9. Falling For You
CHAPTER 9
FALLING FOR YOU
BAY
P lease don’t hurt me .
That’s the thought swirling in my head during the short ride to Ryker’s apartment.
If I learned something from what happened with Jagger, it’s that I’m not a casual sex kind of girl.
I don’t judge women who can leave their heads and their hearts out of bed, but I can’t.
Probably because I need to feel more than just physical attraction to get into bed with someone.
Physical attraction was the spark that ignited everything with Jagger without a doubt, but by the time we slept together, I had come to appreciate his caring side. His killer sense of humor, his sense of duty to his team and his family.
Obviously that must have been just an act, since he didn’t even have the decency to tell me in person that he got bored with me.
I shake my head as Ryker pulls into the parking lot of the same apartment complex where Lakyn used to live last year.
I need to get out of my head and concentrate on the hot man who just parked the car and looks at me as if I was the last cinnamon bun at an all you can eat buffet.
Ryker is just as tempting as the most decadent sweet treat one could ever imagine.
He’s tall and athletic, his short, dark brown hair was soft between my fingers and let’s not talk about his soft lips and his perfect jaw.
His ice blue eyes are mysterious and intense, drawing my gaze to his as he offers me his hand to help me out of his car.
His palm is slightly rough, his hand so big, it completely engulfs mine.
I lag slightly behind as he guides me toward the same building my sister used to live in.
If Ryker’s face is so perfect that he could be in a Hollywood movie, his long, muscular legs and his perfect ass wouldn’t look out of place on any fitness or fashion magazine.
I know I just said I need more than just physical attraction to jump into bed with someone, but hot damn.
“Bay?” he smiles as he waits at the open door for me to cross the threshold of his apartment. “Are you ok?”
Fuck.
He caught me ogling him. “More than ok.” I whisper, closing the distance between us and standing on the tips of my toes to reach his soft, perfect lips.
It felt as if time had been frozen or slowed down during the five minute car ride from the pier to his apartment. But the second our lips touch, things happen really fast.
Now that we’re alone, Ryker doesn’t hold back. His mouth owns mine, sexy and demanding but not overpowering as he kisses me everywhere, just like he promised.
He peels my clothes off kissing every inch of skin he uncovers as he makes quick work of taking off my damp sweater and bra.
“Oh.” I gasp when his mouth closes over my hard nipple.
The torrential rain that caught us when we left the fortune teller’s tent did a number on both of us and our clothes are soaking wet.
“God, have I ever told you that you have the most beautiful tits I’ve ever seen?” Ryker says as he leaves one nipple to zero his attention on to the other.
We’re standing in his living room, the lights are off, making our encounter feel a little secret and clandestine.
“Ryker,” I pant as he grazes my nipple with his teeth, sending a wave of throbbing heat between my thighs. “I thought you mentioned a bed?”
He leaves my breasts, his big, warm hand coming up to cup my face. “Fuck yeah,” he chuckles. “You’re so beautiful, you made me forget that I do have a bed. It’s just…”
I can barely see his eyes in the darkness, but hesitation ripples through the tense muscles of Ryker’s perfect body. “What’s up?”
Has he changed his mind?
The answer couldn’t be further from the truth. “Cinnamon,” the pad of his thumb strokes the sensitive spot behind my ear. “I want nothing more than to take you to bed and show you how much I fucking want you. But…”
A part of me expects him to say that this is just a one time thing. That tomorrow morning we’ll go back to being close acquaintances. Or friends at best.
Ryker’s next words shock me. “If you’ve changed your mind, we don’t have to do anything. I can take you home, or we can just sleep. I want you to want me just as much as I do.”
That’s surprisingly sweet. “Believe me Ryker,” I smile. “If I’m standing half-naked in your apartment, that’s because I want you too. I think you should know that not many guys have seen me naked. You can count them on one hand. My high school boyfriend, Topher, you and Jagger. I know some people see a popular girl, a sorority president and they get the wrong idea. I don’t get naked with men unless it means something to me?—”
I bite my tongue, realizing I’ve said too much.
“Do I mean something to you?” he asks.
