Page 48 of Between the Flames

CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN

The next few weeks passed beautifully and blissfully as Ryder and I spent every moment that we could getting to know each other in ways that we were never given the opportunity to in our past. On the nights that Ryder wasn’t with me, he was with his son, and I absolutely loved that about him. Seeing the pride that radiated out from him whenever he spoke of Jordan and told me stories about their adventures together never ceased to bring a smile to my face. He thought that their bond had only gotten stronger after the separation, which made him more optimistic about the divorce and their future with co-parenting. I, on the other hand, still felt sick to my stomach at just the thought of their breakup. I knew I hadn’t been the cause of it, but everything still seemed so fast, and I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Could he really be in a place where he was ready to jump into a new relationship with me? Was he well and truly over her? Had he had the time to be on his own and explore what he truly wanted? He swore he was, and he showed me constantly, but I still couldn’t help but let the fear and anxiety creep in.

The sounds of whispers in my ear amplified my insecurities while I laid in bed on nights he wasn’t with me, and all the doubt set in. I forced myself to bury it down and ignore the devil on my shoulder. As time passed, it was getting easier to trust his word and for the first time; I was picking me… us. I wanted him, and I refused to let anything get in the way of that, even my biggest fears.

Rosie and Noah both did their best at talking me off the ledge when my thoughts ran away with me, although I always treaded lightly when I spoke to Noah about my relationship with Ryder. Whichever way you looked at it, Noah was still someone that I had been involved with on a romantic level, and it didn’t feel right venting my current relationship fears to him. He was tight-lipped about his love life, so I tried to mirror that behavior and not completely open up about mine.

Rosie, on the other hand, had pried every single detail out of me and continued to hound me for more information whenever we spoke. She claimed she was living vicariously through me, but we both knew my life was certainly more vanilla than hers was. Well, until recently, anyway.

* * *

“Wear something casual,but that’ll make me want to throw you over my shoulder, carry you to my truck, and fuck you senseless.” Ryder’s deep voice reverberated through the speaker of my cell phone, and a blush crept onto my cheeks as I bit my lower lip.

“Right, I’ll put on my best turtleneck and high-waisted jeans then!” I bantered, my voice coated in sweetness and feigning innocence.

He grunted in response. “See you at eight,” he told me before ending the call. I let the phone slip from my grasp and into my lap before inwardly squealing.

Tonight, Ryder was taking me to a new bar that had just opened, Andromeda. According to Rosie, this was, and I quote, “the hottest new bar in town, but also a little rough around the edges.” I wasn’t entirely sure what she meant by that, but my curiosity was piqued, and when I casually mentioned it to Ryder, he insisted we go check it out.

Glancing at the clock, I saw it was already almost six o’clock and my grumbling stomach reminded me if I was going to be drinking tonight, that I needed to eat something first. Walking over to the pantry, I assessed the shelves, debating on what to eat, and decided that the simplest thing would be pasta.

I popped my AirPods in and set to work on my meal while listening to a ‘hype playlist’ on Spotify that Rosie had sent me, readying myself for the mindset of going out tonight. Swaying to the beat of Britney’s “I’m a Slave 4U”, I allowed melody to overtake my body while I stirred my pasta at the stove.

Abandoning the wooden spoon in the pot, my hands weaved through my hair as I seductively moved my body lower to the floor, dancing for myself, my confidence increasing and making me feel sexy. As I worked my body back into a standing position, a strong arm wrapped around my waist. Panic flooded my body, and I spun in place, coming face to face with Ryder. His face was lit with a lustful smile, his eyes dark with desire. I ripped the AirPod from my left ear, panting heavily, still struck from terror.

“What the hell Ryder, you scared the absolute shit out of me,” I snapped, pushing him away from me with both hands. Removing the other AirPod, I set them on the counter and scowled at him. “Well?”

“I wanted to surprise you, treasure,” he responded airily, lifting a shoulder. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you had your headphones in.”

I assessed him through narrowed eyes. “Treasure? Where did that nickname suddenly come from?”

“Because you’re a treasure.” He took a step closer to me. “And I’m a pirate.”

I laughed, rolling my eyes at him with a smile playing on my lips.

Apparently, the man has jokes now.

Ryder took another step, closing the distance between us. I could feel my body ignite, humming with need. My core clenched tight as my eyes dropped to his mouth. All I wanted to do now was kiss him.

“And I want this booty,” he said. His large hands squeezed my butt, hoisting me up in one fluid movement.

A burst of laughter erupted out of me as I instinctively wrapped my body around his. He began his assault against my lips as he walked us toward my bed, keeping one hand firmly against my butt while the other moved up my back to the nape of my neck. He held me, kissing me punishingly before laying me down on the edge of the mattress. His fingers found the button of my jeans and he tugged them off and wasted no time before dropping to his knees in front of me, pulling my panties down slowly.

“Ryder, the —” but I lost my thoughts as he ran his tongue up my slit, before turning his attention to the sensitive bundle of nerves that craved him the most. Shoving a finger inside of me, he continued to tease me in delicious strokes.

“So wet. Always dripping wet for me, Elle.”

I clawed at the bed, fisting the comforter tightly as my back arched. A moan escaped my lips as he continued to flick his tongue against my clit. My hands moved to the back of Ryder’s head, holding him in place as I quickly climbed toward the brink of my orgasm. “Ryder,” I panted. “Close, so close.”

He abruptly pulled away and flipped me over like a rag doll before pulling me onto all fours. “Oh, no you don’t. The only way you’re coming right now is on my cock.”

I peeked over my shoulder and watched him remove his shirt with one hand. He dipped a finger into my throbbing heat, swirling it around before adding another.

“Do you like that, baby?” he asked, his voice husky.

My eyes were fixated on his movements, watching as he pulled a condom from his back pocket. He ripped the package open with his teeth before rolling it down his length. I felt myself clench with anticipation.

“Tell me how badly you want my cock.”

He didn’t give me the chance before plunging into me, drawing another moan as a response. He held my hips as he slowly pulled back, before driving into me again and again.

“You’re so tight. It’s like you were made for me, Elle. So fucking perfect.” He suddenly pulled out of me completely, resting back on his heels. “Lay down, beautiful.”

I did as I was told, turning my body so that I was lying on my back and I spread my legs, giving him an open invitation to do whatever he pleased. He leaned down to trap me in a punishing kiss as he dragged his finger through my wetness again, smearing it all around my entrance. Fisting his cock, he lined himself up and entered me, filling me completely.

He groaned, lips breaking free from our kiss. “The way you fit around my cock is like heaven on Earth. We were made for each other, Elle. There will be no one else for me in this lifetime or the next. You’re mine.” He pumped in and out slowly, while my fingernails dug into the back of his neck, moans falling from my lips like music notes. His motions became faster and rougher the harder my nails nipped his skin. The sounds of our lust filled the air and pushed me closer to my release.

“You’re about to come,” he told me, slowing his thrusts, reaching his hand between us to circle my clit. The stimulation too much for me to handle, and as if his words were the key to my undoing, my climax washed through my body.

A scream tore past my lips as the water from my pasta boiled over and sizzled against the hot stove.

---