Chapter 6
6
RYDER
S ummer had issued a challenge, and I’d failed. Well, it wasn’t a complete failure, but it took us a good ten minutes to get up here from the restaurant. Even with the air conditioning blasting, some of the ice cream had melted.
She seemed fine with it, though, and I certainly didn’t care. I wasn’t even all that interested in the fried ice cream, but it made her happy. And that was all that mattered to me.
“Perfect.” She let out a sigh, set the spoon back into the bowl, and sat back, hands propped behind her on the rock. “I need to come here to recharge my mind. Maybe not at night, though.”
“Definitely not at night,” I said. “This is a safe town, but you never know.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her look over at me. “You think someone might come up here to find murder victims?”
She seemed a little excited by the prospect. It puzzled me for a minute, but then I remembered my Aunt Meg and her obsession with murder.
“Let me guess,” I said. “You’re one of those people who binge-watches true crime shows.”
“Mostly podcasts. They help me relax.”
I frowned. “You relax by listening to stories about murder?”
“Weird, I know.” She laughed. “That’s what my dad says. He doesn’t get it. My mom loves them too. It’s something we did together when I was growing up. Well, not until I was a teenager, of course. And we were more into the missing persons types of stories, so no blood and gore. You just never really find out what happened to them.”
“That would drive me crazy.”
She shrugged. “I guess I like a good mystery. Anyway, this is a better way to let off some steam.”
“I couldn’t agree more. I’m not much of a TV watcher or podcast listener. I’ve never actually listened to a podcast.”
I stopped there. The last thing I wanted to do was sound like some kind of old fogey. It seemed like everyone these days listened to them, but not me or the people I hung out with.
“Stick with me,” she said. “I’ll make you fall in love with podcasts. What are you interested in?”
I looked over at her. My mind was still on the words she’d said. Stick with me. I’ll make you fall in love . Okay, there’d been two other words after that, but my heart had latched onto the hope that the rest of it brought.
“Interested in?” I asked, mostly to buy time. “Every now and then I do a little fishing, but between work and hanging out with the guys, I don’t have time for much else.”
That wasn’t entirely true. I did spend a decent amount of time hiking and sitting on the back porch of the cottage, staring out at the woods. That didn’t sound like an interest, though. And I doubted there was a podcast about hiking that I’d want to listen to regularly.
“There has to be something you want to know more about,” she said. “Science? News? Interesting facts about weird things?”
“History. I’ve always been a sucker for documentaries.”
“That’s it!” she said. “There are tons of history podcasts. I don’t know the names of any of them, but I’ll look them up and load up your phone.”
She was going to load up my phone. “While you’re doing that, make sure you put your phone number in there,” I said. “You know…I might need it.”
That was a lead-in to a reason to need her phone number. I’d call her with any updates. Sure, that was just an excuse to talk to her, but I didn’t tell her that. I sensed I didn’t need to. Suddenly, I had not a single doubt in my mind that Summer was interested in me. This was definitely mutual. I saw it when she looked at me.
“I guess that’s my clever way of getting your digits,” I said.
I smiled and looked over at her. The ice cream was now a puddle, covered up by clumps of whatever that crusty thing was. We’d devoured it at first, but now it sat, ignored, between the two of us.
“Only if you’re getting them so you can ask me on a date,” she said.
Our eyes met and held. My heart beat double time as a result. Oh, yeah. This was definitely mutual.
Her voice was barely above a whisper by then, making me aware that I’d also lowered my volume. In fact, we were speaking so quietly, I swore the sound of my racing heart was drowning out everything else.
“You know, I was pretending that I was taking you to dinner to thank you for everything you’ve done,” she said, again her voice barely above a whisper. “But you didn’t even let me pay for dinner.”
“Of course not. I always pay on a date.”
The corners of her mouth twitched like she was battling a smile. “So it is a date. I guess I should confess something.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
She squeezed her eyes closed. “It’s kind of embarrassing.”
I frowned. There was nothing she could tell me that would have me thinking less of her. I couldn’t imagine why she’d be embarrassed.
“Whatever it is, you can tell me,” I said.
Her eyes popped open again. She took a deep breath and looked down at my midsection. Or maybe her gaze was lower. Maybe she was staring at my crotch. My dick jerked at the thought.
And then it hit me. I knew exactly what she was going to say. I’d almost forgotten about it in all that had happened today. But there was one thing we hadn’t discussed. One thing I’d assumed we’d never discuss.
“I saw you last night,” she said. “I was watching you. I know it’s wrong. You probably could have called the police on me.”
“It’s not illegal.”
Her eyes widened. “So you knew?”
I nodded. It was confession time.
“I saw you out of the corner of my eye. Is that wrong?”
“No.” Her eyes widened. She shook her head. “Not at all. It’s just…”
I waited for her to finish that sentence. When the silence stretched out a little too long, I got impatient. I had to know.
