Slide

by Michelle Congdon

  “It feels great what you’re doing,” he said, his voice muffled by my neck.

  “Thank you,” I whispered.

  His head lifted. “What for?” he asked kissing my cheek.

  “Just for… for tonight. It was perfect. You’re perfect.” I smiled, staring up at the ceiling. I felt him smile against my cheek.

  “You’re welcome, and thank you for sharing your story with me. I know it must’ve been hard.” He began to trail kisses from my ear down to the base of my throat before he paused. “I’m getting hard again.”

  Sure enough, I could feel his thickness growing inside of me. “You’re unbelievable, Ryan Fox. You’re such an animal.”

  Another smile. “Shall we go for it again? Or have a shower?”

  I giggled. “As much as I loved how perfect that moment was. I’m more than happy for you to take me from behind in the shower, if you’re up for it.” I grinned slyly.

  Ryan couldn’t pull out of me fast enough. “You and your irresistible body will be the death of me and my poor deep-v-diver.” His what?!

  Upon seeing my stunned face, Ryan sat up and gave me a playful smile. “Are you coming or not my little deep-v-diver tamer?”

  “Don’t ever use that word to describe your man parts or call me that again and I’ll let you do whatever you want to my body.”

  I caught the naughty gleam in his eye before he flashed a devilish grin. I instantly regretted my comment.

  CHAPTER 12

  Ryan had been wonderful all the next morning. I woke up to the smell of fresh coffee in the air and followed it out into the kitchen, where I found him whipping up breakfast. This man really was God’s gift to women. After enjoying a delicious plate of scrambled eggs, avocado and smoked salmon, complete with homemade hollandaise sauce, we found time to sneak another quick sex-sesh in before we had to leave. As much as I enjoyed the hard, crazy romps, I was beginning to enjoy the softer, slower sex as well, which was what we’d done again this morning.

  The happiness didn’t last long, however, because soon we found ourselves bickering about the charity event Ryan had asked me to attend.

  We were in the elevator on our way down to his car. I needed a new change of clothes and had to get ready for a big day of ‘evening-wear shopping’, so we were heading to my apartment first.

  “I can buy my own dress you know?” I reminded him.

  Before we fell asleep last night, Ryan had managed to convince me to go and offered to buy my complete outfit. Of course I didn’t need him to buy any of it, I could afford a dress and accessories on my own, but he wouldn’t have any of it.

  “Nonsense. I’ve invited you, why would I make you pay?”

  “It’s a charity event,” I pointed out as we stepped out of the lift and into the parking lot.

  “Yes and? The dress won’t be going to charity. It’ll be on my bedroom floor by the end of the night while I have you bent over the side of the bed screaming out my name.”

  My jaw flew open and I stumbled to a halt. When he realized that I wasn’t beside him anymore, he turned around with a mischievous grin on his face. “You’re all class, you know that, Ryan Fox?” I deadpanned.

  “You know you like me better dirty, babe,” he teased, walking back over to me and kissing my cheek. “Get in.”

  I eyed the shiny, red Ferrari Spider, which immediately roared to life with a single push of a button on the key Ryan was holding. Of course the ‘bad boy’ owned a Ferrari, was there any other car more fitting? I didn’t think so.

  He led me over and held the car door open for me, a giant grin spread across his face. “Go on princess, I know you’re dying to say something about the car,” he said dryly.

  I couldn’t help but laugh at that. He knew me too well. “I don’t have anything to say except that it simply suits you, that’s all,” I replied, stepping into the low vehicle. The rich smell of leather hit me with full force. He kept the car in mint condition, which was fairly obvious to see.

  “Italian stallion, right?” he teased, leaning into the doorway with an eyebrow raised.

  The fact that he’d told me his grandparents were of Italian heritage, and that he was well-endowed in more ways than one meant that his comment worked well, but the guy was just so full of himself; I refused to feed that ego of his. Instead, I rolled my eyes and he threw his head back and let out a carefree laugh when he saw it. I definitely enjoyed that sound.

