It always jarred me when he said make love. As sweet and pleasurable as this was, I knew it wasn’t love. At least for him. Did he care for me? Yes, that I was sure of. But not love. If he loved me, he’d have asked me to marry him now that I was having his child. Of course, I’d have said no. That would be too much upheaval and things to consider. Plus, he’d only ask be
cause of the baby. We seemed to get along all right at the moment, especially naked in bed. But I understood myself well enough that at some point he’d get frustrated and resentful. Just as I would by his easy-going, come-what-may way of going through life.
“Fuck me,” I said.
There was a quick flash of something in his eyes that I couldn’t quite read. It wasn’t desire. Was it annoyance?
Before I could try to process it more, he was kissing me. He hooked his hand under my knee, lifting it up and opening me. He slid in, slowly. Oh so slowly.
“Do you feel me, Katrina?” He whispered in my ear.
“Yes.” I clung to his back.
“I’m a part of you.” I wasn’t sure if he meant his dick or the baby. Both were true.
He finally reached the hilt, and I moaned and arched at the sensation of him filling me so fully. He started to move, again, so slowly it was maddening even as it was gloriously pleasurable.
“Do you feel me?” he asked again, this time his voice strained.
“Yes.” I arched, reaching for pleasure. Wanting only to feel. To feel him inside me. To make all the worry and fear disappear, even if just for this short time.
He groaned, and levered up on his hands, picking up the pace as his own need urged him on. Together, we moved, up and down, in and out, like a perfect dance. We were so different in so many ways, except in this. Our bodies fit like they’d been made for each other. Like this, we were the same.
“Aw, fuck…” he growled.
He was close. I could feel the tension in his shoulders. His face contorted into that mixture of pleasure and pain as his need grew. He was so handsome. So sexy. So sweet. I wished I could keep him.
“Come with me, Katrina.” He reached between our bodies and rubbed my clit with his fingers, effectively launching me to the heavens.
I arched again, crying out his name as the sweetest pleasure once again flooded my body.
There was some truth about the idea of things being darkest before the dawn. When I woke the next morning, I didn’t feel quite as freaked out by my unplanned pregnancy as I had the night before. Then again, I’d only just woken up. Given a little time, I’m sure my brain would have me freaking out again.
I was alone in bed, but I could smell breakfast cooking. Ryder was up and making me food again. I smiled. He did take good care of me.
I rose from the bed and looked for something to put on. I found a robe and swung it around my back and slipped my hands through the sleeves. The motion blew a small paper off Ryder’s dresser, so I reached down to pick it up.
It was Erica Edmond’s business card. Immediately my belly clenched with jealousy. I turned it over and saw her phone number scrawled on the back. Anger rose up like lava from a volcano. Jesus, our bet wasn’t even done and he was already scouting the next woman. I should have known. How stupid was I?
I skittered around the room picking up all my stuff. My bag was in the other room, so once I found what I’d left in Ryder’s room, I’d go there and pack up. It was time to leave.
The door opened and Ryder poked his head in. “Good, you’re up. I’ve got breakfast. Want me to serve you in bed?” He frowned. “Something wrong?”
“No,” I said in a clipped tone. “Just making room for Erica Edmonds.” Where were my panties? I lifted the quilt away so I could look under the bed.
“What are you talking about?” His voice was calm, but had that tone like he was thinking, “here we go again.” Well yeah, buddy, here we go again because you’re a horndog douchebag.
“That!” I said pointing to the card I dropped back on his dresser.
He looked at it. “It’s her business card. So?”
“So?” I stopped, jammed my fists on my hips and glared at him. “You couldn’t even wait until this bet was over to start wooing her.”
“I’m not wooing her.”
“Her number is on the back. And I know she wants you. She told me so.”
He frowned. “What? When?”