to follow you around.”
“Why?” Okay, this was what she wanted, so why was she acting like an idiot about it?
“Because I want to,” he said, shrugging. “Is there something wrong with that?”
Yes. “No.” If this relationship was all about sex, why did he want to spend the day shopping? “You do know I’ll probably be shopping all day. There are a lot of things I need.”
“Then you’ll need some help carrying things. First, you eat. I don’t think you’ve had a decent meal in weeks.”
Avery snorted. “Like I couldn’t stand to lose about fifteen pounds.” Sadly, she hadn’t lost anything.
“No, you can’t,” Ridge said, stepping toward her. “You’re perfect the way you are. Don’t go changing anything.”
“Remember what I said about the sugarcoating?” She chuckled, amused at his attempt to stroke her ego. No one had ever tried to do that before.
“Avery,” he said, cupping her cheek and gazing at her with a serious face. “You’re a woman, a real woman with perfect curves in all the right places. A lot of men like that. I like that.”
“Sure, that’s why men drool after size-zero women. I need to get my purse and then I’ll be ready to go.”
Ridge stopped her from leaving by wrapping her in his arms. “Some men do like straight, flat, boney women that feel like they’ll break under the slightest pressure. Most men like curves and squishy parts pressing against them. Flesh they can sink their fingers into. You. Are. Perfect. Go put a bra on before we go.” With that he released her and then popped her on the ass.
Avery yelped and darted up the stairs to her bedroom. It didn’t take her long to wiggle and jiggle into her bra and then slip back into her tank. She had a notion to forgo the bra just to piss him off, but braless in public wasn’t something she normally did.
Soon, she stood at the door, tapping her foot and waiting for Ridge. What was he doing anyway? “Ridge, are you ready? I want to stop by and see Cindy sometime this morning.” She hadn’t spoken to her long-time friend, not even at the cemetery. After the service, Ridge and Kevin had hustled her to the car and waved people away.
She wanted to apologize to Cindy for not being around and tell her she probably wo
uldn’t be around for at least another week. Some time off to heal and gather her thoughts was needed. Cindy would understand, she hoped.
“Okay, let’s go,” Ridge said, slightly out of breath as he slipped his arm around her waist.
“What were you doing?”
“Making sure everything was locked up. We don’t want any more surprises. Where would you like to eat? Is that small diner still open? I remember the last time we were here, you, me and Cale ate there.”
“Yeah, it’s still open.” She remembered that morning. They’d all laughed and joked as they chowed down on stacks of pancakes and bacon. One of the many good memories she had of the three of them.
“If you prefer to go somewhere else, that’s okay. I thought maybe we could eat a pancake for Cale.”
Ridge rested his forehead against hers, making it seem as if everything would be normal. But it wasn’t. Cale wouldn’t be there. “Would you mind terribly if we didn’t go there? I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”
“I don’t mind. We’ll find someplace just for us.”
Simple, idle chat transpired between them during the drive into the city. They found a quaint diner where they filled up on eggs, bacon, toast and coffee. Avery couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten so much.
“I’ll have to work off these calories,” she joked, leaning back in her chair and resting her hand on her overstuffed tummy.
“That won’t be a problem,” Ridge said, looking across the table with dark, stormy eyes. “When I get you home, you’ll need to eat again.”
Chills of anticipation shot up her spine. Hot liquid seeped into her panties and her nipples instantly stabbed through her tank top. Could he possibly repeat last night? Did the man take pills?
“Maybe you should have more to eat then, because there is no way you can do two nights in a row like that.” Could she?
“Wanna bet? When it comes to you, Avery, I’m in a permanent state of arousal.”
She brushed off the comment as another attempt to charm her. Why, she didn’t know. He already had her.
Their first stop was the boutique to visit with Cindy for a few moments. While she was there, Avery intended to collect a few more undergarments. If Ridge continued to rip her clothes from her body, she’d quickly run out.
Cindy ran across the store and hugged her with so much force it squeezed the air out of her lungs.
“I wanted to call you last night but I wasn’t sure you’d be up for conversation. Are you all right? Do you need anything?”
“I’m fine, Cindy. Remember we discussed me taking some time off.”
“I remember. You take as much time as you need. You work too hard as it is.”
Avery noticed Cindy sneering at Ridge over her shoulder. She never did understand the woman’s animosity toward him. The first time they met she could have sworn Cindy liked him; two days later she’d had nothing nice to say.
“I think I’ll grab some things while I’m here,” Avery told her friend, dragging her away from Ridge.
“You just picked up underwear,” Cindy said as Avery rummaged through the pile of silk.
“I know, but they aren’t holding up.” Avery glanced over at Ridge and caught the slight smile he tried to hide.
“What do you mean? They’re top quality—oh. I get it.” Cindy turned up her nose and glared at Ridge. “You’re setting yourself up for a huge heartbreak. You know that, don’t you? I thought you were more intelligent than this.”
Ridge started across the room, his face a stone mask of anger. Luckily a customer walked in, tugging two young girls behind. Cindy knew a hot sale when she spotted one. Before Ridge could reach them, Cindy breezed by and greeted the ladies with her usual cheery, fake personality.
“Let it go, Ridge. I’m used to her. I can deal with it.” Avery spotted some new silk camisoles hanging on the wall and knew she had to have them.
“What’s her deal, anyway?” Ridge asked, following her.