  “You’re a very hard woman to please.” Planting another kiss on my cheek, Ryan then stood up and gently closed the car door, then walked around and jumped into the driver’s seat.

  I cast a glance sideways, mesmerized the way his muscles moved in his arms as he adjusted his baseball cap in the rear-view mirror. It caused the sleeves of his fitted two-toned baseball shirt to slide up and tighten around both biceps each time he flexed. God, he was an attractive man. My gaze shifted to his jawline when his hands dropped and he reached for the steering wheel. I still marveled at the thought of how somebody could be made so perfect. Well... Ryan did have a tiny flaw: he loved women and hated relationships. So that left the big question: why was he doing all of this? Why hadn’t our one night stand turned out to be just that, a one-night stand? Wasn’t that what he enjoyed and was used to?

  The sound of a loud engine rev snapped me back into the moment. Ryan was looking over his shoulder, slowly easing the sports car out of the tight parking spot.

  “Where to first after your place, little lady?” he asked once we’d left the buildings security gate and entered the city traffic. “Shall we go straight to Madison Avenue or Fifth Avenue? What about heading to one of the many stores owned by your family? Which is almost half of New York,” he said jokingly.

  “You know that’s not true,” I replied. Most of the lavish fashion stores owned by the Montgomery Empire were overseas― in nearly every other country. “I don’t know? I haven’t had to buy anything from here. I was ten, the last time I was in this city. Let’s just go straight to Fifth Ave so we don’t have to spend the whole day shopping.” And then we have a small chance of being spotted by the paps.

  “I’ll only go in if they serve beer or champagne, just so we’re clear.”

  I eyed him. “Because it will keep you busy while I’m choosing dresses and trying them on? You don’t need to come with me, you know that right?” Half of me wanted him there but the other half knew that it’d be easier and much safer if I went alone; no one would have the reason to follow me around then.

  “No, because it will stop me from thinking about jumping you while you’re in the dressing room.” His annoying but incredibly sexy grin appeared on his face.

  “You’re unbelievable you know that? I’m sure the shop assistant wouldn’t take kindly on seeing the wonder boy of the MLB trying to seduce a potential buyer inside of her store.”

  “We could ask her to join in? After all, I’m also irresistible.”

  I lightly slapped him on the shoulder causing him to laugh out aloud. “Quit it,” I hissed.

  “I just live a daring and dangerous life, Evangeline.”

  “And you’re trying to corrupt me and get me to join you on the dark side, is that right?” I crossed my arms at my chest. “Aren’t you afraid of what people might write about you in the papers?”

  “Nope, I gave up caring a long time ago. As long as it’s not about my family and I’m playing at my best, I couldn’t give a damn about the shit they write about in those things.”

  I wish I could think that way. “Badass...”

  “Total badass.” He winked and shot me a wicked grin.

  ****

  Five stores later, with poor Ryan exhausted and a gorgeous dress paid for, we were finally on our way back to my apartment.

  “I cannot wait to see you back in that dress on Saturday night.” Ryan turned his head and wagged his eyebrows at me before turning his eyes back on the road.

  “I thought you couldn’t wait to see it on the floor?”

  He
just laughed as he slowed right down and pulled into my driveway. I handed him the swipe, which he then used to open the automatic roller door, before driving carefully up until we reached the two spare parking lots allocated to my apartment.

  I hadn’t bothered to get my Porsche picked up from Orange County and have it delivered here yet, since at the time I wasn’t sure how long I was going to be staying in New York for. How long am I planning on staying here for?

  Ryan followed me into the lift, offering to carry my dress and the bags containing my accessories. I stuck in the key that would allow only me up to the penthouse apartment.

  “Nice place,” Ryan said looking around as we stepped through my spacious apartment.

