Page 37 of The Friend Zone

“Bay?” he smiles as he waits at the open door for me to cross the threshold of his apartment. “Are you ok?”

Fuck.

He caught me ogling him. “More than ok.” I whisper, closing the distance between us and standing on the tips of my toes to reach his soft, perfect lips.

It felt as if time had been frozen or slowed down during the five minute car ride from the pier to his apartment. But the second our lips touch, things happen really fast.

Now that we’re alone, Ryker doesn’t hold back. His mouth owns mine, sexy and demanding but not overpowering as he kisses me everywhere, just like he promised.

He peels my clothes off kissing every inch of skin he uncovers as he makes quick work of taking off my damp sweater and bra.

“Oh.” I gasp when his mouth closes over my hard nipple.

The torrential rain that caught us when we left the fortune teller’s tent did a number on both of us and our clothes are soaking wet.

“God, have I ever told you that you have the most beautiful tits I’ve ever seen?” Ryker says as he leaves one nipple to zero his attention on to the other.

We’re standing in his living room, the lights are off, making our encounter feel a little secret and clandestine.

“Ryker,” I pant as he grazes my nipple with his teeth, sending a wave of throbbing heat between my thighs. “I thought you mentioned a bed?”

He leaves my breasts, his big, warm hand coming up to cup my face. “Fuck yeah,” he chuckles. “You’re so beautiful, you made me forget that I do have a bed. It’s just…”

I can barely see his eyes in the darkness, but hesitation ripples through the tense muscles of Ryker’s perfect body. “What’s up?”

Has he changed his mind?

The answer couldn’t be further from the truth. “Cinnamon,” the pad of his thumb strokes the sensitive spot behind my ear. “I want nothing more than to take you to bed and show you how much I fucking want you. But…”

A part of me expects him to say that this is just a one time thing. That tomorrow morning we’ll go back to being close acquaintances. Or friends at best.

Ryker’s next words shock me. “If you’ve changed your mind, we don’t have to do anything. I can take you home, or we can just sleep. I want you to want me just as much as I do.”

That’s surprisingly sweet. “Believe me Ryker,” I smile. “If I’m standing half-naked in your apartment, that’s because I want you too. I think you should know that not many guys have seen me naked. You can count them on one hand. My high schoolboyfriend, Topher, you and Jagger. I know some people see a popular girl, a sorority president and they get the wrong idea. I don’t get naked with men unless it means something to me?—”

I bite my tongue, realizing I’ve said too much.

“Do I mean something to you?” he asks.

I inhale a steadying breath. Go big or go home, right? If he gets cold feet, at least I’ll know Ryker Moore isn’t who I think he is. “You do. It isn’t just this crazy pull between us, the banter, the fact that you’re sexy. The way you were there for me earlier was—I think I might be starting to really like you.”

He crushes my lips with his. It’s a surprisingly deep but short lived kiss. “Thank fuck,” he chuckles. “Look Cinnamon, I told you how I came here to play hockey and nothing else.”

I nod, unable to resist the urge to lean into the hand that’s still caressing my jaw. “You did. No girls, no hookups. What did you say? Eat, breathe and sleep hockey.”

“Right,” he confirms. “But I’m starting to really like you too. What I didn’t need was the distractions of meaningless hookups, the drama of the puck bunnies and the groupies. That stuff was just weighing me down, as hypocritical as that might sound. You’re different, Bay. You aren’t just beautiful, you’re kind, smart and I don’t just like you, I admire you. I could fall for you.”

I feel heat rise to my chest. “I admire you too, Ryker.”

“I think I’ve just lied to you, Cinnamon.” He says softly. “I couldn’t fall for you, I already am falling. So if we do this, it isn’t a one and done. You’re not going to sneak out of my bed before I wake up. We’re going to see where this goes between us.”

My heart is beating so fast and so loudly, that he must be able to hear it.

I’m excited but also a little scared. “I think I’m falling for you too.”

RYKER

Her words should make me happy, but I still hear some hesitation in Bay’s voice.

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