Ray of Time (Ray #4)

by E. L. Todd

  “Nothing really. I’m taking her to the zoo tomorrow.”

  “That’s cheesy, but nice.”

  “That’s the point, nimrod,” I snapped. “I’m trying to do cheesy things.”

  “Because...?”

  “I don’t know. Isn’t that what boyfriends do?” I ran my hands down my face in frustration. “This whole romance bullshit is hard. It’s so much work.”

  “You’re overthinking it, man. You don’t have to be a gentleman all the time. Trust me, women don’t like that.”

  “They don’t?” That was a surprise to me.

  “With Rae—” His voice died in his throat when he realized what he was about to say. “Never mind. Boundaries.”

  “It’s okay, just tell me.” I needed help with Kayden. I was never the kind of guy to ask for advice, but this was uncharted territory for me. I could be the hit-it-and-quit-it guy, no problem. I could give a woman great sex for the night, maybe a couple nights. But I didn’t know how to have a relationship with one. “Just keep it clean, if you can.”

  “Okay.” Zeke cleared his throat. “So, we all know how I feel about Rae. It’s been going on for a long time and blah, blah. I wanted a relationship with her forever, not just something quick and easy. So, I take her to lunch and dinner and spend time with her. But when we’re alone together, I’m not all sweet and gentle. I fuck, and I fuck like there’s no tomorrow. Unless the woman is a virgin, that’s what she wants. She wants hot sex, and she wants the gentle and tender stuff outside the bedroom.”

  I tried not to picture Rae when he said all of this. “So...?” I couldn’t even formulate my question.

  “When you’re on a date, hold her hand. Pull out the chair for her. Listen to what she has to say. Say she looks pretty. When you’re in the bedroom, pin her hands to her back and push her on the bed. Take control and tell her what to do. Tell her how much you want to fuck her. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

  “Yeah...I think so.”

  “Women need a man with both sides. They don’t want some sensitive guy all the time, but they also don’t want the controlling one either. So find the balance. I’m telling you, that’s what Kayden wants.”

  “Okay, I’ll give it a try.”

  “Cool.” He leaned back into the chair again.

  “I can’t believe I just took chick advice from you.”

  “Well, I’ve landed the most amazing woman in the world. I think every guy is going to start asking me for advice.”

  I rolled my eyes. “More like the biggest hag in the world.”

  ***

  Kayden and I walked through the Seattle zoo together and stopped in front of the hippo area. Thick steel bars separated the onlookers from the massive hippo inside the pool. He had a large blue ball that he pushed around to entertain himself.

  “Awe, he’s cute.” Kayden stood up to the bars and watched him swim around.

  I eyed her hand then decided to try Zeke’s advice. I grabbed it and interlocked our fingers. “Not as cute as you.”

  When she turned to me, she gave me a big smile. It was the kind that reached her eyes and made them sparkle. She really was cute. I wasn’t just giving her a line because Zeke told me to. “Anything else you want to see?”

  “Not really. And I definitely don’t want to see the gorillas.” I shivered at the thought. Gorillas terrified me. They were enormous, strong, and more importantly, they were way too smart.

  She chuckled. “Gorillas are cute.”

  “No, they really aren’t.” I would rather be trapped in a cage with a great white shark than a gorilla.

  She chuckled again. “I think it’s cute you’re afraid of them.”

  “And I think it’s psycho that you think they’re cute.” Hand in hand, we walked to the exit and left the park. It was a bit of a walk back to her apartment, but it didn’t seem so long when we were together.

  “So, are you getting your own place soon?”

  “Yeah. I just got paid today, so I’ll return the money I borrowed from those suckerfish.”

  “Suckerfish?” she asked.

  “You know, because Rae and Zeke suck face all day long.”

  “Leave them alone.” Kayden pulled her hand away and hooked her arm through mine. “They’re so cute together. I’m really happy for them.”

  “I’m happy for them too. But they can suck face when no one is around.”

  “You know what I think?”