  It was the first time Ryan was seeing my place. I hadn’t invited him up earlier. If I had, he would’ve followed me straight into the bedroom and because I’d somehow forgotten how to say no to him, we would have ended up between the sheets again. So instead, I told him to wait in the car, much to his annoyance.

  “It’s alright. It gets a little lonely sometimes but Derek’s usually here with me.”

  Ryan placed the dress bag over the top of the white leather sofa and left the other bags on the ground beside it before stepping over to the glass window that looked out over the city.

  “Oh, I see you have a rather large, perfect view of me outside your building. I bet you spend hours drooling over my sexy body.”

  I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop my cheeks from blushing. I had my mouth clamped shut. I didn’t want it to accidentally slip that I’d rather grown quite fond of the poster, especially to him of all people.

  “Listen, don’t take this personally, but I’m not sure what to make of your friend Derek,” he suddenly said.

  His words stung. I wanted to react but I held my tongue. Perhaps he was going to give me a reason for saying the comment. He turned to face me when I didn’t give a response. “I mean, I’m sure he’s a great guy and all, but every time I’ve run into you, he’s left you alone and something bad always happens. I just thought―” It was time to step in. I couldn’t handle anyone bad mouthing my friend.

  “Derek has always been there for me when I need him the most. I’m twenty-two years old now, Ryan. I should be able to take care of myself.”

  I forced myself not to get mad, it wasn’t his fault that he didn’t understand. I knew Ryan was talking about the night we’d first met and the incident with the football player, Nick. He was only worried for me, but attacking my best friend wasn’t going to make me feel better.

  “I’m sorry. Shit, we’ve had a great morning and now I’m ruining it.”

  He cleared the space between us easily and soon I was in his arms. He pressed a kiss to my forehead.

  “I know what you can do to make it all better.” Lifting my gaze to look him in the eye, I threw him a playful smile.

  “Oh really? And what’s that?” he asked tightening the grip he had of my backside.

  I reached down and cupped his package. He jerked at my touch then laughed. “I think we’ve just established who the real sex fiend is between the two of us. How about we go grab some lunch first, and then you can have your way with me, little minx.”

  “Are you saying no to me, Mr. Fox?”

  “No,” he replied wickedly, pressing his growing bulge into my hand. “How could I? I merely suggested that we eat something first.”

  CHAPTER 13

  Ryan won in the end, and because I hadn’t stocked my pantry with anything quick and easy to eat, he decided that we head down to a restaurant downstairs for lunch. I wanted to say no, but I couldn’t. Ryan didn’t understand ‘no’ as a form of answer, especially when my belly was rumbling loudly, much to my embarrassment.

  We’d been lucky this morning; despite a few Yankees fans spotting Ryan and asking for his autograph and seeing five advertising posters with his face on them, the day went surprisingly went well. There were no cameras pointed at us and even if there were, they went unnoticed. It almost felt normal. Ryan happily signed away and posed for a number of photos while I stood back as far as I could and watched on quietly; intrigued with the way he was able to handle such attention with ease. I envied that about him. Why couldn’t I be like that? Why did I have to break out in a sweat or worst case, have an anxiety attack every time a small amount of attention was placed on me. I knew why… Ryan hadn’t experienced what I had. People treated him like a god and worshipped at his feet. The media loved him; even stories about his conquests were played out to his advantage. I, on the other hand, I was someone that people were unsure about since the media made up their own stories about that fateful night and how I’d managed to survive the horrific crash.

  “Evangeline?”

  I blinked to find that we’d stopped in front of a tiny sushi restaurant about a block down from my apartment. “Happy with this place?” he added, his eyes watching me carefully as if he knew there was something else on my mind.

  I nodded quickly, eager to get off the street and away from all the people walking by.

  “Sweet.” He squeezed the hand he was holding before turning to the waitress who’d just appeared. I watched on as Ryan raised two fingers at her and then pointed to the quiet, empty table towards the back of the restaurant. The waitress nodded happily and ushered us over.

