Frowning, she stared up at him. “What did you think I was talking about then?”
It would have been easy to simply grab her and kiss her like he had that night at her house, but that wasn’t how he wanted it to be with them. It was important for him to know that Peyton wanted him as much as he wanted her.
Slowly, Ryder reached up and caressed her cheek. “I thought you were talking about…this. Us.” Swallowing hard, he never realized how awkward this could be. If she wasn’t interested–or worse, was offended–then the rest of this trip was going to be hell. But he needed to know if he was alone in this, if he was the only one fixated on this attraction that was growing stronger by the damn day.
“Ryder, I…” she began softly, pausing briefly to bite her lip. “I’m not sure what to say.”
So he was alone in this. He misread all the signs.
Peyton Bishop was hell on his ego and making him second guess every instinct he had. But when he went to move his hand away, he felt Peyton grab onto it tighter and hold it against her skin.
“I thought you regretted kissing me that night,” she said quietly, beautiful eyes scanning his face. “You said it was a mistake.”
“At the time, I thought it was, but…I can’t seem to be in a room with you without wanting you.” His admission earned him a soft gasp from her and it made him bold. “When you pulled into my driveway later that night, I stood waiting by the door but…you never got out of the car.”
“I was afraid, but I hated the thought of you regretting what happened. If you hadn’t left so quickly, I would have told you that I wanted it too.” Then she pressed closer until they were touching everywhere. “I wanted more.”
Thank God.
“Peyton,” he warned gruffly. “I’m hanging on by a thread here. Be sure because as much as I want to kiss you, I want more, too.”
A slow smile spread across her face as she tossed the giant cookie back onto the table. “Then we’re on the same page,” she whispered before going up on her toes and pressing her lips to his.
7
For two weeks, Peyton had regretted not going after what she wanted with Ryder and she wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice. The moment her lips touched his was one of the most exciting of her life.
Strong arms banded around her just as her hands smoothed up over his chest, along his throat and stubbled jaw on their way up into his hair.
And Ryder had really great hair.
The man certainly knew how to kiss, and it was even better than their first one, which she didn’t think was possible. He smelled good, he felt great, and he kissed her with a thoroughness that made her want to climb him and hold on tight. Instead, she gripped his hair and gave it a little tug, causing a sexy-as-hell throaty moan from Ryder.
I want to hear that again…
With another tug, he broke the kiss and breathlessly stared down at her. “Am I doing something you don’t like?”
She shook her head. “No. Why?”
“It felt like you were trying to get me to stop.”
So much for me being some sort of sexy vixen…
“I…you made a sound, and it was kind of a turn-on and I wanted to hear it again,” she blurted out and knew her face was on fire from sheer embarrassment.
A slow, wolfish smile crossed his lips and it made her heart skip a beat. There had never been a man who made her feel so wholly out of control and needy. And there’d certainly never been one who made her want to drop into bed with them after a few kisses.
There’s a first time for everything…
Swallowing hard, Peyton forced herself to look up at him. “Okay, I need to say something.” First, she let out a long breath and then decided to just go for it. “There’s probably a million reasons why this isn’t a good idea. We work together, you’re friends with my family, and from what I can tell, you’re not the kind of guy who does relationships.”
“Well, I…”
“Please,” she quickly cut him off. “I need to get this one last embarrassing thing out.” One dark brow arched at her and it made butterflies take flight in her belly. “I’m always overly cautious with every aspect of my life. The risks I allow myself to take have only been where business is concerned, never in my personal life. But I know if I don’t do this–if we don’t do this–I’m always going to regret it.”
One hand came up and gently caressed her jaw. “First of all, there is nothing embarrassing about anything you just said. If anything, it was incredibly brave.” He paused and simply looked down at her with a heat and hunger she’d only read about in romance novels. “You never have to be embarrassed with me. Ever. I always considered myself a risk taker,” he went on with a low laugh. “Or someone who just takes.”
No argument there…
“But with you…I feel completely out of my element.” Ryder slowly leaned down and rested his forehead against hers. “I’ve been telling myself for weeks to leave you alone, but…I can’t.”
His words made her feel sexier and more powerful than she’d ever felt. To know that a man like Ryder Ashford wanted her was the headiest sensation and she was greedy for more of it.
“I don’t want you to leave me alone,” she whispered. Taking a step away from him, she gave him what she hoped was a sexy smile. Then, with trembling hands, she slipped her cami up and over her head before letting it fall to the floor and then slowly slid her yoga pants down her legs, kicking them aside. Getting naked for the first time was always anxiety-inducing, but the way Ryder was watching her put her at ease.
Even as it excited her.
He closed the distance between them and reverently touched her breast, causing her to sigh. His hand was so warm and so large and felt so good that she slowly arched into his touch.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured before lowering his head and kissing her. This kiss was different from the one before. Where it was so hungry and wet and wild, this one was almost agonizingly chaste.
His hands, however, were doing some pretty wicked things to her nipples, causing Peyton to gasp as she reached for him. This time when Ryder lifted his head and smiled at her, his words took her by surprise. “I’ve fantasized about having your hands on me. I need you, Peyton. Please.”
This man had done nothing but surprise her from the first time she laid eyes on him, and it was clear he wasn’t through yet.
Meeting his gaze, she slowly unbuttoned his shirt and, as expected, his chest was spectacular. Running her hands over it–feeling his warm skin–was more erotic than it should have been. If she was getting this turned on already, she couldn’t wait to see what it was like to lie in bed naked under him.
Boldly, she pushed his shirt over his shoulders, never breaking eye contact with him. Ryder was the one to remove his belt and trousers, and when he stood before her in nothing more than dark and snug boxer briefs, she didn’t know where to touch first.
Before she could decide, Ryder scooped her up into his arms and made the short walk to the bed. As he lay her down and covered her body with his, Peyton forced herself to savor the moment. They might only have this day and night before they had to go back to what they had before. And when he leaned down and claimed her lips in another hungry kiss, she told herself not to think about tomorrow. For now, she wanted to make this one night last a lifetime.