I inhale a steadying breath. Go big or go home, right? If he gets cold feet, at least I’ll know Ryker Moore isn’t who I think he is. “You do. It isn’t just this crazy pull between us, the banter, the fact that you’re sexy. The way you were there for me earlier was—I think I might be starting to really like you.”
He crushes my lips with his. It’s a surprisingly deep but short lived kiss. “Thank fuck,” he chuckles. “Look Cinnamon, I told you how I came here to play hockey and nothing else.”
I nod, unable to resist the urge to lean into the hand that’s still caressing my jaw. “You did. No girls, no hookups. What did you say? Eat, breathe and sleep hockey.”
“Right,” he confirms. “But I’m starting to really like you too. What I didn’t need was the distractions of meaningless hookups, the drama of the puck bunnies and the groupies. That stuff was just weighing me down, as hypocritical as that might sound. You’re different, Bay. You aren’t just beautiful, you’re kind, smart and I don’t just like you, I admire you. I could fall for you.”
I feel heat rise to my chest. “I admire you too, Ryker.”
“I think I’ve just lied to you, Cinnamon.” He says softly. “I couldn’t fall for you, I already am falling. So if we do this, it isn’t a one and done. You’re not going to sneak out of my bed before I wake up. We’re going to see where this goes between us.”
My heart is beating so fast and so loudly, that he must be able to hear it.
I’m excited but also a little scared. “I think I’m falling for you too.”
RYKER
Her words should make me happy, but I still hear some hesitation in Bay’s voice.
“Did I scare you, Bay?” I ask, a little afraid of the answer.
“No. I just… I think I have feelings for Jagger and for Cole.” Her eyes drift down when she admits that.
That last part surprises me. “Cole?”
She nods. “I realized it when I came back from summer break, but a part of me probably has had feelings for him all along.”
Fuck me. Topher must have known somehow. He really is the fucking devil. He invoked that ridiculous bro-code because he knows Bay and he probably knew she cared for Cole a lot more than in a friendly way. And I bet my signing bonus with the Heroes that he knew that Bay isn’t just the hookup type and if she slept with Jagger, that meant she cared about him too.
The problem now is where does that leave me?
I am falling for Bay and I want her to myself. I’m about to take everything back and take her home. I can’t be used again to make someone else jealous. I can’t get caught up in someone else’s drama. I’m sick and tired of getting my feelings hurt like this. Alexis was just a friend but her betrayal doesn’t sting any less because of it. She still used me and I can’t let that happen again.
I open my mouth to tell Bay that this is a bad idea. That I should take her home when Madame Svetlana’s predictions ring in my ear.
C, R, J.
Those were Bay’s soulmate letter. It could indicate one person with three initials or…
Cole, Ryker and Jagger.
The fortune teller talked about three marriages. Is it possible that the prediction didn’t involve two divorces but three relationships that ran parallel to each other?
Madame Svetlana also talked about mirrors. About Bay and her twin having a common destiny. Lakyn has three fiancés. Is it possible that Madame Svetlana saw the same thing for Bay?
I drew B and W.
Bay Woods.
My mind goes back to the rest of the prediction I got.
Success and happiness but the only obstacle is possessiveness.
Could that mean that I have to accept Bay’s feelings for my two friends and teammates to have Bay?
The real question is could I share Bay with them? I’m the possessive type, and I’m extremely competitive. But what if my only chance at happiness was to set that possessive streak aside like the prediction said?
Usually I’m just as skeptical as Bay when it comes to what can’t be explained with logic, but for some reason Madame Svetlana’s words struck a chord with me.
I cup her jaw, lifting her face to make her look at me. She’s so fucking beautiful. “Cinnamon, it’s ok.” The words tumble out of my mouth easily. “We can figure this out together. Just promise me that you’ll give me, us, a fair chance.”
Her voice is full of hope. “Really? You aren’t mad at me?”
I stroke the edge of her delicate jaw with the pad of my thumb. “Mad? No, never. You’re being honest with me and that’s all I ask.”
“Then I promise. I really like you, Ryker. By the way I don’t think Cole and Jagger reciprocate my feelings. I just wanted to be completely honest with you, if we’re going to see each other.”
