Chapter 27
Penny
My eyes blink open, and I take in the unfamiliar room. It only takes a moment before last night’s events come rushing back to me.
Ryder is lying next to me, the thin blanket draped over his lower half, while his broad chest is on full display. I have the urge to scoot closer, to cuddle into his side, to run my hand over his bare chest and pepper kisses all over his skin.
Admiring his physique, I recollect what we did last night…
how he fucked me rougher than I thought I could ever handle.
I didn’t lie; I trusted him completely, letting go of my fears.
I would have let him do whatever he wanted because I know he won’t go too far.
He won’t hurt me, won’t push me over the edge.
I gave myself to him, and in return, he gave me the most mind-blowing orgasm. Jesus, I literally passed out after.
“I can hear you thinking,” he murmurs without opening his eyes.
“What did you hear?” I question curiously.
“You’re thinking about how good I look right now.” He grins, and I almost swat his arm.
This is new. This playful side of him. The comfort I feel around him.
“You’re not too far off, actually.” At my answer, his eyes pop open, his eyebrows raising with it, giving me a questionable look.
“Continue,” he prompts in a teasing tone.
“I was thinking about touching you. Maybe kissing you,” I whisper the last part, suddenly feeling vulnerable.
“I don’t know if that would be wise. Touching would lead to fucking, and I’m sure you’re a little sore this morning.”
Swallowing hard, I press my thighs together. The movement confirms that I am, in fact, sore. It’s not a terrible pain, more like a dull ache. It’s something I am willing to deal with again just to feel the way I did last night.
“Um, yeah. I am sore, but not in a bad way. Not like my ribs after someone punched me in the stomach. More of a muscle sore after a workout. You can feel it, but it’s not quite painful, more like an uncomfortable reminder of what you did last night.”
“That’s what I thought.” Ryder throws the blanket off his naked body and stands up to stretch his back. I watch his muscles flex and feel my core warming despite my thoughts just moments ago. Why does he have to have this effect on me?
“What’s going to happen now?” I ask, trying to distract myself. Clinging to the blanket, I pull it up, covering my hardened nipples.
“I don’t know. We can’t stay here, though.” He runs his hands through his hair. “Let’s go get some breakfast. I need some brain fuel before I can think.”
“Do I have time for a quick shower?”
“Sure.” He nods and watches me get up.
Even after all this time, it’s weird having Ryder looking at me the way he does when I’m naked. He takes in my exposed form like I’m a piece of art, like I’m an expensive meal at a five-star restaurant. One he wants to devour.
I walk past him and into the bathroom. Ryder follows me quietly, standing behind me as I turn on the water.
Holding my hand under the spray, I wait until it gets hot, then step under it. With a smirk on his face, Ryder gets in behind me.
Just like last time, he washes me from head to toe. In return, I do the same for him.
We rinse off and dry ourselves with the thin motel towels.
I hate getting dressed in my clothes from yesterday, but I don’t have much of a choice.
After we’re both fully clothed, we leave the motel room, and Ryder drives us to a small diner on the outskirts of town.
The diner is pretty packed, which is probably due to it being Sunday morning. Like everywhere we go together, Ryder gets dirty looks. Hushed voices surround us as we sit down in a booth furthest away from the entrance. Ryder either doesn’t see it anymore, or he simply doesn’t care.
The waitress comes to take our order shortly after we sit down. She is about my age, but her bright red hair, pierced nose, and attitude in her walk tell me we couldn’t be more different.
“Hi, my name is Abby, and I’ll be your server,” she rattles off her introduction with nothing but boredom. “What can I get you?” she asks while chewing a piece of gum. A pencil and small notepad in her hand.
“Two breakfast platters, sweet tea, and coffee for both of us,” Ryder orders.
“You got it, big boy,” she says with a wink and grabs the menus from the table. “I like a man who orders for his woman.”
I expect Ryder to correct her, but he just nods without even looking up at her. He is scanning the restaurant instead, probably looking for threats. Maybe he just didn’t hear her.
I watch Abby walk off in her too tight, too short dress. Apparently, she is not one of the people intimidated by Ryder. Actually, I get the opposite vibe. I think she is attracted to him.
My hunch is confirmed when she comes back with our drinks. She sets the coffees and teas down, then wipes an imaginary dirty spot off the table. It happens to be across the table on Ryder’s side, so she has to reach over and lean into him, giving him a full view of her very voluptuous cleavage.
My mind immediately goes to the women at the club, half-naked, and throwing themselves at the men. I always wonder where they find those kinds of women. I guess at diners like this one.
