Friday, for some godforsaken reason, the first graders wanted to play dodgeball again. I truly didn’t understand it. Maybe their exposure to violent video games had given them a thirst for blood. Whatever the reason, I couldn’t say I was as happy to play as they were because after their begging me to join them, the minute I stepped out onto the playing field, I was nailed by twelve balls, all but two getting me in the head. Fun.
That night as I lay in bed, all I could think about was Ryker. I wondered if he’d won his match, wondered if he really missed me, wondered if we could be together and last.
And that’s when my phone chimed and I smiled.
Text Message—Fri, Feb 20, 11:34 p.m.
Ryker: Hey, cara… you awake?
God, he could be so sweet.
Text Message—Fri, Feb 20, 11:34 p.m.
Me: Hi, handsome… I am…
Text Message—Fri, Feb 20, 11:34 p.m.
Ryker: How’d today go?
Text Message—Fri, Feb 20, 11:34 p.m.
Me: The bloodthirsty 1st graders chose dodgeball & talked me into playing. I think I have 12 knots on my head
Text Message—Fri, Feb 20, 11:35 p.m.
Ryker: Did they knock any sense into you? ;)
I chuckled.
Text Message—Fri, Feb 20, 11:35 p.m.
Me: Yeah, I think maybe they did ;) Did you win?
Text Message—Fri, Feb 20, 11:35 p.m.
Ryker: Good. I did. Finally got a fucking pin. It felt good.
Text Message—Fri, Feb 20, 11:36 p.m.
Me: Yay! Good for you! Congratulations!
Text Message—Fri, Feb 20, 11:36 p.m.
Ryker: Can I call you?
Text Message—Fri, Feb 20, 11:36 p.m.
Me: Yes
My phone rang five seconds later.
“Hey,” I answered.
“Hey.”
“Where are you?”
“Charter bus, just went through Portland.”
“Dang. That’s three more hours until you’re home!”
“It’ll be almost four hours total.”
“Did you leave this morning?”
“No, we took off around one yesterday. Stayed overnight.”
“Ah, okay. Well, at least you got rest last night before your match today, huh?”
“Yeah.”
He sounded really tired.
“Are you able to sleep on the bus?” I asked.
“Not really. I’ve got my own seat but you know how it is. Even with the seat back, it’s still not very comfortable.”
Boy, did I know. Basketball is a long season and riding in busses and vans gets very tiresome very fast.
“Yeah.”
“So…” I heard him cough nervously. “Are you, uh, doing anything tomorrow night?”
Tomorrow. Saturday. All I had planned was a whole lot of nothing. But should I tell him this making myself look like a loser or make something up pretending I was busy.
I decided I wasn’t playing the game anymore and answered honestly.
“No, I’m not.”
“Would you like to go to dinner with me? Maybe a movie afterward?”
I heard the quake in his voice. He was nervous and it was the cutest thing ever.
“I’d love to.”
Hearing his huge sigh of relief had me biting my lips to keep from chuckling.
“Good,” he said through his sigh.
“Yeah. Good.”
“Francesca?”
“Yes?”
“I’ve missed you.” His voice was deep and rumbly and I closed my eyes letting what he said flow over me.
“I’ve missed you too,” I whispered.
“I was an idiot.” I bit my lip. “You can agree,” he said with a snort.
I chuckled. “Well, I won’t disagree. How about that?”
“God. It’s so good to be talking to you again,” he said behind another sigh.
We talked for the rest of his trip, him telling me stories about him and his brothers growing up, me telling him about growing up in Texas then moving here and meeting Sharee and Gladys. We talked about our majors and what we wanted for our futures. I ultimately wanted to become an English professor either Hallervan or UDub but I wasn’t going to be picky as long as it was somewhere I liked. He told me he wanted to coach wrestling at the collegiate level but didn’t care where either as long as it was at a decent school.
We talked until the bus got into Seattle.
“I’ll call you later and let you know what time I’m picking you up, okay?” he said.
“’Kay.”
“Get some rest, baby. G’night.”
“’Night, Ryker.”
~*~*~*~
“Where are my strappy, black sandals?” I shrieked as I crawled around on the floor of my closet digging through too many pairs of shoes.
“My, my. Aren’t we the nervous one?” Sharee asked from my doorway.
I sat back on my haunches and looked to see her swinging my shoes from her finger.
“I borrowed them a while back, remember?” She came into my room handing them to me then flopped on my bed. “That dress is hot!”
I turned and looked at the back in my wall mirror. “I’m not wearing a bra and I forgot to get a stick-on bra. You sure it’s not too slutty?”
“That’s what I like about it,” she replied with a laugh. At my panicked look she laughed even more. “I’m just teasing. It’s gorgeous. You’re gorgeous. Ryker’s gonna flip out when he sees you.”
