Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
C arly glanced down at the screen of her phone while she waited for Ryker to open the door. The message was from a different number than the other ones she'd received, but she was pretty sure they were all from her ex. It was the only thing that made sense, even though the whole situation didn’t make sense at all. Why text her at all—and why use four different numbers to do it?
The messages were harmless—though incredibly annoying—and she didn't understand the point. Texting things like ‘how are you’ and ‘what are you doing’ made no sense to her. Especially since she hadn't talked to the man in almost two years.
Of course, they could all be random and have nothing to do with each other, but she didn'tthink that was true. More so because the first one had arrived the day before, not long after talking to her friend, Jules, and she rarely received random texts. If she did, they never came in like this.
Four texts in less than twenty-four hours, all from different phones, seemed excessive, and she was glad her ex lived in a different city that was very far away from where she was now.
Jules told him where you live.
Her friend had given out that information, but honestly, telling someone what town she lived in really wasn't that big of a deal. Especially when that person was a friend of a friend. He was an ex-boyfriend, sure, but they hadn't ended on bad terms, and though she didn't like the idea of him knowing where she lived, she wasn't hiding from anyone.
Still, the texts were becoming too much, and an uneasy feeling settled over her at the same time Ryker opened the door.
He took one look at her and pulled her inside, and then he scoured the street with his eyes, as if looking for a threat. His actions were sexy as hell, and though she was sure nothing was out there, she felt safe and protected in his presence.
Once seemingly satisfied that there were no threats, he joined her in the foyer.
"What is it," he asked, gently pulling off her hat. "What's wrong?"
"Sorry," she said, surprised that he could read her so well. "Nothing's really wrong, but I've gotten a few annoying texts today, and another came in right before you answered the door. I just felt strange about them."
She shrugged, and started pulling off her gloves, and then bent down and grabbed the bag she'd set on the floor and handed it to him.
"I got almond croissants from the bakery on Main. I hope you like them."
She smiled, but Ryker's face was set in a scowl, and he didn't take the bag.
"What kind of texts?"
He growled the words, and she felt the rumble all the way to her core.
"Stupid ones," she said, pulling out her phone. She showed him the last one, and he growled again when he read the words. "My friend gave an ex my number and told him where I live now, and then these messages started coming the same day. I keep blocking them, but they are all from different numbers, and I don’t know if any of them actually belong to him. I haven't talked to the guy in almost two years, so him texting me doesn't make sense, but it also seems like a strange coincidence, and I just felt weird about it."
"Understandable," he nodded. "Did things end badly between you two?"
"No," she shook her head. "I mean, I was the one who ended things, but he had no problem letting me go. If he didn't live so far away, I'd say it was just a booty call or something, but I have no idea. I also don't care. I don't want to talk to him, and the texts are more annoying than anything. I just hope he gets bored soon."
"If it gets more frequent, or more...," he shook his head, seemingly unable to find the right word. "If they get more anything, then I think we should report it to Luke. If you don't feel comfortable talking to him, then one of the deputies. Promise me."
The last two words fell out of his mouth on another growl, and she realized that she would promise him anything if he kept using that delicious rumble. Liquid heat dampened her panties, and all she wanted to do was strip down and ride his thick cock. She glanced down and bit her bottom lip when she saw the huge bulge between his legs.
"Carly."
She met his eyes, and smiled. He obviously wanted her as much as she wanted him, but he was also waiting for her response, and she knew he wouldn't budge until she acquiesced.
"I promise."
The look on his face was almost feral, but she wasn't afraid. In fact, she wanted to laugh at how much she wanted him, but then he took a step toward her, and all thought of laughing died.He placed his palms on either side of her face, his fingers gently cradling her head, and then he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. Her free hand immediately went to his chest, and when he kissed her again, she closed her hand into a fist around the fabric.
She could feel the heat radiating from him through her coat, and once again, she wanted to know what it felt like to touch him skin to skin.
