How to Avoid a Billionaire(16)

“Don’t patronize me. I’m not a billionaire, but I’m not stupid.”

“I apologize. Sometimes I have to make tough choices. It’s not something everyone can or is willing to do.” He laced his fingers with hers. “We’ve heard enough of my day. Tell me about yours.”

She set her fork down. “What else is new? I keep getting looked over. I realize I’m a rookie, but it gets frustrating. I’m not as aggressive as a lot of people in my field, and that has cost me.”

“I could talk—” He paused just as she stopped him, holding up a finger. What had he been thinking about to offer his help when his motives for being with her weren’t wholly pure?

“Don’t even say it,” she said.

“Angel.”

“No way. I’m doing this myself. You’re not slinging around your influence or money or whatever it is you do. Everybody at work knows your name, but up until today they didn’t know you and I were seeing each other.” She sighed. “I feel like every time I come up with an idea, someone beats me to the punch. Not just at my company but at another bigger advertising agency.”

He tried soothing her since she didn’t want his help. “It happens. Companies compete all the time, racing each other to uncover the next big product. Whoever gets before the public eye first wins. In advertising, the ideas can flow the same way, as if you all pull from the same giant pool.”

The hurt in her expression spurred him to look into her situation, whether she liked it or not.

Ryder lay on his back, his arms tucked behind his head. The clock had read four when he’d looked at it. Normally, he would have gotten up, dressed, and left Melanie’s apartment, but he’d been awake a good fifteen minutes, and he hadn’t moved. She murmured in her sleep and turned over toward him. With moonlight illuminating the room he saw her sleeping face, peaceful and beautiful. Her hair seemed messier than usual, and he reached out to smooth it. The spongy silk popped up again, he grinned. She shifted positions once more causing the sheet to slip beneath her breasts. His cock hardened. He had never taken her in the morning, although they had sex half the night countless times.

“Stop,” she moaned.

He chuckled. “Stop what?”

“I feel you looking at me, and you’re disturbing my sleep.”

He snatched the sheet the rest of the way down her body and took in the soft curves. “Sleep is overrated.”

She tried covering her breasts and pussy, which was ludicrous since he knew them both very well. “What are you doing?”

“Put your hands down, angel.”

Her gaze slid to the bedside table. “It’s after four. You usually leave—”

“Hands to your sides.”

Her lips curled on one side. “What if I don’t?”

He sat up, tossed the sheet off himself, and snaked fingers over her thigh. Before she could yelp a protest, he snatched her legs apart and thrust a hand between them. Cupping her pussy, he leaned over and kissed her sweet lips. “You hide this from me again and you’ll be sorry.”

Her hips rose off the bed, and she moaned, her eyes fluttering closed. “I’m n-not sorry now. Ryder, you’re going to make me come.”

“Yes.” Her juices coated his fingers, and he slid two into her heat. She squirmed and tried closing her legs, but he blocked the movement with his knees. “You like teasing me, angel? I’m going to show you what teasing gets you.”

He hoisted her legs up and slid down the bed. One swipe of his tongue had her thighs quivering. He stuck his tongue into her pussy and lapped at her cream. She tasted so good, he wanted more. She cried out his name. Ryder used a thumb to push back the hood covering the stiff bud and sucked it. Melanie scratched the sheets.

He leaned up and stretched to turn on the light. While he did so, her fingers found her clit and stroked. “Hands to your sides.” This time she obeyed. “Good girl.”

By the time he returned to kneeling before her, her juices flowed. She was so hot, so turned on. He knew it came from his commands as much as from his lips and fingers. Early on in their sexual games, he’d learned how she loved to be told what to do. He had also gathered during that time the desire did not translate to outside the bedroom. As Christian had said, she bucked against him, and that turned him on, to have her fight him.

He pushed a single finger into her sex and watched her tremble. “Do you want me to make you come?”

“Yes.”

He pulled his finger out and slid it back in. She twisted her hips left and right. He looked down at his cock, which had grown so hard it ached. He wanted to replace his finger with his shaft but held off. Leaning down, he sucked his finger and let her watch him do it. She bit her bottom lip.