Roughing It With Ryan Read online

  “I…”

  Having her this close again stirred him beyond belief. His heart raced in tune to hers, and he spread his fingers over the small of her back. “All I can say is…don’t.”

  “You love me.”

  “Yeah. I wasn’t looking for that to happen, believe me. I thought I had all I needed.” He offered a grim smile. “I was wrong, as it turns out. I’ve never felt this way before.” He whispered this, saw her eyes sparkle with unshed tears. Slowly he slid his jaw to hers while his fingers glided up and down her back, very lightly. “I know you think you’ll hurt me, but—”

  “Ryan—”

  “I’m a big boy, Suzanne.”

  “I know. I know. Ryan…”

  When he bent his head, she met him halfway, and it took only an instant for their bodies to remember how good it was between them. Their hands fought for purchase—skin, clothing, it didn’t matter. Ryan couldn’t touch her enough.

  With his mouth on hers, he lifted her up against him, and though he was insane with wanting her, he managed to get them down the hallway to his bedroom.

  He’d actually straightened his bed that morning.

  Setting her down beside it, he tore the blankets and sheets free and turned back to her. “Suzanne—”

  She’d crawled on the bed and had come up on her knees, making every thought dance right out of his head. He moved to the edge of the mattress until his knees bumped it. They were face-to-face now, and slowly, so slowly, he reached out to run his hands down her sides, her hips, to her thighs, which he gripped the backs of and pulled out from beneath her.

  With a gasp she fell to her back. “Ryan.”

  “Right here.” He followed her down, meeting her waiting mouth with his, sucking in a harsh breath when she danced her tongue to his. He pressed his hips forward to show her what she did to him, and in response, she dug her fingers into his butt, pulling him harder against her.

  Oh yeah, he liked that. But they were too…dressed.

  Surging up, he skimmed off her clothes, flinging them over his shoulder one piece at a time to her breathless laughter. By the time he got to his, she was lying there open and gloriously nude, waiting, her hips arching just a little, which drove him right out of his living mind. Finesse flew out the window as well, so that when his legs got tangled in his sweatpants, he simply tore them off. She let out another laugh that backed up in her throat when he bent to her breast.

  With a little growl, he sucked hard at a tight nipple, catching it lightly between his teeth, making her clutch at his head, holding him to her as she cried out.

  Oh yeah, he liked that, too. By the time he repeated the torment on her other side, she was panting his name with every breath.

  Gliding his hands down her body, down her gloriously lush body, he watched as he touched her, as her eyes glazed over, as her head thrashed back and forth on his pillow, and thought this is it for me. She is it for me.

  “Love me,” she whispered.

  “Always.” He skimmed his fingers down her thighs, then back up, between them now, parting her, exploring her tight, damp center. He found what he sought and gently squeezed.

  She let out a strangled gasp and thrust against his hand. “Love me,” she said again, and reached for him. “Please, Ryan, love me.”

  “Open your eyes. Watch.”

  Her cheeks flushed. “I—”

  “Watch,” he repeated a bit shakily now because he was dying, dying, to sink into her. “No holding back, you promised.”

  She swallowed hard. “Now, then. Ryan, now.”

  “After I taste you,” he whispered, and put his mouth to her.

  With the first stroke of his tongue, she bucked right into his waiting mouth. Perfect. With his second stroke, she let out a sobbing breath and gripped his ears so tight it was possible he’d never hear again.

  Who needed to hear, he thought, and stroked her. And then again, until she was thrashing beneath him, requiring him to hold her still to keep his mouth on the mark.

  “Ryan…please!”

  Obliging, he sucked her hard into his mouth, and she came in wild shudders that nearly triggered his own release right there on the sheets. Getting a condom on was tricky, but he managed, then guided himself to her creamy center.

  Her eyes, dazed, held his. “Yes. Now. Now!”

  His beautiful, passionate, impatient Suzanne. He pushed deeply into her, then deeper still.

  “Please, Ryan!”

  Oh yeah, he would please. He gripped her hands with his, linking them together as he kissed her again, and then again, making love to her mouth as hard and deep and as urgently as he was making love to her body.

  This time when he withdrew, then thrust home, there was nothing gentle or slow about it. “Suzanne.” He couldn’t help but say her name in wonder, and again in awe, as, fingers and mouths and hearts linked, she took him to a place he’d never been before.

  When her muscles tightened around him, when she came again, he strained against doing the same. But he couldn’t have held back to save his life.

  Burying his face in her hair, he didn’t even try.

  HE AWOKE with the sun on his face. For a moment he hovered in a dreamy state, half-awake, half-asleep. He wore only an erection and a dopey grin, both a direct result of the memories of last night.

  It was his own little miracle that she’d come to him in the first place, and he still didn’t know why, but he would. After he woke her up properly, by kissing every inch of her body, of course. It was only fair to return the favor, as last night, after finally falling asleep in each other’s arms, he’d awakened with her mouth on him. That wasn’t a memory he’d ever forget. He’d fisted his hands in her wild hair, wondering what he’d done to deserve her in his life. Then all wondering had ceased, and so had thought, when she’d swirled her tongue over the tip of him in tune to her stroking hands. He’d thrown back his head and surrendered as she delivered him the orgasm of his life. He’d still been in the throes of aftershocks when she’d climbed up his body and tangled her tongue with his.

  He’d been with his share of women, far less than he’d been reputed to have, but still… He knew what was out there, knew what was expected. He knew how to have recreational sex. He knew how to pleasure a woman, and be pleasured in return.

  And never, not once, had he lost control. Not the way he had with Suzanne.

  With those three little words of love on his lips yet again, he opened his eyes, rolled over and reached for her.

  Only he was alone.

  Completely alone.

  SUZANNE HURRIEDLY stripped down and stepped into her own shower. She had so much to do, but being in the hot water, with the steam rising all around her, caressing her body…it sidetracked her with thoughts of last night.

  Soaping up, her touch reminded her of Ryan’s touch. She smiled dreamily, her brain whirling on high without her permission. Ryan didn’t even have to be in the room to lighten her heart, and she’d never felt anything like it, not with anyone, including three ex-fiancés.

  She’d never allowed herself to feel anything like it.

  Should she take the time to shave? She ran a hand up her leg and shivered with more memories. Ryan had used his fingers, his mouth, his body to keep her sated. She even bore physical proof, a whisker burn on her throat, one on her breast, and yet another on her inner thigh. Then there was the delicious soreness between her thighs.

  He loved her. Loved her. Ryan Alondo loved her.

  She knew he hoped to seduce her into accepting that love. If only he knew. He already had, and not just with his body. He’d seduced her with his wit, his smile, with the way she felt when she was with him.

  She wanted to do the same for him. She’d better hurry. She had a lot to do.

  THAT AFTERNOON, Angel delivered an envelope to Ryan at his office.

  “I already have today’s mail,” he said, distracted by the stack of bills he had to pay, the bids he had to put together and the fact that his h