Chapter 20
“Moving to my bed sounds like a perfect idea.”
“Stick with me. I’m full of good ideas,” Ryan said. “Up with you.” Once she was standing, he stood and then scooped her up, chuckling when she squealed. “Got you now.”
“You sure do.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’ve never been carried before. It’s romantic.”
“The romance is only just beginning, love.” He lowered his mouth to hers. It wasn’t easy kissing and walking at the same time, but he managed it.
When he reached her bedroom, he lowered her to the bed. She smiled softly at him, and he leaned in and kissed her again. Had he ever wanted a woman as much as he wanted this one? The answer was no, not even the one he’d been engaged to. He straightened and stared down at her.
“I think you’ve bewitched me,” he said. She thought he was teasing her, but he meant it.
“All the better to lure you into my lair, pretty boy.”
He laughed. “Pretty boy? Baby, I think I need to show you the difference between a man and a boy.” He unbuttoned his shirt.
“But first, we both have too many clothes on.” When she reached for the hem of her blouse, he put his hand over hers.
“No, allow me the pleasure of unwrapping you. It’ll be like Christmas. ”
“Shouldn’t I get to unwrap you, then?”
“Next time.” He tossed his shirt aside. “Stand up.”
Heat flared in her eyes. “Make me.”
All right, she liked games. So did he. There was a chair in the corner, and he went to it and sat. He didn’t speak.
She lasted two minutes before saying, “What are you doing?”
“Waiting.” He swallowed his smile when she scowled at him.
“For what?”
“You. Come here, Matti.”
She huffed but stood. If there wasn’t a glint in her eyes telling him she liked this game, he would end it, but there was. He spread his legs and pointed to the space between them. She narrowed her eyes as if she was going to refuse, and then… She ruined her game face by bursting into laughter.
Her laugh was deep and throaty, and he wanted to join in. It wasn’t easy, but he stayed true to the game and didn’t allow himself even the hint of a smile. She stopped between his legs and slapped a hand over her mouth in an attempt to stop her laughter.
“Sorry,” she muttered between her fingers.
“Are you really, or just saying what you think I want to hear?”
“I’m sorry?”
“No, you’re not.” He put his hands on her hips. “You’re being a very bad girl.”
“I try to be good, but it’s just so much more fun to be bad.”
He stood and turned her around. He put his hands on her shoulders and lowered his mouth to her ear. “Here’s a secret about me for you. Bad girls are my favorite.” A shudder traveled through her, and he smiled against her neck.
“Lucky me,” she whispered.
“Be still,” he said when she tried to face him. He reached around her and began to slowly unbutton her blouse.
She leaned her head against his chest. “I could do that faster.”
“Hush.” He resumed his task, and when the last button was free, he slid her blouse down her arms. “Should I take the time to fold this for you or just drop it on the floor?”
“Floor.”
“Done.” Her breathing came faster as he teased her with his fingers, trailing them across her stomach, then up to but not quite touching her breasts. “This bra is sexy on you, but it has to go.”
“Okay.”
“No talking. Just feel.” He wanted her mind on nothing but his touch.
He pushed the hooks on her bra apart, then dropped it to the floor.
“These beauties are a perfect fit in my hands. I don’t care if it takes hours, but I’m going to take my time learning what you like, what makes you moan, what it takes to make you scream my name. ”
He smiled against her neck when she moaned. “That is the sexiest sound I’ve ever heard. I’m a greedy bastard, and I want all your moans and all your screams.” He slid his hands down her stomach to the button of her jeans. “The upper half of you is perfect, Matti. Now, let’s see all of you.”
She pressed her bottom against his arousal, and he was the one groaning. “As good as that feels, it’s only a mere hint of how it’ll feel when we’re skin to skin.”
He deftly unbuttoned her jeans, his fingers tracing the waistband of her panties before slowly pushing the denim down her thighs.
His breath hitched as he revealed more of her, his heart pounding in his chest like a primal drum.
She stepped out of her jeans, and her breaths came in short gasps as he slid his hands back up her legs, his fingertips lightly tracing her soft skin.
“So responsive,” he murmured. He leaned down, his lips brushing against her shoulder, his tongue darting out to taste her.
Her body responded to his touch with a shiver.
He took his time exploring every inch of her back, her sides, his hands cupping her breasts, his thumbs circling her nipples until they were hard peaks and she was moaning again.
He glanced up, noticing the freestanding mirror in the corner of her bedroom, and he grinned. Perfect. “Don’t move.” He quickly shed his pants and boxer briefs, then stepped back behind her. “Stand in front of the mirror.”
She tilted her head back and looked up at him. “Why?”
“Because I’m going to show you how beautiful you are when your eyes are filled with desire and your body is trembling from my touch.”
He put his hands on her shoulders and walked her forward until she stood in front of the mirror.
His eyes met hers in the reflection, and in hers was anticipation.
He stood behind her, his body pressed against hers, his hands now resting lightly on her hips.
Her breath hitched as he leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Watch.”
His hands began to move, slowly tracing the curve of her waist, the flare of her hips. His fingers splayed wide, possessive, as they slid up her rib cage, stopping just beneath her breasts. Her breath quickened, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
“I love how responsive you are, how your body’s flushed with desire,” he said, his mouth next to her ear.
He moved his hands up, cupping her breasts, his thumbs brushing against her nipples. He stepped closer, his body pressing against hers, letting her feel how aroused he was, how much he wanted her. Her eyes fluttered closed, a soft moan escaping.
“Watch yourself come for me, Matti.”
She opened her eyes, her gaze following his hand as he trailed it down her stomach. She squirmed, trying to encourage him to go lower. He smiled against her neck, his teeth grazing her sensitive skin.
