Ryder (Resisting Love #2.5)(19)

When Ryder walks out with another birthday cake for me, lit candles and everything, my eyes start to tear up. This is the best birthday I have ever had in my life, usually it was just me and my mum. Ryder places the cake down on the bar and sits me down on the stool. He runs and jumps on the stage, and the DJ stops playing the music, the club is momentarily silent.

“It’s my girl Lexi’s birthday today, so we're all gonna sing to her!” Ryder calls out. The club cheers.

“Happy birthday to you…” Ryder sings to me, along with everyone else. At the end I blow out my candles, and for once in my life I have to try hard to think of a wish. I have everything a girl could want. I wish for health for myself and my friends, blow out my candles, and sigh in contentment. The DJ starts to play dance music again, and I giggle as Ryder walks over and cuts me a small slice of cake, holding it up for me to take a bite. I moan as the chocolate hits my tongue, and watch as Ryder licks the remains off his fingers.

“My first time organizing anything for you, how did I do?” he asks into my ear. He says it like there are going to be many more times to come. I love that.

“It was perfect, Ryder,” I say sincerely. I don’t even need all this, but the fact that everyone put in such an effort for me makes me feel really special. Loved. Ryder throws a devastating smile my way, obviously pleased with himself, as he should be. We all party the night away, dancing, laughing and just enjoying life. We make it home in the wee hours of the morning, Ryder and Sasha crashing at our apartment. Jet and Kade take a cab home.

Best. Birthday. Ever.

The next morning Ryder makes me breakfast in bed, and we celebrate all over again.

*****





Chapter 10


Four months later

Lexi

Ryder and I have been going strong for almost five months now, and it’s been amazing. We spend all the time we can together. Unfortunately, every Friday night when he's been performing I’ve been at my other job. By the time I get home it’s late. Ryder's been begging me to come and watch him, and the next time he plays at Steele is on a Saturday instead, so I can finally go. I can’t wait to see him in action.

We're sitting in the living room, playing band hero. I’m on the guitar, and he’s on the drums. It’s so funny watching him concentrating, when he's the front man of a popular band in real life.

“Lexi!” he calls out chuckling. Oops, I was staring at him and not playing.

“You’re letting the band down!” he mock growls. After we finish the tour we're doing, we turn it off, and head into the kitchen. Ryder cooked us dinner earlier and I’m starving. I glance at my plate and my mouth waters; grilled fish, asparagus, and mashed potato. I take a huge bite enthusiastically.

“Someone needs to husband you right now,” I say, taking another bite. Ryder laughs, shaking his head.

“I’m serious! If the whole band thing doesn’t work out, you could become a chef,” I tell him.

“My mother taught me, and she knows her way around the kitchen,” he says softly, watching me eat.

“Stop watching me,” I hiss, my cheeks going pink.

“I like watching you,” he says simply.

“You’re making me nervous,” I counter. He grins and takes a bite of his own food.

“If I’m not watching you, that’s when you should be worried,” he teases.

“Is that right?” I say.

“You don’t mind my eyes on yours in the bedroom,” he adds with a chuckle.

My mouth opens in disbelief. “You can’t bring up things that happen in the bedroom at the dinner table!”

“Why not?” Ryder asks, giving me a full on belly laugh. He obviously finds this amusing.

“You just can’t! What happens in the bedroom, stays in the bedroom!” I say.

“I’m pretty sure I went down on you in the kitchen the other day,” he adds nonchalantly.

I can actually feel the flush riding up my neck, “Ryder!”

“Best meal I ever had,” he continues.

“Do you want another taste?” I ask coyly. I inwardly smile at Ryder’s reaction. His beautiful gray eyes smoulder and his nostrils flair slightly.

“Always,” is his husky reply.

“Good,” I say. I go back to eating.

“Lexi!” Ryder practically growls, his eyes narrowed to slits.

“What does that tattoo on your neck say?” I ask him, purposely changing the subject. I’ve been wondering from the first moment I laid my eyes on him. It’s in another language, a quote in beautiful script.

“It’s a secret. Nice change of subject by the way,” he says slyly.

“I’m just going to google it,” I announce before taking another bite of fish. Ryder stands up and pours me a glass of red wine, placing it down next to my plate.

“Thank you,” I tell him quietly.

“You’re welcome,” he says in a deep tone. I run my gaze over the rest of his tattoos, admiring his two full sleeves of beautiful artwork from shoulder to wrist. Our eyes meet and his are now a dark gray, and intently on me.

“Like what you see?” he asks bluntly.

“You know I do, Ryder,” I say between sips of wine. Hell, what’s not to love? He shakes his head at me again and a chocolate brown lock falls over his forehead. I lean towards him and push it aside, Ryder taking my hand in his as I’m about to pull it away. He places a chaste kiss on the inside of my wrist, and gives me a full watt smile. We finish our meal in silence, the air in the room thick with sexual tension. Ryder gets up and clears my plate and I thank him. When he comes back into the room holding a plate with cheesecake, strawberries, and a bottle of whipped cream, I raise my eyebrow in question.