She smiled. “I turned the oven off. We can leave the fish in for an hour before it cools.”
“Oh?” I smiled. “Only an hour?”
She made a small, breathless sound that I thought could be a giggle. It was getting dark in the room and I couldn’t quite see her face.
“We can see what we can do with an hour,” she whispered rapturously.
“We can.”
I stood up and wrapped my arms round her, drawing her tight against my chest. Then I went with her into the bedroom.
I couldn’t believe it as she drew the curtains, turned on the light and then looked at me.
“So?” she said. “Where do we start?”
My groin throbbed. “I get to make suggestions?”
She smiled. “Well, perhaps, yes.”
“Oh,” I said, intrigued by this. “Well, in that case, I suggest you lie down.”
“Oh?” she sat down and then lay down. I felt my entire body fill with longing. I reached down and gently started to slide the dress off her body. I was trembling too much to do it cleanly, but in the end, I got it off and she was lying before me. Her bra and panties were lace and satin, this time in a pale ivory color.
I sat down on the bed, staring overtly.
“Sorry,” I said. “I just can’t stop looking. You’re stunning.”
She grinned. Her eyes were closed. “I like being looked at,” she said.
I reached over and took off her bra and then her panties. She didn’t do anything to stop me and I couldn’t believe my luck. I stared down at her stunning naked body. I let my eyes devour her form.
She smiled. “Well, much as I like being looked at, I like being touched.”
I felt a sudden tension like a cannonball had hit me. She was inviting me to touch her? It was too amazing.
“Well,” I sighed. “I like touching too.”
“Good,” she purred.
I reached a hand out and gently touched her breast. She smiled and looked up at me.
“Well, they don’t break, you know. You can touch a bit harder.”
I went red. I leaned over and kissed her nipples. She sighed and smiled and I felt my tension melting. My body knew what to do, even if I didn’t properly. I kissed a long line down her chest to her belly. She giggled.
“You do know what I like.”
I sat up, looking up at her. I moved lower.
I gently parted her folds with my tongue, my fingers working inside her as I did so. She cried out and her legs parted further. I was so aroused. I let my fingers thrust into her as I gently sampled her with my mouth, my lips clamped on her clit. She was gasping I could feel her arousal growing.
She screamed with pleasure and I knew she’d come.
I sat up then, unable to hold back. I ripped off my shirt and then took down my pants and then I was taking off my shoes and getting into bed with her. I held her against me, sighing with pleasure as I felt her skin slide over mine, soft and warm and so lovely as she pressed close to me, her scent of roses overwhelming.
I knelt then pushed into her and she cried out. She was so wet and I felt so warm and good as I pushed into her and felt her wetness on me. She moaned and then I was plunging into her, again and again and again.
I could feel my climax building and I gritted my teeth to hold it in as I pushed into her, wanting to give her my all. She smiled and looked up at me. Then she rolled sideways.
I got her meaning, and I turned her so that she was facedown. I was entering her from behind, thrusting in again, marveling at how different it felt. I pushed in and in and in and felt myself get closer and closer as she moved so that her backside pressed into my groin, firm and hard, and I held her waist and pushed into her, feeling more aroused than I had ever felt in my life.
She cried out incoherently, and I held my breath and tried to hold back, and then I couldn’t hold back anymore. I climaxed more than I had ever done before and fell forward, gasping.
I must have slept, because when I woke I was lying beside Ryanne, and she had her head on my shoulder.
CHAPTER 16: RYANNE
I woke up with Tyler beside me and stretched out, relaxed. I looked at him, fast asleep. My body was tingling all over and I felt that sweet, tired glow. I had never had an evening like last night. It had been amazing. I had never known anyone who could bring me to such a place of pleasure just with touch.
I rolled over and slid out of bed, not wanting to wake him. I was just tiptoeing to the closet to get out a new towel when I saw him stir. I went to the shower and shut the door, not wanting to see him just yet. I couldn’t talk.
I don’t know what to do.
There were two reasons why this was bothering me this morning. The first was because I was making a crucial deal today and I didn’t want to risk anything going wrong, now or in the immediate future. The second was because I was falling in love and I still had no idea whether that was a stupid thing, or whether it was better to break it off now, before it got stronger.
Do it now, my rational faculty said.
I agreed.
I slipped out of the shower, feeling cold. It wasn’t cold in the room, but I felt cold. I guess I hadn’t had much dinner. We’d eaten the fish, then gone back to bed. I was hungry this morning, though.
When I went back to the bedroom, Tyler was already sitting up.
“Hi,” he whispered.
“Hi,” I said. “You ready for breakfast? Need to train, yes?”
He frowned. “I guess. Later, though. What time is it?” he inquired.
“It’s eight,” I said succinctly. “I’ll get coffee.”
“Thanks,” he said.
He seemed a little bewildered, I thought, as I reached for my nightie and dressing gown. I felt like a terrible person. How could I think of walking away now?
“Come on, Ryanne,” I told myself firmly. “You have to.”
I did.
I made coffee.
