by Kaylee Ryan
“We’re going to take a minute.” Ridge places his hand on the small of my back. I don’t question him, allowing him to guide us upstairs.
Chapter 37
It only took us another twenty minutes before we were loading up and on the road. Kendall and I took Knox up to my room and just cuddled with him. The way she loves my son makes my heart feel as though it’s going to beat right out of my chest. I want to tell her that she has nothing to worry about, that she’s it for me and she’ll never be apart from us, but I don’t want to scare her away.
She’s in my soul, and nothing is going to change that. I want her now and always, and she fucking loves me. I didn’t want to tell her like I did, but in reality it was perfect. She knows it was unplanned, that my love for her bubbled over and I had no choice but to tell her. The fact that she said it back is the cause of the permanent grin on my face.
The two-hour drive to the cabin is quiet. I reached out for her hand as soon as we were in the truck and she latched on, her grip tight the entire trip. I know my girl, and she’s processing tonight and earlier. The fact that we said “I love you” just hours ago.
“Is this it?” she asks.
“Yep, this is it. Have you ever been here?”
“No, although I’ve heard good things. Dad actually brought Mom here for their anniversary one year.”
“Smart man,” I say with a wink. That brings out her blinding smile.
“I think so. My parents’ are amazing.”
“Of course they are. They raised you, didn’t they?”
“Charmer.” She grins.
“Only for you, sweet girl. Only for you.” I grab our bags with complaint from Kendall that she can carry hers. Yeah, not gonna happen. Instead, I hand her the key to the cabin, and she unlocks the door for us.
“Ridge . . .” She stands in the center of the room and turns in a circle. “This place is great. It’s not at all what I expected.”
I laugh at that. “What exactly did you expect?”
“Something more . . . rustic.”
“I didn’t really want to rough it this trip. I have plans that all the amenities will be needed for.”
“Oh, yeah? And what might that be? Painting each other’s toenails?” she sasses.
I drop our bags and stalk toward her, throwing her over my shoulder. “Not even close,” I say, smacking her ass and carrying her off to the bedroom. I toss her on the bed and she’s laughing so hard she can hardly catch her breath.
“Caveman.” She giggles. “My cabin. My woman,” she says, attempting a manly voice.
“Not my cabin,” I lean down to kiss her neck. She tilts her head, giving me full access. “My woman.” I trace the length of her neck with my tongue, until my lips reach her ear. “My everything,” I whisper, and she shudders. I’m not sure it’s from my words, my touch—hell maybe both. Not that it matters, of course. I have her right where I want her. Two months. Two fucking long-ass months without knowing what it feels like to be inside her. That changes tonight.
I pull back from the kiss and search out those baby blues. What I see surely matches the reflection in my own—passion, want, lust, and love. Tonight has been a long time coming.
Standing to my full height, I lace my fingers through hers and guide her off the bed. She doesn’t hesitate. Once I have her standing before me, I kiss her again.
Slow and steady wins the race. As much as I want to rush through this, to push inside her now, I won’t. I’m going to savor her, cherish the gift of this amazing, beautiful woman.
“Lift your arms,” I whisper against her lips. Again, she doesn’t hesitate, her arms slowly rising into the air. My fingers slide under her shirt, and she shivers when my fingers trace up her bare stomach. I run my hand underneath her bra, tracing a line across her chest against the lacy material. Her eyes are closed, her teeth clamped onto her bottom lip. I’m not only driving her crazy, but me as well. I drag my hands down her soft skin and grip the hem of her shirt. Quickly, I pull it up and over her head. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen her, but this is the first time I know she’s mine, know she loves me, and I’ll get to feel her heat wrapped around me. Reaching down, I adjust my hard cock.
Tilting my head, I latch onto one of her perfectly pert nipples through her bra.
“Ridge,” she moans, and I have to remind myself to go slow.
