“My knight in shining armour,” she muses. “Are you sure I can’t tempt you?” Her eyes darken and she gives me a salacious smile before her fingers find the bottom of her dress. In one smooth move, she’s dropping it to the floor and standing in front of me in the tiniest set of lingerie that I think I’ve ever laid eyes on. My mouth waters as I run my eyes down the length of her, taking in her dusky pink nipples hiding behind the lace, her tiny waist, and curvaceous legs.
Every muscle in my body is screaming at me to take what I need, but the rational part of me knows that I can’t. My cock throbs painfully behind the confines of my boxers, and I breathe a sigh of relief when she takes a step away from me.
“I get it. I get it.” Glancing over my shoulder, she winks, her eyes dropping to my crotch. “You just need a little more convincing.”
Seeing her hands come up behind her, I panic. The last thing I need is to have any more of her bare skin revealed. Taking a giant step, my fingers encircle her wrists and stop any further movement.
“Molly,” I breathe, not quite believing that I’m about to turn her down when she’s so clearly willing. “You’re drunk, and I know that if you keep going, you’re going to regret this in the morning. Believe me when I say that I’d give about anything to have what you’re offering, but this isn’t the way it’s going to happen.”
“Just kiss me. Please,” she begs, stepping back into me and finding my hands. She brings them around to her smooth stomach and I tense when she tries to encourage them higher.
“This can’t happen.” Even I can hear the pain in my voice.
“I need you. I need—”
“To sleep this off,” I interrupt.
Putting a little more effort in, I manage to lift her and lower her into bed before covering her tempting body with the duvet.
“Come on, Ry. Don’t tell me I’m going to have to do it myself.” Watching her hand disappear under the duvet is my undoing. I drop a very quick kiss to her forehead and walk out of her room before I’m subjected to more torture.
Closing her bedroom door, I fall back against it and blow out a long, slow breath as I try to calm my racing heart.
I deserve a fucking medal for doing the right thing.
When I hear movement behind me, I quietly push myself away from the door and start the climb up to my own bedroom. I’ve no idea what she’s doing in there, but the last thing I need is evidence that she’s finishing the job she suggested starting.
I walk through my bedroom and directly into the shower. Dropping my boxers, I turn the shower on cold and step inside. It has little effect because all I can see is her covered in that tiny amount of lace, begging me to touch her.
Chapter Sixteen
Molly
I wake up to a pounding in my head. It takes me a few seconds to remember why it hurts so much. Flashbacks from last night flit through my mind. Me telling Jax everything about Ryan whilst drinking too much wine. Jax bringing me home and having a stand-off with Ryan at the front door. Me crushed against Ryan’s almost naked body. Just the thought of that makes my temperature rise slightly. I don’t remember getting in bed, though. I roll over to look at the time to see it’s almost midday. God, I need to get to work. I notice a glass of water and packet of painkillers on the bedside table. They’re a very welcome sight. I sit up so I can take them, and it’s when the covers slide off me that I realise I’m just in my underwear.
Did Ryan strip me off last night and get me into bed? Oh God, I hope I didn’t do anything stupid.
Thirty minutes later, I’m dressed and ready for work. Thankfully, my head is starting to clear, thanks to the tablets Ryan left for me. I head upstairs for breakfast—or lunch, I guess. When I enter the living area, Ryan’s sat at the breakfast bar in front of his laptop with a cup of coffee halfway to his mouth. When he hears me coming, he puts it back down and looks over at me with a smirk on his face.
“What’s that look for?” I watch him laugh at me. “What?”
“If you don’t know, Molly, then I’m not telling you.”
“Shit, what did I do last night? The last thing I remember is Jax leaving.”
“That’s a good thing. You probably wouldn’t be facing me right now.”
“Speaking of Jax, the four of us are going out for dinner tonight, and you will be nice.”
“Why are you dragging me along? I don’t want to spend a Friday night with him.”
