Chapter 10
CHAPTER 10
C arly opened her eyes and took in the silence of the room. She didn't have to roll over to know that Ryker wasn't in the bed with her, but that didn't stop her from doing it anyway, and she leaned forward and breathed in the scent of his pillow before settling back on her own.He'd pushed most of the blankets on his half up against her back, and his side of the bed was cool to the touch.
She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling while trying to bury her disappointment.
Sunday was the only day the shop wasn't open, and she liked spending the morning tucked against Ryker's side.
Of course, she'd been occupying that place for the past few days, and maybe he was getting tired of her. She didn't think so, but things had been different since her kidnapping, and they'd been around each other a lot more in the past five days.
Not only had she taken the rest of the week off from work, but Ryker had closed the shop completely for one day, and then only worked half days the rest of the week. The result was a lot more time together, and unfortunately, none of that time had been having sex.
She hadn't wanted to at first, but after a couple of days, she'd been ready, and now Ryker was the one holding back. They spent the days together in what she thought was a comfortable harmony, and she'd spent the nights wrapped in his arms, but aside from a few kisses, he hadn't touched her, and she was beginning to wonder if he wanted her to leave.
The thoughts didn't feel right, but she knew he never wanted to mate, and now that his cave had been invaded by her ex, maybe it was too much. When she'd tried to apologize for her ex being in his space, and getting killed there, he'd quickly shut down her worries, but they hadn't been back to the cave.
Well, she hadn't. Maybe he visited the space alone, and decided she was no longer welcome there.
Sadness swamped her, and she blinked several times, trying to fight back the tears that desperately wanted to fall.
After her ex was killed, it didn't take long for the law enforcement in the city to confirm that he'd fixated on her for some strange reason. They'd found lots of pictures and other things in his home that proved that he'd been planning to physically hurt her, and combined with the things that had happened in Hickory Bear Rapids, including her kidnapping, the case was closed pretty quickly.
After looking at all the evidence, Luke believed that the man had become obsessed with her after hearing about her move from her friend Jules. Because of the stolen car, he was already on a downward spiral, and hearing about her positive life changes could have pushed him over the edge. More so when she didn't answer his initial texts. Basically, because she wouldn't do or act the way he wanted,she became an easy target to blame for all of the bad things going on in his life.
She shuttered thinking about what could have happened if Ryker and Luke hadn't showed up to save her, but she pushed those thoughts away. She could spend all day going over different scenarios and possibilities, but honestly, she didn't want to know.
Luckily, she had been saved, and now the threat was gone.She could safely go back to her own home if she wanted to, but that wasn't what she wanted.
Unfortunately, she might not have a choice.
She took a deep breath and swiped at an errant tear racing toward her ear. She had brought a lot of stuff from her place, and she briefly wondered if she should start packing, but quickly decided against it. If Ryker wanted her gone, then she would get out of his space quickly, but she wasn't going anywhere until they talked.
"Hey, what's going on?"
God, she'd been so stuck in her own head, she hadn't even heard Ryker come in the room.
"Nothing." She shook her head, and turned on her side to face him.
God, he was gorgeous.
He was dressed in a long-sleeved, black thermal shirt that molded to his broad chest, and, as usual, a matching beanie covered his hair. She could see the silver and black strands tickling his neck, and it thrilled her to know she was one of the few people in town—if not the only one—who got to see him without the covering on.Dark blue, denim jeans covered his legs, and though she couldn't see his feet, she knew they were probably bare.
Bare and perfect, just like the rest of him.
He was holding a to-go coffee cup that looked like it had come from the bakery, and though she was feeling unsure about what would happen next, she couldn't help but smile.
"Is that for me?" She sat up, and leaned against the headboard.
He narrowed his eyes, and walked around to her side of the bed.
"It is." He handed her the cup, and sat down on the edge. "There's also a bunch of scones in the kitchen for whenever you get hungry. Why were you crying? Are you in pain? Do you need more meds?"
"No, I'm not in pain. I..."
She wasn't ready to have this conversation yet. Not when he was dressed and looking so perfect, and she was still in her pajamas probably looking like a hot mess. She wanted to be on even ground, and that meant she needed to shower and get dressed before they started discussing their future.
