“Sure.” After I close the door, I gratefully remove my Nikes and lead the way to the futon. “So, what brings you all the way out here? I figured you’d have some things to take care of.”
“I did. I’m done,” he says as he leans back on his palms, regarding me with those sapphire eyes.
He still hasn’t shaved. And I like it. He was cute as a fresh-faced college boy, but scruffy-faced he looks good enough to eat. God, he’s sexy. Less than a week ago, I would have said he isn’t my type. But today, he’s all I want.
I clear my throat and pull my legs up on the mattress, crossing them in front of me. “What does that mean, exactly?” I ask, willing my southern region to stop aching.
“I dealt with it,” he says, not a flicker of emotion evident in his voice. “Mariah is staying.”
“And you left her alone in that house with your aunt? Aren’t you afraid of walking in on a brutal murder?”
At this, he cracks a smile. “I think she’ll behave. She got what she wanted, for me to know the truth. Thanks to you.”
I duck my head. “It was my pleasure.”
“So here’s the thing,” he says, leaning forward, drawing a little closer to me. “I think we got off to bad start, on the wrong foot.”
“Did we?”
He nods. “If I’d met you, say, at the bar, or at the doughnut shop,” he laughs lightly. “I think maybe things would have started differently.” He reaches a hand forward and traces my hairline. “And I get the feeling they wouldn’t have ended at all.”
“How do you know?” I ask.
“Have you met you?” He slides closer. “You’re funny, witty, incredibly smart, and,” he sucks in a breath. “Have you seen you? Ever since the day you walked into that restaurant, I knew there was something about you. And the day it hit me just how incredible you are, it hit hard. And I can’t shake it, Sydney. Even when I thought you’d betrayed me, I couldn’t shake it.”
I’m sure my face is beet red now. Inside, I am melting. My resolve is crumbling and any second I will straddle this man and make him love me the way I’ve been dreaming of almost every single night since the first time he touched me.
“How did this happen?” I murmur.
“I don’t know.” His breath hits my cheek. “But I’m glad it did? Are you?”
I nod, a lump lodged in my throat.
“Good. I want you to know that whatever happens, from here on in, I’m on your side. You don’t have to convince me of anything. It’s more than obvious you’re the one for me. I don’t need to see your roster, I don’t care about references and I sure as hell don’t care if you’re an amateur.”
She giggles. “Cute.”
“I thought so.”
“I’m sorry about what Marx did. He’s an idiot and I feel stupid for trusting him.”
“It’s okay. Everything happens for a reason. My sister’s home, I’ve gotten to know my mom a lot better and we’ve managed to work things out. Right?”
“Right.”
He leans in a little closer and his gaze falls to my lips. I swallow hard.
“What about your bio-dad?”
“Hmmm?”
“Are you planning on getting to know him?”
Ray glances up at me and shakes his head.
“Why not?”
He lets out a heavy sigh. “No…I mean, that’s not a ‘no’. I just…I wouldn’t even know where to start? I know it’s only been a couple of days since everything came out, but I kind of figured he’d care. You know?”
“What do you mean?”
“He hasn’t tried to contact us. He didn’t show up at the house with excuses. He didn’t call. Send a card.”
“Maybe he hasn’t read the article. Maybe he doesn’t know you know.”
Ray lies back on the bed and I join him. “My mom said he wanted us, at one point. But he gave us up anyway. He gave up on us and no matter what the reasons it’s kind of hard to forgive that kind of betrayal.”
“But you said it yourself, he had his reasons.” I turn my head to look at him. “Were they good ones at least?”
“I guess.”
“You know what I think?”
He smiles. “What do you think, Sydney Bucco?”
“I think if I had one more day with my dad, I’d take it in a heart beat. No matter what the complications. Your father pretty much came back from the dead, Ray. That’s big. And it doesn’t happen to everyone. But I bet you there was a day in your life, even if it was a long time ago, that you wished he would. Now he has. What are you going to do about it?”
“More days than I can count.” His voice breaks on the last syllable and turns onto his side. Reaching for me, he brushes his thumb over my lips.
