Chapter Nine
Ryker
She hopped in the car and fastened her safety belt. “Wow…”
Cars were honking behind me, so I pulled back onto the road and headed out of the city. “Me or the car?” I grinned like the arrogant son of a bitch that I was.
She moved her hand to my thigh and gave it a squeeze. “Both.”
“Good answer, sweetheart.” I grabbed her hand and pulled it to my mouth, giving her a kiss on the back of the hand. My eyes remained glued to the road as I returned her hand to my lap. I purposely placed her hand in a spot where she could feel my hard-on through my jeans. It only popped up when she got in the car.
She moved her fingers around the definition of my length. “Hello to you too.”
“He’s very happy to see you.” She gave great head last night. It was phenomenal, really. It definitely wasn’t her first rodeo because taking in a cock that size was a challenge for any experienced woman.
“That’s funny. My entire body is happy to see him.”
After we’d slept together a few times, she relaxed around me, turning into the woman I first met. She was playful, witty, and funny. Her guard wasn’t up anymore, assuming I was going to flip on her and ask her to be something serious.
Never met a woman like her before.
Every woman I slept with wanted to be serious—or at least be monogamous. Austen was so determined to remain detached that it was a breath of fresh air. I didn’t have to be an asshole like I usually did because she understood completely.
She was perfect.
“What are you thinking about?” Her voice shattered my thoughts as she spoke over the radio.
I didn’t even realize I drifted away. “That you’re perfect.”
She rolled her eyes. “You were not.”
“I’m serious.” I grabbed her thigh and gave it a squeeze. “You’re beautiful, sexy, a fireball in bed, and you want what I want. I don’t have to be an asshole and break your heart. It’s perfect.”
She finally took me seriously, a smile spreading over her lips. “Meant to be.”
I turned my gaze back to the road and drove with one hand. “Your brother tells me you’re a bit of a heartbreaker.”
“He did?” Alarm seeped into her voice. “You talked to him about me?”
“In a way.”
“Did you tell him about us?”
“Of course not,” I said calmly. “You can calm down.”
“Then what happened?”
I shrugged. “I told him you were cute, and he asked if I had a thing for you.”
She hung on to every word, leaning forward.
“I said no, and then he warned me you were a bit of a heartbreaker. He’s never seen you with the same guy twice. He told me I should stay away from you if I didn’t want to get my heart trampled on.” I watched her in my peripheral vision, seeing her stoic expression. “Didn’t seem to care if I wanted to date you or not. Pretty chill.”
“And that was it?”
I nodded. “Yep.”
She leaned back into the leather chair and relaxed, my hand still on her thigh.
“So, you’re a bit of a heartbreaker, huh?” I kept my voice playful so she would know I wasn’t interrogating her. “I better be careful.”
“My brother doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Don’t listen to him.”
“So, you’re saying he’s incorrect?” Because it seemed like he was right on the money.
“He knows I don’t do relationships and I’m never going to again.”
Again. So she must have been in one before. Maybe it ended in a nasty breakup, maybe even a divorce. “Any particular reason why?”
She pulled her gaze from the window and looked at me, her blue eyes hypnotic with their beauty. “Why don’t you do relationships?”
“I never said I didn’t.”
“So that’s incorrect?”
I smiled because she had me. “Okay…you’re right. I don’t do relationships.”
“And why not?”
I didn’t want to answer her question, and she clearly didn’t want to answer mine. We both had pasts that needed to stay in the past. “I guess we’ll make a truce. That topic is off-limits.”
“Works for me.” She turned back to the window, clearly relaxed that we were steering away from an uncomfortable conversation. “I just wish people didn’t think I was a freak for living my life this way. I know people judge me for it. It’s okay for a man to play the field, but when a woman does it, she’s a whore.”
I ran my fingers over the bare skin of her thigh. “I don’t think that at all.”
“Really?” Her hand moved over mine on her thigh, her fingers warm from sitting in the sun.