When I was finishing it, he came out. He’d dried himself and put on his clothes again, though I could smell shampoo. I felt him reach out and touch my arm—I was busy at the counter.
“So?” Hge breathed into my shoulder, kissing me firmly. “You coming today?”
“I’ll see,” I said. I tried my best to sound neutral and disinterested. “I might have work.”
“You might?”
I nodded. “I sometimes catch up with admin stuff on a weekend,” I said. “A good time to do it, with no one around to distract me from concentration.”
He raised a brow. “Hell. Hard.”
“No,” I said. “You’re working.”
“It’s not really the same,” he countered. “That’s just physical work.”
“Well,” I chuckled. “I think a lot of people would be pleased to be fit enough to run like that and then say “just”.” I grinned.
He went red. “I suppose it is quite a long time running, a game.”
“Mm,” I nodded. I put coffee on the table and went to the cupboard. I tried not to make eye contact.
“You’re having cereal?” he asked as I tipped some muesli into my bowl.
“Mm,” I nodded again. “You want some?”
“Sure,” he said. “It’s my favorite breakfast too.”
“Okay,” I said with a shrug. I brought bowls and boxes to the table, dug out some milk. “There we go.”
I sat down and sipped my coffee, wondering what to say.
“You know,” I said, as casually as I could, “I guess I should come this afternoon. To watch the game, I mean,” I added as his face lit up.
“Oh,” He blushed and grinned. “Well, I’d like that.”
I narrowed my eyes, hating myself as I said, “well, I’d like to see Jake and you.”
“Oh?” he frowned. “You would?”
I knew he would be cagey the moment I mentioned that. I had judged the situation properly. If I pretended an interest in Jake, I’d break Tyler’s growing interest. I doubted he was actually attac
hed to me, so I wasn’t really hurting anyone. Not exactly.
I would just be getting rid of him without ever having to say it.
“Yes,” I smiled. “Nothing more interesting than seeing two such stunning men in action.”
“Oh.”
I saw his face fall and I hated myself—I wanted so much to speak out and tell him I didn’t mean it, to stop this, to save both of us. But why?
All I would achieve was a slow death for me and my company. I wasn’t going to risk it.
“So, I’ll be there at three?” I queried. I’d have to go straight after Jess’s party, but I’d manage it.
“Yeah,” he said tightly.
I looked away and turned to the window and the sky outside it.
“I think it’ll be clear skies later,” I said.
“Mm,” he nodded. “Probably.”
When he had finished his cereal, I stood and pointedly started washing up. He stood too.
“I should go to my training session; it starts at nine thirty,” I said firmly.
“Me too,” he said. “I should go there right now.”
“Yeah,” I nodded. “Better not later.”
“Yes.”
We stood there in my kitchen. He was looking at the floor, handsome face sad.
I almost reached out and touched him but I managed not to.
“Well,” I said, walking out of the room. “Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
He followed me into the hallway. He reached out for my wrist.
“Ryanne, I…”
I stood tensed, my wrist tight. He looked at it. He squeezed my hand and let my arm go.
“I need to go,” I said softly. I leaned forward to kiss him. Our lips met. He turned around.
“See you later,” he said.
“Mm,” I agreed. “Later.”
He went to the door and went through and I kept my face reasonably expressionless as he went through and out into the hallway.
When I had heard him go down the stairs, I let myself relax. I leaned against the doorframe and let out a long, unhappy sigh. I was so drained. So sad.
I felt like the worst person in the whole world too.
“Dammit, Ryanne,” I swore at myself. “How could you do that to someone?”
I sighed. I had done it now. And I also knew it would work. I decided the best thing I could do right now was do my training. I would need the time later on in the day to get some work done. It seemed like I would be going to the game after all.
“You know,” I said to myself, trying to find something good in a really miserable situation, “I have never attended a game live.”
It was crazy—in all these years, I would think I’d have found the time and the inclination to attend a football game. It was one of the most popular sports, after all. But I never had.
I wondered, briefly, what I’d wear. Then my sadness overtook me again. It was difficult to find reasons to respect myself when I had just hurt someone so badly. I didn’t want to think about that dreadful look on his face—that confused, wounded way he had looked into my eyes.
I let out a long, shaky breath. I am doing this because I respect myself, I convinced myself slowly. Because I respected the legacy my father left me. Because I wasn’t going to let him down and no matter how much love mattered, I was sure he was convinced his business mattered more. And so I wasn’t going to disappoint him. Or myself. My backbone and my honor mattered more.
CHAPTER 17: TYLER
I went and jogged round the park. Did my weights and other exercises at home that morning. Tried to relax. I read a book—one our coach had recommended about football’s strategic side. I put it aside an hour after lunch, feeling sad and confused, and not by the book either—by Ryanne and all that had happened between us that morning.
I considered calling Jake. Somehow, the thought of seeing him didn’t exactly cheer me up. In fact, just the thought of him was upsetting.
Besides, it was traditional not to see each other more than we had to just before a game. It was better, we’d always found, to meet up for a game fresh. Like when you study too hard and confuse yourself, if you were focused on the game the whole day you would be more likely to do odd things.
