Savor (Bad Boy Rockers 4)

“I’m good to head back. I just wanted to have a look around and we’ve done that, and I’ve managed to buy a few trinkets, so I’m happy.”

The server arrives with our drinks and Ryder gives our food order. I look out of the window and watch as the snow starts to fall lightly.

I’m going to miss this when we fly back to Alabama in a few days. Here it’s just us, and the peace and quiet. Back there, we have to deal with Ryder’s past, which always causes worry to cross my chest at the thought.

“Hey.” Ryder takes my hand and slides his fingers between mine. “What’s causing the frown?”

I open my mouth and just stop short of lying to him. He needs my honesty. “I wish we could stay here.” I smile before I clarify, “Here in Vermont. We don’t have anything going on, but as soon as we go back, we have all the same problems.”

He sighs and his fingers tighten around mine. His eyes fill with sadness but I still see the love in them. “Dahlia, I wish we could stay as well but the problems are still with us, no matter where we are. I wish they weren’t, and I wish I’d done something before I met you so that we wouldn’t have this hanging over our heads now.” He kisses my fingers. “I hate knowing you’re worrying.”

“We’ll be fine . . . won’t we?” I ask, feeling tears threatening to fall.

“You’re the only one I love, Dahlia.” He leans over the table and places a sweet kiss to my lips.

“I know.” I smile as he takes his seat again. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I had to go and think about everything right now. I told myself to keep it all back home, but it just kind of popped back into my head along with all my insecurities.”

“You don’t have anything to be sorry for. I’m the one who’s sorry because it’s my baggage we’re dealing with. But it’ll all be sorted before too long.” He smiles and all his feelings for me are reflected, clear as day, in his eyes.

I squeeze his hand while returning his smile, and just like that everything is all right in my world.

The server delivering our food puts an end to my thoughts.

My stomach growls when I inhale the aroma of the bowl of chili and the scrumptious fries.

“Let’s eat. I know I’m hungry now and this smells so good.” He smiles before he digs into the dish of hot chili.

Silently agreeing with him, I pick my fork up and stick it into the chili before savoring the flavor, which burst on my taste buds.

“This really is good,” Ryder comments, smiling around his mouth of food and follows it with a wink. “Fuel up, baby. I have big plans for when we get back.” He frowns. “How you feeling?”

I stop eating for a minute as I think about his question. Why do I get the feeling he’s talking about between my legs? I smirk. “You’re seriously not asking me that question in the middle of lunch?”

“I’ve asked,” he gives me a cocky grin, “so please answer. I don’t want to get worked up when you’re still sore.”

“I’m good.”

After scooping up more chili, I tease, “There’s one way to make sure I’m good, and that’s to investigate with your tongue.”

His hand, which is holding a couple of fries on the way to his mouth freezes, so I continue, “You know that makes me wet and causes an ache deep inside. It leaves me craving your swollen dick and begging to have it inside me to put the fire out.” The fries drop to the table.

“Fuck!” He gulps and grabs some napkins to clean up the mess on the table. They’d been coated with the sour cream and chive dip that arrived with them. I smile at his obvious discomfort.

“I take it you liked that idea.”

He glowers across the table. “If you carry on, we’ll be finding a hotel here in Burlington.”

I snicker and continue eating, as though I’m not affected by my own words. Little does he know, the idea of a hotel is growing on me. The only thing with that idea is I’d miss the cabin if we stayed in town. I’ve started thinking of it as ours. If only.

“You like that idea?” Ryder grins.

I roll my eyes. “I do, but unless we get snowed in here, we’re not doing that.” I finish up my chili bowl and, placing my spoon back inside ready for the server to remove, I hold his gaze. “I want you to make love to me in front of the fire in the cabin.”

Ryder slides his hand across the table and wraps his fingers around mine. “Then that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to go slow . . . and deep.”

My heart pounds and I’m lost in his words. There could be a tornado heading right for us and I wouldn’t give a damn at this moment in time.

Which makes me wish we didn’t have to fly home in a couple of days.