“Because it’s important to me. You, Ryan, are my best friend, and Jax is my friend. I want you both to get along because you’re both in my life, and neither of you are going anywhere anytime soon. Plus, I’m dying to meet Lucy, but I don’t want to be a gooseberry.”
“Brilliant,” he replies sarcastically.
We meet Jax and Lucy outside The Fat Dog. The second Ryan sees him, he tenses beside me.
“Just chill out, yeah?”
“I’ll do my best,” he says unconvincingly.
Molly, Ryan, this is Lucy,” Jax says excitedly.
“Hi,” is all Lucy says as she runs her eyes down the length of me. She soon dismisses us and turns back into Jax’s side.
Ryan and I follow behind them as the waiter directs us to our table. His eyes burn into me, and as I look over, I’m not surprised to find the same confused look on his face as is probably on mine.
If I thought Jax looked like a lovesick puppy at work, it’s nothing to what he’s like with Lucy.
As we take our seats and grab the menus, Lucy fusses about rearranging the table and constantly reaches out to touch Jax. It’s as if she’s staking her claim.
“You can order for me, baby,” Lucy says, smiling up at Jax like he’d just hung the moon.
He nods, and looks at the options while she turns her gaze on me. Her eyes run over my face once again, as if she’s sizing me up.
“So Jax said you work as a receptionist?” I ask, trying to break the tension, hoping to find some common ground.
“At the moment, but I’m hoping to give that up soon. Isn’t that right, baby?”
“Yep,” Jax mutters, still too focused on filling his stomach.
“Can I show them?” He nods, and I narrow my eyes at the two of them. “Isn’t it beautiful? It’s almost two carats.” She swoons, staring down at the giant rock on her finger. “We’re going to have a Christmas wedding, aren’t we, baby?” She looks up at Jax with huge puppy dog eyes. I roll my eyes the second I glance at Ryan, who’s also noticed her over-the-top behaviour.
“You can have whatever you want. I told you, money’s no object.” Her eyes light up as she turns and places a kiss to his cheek. “I love you.”
“Well, I guess congratulations are in order.”
“Thank you,” she says sweetly, before suggesting Jax buy a bottle of champagne to celebrate.
Ryan’s eyes burn into me. He looks about as confused by the couple in front of us as I am.
We have a nice enough night. Ryan and Jax do a decent job of pretending to get along, but I’m pretty convinced that I never see the real Lucy. I’d like to think that Jax is a better judge of character, so I try to push my concerns to the back of my mind and attempt to start up a friendship with her.
The second Ryan and I are alone, the words tumble from my lips. “I can’t believe the size of that engagement ring. It must have cost Jax thousands. I wasn’t in a million years expecting him to announce he had asked Lucy to marry him. I mean, they’ve only been together a couple of months. They barely know each other.”
“Yeah, it’s fast, but if it’s right, it’s right, and you just know.”
“I guess so. What did you think of Lucy?” I ask. I’m driving us back home after our meal with the happy couple.
“She was…okay,” he says, shrugging his shoulders.
“There was something strange about her. She seemed…fake. Like she was constantly trying too hard.”
“Yeah. It was like she was doing anything she could to keep Jax happy. It was a bit too much of ‘yes, Ja
x’, ‘no, Jax’, ‘whatever you say, Jax’ and batting her eyelashes.”
“She was not what I imagined at all from the way he talks about her. He loves her and wants to marry her, though, so I guess that’s all that matters.”
“As long as he isn’t trying to get at you, I’m happy.”
“Seriously, Ryan, what is your issue with him? He was nothing but nice to you tonight.”
“I just don’t like him. He was only nice to me because you were there.”
“You’re talking shit, Ry,” I say, pulling up in the drive and getting out. “I’m going to get changed. If you’re going to the kitchen, pour me a glass of wine, please.”
“Thank you,” I say to Ryan as I settle myself on the sofa in front of a glass of wine he’s left for me on the coffee table.
I feel his eyes on me as I take a sip and relax back on the sofa. Looking over, I find I’m right. “What?”