Fuck.
That should make me happy and yet… guilt twists my insides because it’s clear that Bay has no idea why Cole and Jagger have been avoiding her. Jagger fucked up royally, but it isn’t up to me to decide if he deserves Bay’s forgiveness. I don’t justify his actions, but I know there’s some big extenuating circumstances. At the end of the day, Jagger was trying to protect himself and do right by the team, even if he went about it in the most misguided way known to man.
A part of me thinks that it isn’t my place to help Cole and Jagger mend things with Bay.
“Don’t be selfish. Possessiveness and distrust are the things that could get in the way of your happiness.”
Those were Madame Svetlana’s exact words.
I open my mouth before I can talk myself out of it. “Look Bay, I want us to date. But I think you should talk to Cole and Jagger too.”
She sighs. “Cole has been avoiding me for a couple of weeks now. And Jagger made it quite clear that he doesn’t want to talk to me. He said that much in his text and when I went to talk to him before the game… he wasn’t alone.”
I hope I won’t regret my honesty. “Do you know that Topher wants you back?”
She rolls her eyes. “He can have me back when hell freezes over,” she snorts. “When I found him in my bed with Bianca, I was looking for him to break up with him. Things hadn’t been right for a while between us, but I had turned a blind eye to the fact that I wasn’t happy. Then I heard about something he did to my sister and how he was blackmailing people to keep me from finding out. So even if he had kept it in his pants, I would have ended things with him anyway.”
Bay’s words don’t surprise me. “Topher is back to his old ways then.”
Her eyes narrow. “What do you mean?”
I sigh. “I can’t exactly tell you, it’s one of those idiotic fraternity secrets. I don’t give a shit about it, because I’m not even really a Gamma anymore. But if Topher finds out that you know?—”
Bay isn’t just beautiful. She has a brilliant mind and that’s one of the things that make her so attractive. She immediately catches my drift.
“Are they avoiding me because of Topher? Does he have something on them?”
I nod. “It really isn’t my place to say, but you aren’t far off from the truth.”
Bay takes one step closer, her naked chest touches mine. “I’m not exactly sure this changes the situation, but thank you, Ryker. Now I think we should stop talking about Jagger and Cole and especially about Topher. That’s not why you brought me here, right?”
She’s fucking right.
“No, it’s not.” I touch her lips with mine and it takes seconds for her to open to me and for our kiss to turn into a hot, all consuming blaze.
“Fuck,” I nip at her bottom lip. “You have no idea how much I want you, Cinnamon.”
“I want you too, Ryker.”
Those are the best words I’ve ever heard. All my hesitation melts away and I lift Bay by the backs of her thighs, dragging her body up against mine.
She wraps her legs around my hips and I carry her into my bedroom.
We kiss all the way there, until we land on my king sized bed in a heap.
“Your bed is comfortable,” Bay giggles, peppering kisses along my jaw as I stretch to turn on my bedside lamp.
“Good. Because I hope you’re spending the night. I told you earlier, if we do this, no sneaking out at the crack of dawn.”
Bay’s eyes glitter with a hint of mischief. “Oh, that depends.”
I take the bait. “On what?”
“Does a night at your place include breakfast?” she provokes me.
I’m about to promise her the best scrambled eggs she’s ever tasted, when I remember Coach’s impending punishment. “Fuck. Coach wants us at the arena at six. So I guess I’ll be the one sneaking out at the crack of dawn.”
There’s understanding in her eyes. “Ah, yeah. After that loss, I’m not surprised. Coach Harrison is more a stick than a carrot kind of guy.”
Coach is the last thing I want to talk about right now. In all honesty I’m all talked out. “I just didn’t want you to be surprised if you don’t find me in bed when you wake up tomorrow morning.”
She giggles again, but this time there’s an edge to it. “Thank you. I would have probably wondered if I had done something wrong.”
I give her a soft, lingering kiss, looking into her eyes when I reassure her. “Never.”
The next kiss is deeper, hotter, harder.
Now that we’ve said everything we needed to say to each other, something in me snaps.
“I believe I promised to kiss every inch of your body,” I murmur, gliding open mouthed kisses down the column of her neck.
