Page 48 of Promised Summer
When he’d parked his car and the man himself climbed out, Lily finally perked up and ran toward him—er, well, she ran as fast as her pregnant belly would allow. Ryan made cooing sounds at Lily and bent over to rub her all over.
“Do I get just as much lovin’?” I asked, walking over to them. Ryan looked up and stood to pull me in a kiss that had my toes curling.
“Is that enough lovin’ for you?” Ryan asked when he pulled away. I was momentarily star-struck by the brilliance of the emotion in his blue gaze that I didn’t answer right away. Ryan used that chance to plop another loud kiss on my lips and playfully tug at my beard.
I pulled him back for a longer, much deeper kiss. Helet out a yelp of surprise when I pressed him against his car. His hands flailed to find purchase before finding their way and weaving through my short hair.
Lily, probably startled by the sudden movement, woofed as I continued kissing my man. When she didn’t stop barking a minute later, Ryan deprived me of his lips. I settled for kissing down his neck.
“Stop,” Ryan said with a laugh, and tried to push me away. With the little force he was using, he clearly wasn’t actually trying. “Lily’s gonna wake up the neighbors.”
“My only neighbor is my brother, and I’m sure he’s too preoccupied to notice a little barking,” I breathed into his skin.
Jordan had returned last Sunday after securing the new mixed-use building contract and helping Wren settle into his next shooting location. The entire crew was ecstatic to hear about the new project, which was set to start next year, after our current one finished.
Jordan had returned home first since Wren still needed to work, but I heard he’d come back earlier today. I was sure the two of them were too wrapped up in each other to even notice a bear barging into their cabin, much less Lily’s barking.
I pressed a kiss against Ryan’s rapid pulse, and he shivered. “At least let me go inside first,” he muttered.
Lily whined and danced around our feet anxiously. I relented, released him, and the lady finally quieted down and headed toward the front door. She paused afew steps away and turned her head toward us with her tongue lolling out like she was confused why we weren’t following her.
Ryan laughed and tugged my hand. “C’mon, before she gets upset again. I’m sure she wants to lie in her nest.”
Lily had started nesting earlier this week. At first, she’d grab random rags from around the house. Those, I was happy to give her. The expensive clothes she’d pulled out of my laundry basket, not so much.
At first, I tried to take them back, but she always went to the laundry basket for more. And after seeing Ryan and even Karla happily contribute some of their clothes to her nest, I knew I very well couldn’t keep being stingy. Especially not when the mama would give birth any day now.
As Ryan predicted, Lily padded to her nest as soon as we entered the cabin. She’d made it in the corner of the living room, probably liking that the spot had a full view of the entire cabin while being tucked away. I was still worried about her feeling too exposed, so I’d made her a simple wooden whelping box for her spot.
She plopped down in the middle of the nest, then looked our way and watched until I closed the front door before finally lying her head down to rest.
Ryan smiled but didn’t say anything as he pulled me to the bedroom, saying we shouldn’t disturb her. I obediently followed him, happy to go anywhere with him.
“Wait here. I’m gonna wash up real quick,” heinstructed, had me sit on the bed, then entered the ensuite bathroom.
A moment later, the shower turned on. My eyes were peeled in the direction of the bathroom, my body stiff as I waited for his return.
I didn’t know how much time had passed before I finally heard the water stop. Ryan returned to the room with a towel wrapped low on his hips. He’d dried himself, but stray droplets still clung to his smooth skin.
“When I said to wait here, I didn’t mean you couldn’t move at all,” he said with a smile when he found me in the exact same spot he’d left me.
“I like obeying your orders,” I replied truthfully.
“Is that so?” He laughed with amusement and walked my way. His steps were slow, deliberate, and so fucking seductive that I was hard by the time he finally reached me.
Ryan pushed me onto my back, then climbed on top to straddle my legs. His erection pressed against my own, only separated by the soft towel.
My hands found their way to his hips. I wanted to tear the towel away and have the heat of his skin pressed against mine. My finger played with the smooth skin above the piece of fabric instead. Ryan trembled under my fingers.
“You’re beautiful,” I said softly.
Ryan laughed, the sound musical in the quiet night. “Yeah? I’ve never been called beautiful before.”
“Well, you are. I’ve thought so since we were kids.”
“Surely you didn’t think so when we first met,” he said with a smile.
The first time I saw Ryan, he was squatting by the river, lost, and crying so hard that he had tears and snot running down his face.
