22. Lanie
Usually when I’m on long drives, I listen to music or an audio book.
Today, I’m contemplating the events of this past week.
When Ryan and I walked back to the house, all three of my sisters looked as if they were the cats that ate the canary.
They knew exactly what they were doing… and if I wasn’t supposed to be mad at them for tricking me, I probably would’ve hugged the shit out of them, because since that night I’ve never been happier.
I think the key to Dad meeting future boyfriends for my sisters is to do it when he’s hanging out with his friends. Maybe those few beers he’d been drinking helped, too. Or perhaps, Dad knew without a doubt Ryan is someone I’m interested in, and so for now, he’s giving Ryan a shot.
Either way, it was a rather anticlimactic introduction.
They shook hands, drank a beer together, and Dad essentially welcomed him with open arms. I’d almost say Dad was losing his touch until Raven brought over the guy she’d met at work this last week.
Then the dad I knew was back with a vengeance.
I felt sorry for Kirk. I think he may have pissed himself before scurrying home with his tail between his legs.
Raven wasn’t impressed so I doubt they’ll see each other again.
As I pull into Ryan’s apartment complex, I’m surprised to find he lives across the street from me. Literally, I can actually see my kitchen window from his doorstep. Talk about a small world. We’d been less than a hundred yards from each other and we had to go to Seaside to meet. Go figure.
I don’t even get to knock before his door swings open. I’ve got an overnight bag slung over my shoulder with my purse, and my dress on a hanger in my hand.
“Here, let me take that,” Ryan offers, leading me into his apartment. “It’s only a one-bedroom, but it’s mine.”
“You’re lucky. I’m getting a new roommate next year and I’m a little nervous.”
Setting my bag on his bed, he takes my dress and hangs it on a hook behind his bedroom door. “I’m sure it’ll be fine,” he says as he turns and reaches for me.
“Mmmm… I’ve missed you,” I moan as I breathe in his delicious scent.
“It’s been a long three days,” he says, pulling me closer. “I couldn’t wait for you to get here.”
Tipping up on my toes, I press my lips to his and whisper, “Same,” before showing him just how much I’ve missed him. Knowing we can’t get carried away, I break our kiss and ask, “Did you help with everything you needed to this morning?”
“Yep. We have a few hours before we have to leave again. How long will you need to get ready?” he asks, looping my arms around his neck.
I pretend to contemplate. “Hmmm… that depends…”
Running his fingers under my shirt he asks, “On?”
“On whether or not you’re in the shower with me.”
Lifting the hem of my shirt, he grins. “I’ll make you a deal. We set the alarm for an hour, and then we’ll be responsible adults and shower separately when it goes off. I’ll even be a gentleman and let you go first.”
“That’s only because you know we’ll never make it to the wedding otherwise,” I tease, reaching for the hem of my shirt to drag it over my head. Ryan reaches behind me and unclasps my bra, letting it drop to the floor.
“Alexa,” Ryan’s voice carries throughout the room, “set an alarm for one hour.”
While I work at the button of my shorts, he steps back from me and rips his shirt over his head. Then hastily shucks his gym shorts and boxers all before the animated voice can respond, “Alarm set for one hour.”
When both of us are naked, I watch Ryan grip his hard cock and stroke it as he demands, “Get on the bed.”
I don’t have to be told twice.
Scurrying up the bed, I turn to see Ryan stalking toward me. The moment his knee makes the bed dip, my inner muscles clench and desire flows through me.
As he crawls up the bed to settle between my body, my legs part inviting him in.
“Are you wet for me, Lanie? ”he asks as his finger trails along my inner thigh.
“Why don’t you see for yourself,” I challenge, hoping like hell he’ll give me some relief soon.
Hovering over me, he props himself up on one arm, while the other continues to taunt and tease me, making me beg, “Ryan, I need you inside me.”
“Patience,” he whispers as his finger traces a circle around the entrance of my slit. “I wanna feel you first. Close your eyes and tell me what you feel.”
The moment my eyes close, his lips brush a feathery kiss against mine.
When I don’t answer, his finger stops. “Lanie?”
“Don’t stop,” I beg.
‘Then tell me?” he coaxes by continuing his circular motion.
“Your breath is warm on my face. Your kiss felt soft, yet firm on my lips. You taste…” When his finger slowly dips in, then slides out, I cry out, “Oh, yes, Ryan. Right there.”
