Duke of Manhattan

by Louise Bay

  I pressed my mouth against his shoulder to stop myself from grinning so wide my face split in two. He did mean it. I could feel it, and it could never be cheesy if he meant it.

  He squeezed my legs and then trailed his thumb down to my ankle before he stood. He was getting out? I wasn’t ready.

  “Your turn for a foot rub,” he said as he sat back down opposite me, took my ankle and began to work his thumbs into the sole of my foot in firm, determined strokes.

  “This is nice,” he said. “I’ve never …”

  Shared a bath?

  Talked about his family?

  Slept with a woman more than once?

  All of the above?

  His thumb hit a particularly tender spot and I groaned, closing my eyes. When he stopped, I opened them to find him looking at me.

  “The sounds that you make …”

  I tilted my head, inviting him to finish his sentence.

  “I like them.”

  I grinned.

  “They make me …”

  His eyes grew darker and he didn’t need to say anything for me to know what he meant. I slid my foot from his hand, and found his erection below the water.

  “Giving me a foot rub gets you hard?”

  “The noises that come out of your mouth do,” he replied, capturing my foot with both hands.

  “I don’t mean to be so loud.” Had I been loud with Marcus? Since we’d moved in together, we’d never had a reason to hold back but at the same time, I couldn’t ever remember trying to. With Ryder I was only too aware of how much the sound was bursting out of me.

  “I like every noise you make.” He smoothed his hand up the inside of my leg. The water chased upward, lapping over my pussy. I wasn’t sure if it was the water, his words or his stare that heated my body.

  I wanted his fingers, higher, sweeping over my clit but instead his hand went back to my foot, his thumb circling over my heel.

  His cock jerked against his belly and when I looked up his eyes met mine—hungry.

  “Clean enough?” I slid my foot from his hand, braced my hands on the side of the bath and stood. “Because I want to get a little dirty.” The suds still clung to parts of my body as Ryder swept his eyes over the length of me. I held out my hand and he grinned.

  Seventeen

  Ryder

  “Fucking croquet? Really?” I muttered under my breath as we started to descend the stairs. I really would have preferred to spend the day in bed with Scarlett. Last night in the bath, the bed, the floor and against the wall had been a much more preferable way to pass time than with a bunch of people I didn’t know or didn’t care for.

  She squeezed my hand and whispered, “Don’t be so miserable. It’s a beautiful day and I’ve never played.”

  “I’d prefer to play with you.”

  Frederick and Victoria were coming over as well as my aunt and uncle and Scarlett’s sister, brother and best friend, who’d arrived yesterday and were staying at the nearby hotel. No doubt Darcy would have invited about fifty more people as well because she knew everyone within a fifty-mile radius. The wedding was tomorrow and we’d see all the same people again.

  “You are going to play with me,” Scarlett said.

  I growled. “Not like that. I mean naked. I want to play with you naked.” Fucking Scarlett King was my new favorite thing to do. The more sex we had, the better it got—and it had been pretty damn good to start off with. The fucking last night should have been recorded for a How to Have the Sex of Your Life training guide or something. We’d had sex after the bath and before dinner. And then after dinner. And then this morning I went down on her because she looked so sexy as she slept, I hadn’t been able to help myself.

  She knew what I liked now. The drag of her nails on my back, over my cock. I knew how she enjoyed my tongue pressing on her clit and my thumb in her ass. And she enjoyed me talking a little bit dirty to her. I’d never considered that sex with someone I knew could be better because I’d bothered to get to know her. I’d always assumed that any positives of having been around a person longer would be outweighed by the negatives. But now that I thought about it, I couldn’t think of too many negatives of being around Scarlett.

  “You’ve played with me naked enough. We have to go out into the world and interact with people with clothes on,” she said.

  Okay, maybe her lack of willingness to have sex twenty-four hours a day was a negative.

  “You’re such a spoilsport,” I replied, but couldn’t help but grin as she laughed at me.

