by Crowe, Liz
The kiss started gently as Grace wasn’t usually the type to instigate, but as the afternoon wore on, she knew in her soul she had to at least taste him. Just once. If he was shocked and pulled away then that would be that. But he didn’t. Ryan let her lead, let her part his lips with hers then let her break away first. Grace knew her flushed skin and glowing eyes betrayed how she felt but she no longer cared.
"That was nice," Ryan muttered before pulling her back and slanting his mouth over hers, his kiss very much an alive sort of thing, questioning her without words. She answered him by wrapping her arms around his neck, nearly off balance by the effort to stay on her toes to reach him. He tasted of gin, like summer, like a man. And his subtle cologne suffused her senses, making her dizzy while his firm, urgent lips possessed hers. She moaned as his lips broke free and trailed down her jaw and neck to the tops of her breasts.
His arms encircled her but his hands started to roam up her sides, brushing against her breasts. Grace felt her pussy clench in near agony. But when she heard laughter from above them, she pulled away and took a step back. Ryan stood, and put his hands in his pockets again. In the waning light, Grace She tried not to stare at the clear evidence of his desire under the cotton shorts.
"Sorry," he grinned. "I, um, don’t usually, well."
She laughed at the absurdity of him saying the words that were on the tip of her tongue but a strange panic settled in her gut. This man was bad news. Never settling down, always traveling to strange cities and hotels where female staff and clientele were bound to be lying in wait for him. Yet that wouldn’t matter if they just had a quick fling. Would it? She had no desire to get married for crying out loud. And he obviously was commitment averse. So why not?
Grace’s heart fluttered. She was falling for a guy she'd just met. No. That was ridiculous. She’d had a few boyfriends but had never once jumped into bed with a man after just meeting him like she was poised to do with Ryan.
"Something tells me you have more experience with this sort of thing than I do though." Lame, but it was all she could come up with in her lusty haze.
He sighed and looked up at the darkening sky while Grace bit the inside of her cheek and waited.
"Maybe, but something about you, Miss Almost Famous, has me as nervous as a middle school kid. It’s sort of pissing me off if you must know."
Grace giggled, nervous energy getting the best of her. She covered her mouth with one hand but in the next second she gasped as Ryan crossed the sand between them and began running a fingertip over her lips.
"Something about you," with each word he pulled her closer until their lips were millimeters apart.
"Kiss me again," she whispered.
"With pleasure," Ryan obliged.
Grace felt the press of his erection against her belly and to her surprise, she reached down to touch it, to run a hand over his amazing length barely contained by fabric. Her body was on fire and it centered right at her clit, which was in dire need of attention. As if he sensed this, Ryan shoved a strong thigh between her legs, allowing her something to press against, without taking his amazing lips from hers. "Oh my," she pulled away and let him cup her ass as he pulled her up higher on his leg.
"Mmm hmmm," Ryan nuzzled her neck, keeping one hand on her ass while the other reached up to cup a breast, his thumb running over the nipple straining her bikini. The world was spinning on its axis and Grace had the sudden impression her universe was about to be upended.
Letting her thin swimsuit cover shift aside, Grace pressed her throbbing sex on Ryan’s thigh.
"Good God woman," he breathed into her ear. "You're enough to drive a man insane." He grasped her neck and pulled her in for another kiss when Grace felt tears form behind her eyes. How was this happening to her? She wasn't the sort of woman who had this affect on men. She felt a finger along the edge of her bikini bottoms and she pulled away from his leg, breaking the kiss to look into his deep azure eyes.
"Feel what you’ve done to me," she shocked herself all over again. "God, Ryan."
He smiled a lazy expression that made her body shiver. It would become one of her favorite things about him, that smile. He teased her, using his lips on her neck, as she grasped him tightly to keep from falling backwards. Just as he reached her soaking wet core, Grace’s knees gave out and she stumbled backwards, taking him with her, their bodies tumbling to the soft sand with a whump.