I close my eyes. Any second now. Not long until I taste him again.
“Incredibly smart,” he whispers. “Just like I said.”
I can feel his breath on my forehead and I take a deep one of my own, deeply inhaling his scent.
“Sydney?” he asks.
“Yeah?”
“Can I kiss you again?”
My eyes flutter open and he’s millimeters from me. I close the space between us quickly, tangling my fingers in his hair. His arms encircle my waist, as our bodies meet.
He tastes even better than I remember and every kiss hits me in just the right place.
“Ray,” I whisper between kisses.
“Hmm, hmm.”
“You can kiss me anytime you want. You don’t always have to be so nice about it.” I push him backwards, climb on top and kiss him like I’d drown if I ever came up for air.
“Wait.” He pushes me away and my heart sinks.
“Ray,” I whisper, sinking back into the bed, slightly out of breath. “You can’t keep doing this to me. You’re either into me or you’re not. Make up your damn mind.”
“As I recall, it was you who shut things down last time.”
“And you who was gone when I woke up.”
He leans over and kisses my forehead and my body goes limp. “I am…definitely into you. I just don’t want to mess this up.”
“What?” I roll off him. “Our friendship?”
Ray pulls me back to him. “No, not that. I think we’ve already crossed that bridge. Besides, I’m not afraid of that. I just, I’ve never done this before and I want to get it right.”
I frown. “Done what?”
“Well…” he gestures between the two of us. “This.”
“You’re a virgin!” I don’t mean to scream like I do, but I’m just so surprised. No flabbergasted is a better word. “H—how?”
Ray laughs. “That’s not what I meant either. Well, not really. Obviously, you know how I grew up. A preacher grandpa. A preacher dad. A mom that still refuses to cut the strings. They didn’t even let me start dating until I was sixteen and even then she had to be approved.”
“Kristen.”
Ray nods. “She was nice. Pretty. But, I mean, she wasn’t the real thing. We weren’t all that intimate. Other than holding hands and a few kisses. Then I went to college.”
Now this, I’m not sure I want to hear. “It’s okay,” I say quickly. “I get it.”
Ray’s lips brush my cheek and he breaths in deeply. “No you don’t,” he murmurs. “You don’t get it at all. College was fun. The girls were everywhere. Nothing like Kristen. Ready and willing to do anything. And when you’re a jock, on the football team, at that, it’s almost like it comes with the territory.”
“So you’re telling me that you’ve slept with a lot of girls?” My stomach goes a little queasy and I fight the urge to pull away.
Don’t be immature, Sydney. This isn’t a big deal.
“I’m telling you I slept with one. And it was better than what I expected, but in some ways, worse. I didn’t feel connected and I could tell she wasn’t. It was over faster than it began. It was weird because the whole time I was with Kristen, it’s all I could think about. But I knew she’d never go for it. Not u
nless we were married or engaged even. Here I had it practically handed to me on a silver platter and I was actually disappointed. So I decided, right then and there, that if I did it again, my heart would have to be in it too.”
“Is your heart in it now? Because you’re kind of killing the mood.”
Ray laughs. “Sorry. I just want you to understand where I’m coming from. You’re not just a hookup, Sydney. The other night…I’m so sorry about the other night. I was drunk and stupid. But most of the time when I’m with you I’m thinking about touching you, about kissing you. It’s odd. I barely know you and…I just want more.”
I lick my lips and peer up at him. “More what?”
“I want to be closer to you, Sydney. And I know people do this kind of stuff all the time, but I want you to know it’s not what you think. I’m not that kind of guy.”
“What kind of guy are you?” My eyelids droop when his fingers stroke my scalp.
“The kind who comes back for more.”
I giggle. “That sounds kind of kinky.”
“All I mean is, I don’t want tonight to be a one off. And the way I feel about you, it probably won’t be. If you’re okay with that.”
I nod. I’m way more than okay with that.
