Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
MELLIE
After I’ve sufficiently kicked his butt in games and we’ve stuffed ourselves full of junk food and soda, Ronin and I sprawl out on the couch. My feet are in his lap and his fingers graze the skin around my ankle where it meets my sock.
The soft glow emitting from the strings of fairy lights in the children’s section is the only light other than the TV, which is now playing an old Wes Anderson film. The volume is down so low I can barely hear it, but neither of us are paying any attention anyway.
Ronin runs his hand along my calf, pushing the loose pant legs up, and I giggle as his fingers tickle the sensitive skin under my knee. I gently kick out at him, and he catches my leg with a grin, locking it back in place on his lap and continuing his slow torture.
The moment feels quiet and cozy. I’m content just laying in his presence, sharing his space without the need to fill it with conversation.
Being with Ronin is easy—the most natural thing I will ever do.
Ronin’s fingers tighten as they wind back down to my feet, and he begins to massage them one by one. I relax into the couch, my body languid and lazy before I finally break the silence.
“Can I ask you a question?”
Ronin pauses his kneading for a brief second before he agrees.
“Why did you wait so long to ask me out once I moved back home?”
Ronin’s hands rest on my ankles. “I didn’t want to rush anything with you, Mel. We both know how well it went last time I tried, and I promised your brother I wouldn’t fuck it up this time.”
I raise an eyebrow at him. “You’re taking dating advice from my little brother now?”
Ronin chuckles. “He is the one getting married, so I think he knows a bit about love.” His fingers continue to massage my foot.
“I just wanted to get to know you again. Four years is a long time to be apart from someone. I wanted to learn all of the new pieces of you, and for you to see how I’ve changed, too.
For instance”—he shoots me a roguish grin—“I had no idea until recently you liked avocado. You used to hate that stuff.”
“Live in California long enough and that stuff becomes your condiment of choice. It was unavoidable, really,” I laugh. “They put that shit on everything.”
Reaching over, I take one of his hands in mine. “I’m glad you did, though. Take your time, I mean. I don’t know, it might sound stupid, but the timing feels right, you know? I think we both had some growing up to do.”
Ronin swallows, his throat working. “I couldn’t agree more, Mel.” He smiles the sweetest smile I’ve ever seen, and if I wasn’t already so far gone with this man, I’d be lost just from that smile alone.
After a few more quiet moments, I can’t help but tease him. “So how does it feel to be old now?”
Ronin stops his foot massage to glare at me. “Excuse me, you’ll be thirty in a few months, so you may want to keep the snarky comments to yourself.” He tickles the bottom of my foot, causing me to squirm before he relents. “How nice it will be when the tables have turned.”
“You’re legally obliged as my boyfriend not to make fun of me for getting old. It’s in the boyfriend contract, everyone knows this.” I angle my head. “Oh, and wearing your glasses more. I’m adding that to the contract, too. You wearing your glasses is my favorite you.”
“Oh, the boyfriend contract, huh?” Ronin nods, and he yanks on my leg, eliciting a yelp from me. His hands find my waist and he pulls my body flat onto the couch before he lowers his larger frame over mine. “I don’t remember signing any contract.”
“Mmm,” I murmur, my eyes on his full lips hovering over my own. “Sealed it with a kiss by a waterfall, if you recall.”
A wave of heat rockets through my body as he presses me further into the sofa. “I like it when you call me your boyfriend.” His voice is full of promise and tinged with something akin to desperation.
Ronin’s mouth meets mine in a kiss that’s all teeth and tongue. His hands rove over my body, grasping at all the soft curves they find.
I let my hands roam under the back of his shirt, caught up in the moment until a sudden thought has me pulling away. “Wait!” I rush to sit and almost hit his face with my head. “I almost forgot the big finale!”
Ronin sinks back into the couch with a bemused expression. “There’s more?”
“Yes!” I leap off of the couch and spin to him. His hair is mussed and his clothing is disheveled, and I’ve never loved another sight more in my entire life. “Hold that thought. We will be picking up where we just left off. But I’ll be right back!”
I leave Ronin chuckling over my antics and hurry into the break room. I find what I’m looking for in the minifridge and scurry back into the store.
