Holding my breath, my chest tightened as Ryan’s pupils grew to consume his dark irises. Behind my ribs, my heart pounded hard, but I ignored it as the man before me shook his head hard. His brows furrowed tightly, expression screwing in confusion as his lips opened.

“What? Why not?” The questions made me lick my lips, and all the answers I could’ve said flew out of my ears.

“I’m going to… be renting. And the realtor said it was safer for the house if I was around.” I mentally smacked myself at the crestfallen look on Ryan’s face. Taking a half step towards him, I cleared my throat to dislodge the lump that had formed there now that he was right in front of me. “Also, I… want to do this… us, I mean...”

My mind was a mess, my thoughts swirling every which way in a less than cohesive jumble. Stumbling over my words, my tongue felt heavy, and my eyes widened at the bewildered expression that overtook Ryan’s face.

“Why? You couldn’t even look at me two days ago, Sylvia.” A nervous giggle escaped me at Ryan’s bland declaration, and I tore my eyes from his face. There was no humor in my laugh, and shame washed over me at the memory of how I’d acted.

“Yeah, well… my mom raised me not to put so much stock in looks, you know? And you’re the best guy I’ve ever met… and I guess… turning into a bear wouldn’t be too bad… for the winter.” Shuffling from one foot to another, I licked my lips as they dragged into a frown. Everything I had planned to say just wasn’t coming out, and frustration was beginning to build in my blood. “And I don’t have to quit my job or anything.”

Damnit! Work, stupid tongue!

In the silence that stretched from seconds to a minute, my belly churned from nerves.

“So, I guess… that’s it.” That’s not what I meant!

Pursing my lips tightly together, I couldn’t bear to look at Ryan before turning back to the kitchen. God, Sylvia, you’re an airhead, you know that? What happened to all that practice?

“Sylvia,” Big, familiar hands wrapped around my waist, and a gasp flew from my mouth as Ryan pulled me to his chest. His thick arms trapped me as they slithered across my front, and my body stiffened from the thrill that shot up from my toes. “You want to be my mate.”

The mumble muffled by my shoulder wasn’t a question, and Ryan’s chest inflated in a deep, shaking inhale against my back. Gulping down the cotton feeling in my mouth, I clenched my thighs together as his harsh exhale flowed down under my shirt.

“I can smell your arousal, Sylvia. Tell me what you want.” My abdomen clenched at the husky grumble, and I closed my eyes for a brief second. Bliss was what this sensation was called- this utterly safe, carefree, loved feeling that spread from the places Ryan touched. Even through my clothes, I could feel it, and a soft sigh floated up from my depths.

I hadn’t realized how much I missed him.

“Make love to me, Ryan.” Squeezing my body, Ryan kept still for a moment before his arms fell from around me. One wrapped under my legs, and the other secured my back as he gingerly lifted me off the floor. Face to face, I felt the effects of my whisper as it bounced between us. Goosebumps rose on my skin, and I cupped Ryan’s jaw to bring his face down to mine.

“Make love to me like you promised you would.” Mumbling against his lips, mine trembled before Ryan captured them in an Earth-shattering kiss. His wasn’t a verbal promise; it was one he made with his actions. My mouth opened willing when he tongued my lips, and my taste buds tingled as thick, heady tasting saliva coated them. I couldn’t stop the moan that bubbled up, and I wiggled and wormed until my ankles locked against the small of his back.

“What about the pizza?” Ryan’s grumbling question only drew a hum from me as my mental word processor stopped working. Tilting my head, a grunt pushed past our tangled tongues as my back pressed against something hard. His beard sent tendrils up my arms, and my fingers trailed up to tangle in his hair. Circling my hips, my drenched panties scraped against my bud to pull a gasp from between the seal of our mouths.

Long, callused fingers slipped between us, and Ryan groaned loudly as he prodded my juncture.

“You’re so wet, baby.” Ripping his lips from mine, he glanced down as urgency filled my veins. My folds quivered when he pushed aside my underwear. Shivering from the cold jolt, a whimper squeezed from my lungs as he exposed my entrance.

Closing my eyes, I rested my head back against the wall as fire pumped through my veins with every beat of my heart. This was such a long time in the making, and I tightened my grip on Ryan’s scalp when he shuffled firmly against me.

“Are you ready, baby?” My brows creased at the husky question, and I nodded hastily without parting my eyelids. Softly the bulbous head of Ryan’s length bumped my core, and a gasp flew from my mouth. The heat of him scorched me, and my walls quivered with expectation.

Sliding into my channel in one, easy thrust, Ryan’s gasp mingled with my moan as he stretched me. He buried himself to the hilt, and our hips pressed together firmly before he slowly pulled out. A delicate shiver slid down my spine, and I tightened my legs around his hips as one of his hands gripped my waist.

“Ah-, God, Sylvia…You’re so tight…” Growling out the words, Ryan touched his forehead to mine as another moan burst from my throat. His entry was slow, almost teasingly so, but all I could do was hold on tighter. Savoring each thrust, each second of fullness, I cherished this moment as my lips met his. Our tongues came together in a sweet meeting, wrapping around each other and sharing the taste of loneliness and regret.

“O-o-o-o-o…” Tilting my hips to Ryan’s beat, I held him close to me as my cry traveled down his throat. His chest vibrated, and my feet arched against his back as the beginnings of a mind-rending orgasm began to take over. Squeezing my waist, his thrusts became more like jerks, and his grunts made my abdomen clench. Tightening around his length as it caressed my walls, I sucked in air through my teeth and held it.

“Cum, baby.” Clenching my jaw at the hoarse demand, I clamped down on Ryan’s rod as hard as I could. My walls sucked him in, and even that slight friction was enough to burn me. He thrust one last time, his head hitting that spot inside me that made the sex almost painful.

But this wasn’t sex; this was lovemaking, and it was awe-inspiring.

Hot fluid coated my insides, and I could feel Ryan’s abdominal muscles flexing against my belly as my own flesh twitched.

Panting softly, I touched my lips to his with a soft moan, and he returned my kiss before his forehead connected with mine.

“You won’t regret this. I promise you that.” A small smile picked at the corners of my mouth at Ryan’s breathless words.

“I know.