“You know, if word gets out about this, your brothers are going to give you the hardest time about being so sappy.”
“If word gets out about this, it means you decided you were all in, and I won’t care what anyone says.”
“We have a lot of things to figure out before we jump ahead. This is a start. If we’re as good together as a couple as we are as friends, then it’ll be easy, right?”
She reached for her hair and stopped, placing her hand on his chest instead. That simple motion made his insides turn to mush. He’d always known she trusted him, but this—taking this leap of faith with her heart, when her worries about her son lay in the balance—was huge.
He eyed the cake, and she raised her brows, a smile playing at the edges of her mouth.
“Shall we?” he asked, and cut them each a piece.
“Don’t even think about smashing that in my face,” she warned with a fierce look in her pretty eyes.
He handed her a piece of cake. “Would I do that?”
“Heck, yes, you would do that. Look at all of this. We’re standing in a sea of balloons, listening to romantic music by candlelight beneath a wedding canopy in a building we’ve been in for less than a day. You even got me to drink champagne, which is really amazing considering I vowed not to have another drink around you for at least a lifetime. I don’t think there’s anything you won’t do.”
He laughed, loving her more with each passing second. “Here’s to us, sweetheart.”
He lifted the cake to her mouth as she reached up and smashed her piece to his lips and chin. She squealed when he did the same, and tried to dash away. He trapped her against him with one arm, nipping at the pieces of cake and icing hanging off her lips. She went up on her toes and licked the cake from his chin, her laughter quieting to something much more seductive.
“Kiss me, secret husband,” she whispered. “Kiss me like you never want me to forget this magical moment.”
He kissed off the remaining cake and traced her lower lip with his tongue, loving the needy sigh she emitted. When he did the same to her upper lip, she clung to the back of his neck, pulling him into a scorching-hot and heavy kiss. She tasted like sweet sugar and sinful nights, and he couldn’t hold back. His hands moved over her body, wanting to touch all of her at once. She was right there with him, succumbing to the inferno blazing between them, touching him like she owned him, and he fucking loved it. She pushed against him, arching her back, thrusting her magnificent breasts so hard he couldn’t resist taking what she was offering. He tugged her shirt from her jeans and pushed his hand beneath, filling his palm with her lace-covered breast. His cock throbbed as his thumb grazed over her taut nipple, straining against the material.
He tore back from the kiss long enough to say, “You’re killing me.”
Their mouths collided as he backed her up against the wall, sending balloons flying around their feet. A seductive beat played around them as he devoured her, grinding against her hips with wicked intent. She moaned and mewled, spurring him on. He fisted his hand in her hair. Gorgeous blond ropes tumbled over his fingers, and no part of him wanted to hold back, but he had to be careful—too much more of this and he’d strip away those sexy jeans and bury himself to the hilt. She was his best friend, and he’d waited years to have her. He wasn’t about to make love to her for the first time they’d both remember in a gymnasium, but he needed more, and he needed it now.
He kissed her neck as he lifted her shirt up over her breasts, and she grabbed his ass. Oh yeah, baby. Possess me. Their eyes caught for a hot second, and then hers fluttered closed and she bowed off the wall. Her skin was flushed, her lips parted, and her breasts strained against pink lace. Christ, she was the sexiest woman he’d ever seen. He placed openmouthed kisses along the swell of her beautiful breasts and tugged the lace down on both sides, freeing them for him to taste. He dragged his tongue around each taut peak. Her hands slid off his ass, falling limply by her sides, like it was all she could do to remain standing. He cradled her breast and lowered his mouth over the peak, sucking hard. A cry escaped her lips, and he eased up.
“Don’t stop,” she panted out.
He’d dreamed about touching her, tasting her, but nothing came close to the sinful noises she made as he lavished her other breast with the same attention. He wedged his knee between her legs, and she ground against him. Fuck. He was painfully hard, and soon there would be no stopping him. Like a movie on fast-forward, in his mind he was stripping off her jeans, kneeling between her legs, and feasting on her sweetness. He wanted to hear his name sail desperately from her lungs in the throes of passion, the way it had when they’d made love. He remembered that sound. He might not remember every second of that night, but hell yes, he remembered his name coming off her lips, and there was no way he’d ever forget it.
