No, it was because she had the beer and the TV, and the game started in four minutes, he silently argued with himself. And he continued to stick to that as they sat on her couch and enjoyed the food and drink and first five innings of the game.

“Ah, come on, ump.” She shot to her feet. “He was out. Are you kidding me?” Her eyes blazed as she turned to him, mouth open, brow furrowed. “Do you believe that?

What he couldn’t believe was how strong the urge was to pull her onto his lap and suck her full lower lip into his mouth. She must’ve read some of it in his eyes, because her demeanor changed from outraged to aroused.

Her breathing changed, too, as if breath clogged her throat. She sank back down on the couch and blinked at him. “Ryder.” She cleared her throat. “You shouldn’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you want to ravage me from head to toe.”

A smile tugged his lips, as he lost his mind and reached for her. “I was thinking toe to head.”

“That’s different then,” she said, reaching for him too, gaze locked on his mouth.

Once again, he could tell she wanted it on hers. And because that was exactly what he’d wanted, he ignored the alarm bells going off in his head, and closed the remaining distance between them.

Her flowery scent filled his nostrils, increasing the heat already coursing through his body. Sliding his hands up into her hair, he held her where he wanted her and skimmed his mouth over her jaw, grazing her skin with his teeth, before capturing her sigh in a kiss he’d wanted to take for days.

Lazy, deep, tasting her in slow, thorough sweeps that had her trembling in his arms. He missed this. Missed the crazy, all-consuming out-of-control need she invoked, and the way she responded in kind. Her hands were in his hair now, and her tongue met his in a hungry, wild manner, driving him fucking insane. He had to be insane to be kissing her again.

Christ…what was he doing?

Stiffening, he broke the kiss, pushed her aside and stood. “Damn, Sophia. I’m sorry.” He backed up a few feet, and worked to get his breathing under control. “I shouldn’t have done that. I came here to watch the game, not…”

“What?” She rose to her feet and held his gaze. “Not kiss me like you can’t get enough.”

He nodded. “Yeah. That.”

Her dress was askew, a good portion of one of her gorgeous breasts bared where his hands longed to stray.

“It’s funny,” she said, regaining his attention. “Never took you for a coward.”

A coward?

Frowning, he reeled back. “What are you talking about?”

She folded her arms across her chest, plumping up her delicious curves. The lower part of his anatomy was still cocked. Now it was loaded.

“You’re running away again.” Her shrewd gaze locked onto him.

He narrowed his eyes. “Is that what you think I’m doing?”

“Aren’t you?”

“No.” He thrust a hand through his hair. “I’m trying to save you.”

She reeled back. “Save me from what?”

“Me.”

Her features softened, and she moved close, with a determined gleam in her eyes. “Ryder?”

“Yeah?” He tried to step back, but an armchair prevented his escape.

“I’ll let you in on a little secret.” Her palms met his chest, and his heartbeat thundered in his ears.

“What?”

“I don’t want to be saved from you.”

His heart rocked in his chest. Her confession made it hard for him to remain strong. Even his body was already caving, because his hand rose to brush a strand of hair back from her face. “Sophia, I’m not a forever kind of guy.”

Instead of stiffening, or pushing him away, she smiled at him, and spread her fingers on his chest. “That’s good, since I’m leaving here in a little over two months.”

“What are you saying?” He needed to be sure, because his interpretation sounded too good to be true.

“I’m not looking for forever, either.” Again, she smiled, but this time, she emphasized her words by rocking against him. “Is there anything else we need to clear up before you kiss me like you can’t get enough?”

The last of his misgivings disappeared under the sexy invitation in her eyes. “Nope.”

He cupped her face and gave her what she wanted, what he wanted, too. Hungrily, and deeply, he feasted on her taste, sweeping his tongue inside her mouth to reacquaint himself with her essence.

She moaned and slid her hands under his shirt, stroking his abs in soft, circular motions. Damn, that felt good. And when she unhooked his jeans and slid the zipper down, he groaned, needing to feel her hands around him.

But not yet. He’d never last.

Releasing her lips, he dragged his mouth down her throat, while his hands made quick work of her dress, tugging it all the way down her trembling curves. He stepped back and watched the material fall to her feet, and everything inside him tightened at once.

She kicked off her sandals, and wiggled out of her lacy underwear, until she stood before him, completely naked.

“God, you’re so beautiful, Sophia.” Even more than he’d remembered.

He ran his hands up the curve of her waist, across her ribs to brush his palms over her pert nipples.

“Ryder…” Her voice was low, strained, needy.

So was he. All of him.

Dipping down, he captured a beauty in his mouth, while rolling the other between his thumb and forefinger.

She gripped his head and cried out, pressing her body into him. He switched sides, enthralled by her moans and the way her breath hitched in her throat. If it weren’t for the need ripping through him, he’d gladly continue to drive her wild. Drive them both wild.

But he needed more. Needed to taste her.

He dropped to his knees and kissed a path over her quivering belly, while he slid his hands up her legs. “You might want to sit for this,” he said, gently pushing her down into the arm chair.

Caressing the soft skin behind her knees, he bent down to brush open-mouthed kisses up her inner thigh. She spread her legs, and the view took his breath. For the first time in his life, Ryder wasn’t sure he could hold on.

But he had to. He had to taste her. To make her cry out in a pleasure too strong to contain.

Using the pad of his finger, he stroked her center, finding her wet and ready, and his erection throbbed behind his zipper.

“Ryder,” she whispered, breathing already unsteady. “How soundproof are these walls?”

“Very. Besides, Mason’s condo is empty next door.” Anticipation upped his pulse, because he knew why she was asking.

Sophia gripped his shoulders and smiled. “Good, because I could never be quiet with you.”

“No need,” he murmured against her thigh, and holding her gaze, dark with need, he slid his finger inside.

She cried out and thrust forward. “I…I’m not going to last.”

“Good.” He slid his finger in and out. “Let me know how much you like it,” he urged, before placing his mouth on her too.

A low, sexy, sound ripped from her throat. “Yes. That’s g-good…so good.” Her grip on his shoulders tightened. “Don’t stop.”

Not an option.

She was fucking perfect. Her little moans, and loud cries, they all filled him with an inner peace he could never explain.

Changing the angle, he upped his strokes and watched her head fall back as she tightened around him and let out the sexiest, loud, needy moan he’d ever heard.

Clenching his jaw to keep from following her over, he prolonged her orgasm with a series of quicker strokes. When her cries eventually stopped, he slowed his thrusts, watching her come back to earth. Her body went limp and she slumped against the back of the chair.

She was magnificent.

He released her and stood to quickly shed the rest of his clothes.

“Wow, Ryder.” She sucked in a ragged breath, satisfaction glowing in her gaze. “That was even more intense than I remember.”

Fishing out a nearly expired condom from his jeans, he smiled down at her. “We’re nowhere near done.”