Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 100441 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100441 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Eventually, we part, and I slowly stand.
Ryder strips the condom off and pulls up his pants.
“Bathroom’s through there.” I point.
He doesn’t say anything, just leaves to the adjoining room.
My body aches as I move to fix my underwear and jeans and prepare myself to come face-to-face with the possibility of Ryder running.
He hasn’t done it yet, but it always feels like he’s got one foot out the door.
That he’ll change his mind.
I fear he’ll realize I’m not worth risking his daughter’s happiness for.
I wait for the “We probably shouldn’t have done that.” Or even the “I still don’t know if I can give you what you want.”
Instead, when Ryder comes back, he’s all casual smiles as he grabs his shirt off the table and throws it over his head.
His blue eyes are constantly on me, and when he’s completely redressed, he finds my shirt on the floor and tosses it my way.
I put on the gross shirt, still unable to find the right words to say.
Our lives are intertwined in more ways than one right now, which is why it would’ve been smart not to kiss him that day in his recording studio.
I should’ve stepped back then.
Now we’re here, and—
Ryder steps into my space. “Lyric, breathe. You look like you’re about to pass out.”
I suck in a sharp breath.
Ryder presses against me, his arms going around my back. “Come home with me tonight?”
Not what I was expecting. Not at all. “Really?”
“Yeah …”
“Am I imagining that tone of doubt?”
“No. I’m just new to this. And the last time I asked someone to stay, he left to give me respectful time to think it over.”
“What. An. Asshole.”
“Right?”
I press my lips together. “Are you sure?”
“So sure. When I’m with you, all I want is more. More of your time. More of your touch. More … of everything. But as soon as those thoughts are there, so are questions about where it could really go, and that’s when a million things pop into my head about Kaylee, and you recording, and being an out artist, and being yourself without my closet door in your way, and leaving to go on tour, and I left that life for Kaylee, and it’s a big never-ending cycle that freaks me out, and—”
I know I shouldn’t laugh, but it slips out. My hands reach for Ryder’s shoulders. “It’s your turn to breathe.”
He does.
“It’s okay to have doubts. Fuck, I have a million voices in my head telling me why I shouldn’t be attracted to you. Why I shouldn’t have sex with my boss or the guy producing my demo. There are a thousand reasons to leave and only one to keep chasing the high you give me.”
“What’s the reason?”
I bite my lip. “I like you.”
Ryder’s eyes soften, and he leans forward, capturing my mouth with his.
I let it happen.
I let him take control and enjoy the softness of his lips and the gentle caress of his tongue against mine.
All my reasons for not doing this are drowned out when Ryder kisses me.
“Let’s get out of here,” Ryder murmurs.
“Definitely.”
“Did you drive here?”
“Brenna dropped me off. I was gonna Uber home.”
“Perfect. You can come with me.”
On the way out, I nod to Alex behind the bar, and when he’d usually wave me off, he kind of stands there with a stupid stunned expression on his face.
“Who’s that?” Ryder yells over the loud music.
“Alex. He’s a bartender here, but he performs during the week. He wanted me to put in a good word.”
Ryder waves politely at Alex, but then we move fast toward the door. He expertly ducks his head in a way that means the people lined up outside the club can’t see or recognize him, and he turns left to go down an alley.
The bright red of the Ferrari is the first thing I notice when we turn the corner.
“No way.”
Ryder laughs. “I thought you’d like it.”
“You left your Ferrari in an alley? Are you crazy?”
“You want me to park it on the street? It’s fine. It’s still here, isn’t it?”
“It won’t be for long. Let’s go.”
“Here I was thinking you’d fawn all over me and jump at the chance to drive it.”
“I’ll leave the driving to you. I’m just here for the ride.”
We get into the car, and Ryder turns to me without putting the key in the ignition. “Was that innuendo, or are we actually talking about cars?”
“What do you think?”
“I’m kinda hoping we’re talking about cars.” Ryder smiles.
“Meaning …”
“Meaning, after refueling with some food, I was hoping you might jump in the driver’s seat later tonight.”
I frown. “Wait, now are you talking about cars or sex?”
Ryder grunts. “Okay, this metaphor thing isn’t working. I want you to fuck me later. If you’re into that. If not, that’s cool too.”
“Oh, I definitely want a turn at your ass later.”