“You could wear a little more, you know.”
“Fine, I’ll go change. I didn't mean to offend you,” I say sarcastically. I can tell by his face that isn’t what he meant, but he still refuses to tell me what I did last night, so I think a little payback is in order.
“It…it doesn’t offend me, Molly.”
I’m stood right in front of him, so I have to tip my head up to look at him. I try to keep an innocent look on my face. It’s hard, because I just want to laugh at his embarrassment. “So, what’s the issue?” I can’t help my face breaking into a smile. I know that what I’m wearing probably isn’t all that appropriate, but I’m desperate to know the truth about last night. My white vest is a little on the thin side and my shorts show off the bottom of my arse, but it’s summer, and the humidity, even at night, is through the roof right now. Plus, I’m at home. I should be able to dress how I like.
“You’re such a fucking tease, you know that?” he says as the corners of his lips start to twitch. “Seeing you like that doesn’t offend me one bit,” he advises, then moves his head next to mine and whispers in my ear. “It makes me want to rip off what’s still covering you and fuck you against the wall.” He turns and walks out of the room.
Ryan
Before I know it, it’s Tuesday and I’m packing, ready for my much needed break from Molly. After the night in her bedroom and then that damn near see-through vest, I think a little space is just what I need. I’m heading to Liverpool for my Grandad’s funeral and then to spend some time with my sisters in both Manchester and Cardiff. I hate the idea of being away from Molly for so long, but I do think it’s the right thing to do. The more time I spend with her, the more I’m struggling with my feelings, and it’s killing me to watch her go out with Adam. Every time she comes home from being with him, I can tell she likes him more and more. She’s been her usual flirty self with me, but she’s becoming more distant and we haven’t had any more awkward moments since Friday night. She spent practically all weekend with him, and when she’s been home, she’s been constantly texting him.
“Ry, you up there?”
“Yeah.” I hear her walk up the stairs and, in a few seconds, she appears in my doorway.
“You nearly ready to go?”
“Almost. You got much planned while I’m gone?” I don’t know why I ask this, because I really don’t want to know what she’s planning with Adam. I continue folding my clothes as she gets comfortable in the middle of my bed.
“Work, mostly. Adam’s coming over for dinner tomorrow night, and I’m going out with Jax and Lucy again on Friday evening. Not sure other than that, but I’d like to see Emma. I thought she might have been in contact by now.”
Yeah, I’d hoped that, too. She promised me when I spilled my guts to her that she would get in touch with Molly.
We continue chatting about our plans until I’m totally packed and ready to head out. “Right, I think I’m done and ready to go.” I look up and see Molly wince as she goes to move. “You still hurting from your dance class last night?”
“Yes, I didn’t realise how unfit I was. Pull me up.” She puts her hand out for me and I give her a tug. She moans as she gets to her feet.
“It’s only a dance class. How strenuous can it be?”
“You’d be surprised. Come on, let’s get you on your way. The sooner you go, the sooner you’ll be back. I’m going to miss you.”
“I’ll miss you, too. Come here.” I pull her in for a hug and kiss the top of her head while she’s in my arms. She smells so good. Oh how I want to walk back over to the bed and throw her down on it.
Ten minutes later, we’ve said our goodbyes, and I’m on my way to Liverpool. I hated seeing the tears in Molly’s eyes as I pulled away from the house, but my desire to go back and comfort her was just another reminder of why I need this time. I have to sort out my feelings for her so that when I come back, we can be the great friends we were before all this weirdness happened. Surely, I can fall out of love as fast as I fell in it, right?
Chapter Seventeen
Molly
“Pull yourself together, woman; he’ll be back in just over a week. Get a grip,” I say to myself as I walk back into the house, having watched Ryan drive away. I didn’t think I would get so upset at the thought of him not being here. I hate the idea of spending the night alone, so I walk over to my bed and grab my phone.
“Molly, how are you doing?” Shane asks when he answers the phone.
