“No, Sadie, we’re here because I had a plan to propose.”
“I wouldn’t be mad if it was all rolled into one, Ryder. I’m just asking.”
He smiled. “I hear you, baby, but no, this has been planned for a while. The Hatch shit just happens to coincide.”
“Okay then, for tonight, I call dibs on your mind and body.” I tapped his cheek. “We’ll deal with the rest when we get back to reality.”
“Fair enough.” He leaned in and kissed me gently.
“How fast can you run in those boots?”
“Pretty fast.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, baby.”
“Race you to the water,” I yelled after I’d already taken off.
I almost made it (and I’m pretty sure he let me), before he’d grabbed me around the waist. Despite the fact I somewhat expected it, I let out a squeal when he lifted me off my feet and threatened to drop me in the ocean.
I locked my arms around his neck. “You wouldn’t.”
“Make it so you have to strip down to nothing?”
“Okay, you would.” I smiled and attempted to bat my eyelashes. “But I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t.”
“Do you have sand in your eyes?”
“No!” I said on a groan.
“Well, then what the hell are you doing with your face?”
“I was trying to flirt.” At his laugh I scowled. “I’ll remind you that in section four-point-one of the fiancée handbook you’re required to think I’m cute at all times.”
“There’s a handbook?”
I nodded.
He dropped his head back and laughed again. “I love you, you strange, strange woman.”
I grinned, leaning forward to kiss him. “Love you too.”
“How do you feel about ice cream?”
“Ryder,” I admonished. “You are very aware that if it were legal, I’d marry ice cream, so that’s kind of a dumb question.”
He chuckled, but before he could tell me why he asked the question, the heavens opened up and proceeded to dump water on us. I couldn’t stop a frustrated growl.
“Jump up, baby,” Ryder ordered, and pointed to his back.
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, I can get us back before you can even get your shoes on.”
“Okey doke,” I said, and jumped onto his back.
Ryder piggybacked me the entire way back to our hotel, and he was right, we got back quicker than I could have put my shoes back on, however, we were soaked through and I was freezing.
Ryder set me down inside the building and we rushed to our room. “You get your clothes off, honey, and put the robe on in the bathroom. I’ll run the bath.”
My teeth chattered as I nodded. “Okay. Thanks.”
I did as he suggested and stepped out of the bathroom and into the little room with the tub. Ryder ran his hand in the water and smiled. “I’ll shower while you’re soaking.” He stepped out of the room and closed the door.
“We never got that ice cream,” I called as I slid into the water.
“I’ve got your back, honey,” he promised “I’ll have someone bring it up.”
“I love you!” He laughed and then I heard the shower start. I didn’t get out of the tub until Ryder informed me the ice cream had arrived. I hurried to get dressed and joined Ryder back in the room quickly.
“Warm?” Ryder asked, wrapping an arm around me and kissing me gently.
“Very.” I slid my hands up his chest. “I love this shirt.”
“Yeah?”
“It’s soft and it matches your eyes.”
“Good to know.” He smiled. “You ready for ice cream?”
“Definitely.”
“I hope you like cherry.”
I screwed up my nose. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
“You don’t like cherry? Damn it. It’s what we’ve got.”
“You can have it.”
Ryder laughed. “I would never do that to you, Sadie. What kind of monster do you think I am?”
“The kind to mess with his fiancée.” I wagged a finger at him. “I will reference section six-point-three in the fiancée handbook. Never mess with a woman’s ice cream.”
“I apologize.” He kissed my nose. “Now come get your weird-ass pecan praline.”
I giggled, taking the dish and spoon on the coffee table and settling into one of the chairs overlooking the water. Ryder had started the fire and the whole scene was just perfect.
Ryder sat beside me and waved his spoon toward me. “You know I’m gonna eat that off every inch of your body one day.”
I gasped, choking on the bite I just took.
“Sorry, baby,” he said as I coughed, trying to breathe. “Didn’t mean to freak you out.”
