Ryker (30 page)

At about two in the morning, we knew we needed to get some sleep. We were leaving the next day, so we had a long drive ahead of us. But I was so pumped that I needed a release, and I knew just who could give me that.

Back in our hotel room, Faith went into the bathroom to change. I laughed over the fact that she didn’t feel as though she could change in front of me. When she came back out, the clothes she’d just put on would come off.

“Ryker, I was thinking that we could—” She took one look at me lying naked on the bed and stopped talking. As she put her clothes in her suitcase, she said, “Can I help you with something?”

“Get over here, and I’ll show you what you can help me with.”

Before I knew it, she was kneeling next to me. “I think I know just how to help you. No need to show me.” She winked.

I wondered how I got so lucky to have her in my life. Not just because we were about to have sex, but because she loved me. Her head lowered, and she took me in her mouth. She placed her hand on the base of me and moved it up and down while her tongue worked to send me into orbit.

“Dude, I’m not going to be able to hold on if you keep doing that.”

She released me, licked her lips, and peeled off her pajamas with a smile. I flipped her over and spread her legs with my knees. Her legs spread wider as an invitation, and I RSVPed by thrusting into her. As her back arched, my mouth landed on her breasts. My tongue swirled around her nipples as my teeth grazed them. I knew I wasn’t going to last long, so I needed to make sure she was pleasured before I was.

I picked up my stride, trying to make her call out my name. As she did, I was brought back to the first time I’d heard her moan my name—her dream. The thought of that alone made me lose it. I groaned and brought my lips to hers. Our tongues danced, and my heart raced.

“I love you, Ryker.”

“I love you too.”

Tyf came to our room and told us they were ready to leave for home.

“Come on in,” I said. “Faith is almost ready.”

“Here I am! I’m ready. Hey, Tyf.” Faith was so cheerful in the morning. She hugged Tyf.

Max walked in. “Let’s get this show on the road.” He grabbed Faith’s bag and took it to my car. We had checked out already, so we were good to go.

“Hey, I need to make a stop first,” I said.

“Where to, man? We can grab food on the road, unless you’re hungry now.” Max closed the trunk and walked back to me.

“I need to go to the cemetery. It’s about five miles from here. You don’t have to hang around though. I can catch up to you.” I smiled. My car was better and faster than his.

“I’d like to come with you, if that’s okay.”

That surprised me. “Yeah, sure.”

As I drove down the tree-lined streets, I noticed a man playing catch with his son.

“You’re going to make a great dad someday.” Faith smiled and held my hand.

Kids?
“Do you want kids?”

Her face fell, and I felt like shit.

“Yes, I do. Don’t you?”

“Never really thought about it. I suppose if they had a mom like you, then yes.”

A broad smile graced her face. “Can you imagine a mini-you?”

“Um… no. I’d rather think about a pure little girl like you.”

“What happens if you have all girls and they meet boys like you?” she asked.

“I’d fucking kill those little pricks.”

Faith burst out laughing. “Then you’d better pray you have all boys.”

“You mean that
we
have all boys.”

She grabbed my hand, “Right, that we have all boys.”

On the way to the cemetery, I stopped at a florist and picked up some flowers. That was Faith’s idea, and it was a great one. Max’s car was behind us as we pulled into the cemetery parking lot, and I took a deep breath. I’d love to have a smoke, but I never did that there. Faith, Max, and Tyf followed me to my dad’s stone. I said a little prayer for him. I took Faith’s hand as she made the sign of the cross with her other hand.

We all walked around to the other side of my dad’s headstone, and there she was. All those years, I’d never been on that side of the stone. I knelt and placed the bouquet in front of her name. Laura M. Jeffries, Beloved Wife and Mother.

“Hi, Mom.” My voice cracked. “I didn’t know you were here, or I would have brought you flowers sooner.” I wiped my tears and felt Faith’s hand on my shoulder. “I brought my friends with me. My best friend, Max, and our friend Tyf. I have a wonderful girlfriend. Her name is Faith.”

With closed eyes, I prayed that she heard me. I took a breath and stood. My arm went around Faith, and I nodded at Max. I told them I had one more stop before we could leave.

Jimmy was in a mausoleum adjacent to the graves.

I stopped in front of his marble home and laid my hand on it. “Hey, pal. I was in town and thought I’d stop by.” I introduced my friends to him.

When I moved my hand off the stone, they saw the date of Jimmy’s death.

Faith gasped. “He died the date of my graduation party? That’s why you couldn’t come. You were here, weren’t you?”

I looked at the date. May 10, 2005. “Yeah, I was here."

“I’m sorry.” Tears rolled down her sun-kissed cheeks.

“Please don’t, Faith.”

“No, you don’t understand. I thought you just didn’t want to be there because it was my party. Then I was mean to you.”

I brushed her tears away. “You didn’t know. I never let anyone in. It’s fine, okay? Please don’t be sad.” I turned to Max and Tyf. She was crying too. “Thanks for coming with me, guys. It means a lot to me. You all mean a lot to me.”

Max smacked me on my back, and we all headed for our cars.

Being home was a relief. I had my best friend and my best girl by my side. Tyf was an added bonus.

