by Lane, Soraya
“Damn right we can,” he said against her mouth.
Chloe pulled back. “Are you sure you’re allowed to be doing this? I mean, shouldn’t you still be in the hospital? Should you be resting?”
“Uh-uh,” he replied, leaving her mouth and making his way slowly down her neck, then her chest with his lips, sucking the soft spot between her breasts until she moaned. “It just so happens this is exactly what my doctor told me to do.”
“Oh yeah?” she managed as she sucked in a sharp breath.
Ryder nudged the lace of her bra aside and closed his mouth over a nipple. “Yeah.”
“I was right about you all along, Ryder,” Chloe said with a giggle. “You are a devil, but at least you’re mine.”
Chapter 24
“So when are you heading back?” Chloe asked, snuggled against Ryder and running her fingers down his chest. His skin was warm, muscles taut as she teased across his abs.
“You mean when are we heading back,” he corrected, grabbing her hand and bringing it swiftly to his mouth to bite her wrist just hard enough to make her squeal.
Chloe shut her eyes when Ryder kissed her, tilting her mouth up to his. “I guess we can’t stay holed up in here forever.”
He chuckled, tugging at her lower lip as he kissed her slow. “There’s nothing wrong with a few days of sex, champagne, and room service.”
Chloe giggled. “You do realize your brothers will probably send a search party if we don’t emerge today. They haven’t heard from us in a while.”
Ryder stretched and kicked the covers down farther. They were lying naked, the sunshine streaming in through the bedroom window, plush pillows scattered around them and the sheets tousled from hours spent playing in bed.
“I think it’s time we let housekeeping pay a visit.”
Chloe sat, too, stretching her arms above her head and surveying the room. It was a mess. Their trays of half-eaten food from the night before were on the floor, along with clothes they’d first stripped off close to three days ago, and there were four champagne bottles she could count empty and tipped over.
“Ryder, don’t get me wrong, this has been fun, but…”
“No,” he said, his gaze piercing when he turned and stared at her. “You don’t get to blow me off, Chloe. I’m not listening to some bullshit it’s-not-you-it’s-me speech, not after all this.”
She blinked, keeping her eyes downcast, worrying the edge of the sheet with her thumb. She was suddenly conscious of how bare she was, exposed when before she’d felt so comfortable being naked.
“I just, well.” She sighed, looking up at him when he cupped her cheek and forced her head up. “You’re not a long-term-relationship kind of guy, Ryder. I knew that from the start and I still know it now.”
“You’re putting words in my mouth,” Ryder said, his voice so low it almost sounded menacing, as deep as a growl. “Have I not made it clear that I’m in love with you? I thought we’d already had this discussion?”
“Ryder,” she started, reaching for him, trying to put her arms around his neck.
“Damn it,” he swore, getting out of bed and storming toward the bathroom. He flung open the door and she listened to the faucet running. “You want me to prove myself to you, I will,” he called out, disappearing from sight when he entered the shower cubicle.
Chloe sighed and got out of bed. She retrieved a thick white bathrobe from the back of the bathroom door, standing for a moment to admire Ryder in the shower. He was pissed, she got that, but they’d lived in a bubble the last few days without talking about the future, about what would happen when they had to come crashing back to reality. She tied the robe tight around her waist to stop it from gaping open and smiled as Ryder aggressively rubbed shampoo into his hair, sliding his fingers back through his hair to rinse it, the suds running down his tanned back and over his buttocks. A lick of desire swept through her but she refused to acknowledge it. Stripping and stepping into the shower behind him, wrapping her arms around his slick wet body and letting him take her in the shower was what she wanted to do. Every beat of her body wanted to join him in there, even though it felt they’d been naked for more time of the past seventy-two hours than not.
He turned, as if he knew she was standing there ogling him. Ryder’s gaze was still angry, his eyes flashing as they met hers, a combination of pissed off and sexual heat merged into one delicious bout of fury.
