The next morning when I wake, I’m raw in places I have never been before. I’m already smiling before I open my eyes. I can feel his skin against mine. I can smell his delicious scent. I watch him sleep for a minute, then turn my body around and wiggle against him, so I can feel his cock against my ass. He’s already hard, and I’m already slick from just sleeping in the same bed as him.

His arm tightens around me and he finds my breasts with his hand. I arch my back and find his enormous cock with my pussy, then wiggle until he’s inside me again. Letting out a moan of pleasure, I tilt my hips and rub myself up and down against him, feeling his cock press against my clit. He takes over, running his hand down my tummy and pressing his palm against my pussy while he fucks me from behind. Rolling us so he’s on top and I’m facedown on the bed, he moves over me with skill, managing to fill me and give me earth-shattering pleasure without it being too much. I turn my head and lay my cheek on the pillow, close my eyes and bite my bottom lip. He’s in control again and last night I learned that letting him take over is the quickest way to coming. He pumps himself into me over and over, harder and harder, faster and faster, until I go over the edge and take him with me.

When it’s over, he rolls us back onto our sides and says, “Good morning, beautiful girl.”

I turn my cheek and smile. “Good morning.”

“That’s how I want to be woken up every day from now on.” His voice is deep but holds a smile.

I laugh a little. “Me too.”

“As much as I’d like to stay in this bed with you for the rest of my life, I have a bull-riding championship to win.”

“Oh, right. I forgot about that. Why don’t you quit now and we’ll tell everyone I’ve taken up professional bull-rider riding.”

He laughs, then kisses my shoulder. “Can’t quit now. I need to earn myself a million dollars so I can take care of this gorgeous blonde that I fell for recently.”

His smile fades, leaving an expression of pure adoration and love. I feel my entire body warm and I reach up and trace the stubble on his jaw. I suddenly realize how much it would hurt if I lose him and I’m terrified.

Ryder narrows his eyes at me. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Everything is perfect.” I try to force a smile.

“Except…”

“It’s just that I’ve never had someone to lose before.”

“You won’t lose me. I’ll be right back in your bed tonight. I promise.” He lowers his mouth over mine and gives me a slow, sweet kiss.

The kiss turns into more and this time, it’s careful and gentle. It’s his way of showing me that everything will be all right. And it’s my way of telling him how desperate I am for him to survive the next two days. When it’s over, we shower together and he hurries off to his hotel to change while I do my hair and makeup. He insists that I wait for him to come back so he can walk me to the stadium, even though it’s daylight. When we walk into the massive building, this time, we’re holding hands.

He kisses me long and deep, not caring who sees it before he has to go get ready. “Good luck,” I whisper.

“I don’t need luck. I have you.”

“Yes, you do.” I place my hand on his chest. “I’ll be right here when you’re done.” I try to smile but I know I have fear in my eyes.

“Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”

“You sure do.” I’m referring to all that hot sex and he smiles, catching my meaning immediately.

“Nothing on this earth could keep me from you—certainly not some rank bull.”

* * *

The rest of the day is a blur of activity. I try to keep my mind focused on work, but since my work today is all about bull riding, it’s not like I can put my fear too far out of my mind. So much can go wrong, but I have to believe that he’ll be fine. When it’s Ryder’s turn, I can barely watch. I hold my breath for the entire eight seconds and for the time it takes him to scramble out of the arena. Tears of relief fill my eyes as I jump up and down, cheering. I don’t even care what he scores. Only that he’s in on piece.

I run to him and jump into his arms, knocking his hat off his head and kissing him wildly. He holds me tight and kisses me while his scores are announced—94.6. He beat his score from yesterday. I can feel his smile as we kiss. “Told you I’d be fine.”

I hug him tightly, happy that I’ll have one more night with him.

“Stay the night with me,” I say.

“Just try to stop me.” He gives me a lingering kiss, then when he pulls back, he says, “I’ll make you a deal. From now on, where you go, I go.”

Nodding, I give him another kiss. “Deal. Where you go, I go.”

* * *

We stop at Ryder’s hotel and he checks out, then we go straight to my room so we can replay the night before. Room service and wild sex. He’s a little quiet and I know he’s thinking about what’s at stake tomorrow.

I turn to him as we lay next to each other in bed. “Are you okay?”

“To be honest, I’ve never been happier. I’m in the finals tomorrow and I finally found the woman of my dreams.” He traces my lips with his fingertips.

“Are you nervous?”

“Hell, yeah, I’m nervous. Tomorrow is the difference between us being comfortable and me having to figure out how to support you.”

I lean in and kiss him. “You don’t have to support me. I do all right as far as money is concerned.”

“But, I don’t ever want you to want for anything. You deserve the best of everything.”

“If I have you, it’ll be enough for me. I promise.”

I kiss him and it turns into so much more.

We stare into each other’s eyes while he lays over me, filling me, and kissing me, and loving me the way I’ve always wanted to be loved. The way he looks at me melts my heart and brands me as his forever. I fight my fear of losing him tomorrow and make the most of the time we have right now. As we drift off to sleep, I hear him whisper. “I’m going to love you forever.”

I don’t answer him because I know he isn’t ready for me to hear it. But I fall asleep with a smile in my heart, nonetheless.