Ryder

by Ali Parker

  He’d had his suspicions but something about knowing had lust raging through him until he had to shift on the suddenly uncomfortable bar stool. The thought of her upstairs in her hotel room, alone, untouched, sent a tidal wave of desire stronger than anything he’d felt in a long time. Longer than he cared to remember.

  He would love to be the one to introduce her to the world of sensual pleasure. The first one to hear her cries. The first one to make her scream.

  With a start, Cayden lurched to his feet, threw a handful of bills on the bar and left. It wasn’t until he was headed towards the elevator that he realized where he was going. Sophie’s room. He’d been standing behind her when she checked in, even though she’d tried to ignore him and he’d caught her room number as the hostess had given her the key card.

  Cayden didn’t let himself think until he was standing in front of her door, his hand raised to knock on the dark stained wood. Should he go through with this? He wasn't really worried about Sophie being competition for the promotion. He knew just how good of a journalist he was. The best.

  He could admit, at least to himself, that Sophie was good too. Dedicated to her job and a talented writer. But that didn’t change the fact that the senior writing position had his name all over it, and had for years. Maybe, once Harry broke the news to her, he would be there to console her.

  With that image playing on a loop in his head, Cayden reached out and let his knuckles fall against the door, the loud knock ringing through the otherwise empty hallway. A sound of rustling fabric met his ears, and a moment later he could hear footsteps drawing closer to the door.

  Sudden panicked filled him. What the hell was he going to say? He was known for charming women, he thought in exasperation, and I’m afraid to talk to one little reporter. What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I fucking nervous?

  For one, brief moment, he even considered turning and walking away, but then the door was opening. Cayden's eyes widened as he drank in the sight of her. She stood there in tiny cotton shorts that rode high up on her thigh and left miles of long, shapely legs bare to his view. Legs that were all too easy to imagine wrapped around his hips.

  It took him a long moment to drag his gaze upward, and he nearly groaned in desperation as he did. Sophie was wearing a pale blue tank top with no bra underneath, and it left nothing to the imagination.

  It was too much. It was all too much. Something inside him broke, and before he realized his feet were even moving, Cayden was suddenly standing in front of her, pressing his body tight against her delicious curves as his lips crashed against hers. He couldn't stop himself. A dam had broken somewhere deep inside him, and he was helpless against the wave of desire that threatened to drown him.

  He was waiting for the inevitable slap. Waited for Sophie to push him away like she always did, to turn him down, to deny the chemistry between them. But it never came. Instead, he felt her melt against him, her mouth angling even harder to deepen the kiss and he nearly howled as pleasure swamped him. Damn, she was going to kill him, one way or the other. He was sure of it.

  Chapter 5

  Sophie

  His kiss burned through her, searing away any doubt, any inhibition, any will power to resist and leaving only the desire that she’d kept pent up for years. It overwhelmed her. It took her breath away until she swore she saw stars flicker behind her eyelids. Or maybe that was just Cayden. The effect he had on her. Like a drug running rampant through her system and after all this time, she couldn't get enough of him.

  Oh boy. Red alert. Danger Will Robinson. SOS! Abandon ship! Abandon ship! The alarm bells started to go off in her head, and for a moment she froze. Still in his embrace, still feeling all six foot of rock hard muscle pressed against her as her thoughts fired like warning bells.

  Sophie knew she might be making the biggest mistake of her life, but she also knew just how much she wanted Cayden Ray. For years, she'd craved him. All that time spent pushing away her desires, and now he was here, and they were all alone together. For the first time in a long time she knew what she wanted and she damn well was going to take it.

  "Sophie?" Cayden whispered her name like a question against her lips. He must have felt her moment of hesitation because a second later he was pulling back, looking down at her with those ocean blue eyes of his and she was drowning.

  She didn’t answer his question with words. She couldn’t have said anything if she’d wanted to. Instead, she looped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, angling her head up for another kiss. Cayden didn’t hesitate.

  He took her lips once more with his. Every caress was masterful, confident and as she opened her mouth on a sigh, he took instant advantage, sliding his tongue inside to tangle with hers.

  It wasn't until they were moving backward that Sophie remembered the door to her hotel room was still open, and they were all but making out in the hallway. She flushed bright pink as she moved to push the door shut but she barely had the chance before he was there again, pressing against her. Cayden in front and the wooden door behind her. There was nowhere to run. Not that she wanted to.

  "Say my name," Cayden ordered roughly as his mouth teased from the corner of her lip to her earlobe making her inhale sharply at the exquisite sensation.

  “Wh–What?” She finally managed to gasp. The growl in his voice was so at odds with his tender caresses that it threw her off guard.

  “I said, say my name.” He repeated, his breath tickling hotly against her ear. “You always call me by my last name. Ray. I want to hear you say my real name.” He finished his sentence by biting down gently on her earlobe again before kissing down the side of her neck.

  “Say it.” He said again, adding another nibble, more insistent this time that had her toes curling and all the breath leaving her lungs in a rush.

  “Cayden.” The word had barely left her lips before he was there to drink in the sound. It was like she had flipped a switch and suddenly his hands were everywhere, searching desperately for any and every bit of bare skin they could reach.

