Our kiss is urgent, primal, and possessive. He kisses me like he has been waiting for this for a hundred years. Like a starving man eating a meal. What is even more surprising is there is something familiar about this kiss. Almost as if this isn’t our first time. A sense of déjà vu overcomes me.
The kiss only intensifies my arousal. The orgasm slams into me, overtaking my complete body. Ryder keeps fucking me through it, only elongating it. I’m still coming when he finds his release, grunting and grinding himself into me so deep I can feel him at the end of my channel.
He buries his face in the crook of my neck until he catches his breath. He is still holding up all my weight, and I’m thankful because my limbs feel boneless right now. I don’t think I could stand up if I tried.
He carries me to the attached bathroom, which I didn’t even know was there until now. He puts me on my feet but keeps one arm around me, holding me up. Closing my eyes, I lean against him, my cheek pressing against his warm chest.
I hear the water in the shower being turned on and feel tiny escaping droplets on my heated skin. We wait until the water is hot before he guides me under the spray. After a few minutes, I feel my strength resurface, and I’m able to stand up on my own.
Reaching for the shampoo, I’m about to wash my hair, but Ryder takes it from me. Pouring a healthy amount into his palm, he washes my hair for me.
“I like taking care of you,” he admits, shocking the hell out of me.
“I like you taking care of me,” I whisper after a moment. It’s true, I like this, maybe even need it. I have dreamed about being an independent woman, free from any man, but now I find myself giving in to this, accepting it in a way.
I know I’m playing a dangerous game, letting myself rely on someone again, needing someone to care for me. I’m giving Ryder a lot of power, and I’m trusting him not to abuse it.
As he rinses out my hair, I stare at his muscular, tattoo-covered chest, wanting to run my fingers over it. Watching his muscles flex each time he moves only intensifies that urge, but I stop myself. I’m still unsure what this is between us, how this works, and what I’m allowed to do. Whatever we have, I feel like it’s fragile, and I need to treat it with care.
After he is done with my hair, he grabs a washcloth and covers it in soap. He runs it over my entire body, washing every part of me, paying special attention between my thighs.
Once I’m clean, he rinses out the washcloth before reapplying soap. Instead of washing himself, he holds his hand out to me. I look at the washcloth for a second before it clicks in my head.
I take it from him, excitement swirling deep in my core, as I run the soapy cloth over his skin. Beginning with his chest, the place I’ve been yearning to touch. Making sure not to cover my hand with the fabric completely, I let my fingertips run over his skin.
Taking my time, I wash his entire body just as he washed mine. I enjoy every second. Enjoy how he lets me explore every inch of him. After everything we’ve done, nothing has felt more intimate than this.
All too soon, the shower is over. We step out, and Ryder retrieves two larger towels from the linen closet. He wraps me up in one and dries himself off with the other. While I dry my hair, he grabs some sheets from the same closet he got the towels from and spreads them out on the bed.
“I’ll get a new blanket tomorrow. Are you hungry?”
“No, I ate before you showed up.”Kicked down the door and barreled in like a tank.
I hang the wet towels over the shower stall to dry and walk into the bedroom. Ryder takes in my naked form.
“Get under the sheets before I fuck you again,” he orders, and I know he isn’t joking.
The sheets are cold, and the mattress is not as comfortable as the one at Ryder’s house, but at least he’ll sleep next to me.
He slides in beside me, turning off the light on the nightstand. There are no windows, which means the room falls into complete darkness. The soft sound of music carries through the walls, but it’s subdued enough to where it shouldn’t bother me to go to sleep.
Ryder is not touching me, but he is close enough for his body heat to seep into me. Curling up on my side, I wrap the thin sheet around my body, trying to get comfortable. The thin fabric doesn’t offer much to keep me warm, and the air in this room is chilly.
I wonder if he would be okay if I scoot closer to Ryder and steal a little of his body heat. I took a risk kissing him, and it turned out well, but I don’t want to push my luck. I don’t think Ryder is the cuddling kind of guy.
Maybe I just wait until he is asleep before I scoot closer.
“Are you cold?” he asks suddenly.
“A little,” I admit, only then realizing my voice is shaking because I am shaking.
The bed creaks, and the sheet is pulled down a bit as he moves. A shiver runs through my body as the cold air kisses my skin, but it’s quickly forgotten when I feel his hands on me.
Large, strong, warm hands pulling me into his chest, engulfing me in warmth. I cuddle into him, kicking myself for not speaking up sooner.
Closing my eyes, I relax, turning to putty in his embrace. It doesn’t take me long before I drift off, and for the first time in a long time, I’m excited to wake up in the morning.