"Ow! Shit!" Grace propped herself up on her elbows sore from sand burn. Ryan was on top of her, his arms braced on either side. They laughed and she relaxed realizing she'd gladly let him take her right there on the beach if he wanted. He leaned over her as the laughter faded just short of her lips.
"I want you, Grace," he said without preamble.
She pushed a lock of hair that had fallen over his brow and ran her hand down his face. Dear Lord she was a goner. Even if she let him fuck her and leave, her life would never be the same. Her body was crying out for him, her pussy ached with a new sensation of emptiness as she nodded, unable to speak.
He lifted himself off her, regained his footing and held out his hand which Grace accepted, shocked all over again by the heat of his skin. He pulled her up then kept going until she was wrapped around his neck again.
"You feel incredibly right to me," he muttered into her hair, which had broken free from its messy tie and was tumbling over her shoulders. He sighed and Grace closed her eyes against the sensation of happiness that would no doubt be followed closely by sadness. She was going to let him fuck her. She was certain of it. As a matter of fact, if she didn’t get him inside her soon, she might just explode with lust. For now, Grace would settle for his body, his lips, tongue, hands and that cock throbbing against her. But later she knew she'd want more.
She stepped away and held out a hand that Ryan accepted as they started back, silent at first before picking up the publication woes conversation again. He asked the right questions, which got her thinking about her strategy anew and she nearly forgot she was halfway to being madly in love with a man she'd just met. At the foot of the stairway, he stopped and pulled her in, possessing her mouth with his, his tongue aggressive, his hands all over her enervated skin.
He groaned and pulled away.
"I know they have a guest suite in back on the first floor. It’s where I was going to stay if I spent the night."
He cupped her chin with a hand and met her gaze.
"Can I convince you to sneak past everybody and meet me there?"
"I thought you’d never ask," Grace got up on her toes and nipped his thick bottom lip as she ran a hand across his erection. "We might want to cool this down a little before we walk in, hmm?"
"Uh, yeah, without a doubt," he picked up her empty glass and indicated she should lead the way with a wave of his hand. They stopped and kissed on the deck where they'd met, hiding in the corner by the chairs, Ryan reaching all the way into her bikini and stroking her clit just fast enough to make her cry out and clutch his arm as a knee-jerk orgasm took her.
"Jesus," she gasped. "No fair." She licked her lips and started to unzip him, not willing to wait until they got inside before Ryan stopped her with a firm hand.
"No, wait." He brought the fingers he’d just had deep inside her to his lips and sucked, never taking his eyes from hers. Grace thought her knees would give out again.
"Don’t want to wait," she insisted, pushing him down onto the chaise lounge, unzipping his shorts and pulling his long, lean cock free of its restraints. Before he could protest, she was on her knees sucking the glistening purple head into her mouth, the salty essence of him filling her throat as she swallowed his length all the way down, one hand cupping his balls as they clenched and tightened. His hands fisted in her hair, bringing a slight edge of pleasant pain to her consciousness.
His cock throbbed between her lips as she released him until just his swollen head was in her mouth. Applying a small amount of suction, she used her hand up and down his long, elegant shaft, her whol
e body shuddering in anticipation of taking all of him inside her. She lapped at the sensitive edge of his head as his hips bucked beneath her before she took all the way down again.
"Swallow me again. God, that was," he groaned as Grace did just that. "Can I," he grunted with effort."I’m gonna...You’ve got me so close already."
Grace cupped his balls once more and moved up and down, swallowing his entire length before releasing him. Her head swam with his scent and his flavor, and Grace loved knowing what she was doing to him. Ryan gave one last shove and Grace moaned as her mouth filled with so much of his fluid it trickled down the corner of her mouth. Drinking him down with such eagerness, Grace fought a moment of embarrassment when she released his spent shaft and she sat back on her heels, still kneeling between his legs, her hands gripping his thighs.