“Patience,” he murmured, his hand moving back up to her breast, teasing her nipple again. She whimpered, her body trembling with need. He loved seeing her like this, desperate and wanting.
“Please.”
“Hmm? Please what, beautiful? Tell me what you want.” He danced his fingers down her stomach, then on down and cupped her sex. “This?”
Her head fell back against his shoulder. “Yes,” she breathed out, her voice barely a whisper. She closed her eyes.
As much as he wanted to continue this game, he was close to losing control. He scooped her up and carried her to the bed. “Let’s make tonight amazing,” he said as he covered her body with his.
* * *
Ryan opened his eyes the next morning in a bedroom that wasn’t his.
It took a moment to orient himself and remember where he was.
He smiled when his gaze fell on the sleeping woman next to him.
She was on her stomach with her face turned toward him.
The hours he’d spent loving her had been amazing.
He wanted her again and was sure she wasn’t a passing fancy.
He hadn’t been looking for a woman to be a part of his life, but he thought he’d found one anyway. He wanted more, and although that was a surprise, he didn’t want to fight his growing feelings for her.
As tempted as he was to kiss her awake, to start the morning buried deep inside her, he didn’t.
They’d spent most of the night making love, and she had to be exhausted.
For whatever reason, he wasn’t. He felt invigorated, excited to start the day.
Everything felt different, full of promises, a future he hadn’t seen coming but was ready to embrace.
He brushed a stray lock of hair away from her eyes, smiled when she let out a soft snore. Careful not to shake the bed, he eased off the mattress. It was early still, and after dressing in a pair of shorts and T-shirt he’d brought, he made his way to the kitchen.
After an inventory of the contents of Matti’s pantry and refrigerator, he settled on breakfast burritos. The sausage was browned and the sliced onions were caramelizing when Matti padded into the kitchen.
“Morning, sunshine.” She scowled, which had him grinning. “Not a morning person?” He poured a cup of coffee and set it on the counter next to the cream and sugar. She blinked several times as if testing to see if her eyelids were working yet. That had him grinning, too.
“And she’s one of those who doesn’t talk in the mornings.” He laughed when she wrinkled her nose at him. She was adorable.
He watched how much cream and sugar she added to her coffee so he’d know how to make it for her the way she liked, and whoa.
Have some coffee with your cream, sunshine.
Because morning Matti was adorable in her grouchiness and because he wanted to, he stepped in front of her, put his finger under her chin to lift her face, and kissed her.
“And that’s the perfect way to start the day,” he said. “Have a seat and enjoy your cream… I mean your coffee while I finish breakfast.” He winked.
She still wasn’t talking, just stared at him as if he were some alien being she found in her kitchen. He poured the eggs and hash browns into the frying pan, humming as he stirred.
“Are you this cheerful every morning?”
He glanced at her over his shoulder. “Mornings are great. A new day, new possibilities. A fresh start. What’s not to be cheerful about that?”
She just grunted.
When the eggs were cooked to perfection, he removed the pan from the stove, transferring the contents to a large bowl.
The sausage went into another bowl and the onions onto a saucer.
He nuked the tortillas for a few seconds, then put them and everything else on the island, along with the cheddar cheese he’d grated.
“Dig in.” He sat on the barstool next to her.
“You didn’t have to do all this, you know.”
“I did it because I wanted to, not because I felt I had to.”
“So, how do I do this?”
He gasped. “You’ve never had a breakfast burrito?”
“Nope.”
“Girl, have you ever been missing out. Here, I’ll make your first one. Watch.”
Watch.
The word hung between them as their eyes locked. He hadn’t consciously used the word as a reminder of last night, but now that it was there, he knew she, too, was thinking of the intimacy they’d shared in the dark hours of the night. He groaned when her eyes darkened.
“Matti, I…” He paused at the sound of the front door opening. Afraid Sam’s mean men were breaking in, he dropped the tortilla as he moved to stand in front of her.
“Everyone in my family has a key,” she said. “It’s probably Mom bringing Sam home.”
“Matti! Doc! I’m home.”
At hearing Sam’s voice, Ryan relaxed, exceedingly happy that he wasn’t going to have to fight off any mean men. Mostly because he didn’t have a clue how to fight meanies, especially ones who probably carried guns.
“In the kitchen,” Matti called.
Little feet pounded on the hardwood floor as Sam raced to them. “Matti, Doc, guess what?”
Ryan smiled at the exuberant boy. “What’s that, buddy?”
“I got to ride in a police car, and Wyatt let me turn on the siren.”
“No kidding. That’s awesome cool.”
Wyatt walked into the kitchen. “Our boy here wants to be a police officer when he grows up. I told him he’d be a great one.” He put his hand on top of Sam’s head. “What else did I tell you?”
“That if I wanted to be a police officer, I had to go to school, make good grades, and not get arrested.”
Ryan shot Matti a grin when she snorted at that last one. “Solid advice there.” He lifted Sam and set him on the stool. “You have breakfast?”
“Nana made me French toast. It was sooo good.”
“Who’s Nana?” Matti asked.
“Your mommy. She told me to call her Nana ’cause she’s my grandmommy.”
“Oh, boy,” Matti muttered. “She’s claiming him.”
Was that a bad thing? Ryan didn’t think so.
He got why Matti didn’t think she could keep Sam, but the boy was going to be crushed when he found out he wasn’t staying with her.
Ryan wished there was a way he could, but he was never home.
Maybe he could get her to change her mind if he promised to share responsibility for Sam.
Between the two of them, they could make it work.