Chapter 9 Ryder
Ryder
“We should go over what you’re saying tomorrow.
” Charlie sips on a glass of chardonnay on my terrace lounger.
With the ocean breeze sweeping her hair, it’s tempting to sift my fingers through it, pull her into me, and breathe in the scent of her shampoo.
I convinced her to come to my place so that we could go over my speech for tomorrow.
It was the only way to lure her here. She also wasn’t about to risk having me seen in public with that video possibly out there.
We still aren’t sure if anything has leaked or if my blackmailer only tipped the news station.
I had one of the Lotus Club chefs prepare dinner for us on my rooftop patio downtown.
“Sure, but can we eat first? I think better when my blood sugar is level,” I say, holding out my hand to her.
“You don’t have to think, just read from a script.” She reluctantly places her hand in mine to stand up, and I lead her to the terrace table and pull out a chair for her.
“Not if I want to change a few things.” She wants to fight me, then I’ll fight her back. Fight for her like I should have a long time ago.
She takes a seat. “I’d leave that to the professionals.”
“It’s my life, and I’m still thinking it through. Some calories would help, and after your two flights, the least I could do is feed you. Why did you fly all the way back here anyway? Just to meet Miles?”
Charlie doesn’t have time to answer when my staff appears with impeccable timing.
I’ll have to thank them later, though I’d like to know the answer to my previous question.
I know Charlie is a good person, but to care so much about the company that played a part in her father’s demise—no one was that good of a person.
Guilt presses on my chest, and I need to believe I can make everything up to her.
As soon as the grilled fish with prawns and salad arrives, she slides her fork in. I’m still watching her when my staff leaves, wondering if I should ask again. Why do you care about me, Charlie?
I study her. She takes a bite, looking at the multi-million-dollar view of the ocean and North Shore Mountains past the rooftop’s infinity pool. You can almost see the Lotus Club office tower from here. “You must have a lot of parties here,” she says.
I shrug. “I’ve had a few in the past, but I’ve been busy lately.”
“Well, it’s a fabulous view. I don’t think I’ve seen one this nice before.”
“I’m sure you’ve been to many estates in the Hills.”
“Yeah, but none of them have views like this. I think this might be even more dramatic than the one from your office tower.”
“The view is pleasant, but I’ve been considering moving out of the downtown core. It’s hectic for me and cold, if you know what I mean?”
“I do.”
“Are we really talking about views? Tell me more about you and your life in LA,” I ask. She chokes on her salad and reaches for her glass of wine.
“There’s not much to tell. I work from morning to night. But it will all be worth it when I finally get promoted and can make up for lost time.”
I nod, suspecting that was a subtle dig about how much my family set her back.
I want to push the idea of her coming back here to work for Miles.
She’d be the answer to our problems. And I’ll admit I have my selfish reasons for wanting her near.
“What about your mom? What did she get up to? I imagine it was a hard transition for her after your father—”
“Lost everything we had and drank himself into the grave.” She places her glass of wine on the table.
“Yes, it was devastating for her. She poured her life into the business. My father was everything to her. After we lost our home, and as soon as I got my job, I’ve been supporting her, but she helps me a lot, and we make it work. ”
“What does she help you with?”
Charlie blinks. “Um, you know, office stuff and stuff around the house.” She’s only half finished the food on her plate when she says, “You know, I forgot about something important I have to do. I should—” She places her napkin on the table.
“She’s your personal assistant?”
“Kind of.” Charlie takes another gulp of wine, places it on the table, and stands up. I follow her to standing. Man, she is skittish.
“Charlie, wait—”
“Why?”
“I thought we were to work on the changes to my speech tomorrow.”
“Text them to me.” She walks past the potted palm trees and extensive herb garden toward the sliding doors on the rooftop deck that leads inside.
“Or should I text your mom?” I ask, and Charlie spins on her heel, giving me a death glare. “Why would you do that?”
“You said your mom helps you.” I remember Mrs. Gibbons very well.
She was a sweet woman and supported her family in every way, but she didn’t strike me as someone you’d expect to be out in the wilds of LA fighting the good fight for you.
She didn’t have the killer instinct that Charlie has.
But I was searching. Not sure for what, but…
Charlie gasps, wrestling with the door. “No, of course not!”