Ryan blew out a gust of air and cupped her face with both hands, leaning in, diving into her mouth once more. She shared his essence back with him and never remembered feeling so connected with a man. "Grace, that was, " he released her lips and grinned at her.
"Yeah, I know." She wiped the back of her hand across her mouth, a sudden burst of fear leaving her with the overwhelming desire to curl up in his lap and never leave. It was scary, intoxicating and terrifying all in one breath. Ryan zipped himself up and stood, taking her hand and pulling her into his arms.
"We still have a date, right?" His voice was low, nearly inaudible.
"Date?" She smiled into his chest, inhaling him in deep breaths, hoping to memorize the moment so she could relive it when he was out of her life. Because that was inevitable, she knew it. Yet right now, all she wanted was to have him inside her, for him to be with her in every possible way. If it didn't happen, her life simply would not be complete.
"Yeah, the one up at the house." He released her and put a possessive arm around her shoulders. His next words made her scalp prickle.
"And the one I’m taking you on tomorrow," his lips touched her temple. "Oh, and the one the next day."
Grace let out a breath.
"How do you know I’ll go on any more dates with you?" She jabbed him in the side with her elbow.
"Something tells me we have a lot of dates in our future," he bumped her hip, knocking her aside a minute before grabbing her hand and dragging her up the steps behind him. Grace observed his amazing plaid-covered ass once more, reflecting on the fact this time yesterday, she didn’t even know this man existed. Now, couldn’t imagine her life without him.
Chapter Three
Four Years Later
Ryan spun the thin platinum band around his left ring finger. The plane was late and as it circled the small airport, he clamped down the urge to get up and pace. For an expert frequent flier, he sure as hell wasn't a patient one. This trip pissed him off anyway and he'd balked at the necessity of convincing some prima dona resort cook who managed to gain some publicity by winning a stupid Iron Chef reality TV show to come and open a restaurant. The manager at the Aria had his heart set on this guy though, hence Ryan was dispatched to the South of France to fetch him.
Glancing down when the soft "ping" of his Skype indicator sounded on his laptop, Ryan shook his head at the latest missive from the big money investor for the Vegas resort. It included a photo from the chef’s media kit. Jesus, a media kit?
"This guy is a former physical therapist or some shit who put himself through French cooking school giving massages."
Ryan glanced at the photo. Long dark hair framed a noble, exotic face.
"Bet he gets his fair share of pussy, eh?"
Ryan grimaced. What did that have to do with anything?
"You guys will get along great. You can compare cocks man notes."
Ryan had to respond although he usually ignored this asshole.
"I bet I have more notches."
"I bet you do too. Well, used to anyway. This guy, Henri, he was married too, He has a kid but he's divorced."
Ryan sipped his drink and waited for the next missive.
"When are you gonna knock up that hot wife of yours anyway, Sully?"
Ryan rolled his eyes. Nobody ever called him "Sully" except this blow hard. As for "knocking up," well, he and Grace had an understanding about that. No kids. Ever.
"Not anytime soon. I gotta go, plane's about to land." He closed the chat window but not before he saw Grace’s icon appear in the corner.
"Hey." He smiled at the thought of her. Ryan never dreamed he’d be so lucky to find his perfect woman. He repressed a shudder at the memory of how he very nearly screwed it up with his overwhelming need to take care of her.
They’d been happy for the better part of the first year. She kept her crappy apartment and insisted on staying there several nights a week. While he respected her need for privacy, the more he was with her, the more he wanted her and not just her amazing body. She could argue a college professor under the table on most any subject and was an incredible host for the various parties he threw for clients, either at his penthouse or off site. The McGiver of Parties he called her given her ability to pull off a plated event for a hundred with three phone calls and a paper clip.
But, her stubborn insistence on never letting him pay for anything other than actual dates they went on started to rub him the wrong way. And never having food in the house made him nuts. Not that he expected her to stock his fridge and hers as well, he just kind of thought she might find his gourmet kitchen inviting enough to use. But, Grace was an avowed non-cook and no amount of hinting or cajoling would change that.