  During lunch, Ryan and I were able to laugh at a few jokes and also talk about his family. He revealed that he was the only boy in a family of five, with three older sisters who were all married and two of them had children of their own. The two sisters with children lived overseas, the eldest in Australia and the second eldest in England, while the third lived in Seattle with her doctor husband. Then there was Annabelle, the baby of the family. She was eighteen; which left a six-year age gap between her and Ryan.

  Annabelle was in collage and had wanted to live on campus but Ryan flat out refused the suggestion. Instead, he bought the penthouse apartment on top of the Grand Trinity for her to live in, which happened to the very hotel I’d seen the two of them leaving the day of my father’s funeral. I held back commenting on what I thought about the situation; I thought it was a little outrageous and possessive of Ryan but who was I to talk? Connor was no different. In a way, Annabelle was just like me. I saw the way she behaved around Ryan. She absolutely adored him and looked up to her older brother and I knew Ryan felt exactly the same way. I heard it in his voice every time he mentioned her name.

  He also joked about how annoying his little sister could get at times but he grew serious when he mentioned that they’d grown up without their father and that it was important to him that Annabelle had a strong, positive male role model in her life.

  Ryan went on to explain that his parents had an abusive relationship and that his mother never had the courage to leave his father; the man was a drunk and spent most nights away from the family. By the time Annabelle was born, Ryan’s father was completely out of control. Not only did he hit his wife but also the children.

  I was stunned when Ryan began opening up about his past. I wasn’t expecting him to reveal something so personal to somebody he barely knew. I guess I also never expected somebody like him to have a horrible past either.

  “Did anybody call the cops? Did your mom ever think to? What about the neighbors, surely they heard something?” I found myself asking. The sushi roll sitting between my chopsticks slipped out and dropped to the table, it then bounced off and fell to the floor. Instead of searching for it, my eyes stayed glued to Ryan.

  His eyes dropped to the ground for a moment before they flicked back up to me, a hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth then quickly disappeared.

  “I don’t think anyone ever had the courage to. Mom was terrified of him and it still infuriates me to think about it, but I think the neighbors chose to turn a blind eye to anything they heard or saw.”

  My heart ached for him. I couldn’t imagine anyone hitting the perfect specimen of a human sitting in front of me. I couldn’t imagine w
hy someone would beat anyone, period, let alone a child. The thought sickened me to think there were people out there that enjoyed it and took gratification from hurting others because it made them feel superior. With a personality like Ryan’s, it was hard to envision him as a perfect, well-behaved child. He probably deserved a few swats on the backside as punishment but the cruel abuse he and the rest of his family suffered at the hand of their father was horrifying. It made me realize how grateful I was that my father never laid a hand on me. He only deserted you…

  “It’s okay, Bella, I’m fine. My whole family is safe now.” The touch of his soft, warm hand on my cheek brought me back to focus. I lifted my gaze to find Ryan studying me intently; with a look as though something worried him. Maybe he’s thinking he told you too much.

  I stared at him for a moment before asking the question playing on my mind. “What do you mean by ‘now’?”

  Ryan gently caressed the side of my face using his thumb, before letting his hand drop and rest on his lap. “My dad is dead, Evangeline.”

  Oh. How stupid could I be?

  “He died many years ago when Annabelle was four.”

  Ohmy. That meant Ryan was only ten; the same age I was when my entire world fell apart. “What happened?” The words came out before I could stop them.

  “There was an accident at the house,” was all Ryan said. A strange look in his eye made me think that there was much more to the story then just simply an ‘accident’, but I wasn’t going to pry; the poor guy had already revealed enough for one day. If he wanted to share his story, I would listen and I’d be there for him but I wasn’t going to force it out of him. I would show the same respect and support he gave me when I opened up and shared my darkest secret. Although, a tiny part of me wondered if Ryan had ever revealed this much of his personal life with other women.

  “You finished?” he asked when I remained quiet and began to pick at the remaining grains of rice on my plate. I nodded mechanically without glancing up.