We fall into each other again, without another word, but he doesn’t kiss me right away. He holds my face very close to his. It’s almost like we share a single breath. Then he teases me, leaning closer and closer until our lips almost touch, his eyes still on mine.
Ray brushes his lips against mine and I close my eyes.
“I can’t believe I’m touching you like this,” he says.
Either can I. He’s teasing me. All I want is to feel his skin on mine, but it’s like all he wants is to study me. To memorize every inch.
I reach down and tug on his belt, releasing the buckle from its clasp. He doesn’t protest, so I pull at the hem of his shirt until he helps me slip it over his head. Then I allow my hands to stray, to explore him.
I can feel my heart beating in my head as my fingers graze the curve of his shoulders. They’re firm, the skin tight and smooth. I lift my head to kiss his left collarbone, and he lets out a sharp breath with every one of my touches.
I pull off my own shirt and stretch my arms around my back, desperate to unhook my bra, but he stops me.
Ray sits up, taking me with him until we’re facing each other. He runs both hands through my hair and drapes it over one shoulder. Then he pulls my bra straps down, tracing his thumbs over my collarbone. As he leans forward, I lean my head back and his breath warms my neck, sending shivers through me.
I reach back and unhook my bra allowing it to fall away. Ray stops kissing my neck and when I look up again he’s staring at me. I should feel self-conscious—want to grab one of the pillows and cover myself, but I don’t. I don’t mind his scrutiny at all. In fact, all I want is for him to get on with it. Stop staring at me and start touching me again.
“You’re beautiful,” he says.
I smile and whisper, “I’d believe you more if your hands were on me.”
Ray grins and reaches forward, lightly running his fingers tips over my right nipple. “Like that?” he asks.
I swallow hard, my throat prickling, then nod.
“And this?” he asks, bringing his right hand up to brush the other side.
I pull a deep breath into my nose, lick my lips and nod again.
“What about this?” he asks, squeezing both of my breasts lightly.
“Mm hmm,” I get up on my knees and inch closer, but he pulls away.
“Not yet,” he says. “I want…lie down, please.”
He guides my head to the pillow and I lie back, staring up at him as he hovers over me. He kisses my forehead, my nose and lingers at my mouth. As his tongue teases mine, I reach my arms up to touch him, but he stops me, pinning them by my wrists on either side of my head.
I squirm, but he continues to hold me down, so I let him.
Ray’s head moves toward my chest and when the warmth of his tongue travels across my hard nipples I let out a little moan and it’s echoed by one of his own. He pulls my nipple into his mouth sucking lightly. My back arches and he sucks harder. I try to break free, to throw my arms around him, but he won’t allow it. So I satisfy the urge, by wrapping my legs at his waist.
Ray links my fingers with his and trails his tongue across my chest bone to my other breast. My panties are already soaking wet. So much that it embarrasses me. It can’t be normal to be this turned on by the little that he’s doing. Although the little feels like a hell of a lot more. What is he going to think when he sees the mess he’s made?
“Ray,” I whisper.
He takes that as a cue to find my lips again and kisses me harder this time. Sucking on my bottom lip, my tongue, making me forget why I called his name in the first place.
He lets go of my hands and they find their rightful place, feathering their way through his hair and gliding down his back.
“You taste so good,” he moans, his face buried in my neck now. “I want you so bad, Syd.”
His fingers fumble with my waistband and I reach down to help him, yanking them over my hips. Ray pulls away, leaving me awkward and cold. He stands up and carefully peels my yoga pants from my legs, tossing them behind him. In that moment, I remember my slippery underwear and sit up, inching toward the edge of the mattress.
I reach up to help Ray with his own pants and he smiles down at me.
“Anxious?”
I nod and feign a devilish grin. As he steps out of his pants, I slip out of my panties and toss them to the side. With Ray standing in front of me again, in nothing but his boxers, I realize I have to make a choice. Stand there, face to face with his Johnson, and possibly perform and act I never have before, or lay back on the bed, as embarrassingly wet as I am and let him have his way. I choose the latter, just has he begins to inch his boxers over his hips.
