“Well, it sounds to me like you’re overdue, then. What do you say?”
Part of me wants to say no because this is just supposed to be a fling. I’m worried by agreeing to go on a date with Ryan, I’ll end up muddling the lines, and I can’t afford to do that. But then I remember that I agreed to give him five days. We never stipulated what those five days would entail, and so against my better judgment, I find myself saying, “Okay. One date.”
Chapter 7
OUR DATE BEGINS in the proper San Francisco way: on a cable car. I’ve lived in this city for most of my life but can’t recall the last time I rode one. The usual morning fog has lifted, leaving a periwinkle-blue sky dotted with clouds as the backdrop to our day, and the weather is perfect for being outside. That’s one of the things I love most about this city—never having to deal with frigid winters or scorching summers, and while some people don’t enjoy waking up every morning to a city blanketed with gray, I find it comforting.
Ryan and I found a spot at the back of the trolley, and we’ve been riding along the tracks, navigating the rolling hills with steep inclines, getting to really know each other. It’s strange how much he feels like home, despite only really knowing him for a couple of days.
“So why cosmetics?” Ryan asks with an arm wrapped around my shoulders as his thumb caresses the skin just below the sleeve of my T-shirt.
I smile at his question. “Because of my mom. I’ve always loved my mom, but when I was a kid, I idolized her. Every Saturday night she would let me stay in her room while she got ready to go out on her dates. It didn’t matter which step-dad it was, she was absolute in her rule that Saturday night was meant for dolling up and going out. She’d flip on her radio to her favorite oldies station and sit me on the counter of her vanity makeup table while she curled her hair and ‘put on her face,’ as she liked to call it.” I pause, swallowing the nostalgia that’s quickly balling into a lump in the back of my throat. “She’d always let me pick out what color lipstick to wear and even let me put some of it on so that we were matching. I remember the one thing she always complained about, though, was the ingredients the cosmetics companies used and how so many of them tested on animals. That stuck with me as I got older, and after she passed, I just knew this was what I was meant to do.”
“Wow. I didn’t think it was possible, but you impress me more every time you open your mouth.”
“I bet, especially since the last time I opened it, I had your dick in it.”
Ryan laughs and shakes his head. “I didn’t mean it that way, but yes, I’m quite fond of that particular time.”
“Thank you, though, for the compliment. Owning my own business has been a crazy challenge at times, but I wouldn’t give it up for anything.”
An announcement is made over the speakers. We’ve arrived at Ghirardelli Square, and Ryan takes my hand and stands. “This is our stop.”
Ghirardelli Square is in the Fisherman’s Wharf area and is filled with cute shops and waterfront dining, and of course, the most important attraction: the Ghirardelli Chocolate shop. At the center of the plaza is a giant fountain, where kids are throwing coins, and a man with dreadlocks and a beanie cap is sitting nearby, singing as he strums an upbeat tune on his guitar. The spicy scent of roasted coffee beans and cinnamon wafts through the air, and I grin when I see a group of tourists chatting animatedly as they exit a wine shop with their hands filled with bags. The wines that come from Northern California are some of the best in the world. There’s no way they’ll make it back home with even one of those bottles still full.
“So, do we have an agenda here, or are we just wandering?” I ask, eyeing the huge chocolate display in the window in front of me.
“Well, I want to take you to lunch, but first, I thought we’d get dessert.”
I stare up at him, confused. “Dessert first? Isn’t that a bit backwards?”
“You’re telling me you’ve never had dessert before your meal?”
I stop to think about it, but I can’t think of a time I ever have. It’s never really occurred to me, because dinner has always come before dessert in my mind. Isn’t that what we’re all taught? No cookies until you finish your broccoli? “No, I guess I haven’t.”
“Next you’re going to tell me you don’t eat breakfast for dinner.”
“I don’t.”
He turns and looks at me, the smile disappearing from his face. “Well, I was wrong.”
“Wrong?”
