by Mignon Mykel
I knew she was teasing. Hell, I could see it in her face, her eyes, her body… But fucking Jason and his damned ‘whipped’ comment had me choosing to ignore what I knew was said in jest.
Yes, I was well aware I was choosing to ignore it.
“You know, Ryles, all I wanted was that damn support you’re always giving out.” I tossed the remote down to my side.
“Well then.” She crossed her arms and looked like she was going to give me space. Instead, she changed the subject. “So yeah. Next subject. I received a call from a friend from college. A bunch of them are going to a baseball game tomorrow and invited us.”
“I have practice.” I settled back into my pillow uncomfortably.
“It’s a seven o’clock game. You’ll be home.”
“What, you want to show me off?” I wasn’t feeling it at the moment, but I tried to cover the snark with teasing of my own. I knew it still came off dick-ish, though. Hell, why wouldn’t she want to show me off? It wasn’t like I didn’t like showing her off to my family or the guys. Caine and Nick knew the score where Ryleigh was involved, so why the fuck was I letting Jason get to me? All I knew was it was as if I couldn’t stop it; couldn’t stop the taunting of Jason in my mind. Who the fuck cared if I was whipped over this girl? I loved her, right? So what if she hadn’t said it back, it wasn’t like I told her more than the one time.
“That doesn’t deserve an answer,” she finally answered quietly.
Tossing the covers over, I started to get out of her bed.
“Where the hell are you going?” She made no attempt to follow me out of the bed, though.
“Back to my apartment.” I went to the dresser to pull out a shirt. I was about to pull it on when Ryleigh asked me why.
“Because you’re pissed and I’m pissed and I don’t feel like dealing with it at the moment.” Coward’s way out, yeah, but we needed time to cool.
“You’re upset for stupid reasons,” she said from her perch on the bed. “I’m upset because you’re upset, and I don’t know what I said wrong. You obviously wanted to talk about the game but whenever you lose, it doesn’t matter what I say, you always end up upset.” After a pause, she frowned. “And you didn’t even lose! Damn, you’re such a girl, Noah.” She hit the bed beside her with her palm. “Come back. Stay here.”
I couldn’t deny that she was right. Not the girl comment, because I wasn’t acting like a girl, but the being upset for stupid reasons. Giving in, because I would rather be in her bed than my cold-assed one, I tried to make light of everything. I knew I was responsible for the negative energy, so I dropped my shirt to the floor then walked back to the bed. “Your glasses are slipping.”
“Well I certainly wasn’t going to push them up like a nerd while fighting with you!” she replied tersely, pulling the covers up to her hips, not looking at me.
“You’d rather look like a librarian?” I asked, sliding into the bed. The fist around my heart eased when she smiled at me, finally lifting her face to me.
“Asshole.”
“A sexy librarian,” I amended, pushing back the bad feelings I’d managed to grudge up. Between this fight and our bigger one previously, I was beginning to wonder if I tried to get her upset so she’d walk away.
And that was honestly the last thing I wanted.
Leaning in, I nuzzled her neck as I pulled her glasses from her face. I pressed a kiss to her neck before leaning over her to place her glasses on her nightstand.
Ryleigh started laughing when I found her sensitive spot under her ear. “Go to bed!” she laughed.
With a chuckle, I pulled away and lay down, only to pull her down with me, spooning her. After fumbling with the remote to turn the mute television off, I rested my arm over her hip and she put her arm on top of mine, linking our hands by her stomach.
“I’m not a girl,” I whispered into the dark.
Although her chuckle was silent, I knew she was smiling. “Goodnight, Noah.”
The room was quiet, completely dark but for the moon shining through the slits of the blinds. With my lips to her neck, I mumbled the three words I hadn’t spoken in over a week. “I love you, Ryleigh.”