Ray walks to the other side of the room and I watch his bare, tight ass with extreme pleasure as I settle under the comforter. I hear the telltale crinkle of a foil wrapper and brace myself for what’s about to happen.
I’m completely naked, incredibly horny and I’m about to have hot sex with a normally unattainable guy. I could be dreaming. I might wake up and realize I actually did go for a run and passed out somewhere along the way, but for now, I’m going to enjoy every second. Who knows when I’ll find myself in this position again?
Ray slips under the comforter with me and I chew on my bottom lip, unsure of what my next move should be. He doesn’t seem confused at all. He leans forward and kisses my lips lightly, then rests his palm on my stomach. His hand is so warm, his touch so soft, I find myself getting wetter. Ray kisses me softly and all the tension, all of the embarrassment melts away. He turns me onto my side and our legs tangle together again. My hand creeps down his lower back and over the curve of his ass. His finds the heat between my legs, lingering over my folds for several torturous seconds before sinking into my dampness.
“Oh, wow.” He pulls away from my mouth, murmuring against my cheek. “Sydney.”
The way he says my name makes me open my legs a crack more and he breathes a heavy sigh into my neck, then begins to nibble on my earlobe. His fingers work their way toward my clit, rubbing softly at first, as if testing the waters.
The touch is light, but the sensation intense and I shriek, then bite down on my bottom lip.
“You okay?” he asks, his voice thick.
I nod. “Yeah,” I say in a rushed breath. “I’m okay.”
He continues to feel his way around and another moan escapes me. Ray maneuvers himself on top of me, bracing himself with one arm on either side.
“Are you ready?” he asks.
I almost want to laugh at how adorable he is. Manners in the middle of sex? I didn’t think a guy like that existed.
I reach up and pull him down to me, until we are skin to skin. This time, I take control, raking my hands throu
gh his hair and covering his mouth with mine.
Ray parts my legs further, settling in between them. He easily finds his way back to my center, caressing it until I am completely relaxed and my knees have drifted to the sides. I press my hips closer to him, as he massages my clit, showing my appreciation in every kiss and every stroke of my nails on his back. I’ve lifted my bottom half off the mattress and with his other hand he holds me in place, as close to him as possible.
He draws back, finding my breast again, sucking harder on my nipples this time as he plunges his finger deeper inside me. I call for him in a voice that almost sounds as though I’m in pain.
Ray doesn’t ask for my permission as he moves his hand back and thrusts his hips forward. It hurts at first and as I tense, he eases up. But I don’t want him to stop. I’ve forgotten how good it feels to be touched. And though I’ve never been touched quite like this, I know it will only get better.
“It’s okay,” I whisper. “I’m okay. Don’t stop.”
Inch by inch, he pushes his way deeper inside me, and I’m stretched to the point where I’m almost ready to pull away. But when Ray’s lips brush my ear again and he breathes my name in strangled desperation, I give in to him instead.
And I’m glad I do. He moves slowly against me, rocking his hips gently back and forth. It isn’t any less overwhelming, but it feels good. That perfect narrow line between pleasure and pain. He doesn’t pant like a dog or make disgusting grunting noises either. His breath is uneven and his heart synchronizes with the wild beat of my own as his hands traveling up and down every inch of my body.
I’m completely lost in him, my pride and concern for my appearance out the window. All I care about is Ray touching me, making me feel better than I knew was possible. This is it. This is what they talk about—all the stories about great sex never made sense until right now. I never understood the appeal, the crave, until this moment. Until this man.
I open my legs wider, bringing my knees closer to my chest. As Ray pushes himself forward, he goes even deeper and I scream. He freezes, but I pull him closer and tightening the grip with one of legs. “Don’t stop,” I say. “Please.”
He pushes deeper and deeper into me, hitting the same spot over and over, sending a distinct sensation through me. One I’ve only ever been able to reach on my own. But not even. This one is more intense. It buzzes through nerves, tingling my scalp and my toes.
Blitz (Emerald City/Black Family Saga Book 1) Page 21