Chapter 45
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Ass stuff
Ruby
I shouldn’t have let Daisy talk me into wearing this dress. It was more like a top. I was constantly alternating between tugging it up over my bra, and pulling it down to cover my ass. I couldn’t win.
Ryker had patiently sat on my bed earlier, amusedly taking in the chaos of four girls getting ready for a night out.
Daisy had come into my room to borrow a pair of shoes, Jaz had ransacked my makeup stash for eyelash glue, and Bri had sprayed her hair in front of my full-length mirror – almost gassing Ryker in the process.
Despite the coughing fit, he’d remained a good sport, just like he always did.
Now, I rested against his solid chest in the overly loud night club. One of his arms was casually draped over my shoulder, and his other hand rested on my thigh, endlessly stroking the bare skin beneath the hem of the way-too-short dress.
He was chatting to the guy Daisy was seeing – or at least one of them. The other was around here somewhere.
I couldn’t watch the three of them interact without heat settling in my cheeks. Just imagining Daisy wedged between them was enough to make me feel exhausted. She was way more courageous than me. Or was she like most girls and I was the boring one?
“I gave up after high school,” the guy told Ryker. “I would’ve loved playing in college, but it didn’t happen.”
It hadn’t taken long for Ryker and this guy to realise they had a very big common ground – football. They’d been chatting about it non-stop since meeting.
Ryker was the type of guy who could hold a conversation with anyone. When I’d mentioned earlier in the week that Jaz had invited us out, he’d said he was down for anything – so long as I was there.
I was starting to think he was a little too close to perfect.
As far as college quarterbacks went, he was one of the best in the country.
As for looks, he could pass for Victoria and David Beckham’s fourth son.
As a friend, he was the best. And in between a woman’s legs.
.. off the charts. Surely a flaw had to reveal itself soon.
I’d almost been ashamed that I’d come simply from rubbing against him, but his hooded expression had eased any embarrassment. The raw hunger in his eyes had both turned me on and terrified me.
I’d been in my head about sleeping with him ever since he’d booked his flights, and the anxiety had only worsened when he landed.
He’d gone down on me, I’d given him a hand job and sucked him off, and he’d just let me grind against him until I came. We were getting closer to the finish line, but the final hurdle – aka sex – was the most daunting milestone yet.
I wished I had the confidence to just rip my clothes off the way he probably expected, just like the assured girls from his past. But for me, it was such a significant step.
I caught sight of Bri manoeuvring her way to the bar alone. She’d picked up some tattooed guy and they’d been grinding against each other on the dance floor all night.
“I’m going to grab a drink,” I told Ryker. “Do either of you want anything?”
For every two drinks I’d had, Ryker had only drunk one beer. With the Draft looming, I knew he was still trying to keep the reins relatively tight.
“I’m fine,” he said, his thumb stilling on my knee. “But I’ll come with you.”
“It’s all good. Bri is right there.”
I missed the warmth from his body the moment I pulled away, but I’d finished my drink over twenty minutes ago and I needed to keep my liquid courage flowing.
Bri did a double take when I reached the bar. “Girl, where have you been? The dance floor is going off.”
“I was with Ryker and one of Daisy’s no-label guys.”
Bri’s wild eyes widened. “I can totally see why she slept with both of them. They’re insanely hot.”
Were they? Couldn’t say I’d noticed.
When I’d been dating Noah, I’d done my best not to check out other guys. And even though Ryker and I had a much more casual arrangement, I was still treating him with that same respect.
Besides, there was no competition about who the hottest guy in the bar was – and I could smell him on my skin as I reached up to tuck a piece of hair behind my ear.
“Speaking of irresistible men,” Bri said, waggling her brows. “Did Ryker retake your virginity before we left?”
I arched a brow. “Virginity?”
“Being twenty-one and only sleeping with one guy is a crime. How are you supposed to know what you’re missing out on without taking other penises for a ride?”
I chuckled. Bri was never one for subtlety. Add a few drinks, and her already limited filter vanished entirely.
I instinctively tugged on the hem of my dress before readjusting the bust to cover my lacy bra. “I never felt like I was missing out while Noah and I were dating.”
Bri smirked knowingly. “But you do now, don’t you?”
I felt guilty for admitting it... but yeah. Things with Ryker had certainly been different in the best way possible.
“Ryker and I didn’t... you know... this afternoon,” I admitted quietly. “I want to, I really do. But I’m freaking out.”
“Why?”
“You said it yourself. He’s been with so many girls. Probably more experienced and talented ones. What if he finds me boring or, like, wants to do ass stuff?”
Bri gaped at me. “Then do ass stuff. It’s fun.”
“Bri.”
She sighed. “Okay. I’m sorry. Look, you’ve fooled around a few times already. Has he gone anywhere near your ass?”
“No.”
“And has he asked you to go near his?”
I frowned. “No.”
“Then you’re probably safe on the ass stuff. As for the rest, just let it happen. Sex is supposed to happen naturally when you’re in the moment. You don’t need to plan it.”
She was right. The first time Ryker and I had crossed that line – and every time since – it hadn’t been scary. I’d dragged the sex part out too long, because now the anticipation was killing me.
“Maybe some shots for encouragement would help,” Bri said, signalling down the bartender.
She ordered four tequila shots and four vodka sodas. I guess we were going halves in this round since Jaz and Daisy were nowhere in sight.
We clinked glasses before downing each of our shots. One after the other. Before the tequila could singe my throat, I chased it down with an entire vodka soda.
“Better?” Bri asked.
I nodded. “Better.”
“Good. Now go find Ryker and get him out of here. I’ll cover for you with Jaz.”
With an appreciative smile, I turned back to where I’d left Ryker with one of Daisy’s guys. Only Daisy’s guy was no longer there, and there was a girl hanging around Ryker instead.