I chanced a glance at her.
She sighed every so often, a small smile splaying on her face as she sipped her wine.
Nope. She definitely loved the surprise.
“So, tell me, Clara.” I reached out, brushing my thumb along the back of her arm, my cock jerking at the tiny goosebumps dancing along her skin. “What would you have been doing tonight if I hadn’t taken you out?”
She barked a laugh. “Drinking wine by myself and watching Netflix.” She turned toward me. “I live a very exciting life.”
“Sounds like it,” I teased. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, my life is even more exciting. I would be babysitting my nephew or better yet, hanging out by myself. But drinking beer instead.”
Clara giggled. “Would you be watching Netflix too?”
I scoffed. “Of course.” I tapped her nose. “What else is there to watch?”
She licked her lips. “Porn.”
I grinned. “Porn doesn’t really do it for me. I’d rather the real stuff.” I glanced down at her mouth, itching to have a taste. Even just a small one. Could she feel this connection? Was it just me? Maybe it was all in my head. Either way, I wanted her. We didn’t have to do anything tonight, but I did want to spend the night with her. Even if it was just to talk.
“Interesting.” Clara took a sip of her wine. “Anything on Netflix you’re currently obsessed with?”
We spent the next hour or so discussing our favorite shows and eating the assortment of cheese and crackers I had packed. It wasn’t a full course meal, but Clara seemed to appreciate the food. We also talked about what we could watch over and over again. I learned that she loved zombies and was hooked on The Walking Dead. I had also come to understand that she looked forward to finishing school but that was all she would say about it. She closed up rather quickly when I asked her about her career choice. She was going to be a social worker. I couldn’t imagine that would be easy but volunteering at The Dove Project would definitely give her some experience.
“Oh, I’m out of wine.” Clara pouted, a rosy glow hitting her cheeks.
“Actually.” I reached into a bag and pulled out another bottle. “I didn’t want you thinking I was taking advantage of you or anything, so I kept this hidden until you asked for it.”
“Well, aren’t you sweet.” She grabbed the bottle from me and twisted off the cap. “Cheers.” She clinked it against my glass and took a sip right from the bottle itself.
I chuckled. “So classy.”
She laughed, shrugging and took another sip.
Before she could get drunk on me, I grabbed the bottle from her, took a sip of my own and put the cap back on it.
“Ryder.” She reached for the bottle.
“No.” I put it away and cupped her cheek. “I want…”
“What?” she breathed, her eyes darkening. “You want to kiss me?”
“I want to do more than that, but a kiss is a good start,” I told her, my voice low.
“Well, then I think you should kiss me, and we can go from there.”
Moving my hand to the back of her head, I tilted it back, giving me access to her throat. “You know.” I kissed her neck, licking up the length of it to her jaw. “I wasn’t planning on doing this. I wanted to take it slow. I was trying to be a gentleman for you. But you’re beautiful, sassy, and so fucking hot.”
“Ryder,” she whispered, her chest rising and falling.
Taking a chance, I kept my hand fisted in her hair and stared at her. “You tell me to stop and I’ll stop. You hear me?”
She nodded. “I won’t tell you to stop.”
We had finished off a bottle of wine, but I wasn’t feeling any sort of buzz. I searched her face. Her eyes were clear. A rosy glow was on her cheeks, but I had quickly realized that she blushed even before we got into the wine. “Say it, Clara.”
“If I say stop, you’ll stop. I got it.” She reached up and started unbuttoning the top few buttons on her dress. “But trust me, Ryder. I won’t say it.”
My eyes fell to her chest.
Her fingers worked over the tiny buttons. When she reached to just below her chest, she pulled the fabric apart, revealing a red lace bra. It pushed her tits up, giving me a view of her perfect chest.
“Clara.”
We shouldn’t be doing this and so soon but as much as I was thinking about it, I couldn’t voice the thoughts rushing through me. Truth was, I wanted to go away with some happy memories.
“Is something wrong?” She pulled away from me, a dark shadow passing over her face. When she went to do up the buttons, I covered her hands, stopping her.
“No. Nothing’s wrong. I just…” I took a breath, the back of my neck heating. “I want this. I want you. But I don’t want you thinking that I’m using you.”
She gave me a small smile and laid down. “Trust me. If I was worried about that, I wouldn’t be here.”
“I’m leaving on Monday,” I reminded her.
“I know.” She grabbed onto the collar of my shirt and pulled me down until I was mere inches from her mouth. “Let me give you a going away present.”
Clara
I could sense that Ryder was closing in on himself. I appreciated that he was thinking of me, but it had been so long, and I knew there was a connection between us. I could feel it and I knew he could too.
Taking the hint, Ryder knelt between my legs. He cupped my knee, inching his hand beneath my dress and pushed the fabric up to my waist.
As much as I wanted him to kiss me, I couldn’t help but stare into his dark eyes. They looked at me like I was the only thing that existed in his world. And maybe I did for the moment. The scruff on his jaw was dark, like he hadn’t shaved in a couple days. His eyes told a story but before I could find out what that was, he lowered his mouth to mine.
I sighed, opening to him and took his tongue deep between my lips.
The kiss became frantic.
His hands roamed and messaged, kneading into my skin until I was a panting, aching mess. “Tell me to stop,” he murmured against my lips.
“No.” I reached between us, unbuckling his belt and lowered the zipper to his fly.
He pulled my hands away, shoving them above my head. Holding my wrists in one hand, he stared down at me and winked.
My stomach fluttered. That damn wink was enough to make me lose all control.
He reached back between us, brushing his knuckles over my center.
I chewed my bottom lip, my thighs shaking at the soft contact.
He smirked, sitting back.
My gaze dropped to his waist. Holy hell. His length was long and thick. It had been so long for me; I was sure he was going to rip me in half.
Ryder reached into his pocket and pulled out a condom.
My heart sped up, watching him open the package.
“You want to help me?” he asked, a teasing lilt to his voice.
I pulled the rubber from the package and slipped it down the length of him.
A low groan rumbled from his chest, his eyes fluttering closed.
I kissed his chin, a breathless laugh escaping me. “You like that?”
“You have no idea.” He pushed me onto my back, cupping my thigh and spreading me wide for him.