His hand clasps my wrist, but it’s not enough to stop me from slithering downward and sliding his boxers off. He springs free, sort of like a jack-in-the-box, and the analogy makes me giggle in my head. I do another second’s worth of ogling, and then I lower my mouth to him, clasping my lips firm enough to draw a sharp breath.
He had started to argue, to reach for me, but he loses all will to fight as I begin to move. “Oh, shit,” he says. “That feels incredible.”
I hide my smile. Never did I ever think I’d meet Ryan Pierce in person, let alone be here, in his bed, making him hiss with pleasure. My life could be so much worse.
Judging by his moans and his fingers gripping my hair and pulling tight, whatever I’m doing at the moment is working.
“Stop,” he says, breaking the rhythm. He’s on the verge, I can see it in his eyes. “Lie down.”
“But—”
“Lie down,” he says again. “Please.”
It’s difficult to argue with a demand like that, so I roll onto my back. Somehow, the undies have disappeared. He perches on top of me, one arm easing around my back so he’s holding my chest to his, our skin slick with heat, want, need. He’s produced a condom from somewhere unknown and rolls it on, and the next thing I know, he’s nudging into me, slowly, cautiously.
“You’re a tease,” I gasp. “Freaking tease.”
He reaches around, grasping at my back, my bottom, my hips, pulling me tighter. He’s barely inside, and already he’s filled me. His hand joins the party, rubbing in circles and bringing sensations to the table that I’ve never before experienced.
Finally, I can’t handle it anymore, and I yank his hips toward me. We sit there for a moment, stilled, almost in shock at how good this feels. I’ve never felt so complete, so on fire, so needy for more.
I can tell he feels the same, and only a second later he puts his hands on either side of my body and begins to rock. It’s not enough to just be; I need everything he has to give, and he needs me too—I can sense it.
I move with him, my hips arching, my mouth pressed to his neck. He kisses me, but I can hardly think, can hardly feel, and all I know is the sense of exhilaration as if we’re on a rollercoaster that’s about to fly off the rails.
“You feel incredible,” he murmurs. “Thank the Lord for amendments.”
I murmur an agreement as my hands dig into his back while his fingers cinch me tight, and I feel the racing of his heart. Our mouths clash in a tangle of heat. Then, just when I’m ready to go over the edge, he pushes me back, pulls almost out, and hesitates, his eyes locking on mine.
We pause there, my core aching for him, his hand fisted through my hair as he holds on tight. The moment is shattered as he thrusts in, long, hard, fast, and from there we’re on a bottle rocket sailing toward space.
His name falls from my lips as he rocks us to a climax, and when we finally take off, I learn the meaning of seeing stars. Tiny little shimmering things I never knew existed in reality fill my field of vision.
We continue sailing, feeling, gasping, until long after the stars have blinked out. I collapse against him, satiated. I’m spent, completely, and in a post-sex drunken bliss that makes it impossible to speak.
He strokes my hair, whispers gentle words against my ear, and runs his fingers down my spine until finally, I feel somewhat human again. The first thing I do is look up, smile, and kiss him hard on the lips.
“Wow,” I breathe when we break. “That was…”
I decide to let him fill in the gap.
“Out of this world?” he murmurs, his hand sleepily pushing my hair back from my face.
We manage to disconnect, but neither of us are in a hurry to go anywhere. I roll into his chest and his arms hold me tight to him. I’m exhausted and completely, utterly happy, and I decide I want to have sex like this all the time. It’s awesome.
With each of my previous partners—granted, there weren’t a lot, but the number is higher than one—sex has been this sort of vanilla thing we did to fill the time if we were moderately attracted to one another. It has never been about love, passion, or even lust.
I have no clue what just happened with Ryan, but it was not vanilla, and it was not boring. I want more.
“Fantastic,” I add. “That was fun.”
“Let’s do it again.” he says. “Once wasn’t enough.”
I curl in against his body. “Good thing we can do it as many times as we want.”
“Very good thing.”
His hand runs along my naked back, his touch gentle, the opposite of our furious motions of moments before. It’s the first time I’ve ever had the urge to cuddle, but since we’re friends with benefits, the situation is a little confusing. Is cuddling expected? Required? Frowned upon?
“So,” I say curiously. “What happens now?”
“Now?” He glances up at me, mischief in his eyes. “My, oh my, Andi, you’re insatiable.”
I feel my cheeks flame. “I just meant like…what do we do? Do we cuddle? Should I go home? This friends with benefits thing doesn’t come with a handbook, you know.”
He turns to the ceiling, his bark of laughter startling me. Shaking his head, he faces me. “You are truly one of a kind.”
“Fine, can I take a shower then?” I smile, pleased that our hookup hasn’t changed the easy atmosphere between us. If anything, things seem even easier now. We don’t have to pretend we aren’t looking forward to a repeat session.
He runs a hand leisurely along my leg, stares at my boobs, and then grins. “Towels are in the bathroom,” he says. “But first, come here.”
“Where?”
His answer is a kiss, a breathtaking kiss that has me thinking we are going for round two. But, just as his hands skim over my stomach and down to my hips, he stops, giving my butt a firm pat. “Shower’s that way.” I give him a look of frustration, and he merely raises his eyebrows. “Is there a problem?”
“You know what you’re doing to me,” I say, stomping off to the bathroom. “And I expect you deliver on your promise, buddy!”
I step into the bathroom and find a smile reflected back at me in the mirror—a smile and real, true sex hair. I’m actually proud of this wild ’do—I look like quite the maniac.
I snap a quick picture of my new hairstyle and text it to Lisa. I have to share this moment with someone, and she’ll appreciate it.
My phone beeps with a text two seconds later. It’s Lisa, and she’s sent me five eggplant emojis. I don’t quite understand it, but I understand it enough to send her a turd image back.
And then the thumbs up.
Finally, I climb into the shower, lather up with the expensive soaps lined up along the ledge, and wash my hair with delicious-smelling shampoo. By the time I climb out, I’m feeling like a new woman. This time when I look in the mirror, I see a makeup-less face that is smiling, happy, and refreshed. Sex works wonders for my skin.
Unless…maybe this is more than sex? Already, I find myself dreading Lawrence and Lilia’s wedding. As excited as I am to be invited, I don’t want the date to arrive, because once that date passes, Ryan and I will no longer have a reason to see each other. I don’t want to think about that.
Instead, I leave the steam-filled bathroom and head to the bedroom where, at least for now, my fantasy has become reality.
CHAPTER 29