“Of course not. I’m a big feminist. In fact, I think men everywhere wish women were more like you. Sex doesn’t have to be a big deal. It could be an enjoyable event that doesn’t necessarily need to mean anything. It’s just an experience.”
“That’s nice to hear, for a change.”
“So you never want to get married?”
“Hell no. Do you?”
I shook my head. “What about having kids?”
“I think I’ll adopt a few when I’m older.”
I wasn’t expecting her to say that. “That’s cool.”
“I don’t think you need two parents to raise kids that need homes. I can handle it on my own.”
“I agree.”
“What about you?” she asked.
I shook my head. “I have no interest in having children.” The only time I did was when I realized just how madly in love I was with Rae. I pictured us getting married and having a family. It was the moment I realized I needed to get her back. “I have a brother, so he’ll make my mother happy with grandchildren.”
“Thank god for siblings, right?” she said with a chuckle. “That way the attention is not on you all the time.”
“Amen.”
I drove out of the city and finally reached the highway. We hugged the coast as we headed to Connecticut, enjoying the bright summer day and the sparkle of the ocean outside the window. Austen kept in touch with everyone via text so we would all arrive at the same time.
“What does Madeline think of Liam?” Was my friend wasting his time with a woman who was out of his league?
She set her phone in her lap. “You know this is a conflict of interest.”
“Oh, come on. At least let me know if my friend is wasting his time. If he is, I’ll drop hints here and there. I wouldn’t throw you under the bus.”
“Nope.”
“You’re a tough chick.” Her loyalty was a turn-on. I liked a woman who wouldn’t betray her friends. There weren’t enough people like that in the world.
“You’re sexy as hell, but that’s not enough this time.”
“Maybe I need to step up my game.”
“I don’t think you can.”
I wanted to pull over in a secluded spot and take her roughly in the passenger seat, but there was no place private enough, and we needed to make good time. “We’ll see when we get home.”
“Oh…I like the sound of that.”
I squeezed her hand on her thigh. “Going all day without fucking…that’s gonna be rough.”
“We might be able to sneak off behind a dumpster or something.”
The dirty suggestion got me hard. “A public place…that’s hot.”
“Where’s the most public place you’ve ever had sex?”
I’d had a lot of sex with a lot of women. To remember every single one was impossible. “The bathroom of a bar.”
“Had to have her then and there?”
“She wanted to suck my cock. I’m a gentleman, so I didn’t say no.”
She chuckled. “You have an interesting definition of what a gentleman is.”
“A man should please a woman—whether that’s financially, sexually, or emotionally. And I think that blow job fell into that category.”
“I guess I see your point. So if I call you in the middle of the night asking for good sex, you’ll always be there?”
I ran my thumb over her small wrist. “I’m your boy toy, aren’t I?”
“Ooh…you’re my boy toy?”
“Yep. And you’re my lady friend.”
“Lady friend…nah. I want a better name.”
“Like what?” I asked.
“Sexy friend.”
“Alright. Sexy friend it is.” I followed the GPS and pulled off to the side where the winery was located. Right off the coast with stunning views of the seaside, it was breathtaking. It was the perfect day for a woman to wear a summer dress with heels—which was exactly what Austen wore.
And she looked fine as hell.
Now that we’d arrived, I had to pull my hand away and cease all affection. We were just friends—not fuck buddies. It was only for a few hours, so I should be able to control myself.
But that was easier said than done.
***
Jared brought a cute date who mixed well with the rest of the group. She was attractive and funny, outspoken like the rest of the girls. But I noticed Jared continued to look at Madeline, not being discreet about it either.
I wondered if his date noticed.
I suspected something happened between Madeline and Jared at some point in the past. He didn’t seem like a guy who struggled to ask out women, so he’d probably already made his move. Maybe they used to see each other but things didn’t work out.
Either way, I’d have to give Liam a heads-up.
