Rescued by Love (Love in Bloom: The Ryders): Jake Ryder

by Melissa Foster

  He tried to yank her head back, but she fought his efforts, sucking harder, stroking tighter, and wanting every last drop he had to give her.

  “Addy, I’m gonna come.”

  She smiled around his cock.

  “Jesus, fuck. You’re sure, baby?”

  She answered by quickening her pace. He joined in, rocking his hips and caressing her cheeks as they hollowed out. She expected him to grab her harder, to nearly choke her with his thrusts as he came. But he never stopped caressing her cheeks as his release shot down her throat. His tenderness belied his insurmountable power, sliding like a ghost into her heart.

  He gathered her close again, cradling her in his arms, and he kissed her hard, possessing every piece of her mouth without a moment’s hesitation—even after what she’d just done—making the kiss so freaking hot she could barely stand it. She wanted to stay right there, being devoured by him, safely enveloped within his arms, with a million sparks blazing inside her, forever. How had she gone her whole life without ever feeling this way? Without knowing she was missing something so decadent it should be illegal?

  They kissed for a long time, moving down the bed so they were lying side by side. He pressed his hand flat against her back, and she was aware of every point where they touched, from her feet on his legs all the way up to their noses brushing as they kissed.

  “I can’t get enough of you,” he said between kisses. “I want to kiss you until your mouth is too tired to kiss anymore.”

  “You’re so different than I thought you would be.”

  He kissed her again, his brows knitting together. “You’ve messed with my head. I’ve never loved kissing before. I’m more of a ‘catch, come, release’ kind of guy.”

  A pain skittered through her chest, bringing with it another wave of guilt. “I’m sorry I brought up my Tumblr page.”

  “Yeah, that kind of sucked.” The hurt in his voice made her ache.

  “So did hearing about your ‘catch, come, release’ habit,” she admitted. He brought one hand to her cheek, and she leaned in to it. How could she already crave his touch?

  “I’m sorry. Neither of us are saints,” he said honestly. “But whatever we’ve done has led us to each other. And I know you don’t want a serious relationship—”

  “But the thought of you and other women makes me sick to my stomach.” She held her breath, unable to believe she’d admitted that.

  “Good,” he said with a grin, though his voice was dead serious.

  “Good? Not good, Jake. Before this weekend it didn’t make me feel sick to think about you and other women.” As she said it, she realized she’d never allowed herself to think of such a scenario. She knew, and accepted, that he was a major player, but those were just words. She hadn’t actually thought of him making out with other women.

  He cocked a brow, like he wasn’t buying it.

  “Fine.” A frustrated groan preceded her big, embarrassing confession. “I pretended that after we met for drinks you went home alone, like I did.”

  “Then we were both playing the same mind games. You want us, Addy. I see it in your eyes. I feel it when you touch me. And you’re not looking at me like I’m a weekend hookup.”

  She opened her mouth to deny it, but the truth slipped out. “I do like you, Jake. More than a weekend hookup.”

  “Thank you,” he said smugly.

  She laughed. “But I’m not going to cancel my trip, and you’re not coming with me.”

  “You’ve made that perfectly clear.”

  “Good. Can you please not talk about your…habit?”

  “If you can refrain from talking about your…page.”

  “Fine.”

  “Or looking at it,” he added.

  “For this weekend? Fine. But then you’d better have a lot more energy left in you for the night, because I’m just getting started.”

  He rolled her onto her back and kissed her. “Addison Dahl, I will put the Energizer bunny to shame for more than just this weekend.” He kissed her again, swallowing her laughter as he nudged her legs open wider. “Say you’re mine.”

  “Kiss me again,” she whispered seductively. She didn’t know what was keeping her from saying she was his. Maybe it was that she was going away tomorrow afternoon and before last night she’d been dead set on clearing thoughts of him from her mind. Or maybe it was that taking that step, calling herself his, reminded her of ownership, and ownership reminded her of all the reasons she’d gotten out from under her father’s thumb. Whatever it was that was stopping her from saying the words wasn’t strong enough to stop the emotions behind them.