Without missing a beat he feathers kisses across my body as he adds another finger.
Instead of keeping them in the same rhythm, each time he dips in, he spreads them apart, in a scissor motion, making my body come alive.
In and out, back and forth, he finds a rhythm that has the energy in my spine starting to pool.
When he kisses across my chest and down my abdomen, I feel like I might combust in anticipation. My muscles clench and my body stiffens the moment his tongue swipes along my slit and around my clit.
Flattening his tongue he flicks at my clit as his fingers work my pussy into a frenzy. The second he reaches up and plays my nipple between his finger and thumb, I fly over the edge of no return. Pulse after pulse of electric currents flow from my spine, reaching from my head to my toes.
“Ohmigod, Ryan. Right there,” I pant as he continues like a man on a mission to milk every last twitch out of me.
“You taste fucking amazing,” he says, crawling up my body. When we’re face-to-face, he’s got a goofy grin that’s infectious. “How do you feel?”
“Like my body has a consistency of Jell-O.” I laugh. “But it’s the best possible feeling—ever.” Reaching for his face, I pull him close and kiss him. He tastes of me. He tastes of him. It’s something I need more of.
Before I know it our bodies are entwined with one another and his rock-hard cock is pressing into me. Reaching between us, I stroke him from root to tip and swirl his precum around the tip.
“You keep doing that, I’m not gonna last,” he warns.
“Please tell me you have condoms,” I tease, hoping like hell he does.
Reaching for the bedside drawer, he brings out an entire sleeve. “I’ve got plenty.”
Sitting up, I take a condom from him and rip open the package. “Good. Let’s get this on you.”
Apparently, I’m too slow because he grabs the condom from my hand and has himself ready before I can even move. Stroking himself a few times, he asks with a playful smirk, “Top or bottom?”
“Hmmm… decisions… decisions,” I tease and he takes matters into his own hands by rolling me onto my back .
It doesn’t take him long to line up our bodies. Just as he enters me, he says, “Next time, you can be on top.”
He takes his time at first, making sure I adjust to his size. The moment he’s fully inside, he groans, “You feel so fucking good. I wanna stay like this forever, but I need to move.”
Rocking my hips up, he meets me thrust for thrust. Loving the feel of his body on mine, I scrape my fingers down his back and grip his firm ass. “Harder,” I beg.
When he lifts one of my legs onto his shoulder, it changes our position and he goes even deeper than before. “Oh, yes… right there,” I beg as I chase my second orgasm of the day.
Ryan quickly finds a rhythm that has my entire body on fire. White heat courses through me and every muscle stiffens. After a few pumps, my entire body shatters. The moment my orgasm starts, he pumps twice into me and his entire body turns to granite as he pulses into the condom.
I love the feel of him as his body collapses onto mine, and we enjoy the aftershocks. Eventually, he rolls off me and goes to take care of the condom. But when he returns, he grins like the Cheshire cat and says, “Come on. I’m dying to take another shower with you.”
Thinking of our last time I grin. “Well… we do have time.”
*****
The minute we arrive at the ceremony, Ryan’s greeted by his best friend Vince.
They one-arm hug one another and slap each other on the back, the way men do.
When he pulls back, he quickly makes introductions.
“Vince, I’d like you to meet Lanie.” Taking my hand, he smiles wide.
“Lanie, this is Vince, brother of the bride.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Lanie. Do you attend CRU? I swear I’ve seen you before.”
“Yeah.” I nod. “You look familiar, but I can’t for the life of me place it.”
“I swear, this world keeps getting smaller,” Ryan grumbles. “But I had to go all the way back home to finally meet her.”
“Well, at least your paths crossed,” a beautiful redhead interjects as she clasps hands with Vince. “Hi, I’m Sydney. It’s nice to finally meet you, Lanie.”
Both Ryan and Vince give her a, ‘ would you shut up’ look and it’s obvious there’s been more than just my name said among them.
Brushing them off, she says, “Oh, hush. She knows what I mean. I’ve been dying to meet the girl that has Ryan’s attention.”
“Unks, we need you,” comes from an adorable girl all decked out as a flower girl in a white poofy dress.
Turning, he kisses Sydney on the cheek. “That’s our cue. Sorry, gotta run. I gotta give my sister away.”
“Good luck, man; give Vanessa a hug for me.”
“Will do.” Vince nods and disappears into the house.
