Ryker (22 page)

We didn’t speak as we drove to his place. Mrs. Bowers was gone, so we had the entire house to ourselves. I crossed the threshold and looked around. The home was old but cozy; I liked it. The food’s aroma made my stomach growl.

Ryker smiled. “Let’s eat. Then I want to show you around.”

We sat down, and he doled out food on the plates he’d placed in front of us. We both ate as if we hadn’t seen food in days. The meal was so surreal to me. Our relationship had changed so quickly that I was getting nervous that it was all going to end as quickly as it started. I cleared the table and placed the dishes in the dishwasher.

My arm was pulled back, and Ryker spun me around, making me lose my balance. He caught me. “Want to see my room?”

I bit my lip, and he pulled me up the stairs. He swung the door open, and I gasped. He had a king-sized bed adorned with a black comforter. I didn’t know if it was the color of the blanket or the size of the bed, but I was not only intimidated—I was turned on. He had a single drum in the corner and a framed poster of a drummer on the wall.

Pointing at the poster, I said, “Who’s that?”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Um…”

“Oh my God, you’re not kidding. Who’s the best drummer of all time?”

I smiled. “You are.”

His lips landed on my cheek. “That’s sweet. Thank you, but no.”

Who the hell was it, and why was I supposed to know? I didn’t say anything. I just stood there staring at the picture.

He walked up to the poster and moved his hand across the picture as if he was a model on
The Price is Right
. “This, my love, is John Henry Bonham. He’s the drummer for Led Zeppelin. No one hit the skins like he did. The best drummer of all time. How do you not know him?”

Did he just say “my love”? My eyes didn’t move from him. I stood stock still.

“Faith? Did you hear me?”

“What?”

“How do you not know him? He played ‘Moby Dick’.”

My face lit up. I knew
Moby Dick
. He must have realized which Moby I knew.

“Not the book.” He rolled his eyes. “‘Moby Dick’ the song. You do know who Led Zeppelin is, right?”

“Yeah, Max listened to them. They sang… um… wait… I know this.” I didn’t really remember. I mean, I knew, but I kept hearing him say “my love.” “Oh! They sang that stairway song.”

“I need to seriously school you on music. You’re scaring me.”

“I’d rather you schooled me on other things,” I said.

“Let me get my sticks.” My eyes widened, and he laughed. “You’re something else, Faith Bishop.” He tossed the pillows aside and pulled back the comforter. “I’ve wanted to get you out of these clothes since you put them on.”

No one had ever said anything like that to me. Men always passed me over, maybe because of my attitude toward casual sex or the way I looked. But Ryker was different. He surprised me. I was comfortable with who I was, and he never made me doubt that.

His deft fingers undid my buttons. His eyes were focused, and I knew a plan was stirring in his mind. His hands went to the lapel of my blouse. His lips grazed my shoulders as he moved the fabric down my arms until it dropped to the floor. My nipples hardened against my white lace bra, which he unclasped with one hand.

“Let me look at you.” Hazel eyes perused my body from head to toe. “You really are beautiful.” He lowered his head and pulled me in for a hug. “I wish I hadn’t waited this long to figure us out.”

I sighed. I wished he hadn’t either. “It doesn’t matter. What matters is you did and we’re happy, right?”

“Yeah.”

My black skirt didn’t stay on for long. In one swoop, that was off, and I was left in my white lace boy shorts. His hands caressed my ass. I lifted off his T-shirt, and he took off his pants and boxers. He was so gorgeous. Staring at him could become one of my favorite pastimes.

He licked his lips. “Take those off and lay down.”

Without hesitation, I did what he requested. He tapped his hands up and down my body as if he was playing a song. His fingertips were all over me. He spread me open and tapped on my clit in quick motions. As he kneeled between my legs, his hands moved up to my breasts. He squeezed them while keeping a perfect beat. He grinned and raised his eyebrows up and down as he lowered his mouth to my center. His piercing did things to my core that had me squealing and writhing. I was going to lose it at any moment. His constant teasing was driving me insane.