She leaves, and I catch a smirk plastered all over Ryder’s face.
“Are you jealous, little owl?”
“No,” I half-lie. Okay, maybe I am jealous. She is confident, fearless, and obviously Ryder’s type. “I might be a little,” I admit.
“Jealously looks kind of good on you. I’ll try to make you jealous more often in the future.” He leans back in his seat and keeps looking around the restaurant.
I don’t read too much into his statement, but I can’t help trying to analyze it. Does he mean he wants to keep me around in the future?
Abby, our server, brings our food out not much later. Again, she shamelessly flirts with Ryder, batting her eyelashes and leaning over every chance she gets. Even knowing that he does it on purpose now, anger rises inside of me. I don’t want him to flirt with her, or anyone, joking or not.
“Stop pouting,” Ryder says halfway through the meal. “You’re looking at me like I’m about to go fuck her in the bathroom.”
“For all I know you would.” I shrug.
“I wouldn’t. I haven’t had sex with anyone since the day you walked into the bar.”
I stare at him, studying his face while he keeps eating. He is not lying, at least I don’t think. I was sure he must have had sex after I left. I’ve been actually suppressing that thought.
“Why not?”
“I didn’t want to.” Ryder shoves another piece of bacon in his mouth, then reaches across the table and grabs another one from my plate. “Plus, I was too busy stalking you.”
Next time Abby comes back to clear our plates, Ryder completely ignores her. He doesn’t even answer when she asks if we are ready for the check.
“Yes, we’re ready,” I tell her.
“Will that be together or separate?”
“Together,” Ryder growls, making Abby jump a bit.
She scurries off, and Ryder gets up. Pulling two twenty-dollar bills from his pocket, he throws them on the table and starts walking out. I get out of the booth and follow him like the lost puppy I am.
“Now that you’ve eaten, do you know where to go next?”
“Today is Sunday,” he says, like I should know what that means. “Day of rest,” he explains.
We pull out of the parking lot and head back on the highway. I don’t know where we are going, but we are heading away from town.
Still exhausted from last night, I get comfortable and doze off a little.
A while later, I am jolted awake when the truck comes to a stop. Disoriented, I look around. We’re at another hotel, but this one is the exact opposite of the one we stayed in last night. It’s nice, really nice.
“What are we doing here?”
“Relaxing,” Ryder explains, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Wait here, I’ll get us a room.” He gets out of the truck, then pauses. “Actually, just come with me now.”
“Okay.” I climb out of the cab, glad he is not leaving me alone. Even if it’s just for a few minutes, I’d rather be with him.
Together we walk into the fancy lobby, looking completely underdressed and out of place. The receptionist is in a suit, for Christ’s sake. I’m certain he is going to tell us to leave because we can’t afford to stay here, or at the very least, that there are no vacancies.
To my utter shock, he greets us with a bright smile, not glancing twice at our appearance.
“Welcome to the Grand Levine. Do you have a reservation with us?”
“No, I would like a room for tonight. Well, actually today and tonight. I know it’s early, so if you need to charge me for two nights, that will be fine,” Ryder explains.
“Regular check-in is at two o’clock, but you can get a room with early check-in. That would only be $100 extra, no need to pay for a full night.”
“Sounds good.”
“I have a lovely suite, facing the atrium available for $429 a night, not including breakfast.” He probably thinks we’re going to leave now, but Ryder simply pulls out his credit card and driver’s license and hands it to him. If the receptionist is surprised, he hides it well.
He hands us our room key a moment later, and we head to the elevators. As we walk through the hotel, I’m in awe of how beautiful the place is: high ceilings, shiny marble floors, and light paisley wallpaper covering the walls.
The room is just as fancy as I imagined it to be. Larger than any bedroom I’ve ever been in, it looks like something out of a home décor magazine. There is a king-sized bed in the center, covered by at least eight neatly stacked pillows. On the wall in front of it is a huge flatscreen television.
Ryder takes his shoes off and flops down onto the bed with the remote in hand. “Come on, get comfy.” He pats the spot next to him.
I grab one of the complimentary bottles of water next to the expensive-looking coffee machine and join Ryder on the bed.
He turns on the TV and starts flipping through the channels, leaving it at an action movie.
This is so weird.
Lying in bed with Ryder and watching a movie is so…
normal. And that’s not something we often do.
I almost ask him if he likes this, if he wants to have this between us all the time, but then I remember how it went the last time I asked him a question like that.
So, I decide to bite my tongue and enjoy the moment.
Enjoy this while it lasts.