by Amy Marie
Too soon, the night’s festivities were coming to an end. They’d been so caught up in each other that they’d nearly forgotten to get Bill’s one request: brisket.
They stopped in their tracks when they noticed the ice-cream booth closing down.
“You get the funnel cakes, and I’ll get the brisket,” Ryder suggested.
“Deal!” They separated, parting ways through the dwindling crowd.
“Wait!” she shouted in Ryder’s direction, and he turned to her.
“Meet at the steak fry place!” Emma called to him. She wasn’t leaving the fair without getting some fresh-cut fries.
She found the booth and waited behind a few people who’d also realized you can’t go to a fair without getting funnel cakes.
This was kind of her and Ryder’s thing, and although they had a lot of things, bringing home a crap ton of festival food and pigging out until the wee hours of the morning was more like a tradition.
Nearly a half-hour later, they made it to Ryder’s truck, and he started to load enough brisket to feed a medium-size congregation and four large orders of steak fries into the passenger seat floorboard. Emma stood behind him, strategically juggling three powdered-sugar-topped funnel cakes the size of small pizzas and two frozen lemonades.
Ryder turned to her and took two of the funnel cakes from her, causing the third to nearly fall. Instinctively, she pushed her breasts up and her body toward him in an attempt to catch the stray. It worked. Well, kind of. They both froze when the funnel cake slid across the plate, causing a ricochet of powdered sugar. Powdered sugar that dusted her from her face to her upper chest.
With her eyes squeezed shut, she started laughing, twisting her lips and attempting to blow the sugar from her eyes. It wasn’t working, and she couldn’t help but laugh at her predicament.
“Don’t move,” Ryder instructed before taking everything from her hands and using a piece of fabric to delicately brush the sugar from her eyes.
Still laughing, she opened her eyes to discover that he’d removed the shirt he was wearing and was using it to clean her up. The sight of his bare, tanned chest stole all the laughter that had bubbled up inside of her.
He moved from her eyes to her cheeks and then to her neck, and she forgot how to breathe. He was staring at her so intently, with such concentration and concern, she felt…cherished. Instead of stopping him, she let him continue wiping her down. Taking the time to study each curve of his muscular chest and how they flexed with each movement.
“Buttercup,” he started, the apology lacing his words.
“It’s fine,” she laughed. “It’s just a little powdered sugar.” She looked down at herself and could see the white dust that was still covering the top of her dress. “Or a lot of powdered sugar.”
He relaxed when he took in her amused expression.
“Come on. Let’s get this stuff back to your place so we can chow down.”
He didn’t move but maintained their eye contact, as if he was getting ready to say something or was thinking about something very important. In a flash, though, it was gone and he smiled, pulling her to the other side of the truck so she could get in the cab without stepping on their treats.
Chapter 11
Emma
When they returned to the ranch, they weren’t surprised to find that Bill had already headed to bed. Ryder was also trying to hide his frequent yawns, and Emma felt a bit of sadness that their night was coming to an end.
“Listen, Ryder…” she started as they put Bill’s festival food in Tupperware containers and put them in the refrigerator.
“How about we take the rest of this stuff to my place? I’d love for you to see it.”
Confused, Emma looked around the kitchen, narrowing her eyes. “You don’t live here anymore?”
Ryder laughed a bit at her observation. She’d never considered the fact that he wouldn’t continue living here.
“No, I built a place. Not this big, of course,” he followed up quickly. “It’s not far from here, just on the eastern side of the property.”
Going to his place was probably not a good idea for a multitude of reasons. The last thing she needed was to be alone with him. Like, really alone.
Ryder removed his hat and ran his hands through his hair. For a good minute, he said nothing before taking a step toward her and taking her hand. “Let me show you my place, and then we can talk.”
It wasn’t exactly what one would consider a puppy-dog face, but it was damn close. There was no saying no to those pleading blue eyes. He smiled before she even responded, knowing that she was bending to his will.
“Fine,” she said, her tone of agitation not matching the smile on her face.
His painfully adorable dimple showed when the ear-to-ear smile landed on his face, and he gathered their food into a separate bag before they took off to his place.
After taking the same dirt road that led to the main house, they followed it farther out into the middle of the property. And she thought the main house felt desolate. The only lights that could be seen came from the stars and moon above until their proximity to his house activated the motion lights.
“Ryder—” Her wide eyes look in his place with amazement. It was smaller than the main house but had the same combination of logs and stone. There were two A-frame columns on either side of the front door, made entirely of windows. “This is unbelievable,” she finally finished.
She was still looking up at the place when she felt Ryder’s arm go around her waist. Her life would have been so different— No! She wasn’t going to go down the what-if path anymore. She’d spent too much time thinking about what she’d lost and what could have been. She was done putting her energy into things that would never be.
She stepped forward and away from his touch. As much as her body and heart hated her for it, she was going to do what was right. Not what felt good.