As I looked around my house at my friends, I felt as if my life finally meant something. I’d grown up thinking I was unloved by my own mother, and to know that she did love me meant everything to me. My eyes met Faith’s as she walked toward me. Well, almost everything.

Five years later

Some things never change. Never mind, that’s not entirely true. My eyes wander to the pictures proudly displayed on our walls. Pictures of our wedding have a place of honor above our stone fireplace. I smile when I look at the photos of our boys: James Maxwell and John Ryker.

We got married on my twenty-second birthday, and we had twin boys almost three years ago. They’re our pride and joy. The day they were born was the happiest day of our lives. Seeing Ryker hold his sons without fear and watching him love them has made me happier than I’ve ever been.

Clanging pulls me out of my stroll down memory lane, and I follow the sounds to the kitchen. All my boys—yes, Ryker is one of my boys—are sitting on the kitchen floor. I stop in the doorway and look at them. Johnny’s flouncy blond hair reminds me so much of his father’s, while James has my dark hair. Ryker is just as gorgeous as the day I met him. They have pots and pans between their legs, and they’re banging on them with spoons. Ryker has propped up some covers on our barbeque tongs to resemble cymbals, which I think he’s enjoying more than our kids.

He catches my eye, and his loving smile appears. “Hey, Dude, I didn’t see you standing there.” Naturally, he gives me his obligatory wink after he says
dude
.

I shake my head and roll my eyes. Ryker will never stop calling me dude, so I stopped asking him to. He even worked it into our wedding vows
. “I, Ryker David Jeffries, take you, Faith Marie Dude Bishop, to be my lawfully wedded wife.”
That made me gasp, and our family and friends laughed. To be honest, I like when he calls me that, but that’s my little secret.

James and Johnny look up, and both boys spring up and run to me. They each pick a leg and hang on. I brace my hands on the doorframe so I won’t fall.

“Guys, you’re going to make Mommy go boom.” Ryker scoops up James while I pick up Johnny.

Johnny kisses my cheek and says, “Mommy, I’m tired.”

That is my little guy. When he is tired, he wants to go to sleep. James, on the other hand, fights us. God forbid the child miss anything. Of course, his father doesn’t help. As I walk toward the stairs to go to Johnny’s room, Ryker tosses James in the air. If James didn’t have the most adorable giggle, I’d tell his father to stop. I look at Johnny thinking he’ll want the same thing, but he is out like a light. His head is on my shoulder, and his arms dangle.

As I walk up the steps, I catch Ryker’s attention. All I do is smile and lick my lips. He nods and stops tossing our son around.

“Looks like it’s naptime, little man.” Ryker blows a raspberry on James’s tummy, making him squirm and squeal.

“Baby, you’re not helping the cause.” I laugh and go upstairs.

The boys’ room is decorated in a rock-n-roll theme, of course. They have pillows shaped like guitars, two miniature drum sets, and the infamous picture of Bonham is on their wall. I lay Johnny down with a smile. Someday we’ll tell him he was named after his father’s favorite drummer. Leaning over, I kiss his cheek, and cover him with his blanket.

Ryker walks in carrying James, who is fussing about not wanting to sleep. I cross my arms and raise my brows at my husband.

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” he says. “I riled him up. I’ll get him down. Don’t worry your pretty little head about it.”

I saunter over as he is bent over James’s bed, attempting to lay him down. Ryker’s glance tells me he knows what I want, so I stay on course. My breasts press up against his back.

“We have approximately one hour before Johnny wakes up,” I whisper. “I suggest you read James a book to calm him down. Meanwhile, I’ll be waiting for you… in our bed. Clock is ticking, handsome.” I kiss the spot behind his ear and then kiss James’s forehead.

Before I leave the boys’ room, I look back to see Ryker grabbing a book off the dresser. He’d better hustle, and James had better cooperate. Getting two kids down at the same time is not an easy task, especially when their dad made “awake” time so much fun.

I cross the hall to our bedroom, which is beautiful. We’d bought a new bed after we got married, and I decorated our room in soft, relaxing hues. But most of our time was spent on the tour bus, since Raging Urge played in various cities.

They’d hired me as their accountant, so the twins and I traveled with the band. The boys are about to start pre-school though, so that is all going to end. Ryker doesn’t want to leave us to go on tour, so he decided to split the time with Michael. I am happy about that, but I still enjoy going to the local shows in my “I’m with the band” T-shirt.

I strip and quickly change. I do my best to look sexy as I wait for him, but my black lace garter ensemble would go to waste if he didn’t hurry. I pair the outfit with sheer black thigh highs and the highest heels I have. I lay on the bed with my left arm above my head and my right hand strategically placed on the top of my panties. I bend one knee and pray I don’t look ridiculous.

Only a few minutes pass before Ryker opens the door. He stands stock still as he takes in the sight of me. My excitement grows when he rips his shirt over his head. My juices start flowing at just the sight of him. I swear his muscles get more pronounced every day. We had started going to the gym together after the boys were born because of my stubborn pregnancy weight. I’d complained, but he didn’t seem to mind it. He always said he loved me for me.