The thrill of the memory snapped his brain into gear. They were both panting, ready to fuck, only he didn’t want to fuck her in a gym. He wanted to love her, take her, and yes, eventually fuck her many, many times in every location when the feeling hit, including a goddamn gym. But not the first time they’d both clearly remember for the rest of their lives.
He kissed her breasts, every fleck of skin, telling himself to back off and fighting himself in equal measure. But he knew what he had to do, and he righted her bra and lowered her shirt, trying not to feel like a dick because of the confusion—disappointment?—in her eyes. It was awkward, stopping when they were both so revved up, but he loved her too much to chance doing the wrong thing.
“Not here, baby. Not like this.”
“Oh, um, no. Of course not.” She stepped away, her hair curtaining her face, but not before he caught sight of the blush on her cheeks. “I’m sorry. It’s been a long time since I’ve done anything like this.”
He reached for her, but she moved around him. Goddamn it.
“We need to clean up. No janitors on board yet,” she said with feigned casualness.
He pulled her into his arms, and he felt her embarrassment like a barrier between them. It killed him knowing he’d caused it. “Sal.”
She stared at his chest.
“Baby, look at me.” When she met his gaze, the pain in her eyes cut him to his core. “Sally, I want you right here and right now, but what I want more than that is to wake up with you in my arms every single day. I can’t take a chance that you’ll regret anything that we do.”
She huffed out a breath and drew her shoulders back, her confidence filling the space between them. “Gage, I don’t know how to navigate the dating world, so maybe I’m considered a slut for saying this, but I’m thirty-eight years old. If I give you the okay to touch me, then trust me, I’ve weeded through the regrets and made a decision.” A smile lifted her lips and she added, “That is, as long as I’m not three sheets to the wind on hard liquor in Vegas.”
“Well, hell, bird. I was so worried about you waking up tomorrow and regretting doing it in a gym, I didn’t think about that.” His arms came around her again, and he went in for another kiss, ready to play, but she twisted away.
“The moment passed.” She crossed and uncrossed her arms, as if they were foreign objects and she had no idea what to do with them. “None of this is easy for me. Other than the night we were drunk, no man has so much as seen me naked since Dave. It was a really big deal for me to build up the courage to let you do as much as we just did, so forgive me for being flustered and ridiculous.”
“I know it was, babe. And it was a huge deal for me, too. That’s why I stopped. I don’t want to mess this up. I’m sorry that I read you wrong, but you are not ridiculous. I’m just an idiot.”
She sighed heavily. “Can we just clean up and go back to the hotel so I can take a hot bath and enjoy my mortification alone?”
He waggled his brows in an effort to lighten the mood and take the emphasis off of what an ass he was. “How about taking a bath together?”
She rolled her eyes, and a soft laugh slipped out. “See? Getting
used to each other in this way is going to be a lot harder than you thought.”
The hell with pussyfooting around. He hauled her against him so she could feel what she did to him. Heat rose in her eyes. “I’m glad you noticed. Hard is very good, and I look forward to getting used to you as often as you’ll let me.”
Chapter Five
TUESDAY AFTERNOON SALLY wondered if every day from now on was going to be a test of her ability to function at work while experiencing sexual tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Getting through setting up the network and coordinating interviews was painful, since all she wanted to do was be back in Gage’s arms. Gage had been busy all day as well, meeting with vendors and potential clients. Every time they passed in the hall, she wanted to jump him, and his furtive touches and stolen glances told her he wanted to do the same. But the darn computer technicians were right there, like mice infiltrating every square inch of the place.
She gathered her things at the end of the day, thinking about what to wear to JJ’s Pub to check out the band for the grand opening. Gage was excited to see the band, but he seemed even more thrilled at the prospect of another date night with Sally, which he had pointed out every chance he got. Our third date as a married couple. Even thinking about the things he said and the way he said them made her pulse race, which was exactly why she was having a hard time deciding what to wear. This openly affectionate, seductive side of him was addicting, and brought out a part of her she wasn’t sure she’d ever tapped into.