  As we got to the bottom of the stairs, the door opened and people flooded through. I’d have been happy to spend the day with just Scarlett, Darcy and Grandfather, but Scarlett was right, we needed to mingle. Much as I’d have preferred a simple wedding, something restricted to immediate family only would raise suspicion.

  Scarlett withdrew her hand and ran toward the three people in the hall. I recognized one of the girls she greeted with a hug from the bar when I’d first met Scarlett. It was clear the sisters were close. Scarlett had spoken to her several times since we’d arrived in the UK.

  This morning, my blow job got interrupted when Violet called to say they’d landed. I wasn’t sure I was going to like the girl.

  “Ryder,” Scarlett called, beckoning me over as Frederick and Victoria arrived. As I’d rather speak to anyone but them, I took Scarlett’s outstretched hand. “You’ve met Violet.”

  “Thank you so much for coming all this way,” I replied, kissing her on both cheeks.

  “As if I was going to turn down a chance to come to England,” Violet said. She glanced at Scarlett, who was clearly giving her some kind of pointed look. “And my sister’s wedding, of course.”

  “And this is my brother, Max, and Harper, his wife.”

  After introductions were made, we all headed outside to the croquet lawn. I wrapped my arm around Scarlett’s waist as we walked. The leaves were still mainly green on the trees and the sky was a bright robin’s egg blue, unusual for this time of year. As we turned the corner, more people gathered by the lawn came into view. It looked like Darcy had invited everyone I’d ever known growing up. My sister should have talked to me first. No doubt, people wanted a look at the next Duchess of Fairfax. Except, Scarlett wouldn’t be, not really. And certainly not for long.

  A line of buffet tables set with white tablecloths and silver bowls of covered food flanked the croquet lawn. Darcy had gone to a lot of effort. People milled about, clutching drinks and glancing over as our party walked toward them. Darcy hovered near Grandfather, who sat in a chair facing the lawn, chatting to my aunt and uncle while Darcy fussed over the buffet tables.

  Lane stood behind one of the tables, pouring out Pimms into tall glasses.

  “Are we pretending it’s summer?” I asked, tipping my head toward the drinks.

  “I thought it would be a taste of England for our American friends,” he replied.

  “The way you make it, Lane, we’ll all be passed out by tea time,” I said, scooping up two glasses, handing one to Scarlett.

  He nodded. “Exactly my plan, sir.”

  I guided Scarlett away from the table.

  “What is this?” Scarlett held her glass up and inspected it. “And why is it garnished with salad?”

  “Pimms, and it’s not like it comes with a salad bowl. It’s just cucumber. And some fruit.” I picked a slice of cucumber out of my drink and held it to her lips. “Try it.”

  She took a bite and grinned as I popped the other half in my mouth.

  “Look at you, so cute together,” a woman said from behind us. Scarlett and I turned as one. “It’s as if you’re made for each other.” Victoria grinned at us from beside Frederick. Victoria only smiled when she was being vicious. I wasn’t sure whether or not Scarlett had picked up on the jibe or whether or not she took Victoria at face value.

  “Awww, thank you, Victoria. That’s what Ryder keeps saying—that we’re made for each other. I keep asking him where h
e left his stiff upper lip, but of course I love it when he says it.” She glanced up at me, grinning. “That dress is fabulous on you,” she said, turning her attention back to Victoria. “It really shows off your body fantastically.”

  Victoria twitched, her smile slipping, just a fraction, as she tried to work out whether or not Scarlett was being sarcastic or genuine. “Thank you,” she muttered.

  “You are so welcome. I’m sure you get a million compliments a day about your figure,” Scarlett said, glancing at Frederick.

  Scarlett was a thousand times better than Victoria at pretending to be charming. Perhaps because she simply was charming. Still, Scarlett had clearly decided to kill Victoria with kindness.

  My fiancée fucking rocked.

  “I have the teams,” Darcy announced, waving some cards in the air. “Gather ’round.”

  “You’re going to teach me?” Scarlett said as I handed her a mallet.