“I’m gonna prove it to you,” Ryder said, shaking his head and sending water flying at the same time as he opened the shower door, his muscled body glistening as he stood there naked before her. “Now get the hell in here.”
Chloe thought about hesitating, but the decision was taken away from her when Ryder stepped out, water dripping off him as he yanked the knot free at her waist and shoved the robe off her shoulders, leaving it to fall off her body and pool on the floor. The heat in his stare was enough to set her on fire, sexual want licking through her body as he cupped the back of her head and yanked her forward into a searing hot kiss, grunting as he bent to scoop her up, mouth never leaving hers. Chloe locked her legs around his waist as he walked backward, taking her under the hot water, pushing her back against the tiled wall of the shower. The water was angled so it was falling in between them, splashing up over both their chests, dripping into their mouths to make their kisses even wetter, bodies slick as Ryder slid inside of her.
She moaned as he thrust hard, no foreplay, just hard, rugged sex. They’d played all night, pleasured each other for hours, but this was more animal, a raw need inside of both of them.
“I don’t want this to be the last time,” she gasped out as he gripped her waist hard.
“Don’t you say that,” he ground out, covering her mouth with his again so all she could do was moan. “Don’t you dare.”
Chloe held him tighter, her arms around his neck. Ryder was pumping hard into her but she still wanted him closer, wanted more of him.
“I love you,” she whispered against his ear.
Ryder didn’t respond, not with words, but he slowed down, taking a hand off her waist to brush his fingers across her face instead. He gently took her down, cradling her weight, looking into her eyes as he lowered her onto the wet tiles below. The water was still cascading down on them as he slipped inside her again, supporting his own weight so she could just arch below him, digging her nails into his back as he rocked gently back and forth.
Her body starting to hum, she forgot all about how hard the tiles were, only aware of the feel of Ryder inside of her.
“Ryder,” she gasped out, clawing at him, fighting to breathe as she rode a wave of pleasure.
He grunted, and when she opened her eyes he was watching her, his lids heavy. She knew he was close, too, and as she shut her eyes and gave in to her climax, tears spilled down her cheeks. She hoped Ryder hadn’t noticed, didn’t want him to see how much it hurt her just being with him right now.
She didn’t want to lose him. The thought of not having him in her life was like a knife through her heart.
Ryder’s lips brought her back, his mouth soft against hers, plucking so gently, caressing her. When she finally opened her eyes the tears were long gone, washed away by the steady stream of water still sheeting down over them.
He dipped his head so his mouth was against her ear and she went still, his words so low she could only just hear him.
“I’m going to prove myself to you, Chloe. Just you wait.”
Chloe let Ryder pull her back up to her feet, raised her mouth so he could kiss her before he stepped out of the shower and dried himself off. She watched him wrap the towel around his waist, then rinsed her body, lathering shampoo through her hair as Ryder brushed his teeth then walked out of the bathroom. They’d just had crazy good shower sex. She should have felt fantastic and known that he felt the same. Instead she had a dull ache inside of her, a feeling that the bubble had burst, that nothing was ever going to be the same again.
When she turned the
shower off and reached for a towel the bang of a door made her jump. Ryder was gone. He’d just left without saying goodbye. Chloe was numb as she dried herself, wrapping her hair in a towel and walking naked into the bedroom to find clean underwear and something to wear.
She slipped on a G-string and bra, pulled a T-shirt over her head, and then grabbed her jeans. Her stomach was dancing, nerves all over the place, but there was nothing she could do but wait.
Chloe looked around the room and wondered how much longer she’d be staying here, if today might be their last day in Vegas. She spied the room service menu and decided the best way to settle her stomach was with something delicious to eat.
She opened it and glanced down the breakfast list, picking up the phone and waiting for the operator.
“Can I order an orange juice, croissants with jam, a latte and…” She paused, trying to make her mind up. “Actually forget the croissants. I’ll have the bacon and eggs, with hash browns and mushrooms.”
She was starving and it wasn’t like she hadn’t been working out since she’d locked herself away in the Bellagio Suite with Ryder.
