Everything about him is perfection. Even in my drunken fog I memorize every last inch of his delectable body. I’ll never see it again, so committing this all to memory is the last thing I will ever have from Ryker. The man I’ve fallen asleep thinking of and dreamt about for the past six months of my life. The only man to ever interest me this much.

A boyfriend, and an engagement, couldn’t get him out of my system. This is my last hope of finally being able to get on with my life. Or at the very least make him realize I am everything he wants. Not these nasty club skanks that hang around hoping for a quick fuck in the bathroom of the club or an accidental pregnancy. Why won’t he just keep me forever and forgo all those skanks? Doesn’t he feel what I feel when we’re in each other’s presence?

I know the answer to that question already. I’ve never been good enough for anyone to stick around. Not my father, not James. My own mother only selectively gives a shit. You would think a mother’s love for her child would be stronger than her love of revolving door dick.

I shouldn’t be thinking about everything else right now, I should just enjoy this moment. I get this one night with the only man I actually want. How did I even get here?

“Strip,” Ryker orders me like he is in charge. My eyebrows rise in question while a smile pulls at the corners of my mouth. I want to laugh; in fact in my drunken state it is taking everything inside me not to burst out laughing. I know he would turn me away. Kick my ass out, or even worse… call my sister Seven to come and pick me up and then my covert operation to get to Ryker would be blown.

My heart pounds against my chest like a horse in the Kentucky Derby. I can’t help it. Ryker is within reach for the first time ever. Everything I’ve pined after for months. The man I’ve thought about every time Pierce comes near me. He’s cheap substitution for the man I really want. Ryker.

“Did you hear me Princess? I said strip. Get naked. Take your clothes off. Now.” His tone is demanding now, no longer sweet and quiet like he was moments ago when he agreed to this crazy plan of mine. Can either of us really commit to a one-time thing? I know in the back of both of our minds we want this to be our forever except he is just too stubborn to admit it. And maybe so am I.

I slowly pull my ripped top off, discarding the small piece of white material on the floor. I drag my eyes from the floor to the bright blue eyes watching me. My small but round bare breasts are the focus of his attention. My thumbs hook in the waistband of my skirt and I push it down my legs, forgetting I skipped panties earlier in the evening, leaving me completely exposed to his sight. I feel vulnerable for the first time in so long.

“My god,” Ryker says with a growl, standing there just staring at me. I feel self-conscious. I always have when it comes to being naked in front of a man. And Ryker isn’t just a man to me. He is the man. The only man I give a shit what he think of me. I don’t try and cover up. I pull all the bravery within me to make my move.

“Like what you see?” I ask him with a wink. His eyes lazily make their way from my bare pussy to my breasts, and finally back to my eyes.

“You have another tattoo,” Ryker says as he takes a step toward me and traces the outline of the small angel wing on my hip. Of all things… that is what he focuses on?

“I do. How do you know about my other?” No one knows about the tattoo on the back of my neck. I’ve gone out of my way to keep it covered up since I got it. It is personal to me, not something I flash.

“I saw it when I watched you sleep.” He moves the hair from my nape, and traces the outline of the infinity tattoo. I close my eyes and soak in the feeling of his hands against my skin. The feeling alone sends a shiver through my being, goose bumps spread across my skin. Ryker chuckles at the reaction my body has to his touch.

I take a deep breath and hold it. Is this really happening? I feel his lips on my neck and I all but melt into his touch. I’m trying not to overthink everything that is happening, but it’s hard. So damn hard. I’ve dreamt about this every night since Ryker came to my rescue.

I’m so lost in my own thoughts, I am taken off guard when he picks me up and throws me over his shoulder. His long strides find the bed in only a few steps and he tosses me down like a rag doll. I can’t help but gasp and giggle as my ass bounces against the firm mattress.

Without missing a beat, Ryker is on the bed with me. The look in his eyes shows me exactly how hungry he is for me. The same hunger is matched within me, even if I am trying to hide it.

“Up the bed. Head on the pillow,” he commands. Hearing him boss me around only turns me on more. I shift to follow his orders.

“Close your eyes,” he whispers in my ear as his clothed body blankets mine. His hands grab my wrists and guide them above my head. Cold metal locks into place, trapping my wrists. My eyes fly open only to see Ryker smiling down at me. His perfect, panty-wetting smile teases me while handcuffs trap me to his bed, making me his prisoner.

“Something wrong, Princess?” he asks me.

“Handcuffs?”

“Only for now… I’ll free you. But there is something I want to do first.” His voice is husky and alluring, I’d let him do damn near anything now. Ryker’s body leaves the bed, and I can only watch him in awe. I can’t believe any of this is happening. It is amazing what a little bit of liquid courage will do for a girl. I just hope I remember this in the morning when I am sober and he is gone once again.

Ryker pulls his shirt off, exposing his tattooed chest and stomach. Every inch covered by some colorful picture. There’s some wording and symbols that must carry deep meaning to him. I can only wonder, what? His jeans hang low on his hips, exposing the waistband of his boxers. I might as well be drooling at this point. So much build up for this goddamn moment.

“I’m sorry, Princess… but this has to go.” Climbing onto the bed, he hovers over my body and pulls the engagement ring from my finger. I don’t blink an eye, because at the end of the day, I don’t think I even love Pierce. If I did… I wouldn’t be here right now doing any of this.