I knew without a doubt she smiled, as I could hear it in her voice when she replied quietly. “I love you too, Noah.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Noah got to my apartment after practice just as I was pulling my hair into a ponytail. As he opened the door to my place, I was walking down the stairs to greet him while already dressed in holey jeans and a white tank.
“You don’t have to go if you really don’t want to,” I told him, worried about some of the things he’d said last night.
Sure, things got said during fights that people didn’t mean, but sometimes the words held more weight that you realized. And because of that, last night’s conversation had been bothering me most of the morning.
He shook his head and moved toward the stairs as I reached the second to last one at the bottom. “Nah.” He pecked my lips and put his hand on my hip momentarily. I turned to climb the stairs again, knowing he’d follow.
“Did you still want to go?” he asked.
Not really, to be honest. I looked over my shoulder at him and he must have seen it on my face. “Let’s just stay here, Ryles.”
“But I told her we’d go. I haven’t seen these people in two years…”
“If you don’t want to go, babe, you shouldn’t go.”
He passed me to put his duffle in my room. I stood in the middle of the living room, worrying my lip. When he came back out, I asked, “Well, what would we do instead?”
“Oh, so much,” he said, coming toward me slowly. He reached for me with both hands, pulling my hips flush to his.
“I think you just want me for my body,” I said softly, grinning up at him.
“Damn right.” His hands moved to my hind-end and he squeezed gently.
“Ok, you talked me into staying home.” As if I really wanted to go.
“Good.” He kissed me deeply and just when it was starting to get interesting… “How about we go back to my place? Just to do pizzas or something with the guys. Nick is moving out next weekend.”
We did tend to do everything here…
“Ok.” I nodded. “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.”
Back at my apartment, I sat at the counter with Ryleigh perched on my leg. She tried to sit on the stool beside me but I wasn’t having it.
We ate pizzas and were shooting the shit with Teague, Nick, and Caine, talking about everything and nothing at all, when my cell signaled a text. I patted Ryleigh’s hip so she would stand and pulled my cell from my back pocket.
Seeing it was from Jason, I almost ignored it.
He was being a douche about me and Ryleigh, and quite honestly, I didn’t get why. I needed to do something about it before it went too far.
Ryleigh moved to get another water bottle from the fridge so I went ahead and opened the text. Sure shit, it was Jason asking me to play cards with the guys and loosen my leash from Ryleigh.
Fucking ass.
I tossed the phone down on the counter. When Teague lifted a brow, I just shook my head before my eyes found Ryleigh. She smiled at me, and everything was ok.
Screw Jason and his childish shit. I was happy, dammit.
I pulled her to my lap again; I loved having her close.
After another hour, Ryleigh was yawning.
“She’s an early bird,” I told the guys. “We’re always in bed with the setting sun.”
They laughed and Ryleigh hit my shoulder when they teased her and called her an old lady.
Hey now… I didn’t say we went to sleep with the setting sun.
We said our goodbyes then walked back to her complex, hand in hand. I let her unlock the door, but crowded her when she stepped into the little foyer area. I pushed the door closed behind me, hitting the deadbolt, before grinning at her.
With a quick laugh, Ryleigh bolted up the stairs.
>
She was still wearing the tank and jeans from earlier, and I loved how they fit her form. However, I wanted them off of her so I quickly followed her up the stairs. When I dove for her, she shrieked and ran for her room. Laughing, I raced after her until we were on either side of her bed.
I lifted a brow. “Where’re you gonna go?” Every time she started to make a movement, my body mirrored hers.
She bit her lip and tried to fake me, but I knew her moves. In a quick one of my own, I was over the bed and grabbed for her wrist. Ryleigh fell into me, laughing the entire way.
“Noah!”
I rolled her under me. “Now where’re you gonna go, hmm?” I pinned her wrists above her head. Her breasts were rising and falling quickly with her breathing and I could see her nipples trying to make themselves known.
She wrapped her legs around my hips and stuck her tongue between her teeth in concentration.
It took me a minute to realize she was trying to flip us.