I place my hand on the sliding door, blocking her from fleeing.
“Oh, okay, because if you work from morning to night and your mom helps you, I’m just curious what that looks like.
How much housework can you have when you’re out all day and have no kids?
” I don’t want to make her uncomfortable, but I sense she’s hiding something from me.
Something that if I knew what it was, I could help her with, not that she will accept my help.
Charlie’s face—inches from mine—is red from chin to scalp as she blinks at me, and finally says, “I’m not sure why you care about the boring details of my life when yours is about to fall apart.”
As her moonstone eyes glare into mine, my gaze falls to her blazon lips.
“And I could ask you the same question, Charlie. Why do you care about what happens to me? Was I right about what I said at the office earlier? Is that it? Is there still something between us?” I stroke the back of my hand along her cheek, and it trembles. “Why else would you care about me?”
“Don’t flatter yourself, Ryder.”
“I don’t have to flatter myself when your pupils are the size of saucers, and there’s fire in your cheeks. Are you having a hard time standing on those legs? Because they’re shaking.” I growl, that sweet shampoo scent drawing me in.
“It must be nice to be that confident,” she says through her teeth. But she doesn’t fight when my hand moves from the door to her back, and I pull her into my chest.
“What would be nice is if you took that job I offered you and moved back to Vancouver.”
“Why?”
“So I can chain you to my bed where you belong. Do you remember how good we were together? Because I do. A connection like that doesn’t come around twice.” My lips draw nearer to hers, her hot breath rushing against them. “Last night was a small reminder.”
“We aren’t good together.” Her chest pulses against mine.
“You sure about that, sweetheart?” I thumb her quivering bottom lip as my mouth drops to hers.
The second my tongue presses at the seam of her mouth, she’s parting her lips to me.
Her hands grope through my hair, legs wrap around my hips, and I slide open the door, carrying her across the penthouse and into my bedroom.
Why is it every time we get together, it’s an explosion?
Her heels fall off her feet in the hall, and she’s unbuttoning my shirt before I lower her onto the bed.
She stops kissing me. “I hope you bought condoms,” she says.
I tug her bottom lip with my teeth before removing her glasses, placing them on the dresser, and lifting her dress over her head.
Her hair falls over her shoulders in messy blonde strands.
“You’re stunning, Charlie, but I think you have a mild obsession with safe sex.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but aren’t you on birth control?
” I reach my hands around the smooth skin of her back to unclasp her bra.
Holy fucking hell, her breasts are divine.
“I am.”
“Okay, good.” I kiss my way down her neck. Cupping her perfect curves in my palms, I take my time licking the sweet rounds until the nipples are sharp as a tack.
She moans as my mouth trails to the swell of her belly and then to the sweet button between her legs.
“Part your legs, my sexy shark,” I say. Rolling my thumb over her clit, I peer up at her, seeing her eyes shut and her neck arch back as I taste her.
Her hands claw at my hair as I lick my way along her rim, gliding with ever more pressure where she likes it. Yes, I remember.
“Ryder.” She moans as I tease her with my mouth, tasting, nibbling, licking, and swiping to her rhythm.
“What is it?” I ask.
“Inside.”
“You are always in such a rush. We aren’t on the clock, are we?”
“I told you I have things to do.”
“Hmm, I thought you were just avoiding my question.” I lift my mouth from her delicious bead. Peeling off my shirt and yanking my pants down, she looks at my cock deliriously. “I know what you want,” I say, stepping into her.
She’s small, and my shaft presses against her upper belly. I lean down to kiss her while swiping my finger along her damp sex, and she moans when I say, “You want my cock inside you, don’t you? You just can’t wait, can you?”
She shakes her head, and I nibble on her ear.
“It’s okay. I can’t, either.” I turn her against my chest and bend my knees so my shaft presses against her luscious ass as my hands slip around to cup her curves in my hand.
“On your knees, baby.” I press her upper back forward, and she crawls onto my bed, lifting her hips high in the air. I move in behind her.
Teasing her with my fingers, she’s so wet and ready, and I part her lips with my sex as my swollen tip grazes her entrance.
“This is what you want, my cock inside you?”
“Yes...”
“Okay, then tell me, Charlie. Why do you care enough to save me from myself? Is it because you want me?”
“Mm-hmm.”