Chapter 5
CHAPTER 5
Devyn
We make the three-hour drive north to Portland along Interstate 5. I’m super nervous about this weekend, but Riley hasn’t brought it up so I can’t seem to either. Did he change his mind? God, I hope not. I’m starting a highly sought-after paid internship next month at a huge marketing firm. The owner of the agency is a U of O alum, so they open one slot every year for a graduating student. I worked my butt off creating mock-ups for a popular athletic gear company’s new children’s line. Out of over three hundred applicants, they picked me. Now for the next year of my life, I get to learn from some of the best in the industry. I feel like everything is falling into place perfectly according to plan. Everything except my love life, anyway. And I’m honestly okay with that—I wouldn’t have time for a relationship right now. But let’s face it. Sex sells. It’s huge in the marketing world, and I can pretend all day long, but I know I’ll never truly get it until I experience it for myself. I know Riley is the right person to help me with my little dilemma. I don’t know what I’m going to do if he backs out.
“Why are you fidgeting so much over there?” Riley asks.
I look down and notice I’m wringing my hands incessantly. I decide to bite the bullet and talk about the elephant in the room. Or the car, rather.
“Did you change your mind?” I ask.
“About what? Helping you move? It’s a little late now, don’t ya think, considering we’re only a few minutes outside of town?”
Oh no! Maybe he forgot about our deal! That’s even worse than him changing his mind. I clear my throat. “No…um, not about helping me move. Which I appreciate very much, if I haven’t mentioned that already. About…the other thing.”
He raises one eyebrow and smirks. “The other thing?”
I throw my hands up in exasperation, now knowing he’s just screwing with me. “Oh god, Riley! Are you really going to make me say it? The deal we made…to, you know, have sex.”
He gives me a devastating smile that showcases his dimples. “Oh, the deal . No, I definitely haven’t changed my mind about that .”
I sink into my chair, trying to hide my discomfort. “Oh. Good. ”
He grabs my hand and squeezes. “Baby, I promise to make it much better than good.”
I roll my eyes, pulling my hand away. “Gah! How many women have you said that to?” He manages to look a little embarrassed. “Don’t forget who you’re talking to, Rye. I’ve seen too many women fall victim to that panty-melting grin and your charming ways. That crap doesn’t work on me.”
Not much, anyway.
His smile gets even bigger. “You think my smile melts panties, huh?”
I try to hide my grin but fail miserably. “You know what I mean. Just don’t try to dress this up into something it’s not. Okay? After we unload the car, you and I will have sex really quick, and then it’ll be back to the same ol’, same ol’. We can grab some burgers and beer afterward. It’s no big deal. Really.”
He shakes his head. “Nuh-uh. I didn’t agree to that. If we do this, Devyn, we do it on my terms.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means,” he replies, pulling off the freeway leading us into the heart of Portland’s Pearl District, “that if we do this…no, scratch that. When we do this, I’m in charge. And ‘ really quick,’ ain’t gonna happen, sweetheart.”
“Domineering much? I didn’t say I wanted to explore S the flush has spread across her collarbone. Not being strong enough to resist, I lean over and nip that sweet spot where her neck meets her shoulder and grin when I feel her shiver. Good to know she’s not as immune as she claims.
“And three…” I’m kissing up her neck now. “Perky can be annoying. Nobody is naturally perky all the time which means those girls I usually date are fake. You’re real , Devyn. What you see is what you get, and there is nothing sexier than a woman who’s not afraid to be herself.”
While I’m kissing her jawbone, she pants, “Riley, what are you doing?”
I grin against her cheek. “I’m seducing you.”
She gasps. “Why?” She chuckles a little in an effort, I think, to conceal her obvious nervousness. “I’m a sure thing.”
I grab her face with both hands, forcing her to look at me. “Because you deserve to be seduced. And I’m talking full-scale seduction here. Never settle for anything less, Devyn. Before we do this, you have to promise me that. That you will never settle.”
Her eyes bulge slightly. “What did you just say?”
“Promise me you’ll never settle, Devyn. Never sell yourself short and settle for someone out of comfort or obligation. Make sure that when you do settle down one day, it’s with someone who knows your worth and makes you feel everything you’re supposed to feel with the person you spend the rest of your life with.”
“I promise,” she whispers.