"I was just missing you," she shrugged, her voice weak. God, she sounded pathetic even to her own ears.
He reached forward and cupped her cheek with his palm, and the tender look in his eyes tore her up inside. She covered his palm with her own and closed her eyes.
"What's going on in that pretty head of yours, sweetheart?"
She should have known better than to think she could hide from him. She opened her eyes and dropped her palm, wrapping it around the coffee cup and clutching the warm drink to her chest as if it would serve as some sort of barrier to his words.
"Do you want me to leave?"
"Wha..."
He dropped his palm, and tilted his head, studying her. His bunched-up forehead would have been funny if her stomach wasn't doing somersaults inanticipation of his answer, and she inhaled deep, breathing in the normally delicious scent of the coffee. Unfortunately, the move had the opposite effect that it normally did, and she suddenly felt nauseous.
"No." He shook his head, and one side of his mouth turned up in a smile as he took the cup from her hand and set it on the nightstand. "I definitely don't want you to leave. Why would you think that?"
She got the feeling he was teasing her, and hope flared. Ryker wasn't cruel, and if he was teasing, then there must be a reason for it. Still, she wanted—needed—him to say the words.
"I basically moved in here after the kidnapping, and we've been spending a lot of time together, but haven't had sex. I thought you might have changed your mind about us, and just don't know how to tell me. My house is safe. I don't have to stay here anymore if you don't want me to."
Ryker smiled and shook his head, but when his gaze met hers again, all the humor was gone.
"You were hurt," he said, the words almost patronizing. He gently slid a finger over one of the scabs that still marked her wrist. "Your wrists were red and bleeding. That fucker drew blood on your face, too, and your legs were covered in bruises. I'm not taking you like that. Not when you're in pain. But, unless you want to leave, I'm not ever letting you go. I want you to sell your house and move in here permanently. If you don't like this place, we can find another one. I don't care. All I care about is having you in my life. And not just half way, either. I want to complete the mating bond, and I want you to marry me."
God, she wanted to marry him, too, but she shook her head. Before her kidnapping, he'd been very clear about his desire to never be mated again, and while they hadn't talked about marriage, yet, she knew this was way too soon.
"It's not too soon," he said, shaking his head, "and it's not because of fear. The odds of another incident like that happening again are basically nil, and though I could have found you faster if we had been able to communicate while you were missing,that's not what this is about. That's not why I want to mate. I want to mate because I love you. You're my true mate, and I don't want to live without you by my side. I will, of course. This isn't me saying I'm going to off myself or anything, but I'm tired of letting fear dictate my actions when it comes to my mate. I want to give you everything—all of me—and that won't happen until we complete the bond."
He wanted to give her everything… All of him.
Forever.
And that's what she wanted, too.
"I love this house," she started. It was beautiful, and he'd never shared it with his ex, so she didn't mind moving in. "But what about your cave? No one had ever been in there before, and now it's been tainted with Wheeler's death. Doesn’t that bother you?"
"It only bothers me if it bothers you. I removed the blood and packed down some new dirt that Luke gave me from the cave he likes to hang out in. We also found the spot that he was watching us from, and he didn't find it by accident. Most people don't venture that high into the park, so he had to have gone looking for it. Luke thinks he probably followed you here, and then saw us cross the bridge and got way too curious. He'd never been on the property before the day he took you. I know, because I would have scented him, so I know he'd never been in our backyard before. But, if that memory—or any other one—is too painful, then I have no problems moving. Hell, we can build a new house if you want, and just live somewhere else until it's ready."
She was touched that he would build them a new house somewhere else, but she didn't want that for them. She loved Ryker's home, and she loved the connection he'd made to the National Park. She hadn't been back in the cave, but she wasn't afraid to go there. What happened with her ex was a little traumatizing, but him bringing her to the cave hadn't ruined the space for her.
"I don't want a new house. I want to live here, with you. If the cave becomes a problem for me, then we can figure out what to do then, but right now, I feel okay about going back there."
"I like that plan," he said, digging into his pocket.