I checked the dress out again making sure she was right. It was a black bodycon dress I’d picked up when we’d gone shopping several weekends ago and I thought it was totally cute. It had a high neck in front, long sleeves and the hem hit me mid-thigh. But the draped open back that ended at my waist was what I loved. It was totally hot and made me feel sexy. Well, that and the thigh highs and lacy thong I was wearing.
I slipped on my sandals, buckling them at the side and looked in the mirror again.
“Perfect,” Sharee shared. “Your makeup is great, all evening dramatic, and your hair’s stunning with all the curls. Every man in the restaurant won’t be able to keep his eyes off you.”
“I’m only worried about one man,” I mumbled, smoothing the dress down my thighs.
And speaking of, right then there was a knock on the door.
“I’ll get it. You go do your lip gloss then you can have a grand entrance.”
Eep!
I rushed to my bathroom as she left my room to get the door. As I applied more gloss, I heard her whistle and tell Ryker that he cleaned up nicely. With one last glance in the mirror, I blew out a breath then going through my room, I picked up the shiny black clutch I’d set out before going out to the living room.
Holy Mary on a motorcycle. The moment I laid eyes on Ryker, I stopped dead in my tracks. Dear sweet Jesus, he looked good. Black slacks, slate blue button up with a navy tie and black wingtip boots. Damn.
“You guys just gonna stare at each other all night or you going to dinner?” Sharee asked with a snort.
Ryker’s eyes were all over me, moving from the toes of my strappy five-inch heels up to my hair then back down again. “You’re stunning.”
I smiled. “Thank you. You look hot!” I blurted and felt my face flush.
“You can say that again,” Sharee murmured.
“Ready?” Ryker asked walking over to help me put on my black wool coat that hit just below my knees.
“I am,” I said looping my arm through his.
“You guys have fun!” Sharee said as we headed out the door. “And make sure to do everything I’d do and then some,” she called after me making me turn and scowl at her while Ryker chuckled.
He was driving a midnight blue sedan and held the door for me. “Who’s car is this?” I asked.
“My mom’s. I didn’t think you’d want to try getting in and out of the Mustang in a dress since it’s so low to the ground.” He winked after helping me in then shut the door going around and getting in on the driver’s side.
“Where are we going?”
“Mom and Dad told me about this Italian place, you do like Italian, right?”
“Ryker. What’s my last name?” I said with a giggle.
“Oh, yeah,” he answered with a snort. “So my parents recommended we order the tasting menu if you’d like that.”
“That sounds great.”
He kept looking at me as he drove making me squirm a bit in my seat, pulling my dress down at the thigh and adjusting the neckline until I finally looked at him and asked, “What?”
“Can’t keep my eyes off you, Francesca. You’re fucking beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I whispered shyly.
He reached over for my hand, bringing it up to brush his lips over the back of it before resting our clasped hands on his thigh.
I sighed in contentment finally feeling some peace after being so at odds with myself the past several weeks. Right then, driving to the restaurant, I knew that was where I was supposed to be at that very moment in time and with that very man.
~*~*~*~
The restaurant was the most romantic place I’d ever been. The tables all had a single curved booth, so we sat close together looking at our menus, mostly for the wine choices since we’d decided on the tasting menu. We settled on a very nice sauvignon blanc that would go well with the seafood we’d chosen.
As we waited for each course to come, we chatted comfortably about school, his wrestling, my basketball, the weather, how we thought the Mariners would do. The last made me laugh and I had to explain to him about the Mariners being my dad’s fallback conversation when things got uncomfortable.
And in the midst of dinner, it suddenly came to me that Mrs. B had been right all along. Ryker and I had become friends after all, which had been the missing element at the beginning. I mean, I’d jumped in the sack with him without even knowing who he really was, and vice versa, so we’d gone about things backwards and had gotten hurt in the meantime. I’d pushed to know things that really weren’t any of my business at that time because we hadn’t known each other. I just hoped he’d feel comfortable enough to share with me now so that we could move forward.
~*~*~*~
“Holy fuck that’s good,” Ryker murmured as he tasted one of the five desserts that had been brought out.
I laughed because it all was seriously so good.
“Try this,” he said, holding his fork out to me with the dessert he’d been eating on it.
I leaned over, opening my mouth and closing it over his fork and pulling back releasing his fork to taste what he was giving me.
I closed my eyes and moaned. “God, that is good.” When he didn’t say anything, I opened my eyes to see him staring at my mouth, his golden eyes glowing with lust.
His eyes slid up to hold mine as he put his hand on my thigh under the table, his fingers working to slowly move my dress up. When he got to the lace of my thigh high he groaned. “It’s been pure fuckin’ torture, I want you to know,” he leaned down and whispered in my ear as his fingers flirted with the edge of my stocking.
“What has?” I whispered back.
“Seeing you every day and not being able to touch you.”
Our waiter came to the table and I sat up quickly but Ryker kept his hand where it was, clutching my thigh hard because my movement had pushed me forward and his fingers were touching my center now. It took everything I had not to let out a moan when he glided a finger over me.