“Yeah, babe?” Her eyes pop open and glare at me. I wink at her before crossing over and pulling the other tight bud into my mouth. Her hands grip my shoulders, and I welcome the pain of her nails as they dig into my skin. This is real. She’s real, and this is happening. I will gladly bear the markings of our night together.
Dropping to my knees in front of her, I lavish her with kisses, tasting her skin everywhere my lips will reach. When I reach the waistband of her jeans, I unsnap them and slowly slide the zipper down, the sound echoing into the quiet room. The only other sounds are our breathing and my lips against her skin.
“Hold on to me,” I tell her. My voice is raspy and filled with want. All for her.
When her hands land on my shoulders, I grip her jeans and pull them over her hips then down her long legs. I’m so lost in her I forgot I had to take her shoes off. “Sit down, babe.” She falls to the bed as if her legs can no longer hold her up; I grin because I did that. I make quick work of removing her shoes, her jeans immediately following. Looking up, my girl is lying back on the bed, propped up on her elbows, wearing nothing but her sexy-as-fuck black lace bra and panties. I take a minute to memorize her in this moment, burning the image of my beautiful sweet girl in my brain to last me a lifetime. When we’re old and gray and watching our grandkids run around the yard, I want to remember this moment, the entire fucking day. The day we pledged our love for each other, both through words and actions. Because that’s what I’m doing—I’m showing her how much I love her through touch. I’ll be fucking her, but there will never be a doubt in her mind that it’s not the result of the love I feel for her.
I stand and as if she can read my mind, she moves back to fully lie on the bed. I rip the shirt over my head, kick off my shoes, and quickly discard my pants, taking my boxer briefs with them. Bending down, I pull off my socks, reaching up to grab hers as well. She giggles when I swipe my finger up the center of the bottom of her foot.
“Love that fucking sound,” I say, climbing on the bed to lie beside her.
“I’m ticklish.”
“Hmm, I’ll have to store that for a later day.” I kiss her sweet lips.
“What about you?” she asks when I finally release her mouth. “Are you ticklish?”
“Nope,” I lie.
She studies me, her blue eyes trying to determine if I’m telling the truth. I work my arm around her to unhook her bra, needing her naked. She surprises me; once I have both arms around her, her hands trail up my sides and she tickles me. She didn’t think it out too well because I have my arms around her; even though I’m laughing, I’m able to grip her hips and lift her over me. As soon as her hot center lands on my hard cock, she stops her assault. She rocks her hips and I throw my head back on the pillow, letting the feel of her heat wash over me. Only a thin piece of lace is separating us, and I want it gone.
“Kendall.” Her name is a plea falling from my lips.
She rocks against me again. Her bra, which I successfully unsnapped, is hanging off her arms. She slowly removes it, one strap at a time, and tosses it over her head.
“Fucking gorgeous,” I say, sitting up to kiss her. I’m barely able to press my lips to hers when she pushes me back down on the bed. She rocks against me again, throwing her head back, her long dark hair cascading down her back.
“Feels good,” she murmurs.
Fuck this! The panties need to go. “Lift for me,” I say, tapping her thigh. She does as I ask. I grip her panties and tear first one side then the other, careful not to mar her perfect skin in the process.
“Those were my favorite,” she pouts.
> “They were in the way.”
She sits back down and her wetness coats my cock. She again rocks her hips, and a slight shift would have me sliding home, inside her heat.
Flipping her over, I land on top of her. “I’m clean,” she says out of the blue. “I mean, I’m on the pill and . . . it’s been a while and after Cal, I was tested . . . I mean, I have been several times since him, just you know, wanted to be sure. We always used protection, but I just . . . yeah, I’ll shut up now,” she rambles on.
God, I love this girl.
“Me too, babe. I’ve never gone without, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. I mean, that’s how I got my son, after all.”
Her panic softens at the mention of Knox. “He’s a miracle baby.” She smiles.
“He is,” I agree. “I’ve been tested since Stephanie, but it’s a risk, Kendall. Apparently, my boys are good swimmers.” I wink to try and lighten this conversation. Not to mention it’s killing the mood.