The corners of his lips curl in an amused grin. “I’ve just lost all respect I have for you. Every good impression you’ve made the past few days flew right out the window with that statement.”
“I have rules!”
“Rules, huh?” His smile widens. “And what, pray tell, are these rules?”
“Well, for one, eggs and the like aren’t meant to be eaten past noon, or maybe two if it’s the weekend.”
“You’re telling me you’ve never had a craving for cereal or pancakes when it’s late at night and no one is up?”
I bite my bottom lip to suppress my smile. “Sure I have, but that’s why I keep chocolate Kellogg’s in my cupboard, so that it’s more like dessert.”
“But only if you’ve had a real dinner first, right?”
“Exactly.”
I laugh and playfully slap at his arm when he pulls me into him and gently brushes a strand of my hair away from my face, tucking it behind my ear. A shiver coils down my spine as he brings his hands up to cup my face, his eyes studying me as if I were the greatest piece of work ever created. He leans in close until his lips are barely pressing against mine.
“You know, you seem to have a lot of rules,” he whispers against my lips. “No fucking the help or younger men, no dessert before dinner, and no breakfast after noon, but you know what growing up with an Army dad taught me?”
“No, what?” My voice comes out shaky with anticipation.
“That rules are made to be broken.”
***
After lunch, we spend the rest of the day wandering around the city, just enjoying each other’s company. He tells me what it was like growing up as an army brat, and I love learning about what makes him tick. He’s lived in ten different states since he was born, all of them in various parts of the country, which means he grew up loving a wide variety of music and movies. We talk about our firsts—first crush, first kiss, first love, first heartbreak, and the more I learn about him, the more I like him.
While we’re out, Joel calls, asking if he can pick Allie up from school and have her spend a long weekend with him, and while I hate the idea of going three days without my daughter, I know she will want to. Choosing between what you want and what’s right is never easy, but ultimately, being a parent is about making the choices that are best for your child. As horribly as my relationship with Joel ended, I vowed it would never negatively affect Allie, and if that means pretending to be okay with her staying at her dad’s place for a long weekend, then that’s what I’ll do.
Even knowing she’ll be back in a few days, my heart breaks every time she leaves, and I can’t help but feel guilty because I didn’t even get to say goodbye to her this time. However, knowing my daughter, she’s probably too busy baking cookies and watching movies with Joel to even remember that I haven’t seen her since this morning. I try not to let my disappointment ruin the rest of my date with Ryan, but I must not be doing a very good job at hiding it because he suggests we head back to the house before it’s even five o’clock.
Ryan pulls into the driveway and jogs around to open my door for me and help me out of the car. My hands shake as I try to find my keys, and I’m grateful when Ryan offers his help.
He takes my purse and pulls my keys out. “Here, allow me.” Unlocking the door, he flicks the entryway light on as I punch in the code to the alarm system.
“Thanks.”
He turns me to face him and runs his thumb along my cheek. “Are you okay? It must be tough, having to share custody.�
�
I nod, biting down on my lip to keep from crying. “It never gets any easier. You’d think it would, but it doesn’t.” Ryan wraps me in his arms, and I let him, soaking in the comfort he’s offering, grateful that at least I’m not alone.
“I think she could be forty-five and it’d be just as hard to see her go.”
I chuckle into his chest. “You’re probably right. God, she’s going to hate me when she’s a teenager and I’m constantly hovering around.”
“Probably. But what teenager doesn’t hate their parents?”
“True.”
I laugh again, remembering all the times I fought with my mom during those hormonal years. The curfews that I never abided by, and the groundings that immediately followed. The arguments that always ended with slamming doors and the long-winded diary entries. The old adage what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger definitely is true, because by the time I was nineteen and in college, my mom and I were as thick as thieves and found ourselves laughing at those horror years before.
“I have an idea.”
“Oh?” I pull back and look at him as his lips tug into a smile.
“Why don’t you go and call Allie, and I’ll draw you a bath.”
