Along for the Ride

by Michelle M. Pillow

  ‘A moment, please.’ Ryan pushed open his door. ‘Margie, Rosa, Mrs Hartman, can you come here for a moment?’

  Rosa was the first to appear.

  ‘Are we married, Rosa?’ he asked.

  ‘No, not so long as Pete behaves himself.’ Rosa winked at him.

  ‘Thank you,’ Ryan said, nodding.

  Rosa laughed, tossing her hand. ‘I love your strangeness, Ryan. Don’t ever change or I’ll no longer be your friend.’

  A smile crept over Megan’s face. ‘So, you’re not married?’

  ‘Margie?’ Ryan called.

  ‘Ryan, you don’t have to do this,’ Megan said under her breath. ‘So long as it’s not true, I don’t care why they said it. Please, just tell me I have a chance to make it up to you. That’s all I’m asking for is a chance. Let me take you out on a date. I’ll do –’

  ‘Ye –’ Margie, the woman who had the birds skidded to a stop as she saw Megan. Without having to be asked, she said, ‘Yes, I did and I did it to protect you from her. And I’d do it again.’

  ‘Why would I need protection from my fiancée?’ he asked.

  ‘Engaged?’ Megan gasped.

  He smiled, turning to her. ‘Engaged.’

  ‘Quick, shut the door, Margie. Let them be,’ said the older woman who could only be Mrs Hartman.

  ‘They’re hoping I forget to yell at them for meddling in my life. Though they did mean well, it wasn’t their place to lie to you and try to protect me.’ He chuckled, a knowing sound, before raising his voice. ‘Even if they now listen from the other side of the door so they can hear what we’re talking about.’

  A thud sounded at his claim followed by the unmistakable drumming of footsteps.

  ‘You said engaged?’ Megan didn’t dare to hope, but how could she not?

  ‘To you.’ Ryan leant his mouth to hers.

  ‘Really?’ Megan wound her arms around his neck, pressing her lips tightly to his to keep him from answering. She moaned against his mouth, having missed the feel of his body against hers. The tight muscles of his chest welcomed her and his arms held her waist as he lifted her feet off the floor.

  He was the first to draw back. ‘Yes, really. You see, I told myself the next woman I was with would be “the one”. I’m looking for marriage, kids, the whole familial package.’

  Megan laughed, remembering the words she’d told him that night in the alleyway when he’d asked her out on a date to her parents’ house. ‘And how do you know you’ve found the right woman?’

  ‘She’ll be stubborn, wilful, frustrating as hell . . .’ Ryan paused, kissing the tip of her nose.

  ‘I like her already.’ She arched a brow. ‘And . . . ?’

  ‘Tough yet sweet, beautiful, sexy, big eyes that melt me with just the thought of them.’ He kissed each of her temples by her eyes. ‘So long as she is you, I know I’ll be happy.’

  ‘And the details are irrelevant?’ she echoed the past words.

  ‘No, wrong. The details will be the most important part. I want to live and remember each and every second of our life together.’ Ryan cupped her face. ‘I love you, Megan. I want to always love you.’

  ‘I have a confession,’ she said. ‘I didn’t fight your coming to Montana harder because I secretly wanted you to be there with me. I would never have admitted it then, but I know it now. I’m a cop. There is no way you could have blackmailed me, if I didn’t let you.’

  ‘I’ve got a confession as well.’ Ryan grabbed her arms and turned her towards the wall, intent on trapping her against it.

  ‘What?’

  ‘The motorcycle wasn’t mine.’ He moaned softly, his eyes shining bright as he pressed into her body. The fullness of his arousal rocked into her, stirring her already piqued desires. ‘I don’t own a bike, have never owned one. I lied about it because I wanted to be with you. Can you forgive me for pretending to fit your list?’

  ‘No.’ She shook her head, feigning a scowl. ‘But you can spend all of our married life making it up to me.’

  Ryan nipped at her jaw, only to breathe heavily against her as he nuzzled her throat. ‘So you give in to me. What was it? My sexy boyish charm? My suave manners?’

  ‘It’s the details.’ Megan leant up to kiss him, only to draw back. ‘I wasn’t lying when I said I suck at relationships. So I have to ask, are you sure about this? About us? Because I can’t lose you again. And you better be sure, because I’m licensed to carry a gun.’