  This was the part where I was supposed to listen to everything she said and make her feel validated, but since it was about Rae, I didn’t think I could do that. “I don’t want to know.”

  She continued on like she hadn’t heard me. “I think you’re jealous.”

  “I guess I’m a little annoyed that Zeke is hanging out with her all the time...”

  “No. I think you’re jealous of her.”

  Puzzled, I fell silent.

  “Come on, you’re so protective of her. Now, she’s found a guy she doesn’t need protection from. Zeke is a great guy. He’ll always take care of her, treat her right, and look after her. You’re officially out of a job.”

  “That’s ridiculous.”

  “I don’t think so. And I don’t think it’s anything to be ashamed of.”

  I shook my head because it was absurd. “Believe me, I don’t feel that way. It just makes me uncomfortable when they make out in front of me. I’m sure Rae wouldn’t like it if I made out with you.”

  “I think she’d just look away and focus on something else.”

  We arrived at Kayden’s apartment and walked inside. It was small and cramped, and I looked forward to getting my own place so we would have more room. Her kitchen was too small to really cook anything in, and her couch was too narrow for us to fool around on. On top of that, she had a full-size bed. I was six two, so the space restrictions were really a concern.

  She set her purse on the counter. “Thanks for taking me to the zoo.”

  “Yeah, sure.” I thought about what Zeke said, about balancing two different aspects of who I was. I’d refrained from the sexy, good stuff because I’d already used her for so long. But now, I was making an effort to do the whole relationship thing, and I had a lot of making up to do.

  But damn, I needed to get laid.

  I took Zeke’s idea and ran with it. I came up behind her and pressed her into the counter, my cock hard through my jeans. My fingers wrapped around the front of her neck, and I pressed my mouth to her ear. “I can’t wait any longer.” My free hand went to the front of her jeans, and I unbuttoned the top.

  She stiffened in my hand, her breathing accelerating. “Thank god.” She turned around and locked her arms around my neck, giving me a hot and fiery kiss. She sucked my bottom lip so hard she nearly bruised it.

  When she kissed me like that, I didn’t think about anything else besides getting her wet and naked. My cock wanted to explode because it was so hard, and I needed her on her back on the bed—pronto.

  I scooped her into my arms and carried her to the bedroom down the hall. Without being gentle, I dropped her on the comforter then yanked her jeans off, revealing that purple thong I’d missed so much. She lifted her hips so I could pull them off in one smooth motion.

  I removed my shirt and kicked off my jeans quickly. The boxers came next and were abandoned on her bedroom floor.

  She sat up and stared at my package, greed in her eyes. “You have no idea how much I missed him.”

  “You’re about to find out how much he missed you.” I crawled on top of her and separated her thighs, my cock finding her entrance like he was a miner with a flashlight. Months of getting no action had taken a serious toll on me. Beating off to thoughts of Kayden didn’t curb my appetite like real sex. I’d always preferred the real thing to porn. I shoved myself inside her without warning, stretching her wide apart and marking my territory.

  She gripped my biceps and rolled her head back immediately, writhing under me. “God...Rex.”

 
Was she trying to make me come? She was so wet and tight, and she wanted me just as much as I wanted her. She moved underneath me, taking in my length over and over like she needed it to survive.

  Damn.

  I dug my hand into her hair and forced her gaze on me, moving in and out of her slick pussy. I dominated her with my cock, making her mine forever. I never wanted another man to touch her. This woman was officially my property. “You’re my woman, alright?” I gripped her neck and kept her in place as I thrust into her.

  “Yes.” She kissed my mouth, sweat on her upper lip. “You’re my man.”

  ***

  Zeke and I sat across from each other at our favorite wing place. It was a rare occurrence when the two of us hung out without our ladies. I missed those days and hoped they wouldn’t disappear altogether. “What’s taking that brat so long?”

  “She probably had to work late.” Zeke munched on a few fries then turned his gaze to the TV. “She’ll be here.”

  “You never have to work late.”

