Take the Bride (The Knight Brothers 1.5)

Turning on her side away from him, she punched the pillows and curled into the soft sheets. She was exhausted from the events of the day, which should be running through her head. The loss of the future she’d planned, the things at home waiting for her, presents to return, apologies to be made, boxes to unpack. But those things weren’t first and foremost on her mind.

Because when she breathed in deep, she smelled the musky scent of the man beside her. And whether it was her imagination or not, she imagined she could feel the warmth of him beside her. Her body was well aware of his presence, and her heart banged loudly in her chest, anxiety clawing at her, not because of what she’d lost but because of the possible reasons Ryder had objected at her wedding.

Like it or not, he was back in her life. She didn’t know what she’d be doing with him… and that was the real cause of the apprehension keeping her awake. Not the man shifting beside her, also unable to sleep.

* * * *

Ryder woke up to Sierra wrapped around him, her mostly naked body plastered to his, his cock hard, morning wood making itself known. It’d taken him forever to fall asleep last night. He was too aware of the woman curled away from him, trying her best to stick to her side of the bed. So he was shocked now that her head was in the crook of his arm, her hands on his chest, her knee hiked up over his legs.

When he heard a knock on the door, he assumed it was room service bringing breakfast. He slid out from beneath her, and though she shifted and moaned, winding herself around the pillow instead of him, she didn’t wake up.

The waiter set up their continental breakfast on the table before accepting a tip and leaving him alone. He took in the double coffee cups, the muffins and croissants and other baked goods, and headed back to see if Sleeping Beauty was awake.

He stepped over to the bed and eased himself down onto the mattress. The round shape was disconcerting. He settled back against the pillows, and no sooner had he relaxed than Sierra rolled back, positioning herself against him once more. They hadn’t slept in the same bed in the past. She’d been a senior in high school and her spending the night wasn’t an option. But when they’d lie outside in her backyard, this was the position she’d take.

Wrapping an arm around her, he closed his eyes and breathed in her sweet scent, different now but no less alluring. She appealed to him on many levels beyond sexual. Her sharp mind, her normally sweet personality, although he understood why she wasn’t treating him to that part of her now. She loved family the way he did, wanted similar things out of their future. He knew because she’d laid it all out for him once upon a time.

And he’d thrown it all away. For good reasons, but it didn’t make him feel any better or change their situation now.

He must have fallen back to sleep, and when he woke up, they were wound around each other still.

Sierra’s eyes opened wide and she attempted to pull away but he held on tight. “Don’t.”

With a resigned sigh, she laid her head against his chest. “What are we doing?” she asked him, voice calmer than yesterday.

She was obviously more relaxed and accepting of their situation than she’d been.

“We are exploring our options. Seeing what’s still between us.”

“We are?”

“You tell me.” He was putting out feelers, testing where she was when it came to him.

She swallowed hard, her throat moving against his skin. “I don’t know, Ryder. You can’t just interrupt my wedding and now say we’re going to see what’s still between us.”

At her unwillingness to fall in line with the plans he wanted, his heart kicked harder in his chest. “Tell me something.”

“Hmm?”

“I know I ruined your big day.” There was no getting past that. “But did I… I mean, were you really in love with him?”

It was a stupid question. On the one hand, she’d been in a wedding dress, ready to commit her life to the other man. On the other, she had gotten into the car with him, so Ryder held his breath for her answer.

“I was going to marry Jason.”

She pushed herself up and away from him, and he didn’t pull her back.

Yet.

“Yes, but what was between you? Were you in love?” he asked again, needing answers. He couldn’t keep her here just because he needed to see if there was a second chance for them. Not if she’d truly been in love with someone else.

She blew out a long breath. “Right before the doors opened, Ethan asked me if I was sure.” Not meeting his gaze, she said, “It gave me pause and I… I had second thoughts.”