Yeah, he wished that for her too.
He wished he could give her the confidence she had in every other aspect of her life and put it all in the way she dealt with her family.
“Ryleigh, I’m serious. Just…tell me what I need to do to help you relax about this.”
“You can help me make a charcuterie board.”
He burst out laughing. “Are you serious? That’s it?”
Luckily, she laughed with him. “Everything else is out of my control! I wish I could just go there like everyone else and not worry about anything, but…this truce between me and my mother is still new, so…I’m going to overthink everything. That doesn’t mean you have to.”
He had a feeling he’d be doing that anyway, just based on what he’d learned in the last month.
They arrived at the pub and her car and he kissed her. “Are you sure you need to work?”
“Mmm…” she hummed, pressing up against him. “It is kind of late in the day…”
“Your place or mine?”
“Yours,” she replied quickly. “You have the bigger bed.”
He kissed her again. “Then let’s go. I can get my truck later or tomorrow…”
Fortunately, she didn’t argue. She simply tossed him her keys and walked around to the passenger side and climbed in.
The drive was short, but Ryleigh took the opportunity to tease him in the sexiest of ways. Her top was more of a fitted cardigan and she unbuttoned it all the way, exposing the red lace bra she had on underneath. She slid her sunglasses off and placed them on the console.
“You don’t need to tempt me,” he told her. “I’m already going to have you as soon as we get to the house.”
Beside him, she let out a throaty little purr. “I know, but…I just thought I’d give you a little preview.” She licked her lips as she reached over and ran her hand over the front of his jeans. “Just like you’re giving me a little preview too.”
Her hand felt good over his growing erection, but there was too much denim in the way. “Ryleigh…” he growled.
“And just so you know…my panties match my bra,” she whispered huskily. “And it’s a thong.”
Ryker knew the grin he gave her was downright wolfish. “You did all that when you were just going to go home and work?”
She shrugged, causing the sweater to slip slightly off of her shoulder. “I had other plans for when I showed up at the shop, but you were busy.”
“Had I known, I would have thrown all of them out. I love the idea of the two of us christening the place.”
“Oh, we will. Eventually.”
“Fuck yeah…”
Her hand continued to move over him as her lace covered breasts rubbed against his arm. “You’re killing me, beautiful,” he murmured. “I’m about ready to pull over and do a little touching of my own.”
“Ooh…that would be very naughty.” Her voice was a husky whisper, and he was getting harder by the second. “I promise it will be worth the wait.” She gave him a not-so-gentle squeeze and he cursed even as she gave him an impish giggle.
“Just you wait,” he told her. “Two can play at this game and I know how impatient you can be.” Hell, he loved teasing her and bringing her to the brink over and over and over before finally giving her what she wanted. Maybe she was playfully retaliating right now, but he knew as soon as they got home, he wouldn’t be able to wait. He was going to have her—probably even before they made it to his bed.
Pulling into the driveway, he slammed the brakes, and barely had the car turned off before he was climbing out. As soon as they got out of the car, Ryleigh came around and kissed him—it was wet and deep and so full of promise that he lifted her until her legs wrapped around his waist. “Soon, baby girl,” he murmured against her lips. “Soon.”
“Not soon enough.”
Ryker pressed her up against the side of the car and ground himself against her until she was crying out his name. There was plenty of privacy out here—the property was heavily wooded—but there was no way he would compromise her that way.
At least not without getting her consent first.