She nods. “It is, but it’s one I’m willing to take with you. I don’t want anything between us.”
I grip the sheets by her head. It takes all my will power and strength not to thrust my hips and slide inside her, but I hold off, much to my cock’s disappointment.
“It’s your call, sweetheart.” The thought of her carrying my baby does something to me; it’s the same feeling I get when she tells me she loves me.
As if she’s reading my mind, she says, “I love you, Ridge.”
I nod. Decision made. Less talking, more kissing.
I crush my lips to hers, sliding my tongue past her lips. Hers duals with mine. She wraps her legs around my waist and tries to pull me closer, whimpering when I hold steady.
“Please,” she begs against my mouth.
I pull away and smirk at her. “We have all night,” I remind her.
She huffs out a breath in frustration, but when I latch onto a bare nipple and suck it into my mouth, it turns into a low moan, deep from the back of her throat. I take my time, giving each of her perfect tits equal attention. I could spend hours doing just this, but not tonight. Tonight, I want to experience all of her.
Releasing her nipple with a small pop, I move down her body, not pausing until I reach her belly button. I trace it with my tongue and her hands land in my hair. It’s actually kind of perfect because of where I’m headed next. Even though this isn’t the first time I’ve tasted her, it feels like it is. Every touch, every caress, every joining of our bodies feels more intimate to me because she knows I love her. She knows this is more to me, that it’s everything. That she is everything.
Tonight, all night, one hour at a time, I’m going to show her over and over until every part of my soul is infused with hers.
With her hands buried in my hair, I dip my tongue into her hot center and she tightens her grip. That slip of control from her has me losing mine. I devour her, adding one finger then two, humming my satisfaction as I bury my face deeper. She lifts her hips trying to get me closer, chasing her release. What my girl wants, she gets. I increase my efforts, nipping, licking, sucking, and humming, all the while working my fingers in and out of her. Not a minute later, she’s calling out my name.
“Ridge!” she screams as she holds my mouth tight against her. I don’t stop until I feel her slump against the bed.
Chapter 38
I slump against the bed, releasing the death grip I have on his hair. My body feels like Jell-O, my limbs are weak, my heart is racing and the delicious ache between my thighs tells me I want more—more of Ridge, more of his mouth, but most importantly, more of him. All of him. I need to feel him inside me, to have that connection with him that we’ve been fighting since day one.
At first, I thought he didn’t want to sleep with me—that was until he started rounding the bases. However, no matter how hard I tried he wouldn’t slide home. He said I needed to understand that he wanted to be with me for more than that, and waiting was the best way to prove it. It’s not until I heard him mumble something that sounded like “you’re more than a fucking bet ever could be” that I understood his hesitation. After that, I let him have control. I knew we would be here eventually, and I have to say, the months of foreplay have my senses on high alert.
Ridge lifts his head and wipes his mouth on the back of his hand. This time was different; he was relentless, working me to orgasm as if he needed it just as bad as I did. From the feel of his hard cock against my thigh, I’d dare to say I’m right.
“I need you.” I whisper the words, but from the flare of heat in his eyes, I know he heard me.
Slowly, he slides his hard body up mine, until our lips are once again fused. I can taste myself, and although it’s not my favorite thing, no way in hell am I stopping. When I said I needed him, I wasn’t exaggerating. I need him to breathe.
He rests his elbows on either side of my head, holding the majority of his weight off me while he runs his fingers through my hair. “You’re beautiful, Kendall,” he says, his eyes holding mine. I can feel my face heat.
“My sweet girl,” he murmurs as he kisses each cheek, my chin, my nose. Finally, his lips land on my forehead, and he holds them there.
I run my fingers through his already mussed hair. It’s sexy on him. Of course, Ridge could make anything look sexy. Leaning up, I trace the star tattoo just above his left pec with my tongue, and he hums his satisfaction. I love his ink. I’ve spent hours tracing them, memorizing every line, every angle of each one.