Ryan recalled finding himself gazing at websites full of expensive platinum and diamond rings, which alarmed him. So, when the opportunity arose to travel to Prague to visit a potential new account, he packed himself up and sent her an email knowing damn good and well it wouldn't fly.
Short notice trip. Prague. See you in a week or so.
He held out for three miserable days before calling. Although Grace was nonchalant, he knew her well enough by now to know she was holding her temper.
"Ryan, what happened to my credit card balance?"
Sitting in an ornate, old world hotel in need of a serious face-lift nearly three thousand miles from her, Ryan could picture her pacing the floor as she spoke. He ran a hand through his hair and confessed.
"I paid it."
"Why?"
"Because," He stopped. What was her problem? Any other woman on the planet would appreciate him erasing nearly ten thousand dollars worth of debt with the click of a button. "I told you I wanted to help and…"
"How did you even know about it?" Her voice was calm but Ryan knew better.
"Your laptop was open a few days ago, and it was on the screen and I, well, I just paid it alright? Jesus."
"I wish you hadn’t done that."
"In my defense, I told you debt wasn’t good for your credit score."
"You know what Ryan, just stop right there. This isn’t about my credit score or the damn balance. It’s about you trying to run my life."
"No, it isn't. I just want to help. It’s what I want to do for you, Grace. Why won’t you let me?"
"Helping me and doing things I can do for myself are two different things. Besides, you have no business on my computer."
"Look, I’ll be back in a few days." Ryan remembered his next words distinctly. "Maybe we just need some time apart. I need some perspective."
"Fine. Goodbye, Ryan."
The hotel concierge found a Verizon dealer for Ryan the next day so he could replace the phone he’d smashed against the wall.
When he made it back to his condo, apologies on his lips, she was gone. Every trace of her. The messy bathroom clutter, her protein drink mix in the fridge. All of it was gone and Ryan fell into a funk at the thought that she was out of his life. But, after a couple of bourbon’s worth of reflection he pulled open the desk drawer where he’d stashed a small blue box before he left. The dazzle on the emerald and diamond ring hit him right in the optic nerve, too. He loved her and he was
going to prove it.
No more fucking around.
Ryan called her agent, found out she was holed up in New York, with that tool of an editor who had a nasty little-boy crush on her, and dashed back to the airport in a matter of half an hour.
****
"Hey," he answered back, his mind full of his wife’s beautiful eyes, her laugh, her body under his hands. He shook the bad memories of his near miss with her away. "Guess what; thinking about you just now made me hard."
"Pig."
"Maybe. But all yours."
"I have a guess what, too..."
"That right?"
"Alice's pregnant."
Ryan’s throat constricted. Alice was Grace’s younger sister, married about three years. The two girls were as thick as thieves. Luckily, Ryan folded right into the tight knit group of Grace, her sister, Trevor, Alice’s attorney spouse, and their dad, Joe. Alice was a darker version of her older sister and had a smart mouth but Ryan liked her.
"Is that good?"
It took a while to get an answer and Ryan rubbed his eyes, unable to sort through how this conversation could possibly end well.
"It's what they wanted."
"Good for them then."
"Ok, well, I just thought I’d tell you. Have a great time."
"Wait! How did it go today? How were Matt and Katie?"
"It was nerve wracking and I’m glad it’s over."
"I’m pretty sure I set the DVR to record it but you never know with those damn things."
"Yeah, well, let’s talk later, k? I have to go down and meet some reporters before dinner."
"I love you, Grace."
"I know."
He'd have given a million of his dollars to be with her right now but instead he clicked the laptop shut, tucked it into his bag and sat back for landing knowing the whole "no baby" thing would eventually make its way back to the floor for discussion. But Ryan was bound and determined to not screw up some poor kid with his shitty parenting. It just wasn't an option and Grace would have to deal with it.