29. Ryder
29
RYDER
T he first time I woke up in the hospital I had all sorts of tubes coming out of me. I was far too sedated to pay much attention, but I did know I was lying on my front. Each time I woke up, Shiloh was there. I wasn’t sure how long I was in that bed, but it seemed to go on for weeks. Though, according to the doctor, it had been just under a week.
Sometimes she held my hand with her head resting next to mine. There were a few times when she and Ethan were whispering softly. Those were times when I actually forced myself awake so I could spend some time reassuring my son I was doing okay.
Then there were a few occasions like now, where I woke to Shiloh arguing with someone. Warmth would spread through me at the sound of her advocating for me. Though, judging by the heat in her tone, she was not arguing with a doctor.
“If he wants you here, I will make sure someone contacts you.” Shiloh’s voice held a fair amount of venom. “But it will be his decision.”
“You don’t get to decide for him.” I knew that voice. What the fuck was she doing in San Diego.
I kept my eyes closed. Maybe I was a coward, but the idea of Shiloh putting my mother in her place had real appeal.
“I assure you, the name on the emergency contact, and the paperwork his lawyer brought, says otherwise.” There was the smallest beat of silence. “And let me make things absolutely clear. You are done hurting that man. As much as I want my son to get to know his grandmother, I will not subject either of them to your ugliness. If you want a loving relationship with either of them, I will support that. But otherwise, get the fuck out of here.”
My mother was silent for a moment. I imagined the two women, who were roughly the same height, standing toe-to-toe. “You think that just because you spread your legs for him he cares about you? Please. He can get any woman.”
I was about to let my presence be known when the worst-case scenario happened.
“Mom.” Ethan’s voice echoed through the room. “Is Dad awake? Oh. Who is that lady?”
“Is that the brat?” My mom’s voice was filled with venom.
While it was sexy as hell watching my woman tell my mother off, it was not something I wanted Ethan to face.
Despite the stiffness in my body, I rolled to one side. “Mom.” My voice was more of a roar. “You need to leave.”
Of course, my mother didn’t read the room. “Ryder. You’re awake. I just heard what happened. Why didn’t anyone let me know?”
“Mom.” I said once more, wincing at the pain in my back. “I said you need to leave. Unless you treat me and my family with respect, you will have no part of our lives.”
She looked between Shiloh, who had pushed Ethan behind her, and me. “I’m supposed to be your family.”
“True.” I was not going to deny what she was meant to be. “But family doesn’t treat each other the way you treat me.”
Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t argue. “Well, I never.” She turned on her heel, sneered at Shiloh, and stomped out of the room.
A thought occurred to me. Not that the she had the power to ruin me, still it was fun to mess with her. And I had a family to protect.
“Oh, and Mom?” I waited for her to face me before I continued. “If the story you’re about to sell to the press mentions Ethan or Shiloh, you better make sure it's worth it. Because I will cut you off.”
She didn’t say another word as she continued out of the room.
As soon as she was gone, I turned to the two people I loved most in the world. “Now, for the good news. Doc was in earlier. He mentioned I could leave in the next day or two.
Ethan’s eyes widened. “You’re coming home.”
Shiloh had given him an abridged version of the story. He had been at Forte Femme the night I was taken, so she wanted to give him a lighter version of the truth. I just wanted him to know that I was okay.
“Yip. Doc said I’m healing well and as long as I have someone to make sure I don’t rest on my back, I can go home.”
It didn’t take long to get everything I needed, including my meds, and out the door. With Ethan in the back seat, and me in the passenger seat leaning forward so my back didn’t scrape the seat, Shiloh drove us home.
The woman could fuss. She was like that cliched strict nurse who made sure you followed the doctor’s orders to the letter. But she wasn’t a nurse, as she pointed out when I asked if she intended to give me a sponge bath.
She had been a tight ball of nerves until her captain had called and confirmed that Valerie had been arraigned and was awaiting trial without bail. Apparently, her hidey-holes all over the state made her a flight risk. She was facing life in prison on several counts of murder.
The time in hospital had not been enough time for the wounds on my back to heal. I came home with instructions on how to keep them clean and uninfected and to minimize scarring. The doctor had spoken to me about skin grafts in the event I wanted to get rid of them. Since I never looked at them and I could use makeup for photoshoots, it did not bother me. Shiloh took a little longer but in the end she agreed that the scars were not the full story. All they did was remind me I had won. I had endured by knowing I had a woman and friends who would come for me. And they did.
Shiloh knew I was not exactly bedridden. As long as I stayed off my back, the doctor gave me the all clear. That meant the only thing we had to rule out was her riding me.
I also took some time off work as we headed into the new year. Tour dates were moved around to accommodate those who had bought tickets. There were a few things I had in the pipeline and a few more meetings I needed to take to finalize things. My new manager and my lawyer worked hand-in-hand and kept me in the loop about everything. One thing that was investigated was whether or not I had other children.
I always used a condom, but that wasn’t guaranteed. Ethan was proof of that. As it turned out, I had no siblings to give him. At least not yet. The sooner I could get Shiloh to marry me, the sooner we could get onto the business of having more babies.
