Page 43 of Rushing Into Love

“Do you want to eat now?” he asked, striding over to the couch.

I shook my head no and Ryder grinned, slipping his sweatshirt back over his head, stepping out of his jeans, and straddling me on the couch. He took my face in his hands and kissed me deeply, tenderly, until I wasn’t even sure I was breathing. I bowed my back up to meet him and we melded our bodies together, him bearing down hard against me. Moaning into his neck, I nuzzled against him, inhaled his scent. He kissed my cheek, then my neck, down my chest, leaving a light trail of kisses, until he reached the lacy outline of my bra. With a feathery touch, he traced the edges of my bra, cupped my breasts lightly. I responded under his touch, arching up into his hands. A low growl escaped his lips and he lowered his body onto mine, pressing against me. He tensed against my thigh and I knew he wanted me. I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling his body in close to me, and we rocked rhythmically together. Our bodies pulsed together, tensing at our cores, but neither of us made the next move, not wanting to rush the moment.

“I want you,” he breathed huskily into my ear, sending a shiver through my body all the way down to my toes.

I whispered against his neck, “I want you, too, but we should probably take it slow.” I held my breath, waiting for his response.

Gripping me tight, he pulled me close to him, pressed his body up hard against mine. Every muscle was tensed and ready. Ryder stroked my arm with his thumb, soft, slow circles, then breathed into my hair, “I know, you’re right.”

He squeezed me to him one more time, then released me ever so gently. The cold air hit my skin where his body had been and I shivered.

Ryder kissed me on the top of my head, then handed me my shirt and jeans.

“I’ll get the pizza.”

As he walked to the kitchen in his boxer briefs, every muscle in his body taut and firm, I chastised myself. Ryder was a truly perfect physical specimen, a living, breathing Adonis, and I’d just told him we had to take it slow.What the hell was wrong with me?I sincerely hoped I hadn’t passed up the opportunity of a lifetime.

12

Ryder

After dropping Bree off at her sister’s house, I stopped at The Rowdy to catch up with Quinn. I wanted to circle up with him and get his perspective on the Bree situation now that it’d been defused.

The Rowdy was especially crowded since it was Friday night and all the football games had wrapped up. Music thumped so loud the entire building shook and there was standing room-only at the bar. I cut through the crowd, making my way over to the bar where I’d caught sight of Quinn chatting with Macy and slugging a beer.

“Hey, bro, what’s up.” I slapped him on the back, nodded to Macy. “I’ll take one,” I said, motioning to my brother’s drink.

“Sure thing, Ryder.” She smiled at me and grabbed a beer from the cooler, popping the top.

I took a long chug of beer, waiting for Quinn to make some snide comment. He didn’t disappoint.

“You look awfully happy. Please tell me you were with someone other than the Love Doctor?” He scowled at me.

Well, I guess that answers my question, I thought. “Sorry, bro. I was with Bree.” I attempted to suppress a grin, but wasn’t very successful.

“Did you at least score?”

“A gentleman never tells,” I said, staring straight ahead now, avoiding eye contact.

“So no dice, then?”

“Nah.” I shook my head, slightly annoyed he knew me so well. There were no secrets between us, that was for sure.

“You didn’t expect the Love Doctor to give it up so easily, did you?” he taunted. “She does relationships for a living, man. You’re going to at least have to take her out on a real date.” He shook his head.

“I suppose so. I’m good with that, the moment just presented itself tonight.” I shrugged, thinking back to Bree laying on my couch, looking damn good in her lacy bra and panties. I took another long drink, trying to cool down.

“You sure you want to go there, Ryder?” Quinn shot me a long sideways glance, his grey eyes concerned. “So far she’s been nothing but a complication. I thought you came back to Peachtree Grove to get away from all that, to live a nice, easy life?”

I leaned against the bar. “Yeah, I did. But there’s something about her.” I stared hard at the wall, a blue neon beer sign flashing in front of me, but all I could see were her eyes, the long lashes, her tiny freckles.

“Go home and take a cold shower.” Quinn elbowed me. “It’ll pass.”

I laughed. “If I thought that would help, I’d do it. I don’t think it’s gonna be that easy this time.”

“Mom met her?” Quinn cocked his head to the side.

“Yeah. On the field. She seemed to like her, considering she took Charlie for the night.”

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