I laughed down at her. “Really, Ryles?”
“You’re an oaf,” she said, letting her legs fall from me. It left her deliciously open so I lowered my hips and ground myself against her. We groaned in unison.
“Fuck, Ryleigh,” I muttered before kissing her.
I loved her tongue against mine.
But I really loved her hands on me.
When I let go of her wrists, she put her fingers in my hair, her nails scratching over my scalp. With my hands free to roam, I covered a breast with one hand and snuck the other under the top of her jeans, worming my fingers to find her heat.
When I found it, I also found her wet. “Fuck, Ryleigh. Always so fucking wet for me.”
She pulled my lips back to hers, humming against my lips. My tongue dances with hers as my fingers rubbed over her clit. Quickly, her hands left my hair to unbutton and unzip her jeans, giving me more room to play. I pulled my hand out and kneeled back so I could pull her pants off. At the same time, she peeled her shirt off, followed quickly by her bra.
She was now extremely comfortable with herself in the bedroom and I loved it. She was still my Ryleigh, through and through, but seeing her like this, needing me as much as I needed her, was almost always my undoing.
With her completely nude and me completely dressed, I went to work loving on her body.
I pressed kisses to her thigh, to her belly, sucked a nipple in my mouth while tweaking the other. I teased her with a light peck to her clit, which earned me a growl. When I wasn’t expecting it, she finally flipped us.
On my back, I watched as her naked-self pushed my shirt up, trailing kisses up my stomach before swirling her tongue around my own nipples. I crunched up to help take my shirt off but then lay back down. Her tits brushed my stomach ever so lightly as she pressed kisses to my shoulder.
She moved to straddle one of my thighs and kissed my mouth. As much as I wanted my hands on her, I kept them to myself to tease her as much as me.
Her hands moved between us to undo my jeans and I could feel her grinding herself against my thigh. She moaned into my mouth as we continued to kiss and I could tell she was close to coming.
Not able to keep my hands to myself any longer, I reached up and pinched both of her nipples. That and her grinding sent her over the edge, her hands motionless on my fly. Her back and neck arched, her jaw was dropped open.
Fucking beautiful.
“God, I love you.”
Her body shuddered above mine and I took my hands from her nipples, not without one last gentle squeeze and tweak, and moved them to help her finish undoing my jeans. When she finally seemed to come to, she helped me pull the denim off along with my boxer-briefs.
When my cock sprung free from the confines of my clothing, the head hit her in the chin. I apologized, not that I could do anything about the reaction, but she simply smiled. Finally, she crawled over me, straddling my hips, and reached down to pull my cock to her.
Quicker than I expected, she sank down on me. She felt so fucking good. So tight, enveloping me in her heat.
Her eyes fell shut and I had to fight from doing the same. After a moment of holding herself still, she began her grind once again. Back and forth, up and down, she rode me. The look of love and adoration shone down at me from her face.
Unable to stop it, I reached for her, pulling her tight against me so I could kiss her. My hips began to thrust up into her and between her gyrations and my thrusts, I could feel her getting close.
Fuck.
Almost too late, I realized I wasn’t covered.
When I pulled out of her, Ryleigh whimpered. If I wasn’t close to doing the same, I would have laughed at her.
“No condom, babe.”
She launched herself to the side of the bed, pulling open the nightstand on my side of the bed to pull out a condom. She had it opened and on me before I could offer to do it. Before she could sink herself down on me, I tossed her to her stomach.
I pulled up her hips and moved behind her on my knees.
“Noah…” She groaned into the pillow.
I reached down and moved my thumb from her wet opening, down to her clit, then inserted two fingers into her already used pussy. I alternated between watching Ryleigh close her eyes and bite down on her arm, and my fingers thrusting in and out of her.
When I felt her getting close again, I removed my fingers.
“Fuck, Noah,” Ryleigh complained.