Chapter 25
“She’s the most infuriating woman I’ve ever met.”
Ryder tipped his glass and swallowed down the entire shot, wincing as the liquor burned a fiery path down his throat and deep into his stomach.
“Which is why you’re drinking whiskey before lunchtime,” Nate said with a laugh. Chase cracked up, too, and Ryder turned to glare at them. He’d half expected them to have been long gone, but they’d been having too much fun partying to leave and Nate had decided to take a few extra days off.
“Since when do you two let me drink on my own?” Ryder muttered.
“Uh, since you started drinking before eleven a.m.,” Chase replied.
“Oh, I know, maybe it’s because you ditched us for the woman you’re talking about three days ago and just about ripped my head off last time I dared knock on your door.”
Ryder leveled his gaze on Nate and then shrugged. “Fair point.”
“So are you pissed off because you’re still too chickenshit to tell her that you love her, or is it something else?” Nate asked.
“How the hell do you…?”
“You don’t need to pretend like you’re not head over heels for this girl,” Nate interrupted. “Hell, if you weren’t with her I’d be knocking down her door myself.”
Ryder glared at his big brother. “Easy,” he muttered.
Nate held up his hands. “Hey, I’m just telling you what we think of her. We spent a couple of days hanging with her and she’s pretty awesome. She’s beautiful, smart, and a lot of fun to be around.”
“Don’t let her walk, Ryder. Don’t you dare,” Chase chimed in.
Ryder took a deep breath and slammed his palms down on the bar. If he was actually going to go through with what he was thinking, he needed to let them in on it. There was no way he could do this on his own.
“That mean you wouldn’t think I was crazy if I said I was going to ask her to marry me?”
Neither Chase nor Nate said a thing. They both stared back, mouths hanging open.
“You’re serious?” Nate asked.
He took a deep breath. “’m serious.”
Chase stepped forward to slap him on the back. “Do it,” he said, holding him tight as he hugged him. “Do it now or you’ll regret it forever.”
Ryder hugged him back, but he was watching Nate now. For years he’d done his own thing, not worried about his family or anyone else. All he’d cared about was making his own mark on the world, having fun and making money doing what he loved, but he’d already made one mistake since he’d been back and he wasn’t going to make another. Nate’s opinion mattered to him. They were brothers, they had their grandfather’s estate to run and preserve, and that meant it was time for him to start acting like he was part of the team.
“Nate?” he asked. “I know you like her, but…”
“Do it,” Nate said, a grin spreading across his face as he reached for his hand and pulled him in for another brotherly hug. “There ain’t no one I’d rather have as a sister-in-law than Chloe.”
“It’s not as easy as that,” Ryder said, running a hand through his hair. Riding bulls and climbing onto wild broncs had never fazed him, but what he had planned? Now that required balls. “If it’s gonna work I need you guys to help me.”
They both shrugged. “Shoot,” Chase said. “Tell us what you want and we’ll do it.”
Ryder turned and asked the bartender for a pen, jotting down some notes on a napkin. “Nate, I need you to find a friend of Chloe’s. Here’s her address and if you can’t find her there, then go to Joe’s. She worked shifts with Chloe. I need our jet back in Texas and returning with her on it by tonight.” He looked at Chase. “And I need you to buy suits, shirts, and ties for the three of us.”
His brothers exchanged glances, but it was Nate who narrowed his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. “Tell me you’re not trying to pull off a wedding in less than twelve hours.”
Ryder laughed. “That’s exactly what I’m doing. Now get the jet back to Texas and her friend on board, or I’ll never pull this thing off. I’ve got a dress to organize, a chapel to book, and a ring to buy.”
“You’re crazy, you know that? Why can’t you just propose like a normal guy?” Nate asked. “You could get married back on the ranch next year or something.”
“Because Chloe doesn’t believe me that I can settle down with one woman,” Ryder told them, his voice low. “She’s been let down all her life, and I want to show her that it’s time she let someone take care of her. Starting right now.”