  As his hands worked, tugging restlessly at her clothes, his mouth never stopped, driving her higher and higher until she felt like she was about to burst.

  “Cayden, wait,” Sophie panted, forcing the words out as she gasped for breath under his sensual onslaught. His mouth never stopped moving against the sensitive curve of her neck and as he whispered against her skin, chills erupted down her spine adding to the pleasure already threatening to overwhelm her.

  “What is it, Sophie? Anything you want, just tell me.” She could hear the agony in the roughness that edged his voice and the husky tone that pulled at something deep inside her. Something that was wild and needy and knew exactly what he felt. Bone deep desire. Lust that evaporated every other thought until only one remained. I need to get closer. That one thought shattered through Sophie and for a restless moment, all she could do was writhe against him, driving them both closer to insanity.

  “Sophie, you’re killing me,” Cayden groaned, drawing her back to the words she needed to say.

  “Listen, before we go any further I need you to know something.” Sophie paused, looking up at him as she tried desperately to slow her racing heartbeat. It was impossible to do with him staring at her with eyes like blue flame. “I’m…I’m a virgin.”

  That look continued to sear her, somehow growing even hotter at her words and the next instant her feet were off the ground. Cayden lifted her in his arms as if she weighed nothing and he didn’t waste a single second before carrying her to the hotel bed.

  The time for words was over then. All that was stripped away, along with her skimpy tank top and pajama shorts until the only thing left was pure, electric, overwhelming ecstasy. Cayden's fingers danced over her skin like a ballet raising goosebumps and shivers wherever he touched, and Sophie nearly screamed as he drew them up the inside of her thigh.

  “Shh, that’s it.” He whispered deep and husky against the pounding pulse in her neck. “Just re
lax. Just feel what I’m doing to you. Feel the pleasure from my touch,” His hands inched a little higher before he continued, “My kiss.” As his hands moved up, his mouth moved down leaving a trail of feather light caresses down across her collar bone and still further, not stopping until the heat of his breath teased her nipple into a tight peak.

  "Cayden, I…I need…" Sophie was near incoherent with the nameless desire consuming her, but Cayden's hand at her hip held her firm while the other continued its seemingly endless path upward.

  “I know exactly what you need, Sophie.” His voice was rough as gravel as he spoke, “Let me show you.”

  It wasn’t quite a question but Sophie found herself answering anyway. “Yes. Yes, Cayden. Show me. I want…I want you.”

  A gruff laugh burst from Cayden's lips, and he shot a look full of sex and humor, a combination that made her glad she was lying down as she suddenly went all weak in the knees. "That's good, Soph. Because I want you too."

  But instead of moving closer like she desperately wanted, he was moving away from her.

  “Hey, where are you going?” The question was out of her mouth before she could stop it and he just chuckled again as he stripped off his button down shirt and suddenly she was speechless. With his sculpted pecs and hard, six pack abs that just begged to be touched, Cayden Ray was built like a Greek god. It must have been all those years playing football, she thought to herself.

  But then, thankfully, he was moving back towards her with a small foil packet held in one hand. He didn’t waste any more time as he quickly kicked off his slacks until he was only left with a pair of skin tight boxers that left nothing to the imagination separating them.

  And then Cayden’s big body was once more settling over her, his weight warm and comfortable on top of her and at the same time, it was driving her insane with need. Because it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t nearly enough.

  As if he could read her thoughts, Cayden was moving. With one finger he teased her until her hips arched off the bed. Slowly, he added another finger, stretching her, feeling how wet and ready she was. Finally, when she thought she couldn’t take another second of his torture, Cayden shifted.

  He pushed down his boxers to reveal a thick, hard cock that he quickly sheathed with the condom he’d grabbed and instead of the tremor of fear Sophie expected, all she could feel was want. Desire was coursing through her like hot lava, burning away any other thoughts or doubts. She needed him. Now.

  He must have known somehow because, in the next instant he was there, spreading her trembling thighs apart and settling between them with a groan that told her he wanted this as much as she did.

  Instead of the frenzied thrust she was expecting, he stopped, just hovering there, their bodies touching but nothing more.

  “Please, Cayden!” Sophie breathed, “I can’t wait anymore.”

  "Thank god." He moaned. And then she felt him, hot and thick and big as he gently moved his hips back and forth, just enough to drive her absolutely insane. Cayden's arms were shaking under the strain of holding back, but that was the last thing she wanted.

  With a hitch of her hips, Sophie pressed herself against him, taking every delicious inch as deep inside her as she could. There was no pain, nothing at all except the most intense pleasure she’d ever felt in her life.

  “Damn Sophie, you really are going to kill me," Cayden whispered roughly before taking her lips in an earth shattering kiss. They both came up for air, but something had shifted between them. Neither were in control anymore. They were just wild creatures driven on by instinct and an overwhelming need.

  Cayden sank deep inside her, sliding out just enough to trigger every nerve ending inside her before filling her up again. Over and over, each time sending tremors like tiny earthquakes that built on each other, pushing Sophie closer to something she’d never felt before but knew she desperately needed.

