Chapter Five
Five
Ryan waited for Morgan to decide what she wanted done. He watched as she walked around muttering to herself. Something about Christmas dresses and a sale.
Just as she pivoted back toward him, Morgan’s foot got tangled in a pile of denim and she fell forward. Ryan reached for her, just as she fell. She landed against his chest, her hands gripping onto his biceps as that mass of red hair curled all around them both.
He recalled another situation where all of that hair covered him, but this was not the time or the place to start replaying that moment. Unfortunately for him, he never could get control over when or where those delicious memories popped up.
“You okay?” he asked.
Ryan shifted so he could maneuver them both away from the piles on the floor. Morgan straightened herself. Shoving her hair from her face, she gave him a curt nod.
“Sorry about that.”
Her eyes were everywhere but on him again. They’d created a child and she couldn’t even look at him? She’d had no problem in the past going toe-to-toe with him, and this sudden change in Morgan confused the hell out of him.
“Morgan.”
Her eyes darted up to his now and he closed that minuscule distance between them.
“We’re not swiping at each other and we’re not lovers. Let’s find something in between. We can handle this situation together, but you’ve got to relax.”
The noise she made could best be described as something between a snort and a laugh.
“Relaxing is what got me into this in the first place,” she stated. “I just... I can’t touch you. So, no more of those sneaky kisses. Got it?”
“Sneaky kisses?” Now he laughed. “Honey, you weren’t complaining last month or earlier today. But if you want me to keep my lips to myself, I will. You’ll have to tell me when you want that to happen again.”
“I won’t,” she retorted.
He doubted she’d stick to that claim, but he’d let her have this small victory.
“Are you angry about our night together?” he asked. “Or are you angry that you can’t get it out of your mind?”
Morgan’s lips thinned, and her eyes narrowed. “I’m angry that you want to talk about it when we should both be moving on. Clearly, the only time we get along is when we’re not talking, so we’re going to have to figure out a way to communicate with our clothes on.”
“That doesn’t sound fun.”
Morgan rolled her eyes. “I’m serious.”
Yeah, he had been, too.
“I know we agreed that sex was a mistake, but I can’t ever think a child is a mistake.” He had to be completely honest. “And the more I think about our time together, the more I can admit it wasn’t a mistake, either.”
Morgan gasped. “Don’t say that.”
“I’ll never lie to you and you need to know where I stand.”
Those bright eyes of hers had a healthy mix of desire and irritation. There was such a narrow space between the two and she had an amazing talent of riding that line to keep him guessing.
He wanted her. Maybe he always had and he’d never stopped.
Unable to resist temptation, Ryan reached out and trailed his fingertip up her arm, then back down. He took her hand and lifted. Flattening her palm against his chest, Ryan kept his eyes locked on hers. He waited for any sign that she didn’t approve; she had nothing but desire in her eyes.
“Your words and that look you’re giving me don’t match,” he murmured. “Makes me think you’re just saying you’re not attracted when we both know that’s a lie.”
“I don’t want to be,” she corrected him.
And that whispered statement was all he needed to bank in his pocket of ammunition. Morgan’s admission couldn’t be taken back now and at least she was honest. That was one area they had in common, but commonalities weren’t a high priority for him right now.
First, he wanted Morgan. Second, he wanted her to agree to his proposal and move into his estate. They could work out the rest later.
“Who are you fighting now? Me or yourself?” he asked as he hovered his lips near hers. “You’re a grown woman with needs. We both want the same thing.”
“Physically, yes,” she agreed. “But everything else—”
“Doesn’t matter. Not in this moment.”
He rested his hands on her hips and shifted her around so his back was to the windows in case any passersby happened to look inside. She couldn’t argue with him about the proposal and moving in if he kept that sweet mouth occupied. Guess he was going to go back on that promise of no more kissing.
Ryan stepped into her, lining up their hips perfectly and eliciting a soft moan from Morgan. She closed her eyes and sighed as her hands came up to cup his elbows.
“This can’t work,” she insisted. “We bicker all the time and sex isn’t the solution. We have a child coming that we need to think about.”
Oh, he’d thought of little else since he discovered he was going to be a father. But that had nothing to do with this ache he had inside for Morgan. If anything, that attraction burned hotter than ever before. Something primal and territorial had settled deep within him since learning the news.
Ryan feathered his lips over her jawline and to that sensitive spot just beneath her ear. She shivered against him as her grip on him tightened.
He walked her backwards with no clue where to go, but he sure as hell wanted out of the line of sight of the street. Even at this late hour, Royal always had busy restaurants and the last thing he and Morgan needed was more fodder for the gossip mill.
“Wh-what are we doing?” she whispered.
“Going somewhere private.”
