“Come here,” I said, shifting back on the bed and opening my arms.
He didn’t hesitate, moving into my embrace and settling against my chest as I leaned back against the headboard. I wrapped my arms around him, protective and possessive all at once. The weight of him against me felt right in a way I hadn’t expected.
“I didn’t think I’d ever get to do this,” Ryder murmured, his hand resting on my chest. “Just be held by you. Without all the games and the teasing.”
“Is it what you hoped for?” I asked, pressing my lips to the top of his head.
“Better,” he said simply.
We sat in comfortable silence, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the bedroom floor. I could feel the steady beat of his heart against mine, our breathing gradually syncing until it felt like we were one organism.
“What are you going to do now?” I asked eventually.
Ryder sighed. “I don’t know. I can’t go back there. Not after what happened. But I don’t really have anywhere else to go.”
“Evelyn said you could stay here?”
“For a while,” he nodded. “Until Cole and Jesse get back from their honeymoon, anyway.”
“And after that?” I asked, my hand absently stroking his hair.
“I’ve got no idea.” He shifted against me, his body warm and solid. “I’ve never really had to make my own way before. Dad controlled everything—the money, the ranch, my future. I have a degree in agriculture, but it doesn’t mean much without a place to farm.”
“You’ll figure it out,” I said, surprised by how certain I felt. “You’re stronger than you think.”
Ryder tilted his head up to look at me, his green eyes searching mine. “How can you be so sure?”
“Because I’ve seen it,” I told him honestly. “Most people wouldn’t have had the courage to do what you did yesterday. Standing up to someone who’s hurt you your entire life takes real strength.”
A faint blush colored his cheeks, and he looked away. “I was terrified the whole time.”
“Being brave isn’t about a lack of fear,” I said, gently turning his face back to mine. “It’s about doing the right thing, anyway.”
His lips parted slightly, and I could see the need in his eyes. It wasn’t the playful lust from before, but something deeper, more vulnerable. He needed reassurance, connection, proof that he wasn’t alone in this moment.
I leaned down and kissed him softly, my hand cradling his jaw. His lips were warm and yielding under mine, no games or performance, just honest need. When I pulled back, there were tears in his eyes.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, brushing my thumb across his cheek.
“Nothing,” he shook his head, giving me a watery smile. “It’s just... no one’s ever been this gentle with me before.”
The admission broke something open inside me. I pulled him closer, wrapping him tightly in my arms as if I could shield him from all the pain he’d endured. “Then they were all idiots,” I murmured against his hair.
We stayed like that for a long while, just holding each other as the light outside began to fade. Eventually, Ryder shifted in my arms, his hand sliding up to rest at the base of my neck.
“Can I show you something?” he asked, his voice soft but steadier than before.
“Of course.”
He pulled away and got up from the bed. Turning to face me, he reached down and unbuttoned his jeans, dragging the zipper down with deliberate slowness. I watched, open-mouthed, feeling like I should tell him to stop but unable to do so. He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his underwear and pulled both the jeans and the cotton low until his cock flopped free, already half hard. And there, snug at the base of his dick, was the silver cock ring I’d given him.
“I’ve been wearing it,” he said, a hint of his old mischief returning to his eyes. “Put it on this morning.”
Heat pooled in my groin at the thought of him walking around with my gift hidden beneath his clothes, a secret reminder of who he belonged to.
“Good boy,” I said, watching his pupils dilate at the praise. His cock gave a heavy twitch. “It looks beautiful on you.”
“It means I belong to you,” he grinned, not shy about anything he was showing me. “That I’m serious about pursuing whatever this is between us.” He glanced at the ground, suddenly shy. “I just… I’ve never done the wholerelationshipthing, and I’ve never done BDSM stuff, so I’m not really sure?—”