As I look around at the guests now taking their seats, I finally spot the groom. He stands under the trellis with an older man holding a bible and two men that have to be his brothers. They’re just too similar to not be related.
Ryan squeezes my hand as the music begins. The bridesmaids and flower girl make their way down the aisle. Then everyone stands as Vince appears with the stunning bride.
Every bride should only dream of looking this good on their wedding day. Her smile is infectious as she sees her groom waiting for her. You can feel their love from across the yard as she glides to him.
To my surprise, before Vince can give her away, the officiant who looks like he could be my grandpa has a few pointed words to say to the groom. “Now, Damien, Vanessa is a precious girl.”
Damien nods in agreement, but the officiant continues. “Now her brother Vince may be giving her away, but if you pull any funny business, I’ll be the one takin’ care of things. Remember, I grew up in the South and I know how to hide a body.”
Oh my god, did he really just say that? The entire yard waits on bated breath for Damien’s response.
But the little flower girl pipes up for all of us to hear, “Really? Will you teach me that trick? I always get caught in hide and seek.”
Holy shit. That is priceless. I’m not sure where to look first. Everyone’s shocked expression feeds off one another. Once the groom laughs, the entire yard roars with laughter. Some are doubled over; others wipe tears from their cheeks.
That girl is a riot. When everyone calms down, she punches her fist to her waist irritated that everyone was laughing I’m sure. “Well, Jack, will ya teach me how to hide ‘em? ”
Bless that man’s heart, he schools his features and nods. “When you’re older, darling, I’ll show you just where to go.”
After the crowd settles again, the rest of the wedding goes by in a blur. That officiant kept this bridal party on their toes as he zipped off one-liners when you least expected it. By the time the bride and groom kissed, and everyone walked back down the aisle, my side hurt form laughing so much.
Ryan and I helped move chairs from the ceremony to the tables on the other side of the yard for the reception. Correct that, I moved my chair, and the groomsmen and a few of the guys I recognize from the basketball team had them all moved before the rest of us could think about it.
Before I know it, the reception’s in full swing.
There’s dancing, lots of food and drinks.
Ryan’s talking with a group of guys near the bar and I’m sitting at a table with Sydney, Margo, the bride’s best friend, and a girl by name of Chloe.
Vanessa’s dancing with her father-in-law and Jules and we’re just enjoying the show.
Sydney looks to me and grins. “I’m so glad you’re here with Ryan. It’s great to see him finally dating.”
Margo pipes in, “I’m glad you’re here to help him through it all.”
Repeating their words in my head, I finally have to ask, “What do you mean?”
Margo laughs once, then says, “For the longest time he’s had a crush on Vanessa.” Then she adds conspiratorially, “ Of course, she was none the wiser .”
I look to Ryan who’s talking with Vince, Damien, and the other groomsmen .
“Ryan’s always been the sweetest guy,” Sydney chimes in.
Chloe looks to the group of guys, one in particular she’s been staring at all night long and sighs, “I’m not sure I’d be brave enough to go to the wedding of my longest crush.”
“No kidding.” Margo laughs, then glances at the group of guys. There’s one in particular that’s had her attention tonight, but I can’t remember if his name is Tre or DeShawn. All I know is he’s a basketball player, going to Boston Law next fall.
When Vanessa joins the group of guys, I watch as Ryan pulls her in for a hug. He says something to her and she laughs. Then she says something in return to him. When she turns her attention to Damien, I watch as Ryan shakes his head and looks away.
Holy shit. It’s Vanessa.
She’s the girl who’s held his heart since freshman year.
Words he said to convince me to come tonight flood my mind.
There’s nothing I won’t do for either of them .
Holy shit, he brought me here to be his buffer.
When Ryan steps inside, I say to the table, “Will you excuse me, I need to use the restroom.”
They pay me no attention, as they’ve moved on to Margo’s date for the night.
Thankfully, I don’t run into Ryan as I slip into the house and grab my purse from the room I’d left it in.
Needing air, and to think, I slip out the front door.
Pulling up the app on my phone, I think of calling a car, but I don’t want to stick around in case Ryan decides to look for me. Instead, I make the hasty decision to walk the two miles back to my car.
Walking doesn’t help.
My mind comes up with a million reasons why Ryan brought me as his date.
It’s obvious that he still cares about her. What was his point in bringing me?
Did he make me fall for him, just to make it believable?
By the time I get to my car, all I want to do is go to the one place where I feel safe. The place I feel loved. The place I call home.