Page 43 of Blushing Bride

They were friendly, but only in a professional capacity. I found myself not liking their constant presence, almost wishing that the council hadn’t provided them in the first place. It felt like their hearts had been in the right place, but I didn’t like being watched all the time.

Honestly, I just wanted more alone time with Ryker without them there.

Ryker had grown up in an entirely different culture than mine, yet despite all that, I knew I was safe with him. We might be from rival city states, but I knew deep in my heart that he would never hurt me.

All my life, I’d heard rumors of Pacifica, about how their men were cruel, controlling, and merciless, but he was none of those things. In many ways, he was quite chivalrous, and while he liked to be obeyed, I had a feeling he would never force me to do anything I didn’t want to do.

That night, we laid several maps out on the ground and he took the time to listen to me when I explained what he was looking at. It was clear that he respected my expertise, often asking questions to further his understanding until we came up with a game plan that we both agreed upon.

The coordinates where we thought Cressida Labs might be located were about ten miles further south, but from the looks of things from our current position, it might take two or three days to traverse through the thick jungle and deep ravines that cut through the land all around us.

By the time we were finished discussing possible routes, I was exhausted.

“I should get to sleep. Tomorrow’s probably going to be a long day,” I yawned.

“Yes. But I want you to do something for me first,” Ryker murmured. His tone had dropped precipitously, and my core immediately spiraled with heated arousal at the sound.

“You will go to your tent and ready yourself for bed. Before you go to sleep, I want you to slip your fingers between those pretty thighs and make yourself come for me,” he directed. His voice had dropped low enough so that the only people that could hear were the two of us, but it still made me blush furiously all the same.

“Sir,” I whispered, mortified.

His stormy eyes flashed dangerously.

“Yes, sir.”

“Good girl. Make it a hard one for me. You deserve it,” he demanded, and I covered my face with my hands, but I nodded anyway.

This felt so deliciously scandalous. His gaze sparkled with it as I walked away.

A short while later, I lay in my tent, blushing furiously as I slipped one hand into my panties, finding myself just as wet as I always seemed to be with him. Already sensitive, it wasn’t difficult to push myself over the edge.

I came so hard that I had to slap my other hand over my mouth to keep myself quiet.

* * *

Ryker didn’t ask about the night before when we set out that morning. He just gave me a look and cocked an eyebrow. I knew what he wanted though, so I nodded, and he smiled knowingly. I turned my gaze to the ground just as quickly, both embarrassed and intensely aroused.

“Everyone ready?” Ryker called out. He scanned over the clearing as I pulled the straps of my backpack into place. This morning, we’d all emptied our bags and packed them with the essentials. Food. Water. Flint. A change of clothes. The works.

Ryker insisted on carrying much of the heavier stuff. At first, I’d protested, telling him that a woman could do just as much as a man could. He hadn’t argued with me, but he hadn’t let me carry more than he deemed acceptable. When I tried to carry even more, his expression had turned dark enough to let me know I was treading on dangerous ground.

Something about it gave me pause.

Would he punish me for real? I wasn’t sure, so I didn’t want to push it either way. I wasn’t ready to find out the answer to that question.

He’d spanked me once with his hand and with his belt, but neither one was meant to truly punish me.

“Ready,” I grinned.

“Dr. Vaughn, if that gets too heavy, you will tell me,” Ryker instructed.

“Of course,” I replied quickly. It remained unsaid, but I knew the underlying threat was there. Or at least, I thought it was. Unable to keep my curiosity at bay, I glanced up at him to see his stormy gaze still assessing me.

My bottom twitched and a shiver raced down my spine.

“I’ll take the lead. Dr. Vaughn, I want you to be just behind me. Seth, you and your men behind us,” Ryker directed.

“Got it, boss,” Seth answered.

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