“A bath, huh? I don’t think I’ve ever had a man do that for me.”
“Well, that’s because you’ve never been with a man like me.” He smiles softly and presses a kiss to my lips.
“And what kind of man are you, Mr. Cox?”
“The kind that knows how to take care of a woman. In more ways than one.” He playfully nips at my bottom lip as his hands roam to my ass, giving it a firm squeeze. “Now, go and call your daughter and get all your worries out, because tonight is all about you, and I’m going to make damn sure that you are taken care of in every possible way.”
Chapter 8
HOLY SHIT. I spend thirty minutes FaceTiming with Allie, and when I’m finally done, Ryan leads me to the bathroom that he’s completely transformed into a spa. He must have slipped out to buy some items while I was on the phone because I don’t even own half the things that are in this room. Pillar candles in glass jars are placed on the windowsill and on the vanity. The bathtub is filled with water and bubbles, and a floral scent fills my senses. Three red long-stem roses sit at the corner of the tub, alongside a glass of wine and a paperback copy of a romance novel I mentioned I wanted to read earlier today. The man really does pay attention when I talk…
“R-Ryan…this is…” I stutter, not even sure how to put into words how amazed I am.
He takes my hands in his. “Do you like it?”
“I love it. This is incredible.”
“Good, because you deserve incredible.”
His words warm me to my core. “Do you want to join me?”
“No. This is meant for you, but when you’re done in here, you’re all mine, and I meant what I said earlier. I plan on spending every minute of tonight making sure you’re taken care of.”
He leaves and closes the door, and I quickly undress, eager to take a bath. I can’t remember the last time I took an actual bath, since I’m usually so busy I don’t have time to do this. I dip a leg into the water and moan as the warmth of the water combines with the coolness of the bubbles. Heaven. That’s the only way to describe it.
I let myself soak in the tub, relaxing with my book and good thoughts until my skin begins to prune and the water turns cold. Knowing how much thought and care Ryan put into this surprise for me has me wanting to return the favor, so after I dry off and slip into my robe, I pad into the living room and find him lounging on the sofa watching TV.
“Hey, beautiful. Did you enjoy your bath?”
“Very much so.” I smile as I saunter towards him. “And now I think I’d like to return the favor.”
“Oh, yeah? What’d you have in mind?”
I take a seat on the edge of the coffee table so that I’m facing him. “Tell me what you want. Say it and it’s yours.”
“The robe. Lose it.”
I obey and slowly grab one end of the silk belt and pull until there’s nothing holding my robe together. Standing, I slide the robe off my body, letting it pool at my feet, making sure to keep my gaze locked with his. Heat flares in his eyes as stares at me for a second, looking at me like I’m a five-star meal and he hasn’t eaten in a week.
“Fuck, Samantha. The things you do to me.”
My body trembles with his words, a heady mixture of anticipation and desire. “Like what you see?” I take a step closer and smile when his Adam’s apple bobs in his throat. I kneel in front of him and let my hands slide along the thickness of his thighs, enjoying the sight of his cock straining against his jeans. I run my hand over the ridge of the zipper, but he reaches out and suppresses my touch.
“Not yet.”
I look up at him, mesmerized by the gold flecks in his eyes. His expression softens as he reaches out with one hand and cups my chin, running the pad of his thumb along my bottom lip.
“Tell me,” I whisper. “Tell me what you want.”
“To watch you touch yourself.”
His words send my heart into overdrive. I’m not a prude by any means, but even when I was married, I never let Joel watch. It always felt like such a private thing, and if I’m being honest, I’m a little embarrassed even thinking about letting someone watch me. It’s silly since Ryan has already seen me up close and he’s literally had his face shoved in my pussy, but the idea of having him sit there while I play with myself… I’m not sure I can do it.
“I-I, uh…”
He chuckles, which just makes my cheeks flush harder. “Samantha, you don’t have to be embarrassed. You are beautiful. Every fucking inch of you is beautiful, and you have no idea how much of a turn-on it is watching you come. Sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever seen.”