Ryder stepped around her and up the three stone stairs, opening the front door for her. No keys. She laughed a little at the concept of never locking your front door. After six years away from home, she couldn’t even imagine not locking a door, no matter where she was.
Stepping inside, she stopped as soon as her feet hit the hardwood floors. The ceilings were so high, he could have added another floor entirely. The living area was huge, with a large stone fireplace on the far-right wall and brown leather furniture facing a large, mounted flat screen TV.
“If you don’t bring yourself to me, I’m going to eat all of the BOTBFs,” Ryder called from what she presumed was the kitchen.
Jumping at his words, Emma followed the sounds of his voice. “You better not,” she threatened. “I’m the guest and automatically get the BOTBFs!”
As soon as she stepped into his kitchen, he turned from her, clutching the bag that held their hand-cut French fries. She went for the bag in an instant, they were both serious about their or bottom of the bag fries, as they liked to call it, and who got to eat them, usually on the way home from somewhere, was serious business.
Just when she was starting to win the battle and triumphantly grasped the bag in her hands, Ryder went to the spot on her ribcage, just below her breast. He was using his previously gained knowledge against her and exploiting her most ticklish spots. She tried to fight him off, she really did, but she was laughing and shrieking too much and gave in to him.
“That wasn’t fair.” She pointed a finger at him, still out of breath from their exchange.
“I’m sorry I won and that I’m so good at beating you.” Ryder grinned.
“You’re terrible at apologies.”
He didn’t say anything else and backed up playfully when she moved near him, mocking her with his hands held in surrender.
Shaking her head, she pulled their food from the bag while he grabbed some plates. They sat at the island together and devoured the coveted festival food. Neither of them finishing the fries they’d been fighting over.
Ryder stood from the island and o
ffered his hand to Emma. “Let me show you around?”
She took it and followed him through the kitchen and back to the living room. At the back of the house was a hallway that led to the main bathroom and two spare bedrooms, one of which was currently being utilized as a personal gym. On the other side of the living room was another small hallway that led to the master bedroom. This time, she didn’t follow him inside, opting instead to stand at the door. As much as she wanted to take in his place, being in the same room with him and his monstrous king-sized bed was ill-advised.
Not surprising, other than a flannel shirt lying across a chair, his bedroom was neat and orderly. The bed was made a bit haphazardly, and she imagined him throwing the gray quilt across it first thing in the morning when he woke before the sun had made its appearance. She knew what he looked like first thing in the morning with his eyes heavy with sleep, and that was something she wouldn’t mind seeing again.
He stopped when he realized she wasn’t following and turned toward her. He looked confused for a moment before he tipped his head toward the far side of the room. “You really need to see the bathroom,” he encouraged. “You remember how we always talked about having a big bath tub looking out over the pasture?”
Her heart fell with his words. They had planned their entire lives together, from what their home would look like on the outside to the little details like round bathtubs with killer views. They were going to go to the same college, him with a focus on agriculture and her on animals. They would get married immediately after graduation, and while he’d wanted kids right away, he agreed to wait two years, something she pushed for so she could focus on her career.
He was watching her expectantly now, and she gave herself a steadying breath. Life was different now, and the dreams they’d shared were nothing more than a memory. That’s the way it had to be.
She swallowed back the selfish tears that threatened and stepped into his room, following him into the bathroom. The space was nearly as big as the other bedrooms, the focal point being the large, circular tub that was big enough for two. Actually, it was big enough for three or four, but perfect for two. Behind the tub were floor-to-ceiling windows, and even in the darkness, she knew that there was no one for miles that would be able to see through them. The familiarity of the bathroom stunned her into silence. It was exactly what they’d imagined together. He had managed to become the man he’d always aspired to be and everything he’d always wanted for himself was his. She on the other hand…she had gone in a different direction entirely.
Ryder moved until he was standing just in front of her, their bodies almost touching, as he wiped a tear from her cheek. She was crying?
His thumb caressed her high cheekbones as he continued, “Tell me what’s going on inside that pretty little head of yours.”
His words were nearly a whisper, yet the deep baritone of his voice reverberated through her, making her body beg for more. For his mouth at explore other parts of her, to taste him, to feel him again.
She tried to speak, opening her mouth and closing it again. What was she supposed to say here? There was no changing their past, even if she wanted to. And their future? There would be no future.
“I always hoped you’d come back.”
He was looking down at her with so much hope and wonder it nearly crippled her. It didn’t matter what she was feeling now, she had to tell him the truth as to why she was here. Needing some space between them, she took a step back. She barely managed to process rational thoughts when he was touching her, there was no way she’d get through this when his strong hands were on her. “Ryder, I—”
He took another step toward her, refusing to let her go. “I don’t care what brought you here.” He interrupted her words with such conviction, she knew it was true.