“Hmm, I’m not going to complain about that.” She arches, to give me better access once I reach the swell of her tits.
I lave her breasts with attention, kissing and sucking, biting her hard, pink nipples.
Bay is so responsive, writhing under my mouth, her fingers threaded through my hair.
Her tits are total perfection, but my target is a bit further down. My mouth explores the smooth skin of her stomach, teasing the soft skin at the edge of her panties.
I’m dying to taste her again, but I’m a man who always keeps his promises. I said I’d kiss every inch of her body, so my lips follow the perfect curve of Bay’s hips and descend all the way to her ankles. I keep on the outside kissing across her ankle to then climb up on the inside of her shapely leg.
“Oh Ryker,” she moans when I reach the apex of her thighs.
But I don’t continue my journey north. I focus my attention on her other leg, repeating my slow descent on the other side.
She squirms, clearly impatient.
“Ryker.”
I lift my face to look into her eyes and I love the heat I see in those bright blue depths.
My lips curl into a smile because I have no intention to rush this.
I take my time, kissing and savoring Bay’s soft, smooth skin.
When I finally reach her other inner thigh, I complete my journey by kissing the seam of her. I keep my kisses light, exhaling my breath over her.
“Oh my God,” Bay shudders when the tip of my tongue presses into the lace that covers her clit.
Her fingers hook under the fabric of her panties, ready to slide them off her hips.
“No,” I chuckle, lifting my face to look at her. “Let me. I’ve been thinking about doing this since last time, when I came to apologize for the pool incident.”
She opens her mouth to ask me what I’m talking about, but there’s no need for words.
I pull on the lace of her panties with my teeth, dragging the garment down her legs.
When she’s finally totally naked on my bed, I look my fill of Bay’s sexy body.
Our eyes lock together and I lower my face down to her ankle.
“Are you trying to kill me?” she gasps.
I chuckle. “No, Cinnamon. I just love to tease you a little bit. I love your reactions.”
I don’t give her the opportunity to say anything in response. I lower my head between her legs, delivering a long lick over the bare skin of her slit.
I go from entrance to clit, closing my mouth over her sensitive bundle of nerves.
“God.” She arches her back, her head thrown back.
Fuck, she’s so beautiful. Perfect.
All I want is to make her feel good.
I suck her tiny, swollen clit into my mouth and she almost flies off the bed.
“God, God, God.” She moans.
I’m not gonna lie, my ego gets a boost.
“Ryker,” she grabs the slightly longer hair at the top of my head, trying to drag me up the length of her body. “I need you inside me. Please.”
Normally, I wouldn’t let a woman ask twice. “Not yet. I’m sorry, I feel a little selfish right now, Cinnamon. I’ve been wanting to taste you again since last time and I want you to come all over my tongue.”
She bites on her bottom lip, considering my words. “I like that, but I need you to fuck me. Please.”
Sweet Jesus. Hearing her beg for my cock drives me wild.
“Oh, I’m gonna fuck you. I swear. But first you’re gonna come for me like a good girl.”
“What if I’m not a good girl?” she challenges me.
Oh, fuck.
That’s what sets Bay apart from every other beautiful woman I’ve been with.
The way she goes for what she wants, her fearless, determined streak is just as sexy as her perfect body. It pulls at my primal, controlling streak.
“If you aren’t a good girl, I’ll show you what happens to bad girls.”
“Do they get fucked?” She provokes me.
“Eventually,” I smirk. “But first they get taught how to behave.”
She doesn’t back down. “What are you gonna do? Spank me?”
My smile turns evil. “See? You know exactly what’s going to happen to you if you don’t let me eat your pussy to my heart’s content.”
Bay rolls her eyes. “Come on, Ryker. Spanking doesn’t really do anything for me. I want?—”
Slap.
Her eyes widen like saucers as my hand comes down on the same spot my mouth was on a second ago.
I didn’t hit her hard, just enough to get her clit to take notice.
“Oh,” Bay shudders. “That was… good.”
“So are you going to be a good girl now and let me eat you?” I provoke her.