Tapped into? Heck, I never even knew it existed.
She left her office and went to find her new secret husband. The center was bigger than the one in Allure to accommodate the larger small town. She peeked into the gymnasium and her heart swelled. Neither she nor Gage had wanted to clear away the memories of last night. No one had ever done anything so romantic for her. She had been so young when she married Dave, and real life had come at them quickly—caring for a baby, chasing a toddler, taking night classes while Dave got his business up and running. She couldn’t remember ever thinking about romance, much less feeling like she’d missed it. But with Gage everything felt romantic. Even silly things, like cleaning up from dinner and their messy cake smashing together. They’d left the balloons and canopy in place, and they talked for hours about silly things, like favorite colors and most hated foods—his was blue and eggplant. By the time they returned to the hotel, they were both exhausted, and all she wanted to do was take a hot bath and curl up in Gage’s arms and sleep. But she’d begged off his offer to do just that, knowing sleeping would be the last thing on her mind if she was in his bed. Although her solo bath had only woken her up and stirred her desire for the man on the other side of the adjoining door. The orgasm she’d given herself hadn’t come close to what she’d needed.
She followed the sound of Gage’s voice down the hall, which sent her stomach into a wild flurry. How could a voice she’d heard every day for years suddenly turn her inside out?
Gage sat on the edge of the desk gazing out the window and talking on his cell phone. His long-sleeved T-shirt was stretched tight over his broad back, long, jeans-clad legs stretched out before him. She wanted to walk right up and stand between those legs, run her hands up his thighs, and distract him from the phone call, doling out some of the sexual torture he’d given her last night.
He turned, an easy smile lifting his lips, and waved her in. Her mind was still playing naughty games, and she wasn’t sure her legs would carry her across the floor. She leaned against the doorframe, crossing her legs at the ankles, and mouthed, Take your time, as she enjoyed the view.
His gaze slid down her body, lingering on the open neckline of her blouse. He licked his lips, and she felt her nipples rise to greet him. Memories of what that hot mouth of his felt like stroked the inferno that had been simmering all day long.
“Okay, buddy. Sure,” Gage said into the phone as he pushed to his feet, approaching her like a panther on the prowl.
Her pulse spiked with each step. Lord, there must have been testosterone in whatever he’d had for lunch, because he exuded sexuality even more than ever before.
“Your mom is right here. Want to say hi?”
Her brain snapped into Mommy mode, and she pushed from the wall. “Is that Rusty?”
Gage nodded. “He said he spoke to you a few hours ago. Do you want to talk to him?”
“Not unless he wants to talk to me,” she said, wondering what they were talking about. “But tell him I love him.”
Gage said, “He heard you,” to Sally, then into the phone he said, “Okay, buddy. Be safe.”
Be safe. Did he know that watching out for her son, even making time for him the way Gage did so often, was like mommy porn? Oh yes, she was wearing those over-the-knee boots again just for him tonight. And maybe her sweater minidress, too. The one she’d worn a few weeks ago, when he hadn’t been able to stop staring.
Gage tucked his phone into his pocket and put his arms around her. “How’s my gorgeous wife?”
Hearing him say that made her heart race again. She reached for her hair, and he intercepted her hand, putting it on his chest. He was hard and warm, and her mind went straight to the gutter. Hard is very good. Then his long, strong fingers pushed into her hair and his blue eyes narrowed, drawing her right in. Pure. Seduction.
“I’m wondering what you and Rusty were talking about,” she managed.
A coy smile played at the edges of his mouth. “Oh? You mean my stepson?”
Holy cow. She hadn’t put a name to what he was to Rusty now—legally speaking. A storm of emotions barraged her. “Please tell me you did not tell him about Vegas.”