“You’re an evil man,” I accused once I got my breath.
“You wanna know what else I’m gonna do?”
“No! It’s hard enough waiting.”
“I know.” He grinned. “Okay, baby, I’m done.”
“You’re a butt.”
“Yep, I’m aware.”
“But I love you anyway.”
“I know.”
I smiled and took another bite. Ryder set his ice cream aside and reached for my feet, shifting the chair so we were face to face. He wrapped his hands around my feet and proceeded to massage them as I ate ice cream and watched the rain.
“I could so get used to this.”
Ryder grinned. “I got my Sadie’s servant card back. I plan to keep it.”
“Works for me.”
“Where do you want to honeymoon?” he asked.
“I haven’t thought about it. What about you?”
“It’s a toss-up between somewhere warm, which means you’re in a bikini the whole time, or somewhere cold where I can keep you naked and warm in bed.”
“I vote cold.”
“Yeah? Stateside or international?”
“Stateside. I don’t want to spend money on a passport and international flight if we’re just going to be in bed the whole time.”
“Good thinking,” he said. “Maine? Sometime after the new year?”
“I can’t take the time off, honey. Not when I get all that time off during the holidays.”
“Then, let’s do it during your holidays.”
“Seriously? That’s a month away.”
“I know.”
I pulled my feet from his hands and leaned forward. “Are you insane?”
He leaned forward as well. “Yep.”
I bit my lip. “Okay then.”
“Okay then what?”
“Let’s do it.”
“Yeah?”
I nodded. “It’s crazy, but yes.”
He cupped my cheeks and kissed me. “Love you, baby.”
“Love you too.”
I giggled as he pulled me to my feet and danced me around the room. As he spun me toward him, the sash on my robe untied and my robe gaped open.
“Fuck,” Ryder hissed and slid his arms around my waist. “Baby, you’re stunning. I knew you would be, but…holy shit…” He knelt in front of me and kissed my belly and I knew I should stop him, but I couldn’t.
I wove my fingers into his hair as he peppered kisses on my belly before standing again. Cupping my breasts, he gave each nipple a gentle suck, then closed the robe and tied the robe in a double knot…doing the one thing I knew I didn’t have the strength to do. “Short engagement,” he whispered, and covered my mouth with his.
“I don’t want to wait,” I whispered as I broke the kiss.
“For the wedding?”
I shook my head. “For the wedding night.”
“Baby,” he rasped.
I untied my robe and let it fall to the floor.
Ryder stroked my cheek. “Are you sure?”
“I’ve been sure for weeks,” I admitted. “Do you have condoms?”
“Yeah.”
“Really?”
“Ex Boy Scout,
Sade. Always prepared.”
I giggled. “Okay, then, I’m in your hands. I have no clue what I’m doing.”
“I don’t know—”
I tugged at the waistband of his jeans. “I want this, Ryder.”
He cupped my breast and gently squeezed as I arched into him. Gently drawing a nipple into his mouth, and then moving to the other, I sighed as he kissed between my breasts and then focused on my mouth again. I moved my hands so I could unbutton his shirt, sliding my hands to open it. He was magnificent.
I bit my lip and ran my fingers down his abs.
His stomach contracted and he pulled my fingers to his lips. “You keep doing that, this’ll end too soon for my liking.”
I bit my lip, but I nodded. “I want to see you. You know, the front of you.”
“My ass wasn’t enough for you, huh?”
“Not even close,” I admitted. Ryder grinned and slipped his shirt off and I was in awe. I leaned forward and kissed his smooth chest with a smile. “Perfect.”
He kissed me again as he unzipped my jeans. His hand slid between my legs and I squirmed at his touch, his hand cupping me. “Open, baby.”
I shifted so he could slide his hand further between my legs and then he slipped a finger inside of me and I whimpered.
He pulled back. “Does that hurt?”
I shook my head, gripping his arm. “More.”
