“Then tell me.”
“You talked about Nic and Derek, about how they were loved. .”
“Oh. And I didn’t say I cared about you.”
She felt the smile curve her lips. “You’re perceptive.”
“Not perceptive enough, apparently. I’m a jackass. I’m sorry. It probably came across that they could find someone to care about, but you couldn’t. That’s not what I meant, Angie.”
“I know. I should know better, it’s just-”
“Don’t make excuses for me. I’m the one who fucked this all up.” He took her hands in his. “Look. I’ll be as honest as I can be. I do care about you. A lot. But I can’t love anyone. Love scares the shit out of me. It did a number on my mother and I run like hell from it. I always have.”
That was one hell of an admission, and whether he realized it or not, he’d just told her plenty. Her heart swelled. “You’re not your father, Ryder.” She swept a lock of dark hair away from his face. “I really don’t believe you’re anything like him, even though you fear you are. Would your father have put himself in the position you’re in right now, spilling his feelings to a woman?”
He smirked. “Hell, no.”
“Revealing your emotions makes you vulnerable. I can’t see your father-at least, not the man you’ve described to me-doing that. I think there’s a lot more of your mother in you than your father.”
“Maybe.” He shrugged. “She was always open and honest. And he hurt her because of it; used it against her.”
“Not everyone who says how they feel gets hurt. At some point, if you want to live a normal life-if you want that chance at happiness-you have to learn to trust. It’s who you trust that’s the key.”
“Can I trust you, Angie?”
His voice had lowered, causing a trembling in her lower belly, especially since his hands had started moving from her knees up to her thighs. Heat rose to her chest, her breasts swelling and her nipples tightening against her thin tank top. Her shorts offered no protection against his questing fingers, which crawled their way ever nearer her quickly melting core.
“Yes,” she whispered, nearly out of breath. “You can trust me. Can I trust you?”
“You’d be a fool to trust me,” he said with a wicked grin. “Do you have any idea what I want to do with you right now?”
Her heart pounded, picking up a ramming rate that slammed against her ribs. “Well, I’m no psychic but I have a pretty good idea. But Ryder, the door’s open. We’re in a place where anyone could walk in.”
“I don’t care. I want you. Right here.”
He drew her legs apart and crawled between them, giving her no time to protest. Not that she would have. Not when his body pressed down on her, pushing her back against the couch. Then his mouth was on hers and she moaned against his questing heat, opening her lips to invite his tongue inside.
Hot, wet, needy, she licked at him, whimpered, surprising herself at the flare of desire so strong she no longer cared where they were or who could walk in. Passion took control, and she tangled her fingers in his hair and held on tight as he worked magic with his mouth. With every velvet stroke he told her how desperately he needed her. And she answered, lifting her hips, melting inside, wanting him so badly the flames consumed her.
Ryder dragged his lips from hers, pulled back enough so she could see his face, the harsh lines near the corners of his eyes as he stared down at her. He reached for the waistband of her shorts and jerked them down.
Oh, my. He really was going to do this right here in the library, with the doors wide open. Excitement drilled through her veins. She tugged her bottom lip between her teeth and lifted her hips. He dragged her shorts off, keeping his focus on her face.
“Hurry,” she whispered, not certain if she was more concerned about someone walking in or if she simply needed him inside her.
He unzipped his pants, pushed them down his hips and pulled her to the end of the sofa. With one thrust, he was buried inside, filling her, expanding inside her in a way that shocked her.
Sensation exploded as she pulsed around him. He paused, not moving, and she felt every nerve ending pulse.
She could barely breathe. Ryder stared down at her, his eyes dark, intense, and so compelling. It was at these moments that he revealed so much to her with his eyes. He rested his palm under her breast, not even bothering to lift her shirt, but dragged his thumb over one erect nipple. She shuddered, feeling the sensation all the way to her toes.
Then he moved against her, slow and easy, and it was maddening, as if he wanted to torment her with this rhythm.
She lifted, grinding against him in a shameless way. She didn’t care; she was that desperate for the contact.
“Please.”
His lips curled in a devastating smile. Did he have any idea what that did to her? Her belly did flip-flops when he looked at her that way. God, the man radiated heat. And when he moved inside her, cupping his hands under her butt to draw her closer-oh, yes, that’s exactly what she needed. She fluttered around him, swept away by the pleasure he gave her. He hit the sweet spot and rubbed against her, smiling as she started to pulse wildly around him.
“Come on,” he whispered.
She gripped his shoulders, lifted, gritted her teeth to fight back a scream. Her whole body tightened as she climaxed with an out-of-control shudder. Ryder’s fingers dug into the soft flesh of her buttocks, holding her in his taut grip as she trembled and panted, taking him with her as she rocketed into a wild orgasm that left her breathless.
Ryder lay on top of her-at least, the upper half of his body. She stroked his damp hair and smiled.
Wow. That had been intense. And utterly pleasurable.
And now she realized how vulnerable they were.
“Ryder. We should get dressed.”
He lifted, smiled at her. “I’m dressed.”
She rolled her eyes and pushed at him. He moved away and she jumped up, grabbed her shorts, and put them on, her gaze focused on the doorway.
“You’re safe, darlin’. No one came in.”
“We were lucky,” she said, smoothing back her hair.
“You enjoyed the danger.”
She leveled a grin at him. “You’re right. I did.”
He grabbed her, pulled her to him, and planted a long kiss on her lips that had her melting all over again. When he pulled away, she was shaking.
“We should go to bed and get some sleep,” he said.
She nodded and turned to follow him up the stairs toward the bedrooms, blissfully and ridiculously happy when he held her hand the entire way.
She wanted to ask him, but she wouldn’t. It made her heart hurt she wanted it so badly, but she still wouldn’t ask.
When he reached the door to her room, he turned the knob and pushed it open.
She pivoted to say something, but he pushed her inside, followed her in, and used the heel of his boot to kick the door shut behind him.
Angelique felt a thrill of happiness so intense it made her heart tumble. “What are you doing?” she asked.