Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
RYDER
E ve stifles a yawn next to me as she lies her head on my chest. I know the emotions today have taken a toll on her, and she’s got to be exhausted. I finish the rest of my bourbon and set the glass down on the side table next to me.
“I think we’re going to call it a night. We need to get Ryland in her bed, and this one can hardly keep her eyes open.”
“I think all this anticipation of today has finally caught up with me.” Eve sits up and stretches.
“We will have plenty of time in the next two weeks to visit more. You guys go ahead and get this precious little girl to bed.” My mom looks down at a sleeping Ryland in her arms. She read her a bedtime story hours ago and refused to let us move her when she fell asleep in her arms.
“The pool after dinner wiped Rybug out,” Eve laughs.
My mom’s head whips up to stare at Eve. “What did you call her?”
“Rybug. The nickname just popped in my head the day she was born, and it just stuck.”
My mom looks down at Ryland and brushes back a curl from her face before meeting me with tears in her eyes. “That was what your mom used to call you,” she whispers softly. “God, I had completely forgotten about that nickname until now. My sister always said you looked so adorable all swaddled up. Snug as a bug…”
“In a rug,” Eve says at the same time. She reaches out and takes my hand. I don’t remember a lot about my mom, but I remember her love. Every once in a while, I get feelings that remind me of her, even though I don’t have any memories to go with them. I just feel…her.
“She couldn’t be here with you, so she sent the next best thing,” my mom says softly, looking at Ryland.
Eve squeezes my hand and smiles at me. Clearing my throat, I swallow down my emotions. I see Sophia wipe her eyes as Travis and Jake give me a small smile.
“She definitely sent me the next best thing,” I say quietly, looking at my daughter. “Two best things, actually.” I glance at Eve and hold her gaze, feeling the love that my mom would want me to feel. I break away and run a hand through my hair. “Okay,” I say, standing up. “I think I’m going to get my girls to bed. I think enough tears have been shed today,” I laugh softly.
I walk over and gently pick up a sleeping bug. She buries her face in my neck and sighs in her sleep. I rub her back and meet my mom’s eyes. She knows exactly the love I’m feeling holding my daughter in her arms because she’s looking at me with the same love shining through.
“She’s beautiful, Ryder,” my mom says, looking back at Ryland. My dad puts his arm around her and squeezes her shoulder. “I know we tell you all the time, but we are so proud of you and the man you have become. And now you’re a daddy.” They both beam up at me with eyes full of pride.
“It’s the scariest job I’ve ever had in my life.” I run my hand up and down her back, feeling her small breath on my neck.
“It is,” my dad laughs. “Just wait until she’s driving and dating.”
“I can handle cars and will teach her everything she needs to know, but the dating I know I’m not going to be good at.” The thought of teenage boys and parties immediately makes me break out into a sweat when I think of everything that could go wrong.
“Let’s just focus on getting her potty trained first before you start planning all the ways to scare the boys off,” Eve laughs. “We still have some years to go before we have to worry about that.”
My dad chuckles, knowing exactly what’s going through my head. I push the thoughts away before I go into full-blown panic mode and follow Eve out as we say goodnight to everyone.
“Why don’t you go get ready for bed while I put Ryland down.” I open the door to our place and step inside.
“I was thinking of taking a bath. Will you join me when you’re done?” She smiles at me, and I bend down to taste her lips.
“I’ll be in soon. Save me a spot,” I whisper against her before kissing her one more time.
“Mmmmmm,” she hums when I pull her bottom lip before releasing her. “Don’t take too long.” She kisses the back of Ryland’s head and walks toward the bathroom.
I watch that ass sway before disappearing into the doorway. I’m definitely not going to take long. I hear the bathwater turn on as I go over to Ryland’s bed and gently lay her down. I make sure her teddy is still securely in her arms before tucking her in.
I turn the video monitor on and lock the door before walking into the bedroom. I stop in the bathroom doorway when I see Eve in the tub. Her hair is piled high, and her eyes are closed as the bubbles caress her skin. I watch her even breathing as her breasts rise and fall gently, the water lapping against them.
Every time I look at her, I just want to get lost in her beauty. I felt it the day I met her, and it’s only grown stronger. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love her. The fact that she’s the mother of my child only makes me love her more, which I didn’t think was possible until now.
