“I love you.” Though it had come tumbling out without warning, she didn't want to take it back. He’d proven himself repeatedly, and she truly loved him.
“Oh God.” Ryder held her against his chest, burying his face in her hair. “God, Morgan, I love you too. I was just so worried about scaring you away.”
“You can’t. I’m done running.”
Wordlessly, he picked her up and moved to the stairs.
“Ryder, wh-what are you doing?”
“I don't want to wait another second. You’re it for me; the first and last person I ever want to be with.”
Tears clogged in her throat but refused to spill. It was a special thing to hear, exactly what she would expect from her Ryder.
“Can I call you Jameson?”
He chuckled. “No.”
“Aw.”
Kicking open the door to his bedroom, he laid her out on the bed. “When I’m inside you for the first time, I want to hear you screammyname.”
“Holy fuck.”
Captivated, she watched him pull his shirt off and toss it into the corner. His boots came next, and that was when she realized she’d never seen him fully naked. She’d seen glimpses of his body, but never the full show. And then it hit her he’d never seen her naked, either.
He tugged off his jeans but left his boxers on, then climbed on the bed next to her. “Please, please tell me if you don’t like something.”
Biting her lip, she nodded.
“Are you okay?”
She felt bad when he frowned. “Yes, I just sort of had this epiphany that you’ve never seen . . . all of me.”
“Nor you me.”
She nodded again. “So, I guess I’m a little nervous.”
“Morgan, I already know how beautiful you are. You show me that every day.”
Melting at his words, she moved to push her shorts down. Ryder kept his gaze on her face, smiling at her. Her heart thumped heavily when she took off her shirt, and then Ryder leaned over her to kiss her. All her thoughts scattered when he was perched over her. She wanted his body on hers, in hers, to fill her and dominate her. She wanted to let him have her body, to keep it safe and make it whole again. She’d thrown her body away too many times, thinking she had ultimate control as long as she was on top and very drunk. In truth, allowing Ryder to learn with her was the most important thing she could accomplish in her path to healing.
“I want you to take me.”
His eyes slid closed. “God, yes.”
He moved his lips across her jaw to her throat, his tongue coming out to taste her skin. Shuddering, she delighted in the gentle way he touched her. There were no thoughts in her head but those of what he did to her. The touch, the scent, the feel of Ryder was everything.
Running her hands over the tattoos on his arms, she looked up into his soulful eyes and brought her fingertips to his abdomen. The way his muscles contracted made her smile, and he paused to watch her.
“That feels so good.”
Emboldened by his words, she reached further down to find his straining cock. Though she wanted to take him in her hands, she resisted, simply stroking him through his boxers. Hissing, Ryder struggled to keep his eyes open and on her face.
“You’re so sexy,” she murmured.
Heavy-lidded and panting, he reached for her once more, finding her nipples hard against her bra. Tentatively, he touched them, and then she was the one having a hard time staying focused on his face. The simplest things felt incredible, enough that the coil in her belly tightened. Anticipation of how good it would be with him heightened her awareness. Snuggling closer, she met his mouth, closing her eyes finally and kissing him while she fondled him. She hoped he would be quick to rebound if she accidentally made him come; there was no way she wanted to wait for him to recover before he fucked her. With that in mind, she released him, moving her hands to cup his balls.
“Jesus.”
