Chapter 26
TWENTY-SIX
ryder
Noia’s eyes go wide and her breath starts to quicken.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“I… I haven’t finished writing about today.”
I lean in and raise an eyebrow. “Just more fuel to stoke the fire, kitten.” Taking the mug from her hands, I set it on the desk beside her laptop. “I think you’ve done enough writing for tonight.”
Goosebumps rise along the smooth expanse of her skin as I trace my fingers up her bare arm, and it makes me grin.
I tug gently at the collar of her T-shirt, exposing more of her creamy skin.
“But I—”
“Shh.” I move her hair out of the way, pressing my lips to the sensitive spot where her neck meets her shoulder. She melts against me with a soft sigh. “Your words will still be there tomorrow.”
She nods, and I slide my hands under her thighs, lifting her up from the chair. Her legs wrap around my waist as I carry her to the bed.
Her soft weight feels perfect pressing against me.
“I can’t stop thinking about last night,” I confess, lowering her onto the mattress. “The way your pussy squeezed my cock. The sounds you made when I made you come.”
Sliding my hand beneath her T-shirt, I trace my fingers up her ribs, reveling in the silky softness of her skin. “Take this off for me.”
She sits up just enough to pull the shirt over her head, letting it fall onto the floor. The sight of her bare breasts in the soft lamplight makes my mouth go dry.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” I breathe, cupping one breast, loving how it feels in my palm. Her nipple hardens beneath my thumb as I stroke it, drawing a soft gasp from her lips.
Lowering my head, I take the tight bud into my mouth, swirling my tongue before sucking hard. Her back arches off the bed as her fingers thread through my hair.
“Ryder,” she sighs.
The sound of my name on her lips sends a thrill like I’ve never known straight to my cock.
I take my time, worshipping every inch of her body with my hands and mouth. When I finally slide her shorts and panties down her legs, she’s trembling.
“Spread your legs so I can see you.”
Slowly, she opens her legs and I suck in a breath at the sight.
She’s glistening.
“Holy fuck.” I climb onto the bed and use my hands to press her thighs further apart. “I can’t wait to taste you again.”
The first stroke of my tongue against her center has her clutching at the sheets. She’s already so wet, so ready for me.
I work her with my mouth and tongue until she’s writhing, her pleas loud and desperate as she teeters on the edge. Only then do I slide up her body, pausing to shed my own clothes before rising above her.
“Look at me,” I command softly.
Her eyes flutter open, dark with desire, and lock with mine. In that moment, something shifts between us—something deeper than physical attraction, more profound than lust.
Slowly, I push inside, watching her face as I fill her completely. The tight heat of her pussy gripping my dick nearly undoes me. Determined to make this last, I manage to keep myself in check—barely.
“You feel so good,” she groans, wrapping her arms around my neck as I begin to thrust.
I set a slow, deliberate rhythm, wanting to memorize every sensation—the way she feels, the soft sounds she makes, how her body responds to what I do.
“Tell me what you need,” I whisper against her ear, my voice rough with restraint.
“Harder,” she breathes.
I don’t hesitate for a second. Gripping her hips, I slam into her. Her gasps turn into moans, sending fire racing through my veins.
“Like this?” I growl, driving into her over and over, throwing a mental fist in the air when her eyes roll back in her head.
“Yes,” she pants, digging crescents into my biceps with her nails. “Fuck, yes!”
When I pull out and flip her onto her stomach, she lets out a surprised yelp that turns into a moan when I yank her hips up and thrust back into her from behind.
“Fuck,” I hiss. The new angle and the tight grip of her pussy nearly undoes me.
Pushing her down so she’s lying flat on the bed, I slide one hand beneath her, finding her slick clit, circling it with my middle finger in time with my thrusts.
Then I slide my other hand up between her breasts, to the elegant column of her throat, until I’m gripping her neck.
The rapid flutter of her pulse against my fingers almost makes me lose it right then and there.
“You want more?” I grunt against her ear.
“Don’t stop,” she gasps.
Applying just enough pressure to let her know I’m the one in control, her entire body shudders beneath me as her inner walls start to clench.
“You like that, don’t you?” I growl into her ear. “You like it when I take control.”
“Yes,” she whimpers, voice breaking as I increase the pressure on her clit.
Her body is trembling, back arched, half her face pressed into the pillow as I fuck into her with deep, long strokes. I can feel her getting close, her breathing growing more ragged with each savage thrust.