She bites on her bottom lip again, stifling a smile of her own. “Nope.” She shakes her head, understanding the rules of our game.
“Then you leave me no choice.”
Slap.
Slap.
The first hit is quite gentle just like before, but the second time, I spank a little harder.
“God. Oh, God.” She cries out.
I take her into my mouth again, sucking a little harder, releasing her swollen clit with a pop. “So sweet. So naughty.”
My hand comes down on her again and this time I give her no chance to react. I follow the hit by sucking hard, grazing her with my teeth and then I lick, pressing the tip of my tongue directly onto her most sensitive spot.
There’s nothing like watching Bay come apart like that. My cock is definitely a huge fan of the way she’s moaning, writhing under my mouth as I keep eating her. I’m throbbing so hard that the second I’m going to be inside Bay, I know it’s going to be over very quickly.
“Ryker, please stop.”
She pushes me away, too sensitive for me to continue kissing her.
“Are you ok, Cinnamon?” I murmur, leaving a trail of open mouthed kisses as I crawl up the length of her body.
She cups my jaw, pulling my face to hers. “I’m more than ok. But if that’s how you punish bratty behavior, I hate to tell you, I’m a lost cause from now on.”
I smile. “You know I would never seriously hurt you, right?”
Bay nods. “I know. Look, since the second we met, you’ve been nothing but honest with me. I trust you, Ryker.”
The meaning of that statement isn’t lost on me. If Bay can trust me after the way Topher let her down, I need to step up too. Possessiveness isn’t the only obstacle to my happiness. I’ve been betrayed before, but I need to find a way to get past that. You can’t truly give your heart to someone unless you trust them to take care of it.
“I trust you too, Cinnamon.”
Her lips find mine and our kiss is soft, slow. “There’s just one thing I don’t understand.” Bay whispers.
“What is that?”
“How is it possible that you made me come so hard I almost passed out, but you’re still wearing all your clothes from the waist down?”
I shrug, pretending to be chill. “I didn’t want to assume. You can still say no and I’ll stop if you aren’t ready for more.” My cock is screaming at me, having even less chill than I do. But I want to do this right.
“I thought bad girls got fucked. Have I not been naughty enough for you, Ryker?” Bay pouts.
I struggle to keep my cool, but I’m hanging by a thread. “I just want you to be sure.”
“Lose your clothes, Ryker.”
Thank fuck.
I don’t think I’ve ever gotten naked faster than this. My jeans and underwear hit my bedroom floor one second after I kicked off my shoes and ripped off my socks.
I hover over Bay on all fours, careful not to crush her as I stretch to open the top drawer of my nightstand.
“I fucked up,” I groan, hiding my face in the crook of Bay’s neck.
She forces me to look at her, with two gentle fingers under my chin. “What’s up?”
I sigh as I admit it. “I came to Star Cove resolved to stay away from all kinds of drama. Eat, breathe and?—”
“And sleep hockey. Yeah, I know.” Bay interrupts me. “What does that have to do with us right now?”
“I was determined not to get involved with anyone, not even one night stands. So I didn’t bring any condoms.” My admission tastes bitter and I’m already wondering if Bay would wait here while I drive to the closest place open this late where I could find a box of rubbers. A grocery store, a night pharmacy, a gas station. I’m not beyond going to the bar on campus, I know they have vending machines in the restrooms.
Bay’s lips curl into a little smile. “Look, I don’t think condoms are a deal breaker. I’ve only not used them with Jagger. And we’re both clean. But if you feel uncomfortable without…”
Trust .
I don’t need to think about it twice. “I’m clean too, and I’ve never not used one before. Are you sure?”
“Fuck me, Ryker.”
Those are my new favorite words ever. I like them even more than Stanley Cup. Because right now? There’s nothing I want more than to have Bay.
“I’m not going to be gentle,” I warn her. “I can do gentle later, right now I’m too worked up.”
“I trust you.”
Those words again. I like them just as much as “fuck me, Ryker.”
“Hey,” Bay squeals, giggling as I wrap one arm around her waist and flip her around.
If I thought her tits were perfect, they have absolutely nothing on her ass.
I run a finger over the length of her pussy, tempted to go down on her again.
