Page 29 of How to Avoid a Billionaire

“Ryder?”

“Yes?”

“Why haven’t you pushed for me to tell you I love you? Does it only matter how you feel about me?”

“Is that what you think?”

“I’m speculating.”

He leaned in and paused an inch from her mouth. She closed the space and parted her lips. His tongue darted between them, and he kissed her to the point that her head spun. She brought hands up to his chest to push him back, and he allowed it.

“When you look at me,” he whispered, “your eyes light up, your lips part, and sometimes if I’ve been away on business too long you tremble when I take you into my arms. If that’s not love, what is it?”

She stared across the lake. A boat sped in their direction and would pass by within a few minutes, she judged. “That could be physical attraction.”

“Is it?”

“No.” She sighed and focused on him. “I’ve been afraid to say it because to me it means I’ve accepted everything about you and the relationship we have right now. When we’re alone together, it’s heaven. When we’re apart—hell. Then there’re the times when the cameras flash and the women try to entice you so they can become your next lover. I’m not jealous, per se. I know you’re into me. I can see that when you look at me, and it feels incredible. It’s just saying those words is a big deal, a really big deal.”

He grasped her ankle and pulled until her leg straightened, and he ran a palm up her inner thigh and cupped her pussy. She moaned and leaned back on her elbow. When he nabbed the string at her hip and tugged, she bit her bottom lip. He grinned. “I’ll convince you it’s time.”

She grasped at the string, but he’d already unraveled it, causing her bikini bottom to slide down, exposing the small patch of hair above her clit. “Ryder, someone will see. That boat…”

“Is gone.” He untied the other string, and soon the bikini bottom lay on the flybridge floor. “I’m going to eat you until you can do nothing else but scream you love me for the world to hear.”

She slid back along the bench. “That’s playing dirty.”

He caught her ankle, and she made no move to pull out of his grasp. His biceps flexed, but it looked like he made no effort at all. “That’s the only way I play. You’ve figured that out by now.”

Her heart stuttered in her chest. He was right. She’d learned the truth months ago about what he’d done with Antwon, sent him away just because he wanted her. By then it was too late. She already loved Ryder and wouldn’t consider leaving him, but she had given him a piece of her mind about manipulating the people in her life. She had demanded the truth about what had happened to Shana, and Ryder confirmed he had sent her away. He’d been reluctant to tell her why, but when she thought her friend abandoned her for no reason, he explained. She had cried while he held her.

Ever since Shana left, Melanie had been getting the recognition she deserved at work, and had recently taken on the full-time role of designer. She loved it.

Ryder pulled her from her thoughts when he stood and placed a knee between her legs. He gazed down at her heat with fire and lust in his eyes. “Now let’s see how many times I can make you come before you give in.”

He bent down and ran his tongue along her moist slit. She squirmed, moaning. “Ryder, stop. Let’s go below at least.”

“No, right here.”

Somewhere not too far away a boat’s engine revved. Ryder locked onto her clit and he sucked hard. She keened, her hips coming up off her the cushions. Rather he dipped a finger between her wet folds and glided deep inside her. At the same time, he flicked her bud with the tip of his tongue.

The other boat drew closer.

Melanie knotted fingers in Ryder’s hair and tugged. He raised her closer to his hungry mouth, hands on her ass. From nowhere, a powerful orgasm bolted through her core. She shoved a fist to her mouth, but whined in pleasure anyway. Ryder backed off enough to blow on her clit. She wiggled because of the aftershocks, and when he judged the sensitivity ebbed enough, he attacked again, his cruel mouth taking her to higher heights than the last time.

“Mmm, so much come, angel,” he murmured. “I’ll have to eat it all.”

“Ryder!”

He leaned his forearms on both her thighs, pinning her down. Melanie thrashed about, looking around. At least the bench back was high enough no one would see her naked snatch, but her thighs were visible and with Ryder dipping his head between them, everyone would know what he did. She’d never be able to show her face if any of his immediate neighbors happened by.

“Still nothing?” Ryder asked. He stuck two fingers in her pussy and worked them in and out. Then he coated his thumb with her juices and pressed it gently to her anus. She felt faint. Anal sex with Ryder took pleasure to another level. The initial discomfort had gone with his gentle loving, and he knew how much it got her off.

“Don’t you dare,” she told him.

He looked up at her. “Are you sure about that?”

She opened her mouth to speak, but before words could fall from her lips, he plunged his thumb home. She cried out, her voice echoing across the water. Ryder worked all three digits in and out of her, and leaned in to suck her clit between his lips. Inside his mouth, he flicked his tongue over her bud at a rapid speed. She came harder than the first time and shouted his name. He kept up the onslaught through a third and fourth orgasm, not caring who came and went. At last he let her rest, and she panted, turning onto her side. He sat across from her in shorts, a tent at his crotch.

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