Ryder lifted me and carried me to the bed, settling me gently on the mattress. Gripping my thighs gently, he settled his face between them and kissed the top of each. “Gorgeous.”
“Ryder,” I rasped as his mouth covered my core. I slipped my fingers into his hair as he gently sucked on my clit and I couldn’t stop myself from bucking against his mouth. This made him grip my thighs harder and keep me in place, but it did not make him remove his mouth. I let out a quiet squeak as his tongue slipped inside of me and I felt a little like I was floating. His mouth moved back to my clit and he slipped a finger inside of me and I whimpered as I came.
I glanced down my body to watch as he continued to kiss me intimately and then he raised up and leaned over me. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” I whispered.
Ryder moved his way back up, ending at my neck and cupping my breast as he kissed me again.
“I want you naked.” I reached up to stroke his cheek.
“You will, baby.” He smiled. “We need to go slow. This is going to hurt a little and I want you relaxed.”
“Relax me without your clothes on.” I slid my hand to cup him over his jeans. I could feel his size through the denim and he was huge. He smiled and stood, pushing his jeans and boxer briefs off, and facing me again. I swallowed.
His expression became one of concern. “Are you okay?”
“There’s no way that’s going to fit,” I whispered.
Ryder chuckled and crawled over me, kissing between my breasts. “Trust me?”
I cupped his face as he hovered over me. “Yes.”
“I’m gonna take care of you, sweetheart, but you ever want to stop, tell me.”
“Even—”
“Yes. You want to stop, we stop.” He leaned closer. “Got it?”
I nodded.
“Say the words, Sadie.”
“You’ll stop if I ask you to.”
“Exactly,” he whispered, and kissed me. He rolled us onto our sides again and cupped my bottom, guiding my thigh over his hip. He slid his hand between us and slipped a finger inside. “Soaked, baby.”
I nodded. “Is that okay?”
“It’s perfect, honey. Better than perfect.”
“Are you sure?”
“Baby, are you enjoying yourself?”
“Yes,” I panted as he slipped another finger inside of me.
“Then it’s perfect.”
Before I could say anymore, he kissed me, sliding his tongue into my mouth and capturing my sigh. I heard the tear of foil and then he rolled on a condom and positioned me so I was straddling him.
“I’m gonna go slow, Sadie. Let you get used to me. You can pull back if it’s too much. It’s why we’re like this. You have more power.”
I licked my lips. “Okay.”
“Lift up a bit.” I did as he asked and he positioned his cock at my entrance. “Now, lower yourself. Slowly, baby.”
I slid slowly onto him and bit my lip as his girth filled me.
“Okay?”
“So good,” I rasped.
I shifted and slid a little lower, then a little more. All the while, he worked my nipples, my clit, my mouth. I had to give it to him, he waited until I was no longer fully coherent before he rolled me onto my back and gave one swift push. I felt the sting of my virginity leaving my body and he caught my cry with his mouth and stilled.
Ryder kissed me gently. “Are you okay?”
I smiled, shifting so I could stroke his cheek. “I’m good. Are we done?”
“Not even close.”
“Promise?”
He chuckled. “Promise.” Ryder kissed me and then drew my nipple into his mouth, then the other. Sliding his hand between us, he fingered my clit and I couldn’t help but rock my hips against him, which pulled him further inside of me.
“Yes,” I whispered. “More.”
He thrust into me and I raised my legs, wrapping my ankles around his hips. He continued to surge into me, until my climax overtook me.
I came undone just as he gave one final thrust and a grunt, then rolled us onto our sides again. He ran his finger down my cheek. “You okay?”
“I’m so much better than okay.” I licked my lips. “When can we do that again?”
He chuckled. “Soon. We need to give your body a minute to recover.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Oh.”
“Brace, Sadie, I’m gonna slide out and it may sting a bit.”
“’K.” I gripped his shoulders as he moved his hips away from me. He was right, I was a little sore, but it didn’t take away from the fact that he’d made my first time incredibly perfect. Now I just needed to figure out what to do with my Catholic guilt.