“You’re here now, and I’ll be damned if I’ll let you go.” In one swift movement, he wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her closer to him, his other hand lifting her chin so she would meet his smoldering gaze. “Not again.” He dipped his head, kissing the corner of her mouth. “Never again.” He stared into her, and despite the fogginess of her tear-filled eyes, she saw his determination there.
She needed to say something, needed to take a step back, yet she was frozen. She couldn’t so much as look away from him. He was the only man she’d ever loved. He was her first love, her first…everything.
His hands dipped from her waist to her ass, and he cupped her cheeks in his big hands. “I won’t let you go.”
She knew he was sensing the battle that was warring in her mind, and she could see the fear in his eyes. Why couldn’t it be simple? He wanted to be with her, and she with him. A long exhale escaped her lips as she looked away from him.
“Can we pretend, just for tonight…” he paused as if knowing the things that divided them could never be undone, “that it’s just you and me again. The way it was.”
The way he looked at her…his eyes…they had changed somehow, now showing the vulnerability and fear in their blue abyss. She wanted more than anything to be back in that place again, to take away the misery that she’d once believed to be trapped in only her own soul. She could see it there in his now.
“Please,” he begged.
Something that felt a lot like a stab to her chest pierced her, his words somehow managing to shatter her heart and heal again in the same moment.
She reached on her tiptoes and kissed him. There was no thought, no reluctance, just sheer need to feel his lips on her again. He was no longer the boy she’d fallen for when she was still a child. He was strong, determined, and everything she knew he’d one day be.
Emma may have started the kiss, but Ryder quickly commanded it. He took control, holding her small body closer to his with fortitude, his hands not holding her hips so much as grasping them. He held her like a dream, as if at any moment she could disappear altogether. The truth of that realization was sobering. It wasn’t her that was the dream; it was the two of them together, the unattainable.
His head dipped lower, pressing kisses against her cheek, to her chin, and moving up her jawline to just below her ear. Their time apart had done nothing to his memory, and he touched her body as if he himself had designed the blueprint. His lips parted, and his tongue barely grazed the delicate skin just beneath her earlobe. That place, as he well knew, was her undoing, and she let out a small moan. All doubts evaporated from her mind, replaced simply by sensation. Deeping the kiss, he tasted her skin, lightly, sucking just enough to drive her wild without actually leaving a mark.
“I remember,” he said between the mind-numbing kisses he was delivering, “every part of you.” Ryder moved lower down her neck, awarding her with small kisses until he reached the place between her collarbone and her shoulder blade, moving the strap of her dress to the side slightly before his mouth tasted her there.
Her head dropped back, and she closed her eyes, letting his mouth and his words devour her wholly until her legs weakened.
“All of the places that make you wild,” he continued.
Another moan of pleasure was her only answer. She couldn’t do words. Not right now. He may be kissing her collarbone, but the electricity of the kiss could be felt everywhere; a warm hum of her body that created a throb of want between her legs.
Her body squirmed against him as one of his hands found her breast, his thumb tracing lightly against the hard bud of her erect nipple.
“All the things that make you wet.” His words were gruff as his mouth covered her nipple through the fabric of her dress.
Her legs nearly came out from under her as he sucked her nipple into his mouth and he held her hips, backing her up easily until she bumped into the countertop.
“Hold on,” he instructed, and when she only looked at him with dazed confusion, he took each of her hands and placed them behind her on the granite countertop.
He didn’t say anything more as he went to his knees, his hands skimming up the back of her calves before slidi
ng around and stopping at her knees. When he paused there, she looked down at him, lost a bit in the perfection of him; from the way he looked, to the way he touched her.
He met her eyes finally but stayed silent as his hands moved higher up her thighs and beneath her dress. When his fingertips reached the top of her panties, she was glad she was holding on.
“I’ve missed the way you taste.”
He hadn’t touched her yet, not where she needed him the most, yet she could already feel him there. She’d almost forgotten how greedy her body would get, craving him so desperately that no other physical needs compared.
His eyes were now trained on her body as he pulled her yellow panties down her legs at an excruciatingly slow pace, his fingers dragging across her skin leaving fire in their wake.
When she lifted her foot so he could rid her of her panties, he surprised her by catching her ankle and holding her still as he lifted one leg high, holding her beneath her knee and letting it rest over one of his shoulders.
The bottom of her dress still mostly covered her and he looked up and into her eyes, “Are you wet for me?”
He didn’t wait for an answer as he lifted her dress with his free hand, his head slowly burrowing between her legs, and she heard him inhale her arousal before the tip of his tongue grazed her entrance.
The gasp that flew from her mouth wasn’t subtle; there was nothing ladylike about it. What escaped her lips was nothing short of a guttural reaction to what was pure, uninhibited ecstasy. Her head dropped back, and the hand that wasn’t holding onto the countertop for dear life went to his head, grasping the blonde waves of his hair.
He was teasing her, his tongue playing with her clit in small strokes that had her hips rocking and begging for more.