  ‘I’m not worried. I’ve been told the secret to happy marriages.’

  ‘Are you going to share it? Or do I have to beat it out of you?’

  ‘Easy there, Detective Matthews.’ Ryan gave her a sultry smile.

  Megan flipped him around, changing their roles as she trapped him to the wall. ‘Let me guess. The secret is . . .’ She ran her hand down between them, letting it cup his arousal pressing against his jeans.

  ‘Nope. Not even close.’

  ‘It’s not?’ She quirked a brow, drawing her hand away and holding it to the side where he could see it. ‘Are you sure? Because sex is the one thing we actually get right.’

  ‘Your father says the key to a happy marriage is to run away each time a wife menstruates.’ He laughed. ‘He recommended I take up a once-a-month hobby. With as many women as he has in the family, I figured he’d be the one to know.’

  Megan slapped him playfully on the chest and pushed back. She looked at his door. ‘I’d ask you to invite me in, but I’m not sure I could hold a straight conversation with your neighbours. And, yet, I don’t want to leave you either.’

  ‘This –’ he touched her cheek briefly ‘– is a problem I can solve.’ Ryan opened the door to his apartment. His hand slid from her face, reaching down to grab hers. Leading her inside, he loudly cleared his throat. ‘Anyone in here wanting my forgiveness for anything, leave now and all will be forgotten.’

  Mrs Hartman and Margie glanced at each other, quickly standing from his couch. Margie shuffled past them, not saying anything, barely even looking in their direction. Mrs Hartman wasn’t so modest, as she stopped, eyed Megan and said, ‘Hurt him and I’ll take a hit out on you. Ryan, sweetheart, come down when you two are done talking. I’ve baked a fresh batch of cookies.’

  ‘Cookies?’ Rosa asked, excited. ‘Why didn’t you say you made cookies?’ She rushed to the door, patting Ryan on the arm as she passed. ‘Get your nookie, Ryan, I’m going to eat your share of the cookies. Nice to meet you, detective. Don’t arrest any of us. Oh, and, Ryan, make sure you ask her about fixing those tickets for me since you won’t do it.’

  ‘Tickets?’ Megan asked.

  ‘Parking tickets. She has a, um, few,’ Ryan answered, turning his attention to the redhead on his couch who hadn’t moved. She was on a cellular phone.

  ‘If you ask me as a favour, I might see what I can do.’ Megan looked him over, her blood rushing in her veins as her heart beat faster.

  ‘She has twenty-nine.’ Ryan chuckled. ‘She’s been begging me to help her for some time, but I told her I can’t as a photographer.’

  ‘Where did everyone go?’ a brunette said as she came in from the back of the apartment.

  ‘I asked them to go,’ Ryan said. ‘Mary, I’d like you to meet Megan.’

  ‘Megan?’ Mary asked, suddenly smiling. ‘You’re her, aren’t you? Ryan’s detective?’

  Megan nodded weakly.

  ‘It’s a pleasure,’ Mary said. Then, frowning, she looked over to the redhead. ‘Ginger, come on. Ryan needs his privacy.’

  ‘I already told you the price, now you either take it or leave it. I don’t come cheap. If you want cheap, you can get your ass down to a back alley for some of that discount puntang,’ Ginger said into the phone, lifting one manicured nail in Mary’s direction in a silent motion to hold on for a second while she negotiated.

  ‘Sorry,’ Mary said under her breath. ‘She’s in, ah, sales.’

  Megan didn’t say anything. Mary rushed to Ginger and whispered
frantically at her. The redhead stopped talking, turned to stare at Megan for a brief second before saying weakly, ‘I’ll, ah, talk to you later, Mom. I have to go.’

  ‘Ginger, this is –’ Ryan began.

  ‘Lovely to meet you, detective,’ Ginger rushed, smiling prettily. ‘We must be going.’

  Ryan shut the door behind the women and they were finally alone. Megan studied him carefully, and asked, ‘Are you the only man in this building?’

  ‘No, Pete, Rosa’s husband, is at work and we didn’t expect him to join the building party until later. Diederick, our resident millionaire, volunteered to buy the groceries and, since he’s rich, we let him so long as he promised to buy normal food. William is busy patrolling our halls. He’s kind of like our security system.’

  ‘Oh, yeah, I think I met him. The guy with the baseball bat?’