“Did you know that Bonham played part of ‘Moby Dick’ with his hands?”

Of course I didn’t know that. I still didn’t know what song he was talking about. He leaned over me and placed his iPhone on a dock. He pressed a button, and a song started. It wasn’t a romantic song, but the way his face lit up excited me. “The Star Spangled Banner” could have been playing, and I wouldn’t have cared
.

“I’m going to play a little ‘Moby Dick’ on you.” His body was between my legs. He pushed my thighs farther apart. “See these?” He held up his middle and ring finger on his right hand.

I nodded, and my breathing quickened. He thrust one finger in me and worked it in and out, making me moan in delight. He pulled it out then inserted both, curling them just right. My hips bucked off the bed.

“This spot.” He curled his fingers and touched me in a way that sent me into orbit. “That’s my bass drum.”

Ryker pulled them out, and I felt the loss. My breathing was ragged.

“See this?” He held up his thumb. His voice was raspy and deep.

I blinked in acknowledgement as I swallowed hard.

He plunged both fingers back inside me as his thumb circled my clit. He winked and applied more pressure to my sensitive spot. “This is my snare.”

All sense was leaving me, making me gasp for air. “I like the way you play the snare.”

Ryker chuckled. He used his other hand to pinch my nipple, making me squeal. “And that’s my cymbal. Dude, ‘Moby Dick’ is my favorite song to play on my drums, but playing it on your body makes me love it more.”

With my breath coming out a tad ragged, I pleaded, “Ryker. Please.”

He didn’t stop. He pushed his tongue in me, and I felt myself release. He made my body feel things it never had, and I couldn’t wait to experience it again.

“Faith, I need to be in you.” He reached over me and grabbed a condom out of the drawer of the nightstand. He turned off the music before he rolled on the condom. “I’ll be gentle. I know this is only your second time.”

I was a little scared to ask, but I needed to know. “Does that bother you?”

“Bother me? Does it bother me that I’m the only man who’s been inside you? No way. It turns me on more than you know.”

My body relaxed as he entered me. I didn’t feel the same pain as the first time. The only thing I focused on was him and the love I felt for him deep in the crevices of my body. Would the words “l love you” scare him? I wasn’t ready to take that chance.

His movements were tender. My hands were on his back, and we were face to face, eye to eye. Sweat beaded on his brow as he picked up his pace. He rolled his hips. I tightened around him and closed my eyes.

“Look at me. Let me see you when I bring you pleasure.”

My eyes slowly opened, and he smiled, making me reciprocate.

“Ryker, I think I’m going to…”

Those words were all he needed. My hands lowered to his most perfect ass. We called each other’s names, and after a few more thrusts, he collapsed on me. His long hair tickled my chin.

He lifted his head and kissed me. “You’re special to me, Faith.”

“You’re special to me too.” A lone tear escaped my eye.

His face became full of concern. “Did I hurt you?”

“No, just the opposite.”

“But I have in the past. I’m so sorry about that.” His head dropped. “I hope you understand why I wanted to keep my distance.”

I cupped his face, making him look at me. “Yeah, but no more apologies, okay? You’re not going to put distance between us anymore, right?” That empty bed on Sunday morning flashed in my mind. I knew I wasn’t spending the night, but I wouldn’t just leave.

He just looked at me.
Shit.
Did I say something wrong? I needed to get ready to go home. I had work in the morning, and he needed to drive me home. I pulled the sheet back and climbed out of bed. He didn’t move or ask where I was going. I picked up my clothes that were strewn around the floor and went into the bathroom.

After I was put back together, I walked out of the bathroom. He was sitting on the edge of his bed in a pair of basketball shorts. He looked at me, and I got nervous. Something in his eyes wasn’t right.

His hand pushed his hair back. “You think I want distance?”

I’m an idiot
. “No?”