The first few meetings of their lips were soft and sensual, but when he slid his tongue inside her mouth, the dueling of their tongues became hard and urgent. She dropped the bag of croissants onto the floor and slipped her hand under the hem of his shirt. Her fingers slid over his abs, and every bump was warm and hard.
Unfortunately, the sound of the bag hitting the tile seemed to break the spell, and he let her go, taking a small step away. The distance was minor—she could still touch him—but a second later his hands gently closed around her wrists.
"We have to stop," he said, his breath ragged.
"What? Why?"She definitely didn't want to stop.
"Because I haven't fed you yet—or given you the grand tour—and I didn't invite you over just for sex."
Which meant he did want sex, but just not yet.
She could live with that.
"Okay, fine." She sighed heavily, teasing him, and started unzipping her coat. "I am excited about the tour. I love that your place is so close to the river. Do you ever have to worry about flooding?"
"Never," he shook his head. "The banks are surprisingly high in this area, and the river is wide enough that when extra water does come through, it doesn't reach the top."
"That's amazing."
A bout thirty minutes later, Ryker stood out on the deck, and smiled as he watched Carly chop up a tomato for a small salad. He wasn't a huge fan of salad in general, but something told him his mate would want more than steak and grilled potatoes, and he'd been right.
In fact, even though she'd eaten heartily the night before, she'd laughed when he'd showed her the steaks he'd prepared for the grill. He liked meat, and a lot of it, and he'd forgotten that most humans—even full-grown men—couldn't easily finish a steak cut the same size that a bear shifter could eat.
"No way," she'd laughed, shaking her head. "There's no way I can even eat a fourth of that thing. I do love grilled potatoes, though, and I can eat a ton of those."
He knew she wasn't lying, and he also knew she was telling the truth when he'd asked her about the salad and she'd been impressed over the fancy lettuce mix he'd purchased. He didn't think Carly was someone who always had to have expensive things, but he knew she had good taste, and he'd wanted to impress her.
She'd taken over salad duty easily, which had impressed him in return, and he had to admit that working in tandem like this soothed his bear in a way that he didn't even know was possible. His ex had made her share of meals, and had taken care of their boys while he worked, but they'd never really fit—not even when they were doing stuff together as a family.
Being with Carly like this was definitely something he could get used to, and he couldn't stop the wave of fear that washed over him. It was only their second date, but she looked right in his kitchen, and felt right by his side. He still didn't want or need a mate, but he knew that the more time they spent together, the harder it would be to let her go.
He thought about the kisses they'd shared, and wondered if he was doing the right thing by allowing himself to touch her. Or even see her. Hell, maybe he should have never even asked her out. And what the hell had he been thinking bringing her to his home. Now that he'd given her a tour, her scent would linger in every room, and it would take forever for the smell to dissipate.
Fuck me!
He'd been thinking with his dick when he'd invited her over, and now he would have to let her down easy. Because Carly wanted him almost as much as he wanted her. He could see it in the way she looked at him, and because they were made for each other, he knew she could feel the pull between them, even if she didn't know exactly what it meant.
He looked at her again, and when she noticed him staring, she smiled and waved, and he was lost all over again.
He loved thatshe was a strong woman who could hold her own, but she had a playful, almost innocent side, too, and the combination made up the perfect woman.
Earlier, as they'd toured the house, she'd gushed over the light entering every room, and had been enthralled with the views of the forest from the upstairs windows. When he'd taken her to the river bank, she'd been amazed at how low the water was, and how many rocks helped make up the rapids.
Unless she was the greatest actor in the world, she loved nature almost as much as he did, and seeing her excitement did something to him. In that moment, he'd wanted to skip dinner and take her to his secret spot, but something still held himback.
Fear.
Beneath the surface, his bear growled the word, and he couldn't stop the wave of anger that swamped him. He wasn't afraid, he was smart. Something he hadn't been twenty-eight years ago when he'd taken his first mate, and he wasn't about to make the same mistake twice.
Except Carly didn't feel like a mistake, and his ex always had.
What did that mean?