“So relax, Tyler,” I told myself. I wanted to follow my own advice, but I just couldn’t. Every time I tried to relax, I thought of her.
I couldn’t stop thinking of those long legs parted in front of me, her pale skin. The sighs. I wanted her so much it was eating me up. But I also wanted to forget about her. I had been so stupid!
“How could I?”
I had completely fallen for her. Now I would have to try and forget her and I just couldn’t. She hadn’t ever cared about me and I had been stupid to think she could. How could I believe that Ryanne would ever even consider me in that light?
I wanted to call someone. I didn’t have many friends who weren’t in the team, though. I decided I’d wait until after the game and then talk to Jake. As much as I was really mad at him, I also trusted him. And if Ryanne was that into him, he might as well know about it.
I thought it with a cold rage. I couldn’t do that. Not now. I couldn’t imagine how I could torture myself like that. I couldn’t do it. Just having her say, so carelessly, that she liked him as much as me, had hurt me. If she was going to make a play for Jake, she could do it by herself.
I looked at the clock. It was one. I should leave now. With traffic, I would probably be at the stadium by two, and I needed to get there at least an hour in advance. I headed off.
“Hey!”
I walked into our team’s room with a smile. It was hard not to be happy when surrounded by guys in such a hyped-up atmosphere. Everyone was grinning, everyone was wired. If someone had wanted to sell endorphins, they could have drawn them out of our blood and made a fortune. We were all excited.
“Hey!” Dax gave me a grin. “You ready?”
I made a face. “Sure I am.”
We all laughed. I saw Randall and Sticks, two of the younger guys, chasing each other down the room. They were laughing and it seemed like one of them had stolen part of the kit of the other. We were soon all laughing.
“It’s good to be here,” I commented, as my mood lifted. I always felt better with the guys. Jake nodded. I hadn’t spoken to him, though we all sat together in a half circle by the lockers.
“It’s a great vibe,” Julian commented, heading past to his locker.
“It is.”
I looked at Jake. It was hard to look at him and not see how she must have fancied him. It was good, in a way, that at least I knew I ranked the same as he did for her.
“That’s not so bad.”
I had said it aloud—I must have done. Dax stared. “Sorry?”
I shook my head. “Sorry, I was thinking of something else. Shopping and stuff.”
“Oh,” Dax said sympathetically. “I do mine online. I’d forget everything if I didn’t.”
“Hard to imagine you packing the back of your Merc with bags from the supermarket.”
We all laughed.
“I don’t know where I’d put them,” he admitted. “I only have room on the front seat.”
“True,” I nodded. I lived around the corner from a small store, so I usually picked up what I needed on the way back from a run. I didn’t have room in my car either.
We chatted about the merits of online stores and I was glad that it took my mind off Ryanne—or almost. I did wonder, briefly, if she did groceries. She drove a Volvo—something I found surprising. They were safe, though, so I could understand that.
I never would have imagined her prioritizing safety over much.
She seemed like a risk-taker to me, and this new element of her character surprised me. I wondered about it. And about how safe it was to be thinking of me and Jake or even having done what she did in the beginning.
“So?” Dax asked. “You all ready?”
“I guess,” I mumbled. Jake looked at me oddly. I l
ooked away feeling embittered. I really didn’t want to talk to Jake now. Not about her.
I heard things go quiet behind me.
“Coach!” Julian said. I turned around.
“Hey!”
Our coach had come in and he was getting ready for the pregame speech. Being our coach and a guy we really respected, he wouldn’t be giving a particularly long speech. What he said was usually short and to the point. And it was now.
“Okay, guys,” he said. “We’re going to go out there and give them a game.”
We all roared. I felt myself caught up in his enthusiasm.
He went on in a similar way for quite a while and I was feeling distinctly better by the time he was through. I still hadn’t forgotten.
We got our gear on and headed out, heading for the tunnel out to the pitch. I felt the normal nerves worsening—I had no idea whether she would be there or not this afternoon. I was completely unprepared to play in front of her. It felt different—I wasn’t expecting her to be supportive and encouraging, but critical and easily disappointed.
I wasn’t going to disappoint her.
I ran out between Jake and Dax. The crowd roared.
Then we were on the field, waiting for the game to start.
My eyes roved the crowds, looking through the sea of colors. Our team was red and green and I found our section of the stands easily. I was too far away to distinguish individual faces. I would have to wait until I ran closer to be able to see her.
I felt myself look across the crowd again but the game was about to start and my brain was already changing focus, getting ready to play.
The whistle went, then, and the game began.
The team had spread out and I watched as the ball came our way and Dax ran for it. I kept Jake in sight and we moved together, running to intercept it as it got passed along the field and then running as someone ran for a tackle.
We worked together seamlessly. At moments like this, it didn’t matter what was going on in my world. I was working with Jake like I had since I was fifteen and everything was going smoothly. I felt almost as if part of me was tuned to him, being able to guess what he would do just before he did it. And that was one of the reasons why we were a formidable part of the team.
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