“And you think a quickie Vegas wedding’s going to prove that to her?”
Ryder shrugged. “It’s a damn good start, and if she has too much time to think about it she might run.”
Chase laughed. “I hope for your sake you can pull it off.”
“Me too.” Ryder charged his drink and bought a bottle of water, taking the cap off and guzzling it. He still had a bit of a hangover from the champagne, and he hadn’t exactly had a lot of sleep. Resting and playing, sure, but not much sleep. “Keep your phones on and don’t let me down. Got it?”
Chase grinned and Nate just shook his head. Trust his oldest brother to expect him to screw it up.
“I’ll meet you guys in the lobby in a few hours. And if you see Chloe, don’t say a word.”
Ryder disappeared, checking his wallet to make sure his Amex card was in his wallet. If memory served him correct there was a Tiffany store accessible through the hotel, and he wanted to make sure he had time to find the perfect ring. And if they didn’t have a big enough rock in the store, he wanted them to have time to fly one in ASAP for him.
He was pulling out all the stops for Chloe—he didn’t care how much it cost or what he had to do. There was no way she was walking away from him, not if he had a say in the matter.
* * *
Chloe stepped out of the elevator and glanced around the lobby, heading for the door. She’d half expected to see the boys at the bar or in the lobby, but she didn’t see anyone she recognized. After trying Nate and Chase’s rooms a couple of times, she was starting to feel like they’d all abandoned her.
“Ms. Rivers!” Chloe stopped and looked over her shoulder, hearing someone call her name. “Ms. Rivers!”
The concierge was running toward her, waving her hand to get her attention. Chloe frowned. “Is something wrong?” Why else would the concierge be chasing her through the lobby? The last time that had happened to her was when she was fifteen. Her dad had put them up in some extravagant hotel, then he’d promptly lost his money and they’d had to skip out on paying. Memories like that made her want to leave Vegas and never return.
“I have a message for you,” the woman said, her smile genuine as she held out a card. “Mr. King left it at reception. Three large boxes arrived for you just now, too, Ms. Rivers. Would you like me to have
them sent straight up to your room?”
Chloe took the card and opened it. She wasn’t sure which King had left it for her, but a quick scan to the bottom showed Ryder’s name scrawled across it. She closed it and decided to read it in private.
“Yes, send them up,” she instructed. “And would you mind ordering me a chardonnay too.” Whatever the hell was going on, she needed a drink.
Chloe cancelled her shopping plans and headed back up, embarrassed at the large boxes being ferried up with her. She craned her neck to read the words on the side and almost choked. Vera Wang? Why the hell were three boxes from Vera Wang being delivered to her?
“Can I just cross-check that these are definitely for me?” she asked.
The man smiled and pulled out a docket. “Chloe Rivers care of Ryder King, staying in the Bellagio Suite. That sound like you?”
She nodded, leaning back against the wall and staring up at the changing numbers as they ascended. The card from Ryder was burning a hole in her pocket.
When they arrived at her floor she stepped out, opened the door for the parcels, and then tipped the bellboy. She eyed the boxes like they were full of bombs and sat down on the sofa, slowly opening the card again. It was the first time she’d seen Ryder’s handwriting and it was more scrawly than she’d expected.
Chloe, meet me downstairs at 7 p.m. I’ll be in the lobby waiting. I’ve sent up three dresses hoping that one will be right, and I need you to trust me. Wear your favorite one and I’ll see you soon. Ryder.
A knock at the door made her jump. “Room service!”
Chloe crossed the room, tipped the waiter, and took her wine. Thank god she’d ordered it. She took a long, slow sip and eyed the boxes in the center of the living area. She set down her drink and slid a nail under the seal of the first one, sucking back a breath when she saw the dress wrapped so carefully in tissue paper. It was the softest dove gray color, and as she lifted it out she could see that it was strapless, the bust shaped and the soft fabric bolstered by structured stitching and a nipped-in waist.