She walked into the living room with a tray of food. I lifted one brow and narrowed my eyes. I wagged my finger for good measure. “Nope. The rules are no meals in front of the tv.”
“The tv is off.”
“You weren’t specific.”
I twirled my finger and gestured for her to move to the dining table. She did as I suggested.
As she placed the tray on the table, I pulled her onto my lap. I maneuvered her round so she straddled me. The hem of her floral dress moved up exposing just a hint of her white lace panties.
“You know, in this position, you can ride me without me needing to be on my back.”
“Is that so?”
I nodded, looking into her eyes. Everything I felt for this woman filled me. “Shiloh, I love you. With everything I have. You are the woman I see walking along with me, holding onto our walkers. The woman I want to make sweet love to and fuck her brains out at the same time. I want to have more children. I want us to spoil our grandchildren together. And one day soon, after I’ve had a conversation with your father, I intend to put my ring on your finger.”
She rolled her eyes at me but I could see her smile. “I love you, too. With everything I have. You and Ethan are my world. And I do want all those things with you. I want you to be the first person who celebrates my wins or comforts me when a case goes awry. But don’t you think you should speak to me before you ask my dad for my hand in marriage.”
I moved a hand up her leg and moved my thumb underneath her panties. Her little gasp made me smile.
“I just did. I told you what I want, and that I wanted to put a ring on your finger.” I rubbed the pad of my thumb over her clit. “You said you wanted all those things.”
My thumb moved faster and I twisted to fit a finger inside her.
“Ryder.” My name on her lips took me from hard to absolute stone.
“Hold on to the back of the chair, baby.”
She did as I asked and I made quick work of undoing the drawstring of my sweats and freeing myself. I pushed that little scrap of lace to the side and pushed home. Both of us moaned at the same time.
I held her in place wanting to savor the feel of her surrounding me. “Nothing feels like home quite like being inside you.”
“I agree. But Ry, I need to move.”
I loosened my hold on her hips and she pushed all the way up before she slammed back down.
“Fuck, babe.”
Again and again she repeated the motion. I took one hand from her hips and used it to undo the stringy straps at her shoulders. Pulling down the top of the dress, I exposed her perfect breasts. I took one pink nipple into my mouth and bit down lightly. The effect had her tightening so hard around me, I would be coming far too soon if I was not careful.
I could feel her walls clenching around me as her pace increased. As she threw her head back, tits bouncing as she fell over the edge, I swore I had never seen anything more beautiful. As she came down, I stood and pulled her off me and spun her around.
I pulled my t-shirt over my head. I didn’t need to be naked, but it made it easier for me to watch as I entered her.
“Fuck, babe, seeing my cock covered in your juices is such a turn on.”
“Then fuck me, Ryder. Please.”
The last thing I wanted was for her to beg me. “It will be my pleasure, my love.”
I wasn’t slow. She didn’t need me to be, instead I hammered into her like it was the only thing on the planet that mattered.
In and out I pushed, enjoying every second of the show her pussy provided. “Touch yourself, Shi. I want you to come on my cock once more.” The one place Shiloh always followed instructions was in the bedroom. Or the dining room, or the kitchen counter. Whenever we made love, she handed control to me.
I could feel her finger brush up against my cock as she toyed with herself. “Fuck yes, babe.”
“Ryder.”
I continued to pound into her, savoring the feel of the finger against me. “Get there Shi, I’m fucking close.” I moved harder into her. “Now babe, come fucking now.”
She immediately tightened around my cock. The action triggered my own release. My muscles stiffened and my body went rigid. All I could do was roar her name. “Shiloh.”
We stood there bent over the table for longer than we should have. Our heavy breaths mingling, the mixture of both our releases running down her thighs.
It wasn’t until we heard a horn blaring and a car pull up outside that we moved. Maggie had started that habit since I was home and Shiloh had taken a few days off to take care of me. I think she knew we might need a warning that little eyes were about to walk into the house.
Both of us sprang into action. Shiloh grabbed the top of her dress and covered her breasts “That’s Maggie dropping Ethan off.”
I pulled my sweats and boxers back up my legs and grabbed my Tshirt off the floor. “You go clean up, I’ll deal with him. We’ll do homework and he and I can make breakfast for dinner.”
That was one of things which had changed over the last few days. Shiloh had relinquished some control around the house as well. She knew I was no prize cook, and allowed me to do what I was comfortable with in the kitchen. I was also on the school pick up list for all the kids. Not that I’d had a chance to use it. But soon.
Ethan walked in through the door and frowned. “You look like you’ve been in the gym”
“What do you mean?”
“Your face is all red and you’re sweating a little.”
“Nah, it's probably just a little warm.”
“Dad, it’s January, nowhere’s warm.”
Time to change the subject. “Your mom agreed that if you get homework done in time, you and I can make breakfast for supper.”
My son’s eyes lit up. “I love it when Mom is in a good mood.”
Me too, kid, me too.