“Come on, kitten.” My voice is rough with need. “I want to feel you.”
And that’s all it takes. One simple request and she shatters, crying out my name as her body convulses. The rhythmic pulsing of her walls around my dick is too much to resist, and I instantly follow her over the edge, burying myself deep as I come with a groan.
For several long moments, we stay locked together, breathing hard. Finally, I ease my grip on her neck and pull out.
Rolling her over, I press a gentle kiss to her neck and collapse beside her.
She rolls onto her side to face me, cheeks flushed, eyes bright.
“It wasn’t too much, was it?”
“No,” she says quickly, scooting over to rest her head over my heart. “I’ve never... no one’s ever...”
At a loss for words, all I’m able to do in the moment is trace my fingers up and down her arm.
She’s quiet for a while and when she finally speaks, her voice comes out soft and determined. “Ryder, I think we should sleep in separate beds tonight.”
I go still. “What?”
She sits up, not quite meeting my eyes. “It’s just... this is all happening so fast. I mean, a week ago you didn’t even exist in my world, and now we’re...” She gestures between us.
“Now we’re what?” I ask, voice hard. “Having incredible sex? Getting to know each other? Living out our story?”
“That’s just it.” She runs a hand through her tangled hair. “I feel like we’re rushing through chapters that need time to develop. We’re skipping integral parts of the story.”
Propping myself up on my elbow, I study her face. “What’s this really about?”
She sighs. “It’s about me needing to catch my breath. To process what’s happening between us without getting lost in... this.”
The rejection stings, taking me by surprise. “This being what, exactly?”
“The physical part.” Her cheeks flush. “Don’t get me wrong—it’s amazing. But I write romance novels for a living, Ryder. I know that the most meaningful relationships build slowly. In my stories the characters need to develop trust and understanding before jumping into bed.”
“We’ve already jumped, kitten. Multiple times.”
She shoots me a look. “You know what I mean.”
I sit up fully with a sigh and drag a hand down my face. “So, what are you saying? You want to take a step back?”
“No. I’m saying I think we should slow down. Not have sex for a while.”
“You said you’d let me take you out of your comfort zone.”
“You definitely have,” she nods. “But you also said we were going to do other things to help build inspiration. I can’t just have inspiration based on sex, no matter how good it is.”
“Okay. I see your point.” I get out of bed and tug on my jeans. “If you want slow-burn, I’ll give you slow-burn.”
My eyes travel slowly over her naked body. She’s still sprawled across the sheets, skin flushed, hair wild, looking thoroughly fucked and absolutely perfect.
“But just so we’re clear,” I say, dropping my voice into that low register I know makes her shiver. “This whole ‘slow-burn’ thing? It can go both ways.”
She gets under the covers. “Explain.”
I stand at the end of the bed, looking down at her with a smirk. “I can give you the bad boy, too. Give me a few days and you’ll be begging me to fuck you again.”
Her eyes widen, pupils dilating even as she scoffs. “If anyone is going to beg, it’s gonna be you.”
“Trust me, kitten.” I lean forward, bracing my hands on the mattress. “It will be you.”
She swallows hard. “Then I guess we’ll just have to wait and see, won’t we?”
“Yeah, we will.” I straighten up and head for the door. “Sweet dreams, Noia.”
“Ryder?”
I stop in the doorway and glance over my shoulder. “Yeah?”
“Why do you call me kitten?”
Her question catches me off guard and it takes me longer than I’d like to answer.
“Because everything about you is soft in all the best ways. Soft curves. Soft, shiny hair. But when those claws come out…” I shake my head.
“Let’s just say it does something to me no one else has ever been able to do before. ”
I close her bedroom door behind me with a soft click, grinning when I hear her frustrated groan.
Downstairs, I pour myself a generous glass of whiskey and collapse onto the couch with a sigh. Goonie hops up beside me, giving me his usual judgmental glare.
“Don’t look at me like that,” I mutter. “Your mom’s the one who wants to slow things down.”
He gives me a slow blink and a yawn before settling down next to my thigh, purring softly.
I take a long sip of my drink, the burn slowly easing its way down my throat. It’s going to be a long, frustrating next few days.
Back in my bedroom, I collapse onto the bed and stare up at the ceiling.
So, Noia wants a slow-burn?
Fine. I’ll make the burn so slow she’ll combust from the inside out.
Game on, kitten.