“I don’t know. Kind of spaced out,” I said with an overdone shrug, while all too aware of how close his body was to mine. “So how do you feel—”
“You weren’t spaced out.” He dropped to his knees, putting us at almost eye level with each other. “In fact, you looked pretty focused to me. If we’re being honest, you looked like you wanted—”
“You. I want you,” I blurted. Heat crept up my neck as his mouth slowly tugged into a ridiculously sexy grin.
“I was going to say you looked like you wanted to say something, but I like your answer better.” He pressed his mouth to mine as he stood. He placed his knee between my legs and urged me onto my back.
His tongue pushed past my parted lips and swept over mine.
I’d missed the way his mouth caressed mine. My hips arched as he settled his thigh between my legs. The warmth of his body radiated down as his scent enveloped me, leaving me blissfully consumed by all things Ryder.
“Being around you, but not able to touch you, has driven me insane,” he said, echoing my thoughts. “I can’t stop thinking about the way it feels to be with you.” He slid his hand under my shirt and up my body. He ran his tongue along my neck, toward my ear. “To taste you,” he whispered as his other hand slipped between my thighs.
I whimpered as he rubbed his hand against my jeans.
He nipped at my earlobe then gave it a gentle tug. “Tell me what you want, Brinley.”
“I did.” I wriggled under his hand. “You.”
“You already have me. But you know that, so tell me what you want from me?”
When I didn’t answer, his hand stopped moving over me. I whimpered in objection.
“Do you want this?” He stroked me again.
“Mm-hmm,” I mumbled.
“Is that all?”
I wanted him to strip me down, press his body to mine and push deep inside me. But telling him that wasn’t going to happen. “Why don’t you tell me what you want?” I countered.
He pulled back slightly, the corner of his mouth quirked up as he stared down on me. “I’m not sure you’re ready to hear that.”
“I want to know.”
He studied me, looking highly amused.
I said, “Tell me the first thing to come to mind and then I’ll tell you mine.”
He raised an eyebrow as if to challenge me. Like he’d anticipated embarrassment on my part and found it entertaining. “I want to know how wet you are right now.”
So I stared right back at him and said, “Very.”
Ryder groaned. “What am I supposed to say to that?” He shook his head.
“You aren’t supposed to say anything.” I yanked my shirt over my head, wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled his mouth to mine.
We continued to kiss, breaking our connection momentarily as we hastily shed the remainder of our clothes. When all that remained between us were his boxers and my panties, Ryder sat back on his knees, hooked a finger through the strip of fabric resting just below each of my hip bones and slowly tugged down.
My heart thumped wildly against my ribs as I forced my breathing to even out. Though I’d been naked in front of him before, I still experienced the thrill of nervous butterflies as he took me in.
“You know, it’s spring break,” he said, his expression serious, but his tone playful. “We don’t have class. Everyone is gone until the weekend. I’m thinking you should just forgo clothes for the next few days.”
I grinned and shook my head. “I don’t know if everyone still on campus would appreciate that.”
“Oh, trust me, they would. But a little too much for my liking, which is why I also suggest you never leave this bed. Don’t worry though, I’ll keep you company.”
“Well, in that case…” I smiled. “But you have to be naked too.”
“Is there any other way to spend time in bed with you?”
I glanced down at his boxers and ran a fingernail across his abdomen. “Starting now.”
He chuckled as I tugged them down. Once undressed, he pulled a condom on and settled over me.
“I’ve missed this.”
“I’m sure,” I teased.
“That’s not what I meant. I mean, sure, this is great, but I’ve missed you. Us. All of it.”
I knew exactly what he meant because I’d missed us too. I loved everything about us. With a smile, I pulled his mouth to mine.
He kissed me tenderly, paying equal attention to my bottom lip then top one.
My lips parted as his tongue swept over mine, slowly dancing along, coaxing my body to meld with his.
“Ryder, I—”
He pulled back, his eyes bright as he stared into mine.