  “You’re going to push all my buttons, aren’t you?” he whispered as he brushed the tip of his nose up her cheek.

  “Only in the very best way.” She rocked her hips, and he nestled his cock at her entrance.

  “Say it, baby. Say you’re mine. Admit we’re a thing, and I’ll make love to you like you’ve never been made love to before.”

  “That should be easy,” she said softly. “I’ve never been made love to before.”

  He cradled her face in his hands, his eyes pleading with her to cross the next barrier. “Neither have I. Say you’re mine and we’ll cross this bridge together.”

  Her heart was too full, her throat too thick, to allow words to flow, so she nodded.

  As their bodies came together, his arms enveloping her, holding her as close as two people could be, he whispered, “You’re mine, Addy. You may not be ready to admit it, but we’re going to obliterate thoughts of there ever being another man in your life.”

  She had a feeling they already had.

  Chapter Twelve

  THERE WERE TEN essential elements for survival in the wilderness, most of which Jake could survive without. A map and compass for navigation. No problem there. He was so in tune with nature, he could recognize a tree he passed a week before if he had to and find his way based on the position of the sun, moon, and stars. Sunglasses and sunscreen were important so he didn’t burn, but he could make a visor out of elements found in the woods, and mud was a natural sunscreen. Extra clothing, a headlamp, first-aid supplies, those were pretty much no-brainers, but he could do without the headlamp and clothing. Firestarter and matches, a knife, and of course, extra food rounded out the list. He knew how to start fires without those essentials, and if need be, he could fashion a weapon from rocks and sticks. And he was an expert on living off the land. Jake knew survival like some people knew their ABCs. But when it came to matters of the heart, he was pretty damn clueless. He lay with Addy tucked safely within his arms, wondering how he’d survive giving her the space she needed without losing his mind.

  Jake hadn’t ever been a stay overnight kind of guy, but he wanted more of that with Addy. Her slender back nestled against his chest, her hips tucked against his, and even in her sleep, she clung tightly to his hand, as if she wanted more, too. Was this how it happened to his brothers? One day they were fantasizing about a woman, and the next they couldn’t imagine letting her walk out of their life? He and Addy had made love so many times last night he’d lost count, but it wasn’t the physical act that he was thinking about now. It was the multitude of intimate moments they’d shared over the course of those fervent hours. The looks, the hand-holding, the laughter. He’d never had that before, and each instance had embedded in his mind like a bullet.

  Addy stirred, and he pressed a kiss to her cheek, tightening his hold on her. Would she mind if he never let go? This time tomorrow she’d be gone, while he was remaining on the island for an evening fishing trip with his father and brothers and traveling back to New York the following day.

  He kissed her again, and she turned in his arms, a sleepy smile on her face. “Hi,” she said groggily.

  He kissed her softly. “Hey, sexy girl. The look of a satisfied lover suits you.”

  She touched her forehead to his chest. “God, those lines sound so…”

  “Real?”

  She shook her
head. “Where’s my Neanderthal? This guy embarrasses me, and I hate being embarrassed.”

  He hauled her closer and kissed her again. “You called me your Neanderthal.”

  “Did I?” She brushed her fingers over his chest. “I guess I have a thing for Neanderthals.”

  “You have a thing for me.”

  Flashing a sweet and mischievous smile, she said, “There’s a lot I don’t know about you, so the verdict is still up in the air.”

  He gave her ass a light smack, and the giggle that followed made his heart thump harder.

  “What time is it?”

  He glanced at the clock. “A little after four.”

  “I should go.” She made no move to leave.

  “Stay.”

  “Your family might see me.”

  How could five words cause a two-hundred-and-fifteen-pound man so much grief? “And if I want the world to know you’re mine?” When she trapped her lower lip between her teeth, he scooted lower on the bed, so they were eye to eye. “Why are you toying with me?”