  Their bodies moved together like a dance, knowing instinctively what to do and soon they were both gasping and moaning as they drowned in each other. The pleasure sharpened, becoming almost unbearable and then Cayden slid one hand down, gently caressing her clit and at that moment she came apart in his arms.

  Golden lights like fireworks exploded behind her eyelids as she felt every movement, every sweet, smooth thrust of his hips as he drove her over the edge. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t think. She couldn’t even scream. All Sophie could do was feel. Wave after wave of ecstasy poured over her like warm honey until she didn’t think she could take any more. Only then did she hear Cayden’s rough curse in her ear and felt the hitch in his body as his muscles tightened as his own orgasm hit him hard.

  They laid like that for a long moment, twined together, arms and legs tangled and sweaty as they both floated back down to earth and only one thought rang in her head. I can’t believe I waited this long.

  “Me either.” Cayden grinned down at her and Sophie realized she must have said it out loud. With one finger, he brushed away a stray strand of hair that had been stuck to her cheek and tucked it behind her ear. “Don’t move.”

  “Oh, I’m not going anywhere.” She assured him, watching curiously as he crawled off the bed and walked to the bathroom. He was completely confident in his nudity, and she couldn't help but stare as he walked back out. She was so distracted by him that she didn't notice the damp wash cloth in his hand until she felt the wetness against her sensitive skin.

  "Ahh! That's cold!" Sophie bit back a squeal, but Cayden just shot her a look from under slashing brows as he silently cleaned her before tossing the washcloth back into the sink. Her chest hitched at the tender gesture, and she was grateful when Cayden collapsed onto the bed next to her. It only took a few moments for his breath to become even and rhythmic with sleep.

  Sophie breathed deep of the smell of sandalwood and spice, a scent she knew she would only ever connect with Cayden from now on. Something settled deep inside her as Cayden reached out, looped an arm around her hip and pulled her tight into the curve of his body. She wasn't sure if he was even aware of the move, but it had a small, satisfied smile curling the corner of her lips as her heavy lids fluttered closed.

  She felt weightless, lying there in the hotel bed next to him. A man she never in a million years imagined to be her first but a sense of rightness filled her as exhaustion settled over her body. Maybe it was just the endorphins or the sensual pleasure that was still echoing inside her, but for the first time in a long time, Sophie fell into a deep, peaceful, happy slumber. Her last thought was that they still had a whole weekend ahead of them to spend together. Anything could happen. Anything at all.

  Chapter 6

  Sophie

  The loud beep of her morning alarm pierced through the sleep that still held Sophie unconscious like a thick blanket. Slowly, she blinked her eyes open desperately fighting the urge to slide back under. She had to get to the office so she could get started on the Miller article.

  Sophie yawned as she forced herself not to fall back asleep and blinked around in confusion at the unfamiliar room. It took her a long moment to remember that she wasn't back home at her apartment in New York, but as soon as it did it all came back in a rush. The promotion. Harry and his brilliant idea to pit his two best writers head to head. Sending her to Washington D.C. with…oh my god. Cayden.

  She shot bolt upright as the memories from the night before crashed through her. Everything that they had done together. Things she’d never done before. She quickly scanned the hotel room. It didn’t take her long to realize she was alone once more. Cayden must have taken off while she was still sleeping.

  She wasn’t surprised. Not really. Not after everything she knew about his love ‘em and leave ‘em philosophy. Sophie let out a sigh. She was surprised by the relief she felt. She always pictured the morning after her first time together with a man spent holding each other and snuggling in bed as the sun rose to peek through the windows.

  But she needed time to put herself back in order before she ha
d to face the world again, and especially before she had to face Cayden Ray. Sophie shook her head at herself as she threw back the blanket and headed to the bathroom, her thoughts racing as she brushed her teeth.

  Her gray eyes met their reflection in the vanity mirror, and she was startled once more. She thought she would look different. Be different somehow. But except for a slight flush in her cheeks, she was just…the same. Same old Sophie Stone.

  On the outside at least. On the inside, her thoughts were in chaos. Logically, she knew she should regret giving in to Cayden. But despite all her worries and doubts about how it might change their working relationship, she just couldn’t. She couldn’t make herself regret it. Sophie could still remember the pleasure from the night before. Unlike anything she’d ever felt. And she knew it was because of him.

  She stopped her thoughts cold as they started to sway back towards Cayden but it was harder than it should have been and Sophie forced her resolve to firm as she threw her long brown hair up in a messy top knot to get it out of her face. She was there to do a job, and she’d be damned if she let Cayden Ray get in her way of the senior writer position. That job was hers. Now she just had to go out and earn it.

  It took her only a few more minutes to finish getting ready. She grabbed her bag equipped with plenty of pens and the memo pad she never went anywhere without and threw it over her shoulder.

  Sophie wasn’t surprised to find Cayden already downstairs in the hotel lobby, freshly showered and looking extremely satisfied with himself. But she was surprised by the indifferent look he cast her way as she walked up beside him.

  “So, ready to get to work?” She asked uncertainly. She knew how to deal with asshole Cayden, or horn dog Cayden, but wasn’t sure how to react to the sudden distance, especially after what had happened between them the night before.