He shook his head, and opened the lid of the grill to flip the steaks. Shit! He'd let his mind wander, and he'd already ruined one side of the meat. He told himself it didn't matter, that he didn't need—or want—to impress Carly, but he knew the words were lies. He definitely wanted to impress her, and he'd fucked it all up because he couldn't get out of his own head.
He heard the sliding door leading to the patio open, and when he looked up, he was once again struck by how beautiful his woman was. She'd put on her light blue coat, the one she'd been wearing when she'd picked up her car the day before, but her hair was down again, and he wanted to wrap the strands around his fist and pull as he fucked her from behind.
As if she'd read his mind, she traced her top lip with her tongue, and his dick swelled.
"Oh, it's freezing out here," she laughed, zipping up her coat. "The salads are ready, are the steaks almost done?"
"Almost. I let my mind wander and burned one side, but they'll still taste good."
"Of course they will," she said, as if stating the obvious. "Do you want me to get your coat?"
He was shocked that she wasn't worried about the steaks, but deep down, he knew he shouldn't be. Without even trying, she made it really hard not to like everything about her, and that was a problem when he was trying to convince himself that he didn't need her in his life.
"No, I'm good. I run really warm, remember?"
"I do remember." She practically purred the words, and once again, he wanted to forget the steaks, throw her over his shoulder, and take her to his secret spot.
What. The. Hell?
He let out a low growl, wanting to get some sort of control over the situation, but her next words made that task nearly impossible.
"Mmmm... I love all the sexy sounds you make, but I'm also freezing, so I'll wait for you inside."
"I'm coming right behind you."
"I sure hope so."
She threw the words over her shoulder as she walked back inside, and though they were said innocent enough, the smile on her face proved she knew exactly what she was saying. His dick went rock hard, and he was still staring when she turned back to close the sliding glass door.
For some reason, in that moment, his control snapped. Both he and his bear knew what they wanted, and he was going to get it.
He quickly removed the steaks and potatoes from the grill, and then rushed inside. Carly had removed her coat, and was standing at the counter waiting for him. She hadn't set the table, but she'd gathered up the plates and silverware they would need, and everything was piled nicely next to the salads she'd made and two bottles of water.
He set the huge plate of steak and potatoes on the counter, and then leaned up against her, pressing his front against her back. He caged her in with his arms, and his hard and aching dick fit perfectly between the soft globes of her ass.
"I want you," he growled. "Right now."
"Yes." The word came out sounding like a plea, and he found he liked her begging way too much.
She pushed her ass back slightly, rubbing against him, and his dick started to throb. It had been a long time since he'd been with a woman, but the fact that she was his mate wasn't lost on him. If she kept rubbing against him, he might come in his pants, and that wasn't what he wanted for either of them.
"Hands on the counter, and don't move."
She immediately followed his orders, and her compliance made his dick swell even more.
He wrapped one hand around her waist, and the other went to the button on her jeans. He unfastened the tab easily, and the zipper easily came undone when he pulled on the fabric.
"Is this okay?" He whispered in her ear before gently catching the lobe between his teeth.
"It's more than okay. Touch me, Ryker."
He slid his hand down the front of her panties, and she spread her legs a little wider, anticipating his touch. When he pressed his fingers against her swollen clit, she cried out and pushed back against him. Her mound was bare, which he loved, and her soft lips were warm and wet.
He slid a finger into her opening, and when he found her soaking, he added another.
The walls of her pussy immediately started tightening around his fingers as he moved them in and out, and he could feel her honey coating his hand. Her breath was ragged, and tiny moans and mewls filled the air as she tried to force him to go deeper. The only thing stopping her from riding his hand was his arm around her waist, holding her against him.
"You're soaking wet, sweetheart," he growled, licking the juncture between her neck and shoulder. The urge to sink his canines into her perfect skin was strong, but he kissed her instead, and added a third finger into her hole. "Is this all for me?"
"Yes." She bit out the word as more honey drenched his fingers. "Ryker, please."