  “Well, I own the place. I can walk out whenever I want.”

  “How come I can’t do that?” I needed to take care of the register, the schedule, and make sure my new manager was on top of things before I could ever leave.

  Zeke shrugged. “Maybe your business is too new.”

  “Maybe.”

  Rae finally walked inside, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. “Saved some for me, right?”

  “Hell no,” I barked. “If you wanted food, you should have been here on time.”

  Zeke ignored what I said. “Got your basket right here, baby.” He scooted it to the seat beside him.

  I shot him a glare.

  “Thanks.” She sat beside him then gave him a long and inappropriate kiss.

  I grabbed a wing and dipped it into the ranch, entertaining myself until they were finished.

  When they finally broke apart, Rae took a drink of Zeke’s beer and helped herself to the wings he’d saved for her.

  If I hadn’t found it disgusting, I might have actually thought it was cute.

  “What’s up, Rex?” Rae smothered her wing in a cup of bleu cheese dressing before she took a bite. The crunch was audible between her teeth. “I hope you’re going to announce that you found a new apartment.”

  “Something like that.” I pulled out the two checks from my wallet and placed them in front of each of them. “I’m paid up in full. So, we’re square.”

  Rae put down her half-eaten chicken wing, which was shocking because she always finished her food before she did anything else, and grabbed the check so she could get a closer look. “Wow. That’s amazing, Rex.”

  Zeke looked at his own. “You paid us back pretty quickly. I’m impressed.”

  “Penny pinching.” I literally didn’t spend my money on anything besides food and Kayden. When I went out to the bars, I only allowed myself to buy three beers, and they were always the cheap kind. I even used Rae’s shampoo to save a few bucks, which pissed her off, of course. But now those days were officially over.

  Rae threw both of her arms up in victory. “Yes! I don’t even care about the money, but that means you’re moving out.” She hugged the check to her chest and cradled it like an infant. “I’m getting my life back. My apartment is going to be clean and smell so good...”

  “Hey, we had some good times,” I said defensively.

  “Like when?” Rae demanded. “When you left a carton of milk on the kitchen floor? To this day, I still don’t know how that happened.”

  Zeke discreetly covered his mouth with his fingertips, hiding his smile.

  “I already told you,” I argued. “I was making a protein shake, and I accidentally knocked it over.”

  “But why didn’t you pick it up?” Rae asked.

  “I didn’t see it.” You could enter the living room from opposite ends of the kitchen. I just happened to walk the opposite way.

  “How can you not see an entire gallon of milk pouring onto the floor?” she snapped. “Are you blind? And what about the time I walked in on you watching porn in the living room?”

  “For the last time, I wasn’t touching myself.” Now that would have crossed a line.

  “And that makes it okay?” she asked sarcastically. “How would you feel if you walked in on Zeke and me going at it on the couch?”

  “Not the same thing and you know it.” I wanted to slap her sometimes.

  Zeke held up a hand to halt our argument. “Okay, enough. Rex is moving out, so you guys can put this behind you.”

  Rae took a deep breath like she was trying to control her temper. She had more to say on the subject, but she had to force herself to let it go. “Do you need help apartment hunting?”

  “No, I already found a place.” I drank my beer then returned the frosted mug to the table.

  “Seriously?” Her face lit up in a smile that she hadn’t given me in years. “That’s great. When do you move?”

  “A week from today,” I answered. “I signed the paperwork this morning.”

  “Yes!” Rae jumped out of her chair and started dancing next to the table, throwing her arms in the air and shaking her ass like she was in the center of the dance floor at the hottest club in Seattle.

  Zeke watched her with a grin and eyes full of fondness. “You made her day, Rex.”

  “Yeah.” I watched her celebrate my departure with a cold expression, unable to hide the irritation in my gaze. “I can see that.”

  Chapter Four

  Rae

  I sat on Zeke’s couch with a glass of red wine in my hand. Safari lay on the floor in front of the fireplace, comfortable on the new dog bed Zeke bought for him that afternoon. Safari’s eyes were closed, and his body rose and fell with his deep breathing. Every once in a while, a snore would escape his snout. “I’m getting all new furniture for the living room.”