He tugged her hair, bringing her so close, she saw starbursts of white in his irises. “Tell my stepson about his mother waking up naked in my bed?” he said in a voice as rich as melted chocolate. “I want to do a lot of things to you, but disrespecting you is not one of them.”
Her mind screamed, Kiss me! but the words got lost in her desire.
He pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth. “No, bird. I did not tell him you and I are married.” He kissed her neck, and she leaned to the side, giving him better access. “You asked me not to, and I’m a pretty good listener.”
He gave her hair another gentle tug, opening her up to him even more, and proceeded to drive her out of her mind one kiss at a time. She closed her eyes and felt him go hard against her as he tasted every inch of flesh between her chin and breastbone.
“Gage,” she said breathlessly. “Rusty? Is he okay?”
He cradled her face in his hands and gazed into her eyes. “Yes, babe. His buddy’s selling a Jeep and he wanted advice on cars. He said he told you he was thinking of buying one. Did he?”
“Yes. Thank you for helping him.”
“Hey,” he said between kisses. “I’d never hide anything about your son from you. There’s no secret stuff going on. You know that, don’t you? I would have told you about our conversation about sex if you’d asked, which now that I’m thinking about it, is probably wrong on some level. I should have clued you in back then.”
She smiled and shook her head. “No. Believe it or not, there are certain things a mom doesn’t need to know. Now, if you’d have told him to sleep with as many women as he could, I would have been upset. But you wouldn’t do that. It’s not the Ryder way.”
He grinned. “You have met Jake, right?”
Jake was his youngest brother, and before he’d fallen in love with his fiancée, Addison Dahl, he’d been one of the biggest players Sally had ever met. Right up there with Blake Carter. “He’s grown up, and now he’s as loyal as a retriever,” she reminded him. “We’d better get a move on if we’re going to the bar. I’m starved and want to grab something on the way back to the hotel.”
He took her hand as they headed for the exit, shutting off lights on their way. “Have I ever told you that I love how you eat when you’re hungry?”
“As opposed to?”
&nb
sp; “Being one of those women who exist on air.” He grabbed her ass as they walked out to the parking lot. “Don’t ever lose this perfect ass, baby.”
“That’s like a license to eat, you know. I could get huge.”
He unlocked the car door and held it open for her, his mouth curling into a devilish grin. “More of you to love.”
“I could develop fat rolls.” She slid into the passenger seat, and he leaned in and squeezed her upper thigh.
“More to hang on to when we’re making love.”
“You say all the right things, but I’ve never seen you with a heavyset woman.”
“You’ve never seen me with any woman,” he said seriously, as if he’d taken offense by her comment. “Because there’s only one woman I want. Fat, thin, round with our babies, old and wrinkly. Only you, little bird.”
He pressed his lips to hers and she wondered if Danica would be upset if they skipped going to see the band and made out all night instead.
GAGE SAT IN his hotel room Skyping with his brothers Duke and Cash. Their wives, Gabriella and Siena, had gone out shopping. Cash was on dad duty with his almost eight-month-old twins, Coco and Seth. The first time Gage had held his niece and nephew, he’d expected to feel a pang of sadness over what he’d lost, but it had never come. All he’d felt was anticipation of one day having his own babies to love and raise.
“We’re thinking of giving Blue and Lizzie a three-week cruise as their wedding present. Have you gotten them a gift?” Cash bounced Coco on his knee. Her sandy-blond curls springing around her chubby cheeks and her sweet baby giggles made Gage laugh. Coco took after Cash, while Seth’s hair was darker brown like Siena’s.
“Not yet. Sally and I are in Virginia setting up the new center. We’ll get to it.” Gage couldn’t take his eyes off his adorable niece. There’d been a time when he’d thought he’d be the first one in his family to the altar. Strangely, that hadn’t been when he was with Stacy, but a year after he’d known Sally. He had no one to blame but himself. He’d wasted a lot of time waiting for a sign, some indication that she was ready. Sometimes it takes waking up married to really bring the idea home.
Swept Into Love: Gage Ryder (Love in Bloom: The Ryders Book 5) Page 6