“Will there be anything else, sir?” the waiter asked.
Ryker looked at me, his finger still moving (gah!) and asked, “Is there anything else you need, baby?”
His eyes were hot on me as I answered, “No, I think we’re finished here, thank you.” I looked up at the waiter and smiled holding in a gasp when Ryker’s finger slipped under the lacy fabric of my thong and he slid the tip inside me.
“I’ll bring your check,” the waiter said, giving a nod before leaving.
“Oh, my God,” I breathed out. I moved a hand down and covered his, trying to pull it away from me. “Ryker, stop,” I said under my breath.
“How wet are you for me, Francesca?” he whispered in my ear now circling his thumb on my clitoris.
Dear God. I could’ve come from his sexy voice alone. I closed my eyes and leaned against him, my breathing getting harder with each passing moment.
“If I dipped my fingers in, would I have something to lick off them?” he cajoled, his voice all gravelly.
Shit.
My breathing was heavy and my hand tightened on his. “Please,” I begged him to stop.
He kissed the side of my head and removed his hand, pushing my dress down in the process. He clasped his hands on the table in front of him, his pointer finger staying up, then leaning forward slowly, he opened his mouth moving it down to take his finger inside it, dragging his teeth down to the first knuckle before closing his mouth around it and sucking on his way up.
I watched in fascination as he did this, the spasms in my womb making me clamp my legs together tightly as I tried fending off a damned orgasm.
He looked my way with a smirk knowing exactly what I was doing because my breathing had become erratic.
“Stop it!” I hissed through gritted teeth, my eyes pleading with him because I really didn’t want to come in front of all these people and make a spectacle of myself. God!
He chuckled darkly and I socked him in the ribs making him grunt then laugh even harder.
“Just wait until I get you home,” I threatened.
“Can’t wait,” he fired back as he pulled his wallet out of his inside jacket pocket and handed his credit card to the waiter who returned shortly with the receipt. Ryker signed then slid out of booth holding his hand out to help me. And we were out of there in a flash.
~*~*~*~
On the drive home, I got him back by reaching over and unzipping his slacks snaking a hand inside to stroke him.
What really got him was when I unbuckled my seatbelt and leaned over to take his length in my mouth.
“Ah, fuck me,” he groaned as I rolled my tongue over his tip then sucking hard, moved my mouth down slowly as far as I could then did the same on the way up. “Francesca, stop,” he ordered when we came to a stop. I kept going because he’d tortured me in the same delicious way and this was his payback. “I’m not fucking kidding. Stop now! My mom’s coming toward the car.”
Fuck.
Fuck!
I jerked my head up quickly watching as he tucked himself back in while I pretended to be looking at a spot on his tie.
He rolled his window down. “Hey, Ma. What’s up?” he asked innocently.
“Just thought I’d drive the Mustang over so you didn’t have to go all the way to the house,” Mrs. Powers said.
“Good idea.” Ryker looked at me and bugged out his eyes instantly making me huff out a laugh. “Let’s get out, baby, and you can meet my ma.”
Yay. Meeting the mother.
He rolled his window up, turning off the ignition then got out and came around to help me. His mom had walked around too, so as soon as I got out, she sucked in a breath and put her hands to her cheeks.
“Oh, my word! You’re beautiful! You must be Francesca!” she said, moving in to grab me for a hug.
“Hello, Mrs. Powers,” I replied, hugging her right back.
She pulled away still holding onto my forearms looking me over. Glancing at Ryker, she scolded, “She’s so much prettier than you described!”
He’d talked about me to his mom? Wow.
“Hard to describe this kinda beauty, Ma.”
And now I was blushing at being the center of attention.
“Thank you. And you’re gorgeous, Mrs. Powers.” And she was. I wasn’t saying that to suck up to her. She had the same golden eyes that Ryker and his brothers had, her skin the same olive tone, and her hair the same caramel color.
“Oh, I like her, Ryker,” she said with a chuckle. “Thank you, Francesca. That’s very sweet.”
“Okay, I’m heading out. Don’t forget to dust tomorrow.” She raised an eyebrow at her son. “I’ll bring over Uncle Jack’s brisket for you and Loch also. That man. He thinks Gable and Zeke are still here and makes way too much!” She looked at me. “It was very nice meeting you, Francesca.”
“Nice meeting you too,” I answered with a smile.
“Be good,” she said to her son, tiptoeing up to kiss his cheek then got in her car and backed out of the drive and left.
I looked sheepishly at Ryker after she left. “Sorry.”
He snorted. “Sorry?”
I shrugged. “Yeah, sorry.”
“Get your gorgeous ass inside and I’ll let you make it up to me.” He swatted me on the butt making me yelp as I walked to the porch.
“You’ll let me? Honey, you’ll be begging me here pretty soon,” I retorted.
“Oh, someone’ll be begging, all right,” he answered, putting his arm all the way around my neck to where my head was in the crook of it, and kissed the side of my head.