  Ryan nodded. ‘Yes, that’s William. He’s harmless. And finally there was an unemployed singer named Harry, but he moved out this week. He finally got his big break singing show tunes in some lounge in Las Vegas.’

  ‘Old ladies threatening cops downstairs. Parking-ticket bandits upstairs. Suspicious millionaires who live beneath their means. And call girls who try to solicit their own mothers for . . . I don’t even want to go there.’ She strolled around his apartment. Tidy and neat, his living room and open kitchen had more appeal than her own. Framed artistic photographs dominated the visual wall space. They were of children laughing, couples walking, friends talking, even a couple kissing in Central Park. ‘You live in a regular crime nest, Mr Lucas.’

  ‘If you ask me nicely, I’ll let you be the Queen of the Crime Nest.’ Ryan chuckled.

  ‘OK.’

  ‘OK?’

  ‘I’ll move in,’ Megan said. ‘We can live here. I like it.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Why? Don’t you like it here?’ She twirled around, holding her hands to the side to encompass the room. ‘Because I hate house shopping and my place is a real disaster. Besides, did I hear right? The lady downstairs bakes?’

  ‘We get our daily dose of cookies. And she makes a tremendous lasagne and garlic bread. With Mrs Hartman around, none of us ever starves. We all pitch in for groceries to help her out.’

  ‘Wow, what else does this building have to offer?’ Megan asked, quirking a brow as she watched him.

  ‘Well, of course, you’ve met the crazy guy who paces the halls and acts as our security.’ Ryan shaded his eyes.

  ‘Not exactly what I had in mind.’ Megan moved to sit on his couch.

  ‘And what did you have in mind?’

  Megan ran her fingers through her hair. ‘Oddly, I think I might miss your blackmailing me. Power looks really sexy on you.’

  ‘I never thought I had the power.’ Ryan chuckled. ‘As far as I’ve known, it’s you who’s held the power over me. One look and I was yours.’

  ‘Get your camera,’ she ordered, standing.

  ‘What?’

  ‘Get your camera,’ Megan repeated. She pulled at her new shirt, lifting it over her head. Tossing it aside, she stood in her navy lace halter bra. ‘It’s time for a photo shoot.’

  Even as he obeyed, moving to his camera bag on the kitchen bar, he looked unsure. His eyes roamed down over legs as she pushed the pants from her hips. ‘What exactly am I shooting?’

  ‘More blackmail photos.’ Megan kicked her pants aside, waiting for him to take out his camera. The boy short panties matched the butterfly lace halter. Both were new, bought on the dim hope Ryan would see them. But, instead of the guilt she thought she would feel at this moment, there was only happiness. Standing before him, more vulnerable and emotionally exposed than she’d ever been in her life, she placed her hands on her hips. ‘You need to know I trust you and this is the only way I can think of to prove that I do.’

  His hands shook as he began to lift the camera, only to lower it again. ‘You don’t have to prove anything, Megan.’

  She sat on his soft brown couch, only to lie across the seat. Extending her arm, she rested it behind her head as one leg dangled off the side to the floor. ‘Take the pictures, Ryan.’

  It never took much to become aroused by him. Even the thought of him could make her stomach tighten and her knees weak. She’d trained herself to be hard to it, but, now that she accepted him in her life, Megan couldn’t suppress what she felt. Her breathing deepened as she watched him lift the camera. She studied his eyes noting the focused look he normally got when working, only this time there was a telltale distraction in his movements. The camera moved, as if focused close to her body even though he stood several feet away. Knowing he looked, the lens magnifying her flesh for him so he could see every detail, made her pussy wet and her body ache with need.

  The soft click of the shutter release caused her to squirm. Ryan walked slowly towards her, leisurely snapping pictures. Megan rolled up, reaching behind her back to unfastened her bra. The tight material released its hold, allowing her breasts to move freely beneath the material. She lay down once more, pushing the strap of the bra off her shoulder. Ryan made a weak noise and the soft clicking became more frequent. She repeated the action on the other side, until the lacy material lay over her in scant protection.

  Ryan neared, breathing hard but no longer shaking. He stood above her, bumping into the arm of the couch with his leg. Instantly, he lifted a knee, not bothering to look as he rested it on the couch arm. Megan gave him a slight smile, staring at the lens as she drew her foot up his inner thigh.

