Chapter Fourteen
Ryan gazed up at the ceiling, catching his breath while savoring the adrenaline now pumping through him.
Holy fuck. He reached over and pulled Sarah back down into his arms. “That was—”
“Yeah, it was,” Sarah agreed before he could finish his sentence. She wiggled out of his arms, pulling his white sheet over her. “I can’t believe you’ve never told me how skilled you are in this department.”
He sat up and propped his elbow up. “I’m not sure that’s appropriate office conversation.” He reached over and brushed her bangs off her face. God, he couldn’t wait to be inside her again.
“I’m so glad you came out of the restaurant when you did.”
His heart beat faster, more than a little relieved to hear her admission. “Me, too.”
She stretched her arms in front of her. “Now that we’ve gotten this thing between us out of our system, we can get back to normal.”
Rewind. “Normal? What do you mean by ‘normal?’”
“You know. Like you said back in the restaurant’s parking lot. This doesn’t have to be weird if we don’t let it.”
Was she serious? As he watched her move off the bed and slip on the red bra and lacy red panties he’d slid off her, he had a feeling she was. He raked a hand through his hair. “I had a great time tonight,” was all he could say.
“I did, too, but we’re not going to let this be awkward on Monday, right?” she asked, stepping into her red dress.
He sat up, trying to understand what she was saying. Was that her only worry? That they’d be tiptoeing around the fact that they’d had sex when they bumped into each other in the hallway? “No, it won’t. We don’t have to bring it up at all.”
“Great.” She reached behind her back and started to zip her dress, her mouth open as if she was about to say something, but she quickly shut it.
If she brought up her plan, he was going to lose his shit.
How was it only an hour ago she was standing in that spot, letting him run his mouth down her body, and now, her only concern seemed to be how they would act at work. Flabbergasted, he said the only thing he could, “We both got what we wanted.”
“Exactly.” She came over to the bed and turned around. “Can you help me with my zipper?”
His chest hardened. They were really going to pretend this didn’t happen. Frustrated, he scooted over to her. How could she treat what they’d done tonight so casually, and why was she in such a rush to leave?
He gave himself a mental swat and reached for her zipper. They’d had sex. It had been great. She wanted to move on.
There was only one problem: he didn’t. Shit, at the very least, he wanted to do it again.
“You don’t have to go.” He tugged up the dress zipper, resting his free hand on the small of her back. “It’s late. I could take you home in the morning.”
“And run into your sister on the way to the bathroom? I don’t think so.” She laughed. “I can’t risk her not wanting to bake me cupcakes anymore.”
“Somehow I think she’ll still send me to work with a container of cupcakes on Monday.”
“Chocolate with those white-chocolate sprinkles?”
“I’ll place the order.”
She slipped on one stiletto, then the second. “I’ll just call an Uber.”
He moved off his bed and slid on the closest pair of jeans, both pissed and disappointed. He picked up her coat off the back of his desk chair, but flung it on the bed.
The hell with her leaving. He took her in his arms and lifted her chin with his finger, bringing his mouth down on hers. “Stay,” he whispered.
She pressed her palm into his chest. “My ride is going to be here soon. I really should go wait downstairs.”
“Okay,” he said flatly, trying to mask his disappointment. If she wanted to leave, he wasn’t going to beg. He picked up her coat from the bed and helped her into it.
“Thank you.”
Ryan exited his bedroom and flipped on the living-room lights, not sure what to say. This wasn’t the way things were supposed to end. He’d thought his legs would be tangled in hers all night. He should be halfway to bringing her to her next orgasm by now. Damn, he’d even planned to make her pancakes loaded with peanut butter in the morning.
When he reached the door, he turned around and met her eyes. “I guess I’ll see you on Monday,” he said, at a total loss for words.
“Definitely, and don’t forget the holiday party on Tuesday.”
“Right. The party.” The last thing on his mind.
“You’ve got three days to get your Secret Santa gifts.”
He smiled halfheartedly. “I better get on it.”
Sarah glanced down at her phone. “My Uber should be near.”
“I’ll walk you down.” He opened the door, but she motioned him to stop.
“It’s cold. You stay inside. I’ll see you Monday.”
They stood for a few awkward seconds. Kissing her good-bye didn’t seem right given the fact she’d basically admitted this was only a casual hookup that wouldn’t be happening again.
He put his arms around her for a quick hug, leaving a bit of space between them. “Bye, Sarah,” he said and unlocked the door. “If you wouldn’t mind sending me a text that you got home safe, I’d appreciate it.”
She smiled. “I will. Bye, Ryan.”
Once she was gone, he moved back to his bedroom and flopped onto his bed, disappointment racing through him. It was just sex. So what if it was mind blowing? Get over it, because it isn’t going to happen again.
He’d gotten exactly what he’d wanted when he’d rushed out of the restaurant.
But as he pulled up the sheet, inhaling her delicious sugary scent swirling around him, he realized he hadn’t gotten exactly what he wanted.
Not if she still wanted Logan.
…
Sarah propped herself against the door and let out a long breath.
Had she really had sex with Ryan?
When she’d said yes earlier in the week to Logan’s invitation to dinner, never in her wildest imagination had she thought it would end with her standing outside Ryan’s front door at midnight, and everything that had happened in between.
Not at all.
How could Ryan hug her good-bye so formally when an hour ago he was thrusting into her body, giving her singlehandedly the best orgasm of her life?
She closed her eyes, remembering the feel of his warm hands on her body, raw desire in his eyes.
She’d never had sex quite like she’d just had with Ryan. The other guys she’d been with had been quick in bed, but Ryan… Ryan was thorough. It was as if he knew everything she wanted and everything she needed. The way he’d taken his time slowly seducing her—every inch of her. It had been incredible.
That they’d teased each other and shared a couple of laughs in the moment had been new to her, too, and she’d loved every minute of it. She’d never been with a man who didn’t race to the end. No. Ryan had seemed to want her to savor each and every sensation.
Her body had surrendered to everything he’d given.
And for God’s sake, what about when he’d gotten out of bed? He’d known exactly what he’d been doing when he’d slipped on what had to be the sexiest pair of jeans on the planet. A shirtless Ryan in worn denim—yeah, he’d still been seducing her even after the sex had been over.
Damn those rock-solid abs.
It was so unfair of him, and for him. He hadn’t even let her return the need-anticipating favor. Tonight had been unmistakably about fulfilling her needs, but what about his? She bit down on her lip and pushed off the door. Maybe she’d rushed out too quickly.
He’d asked her to stay…
She turned and fisted her hand to knock, but stopped. No good would come of her going back in for round two. Her heart was on the line.
It was why she’d beaten him to the punch, brushing off what they’d done as “getting it out of their systems.”
It would hurt too much for him to tell her again he didn’t do commitment, when this time, he’d mean with her.
What they’d done had meant way more to her than scratching some itch. He’d made her feel both vulnerable and powerful at the same time. Like she was the reason—the only reason—he’d wanted to take his time and be so selfless.
However, when he’d said that there was no reason to bring up what they’d done, adding they’d gotten what they’d wanted, she sure as hell wasn’t going to show her disappointment. There was no way she would admit that what had happened was so much more to her than a simple curiosity fulfilled.
Shaking her head, she buttoned up her coat. Ryan wasn’t looking for anything but a good time. She knew that.
He’d simply given her the Fifth-Quarter Experience she’d asked for.