  “I’m not. I mean, not on purpose.”

  “Well, sweet cheeks, you are, and it’s pissing me off.”

  “It’s sort of a knee-jerk reaction and sort of not.” She paused, as if thinking about what to say next. “Everyone knows about us, but should we really throw this in their faces? I mean, it’s not like we’ve been dating or anything. After this weekend, I’m going away and you’re going back to…whatever it is you do all day. I really don’t know anything about you beyond…”

  “Beyond what you do know? Like that I’m an honest guy who’s crazy about you. I spend my days doing search and rescue wherever I’m needed. Sometimes I’m on a rescue for a few hours, sometimes days. No two are ever alike. And now”—he kissed her again—“I want to spend my nights with you. What else do you want to know?”

  “Hm…” She scrunched up her nose and tapped his chest, looking insanely adorable. She was so unguarded, so open and sweet and playful, he felt like he’d peeled back another layer, revealing another secret part of her.

  “Gosh, there’s so much, like, I don’t know…what your favorite food is.”

  “You.” He stole a kiss and she laughed.

  “Seriously. I need to know these things.”

  “I doubt you seriously need to know my favorite foods.”

  She rolled her eyes. “If I don’t know, then how can I smear it all over my body so you can lick it off?”

  “Jesus. How am I supposed to think past that?” He took her in a long sensual kiss, wanting so much more. “In that case,” he said, kissing her softly, “my mother’s cream puffs. They’re amazing, but eating them off of you would make them out-of-this-world delicious.”

  As he went in for another kiss, she stopped him with a hand on his chest. “Okay, next must-know item. What do you do when you’re not saving people’s lives or trying to get me in bed?”

  “Lately I only have time for the latter, so…”

  “Come on,” she complained. “What do you do when you’re not doing search and rescue? Gabby said you were a volunteer search and rescue guy, so what’s your real job? How do you earn a living when you’re flying all over the country at the drop of a hat?”

  Jake’s initial reaction was to tell her what he told everyone else, that he helped train search and rescue professionals. Usually that was enough to end the conversation, because most people didn’t know the majority of the trainer positions were also unpaid. He had a feeling Addy was too wise for that off-the-cuff answer. His next thought was that he didn’t want to sleep in a bed of lies with Addy, so he told her the truth.

  “A few years ago a buddy and I developed a search and rescue app, and the income from that enabled me to quit my job as a park ranger and dedicate my time to search and rescue.” He was pretty sure Addy knew there was family money that had been passed down for generations, but he didn’t see a need to bring that up, since he never touched his trust fund.

  “Wow, really? So, first you were a park ranger? Like, the guys who wear those cute little uniforms and tell people not to litter?”

  He laughed. “Something like that.”

  “I bet lots of girls got lost in your park on purpose.”

  “It’s probably safer if I don’t comment about that.”

  She swatted at his arm and he caught her wrist and kissed her, loving the feel of her smile against his lips.

  “We aren’t saying things that might strike a chord, remember?” he said, holding her close. “Jesus, baby. Now I have to protect you from your own smart mouth.” He kissed her again.

  “Mm. I might have to make that mistake a few more times.”

  Slanting his mouth over hers, he took her in another delicious kiss. “My lips are at your disposal. Now hurry up and finish your deposition so I can move on to something way more fun.”

  “Okay, I’ll be fast, if you promise to take a very long time with the fun stuff.”

  He swept her beneath him, letting her feel just how much fun he had in store for her. “You’re allowed two more questions. After that no more talking.”

  That earned a wide, playful grin. “How did you go from park ranger to developing an app and don’t you need technical skills for that? That counts as one question because I didn’t pause between them.”

  “I sure do like you.” He lowered his face to hers, and she held him at bay with one hand on his chest.

  “Answer fast, because one more second of those lips on mine and my mind won’t work.”