I wrap my legs around his waist and lock my ankles behind his back. Lifting my hips, I show him what I want, what I need.
“I’ve never done this,” he whispers as he nips at my earlobe.
I’m confused at first, because he has an adorable little boy.
“Not without protection. That’s a big deal, Kendall. For the chance that I totally sound like a woman right now, I need you to tell me this is what you want.”
“Yes.” I don’t hesitate. Is it my smartest decision? Probably not, but I want it.
He rests his forehead against mine. “You unman me, baby.”
Reaching down with one hand, he grabs his erection and slides it through my folds. I
whimper at the contact. This is a first for us—the first of many, I can only hope.
I place my hand on his arm. My intent is to help him guide himself home, but I notice the slight tremor in his hand. “You’re shaking.”
“Yeah.” He chuckles, but then his face grows serious. “When we do this, you’re mine, Kendall. I need you to know that there’s nothing that will take you from me. That’s it, we seal the fate of our future.”
If I wasn’t wet before, I am now. “Yes” is my answer, the only word I can seem to push past the emotion clogging my throat.
A slow smile tips his lips. Lowering his head, he whispers in my ear, “I love you, Kendall.”
Then he pushes inside.
I sink my teeth into my bottom lip to keep from crying out—not in pain, but in relief. He’s had me on edge for weeks. Sliding my arms under his, I hug him as tight as I can, my nails digging into this skin. He moans and thrusts a little faster. It fuels him, my need for him, so I sink my nails in deeper and hang on for the ride.
“So.” Thrust. “Fucking.” Thrust. “Sweet.” Thrust. His hips move in shorter, faster strokes, and I can feel myself start to fall. It’s been well over a year for me, and it’s Ridge. I have no restraint when it comes to him.
“So close,” I pant, lifting my hips and tightening my legs that are still locked around him.
“I’m with you, baby. Let me hear you,” he grits out as he unleashes.
I hold on, digging my heels in his ass and my nails in his back as I just feel. Feel all of him. “Now.”
He does this move with his hips that hits just the right spot, and I’m doing exactly what he says as I scream out his name. “Ridge!”
Falling into me, he buries his face in my neck as his orgasm works through him.
We lie
there, both of us utterly spent. I run my hands lightly over his sweat-covered back.
“Shower.”
I chuckle because I couldn’t agree more. “Please,” I answer him.
“It’s not nice to laugh at a man after sex,” he mumbles into my neck.
I playfully slap his shoulder. “Not at you, the situation. It’s messy.” I curl up my nose.
I can feel his chest bouncing with his silent laughter. “That it is, baby. Let’s get cleaned up, and we can throw some steaks on the grill.” He slowly pulls away from me.
Once he’s on his feet, he helps pull me to mine and leads us to the shower. It’s a huge walk-in big enough for ten people, but it’s just the two of us. “You’re dirty,” he whispers in my ear as he runs his fingers through my folds.
“You make me dirty,” I reply, tilting my head, giving him better access. I’ll let him get me dirty any second, any minute, and any hour of every damn day.
“I like it,” he says, kissing my neck.
“Oh, yeah?” My voice is all breathy from the way his lips against my skin make me feel. He consumes me.
“Mmhmm.” He reaches around me for body wash, and it’s the exact kind I use. I don’t ask how he got it in here. Our bags are still at the door where he dropped them, but I know Ridge—he’s always prepared.
He pours a huge glob into his hands and slowly runs them over every inch of me. I stand still, enjoying the feel of his rough, callused hands as they tenderly roam over my heated skin.
“Your turn,” I say once I’m rinsed off. I return the favor, taking my time, running my hands over every muscle, tracing every tattoo. That’s my favorite thing to do, but I think doing it in the shower tops all other locations.
We stay there until the water turns cold. Ridge hops out and grabs a towel, wrapping it around me. “I’ll go get our bags.” He kisses me quickly, grabs a towel for himself, and pads out the door, dripping water everywhere.