“Ta-da!” I present my offering, placing it on the table with a dramatic flourish. “Happy Birthday, babe! We can’t celebrate without cake!”
Ronin scrutinizes the cake before him with a wary gaze. “Did you bake this for me, Mel?”
“Please, I’m not trying to poison you.” I sit down, pulling a cake knife out of the box where I stuffed it earlier. “I picked this up from Jay’s this afternoon.”
Ronin’s relief is palpable and I smack his arm.
We cut into the cake and the next few moments are silent except for the occasional moan of approval.
The cake is chocolate with a healthy dose of luxurious creamy frosting.
After my plate is clean, I can’t help but dip my finger into the thick layer spread across the top and lick the frosting off, meeting Ronin’s gaze as I do.
He sets his plate down and mimics me, except instead of licking the frosting off of his finger, he leans in, his eyes dark and full of intent. My belly immediately tightens. He tugs at my bottom lip, parting them and sliding his finger into my mouth.
I suck, my gaze never leaving his. The frosting melts on my tongue and I swirl it around his finger before he pulls it away. The look on his face is like fuel to the fire, and my body is already pulsing with need.
Ronin swipes another finger through the frosting and this time he paints it across my lower lip. I’m practically thrumming with anticipation before his mouth finds mine and he kisses me, licking the frosting and spearing his tongue into my mouth.
“Hmm.” He pulls back and glances to the cake before his mischievous blue eyes flick back to me. “I think we might have a little fun with this, don’t you?”
“As long as we never tell your poor grandmother that we’re about to defile another one of her couches.”
Ronin’s dark laughter echoes throughout the store before he tackles me back into the sofa.
After waiting for almost two weeks to be alone with this man, I’m practically buzzing with anticipation. He kisses me with a hunger that wasn’t there earlier. My nipples are hard under my thin shirt. I pull him closer, running my hands over his shoulders and wrapping around the back of his neck.
His tongue pulls and teases inside my mouth, heating my body right to its very core.
This kiss is urgent—it’s desperate and greedy.
My mind casts back to when we slept together before college, the last time we kissed like this.
Back then, we were tentative and exploratory with our touches.
Gentle and careful. But now we consume each other, the time apart and the building tension over the last few months cresting in this moment.
We break apart and then his lips are on my neck.
I arch into his touch, my head falling back as I close my eyes.
Ronin runs his tongue up my throat, nipping with his teeth only to place a kiss over the spot right after.
I love the way his lips on my skin ignite the flames in my belly.
I’m on fire, burning for him as fiercely as he’s showing he burns for me.
Threading my fingers through his hair, I grip it hard.
Ronin brings his mouth back to mine, and his tongue is doing things that have everything between my thighs throbbing.
I’ve been aching for him since the tent, and I can’t seem to get enough now that I have him under my touch. I want—need him closer.
Ronin’s heated gaze sears my skin as he takes me in, and I can’t help the needy whimper that escapes my throat.
His pupils flare before he consumes my mouth once more.
Running his hands down my body, he pauses to grasp my breast with one, the other continuing down to my center.
His touch is gentle, slowly kneading my breast over the fabric of my shirt, rolling my nipple under his fingers and lightly squeezing.
Ronin. My best friend. My lover.
The words float through the haze of lust that fills my brain. The two of us have been inevitable since the very start. We just took a little detour to get here.
His fingers find the spot between my legs that’s pulsing with need. He cups me over my jeans, gently pressing down, and I can’t resist the urge to thrust up into his hand, rolling my hips. I crave the touch of skin on skin. I want to feel him, make him come undone just as he’s unraveling me.
Reaching up to touch him, I find him straining against his jeans. My grip runs down his length and my mouth waters at the memory of him inside of me. He groans into my mouth as my hand grasps harder.
I could live off of that sound. Pour it into my soul and I’ll carry it with me for the rest of my life.
Breaking the kiss, I push Ronin back into the couch.
I sit up, rearranging my legs so I straddle his lap.
His eyes flash and I marvel at the intensity burning in them.
Ronin beholds me in a way no other partner ever has.
Like I’m the most important thing in his world—like I am the very air that he needs to live.