He pulled out a ring box and flipped open the lid, and all she could do was stare. A huge diamond sat in the middle of two smaller aquamarine stones, and everything was set in a platinum band. The blue stones were the same shade as her coat, and she knew he didn't just walk into the jeweler's and pick this ring up off the shelf.
"Before I got the scones, I got this," he smiled. "Marry me? Even if you never decide to complete the bond, I still want you as my wife."
"Oh, Ryker." Her eyes filled with tears. "It's so beautiful. When did you order this?"
"The day after we met."
C arly snapped her gaze to his, and he didn't try to hide.
Rykerhadn't wanted to admit the truth, not even to himself, but he wouldn't lie to his mate. He'd pushed the lunchtime meeting with the jeweler out of his head, but even though he'd been fighting it, he'd known that she was his from themoment they met.
"I know it hasn't been a perfect couple of weeks—I know I haven't been perfect—but I knew you were mine the moment you walked into my shop, and that will never change."
She held out her left hand, and though he would understand if she was nervous, it thrilled him that she was steady.
"Put it on me."
Confident, fierce, and oh so sexy. He loved everything about this woman, but he still needed her to say the words.
"I'm going to need you to say the words, sweetheart."
"Yes," she said, her eyes sparkling. "To everything. I want to marry you, and mate you, as soon as possible."
He reached in the box at the same time her words registered, and when he looked back up at her, she flashed him a knowing smile. His mate wanted to complete the bond now, and he wasn't dumb enough to deny her anything.
As he slid the ring down her finger, those thoughts didn't bother him like they would have in the past. Everything about Carly was different than it had been with his ex, and he was done wasting time comparing the two, because there was simply no comparison. He trusted Carly, and he knew their life together would be amazing.
"Oh, my god," she whispered, moving her hand from left to right. "It's even more beautiful out of the box."
"You make it more beautiful."
He leaned forward and slid one hand into her hair. He loved the way her locks looked when she first woke up. All wavy and out of control. It was the same way they’d looked after she'd rode him hard in the cave, and though they’d fucked in every room of the house, he’d only been inside her without a barrier that first time. He couldn’t wait to see them spread out all over his pillow while he sank his cock deep inside her channel with nothing between them.
He wanted to take his time and make everything perfect, but he could already feel his canines pushing against his gums, and they were both still fully dressed.
Well, he was.
Even though it was cold outside, Carly was dressed in a pajama set that consisted of soft short shorts and a matching tank top that hugged her gorgeous breasts perfectly. She wore socks to complete the ensemble, and when she moved around the house, she wore a zip-front hoodie to help keep her arms warm.
He smiled as he remembered the night before. They were watching a movie on the couch, and though her legs were wrapped in a blanket, she’d snuggled tightly against him.He'd barely paid attention to the film, because all he could think about was her soft body pressed against his hard one, taking all the warmth she needed.
His dick had been half-hard since he'd walked into the room, but the minute she'd said yes, he'd swelled to the point of pain. He could feel the zipper of his jeans pressing against his length, and his animal growled beneath the surface as he pressed his lips to hers.
He worried that he might hurt her, that maybe he should go for a run first to burn off some energy, but his mate was having none of that.
"You're not leaving me," she smiled, even as she kissed him back. "I'm already soaking wet, and I want my mate now."
She pushed him away, and ripped off her tank top.
Fuck!
Her nipples were hard, the taut peaks reminding him of candy, and her breasts bounced as she shimmied out of her shorts and panties.
"You're wearing too many clothes," she said, moving toward the middle of the bed.
She laid down flat on her back with her knees bent, and when she opened her legs, he could how wet she was. Her honey was glistening on the lips of her pretty pussy, and he could see her hard clit peeking out from under its hood. He ripped his shirt over his head, knocking the beanie off in the process, and undid his pants. He pushed the denim down along with his boxers, and kicked the material free before joining her on the bed.
He crawled up between her legs and swiped his tongue from her wet hole to her clit. The taste and scent of her made his bear growl beneath the surface, and he felt his canines push through. The only other time this had happened, he'd been buried in her pussy without a condom, and if he wasn't about to mark her, he would go for a run and not come back until he was too exhausted to do anything but let her ride him.
Luckily, he didn't have to do anything so extreme. He kissed her mound, and then kissed a path up her body, careful not to nick her soft skin. When he reached her mouth, he placed a chaste kiss on her lips, but kept his mouth closed.