  ‘Ah.’ he sighed, his hips rotating slightly as she neared his cock. Finding it full, she wiggled her toes against him. ‘Mm.’

  Arching her back, she ran her hands up her stomach, dipping them beneath the loose bra so she could massage her breasts.

  ‘You are so beautiful,’ Ryan said, the words low and hoarse.

  Her rubbing caress pushed her bra up, exposing her breasts to his lens. Her toes pushed insistently, massaging his firm arousal. Then, dropping her foot, she couldn’t seem to stop her words, as she looked directly at him and said, ‘I love you, Ryan.’

  He smiled, lowering the camera to the side to look at her. ‘I love you, too.’

  ‘Come here.’ She adjusted her hips, allowing her thighs to open in invitation.

  Ryan set the camera on the floor. He shrugged off his shirt and tossed it aside before unfastening his jeans. He pushed them from his hips, taking the boxers with them. Then, he ran his hands down her legs, his fingers tickling as they lightly stroked her flesh. Megan took her bra all the way off and dropped it near where he’d set the camera. Grabbing her panties, he tugged them down, undressing her completely.

  The contact of his body against hers sent heat shivering its way through her. The cloth material of his couch softly moulded to her as his weight pressed her down. She enjoyed looking at him, the passionate light in his eyes, the seductive tilt of his lips, the way his muscled chest lifted and fell with his rapid breath.

  She ran her hands over his arms, exploring every inch of him she could reach. Hair tickled the backs of her hands as she pulled at his neck, gently urging his mouth to hers. Ryan didn’t resist, kissing her deeply as his hips settled next to hers. There wasn’t enough room to sprawl out, so Megan placed one foot on the floor and hooked the other over the back of the couch.

  The wet heat of his mouth ventured to her neck, licking a passionate trail along the tender flesh of her throat, over the ridge of her collarbone, across her chest, only to stop to pull a full breast between his lips. Sucking excitedly, he made small animalistic noises in the back of his throat. He braced his weight, gaining leverage to stroke between her thighs. His fingers glided over the tight bud he found hidden within the slick folds. His knee slipped off the side of the couch, but he quickly righted himself.

  ‘We need more room,’ Megan said, her eyes closed as she writhed against him.

  He groaned an answer, but she didn’t understand what he said as he switched to suck her neglected nipple betwee
n his teeth, biting gently. A thick finger glided down her slit, only to thrust inside her ready body. ‘Turn over.’

  Ryan pulled away. Megan moved to her hands and knees, her fingers digging into the arm of the couch, clutching the soft brown material. The stiff probe of his cock excited her, causing a thrill of pleasure to ripple over her as he looked for entry. He forced himself back and forth along her sex, pushing so that when he found what he was looking for his body moved into hers. Ryan groaned in pleasure, taking her by the hips. Megan eagerly accepted him as he rocked forwards, filling her with his thick arousal.

  He controlled her actions, making her ride him in shallow movements as he stayed buried deep. Megan stroked her own clit, torn between the pleasure it caused and the aching in her nipples as they begged for attention. Gradually, he increased the pace, lengthening the thrusts.

  Megan clenched him, loving the way he grunted with the tight press of her muscles around his cock. She did it again and again, making him lose his pace as he jolted within her. The tremors started and she knew she was close.

  ‘Not yet,’ she demanded, sensing he was close. Even as she ordered him to hold back, she intentionally squeezed him. ‘I’m almost there. Don’t stop.’ She pushed back hard, rolling her hips in circles as she urged him to stay deep. ‘Almost. Oh. Don’t stop. Coming. Coming.’

  Her body tensed as she met her release, riding out the pleasure as Ryan continued to move. Then, suddenly, he pulled out so as not to come inside her as he finished with a soft cry. Her limbs weak, she lowered her body to the couch. Ryan stretched next to her, his naked body tight along hers, as he cradled her back to his chest. A light sheen of sweat glued their flesh together, but neither of them cared.

  ‘I told you this was something we always seem to get right.’ Megan giggled. Smiling as his fingers danced lightly along her hip.

  ‘The other stuff will come in time,’ he assured her. ‘So long as we always talk about what’s going on. No more tricks or games.’

  ‘Well, a few games,’ she corrected.

  He laughed. ‘Yes, of course, a few games.’

  ‘You never did say you were sorry for telling everyone we were engaged before we really were.’