  “Good to know.” He stole another quick kiss and spoke as fast as he could. “In addition to my cute little job as a park ranger, I have a degree in engineering. My buddy Chris Boyer, an aeronautical engineer and fellow SAR—search and rescue—guy and I had an idea and followed through with it.”

  “Jake, that’s huge! How many people can say they’ve developed an app?”

  “Yeah, it’s pretty cool, but I don’t go around telling people, so please keep it on the down low.”

  “Why? Aren’t you proud of what you accomplished?”

  “That’s way more than two questions, but yes, I’m very proud of it. But I didn’t do it for notoriety. I did it because it was a tool that could help with the thing I’m most passionate about. Search and rescue. It’s actually a cool app. A few of the major SAR teams have recently begun integrating our newest updates, which simultaneously takes feeds from a color camera, thermal camera, and infrared camera and georectifies them over a map, allowing you to flip back and forth between the images on the live map. It’s a live feed from drones and can be fed to phones, iPads, computers…” He realized he was rambling about details she probably didn’t care about. “Sorry. I know it’s boring. I get a little excited when I actually start talking about it.”

  “Boring? Not at all. You light up when you talk about it. I never knew you had a hot geeky side. It’s like getting a peek at you in your element, instead of the flirty hotshot.”

  He grabbed her ribs, and she squealed with delight.

  “Flirty hotshot?” Lacing his fingers with hers, he pinned them beside her head and nipped at her lower lip.

  “It’s pretty freaking hot, hearing you rattle off all those techy terms. Maybe even hotter than the flirty hotshot.”

  “Yeah?” He liked that a whole lot. “I never took you as a girl who got excited over tech talk.”

  “I like when you talk,” she whispered. “And when your mouth is too busy to talk.” She pulled one hand free and stroked his cheek.

  “Mm.” He closed his eyes, reveling in her touch. “I love when you touch me.”

  “Then you better enjoy it,” she whispered. “Because if your parents end up hating me because they think I’m slutty for sleeping with their baby boy, this might be all the touching you’ll get.”

  Did she really believe that? “Is that why you didn’t want to chance someone seeing you leave my room?”

  She lifted one shoulder in answer, revealing that vulnerable sid
e again. Why hadn’t he thought of that? She was so brazen about her sexuality, he hadn’t given a thought to what his family might think.

  “I’m sorry. I should have thought of that.”

  “No, you shouldn’t have. It’s just that I think you’re right. The two of us together like this feels different. It feels private.”

  “It is private, baby. It’s special. You’re special.” He rubbed his nose along her cheek, breathing her in. “Thank God you’re finally able to admit it.”

  She pursed her lips together, her smile threatening to split her faux frown in two.

  “Don’t taunt me, Addison, or I swear I—” He realized there was only one way to get her to say what he so desperately wanted to hear. He rolled off of her and onto his back. “I guess we won’t be having fun after all.”

  “What?” She leaned over him, her hair curtaining her beautiful face. “You’re seriously going to withhold sex?”

  “There was a time when I was easy, but now I’m a guy with stronger morals. I don’t give it up to just anyone.” He closed his eyes and draped an arm over them so he wouldn’t be tempted to peek at her—she had the power to get him to do anything with a single sultry glance.

  He felt her moving over him, straddling his hips, her warm, damp center settling over his erection. Uttering a curse, he ground his teeth together as she came down over him, her nipples brushing against his chest.

  “I’m not above begging,” she whispered, before gliding her tongue along the outer shell of his ear. She slid over the length of his arousal, applying just enough pressure to make him lose his mind.

  He grabbed her thighs and held on tight.

  “You know you want me,” she whispered over his lips.

  Glide, glide, torture, torture.

  She ran her hand up his forearm and laced her fingers with his, settling both his hands beside his head, as he’d done to her moments earlier. He opened his eyes and was immediately swept up in her. Her hair was messy and wild, her eyes dark and alluring. He wasn’t strong enough to deny her a damn thing.