"Let me see."
He smiled big, relieved when she smiled back. He wasn't sure why he was worried. She'd seen his canines extended before, but for some reason he'd been afraid that she didn't remember what she was getting in to.
God, that even sounded stupid to him.
"I want this to be perfect," he said, his words garbled. "But I can't go slow. I want you too much."
"It's going to be okay, Ryker," she said, holding his face in her hands. "I'm ready."
He nodded, and used one hand to position his cock at the entrance to her core. He tried to slide in slowly, to not take her like an animal, but her hands slid down his back and held onto his ass at the same time she lifted her hips off the bed. He sank into her channel swiftly, and a low growl escaped his lips.
"Fuck, sweetheart.”
He grabbed her ass and lowered her back down to the mattress, and she immediately wrapped her legs around him. The action pulled him deeper into her core, and he never wanted to leave. Her pussy fit around him like a glove, and he could feel the soft walls convulsing around his dick.He pulled out of her channel slowly, trying again for some semblanceofcontrol, but he was balancing on a thin thread.
He wanted nothing more than to slam into her cunt over and over, but they were about to complete the mating bond, and even though he'd told her that he couldn't go slow, he didn't want to ruin the moment. He pushed back into her slowly, and then she grabbed the nape of his neck and pulled him down for a kiss.
He stayed buried deep in her cunt, but kept his mouth closed while she licked the seam of his lips.
"Open your mouth for me," she said, moving her hips in a circle. The sensation caused his dick to throb, and when he growled, she used that opportunity to slide her tongue inside his mouth.
And then she moved her hips again.
"I need more, Ryker,” she said, her voice low and nearly breathless. “You have to move faster... and harder."
Each statement was expressed after dipping into his mouth and tangling with his tongue, and then she licked one of his canines the same way she'd done in the cave. That was all it took. A sizzle of electricity seemed to race through his body, and he tingled all over. He moved in and out of her hard and fast, and every time he sank deep, her pussy clenched around him like a vise.
He kept pounding into her, in and out, until she tore her mouth away from his and screamed his name. It was only a few minutes later, but holding onto his control so tightly made it seem like forever, and he groaned as he sank his canines into the juncture of her neck and shoulder. As soon as he made contact with her skin, he came, roaring his release while he continued to move in and out of her soaking wet pussy.
He continued to move until he was milked completely dry, and thenhe retracted his canines and licked the wounds to seal them. The bruise on Carly's shoulder was huge, and even though he'd done this before, he didn't remember the evidence being so grotesque.
He pulled back to look at her face, and found her watching him intently.
Fuck! Did I hurt you, sweetheart?
Not even close. She smiled even wider. That was amazing.
Yes, it was.
Then what's wrong?
Her smile faded, and he knew he was fucking everythingup again.
"Nothing’s wrong." He pulled his dick out of her channel, and laid down on the oppositeside of the bruise. She immediatelyturned toward him, and he wrapped an arm around her and leaned his forehandagainst hers. "The bruise is big, and it jarred me a little bit. That's all. I thought maybe I had hurt you or something."
"It only hurt at first," she said, snuggling closer. "After that it was nothing but pleasure. Will it be like that every time you bite me?"
"I don't have firsthand knowledge of that, but my parents said it did."
He didn't want to talk about his ex while in bed with Carly, and he was glad that she understood his meaning. His ex hadn't liked getting bitten as much as she’d thought she would, and she'd never let him do it again.
Oh, we're definitely going to test that out, and soon. But not yet. She kissed his chest before pulling away. I need my coffee and some of those scones. How many did you buy? Oh, and I have to see this bruise.
He watched her ass as she walked into the bathroom, wondering what it would be like to bite her there. He would have to do it on the weekend, and early enough that it would heal before the boys came over. Besides the fact that he didn’t want her to be in any pain—and sitting on a bruise that huge would definitely be painful—he also didn’t want to embarrass her, or share their sex life with anyone.
Whoa! This thing is huge. I wonder what it would be like if you bit my ass.
He glanced at the clock and decided they had time, and then he raced to the bathroom and bent her over the counter.