“I have no idea and I’m not sure I want to know. Oh, I love these.” Avery pulled down two in her favorite colors, peach and teal. “I’m going back to try these on. I won’t be long.”
Without looking behind her, Avery scurried back to the dressing rooms, stepped inside and closed the door without locking it. Stripping off her tank she slipped on the silk and sighed. It fit perfectly. As she pulled it off, she heard a slight click of the door and stood dumbfounded as Ridge stepped inside.
“What are you doing?”
Ridge unhooked her bra and slipped it down her arms and then cupped her breasts.
“Ridge?”
Next he slipped his hand down her tummy and released the button on her shorts, shoving them down over her hips. Instead of ripping her panties, he rolled them down slowly. This was insane.
When she heard the whir of his zipper lowering, she gasped and shivered all at the same time. “What are you doing?”
“I need you,” he whispered in her ear.
“Here?” Oh God. She couldn’t do this.
“Why not?”
Ridge released his hard, long cock. She could see it in the mirror and watched as he quickly sheathed himself. “Cindy,” she gasped as his fingers slipped between her legs and delved deep.
“Is busy with her customers. Bend over, baby. Brace yourself with your hands.”
Avery pressed her palms to the wall. The long mirror intimidated her. It was one thing to see yourself in a small mirror that only showed your upper body but this would allow her to see them both.
Opening her mouth to protest, she choked on her words as Ridge slipped slowly into her clenching, wet tunnel. He stretched her, filled her in more ways than he could ever know. Their gazes locked in the mirror, an emotional, breathtaking moment she would never forget.
She saw a flicker in his eyes. He wanted more than the sex. She could feel it, taste it. After finally locking them together, Ridge took a deep breath. Home. The word whispered through her head.
The air in her lungs whooshed out as her body jolted forward and shivered from his harsh, fast thrust. His heavy sac slapped against her thighs with each driving plunge and God help her it was so damn good. Nerve endings sizzled, currents of electricity coursed over her flesh and if she hadn’t been watching in the mirror she would have sworn she was floating on a cloud of pure ecstasy.
Ridge pulled back, nearly slipping completely from her body and then stopped. She saw the most exquisite wonder on his face as he gazed down at where they joined. She wished she could see it too. The image of his thick head being swallowed by her hungry body filled her mind so clearly she gasped and then moaned.
“Ridge.” The erotic reflection of his view had her muscles rippling, eager and starving for release.
“Yeah,” he replied, reaching between them, running his finger through her seeping juice and rubbing it around the puckered entry of her ass. “I won’t last much longer either.”
Using two fingers, he pushed through the tight ring of muscle, watching her carefully in the mirror. The instant spear of pain quickly turned to a forbidden, delicious pleasure that drew mewls of ecstasy from her throat. Very slowly, Ridge pushed back into her snug tunnel.
“Do you have dildo?” he asked through clenched teeth.
“What?” She couldn’t think. Who the hell could think with so much pleasure overload? Already her legs were quivering so fiercely Ridge had to wrap his arm around her waist to hold her up.
“A dildo, do you have one?”
“No,” she answered, unsure what he was talking about.
“I’ll get you one.” Ridge leaned forward and whispered, “It’ll be so good, Avery. I’ll fuck your pretty pussy with a dildo while my cock fills your sweet ass. You’ll be so full that when you come, you’ll think you’re tearing apart.”
Avery jolted and bucked as he pinched her throbbing clit and then returned to pounding deep inside her body. Her orgasm exploded out of nowhere, filling every inch of fiber with unimaginable pleasure.
Her vision swam, her brain shut down and the only thing she could do was revel in the pleasure. She gasped for air as her heart fluttered out of control.
Ridge drove deep and hard one last time before stiffening and clenching his jaw. His cock throbbed in time with her pulsing release, taking her pleasure to a new level.
“Ridge,” she choked. She’d be left a vegetable, her brain useless.
Suddenly, he fell forward onto her back, his sweaty cheek pressing against her spine. “You kill me a little bit every time,” he murmured.
Good, because he was annihilating her with each powerful orgasm. When the last weak ripple of her release withered away, Ridge stood, pulled from her body and helped her stand. Tugging her back against his chest he met her gaze in the mirror.
“Look,” he whispered.
No, she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t stand here and look at her naked body in the mirror.
“Avery,” he said, feathering his fingers across her flesh. “Look how sexy you are.”
“Ridge, don’t.” Humiliation began to push away the soft, sensual afterglow of her orgasm.
“You’re perfect,” he continued, ignoring her protest. “Every inch of you is perfection.” He cupped her breast, rolled her nipple and tugged slightly.
Oversensitive, she groaned, pressing her head against his chest.
“You have the sweetest nipples tipping the most luscious breasts I’ve ever seen.” Releasing her breast, his hand traveled down her stomach.
She hated this part of her body. Looking away she cursed her round, fleshy stomach.
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “You’re toned, but soft.” His large hand stretched out over her flesh. “I love your tummy. Didn’t you notice last night?”
A quick shiver raced through her system remembering how much time he’d spent kissing and licking the flesh there. One hand had even rested there during the night as the other gently cupped one breast. Yeah, Ridge did love a woman’s body.
“Are you sore?” he asked, trailing his fingers down and skimming her smooth outer lips. “I was pretty hard on you last night.”
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