Before I can stop myself, the words that have been silent in my head since the day we first met softly come out.
“Marry me.” Her eyes blink open, and her ocean blues widen in surprise.
“What did you say?” She whispers.
I push off the doorframe and walk toward her. “Marry me, Eve. I know I should be doing this grand proposal right now, but I can’t stop the words anymore. I’ve been wanting to ask you since the moment we met, but I waited until we were older and could provide for you. After you left, I regretted every day that I didn’t ask you sooner. I don’t want to wait any longer.”
“I don’t need a grand proposal, Ryder.” She sits up and faces me as I bend down next to her. “All I’ve ever needed and wanted is you.”
“So, is that a yes?” My heart pounds against my chest as I watch a tear slide down her face.
“Yes,” she laughs through her tears. “It’s always been yes. We’re our forevers, remember?”
“I remember,” I grin. “I love you, my evening sun.” I stare into the eyes that have always had my heart and always will.
“I love you,” she breathes against my skin as our lips almost meet. I close the distance and crush my lips to her, weaving my hand in her hair and holding her tightly against me. Her tongue seeks mine, and I eagerly deepen the kiss as we tangle together. She lifts up more and claws my back, trying to get my shirt up. I briefly lean back and toss it over my head before finding her lips again.
My skin gets damp as she gets up on her knees and presses herself to me, her fingers digging into my skin.
“You need to get in here. Your fiance needs you.” Hearing the word fiance, my heart quickens. It was a word I once thought was gone forever.
“Say it again,” I breathe against her lips, needing to hear it one more time.
“Your fiance needs you,” she whispers as I run my teeth along her neck and nip her soft skin.
I stand up and quickly remove the rest of my clothes before sliding in to face her. Pulling her to me, she straddles me as my hands squeeze and tease her breasts. The bubbles slide down her breasts as I take a nipple in my mouth, tugging hard. I feel her hands in my hair as she digs her fingers in, pulling tightly. A moan escapes her as I mimic the other one.
She rubs against me, our bodies slick in the water. My dick throbs as she slides up and down, taunting me. Groaning, I lift her up and press my tip into her entrance. Our eyes meet as I hold her there. Her blues are brimming with desire as I grip her tightly, keeping her in place.
“This is where you belong, Eve.” I slide her down painfully slow, wanting her to feel every inch of me. She moans as her pussy wraps tightly around me. “It’s where you have always belonged, and once you’re my wife, it’s where I’ll make damn sure you stay.” I sit fully inside her now as my eyes burn into hers.
“You were my first, Ryder, and I always knew you would be my last. I belong with you. I always have.” Her eyes turn a dark blue as they pierce right into my soul. She lifts up on her knees and slides down on me again. My grip on her waist tightens as all my nerve endings burn beneath the surface. Her moan fills the room as she goes down on me again. The sound shoots straight to my dick as I throb inside her. “Ryder…” My name sounds more like a plea than a question.
“Yes?” Her hooded eyes focus on me again, and their blue heat sends a scorching path in their wake.
“Please fuck your fiance now.”
Those words uttered from her lips are my undoing. “Gladly,” I growl, lifting her up and filling her again in one hard thrust.
“Yes,” she moans as I do it again. Her hands grip my neck as her breasts bounce against my chest. Her nipples rub against me, causing her to throw back her head as her peaks get even harder with the friction.
I’m so deep inside her that our bodies have become one. We fit so damn good together that there’s no way to tell where I end and she begins.
“I’m going to cum so hard in you that I’ll be coating that sweet pussy for days.” She tightens around me, and I know my dirty talk is pushing her over the edge. “Do you feel how hard you make me, Eve? My cock craves you and only you. Give it what it wants, my evening sun. Let me feel you grip me.”
My words put her over the edge as she whimpers my name. The water sloshes as I go deeper, hitting her right where I know it will be her undoing. Another intense wave hits her as her body pulses tightly around me.
My orgasm slams into me with such force that my vision goes black as I loudly moan her name. My body trembles from the sheer intensity of it as we continue to feel the pleasure that has consumed our very being.