Liam tended to Madeline, getting her a new glass of wine anytime her glass wasn’t full enough. He gave her all his attention, laser focused. I could be making out with his sister right at the table, and he wouldn’t even notice.
“Which one was your favorite?” Austen sat beside me, her legs crossed in the pink dress she wore. Her skin was tanned from wearing dresses outside so often. Her legs were toned and sleek, and I pictured the way they felt when they were wrapped around my waist.
It took a second for me to concentrate on what she said. “This one.” I swirled the red wine before I took another drink.
“You’re a fan of red?”
“I’m a fan of anything with alcohol, really.”
“You’re easy to please.”
“No, you’re just good at pleasing.”
Her eyes widened in alarm at my quiet outburst, staring me down like I’d just told the entire table what we did behind closed doors.
I didn’t give a damn because no one was listening to us anyway. I held her gaze as I drank my wine, wishing we were alone so her soft lips could wrap around my cock once more. This woman was good at everything in the bedroom. She was too good to be true. “What was yours?”
She went with the change in conversation. “I prefer white wines. I like the first one the most.”
“Maybe we should get a few bottles to go.”
“I drink too much as it is anyway.”
We finished the tasting and the appetizers, sitting outside under the shade of an umbrella. The waves crashed against the shore, the sound soft like music. Seagulls cried in the distance as they searched the beach for leftovers.
“I made reservations for Casanova,” Madeline said. “We should head over so we aren’t late.”
After all the wine and the appetizers, I wasn’t hungry. But if I got to sit across from Austen and look at her for the rest of the night, I would be happy. We left the table then walked back to the cars.
“I think I’m gonna ask her out.” Liam walked beside me and kept his voice low. “I’m pretty sure she’s into me.”
That’s when I noticed Jared watching us, probably trying to overhear our conversation.
I walked a little faster so we would put some distance between us. “I think there’s something between Jared and Madeline.”
“What are you talking about?” Liam asked. “He has a date.”
“But he only seems to care about Madeline. I’ve seen him stare at her all day—and on other occasions.”
“But if he was into her, wouldn’t he have already asked her out by now?”
“Maybe he has. Maybe they used to date. Did you ever ask Madeline about it?”
“No…we aren’t even dating. I can’t ask her that.”
“Maybe you could ask Austen.” I could ask her myself, but I’d rather make it seem like we were as platonic as possible.
“I won’t have any alone time with her today. Could you ask her in the car?”
“Yeah, sure.”
Liam glanced at Jared, seeing him stare back at him. “Maybe you’re right…looks like he wants to kill me.” Liam trailed back to Madeline like he was trying to protect his property.
“Sweet ride, man.” Jared admired my car with his arms crossed over his chest. “What year is she?”
“She’s brand-new.” I patted the hood like it was a pet. “She can hit 190.”
“Damn,” Jared said.
“And I get to ride in it.” Austen posed on the hood of the car, looking like a supermodel trying to advertise it for a commercial. She flipped her hair over one shoulder and gave me a smoldering look.
My cock came to life in my jeans. “Now I want to buy another.”
She laughed then hopped off the front.
“This is a car that doesn’t need a hot chick on the front to sell,” Jared teased. “But it doesn’t hurt.”
We got into our cars then drove thirty minutes to the restaurant, which was thirty minutes south.
“You wanna drive it on the ride home?” I asked.
“Are you joking?” she asked incredulously. “You would let me touch your baby?”
“It’s not like it’s a stick. You’ll be fine.”
“Are you serious?” she asked. “Because I’ll drive this bad boy.”
“Perfect. I’ll feel you up on the ride home.”
“God no,” she said. “I’ll definitely crash.”
Now that we were alone together again, I returned my hand to her soft thigh. Her skin was warm to the touch, and I wanted to bury my face between her legs and taste her again. With the taste of wine on my lips and her natural sweetness, the taste would be orgasmic. “Did Madeline and Jared used to date?”