“Was that a statement or question? How could you not know?” He stood and grabbed a T-shirt out of the dresser. His back tensed.

I needed to rectify this situation. My bare feet padded across the carpet, and my arms went around his chest. I kissed his back. “I do know. I don’t know why I said that.” I knew why. The question was, should I tell him? “I’m scared, okay? That’s it.”

He turned in my arms. My eyes fell, and he dipped down to force me to look at him. “Of me? Are you scared of me?”

I shook my head. “No. I’m scared of my feelings for you.” It was my turn to ask the question. “Don’t you know how I feel about you?”

He just stared at me.

I closed my eyes and tried not to just speak. I looked into his sad hazel eyes. “I want to love you, Ryker, but you need to
let
me love you.” My body trembled. “If you
want
to let me.”

He grabbed me and pulled me toward his hard chest. I felt the beat of his heart, strong and steady.

“I don’t remember the last time I heard those words, or the last time I’ve said them,” he said.

I held him tighter. I knew I’d made the right decision to tell him what I wanted.

His arms loosened, and he looked at me. “I want to love you too. You’re the most important person in my life. I’d give up my sticks for you.”

My eyes watered. He devoured my mouth, and I contemplated calling in sick tomorrow so I could stay with him.

Then I had an idea. “Come home with me tonight? Stay with me?”

His smile said it all. He grabbed my hand. “Let’s go.”

Waking up next to Faith two days in a row made me feel as if my life had purpose. I watched her sleep and grazed my knuckles down the side of her cheek.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled. “Good morning, handsome.”

“Good morning, Dude.”

She rolled her eyes. “Are you ever going to stop calling me that?”

“Nope. I like it. Want some breakfast? I can make it while you shower.” Thoughts of her in the shower flashed through my mind. “Unless you need me to wash your back.”

“Mmmm… that sounds nice, but if we do that, I’ll never get to work.” She sat up and stretched. The sheet fell. She was still naked from the fun we had the night before.

I ran my hand down her arm to her hip. “Your skin is like velvet. I could touch you all day long. But we don’t have all day because you have a job and I have practice.”

She gave me puppy dog eyes over her shoulder. “I know, I’d rather stay with you. Here in my bed.”

“I’d like nothing better, but I need to practice. We head out to North Carolina in a few days, and we have a gig Saturday night at The Pub.”

“Oh. The Pub.”

I knew she was thinking about Tori, so I thought I’d remind her of one of her finer moments. “Yeah, the place where you decimated me by telling the world I was a Casanova.” I chuckled. “Thanks for that.”

“You deserved it. I’ll miss you when you’re in Carolina.”

“No, you won’t.” What was she talking about?

She got up, and I watched her body as she walked into the bathroom. I waited for the toilet to flush, then I went in.

In a flirtatious tone, she looked at me and blushed. “Excuse me, can I help you?”

My dick stood at attention at the sight of her. “Yeah, why are you going to miss me? You’ll be with me.”

The look on her face said that she hadn’t realized I expected her to be there. No, I wanted her to be there.

“Dude, you’re coming with me, aren’t you?”
Please come with me. I don’t want to be there to begin with.

“You want me with you?” Her eyes filled.

I was confused. “Always. I want you with me all the time. We can ride down together, stay together, and make love over and over.”

She giggled. “Over and over? Won’t you be tired?”

“Baby, drummers bang all night long.” I winked.

She laughed. “Okay, if Tyf goes and I can get the time off I’ll go too.”

I was getting nervous. “Fuck that. I don’t care if Tyf goes. If you can take a couple days off, please, say you’ll come with me.”

Her brows lowered as if she was trying to figure out a mystery. Could she know me that well? I contemplated telling her all the reasons I needed her there.

“Okay, if it means that much to you, and if drummers can bang all night long, then you’ve got yourself a date. Now I need to shower.” She opened the shower door and turned on the water.

I needed to be with her again. “I’ll wash your back.”

Her smile said it all. She climbed in, and I followed.
Screw breakfast.