I shriek out a high-pitched girlie squeal of excitement at the same time Ryder says, “About damn time.”
Jayson grabs my waist which makes me squeal again as he lifts me and throws me up in the air. I land ungracefully with a resounding plop in the water. When I come back up to the surface, Jayson and Ryder are in a game of water wrestling, so naturally I leap in and spider monkey myself to Ryder’s back. Jayson dives for me and I fall backward into the salty water again. When I come up a second time laughing and threatening Jayson with retaliation, Julien and Elijah have joined our play. We spend the next fifteen minutes dunking and splashing each other until the sun finally goes down and night falls over the beach.
After we dry off and pack everything back into Jayson’s truck, we head back to campus. In the back seat of the truck, I rest against Ryder’s shoulder and close my eyes, letting the bumps and the noise of the road lull me. This is how it should be, I think. I fall asleep next to the man I’m in love with, riding with the boys who are my family. I’m home.
Chapter 20
Elizabeth
“Babe,” a voice says as warm lips nuzzle my ear.
Nope. Not happening. I’m too warm and comfortable.
“Baby,” the voice, more insistent now but muffled because the owner of said voice is trailing a path of open-mouthed kisses down my collarbone to my breasts. My body isn’t stupid. Between sleep or sex with Ryder, my body will choose sex with him every time. I come fully awake and spear my fingers through Ryder’s soft, thick hair.
I peer down at his grinning face before he slips under the covers and I open for him like a flower welcomes the morning sun.
“Time to wake up.” His tongue licks up my center.
“Trust me. I’m now very much awake.”
I squirm in his hands and he places a kiss to my mound before sliding back up to kiss my mouth. Not giving a shit about morning breath, he kisses me thoroughly while simultaneously stripping the bed sheet off and lifting me up in one smooth movement. He carries me to the adjoining bathroom, then sets me down and turns the shower on.
Ryder gives me a tap on the butt and a nudge. “You need to get moving if we’re meeting Daniel before your first class.”
Right. It’s Monday morning and Daniel’s plane is scheduled to land at six.
I had to skip another morning run with Julien this morning. I wanted to be able to at least meet Daniel when he arrived and give him a hug before I have to rush off to my nine o’clock class. Daniel is friends with the dean of our college so he’s going to stay at her house while he’s here. Apparently, Daniel and our dean, Dr. Carol Wruthers, went to college together. Daniel introduced her to her husband, who was his roommate at the time. Daniel’s been hinting that he wants me to contact Dr. Wruthers, but I’ve politely declined so far. I don’t want to get any special treatment while at CU. I know Daniel would try and pull strings if I gave him an inch.
“What time is it?” I yawn out.
“Four-thirty.”
The boys came over yesterday and helped me clean and grocery shop for Daniel’s visit. We then ordered take-out for dinner and watched a movie. I texted Meredith to find out how the party and Trevor went. She texted me back a whole bunch of emojis that made up a weird-ass rebus that I’m still trying to figure out. When midnight approached, Ryder left with Julien and Jayson, so I didn’t get to have him with me in bed last night. I did, however, slip him a key to my apartment along with the alarm code so he could come and go as he pleases.
I sleepily drag my tank top up and over while kicking off my underwear, and then open the shower door. “Want to join me?”
“You know what will happen if I do. I’m going to make us breakfast. Be quick. We need to leave in thirty.” Ryder swats my ass again and walks out, leaving me scowling at his back.
“But I’m horny now!” I yell at him and get under the warm spray.
Seconds later, the shower door opens and Ryder steps inside. My smile is huge.
“We can grab something on the way,” is his answer as he pushes me up against the shower wall. So much better than coffee and chocolate donuts.
After a brief but explosive round of shower sex, we barely finish getting dressed in time to meet Ryder’s thirty-minute deadline. Once our shoes are on, we hop in my car and head to a nearby café for breakfast. The small local café opens every morning at five and has the best gluten-free biscuits. They make them with almond milk and plant-based butter. I discovered this place soon after I arrived. I love how more and more restaurants are serving gluten-free options.
“So, what’s the plan for the day?” Ryder asks me as we drive toward the airport. There’s a private runway and hanger we need to find where Daniel’s corporate jet will be landing.
I sip on my coffee and open a breakfast sandwich, holding it out for Ryder to take a bite.
“He’s only staying for a few days, so I would like to spend tonight just with him if that’s okay.”
“I know I must say it a lot, but whatever you need, Elizabeth,” he says turning to look at me in the passenger seat. “The guys would like to meet him too at some point before he leaves.”
“I haven’t told him about us yet. I was waiting for him to get here and was planning on telling him tonight. Or I could this morning since you’re already here with me.” I pause. My stomach turns and I put my sausage biscuit back in its wrapper, no longer hungry. “Um, I need to talk to you about something.”
We approach the exit we need to take and Ryder flicks on the blinker to merge into the offramp. “What about?”