“I can’t look at that while I do this to you… I can’t have the reminder that you aren’t mine.” He slips the ring into the side pocket of my purse, and I only hope that I remember to put it back on later.

Fuck, this all makes me feel like a giant piece of shit. I guess in the long run, I am. I’m just broken and lost in life. I feel so all over the place, all of the time. I don’t know whether I am coming or going and any hope of figuring it out was lost once Ryker became a part of my life. He kicked the door open to a piece of my soul I never knew existed. Not even with James. It’s new and different. It’s exciting and forbidden. It’s that taboo romance all girls dream of with the bad boys, knowing at the end of the day it’s only going to fuck our world up more. But Jesus Christ if I am not determined to let this man fuck my whole life up. For better or for worse.

I close my eyes, and fight the tears threatening. The sting I have become so familiar with since that morning I woke up alone. I try and hide the emotion, but one thing is for sure… I’ll never be a poker player.

“You want this, yeah?” Ryker asks one last time. I nod, because the lump in my throat is too big to get any real words out. I want this. I want this for forever, but I’m not about to ruin the moment with my girly requests of commitment and devotion.

His hands gently spread my legs and his mouth kisses circles around my glistening wet pussy. He is teasing me, and I can’t watch. I close my eyes and just feel. Losing myself in the perfect sensations of his touch. His tongue swipes across the opening of my cunt, and I reach for anything to fist. My hands grasp the pillow under my head. I want to run my fingers through his short dark hair, guide his head as he feasts on my pussy. But I can’t because I’m trapped, restrained, and it is driving me insane.

“Open your eyes. Look at me. Watch me make this pussy mine,” Ryker says. His words vibrate through my body. Touching me somewhere far deeper than anyone has ever been able to reach.

“I’ve been dying to lick your pussy. It is as delicious as I imagined it would be.” The devilish smile on his wet lips stirs something deep within my soul.

“You’ve thought about this?” I whisper between ragged breaths.

“Every night since you slept in my arms, and probably every night from here on out,” Ryker admits before lowering his mouth back to my pussy. His mouth is absolute perfection. He teases my clit while slowly hitting my sweet spot with a single finger deep inside me. My chest heaves and my eyes slowly close as they roll into the back of my head. He is good. He is really good and it won’t be long until I am screaming his name, he is that damn good.

“Eyes on me, Lyric,” he commands me again, but my eyelids are so heavy.

“I’m trying… but… Oh… Fuck… right there.” I try to beg him not to stop, but the words won’t come out. I blink rapidly as white spots cloud my vision. Holy mother of everything holy…

“Oh my god. Shit! I’m gonna…” The waves of pleasure flow through my body as he continues to lick and suck on my clit, dragging my orgasm out. My eyes roll back into my head over and over again. My breathing quickens and a thin sheen of sweat covers my entire body.

I’ve never felt anything like this in my life. Nothing.

* * *

Minutes turn into hours, and after several mutually fulfilling orgasms we both drift to sleep. Very naked, and wrapped in each other’s arms. I sleep remarkably well, even better than the night Ryker held me all night after that shitty nightmare with a side of kidnapping. The comfort of his arms wrapped around me, and his legs pulling me flush to his body, eases every worry I have.

I blink my eyes open and peer at the digital clock next to the bed. It reads quarter to seven and it’s Saturday morning. I could slip out of here and back to my apartment without anyone noticing. These guys really aren’t before noon kind of people. I remove Ryker’s colorful arm from my waist, and slowly slide out of the bed. He doesn’t move, and a soft snore escapes him. I want to smile and laugh, but inside I am broken already and I haven’t even left his bedroom yet. I find my discarded clothes and quietly try and get dressed. I look like I had one hell of a night before I got here.

I wish I hadn’t drank as much as I did because the before portion of the evening is a giant blur. I don’t remember getting here, but I do remember every last thing that happened between Ryker and I. It is a memory I will never be able to let go of. It is a memory I will cherish for eternity.

I open the door slowly, padding my bare feet down the hallway to his front door and I slip out without being noticed. Instead of making my way to the elevator, I quickly make my way a couple doors down to Star’s penthouse. My big sister Seven’s best friend. I hope she can give me some clothes that don’t make me look like a beat up prostitute, then I can make my way home. I send up a quick prayer she will actually keep my secret because I don’t need anyone else asking questions about why I am in this situation.

Shit, will she even be awake? I think to myself before remembering the mass of small children she has these days. Star and her husband Chrome, the President of the MC Ryker belongs to, have started their own next generation of bikers with a brood of babies.

I look back at the door of Ryker’s penthouse and wipe a stray tear that forms in my eye. I shouldn’t be upset. I am the one who made the rules. I am the one who went to him with the stupid idea of one night. One night with Ryker will never be enough for me, but I have to stick to my word. I dig into the side pocket of my purse and pull out my diamond engagement ring and slide it back onto my left hand. The cool metal burns my skin and I wonder if I can really ever go back to the life I lived before this night.

Ryker treats himself like a piece of shit, but he will always be the white knight who came to my rescue when I needed him most. The sad fact is I will always need Ryker, no matter how far apart we drift.