While I’m still feeling a little nervous, I can see how badly he wants this, and I realize just how much I want to please him. I know he’d never make me do anything I didn’t want to do, but part of me is excited to do something out of my comfort zone, knowing that it will bring me and Ryan closer. Taking a deep breath, I move to the spot next to him on the sofa and turn so that I’m facing him. I bend my left leg while keeping my right draped over the side of the couch, exposing myself completely to him.
He pivots and leans against the arm of the sofa, watching me with fascination. “That’s it. Now, rub your clit. I want to see what you do when you’re home alone. Do you ever think of me? Do you picture my fingers inside you? Do you imagine that it’s my cock fucking you?”
His words are dirty, and I gasp at how much they turn me on. My hand slides down along the smooth plane of my stomach before I let my index finger sweep across my clit. I’m already so wet and I haven’t even touched myself yet. It’s insane just how much Ryan’s presence and words affect me. Just knowing that he’s so close and watching has my entire body feeling hypersensitive, and when I rub my clit in soft strokes, I know it’s not going to take much for me to find my release.
I close my eyes and let my mind wander back to how amazing it felt having Ryan’s tongue inside my pussy and the way it felt hearing him come while inside me. I remember the way it feels to have his lips pressed to mine and the way just seeing him naked makes my knees grow weak. My fingers roam along the walls of my pussy as I drag my fingers, exploring every inch of myself the way he did. A moan escapes my lips, and my eyes flutter open when I hear Ryan grunt.
“Enough,” he barks. “I need to taste you. Come here.”
I begin to stand, but Ryan grabs my hips and lifts me until I’m standing on the sofa. “R-Ryan, what are you—” He slouches down on the sofa and spreads my legs, pulling me down until I’m straddling his face. He lifts my right leg and hooks it over his shoulder as he wraps his hands around me to grab my ass. “Oh, God…”
He buries his face in my pussy, and I grab on to his shoulders to try to retain my balance and keep from toppling over. He chuckles against my cleft, sending del
icious vibrations through my core. I writhe against his mouth, silently begging for more as his tongue pushes into me, licking and sucking at my sensitive parts. It feels so good, and there’s something about being exposed in this position that feeds the primal need in me, desperately seeking my release.
“I could do this every day,” he says while letting his thumb press against my clit. “Forget Wheaties. Your pussy is the breakfast of champions.”
My head falls back and I close my eyes when he begins lapping at my slick folds again, letting his tongue flick over my swollen clit. “God, yes, Ryan. Make me come. Please, make me come.”
He growls and thrusts his tongue inside me, sucking and licking me with fervor until my orgasm breaks free. My core tenses violently as my limbs shake and my body pulses with pleasure, ripping through me in harsh waves.
“Fuck, I love watching you come, Samantha. I love hearing the sounds you make, knowing it’s because of me.”
My orgasm begins to subside, but Ryan isn’t done yet. Holding me in firmly in place with one hand, he shoves two fingers inside me and works my slit with curving and stroking motions, twisting me open, alternating between paying attention to my clit and my swollen flesh, until I feel the familiar sensation building deep inside.
“Ryan, oh God, how are you doing this? I’m going to come again.”
He chuckles before flicking my clit with the tip of his finger and then pressing down with such pressure, my body instantly gives to his demand. I come again, crying out his name as my body trembles in a long, heated roll of pleasure. My gaze is riveted to his, focusing on the way his pupils are dilated with lust as I ride out the last of my orgasm.
“Now that was fucking hot.” He grins at me as I collapse in his arms and he holds me close to him.
“Oh, we’re not done yet.”
“What’d you have in mind?”
Wordlessly, I take his hand and lead him out of the living room and into my bedroom. As much as I enjoyed what just happened, I want him in my bed tonight. “Undress.”
Mister Nanny Page 5