  “Sure,” I said, bending to kiss her smiling mouth. I wasn’t sure I’d ever absentmindedly kissed a woman before. Certainly not just to have that additional connection, to feel closer to her. Kissing had always been a part of sex. But now we were pretending to be a couple, it seemed to be the natural thing to do.

  “Your usual colors?” Darcy asked and I nodded.

  “You want red or yellow?” I asked Scarlett, walking toward the starting point.

  “You mean you can’t guess?” she replied. “I would have thought my name would give it away.”

  I chuckled. “Of course, Miss King. I’ll take yellow. You toss.” Rummaging in my pocket, I pulled out a fifty pence piece.

  “Who are we playing against?” Scarlett asked as we scanned the crowd from the center peg.

  “Hopefully not Frederick and Victoria,” I replied, turning the silver coin between my fingers.

  “Oh, I don’t know, that could be fun.”

  “You’re crazy.” I pulled her close, circling my arms around her waist. “Victoria doesn’t know what to make of you at all.”

  “Oh, don’t tell me you don’t enjoy my teasing.” She pushed my hair from my face. “I know you better than that.”

  There wasn’t much I didn’t enjoy about her. “You certainly seem to know what you’re doing.” She raised her eyebrows. “With Victoria, I mean,” I said.

  “And I’m great in bed,” she said and winked at me.

  I couldn’t argue with her there.

  “Looks like it’s cousin against cousin,” Frederick called as he strode toward us carrying a mallet.

  Scarlett turned in my embrace so we could face him as a team. I’d never in my life, other than with Darcy and Grandfather, been so certain someone was unquestionably on my side. I’d never thought it was even possible outside the three of us.

  Eighteen

  Scarlett

  “Grip the shaft at the top with both hands, your right below your left,” Ryder instructed from his crouched position in front of me. “Make sure you’re clenched tight.”

  His grin told me he was trying to provoke a reaction with his dirty croquet talk. I wasn’t sure if it was for my benefit or for Frederick and Victoria, who were looking on. “Like this?” I tilted my head. “Or tighter?”

  Ryder stalked toward me as I stood over the croquet mallet and came behind me, smoothing his hand over my ass.

  “Your arse looks fantastic,” he whispered into my ear.

  Wasn’t that kind of comment wasted if no one could hear it? Or did he just like my ass? He crouched beside me, facing the little white hoop sticking out of the ground. “How many times are you going to say the word shaft to me during this match?” Ryder chuckled. I glanced up at the crowd at the side of the grass. Most of the guests were looking in our direction—as if the four of us were actors on a stage. As if they were waiting for the first punch to be thrown, blood to be spilled.

  “That’s right. Now, take the shot.”

  I swung the mallet and it cracked as it hit the ball.

  “That’s my girl,” he said as my ball ended up exactly where he’d told me to put it. He wrapped his arm around my neck. Pulling me toward him, he placed a kiss on my head.

  We watched as Victoria took her turn. I had no idea why Ryder spent any time with his cousin and his wife. There was clearly no love or affection shared.

  I kept my eyes firmly on Ryder’s butt as he played. God, he had a great ass. Great legs. A great, great dick. I’d wanted to save my company so badly that I would have married him if he were the least attractive man on the East Coast. But I might not have been sleeping with him if he wasn’t so sexy it made my knees weak just being within a mile of him. And I definitely wouldn’t have been having so much fun if he wasn’t so easy to like. Easy to be with.

  “Good shot, sexy,” I said as his ball went through the hoop. I still had little clue about what was going on in terms of the rules of the game. But it didn’t matter—Ryder was guiding me through it. He seemed to like teaching me step by step, and I liked him taking so much time doing it.

  He winked at me as he came back to join me.

  “Was it a good shot?” I asked under my breath. I was pretty sure the ball was meant to go through the hoop.

  “Of course it was. I made it.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Modesty isn’t your strong suit, is it?”

  “Not false modesty. I’m very un-British like that.” He clamped a hand over my hip.

  “Tell me one thing you don’t think you’re good at?” Surely he wasn’t 100 percent confident about everything.