He glanced over her shoulder to the closed door that led to the back. Ryan had no clue what was in there, but he didn’t care. They would be alone and that was all that mattered right now.
“Is this a good idea?” she asked, her eyes searching his.
Ryan reached around her and opened the door as he stared down at her. “If you want to stop, say so.”
“But we shouldn’t.”
“Who made that rule? Because last I checked, we were adults.” He took a few more steps until they’d crossed into the storage room, and the door closed behind him. “If you say no, we’ll go right back out there and finish picking up. Just say the word.”
Morgan closed her eyes once again and sighed. “Let’s forget about reality. Just for tonight.”
Ryan didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath, but relief spiraled through him. Then he remembered her demand.
“I’m not allowed to kiss you,” he reminded her. “I need your permission.”
Her eyes flew open, then darted down to his mouth. In a flash, Morgan grabbed his face and rose up on her toes. She captured his lips and arched into him. Permission granted.
Finally. After a month of wondering if their fiery passion was just a onetime thing or if his fantasies lived up to the reality... Ryan was about to find out. The way Morgan came to life in his arms was a hell of an indicator that alcohol had nothing to do with their first heated encounter.
Ryan didn’t ask again if she was sure. He’d asked already and she never said no. She also aggressively kissed him since they’d gotten back here. She’d made her answer clear.
So Ryan decided to take control.
His hands moved to the hem of her shirt and he lifted it up over her torso. Morgan stepped back enough for him to pull the material over her head and fling it to the side.
Soft red curls fell over her shoulders as those bright eyes met his. That familiar desire stared back at him, just like at the masquerade party, where all he’d been able to see was her eyes until they’d gotten back to his place and he’d stripped her bare.
Now he couldn’t wait to have an encore performance.
She’d sworn she wouldn’t do this...not again.
But how could she deny her wants? Who said this was wrong? Maybe they didn’t have everything figured out in this weird relationship, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t be intimate. Morgan didn’t even have the excuse of alcohol this time.
And it hadn’t just been the champagne from the party. She’d overheard Vic and Jayden talking about how it was obvious Ryan was into her, which had shocked her. Morgan had just assumed she and Ryan were totally opposite and irritated each other.
Clearly, conversing wasn’t their thing and they communicated much better in other ways.
Morgan didn’t want to wait, or chat, or even think about this moment. She just wanted to live in it.
With quick work, she stripped down to absolutely nothing while Ryan watched with those hungry eyes that made her feel sexy and beautiful.
His heavy-lidded gaze landed on her stomach and before she realized what he was doing, Ryan reached out and placed both hands over her bare skin.
A tremble vibrated through her at his strength and warm touch. She couldn’t get enough and could possibly start begging.
“You’re the most beautiful woman,” he told her. “You’re even sexier now that I know you’re carrying my child.”
She reached for the button of his jeans and before she could finish, he took control. He unfastened everything and shoved them and his boxer briefs down to his knees, then maneuvered until he could kick them out of the way. He grabbed her once again, this time on her backside as he lifted her up.
Ryan spun them, pressing her back against the wall. The spiral rush of exhilaration aroused her even more.
She fit perfectly between the hard wall and Ryan’s firm chest. He placed a hand by her head and kept the other on her hip as he joined their bodies.
Morgan cried out as whole host of euphoric sensations overcame her.
This fast, frantic passion was still so new to her and she wondered if that thrill would ever wear off.
..or if Ryan would always be so incredibly potent.
Morgan gripped his shoulders as his mouth covered hers. He seemed just as needy for all of the connections. Knowing she had this power over him, to make him lose control, turned her on even more.
His hips jerked faster against hers and Morgan couldn’t take it anymore. She tore from the kiss and arched against him to pull even more pleasure from his body.
“That’s it,” he murmured, urging her on.
Just as her climax slammed into her, Ryan groaned and trembled. She clung to him with her eyes shut, wanting to hold on to this feeling of pure bliss.
But moments later, their bodies calmed and she still clung to him.
“Don’t tell me you regret this,” he muttered.
She shook her head. “No. I don’t, but I’m not sure it’s the smartest thing for us to be doing.”
Ryan helped her stand on her own as he took a step back. He reached up to smooth her hair from her face, then grabbed his pants and pulled them on. He left them undone, as if he wasn’t quite finished with her.
Once he gathered her clothes and handed them over, Morgan dressed. The silence became too much, but she really didn’t know what to say.
“This might not be smart,” Ryan finally stated after a moment. “But I can’t get enough of you.”
Yeah. That was where they seemed to fully agree. She couldn’t get enough of him, either. But getting along intimately didn’t exactly make for a solid foundation for anything at all and outside of sex, they bickered.
So now where did that leave them?