His cock was hard and heavy against her ass, and all he wanted to do was pull down her pants and bury his cock deep inside her pussy, but he wasn't going to do that in his kitchen. Not this time.He wanted to be face to face when he fucked her for the first time.
He pushed his fingers deep at the same time he pressed his palm hard against her clit, andshe exploded, screaming his name as her pussy clenched down on his fingers like a vice.
Fuck!
Everything about this moment—about his mate—was so damn sexy, and all he'd done was finger her. What would it be like to watch her come with his dick buried deep inside her? Even as he thought the words he already knew theanswer.
It would be perfect.
When her breathing started to return to normal, he slowly pulled his fingers out of her cunt and brought them to his mouth. The scent of her honey was amazing, and he had to taste her. He sucked his fingers into his mouth, and immediately realized his mistake. She was pure ambrosia, and he would never get enough of her.
"Fuck! You taste amazing, sweetheart."
Amazing seemed inadequate, but his brain wasn't fully functioning.
She turned in his arms and smiled, and his bear growled beneath the surface. The animal wanted to claim their mate, and he didn't understand what the human side was waiting for. Seeing his woman smiling and sated from his touch made him feel ten-feet tall, and he was having a hard time remembering why he was holding back.
"Thank you," she said, her hands reaching for his belt. "Now it's your turn."
She started pulling on the leather, and his hands grabbed hold of her wrists.
"I won't last if you touch me," he growled. "I want you too much."
"So?" She laughed. "I definitely don't see the problem."
Fuck yeah!
He let go of her wrists,and watched dumbly as she unfastened his pants and pushed his boxers down to free his cock. She wrapped one hand around the base, and started stroking him with the other, and his brain nearly short-circuited.He'd never felt anything close to the way Carly's hands felt on his skin, and he couldn't wait to know what it felt like to sink his dick into her soft pussy.
As if reading his mind, she tightened her grip and stroked him hard and fast.
He placed one hand on the counter behindher to steady himself, and gathered up her long hair in the other, wrapping the locks around his fist. The move forced her to look away from his cock, and the look on her face pushed him over the edge.
He leaned his head back and roared as he exploded, his come shooting in spurts against his shirt and dripping over her hands.
Carly kept stroking him until there was nothing left, and when he could breathe normally again, he pulled her head back and kissed her. Hard. Unlike their other kisses, this one was a claiming, and his bear roared beneath the surface when she slid her hands up his chest and claimed him right back.
When they finally came up for air, he leaned his forehead against hers, and closed his eyes. He wanted to take her to the bedroom to finish what they started, but her stomach growled causing them to both laugh.
"You're amazing," he said, grabbing a towel off of the counter and handing it to her, "but I'm feeding you now."
She wiped her hands on the towel while he pushed his still-hard dick back in his pants, and then she went to the sink to wash her hands.
"I'm going to change my shirt, and I'll be right back."
Just like the night before, the conversation between them flowed easily. He told her all about how his dad had given him the money for the down payment on his shop when he turned eighteen—just a few months before he found Luke and married his ex—and how he'd purchased the house he owned now when Luke had turned sixteen, because they needed way more space and he wanted all of his sons to have their own rooms.
By the time they finished talking and eating both dinner and dessert, it was late, and he was walking her out to her car, cursing the fact that he hadn't thought to pick her up so he could now drive her home.
"I still don't like it," he said, "but text me when you get there."
"It's the only plan that really makes sense," she said, placing a soothing hand on his chest, "and I will."
"And text me when you get back tomorrow night."
He knew he was probably out of line, but she didn't seem to mind.
"I will," she smiled, "and I'll see you, Friday."
He wouldn't see her tomorrow because she was going to dinner and a movie with some people from work, and even though he knew they both had their own lives, he was feeling grumpy about not getting to see her every day.
"Goodnight, Ryker."
She kissed him then, just a chaste brush of her lips against his, and then she slid into her car and started up the engine.
"Goodnight."
He stood in the street until he could no longer see her taillights, and then reality seemed to punch him in the gut.
He wanted Carly, but he didn't want or need a mate.
What the hell was he supposed to do now?