Austen quickly turned her head in my direction, her mood noticeably darker. “Why do you ask?”
“I see him stare at her a lot.”
“Oh…”
I thought it was strange she didn’t answer my question. “Is that a yes?”
“Uh…I…”
“Well, I already suspected it on my own, so you aren’t betraying Madeline. And I told Liam my suspicion.”
Once she was cornered, she dropped her hesitance. “Yeah…they used to be involved. It was a fuck buddy type situation. Madeline walked away when things became too complicated, but I don’t think Jared wanted it to end.”
“Why did she walk away?”
“Are you going to tell Liam everything I say?”
“Not if you don’t want me to.” We weren’t in a relationship, but trust was important between two people who were screwing. It allowed us to be more adventurous, to take each other to new heights.
“You can tell him I confirmed that they used to see each other. But that’s it.”
“Alright.”
“Madeline left because she was afraid of what it would do to their friendship. She didn’t think it was gonna last, so she ended it before it became too serious. I think Jared wanted to take it further.”
“Did he tell you this?”
“He tells me things sometimes because we’re really close. But he knows I’m stuck in the middle so I’m not the best person to talk to about this sort of thing.”
I couldn’t help but wonder if something happened between Austen and Jared. It wasn’t my place to ask, but I couldn’t help myself. “Jared is your bestie, you said?” I specifically remembered her saying it because I assumed Jared must be gay. But obviously, he was just as straight as I was.
“Yeah, we’re really good friends. We’ve been that way for a long time.”
“Have you guys ever hooked up?”
She stared at me with wide eyes, surprised by the question. “That was bold of you to ask.”
I really shouldn’t care who was on her list of past lovers, but for some reason, I needed to know if Jared had ever had her. Something deep inside my chest rumbled with pure agitation. “I meant no offense.”
She faced forward and kept her eyes on the road.
“So you aren’t going to tell me?” I was pushing my luck and needed to keep myself in check, but the more she didn’t answer, the more irritated I became. How did I know he didn’t want to hook up with her again? That shouldn’t matter either, but it mattered to me.
“I don’t understand why you care.”
“I’m not jealous, if that’s what you’re worried about.” The second I said it, I knew it was a lie. I felt the despair in the pit of my stomach, a shadow of what I felt when I saw Rae with Zeke. It was small, nearly insignificant. But it was there.
“Then why are you so curious?”
“The more you don’t answer the question, the more I think you have something to hide.”
She turned to me with a fiery gaze, full of menace. But she just looked cuter when she was angry. “I thought we weren’t going to interrogate each other.”
“And I thought we were going to be friends? Don’t friends talk? Tell each other stuff?”
When she realized I was right, she cooled off. “I’m sorry…I’m way too defensive sometimes.”
“No kidding…”
She narrowed her eyes in offense.
I smiled then gripped her thigh so she knew I was kidding. “I like it when you get angry…you’re sexy.”
“I’m sexy when I’m pissed?” she asked incredulously.
“Yeah. I’m hoping you’ll give me a good slap.”
“I can’t tell if you’re kidding.”
I gave her a smoldering look as I gripped her thigh. “Because I’m not.”
She eyed me with slightly parted lips and bright eyes. When she licked her lips quickly, I knew she was thinking about the tension that just entered the car. It was searing hot like we were both being branded with a hot iron.
If there was somewhere to pull over for a quick fuck, I’d do it.
She reached across the center divider then unbuttoned my jeans and pulled my zipper down.
I took a deep breath because I knew what was coming next.
She yanked down the front so my cock popped out and rested against my stomach.
She leaned over and took my length into her mouth, taking it like a pro just like last time.
With one hand on the wheel, I used the other to shove up her dress and pull her panties to the side. I sucked my fingers before I shoved them inside her wet pussy, greeted by the moisture I was used to feeling. I fingered her as she sucked me off. We had another fifteen minutes until we arrived at the restaurant.
And it would be a great fifteen minutes.