I hug her tightly against me and feel her body shaking as the last of our orgasm fades away, leaving us panting and unable to form a single thought. She buries her face in my neck, and we sit there until our breathing becomes normal again.
“God, that was fucking amazing.” I finally get the muffled words out as I press my face into her hair.
“So amazing,” she agrees against my neck. “My fiance sure knows how to please a woman.”
“I only want to please one. I have something that belongs to you,” I lean back and grin at her. “Let’s rinse off real quick in the shower so I can give it to you.”
“What is it?” She looks puzzled as I lift her up and help her out of the tub. We step up under the spray and quickly wash up.
“You’ll see in a sec.” I laugh at her impatient look. I dry us both off before picking her up and carrying her to the bed.
Throwing back the covers, I lay her down as she snuggles under the sheets. She watches me as I disappear into the closet. I pull down a box and rummage through it before I find what I’m looking for.
Opening up the small box, I take the diamond in my hand and study it. I couldn’t force myself to get rid of it or put it in storage. It was the most painful thing to look at when she left, but now it’s the most beautiful. It holds all the promises we made when we were younger and all the promises we’ve made now. The center-round diamond sparkles as light catches it. The cluster of diamonds around it makes it look like a sunburst against the white gold band.
I fist it in my hand before climbing back in bed with her under the covers. She eyes me warily as I reach for her left hand. Her gaze wides as I slip the diamond on her finger. It’s the perfect fit, just like I knew it would be.
“What…how? You just asked me…” She stares at the ring. “It’s beautiful,” she whispers. “It’s a sun.” She smiles at me as tears start to fall silently down her face.
“I started saving the day I met you. I knew right away that I would marry you, Eve. I bought it a week before you left and was going to ask you that weekend.” I force down the emotions, not wanting to relive the pain but instead focusing on the happiness it brings. It’s finally on her finger where it belongs.
She shakes her head, and I see the guilt starting to form in her eyes. I take her head in my hands and force her to look at me. She’s crying now, and I refuse to let her carry this pain anymore.
“We aren’t going back there, Eve. I kept this ring for a reason. Part of me must have known deep down that you were coming back to me, and you did. It’s where it belongs now, and that’s what matters. Whether it was three years ago or now doesn’t make a damn bit of difference.” I wipe her tears away and hold her hand, rubbing my thumb over the ring. “It looks beautiful on you,” I whisper.
“I love it so much. I don’t ever want to take it off.” She sniffs and wipes away the last of the tears before smiling down at the ring.
“I don’t ever want you to take it off either. We’ll get a wedding band to match so they will always be together.” An idea starts to form in my head, and I can’t stop the grin that breaks out on my face. I crawl over her until I have her pinned under me.
“Why are you grinning like it’s Christmas morning?” She laughs.
“We’ve talked in the past about wanting a small wedding. Do you still want that?”
She nods. “I don’t have any family that I would want there, and I lost touch with what little friends I had. Everyone I love is right here.”
“And everyone I love is right here. So let’s do it.”
“You mean get married. Now?” She looks at me like I’ve lost my mind, but I also see excitement brimming under the surface.
“My parents and Savi are here for two weeks. With everyone’s help, we could pull it off. We first met on the beach so we could do it right out back with a small ceremony.”
She bites her lip in concentration as she thinks it over. A beautiful smile appears, and her blues sparkle into mine. “Could we do it at sunset?”
I grin down at her, my love for this girl pouring over me. “Is there any other time to marry my evening sun?”
“Let’s do it,” she laughs when I pepper her face with kisses.
“God, I can’t wait to call you my wife.” I deepen the kiss and run my tongue along her bottom lip before letting go.
“I can’t wait to call you my husband,” she breathes against my lips. Her hands find my back, and I feel the ring rub my skin. Just knowing it’s there and knowing she’ll be my wife in a few days has me wanting more.
“We better take advantage of fiance sex while we still can. You up for one more?” I nuzzle her neck and press against her, fully hard again. I nip her ear and run my tongue along her skin, breathing her in.
She wraps her legs around me and starts to rub against me. She coats me with her arousal, causing a moan to escape my lips.
“I think I can handle one more with my fiance,” she whispers.
“That’s my girl,” I whisper before sliding into her and becoming one with her again.