“Ryker?” she wiggles her hips, turning to look at me over her shoulder. “You can do whatever you’re thinking about doing later. If you don’t fuck me right now, I swear you’re going to be the next one to get spanked.”
While that would be interesting, I’m done waiting. “Yes, ma’am.” I chuckle but grab her hips at the same time and push inside of her.
“Oh, fuck.” I groan, unprepared for the feeling of Bay’s tight, wet heat wrapped around me.
My heart is pounding in my chest harder than after an entire rotation on the ice.
I give myself a moment before I start moving. Maybe I should have dashed out for that condom after all. She feels too fucking good, so warm, wet and sleek. I’m in real danger of losing it and embarrassing myself.
I move slowly, rearing back just a couple of inches before sinking back into her to the hilt.
She moans and clenches around me.
Sensation shoots from my shaft to the base of my spine and I grit my teeth. It’s like a warm current that causes everything to tingle.
My cock pulses in warning that this feels way too good.
I inhale a deep breath, giving myself a mental pep talk. Calm the fuck down, Ryker. If you come now, you’re gonna look like a fucking loser.
Possessiveness isn’t my only downfall, I’m also competitive as fuck. When I went down on her while Jagger was fucking her, my teammate didn’t blow his load the second he got inside her.
If I can try to accept Bay’s feelings for Jagger and Cole, and consider coexisting with them, I can’t be the worst lay out of the three.
I’ve always been number one on the ice and this is no different. I know I already made her come twice tonight, but I’ll be damned if I don’t get to experience the feeling of her coming while I’m fucking her.
I tighten my grip on her hips and thrust hard, repeating the movement a few times when she moans her approval.
In and out, deeper and deeper. I focus on the rhythm, ignoring the way my heart pounds in my ears and my balls tighten as they hit the soft skin of her pussy with every thrust.
Bay gets wetter, warmer, melting around me and meeting my movements by grinding her hips. I wrap my hand around her long, silky blonde hair, using her ponytail to get her to turn.
Her blue eyes are blazing with the same desire that’s coursing through me and we kiss fast, hard, hungry.
I keep my hand wrapped in her hair, pulling a little as I thrust into her, picking up my pace. I go as deep as our bodies allow, I want her to know that after this, there’s no going back.
Mine.
Mine to take. Mine to love, Mine to protect.
“Ryker,” Bay’s voice is strained, her inner walls fluttering around me, squeezing my shaft in the tightest embrace I’ve ever felt. “Please don’t stop. I’m so close.”
I’m barely hanging in there too. A part of me doesn’t want this to be over. This sweet torture is the best thing I’ve ever felt. But my body has reached breaking point and I can’t hold back any longer.
“I’ve got you, Cinnamon.” I snake my arm around her waist, giving a sudden, sharp tap to her front.
That’s Bay’s undoing. She comes with a little scream of surprise, her pussy squeezing me so tight that I have no choice but to follow her over the edge.
The head of my cock swells up and as the first shot of warm cum sprays out of me, the pleasure is so intense that white spots blur my vision.
I still, pulsing as I spill into her, my cock throbbing in synch with my pulse.
I’ve never come so hard and it takes me a second to come back down to Earth.
A shudder works its way down my spine when I withdraw, already missing the heat of Bay’s warmth.
She crumbles into my mattress and I gather her in my arms. “You ok?”
Her eyes are closed, but her lips curl in that little smile that’s starting to become familiar. “More than ok.”
I cover her mouth with mine, playing with her lips as I kiss her gently over and over.
I drag Bay up to the pillows stacked against my headboard. “Wait here.”
“Oh.” She gasps when I return from the bathroom with a warm, damp towel and clean her up.
“I made a little mess in there.”
She yawns, her eyes still closed but that smile just a little wider. “I like your mess.”
“I like you.” I say.
It’s fucking terrifying how much I like her.
Falling for her is exhilarating and a little scary. I hope she’ll protect my heart just as much as I’ll fight to protect hers.
“Let’s try to get some sleep. Six am is going to be here very soon.”
The only response I get from Bay is a soft snore. Like always, she’s a couple of steps ahead of me.