It was strained, but I chuckled before sucking on my fingers, tasting her. I grabbed my aching cock and lined myself up with her. I notched myself then thrust in deep as I leaned down to wrap an arm around her upper chest. Buried to the hilt, I pulled her up so she sat on me, facing the headboard.
I kept my arm banded around her chest and used my other over her clit as I pounded up into her as best as this angle allowed me. I pressed love bites to the back of her shoulder, her neck, her ear.
So close. I was so close.
Finally… Finally her body tensed on mine, her pussy spasming around my cock and I let myself go, keeping her close.
I wanted to keep her close always.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The regular season was finally closing. Tonight was our ceremony.
Or rather, another party the booster club put on for the guys.
When I got back from the gym, Ryleigh had already showered and was dressed in one of my button down shirts.
As she always did, she greeted me from the top of the stairs before moving back to her bathroom.
“So I guess I’m not wearing that shirt?” I asked, grinning as I followed her.
“I thought the green one would look better on you.” She shrugged a shoulder and smiled. “It matches your eyes.”
I laughed lightly and shook my head. Teasing her about choosing my shirt, I asked, “Will the khakis be fine, or should I run and get slacks?”
“Shut up,” she said from the bathroom. I couldn’t see her but I could hear her smile. “Your khakis are just fine.”
I pulled off my gym clothes and grabbed the clothes I’d be changing into. I walked into the bathroom so I could shower, but was distracted once I put my clothes down. Ryleigh stood on her tiptoes by the sink, looking through her makeup bag. I watched as her eyes peeked over at me, earning her a grin from me. In typical Ryleigh fashion, she blushed, knowing she was caught looking at my fine, naked self.
“I can’t help it!” she mumbled under her breath.
“I didn’t say anything.” I moved to stand behind her.
“What are you—“ she started when I put my hands on her hips and set my lips to her shoulder, bared by her hair being swept over her other shoulder. Whatever she was about to say, she lost it when I moved my lips to her favorite spot.
“I can’t help it,” I mimicked against her skin. She tilted her head further away, allowing me more access. “Ryleigh?”
When she replied in what could be passed as acknowledgement, I continued. “We don’t technically have to be on time.”
“Hmm?” In the mirror, I saw her eyes flutter open. My hands were still cupping her hips, so I used them to turn her toward me. When she was fully turned, Ryleigh looked up at me and placed her hands on my bare chest.
I bent to whisper in her ear what I wanted to do to her, with her, as she twined her arms around my neck. When she didn’t protest, I skimmed her hips as I pulled down the boyshorts she wore under my shirt. Once off, I lifted her to the counter.
Before sinking into her, where I so badly wanted to be, I started pulling open drawers. Surely we had a condom in here somewhere with as often as I took her in the shower.
She stopped me with a hand on mine. “I went on the pill.”
My head whipped to hers and my eyes searched hers.
That was the best fucking news… “You sure?”
She nodded. “I want to feel you. Come here, Noah.”
It was quick and a little awkward, surrounded by her makeup and hair products, as well as my shaver and cologne, but it was also fun.
Sex with Ryleigh was always fun. Whether it be fucking or making love, I absolutely always had fun with her, in her. I laughed more while making love with her than I ever did in the past with any other woman.
After, I helped her out of my shirt and reached to turn on the shower. We had to wash the sex off.
Ryleigh pulled her hair up in a clip, stating she couldn’t get it wet. She stepped into the shower after me and pointed to me. “And.” She looked up at me, her face serious. “The dinner starts in thirty minutes, so we have to be out the door in forty. That will make us only twenty minutes late. No funny business, Noah.”
I didn’t think any of the business I managed to conduct in the shower was funny.
And it’s not like she stopped me from picking her up, holding her against the wall, and pushing into her again.
We finally emerged from the shower thirty minutes later. Through it all, Ryleigh’s hair stayed dry, so points for me.
“So, do those forty minutes start now?” I asked, a smirk on my face, as I pulled on my khakis.