Page 24 of Between the Flames

CHAPTERTWELVE

Going home with the guy from the bar probably wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had. After letting Ryder invade my thoughts after so many months of not thinking of him, I needed to at least try to finish out the night without him on my mind. Much to my dismay, my efforts were completely wasted. There was just no escaping the thought of him. I knew that spending the night with a hot guy wouldn’t rid him from my thoughts, but here I was, giving it a shot anyway.

I thought about backing out—making some excuse and hightailing it out of here. I could say no and leave as quickly as I said yes, but as the guy from the bar fumbled with the zipper of my jeans, I realized not only did I not want to go through with this; I needed to.

Ryder was very much still married and I—I had unfortunately realized that I was still infatuated with him.

Eight. Fucking. Years. Later.

Bar guy and I undressed quickly, our kisses frantic, sloppy, and full of teeth. He lightly pushed me down on the bed, watching as my boobs bounced on impact. A hungry growl escaped him as his eyes hooded with desire.

I, on the other hand, felt nothing.

He moved down my body, licking and nipping as he traveled south, and I watched him with boredom. I stopped him just as he reached my center, pulling him back up and meeting his lips in a bruising kiss. Reaching between us, I caressed his length, hard and ready to go.

“Do you have a condom?” I asked, peeking up at him beneath my lashes. I was playing coy, trying to come off as interested in this as he was.

The bed dipped as he leaned over and reached for his pants off the floor, pulling a condom from his pocket. I choked a laugh back down my throat as he tore the wrapper with his teeth; a move I had only seen done in movies and wasn’t nearly as sexy as it would have been on the big screen. He rolled the condom down his shaft, pumping it a few times, watching as I laid back and made myself comfortable beneath him. He used his fingers to play at my entrance for a moment, checking to see if I was as ready for him as he was for me. I wasn’t, but he felt that I was wet enough for him to go for it. He leaned down, pressing his lips against mine as he thrust into me inch by inch. It had been a while since a man had been inside me, and I let out a hiss as my body adjusted to his.

He stilled, waiting until I gave a slight nod before he started moving. As he moved in and out of me, my eyes squeezed shut, trying to drown out the sounds of his grunts.

Maybe this was a mistake. He was trying to make it pleasurable for me, he really was, but he just kept missing the mark.

Maybe if I kept my eyes closed, I could imagine it was Ryder slipping in and out of me right now instead of what’s-his-name from the bar. Suddenly, the fantasy played in front of my eyes like a movie.

Ryder’s hand slipping down between my legs, feeling the pulse beating in my most intimate parts and making circular motions in a way he just knew I would like. His breath mingling with mine as he hovered above, lost in pleasure.

My heart rate started to increase, and I felt the vibration of a low moan escape past my lips. Bar guy thought it was for him and sped up his pace, pounding into me more frantically. The realization that I could actually salvage this and get myself to the point of orgasm had me tilting my head to reach his ear.

“Mike, flip me over,” I whispered breathily.

“It’s Matt,” he responded between grunts, and my cheeks burned with embarrassment. It was clear Matt wouldn’t let my slip up ruin the mood though and without hesitation he obliged, pulling out and flipping me like I weighed nothing.

Okay, so maybe that was a little hot. He repositioned himself at my entrance and thrust inside me with one fluid motion, matching the pace he was at before. Snaking his hand around my stomach, his fingers found my clit. He began rubbing circular motions, just as I had fantasied, drawing a moan from me.

Ryder’s muscular arms held me close as he fucked me from behind, pounding into me with a force that caused the air to escape my lungs with every thrust. His fingers expertly played with that sensitive bud while his other hand grasped my breast roughly, pulling me back into him as we moved at a faster pace.His growls vibrated through me as he circled his hips, biting down on my shoulder while I screamed his name.

Within seconds, I was crying out, shaking as I climaxed hard, my walls throbbing and tightening around Ryder’s hardness inside of me.

As I came down from the clouds, though, reality snapped me out of the moment.

This wasn’t Ryder holding me close and kissing my neck.

This wasn’t Ryder pulling out of me.

As my orgasm subsided, shame began to wash over me, but I refused to let it. I was a single, consenting adult, and I can guarantee I wasn’t the only woman tonight, somewhere in this world who had or was having an orgasm while fantasizing about another man.

Repositioning myself on the bed, I looked up at bar guy, watching him roll the soiled condom off of his shaft and dispose it into the trash can by his bed. He positioned himself beside me, laying on his side and propping himself up by his arm so that he could look at me. Both of us were still naked and I could see his eyes rake over my entire body before landing back on my face. The urge to cover myself engulfed me as he licked his bottom lip, his eyes darkening. I could tell he wanted to say something, but I stopped him by leaning forward and pressing a quick kiss against his cheek before he could.

“I’ve got to go,” I told him, rolling away from him and off the bed. I bent down to grab my dress and threw it over my head, searching for my panties. After locating them, I pulled them on and decided to skip the bra, tossing it into my open purse instead. He said nothing, watching in silence, as I sat in the chair beside the bed and pulled my heels back on.

“Can I get your number? I’d love to take you out sometime,” he asked, confidence waning as he watched me trying to get out of there as fast as possible.

I wavered, deciding whether to just be cordial and give him my number or to shoot him down completely. I wasn’t the type who could lead a guy on and not feel guilty about it, but I had also never been in a one-night stand situation, so I was really unsure of how to handle myself at the moment. I looked down, willing my brain to make a choice and say something, anything, because at this point I was making it awkward.

Thankfully, bar guy, ever the gentleman, let me off the hook.

He slipped off the bed so quietly I hadn’t even realized he was standing in front of me until he gently cupped my face with one hand.

“Hey, it’s okay, I get it,” he said softly, tilting my head to look him in the eyes. We stared at each other for a minute before I burst out laughing, the sweet and tender moment ruined by his dick hanging limp between his legs as he stood there, still completely naked. He let go of my face, laughing as he took a step back, shrugging his shoulders.

Knowing that no other words needed to be said, I pulled on my sweater and secured my purse strap on my shoulder as I reached for the doorknob. I gave bar guy one more awkward glance and a friendly laugh as I stepped out of the threshold and shut the door behind me.

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