This Time Around (Maybe #2)(29)

“I’ll wait for you,” I tell him, not backing down. He stops and his body goes rigid. He then turns, walking towards me.

“You don’t want to be around me right now,” he says. His knuckles are red but not split, and there is sweat tricking down his bare chest. I take a step, so we’re so close that we’re almost touching.

“Don’t push me away, Ry,” I say, putting my hand on his arm.

He stares at it for a second before replying. “I’m not pushing you away I just need?”

I cut in, “I know what you need.”

“You don’t want me to f*ck you right now,” he says, turning his back on me and walking back to the centre of the room. Bristling a little at his rejection, I head back into his bedroom and take my robe off, getting under the sheets. Since it doesn’t look like I’ll be getting any action tonight, I decide to take care of it myself. I stroke my fingers over my nipples, then trailing them down over my stomach, past my belly button and…

“What are you doing?” he asks in a tone that lets me know he knows exactly what I was doing.

I pull the sheet up to my chin. “Nothing,” I lie. He rips the sheet off me, his eyes raking over my naked body.

“You sure you want me right now?” he says, his eyes still on my body.

I shiver. “Yes.”

As soon as the word leaves my mouth, he’s on me, kissing my lips roughly and tangling his hands in my hair. His body is still damp with perspiration, and I moan at the friction of his body against my nipples. He smells so good, all Ryan, cologne and sweat. He pulls his mouth away, straddling my hips without putting any weight on my body. He lifts a finger to his mouth, sucking on it before reaching his hand back and gently stroking me. I mouth the word ‘f*ck’ as he slides a thick finger inside me. He’s still wearing his basketball shorts, and I need him to take them off. Now. I lift my hands up, sticking my thumbs into each side of his waistband, and slowly lower them. My gaze hungrily takes in my favourite part on a man, the sexy V that points to something I wouldn’t mind having my mouth wrapped around right now…

I look up into his eyes, darker than usual, and see him smirk. He moves off me and rolls me over onto my stomach. I hear him take off his shorts, then lean over me and kiss me on my neck. He pulls my hair aside and trails kisses down my neck, and all the way down my spine. I beg for him to give me more, but he takes his time with me, until I lose my patience. I lift myself up on my knees and push back against him, hoping he can take a damn hint. When I feel his tongue suddenly on me, I call out his name, fisting the sheets with white knuckles. His tongue leaves me, and I sigh in disappointment, until he slides into me, thrusting hard, the headboard banging with each movement.

I push back against him, loving the feel of him. He puts his hand on the back of my neck, gently holding me in place. He reaches down between us and toys with my clit, pushing me over the edge. I bite down on the pillow as I reach my peak, my thighs quaking. Ryan quickens his speed, and I know he’s now concentrating on himself, on getting him to where I’ve just been. I turn my head to look at him. When he sees my eyes on him he leans down and kisses me, long hard and wet.

“I love you,” he tells me as he finishes, slamming into me for the last time.

“Love you, too,” I mumble, feeling tired and sleepy, and so f*cking relaxed and satisfied. He pulls out of me, and spoons me from behind.

“Why do you put up with me?” he asks. Ryan rarely gets moody. Unless he’s jealous, or feeling some other caveman tendency, he is generally easy going, quick to joke and playful. When he does get into a mood where he snaps at me, he usually feels bad afterwards, and is always sure to make up for it. While Reid is generally broody all the time, Ryan has a temper that hardly comes out, but when it does, people better run.

“For the sex,” I reply, earning me a playful bite on my shoulder. “Okay fine, you also bring me food all the time. That’s a really good quality in a man.”

I kiss him on the back of his hand. “Because, Ryan Knox, I always knew you were going to be mine. I’ll never love anyone how I love you, and because you have a really huge?” He cuts me off by turning my face and kissing me.

*****

After trying all different kinds of social networks and coming up with nothing, we decide to ask Summer’s dad for help. Apparently, he has all kinds of badass connections, plus since he used to be friends with Ryan’s dad, maybe he knew something about her. Anything at all. Jack Kane is a scary looking man, with tattoos and a beard. He looks like a biker, but he has kind eyes and a nice laugh.

“Now what?” I ask Ryan as we leave Jack’s house. Jack had no idea about Persephone. In fact, he seemed as shocked as we were. I take his hand as he leads me to his bike.

“Now, beautiful, you are going to teach your class and I’m going to the bar.”

I look at my watch. “Fuck.”

Ryan laughs. “Yes, we better hurry our asses.”

I pause at his bike. “How are you feeling?”

“Surprisingly optimistic, actually,” he says, tugging on a curl of hair. “I think you might have something to do with that.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you.”

“What did I do?” I ask, wrapping my arms around him.

“Well, you’re here for one,” he says, his eyes soft.