  He shrugged and I slid my arm around his waist. “Plenty.”

  “Tell me,” I said. I wanted to find a chink in his armor, know more about this man I was sharing a bed with.

  “I can make you a list of all my faults, if you like.”

  “Ahhh, I see. You can’t admit when you’re wrong.”

  “Maybe I don’t want to admit that I have faults to you.”

  His words brought me back to reality. We weren’t a real couple. We didn’t share intimate stuff like this. This was a show. The touching. The whispering into each other’s ears. It was an act designed to convince our audience that we were in love.

  I dropped my hand from his waist and tried to move away. I’d been so caught up in the sex, the fun. So happy to stop grieving the end of my marriage. I’d let my guard drop, forgotten that it was all a lie.

  It was my turn, but Ryder wouldn’t let go of my waist when I tried to move forward to take it. “I’m bad with women,” he said.

  It was such a ridiculous thing to say—such an obvious lie—that I yanked his hand from my waist without responding and took my shot. It went straight through the hoop and I couldn’t help but be proud of myself. Ryder hollered from behind me and I turned to find his smile as wide as Africa. Bad with women, my ass.

  I narrowed my eyes as I approached him. “No lying,” I said.

  “Lying?”

  “Don’t give me some bullshit that you’re bad with women. I shouldn’t have asked. I was having fun and …” And what? Got carried away? Was trying to build intimacy? “Just forget I asked.”

  As we watched Victoria take her shot, Ryder leaned down to whisper in my ear. “I have no idea what’s happening. Why are you angry?”

  “It’s your turn,” I said. He looked at me as if I weren’t finished talking about this. “Your shot,” I said.

  “Oh, right, yes.”

  He went over, barely stopping to hit the ball and making what I was pretty sure was a shitty play before stalking right back to me.

  “You didn’t answer my question. Why are you angry?”

  I kept my forced smile in place feeling like a crazy person, trying not to let on what I was feeling to our audience. “I’m not mad.” I wasn’t angry at Ryder. I was irritated at myself. “I just don’t appreciate you lying to me.”

  “I wasn’t lying. I am bad with women.”

  “Right,” I said. What did it matter if he was lying? He was just a business deal; what di
d I care?

  “I’m not talking about sex. Obviously, I can seduce a woman.” He swept his hand through his hair while his cousin took a ridiculously long time over his shot. I wanted him to get on with it so I could step away from this more than awkward conversation.

  “I mean relationships. I’ve never spent time with a woman who wasn’t Darcy or … I don’t know what I’m saying, really. I just don’t have a track record for hanging out with women. But with you—”

  Frederick finished his shot and before Ryder had a chance to finish his sentence, I walked back over to my red ball. Ryder thought I was fishing for compliments. But I didn’t want his platitudes. I needed to remember what this was … and what it wasn’t.

  His hands were at my waist before I realized he was behind me. “Relax and hit a long, smooth stroke.”

  “Ryder,” I said with a sigh. Couldn’t he tell I had to have just a few seconds to get myself together—switch my gears back to our deal?

  “I’m not letting go. Take the shot.”

  “If you don’t move, I’m not going to be able to make this shot.”

  “I don’t give a shit. Take the shot. I’m not letting go.”

  Jesus, what had crawled up his ass? I swung my mallet and my shot was no better than his last one had been. Frederick and Victoria were through the next hoop already. We were getting our asses kicked.

  He took my hand and we walked a little farther away from Frederick and Victoria than we had been between the other shots. “Look. I’m having a lot of fun hanging out with you. Just being with you, and it’s made me realize that I’ve never had that before.” He scrubbed his hands over his face. “I’ve never spent time with a woman just because I liked her company.”

  Sure he had.

  He clearly knew what I was thinking. “Of course I’ve spent time with women; it’s a prerequisite to getting laid. I’ve just never done so fully clothed, or just because I enjoy their company. All I’m trying to say is that I like sleeping with you, but I like just hanging out, too.” He shrugged. “Maybe if I’d realized it could be this good, I would have given it a shot sooner.”