“Don’t move,” he said, and kissed me gently. “I’ll be right back.”
I nodded with a smile and he climbed off the bed and headed into the bathroom. I bit my lip in an effort not to squeak at the sight of him walking away. His butt really was delicious. I heard the toilet flush and then Ryder returned with a warm washcloth.
“Spread, baby.” I did and he settled the soft cloth against me, soothing the sting. “Feel good?”
“Very,” I whispered on a yawn.
He threw the washcloth into the corner, then pulled me close. “Sleep, Sadie.”
I snuggled closer to him and closed my eyes.
* * *
Ryder and I’d arrived back from our love bubble trip (as we were referring to it) late Saturday night. I stayed at his place and then drove home Sunday night.
I arrived home to squeals and congratulations from Laura and Bethany, followed quickly by over-the-top planning. Luckily, I knew them well enough now that I could control the tornado that was Bethany Corona, and we ended up with the plan that she’d do my makeup and Laura would be my attendant. Worked for me and no feelings were hurt, which meant I could enjoy my day with both my girls being happy.
I ordered the dress. It took me five minutes to actually press the submit order button, but I did it. I really hoped it fit, but I’d find out in less than a week and then I could move forward from there.
My aunt and Michael found a date that worked for everyone. It was the Saturday directly following the last day of school, which was somewhat of a miracle, but our ceremony would be intimate, which meant it would be short. The party afterwards would be at Ryder’s... ah, our home... that evening.
Ryder wouldn’t tell me anything about our honeymoon. He wanted to handle all of arrangements and I was happy with that.
Sadie
MONDAY MORNING, I walked into school, the glow of our love bubble tr
ip still resonating in my heart.
“Good morning, Sadie,” Lynn said, as I checked my mailbox in the office. “How was your weekend?”
“It was great, Lynn. Ryder proposed.”
“Congratulations!”
I smiled. “Thank you.”
“May I see the ring?”
I held out my left hand and she oohed and aahed over it. “It’s beautiful, Sadie.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I’m going to get some coffee before I head in.”
“Sounds good.”
I grabbed my caffeine and went to the classroom. My kids (particularly the girls) got a kick out of my ring and the pending nuptials, asking for details I didn’t really have. But I shared what I could and when the final bell rang, I realized the day had flown by.
I couldn’t wait to get home, especially since Ryder would be there when I arrived. I had him most of the week, which was rare.
After climbing into the car, I headed out towards Felida. My phone rang as I turned on Lakeshore, and I pressed the button on the steering wheel. “Hello.”
“Hey, honey, you close?”
“Less than ten minutes,” I said, and grunted as my car jerked forward.
“Sadie?”
“Someone just hit me,” I said, and checked my rearview. A black SUV was a few car lengths behind me.
“Talk to me, Sadie. What do you see?”
“I think someone just came up too fast.” I frowned. “I should probably pull over and get their information.”
“First, I need you to tell me what hit you.”
“Black SUV. I can’t tell what it is.”
Before Ryder could ask more, the SUV slammed into me again. This time, it threw me into the ditch. I screamed as I hit my brakes.
“Sadie!” Ryder yelled. “Tell me what you see.”
“I... I don’t know, Ryder.”
“Baby, focus. It’s important.”
I rattled off everything I could see. Shape of the truck, license plate, everything... even if I didn’t think it was important.
“Where are you?”
“North of McCann.”
“I’m comin’,” Ryder said. “Stay on the phone with me. Don’t get out of the car.”
“Okay, honey.”
* * *
Ryder
Ryder arrived to find his Bimmer empty. No sign of Sadie or the SUV. The Bimmer’s driver’s window was shattered and there was blood on the steering wheel. After a quick search of the car for Sadie’s cell, he pulled out his phone.
A Nun Walks into a Bar (Nun-Fiction Series Book 1) Page 22
