Just a Little Crush(35)

My back pressed against his body and I could still feel how turned on he was, which for some reason only turned me on more. I tried to lie still to avoid rubbing my ass against his pants. It seemed torture to lie like this but he didn’t complain. Instead he ran his fingers up and down my arm and occasionally planted light kisses on my neck. Everything about his gentle touch contradicted with the guy I, at one time, believed him to be. His hand slowed and his arousal waned.

“Happy birthday,” I whispered as sleepiness took hold and my eyelids drifted shut.

“You make me happy,” he said, his words almost inaudible. His clutch around my waist tightened as he pulled me closer. “I hate to think some other guy will get the other half of that.”

“Other half of what?” I stifled a yawn.

“That.” The word slipped out on a drowsy sigh and the arm draped over me grew heavier. “You. Everything.”

What was he talking about? Maybe he was drunker than I’d realized.

“What just happened was only a piece of it, but I want it all…” His words drifted off and his breathing slowed to a steady rhythm.

“Ryder?”

There was no response. I flipped to face him and his hand moved with me, pulling me closer. With his head resting against mine, he curled around me. His scent filled me as I buried my face into his chest. It hadn’t occurred to me he even had a scent, but now surrounded by it, I realized it was something I’d come to associate with him. A mixture of soap, aftershave and a hint of something else. Something unique to him. Something that always made me want to run my tongue up his neck, to his mouth, ending with the cool metal of his lip ring.

On my nightstand, his phone chimed. I glanced behind me and could just make out the screen.

Paige: Where are you?

Considering he was in my bed, I shouldn’t be jealous but I was. Who was Paige? Did he have plans with her after me? Was he not supposed to fall asleep? Or what if I hadn’t practically thrown myself at him, would he be with her right now? His phone rang and the screen lit up. Paige flashed across the screen along with a picture. One of a smiling girl…and Ryder. They were sitting next to each other as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

Ryder stirred. The phone rang once more before growing quiet, then alerted him of another message.

Paige: I’m going to bed. Wake me when you get here.

Ryder rubbed his eyes. “Is that mine?”

I answered in a forced drowsy tone. “Huh? Um, yeah, I guess. Not mine.”

He reached over me and plucked his phone from the small table. “Fuck,” he muttered. He shoved it in his pocket. “I’m sorry, but I have to go.”

Something shattered inside my chest. “Oh, no problem.”

Ryder stared at me. The room was dark and it was difficult to make out his expression. He ran his finger along my cheek then pressed his lips to my forehead.

“Is everything okay?” I asked.

He nodded and sat upright.

I stood to allow him to get up without crawling over me.

He opened my door. “I’ll call you.”

I followed and placed my hand on the knob.

He glanced back and studied me.

I tried to mask the emotions raging through me. “Okay.” My stomach was twisted with jealousy and anger. He was leaving me to be with another girl. I shouldn’t be surprised but it didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.

He reached out and, with his hand behind my neck, pulled me to him and planted his mouth against mine. He kissed my bottom lip. Once. Twice. Then ran his tongue along my mouth, urging my lips to part. He tilted his head and swept his tongue along mine.

Heat radiated down my body and the passionate kiss stole my breath. But Paige’s image popped to mind. What was I doing? Dammit, it was like a kiss from him shut down some critical part of my brain.

He shifted, fitting my body to his. The kiss had awoken his needs again, his hardness pressed into my lower abdomen. His free hand dropped to my waist and slid over my ass, but I placed my hand on his chest and stepped back.

If he wanted to kiss me, he needed to choose me tonight.

Then, just as suddenly as it began, he broke free and yanked his hands from my body. “See ya.”

He turned, leaving me standing in the doorway, acutely aware that he was going to find relief with some other girl.





Chapter Nine


My phone wasn’t broken. I’d checked. I’d even borrowed Fallon’s phone to ensure mine worked. But Ryder hadn’t called since leaving my place the night before.

When it finally rang, a sense of happy excitement settled over me until I saw it wasn’t him.

“Hello.”

“Hey,” Mason said. “I just got out of work and I’m starving. Want to grab dinner?”