I can’t stop laughing when I see Oly sprawled out in the grass, trying to make snow angels. She’s finally hit that wall. The sugar rush is crashing, and she’s overly tired.
“Oh dear, she’s had enough.” I stand and start toward her, but Rylan beats me there with his longer legs and scoops her up.
“Let’s get her ready for bed.”
As we turn for the house, Harley stops me.
“Mar, you okay if we take off? You going to be okay?”
“Yeah.” I smile as I look toward the house, where Rylan just stepped through the side door. “He won’t hurt her, and I’m okay. Just freaked out.”
Harley pulls me into her arms.
“I get that feeling,” she whispers in my ear before she leaves with Aftershock.
CHAPTER
FIVE
MARNIE
After we give Oly a quick bath and get her settled into the spare room, she passes out without needing a book read to her. I kiss her cheek after Rylan does, and her eyes are already closing.
We leave the door open a crack, and I step out into the hall, expecting to find all the guys still around the fire. Instead, they’re cleaning up the yard, and a couple of them are in the kitchen tidying up there too. I join in, and together, we get the dishwasher loaded and running while I hand-wash the pans and knives.
A warmth spreads through my chest as I look around at all the guys helping. This is what I always thought a family should be like. This is what I’ve craved for so long. I turn away and lean over the sink so no one sees the tears welling up. Now it’s really going to be hard to leave. I’m going to miss this feeling. I’ve always wanted this, and now that I have it, I’m going to have walk away from it.
I hear the door click right before Rylan cages my body against the counter.
“Sugar, what’s wrong?”
I can’t lie to him right now.
“I’ve always wanted this. A family.”
“You can have it. All you have to do is give me a chance. These men would die for you. They will protect you and Oly with their lives. Just like I will.”
I turn into his chest and look up at him. “Make me forget. I don’t want the memories. For just tonight, I want it to be you and me.”
He leans down and kisses me long and deep. I rise on my tiptoes, and he deepens the kiss. He touches every part of my mouth that his tongue can reach. I slide my tongue along his and moan at the feelings erupting through my body. The warmth, the pooling of desire at my core. My chest, tight and full of pain just moments ago, is loose and open for the first time. I don’t want it to be open, but Rylan does this to me. He makes me forget what I’m supposed to do and gives me the ease of doing what I want.
My arms wrap around his body, holding him tight. His hands that were cupping my face slide down to my waist. He lifts me effortlessly, and I can feel us moving. I don’t know where, and I don’t care. I just lean into his kiss and rock my hips against his erection.
It was never like this with Jean-Louis. It was just sex. Two people trying to connect on a level they weren’t meant to. I cared about him, but this is so much different. It’s electric, all-consuming. Rylan consumes me, and I’m not afraid. I want it.
He turns and falls back across the bed with me on top. I lift up and look down at this large, dominant man who is letting me lead. His dark hair is mussed from my hands running through it. His soft cognac-brown eyes are fixed on me.
I know he likes my breasts, so I lift my arm and slide down the hidden zipper on the side of my top. I pull it over my head and toss it aside. He rises to nuzzle my neck. His beard ticklesand turns me on all at once. He reaches behind his neck, pulls off his T-shirt, and throws it across the room. He already took off his cut earlier and was walking around without it.
I stare at his chest and can’t stop myself from pressing mine to his. I want to feel him against my breasts. My pierced nipples slide through his minimal chest hair, and the sensation makes my stomach curl. My breath hitches.
He holds me tight and lets me rub against him like a cat. Rylan moves his hands to the back of my shorts and unzips them. I pull away and stand between his long legs hanging off the bed. I wiggle my hips, and the shorts fall, almost leaving me completely naked to him.
He hooks his fingers into the sides of my bikini panties and slides them down my legs. He kisses my hips, then each of the stretch marks on my belly from carrying Oly. He starts to drag his tongue down to my core, but I stop him.
I lift his chin and look down at him. “You don’t need to do that.” I give him the out.
He responds by grabbing me by the hips and tossing me onto the bed. He drops to his knees next to the bed. My hips are yanked to the edge, and before I can protest, his tongue is sliding through my folds.