  Zeke sat beside me with his newly opened bottle of beer. “Why?”

  “That couch is stained beyond help. Just the other day, I got sick of staring at all the coffee and grease stains, so I flipped over the cushion. Know what I found?”

  “What?” He moved his hand to my thigh, his large fingers spanning the entire thing.

  “A huge spaghetti stain on the other side. It was enormous. I’m talking the size of Jupiter.”

  He chuckled in his typically handsome way, his smile innately sexy. “That sounds like Rex.”

  “And the wood of the table is destroyed too. From all those beer bottles he leaves on the surface—without a coaster. That place is getting a brand-new makeover.”

  “Know what you should do?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Give him all your old stuff. He’ll totally take it.”

  “That’s not a bad idea.” I could leave that stuff on the street, and no one would want it.

  “I’m a doctor,” he said with a wink. “I’m smart.”

  “You are smart.” I ran my hand up his muscular arm. “And sexy.”

  “Obviously.” He gave me a smile to tell me he was joking.

  “Now you’re sexier.” I sipped my wine as I watched him, in love with those nice cheekbones and his strong jaw. Zeke was a perfect ten. Sexy as hell and sweeter than sugar. And he was awesome in bed. I could have been getting fucked like that this entire time, but I was too busy making terrible life choices.

  “I like this conversation.” He squeezed my thigh with his strong hand.

  “I can tell you how hot you are all day. I don’t mind.”

  He set his beer down then scooted closer to me on the couch, slowly moving me to my back with my head placed on the armrest. “How about you show me instead?” He separated my thighs and pulled my thong over. I was in one of his t-shirts and nothing else.

  I pulled down the front of his sweatpants and boxers so his gorgeous cock could come out to play. My hands slid down his bare ass and felt the tight muscle of that perfect tushy. “I’d love to.” I placed kisses along his jaw and slowly moved to his mouth, tak
ing my time before I finally met his soft lips. My mouth devoured his, feeling the scruff from his jaw against my cheek. My ankles locked together around his waist, and I pulled him inside me, feeling that thick and long cock that I couldn’t get enough of. “Zeke...you feel so amazing.”

  He slowly rocked into me while he looked into my eyes, our shirts rubbing together as we moved. One hand dug into my hair and fisted it possessively, his eyes growing intense with desire.

  “I wish you could fuck me all day, every day.”

  His eyes darkened, and he thrust into me harder. “That makes two of us.”

  Instead of kissing, we kept our eyes locked on one another, moving our bodies together in mutual pleasure. When I looked into those crystal blue eyes, I felt safe, like nothing in the world could ever hurt me. My heart ached for the man buried inside me, but it was a good kind of pain. It was the kind of sensation that made me feel alive, made me live in the moment. Zeke was a diamond in the rough, the perfect man who I could hardly believe was mine. He protected me, adored me, and I knew he would do anything for me. Mutual adoration, friendship, and respect made our relationship so much better than any I’d ever had before. When we weren’t fucking, I was still satisfied. I never wondered what he was thinking when he was quiet because I could read him like an open book. He was my best friend in the world—my other half.

  ***

  Zeke locked up the house then came to bed. Safari lay at the foot of the bed, taking up the bottom half all on his own. When Zeke walked by, he patted him on the head then got under the covers alongside me.

  I expected Zeke to get annoyed by Safari’s constant presence, but he didn’t seem to mind. It was obvious Safari preferred to be there instead of my apartment. He had much more room, plus a nice backyard to run around in. If given the choice, he would ditch me and live with Zeke full time.

  Zeke set his alarm before he positioned himself behind me, spooning me like he did every night we slept together. “Are you free on Sunday?”

  “No. I have plans with you.”

  “You do?” he asked with a smile in his voice.

  “Yeah. We’re gonna cuddle on the couch and watch football.”