RYDER (Slater Brothers 4)(14)

I blinked, dumbly. “You are?”

“Of course,” he nodded. “I probably would have never seen you otherwise. I’ve found over the last few weeks that this club is always wall-to-wall full. You’re such a tiny thing; it’d be easy to miss you in the sea of bodies. And that would be a true tragedy.”

Branna, breathe, my mind, and lungs, urged.

I sucked in a breath and exhaled it almost immediately, and it made Ryder chuckle.

“Darling, you look like I’m going to eat you up.” His eyes held a glint of mischief as he spoke. “I won’t bite you, I promise. Not yet anyway.”

Fuck.

I cleared my throat and said, “I’m sorry.”

This caused him to raise an eyebrow. “Why’re you sorry?”

I lifted my arm and scratched my neck. “For being so awkward.”

He smiled again, and really tempted me to bite a chuck out of him.

“It’s not awkward,” he said. “It’s nervousness, which is the part I don’t get.”

I felt my cheeks heat up. “What don’t you get?”

He lifted his arm and stretched it out on the booth seat behind me before he leaned in closer. I felt his breath on my face and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes back as it invaded my senses.

I want to taste him, my mind wickedly whispered.

I blinked my eyes when Ryder’s voice gained my full attention. “I don’t get why a woman who looks as edible as you is so shy.”

I didn’t know whether to run away with embarrassment, or f*ck him where he sat.

“I don’t usually do this,” I swallowed. I’m not one to walk up to men and talk to them which is why me friend physically pulled me over to you.”

Ryder’s eyebrows rose with surprise. “Usually I’d call bullshit, but I think I believe you.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I said nothing. This decision prompted him to lean even closer to me which had my heart slam into my chest. “What is your name?” he asked me, his eyes scanning my face with an intensity that caused me to suck in another very large breath. “I didn’t hear your friend very well when she introduced you both.”

His. Voice.

I could hear it very clearly now that he was so close. A man’s voice had never caused an ache to rapidly pulse between my thighs, but Ryder’s voice was doing exactly that. It was a little unsettling because my body was reacting to him in such a way that scared me.

“Branna,” I whispered.

He dipped his head even closer to mine and said, “One more time, beautiful, I didn’t catch that.”

Sweet Jesus, my mind gushed. Did he really mean that?

Aideen and my sister had told me enough times that I was beautiful, and some boys I dated over the years mentioned it here and there; but never a man, and that was exactly what Ryder was. A knicker dropping, f*ck me hard as you can, man.

I cleared my throat and tried my best to ignore the sinful thoughts that had invaded my mind, but Ryder’s closeness allowed his delicious scent to surround me, and I had trouble concentrating because of it.

“Branna,” I said louder, licking my dry lips. “Me name is Branna.”

Ryder’s heated eyes returned to mine, and a smirk curved his mouth. “Branna,” his voice was low and husky when he spoke.

Shit. Fuck.

“Yeah,” I rasped, refraining from throwing myself at him and begging him to take away the aching pain between my thighs that he so brutally, and unknowingly, caused.

“I’m Ryder,” he said and held his hand out to me.

I swallowed, and with a trembling limb, I lifted my arm and placed my tiny palm in his very large one. “It’s nice to meet you, Ryder.”

He gripped my hand and tugged me closer to him until our chests touch. He gazed down at me, a grin playing on his plump lips as he said, “The pleasure is all mine, Branna.”

If he said my name in that low, husky seductive tone one more time, I was going to jump him in front of all of these people. Fuck my pride and dignity.

“Feel free to jump me at any given time, Branna,” he said and licked his plump lips. “I’m more than ready.”

I widened my eyes. “I beg your pardon?” I asked as my stomach churned a little.

He grinned at me. “You said you would jump me if I said your—”

“Omigod.” I gasped and pulled my hand free from his so I could cover my face with it.

I said that out loud? I cringed. How bloody mortifying.

“I’m so sorry,” I began, “I didn’t mean to... not out loud... this is awful.”

I was blowing this; I was single handedly f*cking up speaking to someone. I was grateful for the loud music because I didn’t want to hear Ryder laughing at me. I jumped and dropped my hands from my face when I felt a hand on my bare thigh. I looked up and found Ryder was grinning down at me.

“Hi,” he said, smiling wide. “Branna was it?”

He knew good and bloody well what my name was, he was teasing now.

I cleared my throat. “Hi back... Ryder was it?”

“Yeah,” he smirked. “I’m Ryder.”

Yes. He. Was.

“Ryder,” I repeated.

He lowered his head back to mine and said, “You’re beautiful.”