“Ryan’s just left for a week with his family. I don’t want to be alone. Have you two got any plans tonight?”
“No, we’re staying in and ordering a takeaway. We were going to plan our stag do—you want to join us?”
The second I hang up, I slip my shoes on, grab my bag, and head out the door.
I love spending time with Shane and Chris. They always make me laugh so much. They don’t take life too seriously, and they’re constantly taking the piss out of each other. They’ve told me everything I could possibly need to know about their wedding. It’s the last Saturday in November in a hotel on the outskirts of the city.
They have a black, white, and red theme. Apparently, as groomsmaid, I have to wear a little black dress, bow tie, and little top hat. To my surprise, it looks much cuter than the image I had in my mind—thank God.
They’ve decided to have a joint stag do as nearly all their friends are mutual. They’ve hired out a VIP section of one of the clubs in the city and are having a ‘pimps and hos’ theme. We’re going to have a meal, then drink and dance the night away. I can’t wait. It sounds like it will be a lot of fun—plus, we get to dress up like idiots.
I end up sleeping in their guest room. I miss my bed, but I know the house is going to feel horribly empty without Ryan.
I’m stood in my kitchen, piping the lemon meringue pie I’ve made for dinner tonight with Adam. He should be here in thirty minutes. I really like him—he’s a nice guy, but he isn’t really doing it for me. He’s fun and makes me laugh. I originally thought, with him being a banker, he’d be boring, but he isn’t at all. He’s a bit of an adrenaline junkie and has done all sorts of crazy things. When I’m with him, it’s great, but I can’t help wondering what it would be like if it was Ryan sat opposite me instead. I think what’s between us is just friendship, but I’m willing to give it a little longer to see if anything sparks.
I put the pie in the oven just as the doorbell rings. I jog downstairs and open the door to let him in.
“Hi,” I say, smiling at him. He’s wearing light blue jeans and a white t-shirt. He hasn’t shaved for a couple of days, making his stubble almost as long as his short, almost-black hair. When I invited him over, I said it was a casual thing, and I’m glad he took that seriously. I’m wearing my boyfriend jeans and a tank top. My hair is in a messy bun on my head, and I’ve only got a little make-up on.
“Hey, you look good, Molly.” He reaches his hand up to my cheek. “You’ve got flour on your face,” he says, wiping it off.
I can’t help but feel disappointed. If Ryan did that to me, it woul
d make my pulse rate increase. But I feel nothing.
“Thanks. I always end up covered—I’m a messy cook.”
“As long as you’re a good cook, that’s fine by me.” He shuts the door behind him and follows me up the stairs. “Wow, you were right—nice house,” he says as we enter the living area.
“I know, I love it here. Can I get you a drink?”
We have a nice evening eating, drinking, and chatting. He’s so easy to talk to. The conversation just flows. We never have any awkward silences. He was impressed with my cooking, and he actually went to the extreme of trying to find the packaging I could have hidden because he thought I’d bought it all and was passing it off as mine.
As the night draws to an end, Adam is a perfect gentleman. We have a little kiss at the front door before he leaves, but he doesn’t push for anything further.
After tidying upstairs, I get myself settled in bed with my Kindle. I end up reading for hours and, when I eventually decide to go to sleep, it’s not my date I drift off thinking about—it’s Ryan. This time apart was meant to sort out my head, but I can’t stop thinking about him.
When I get home from our dance class Monday night, I immediately run myself a bath and pour in loads of my favourite relaxing bubble bath in the hope that it will make me ache less in the morning. I just get in and comfortable when my phone rings. I lean over to dry my hands and grab it, groaning when I see it’s actually Ryan FaceTiming me. I move myself so I’m on my front and balance my phone on the towel on the toilet. I make sure I’m covered in bubbles before I answer.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Ryan says as soon as I answer. “I don’t see you for almost a week, and when I do, you’re naked in the bath.”
Falling For Ryan: Part One Page 15