“Just what?” I prompted.
“That was the first time I’ve ever seen a man naked. In person, anyway.” She laughed nervously. “I guess it doesn’t really count as in person since I watched you through a window. Is that all that much different from seeing a man on a TV or computer screen?”
She’d never seen a man naked. I couldn’t get past that.
“Are you saying you’ve never been with a man?” I asked.
No. That couldn’t be possible. She’d correct me right away and explain why.
“I’m a virgin,” she said. “It’s not as uncommon as you think these days. Most of my friends are still virgins. Well, I guess Daisy isn’t anymore. I didn’t ask her, but I could only assume. She definitely seems happier.”
I was aware that I was staring at her. Gaping, really. I couldn’t help it. How was it possible this angel was not only beautiful and smart and just about the most interesting woman I’d ever met, but she was also untouched?
Normally, that was something that wouldn’t even interest me. I’d assume a virgin would want a serious relationship, and I didn’t. But in Summer’s case, it sent a need rocketing through me. A need so strong, it had left me speechless.
“Is that bad?” she asked. “I mean, when I watched you last night, I was turned on. My panties were wet. I didn’t know what to do about it. I know there’s something I could do about it, of course. I’ve just never done that before. I’m rambling.”
She laughed and looked out over the water. She was definitely nervous. I couldn’t blame her. Opening up to me about this couldn’t be easy for her, and I appreciated it all the more for that reason.
“You’ve never masturbated before?”
I immediately winced at my wording. I needed to think before I spoke, especially now that I knew all of this was new to her.
“Nope,” she said. “I guess most of the women you’ve been with are comfortable with stuff like that. I’m sure I’d have no idea. We don’t… I’ve never discussed this with someone.”
I didn’t want to talk about my sexual history. Not because I had anything to hide. I just didn’t even want to think about being with anyone but her. Not at this point. And that was a first too.
“It’s really not all that difficult,” I said. “You just put your finger in the right spot and move it around.”
I could show her. I’d love to show her. But I wasn’t going to propose that idea. Not now. We couldn’t have sex out in the open on a rock, and I certainly wasn’t ready to take her back to my place. I’d need to spend a couple of hours deep cleaning everything before I’d bring a woman I was trying to impress to my cottage. I’d just wait for an invitation to her place.
“Show me,” she said.
At first, I was sure I’d misheard those two words. I’d been thinking them, and it was what I wanted her to say. But as I sat there, frowning, I felt her look over at me. She was waiting for my response.
Crap. Had she actually said those words?
I looked over at her and she said it again. “Show me.”
While I was still processing, she jerked her shirt up over her head and tossed it to the side. My eyes widened as I tried not to gape at the way her breasts filled out the cups of her white cotton bra.
Cleavage wasn’t the word for it. The entire top half of each breast was showing, almost all the way down to the nipple. And she was already unbuttoning and unzipping her pants.
I opened my mouth to say something, but I hadn’t even worked out what that would be before she wiggled out of them, tossing them aside too. Then she sat there wearing only her bra and underwear.
“Do I need to take my panties off?” she asked.
I wanted her to at least take her bra off. But that was selfish. This was all about her. Besides, my erection was already pressing against my zipper so hard, it was painful. I didn’t need more of that.
“Not necessary,” I said. “You just slip your hand under the waistband and find that small nub at the top of your…”
What word did I use for that? She was a lady. I was at a loss for what to call it in front of a lady.
“Pussy?” she asked.
I couldn’t believe she’d actually said that word. Maybe she was only physically innocent. That idea intrigued me more than anything had so far.
“Yes,” I said.
“Say it.”
She was still staring at me, and that, along with the conversation, was doing things to me. Did this mean she was into dirty talk?
“Pussy,” I said, then took a deep breath.
I closed my eyes. I was facing forward again, trying to get my erection under control. At this rate, I’d come without her even touching me.
I couldn’t keep my eyes closed for long, especially when I felt her shift next to me. I opened them, still staring straight ahead, but there was no missing what she was doing. Her hand was already in her underwear, and there was definite movement beneath the fabric.
Finally, I dared to look over. She was resting back on one hand, while the other did all the work. Her eyes were closed, her lips parted. I was prepared to guide her through more of the process, but she seemed to have figured it out.
“Join me.”
Her voice was so breathy, I was once again sure I’d misheard. Her eyes didn’t open, and that made me wonder if she was trying not to look at me. Did she feel self-conscious, being the only one doing this? Yes, she definitely wanted me to join her.
Taking a deep breath, I looked back at the parking lot. We were still completely alone. It was so late, it was doubtful anyone would show up. And I’d definitely hear the sound of a car approaching. Only silence surrounded us.
I unzipped my jeans, pulling those and my underwear down to my thighs. Then I closed my eyes and gripped my cock. This was happening. There was no stopping it now.