He feigned a tremor. “You’ve got me shaking in my boots.”
“Is that sarcasm?”
“Absolutely.” He grinned as she laughed, and for the first time that evening, the tension between them gave way to something warmer.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you. You know that Doris fired Sean, right?” At Seth’s nod, she went on. “Well, he got a job at another magazine, but he had to go to Alaska for an assignment.” Ryan shook her head. “His little dingleberries are going to freeze off,” she said with a laugh, making Seth chuckle.
Chapter Nine
Ryan’s gaze kept drifting to Seth’s strong jawline, the way his dark lashes framed those green eyes that crinkled at the corners when he smiled. How was she going to return to the sun-drenched beaches of California when her heart ached to be with him? Those precious days would slip through her fingers like grains of sand, and she’d board that plane leaving behind the only man who made her pulse quicken with a single glance.
But Seth hadn’t uttered a word about her staying, and pride kept her silent. The mere thought of him suggesting she should leave sent a knife-sharp pain through her chest, stealing her breath.
Her appetite vanished in an instant. She carefully folded the foil around her half-eaten burger, the scent of grilled meat suddenly nauseating, and rose from the sofa.
“Where are you going?” Seth’s voice was husky with concern.
“To put this in the bag. I’ll take it back to the cabin with me. I guess I wasn’t as hungry as I thought.” She shrugged, forcing casualness into her movements as she escaped the suffocating tension of the room.
In the kitchen’s privacy, she stuffed the wrapped burger into the paper bag, then gripped the cool granite countertop until her knuckles whitened. Hot tears spilled down her flushed cheeks, leaving salty trails. She startled at the warmth of Seth’s strong arms encircling her waist, his familiar scent of his aftershave and leather enveloping her. She turned within his embrace, pressing her tear-dampened face against his shirt.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
“For what?” he murmured, his breath warm against her hair.
“For crying.” She blinked up at him through wet lashes.
“It’s alright. Trust me, I get it.” His thumb gently brushed away a lingering teardrop.
Ryan gazed into his eyes, losing herself in their bottomless depths. “You were right.”
“It doesn’t make it easier, but I knew I should have stayed away from you. Now, it seems I can’t.” His lips, warm and tender, pressed against her forehead, and when he pulled back to study her face, his expression was filled with longing. He lowered his mouth to hers, the kiss gentle yet hungry. “I know this is wrong too, but I want you to stay with me tonight, Ryan.”
“I want that too. Take me to bed, Seth.”
“Yes, ma’am, with pleasure.” He picked her up and carried her to his bedroom where he gently placed her on the bed, then lay down beside her.
His hands moved all over her and she was losing patience as she tugged his red T-shirt up over his head and tossed it across the room. Seth wasted no time in stripping her until she lay in her blue lace bra and matching panties.
“You are stunningly beautiful,” he whispered before taking her lips in a hard, passionate kiss.
Ryan stared into Seth’s eyes, dark and hungry as she lay sprawled on the bed, her skin glowing under the dim light of the bedroom.
Seth’s lips crashed against hers in a kiss that was soft, yet hard at the same time. His hands were everywhere, tangling in her hair, cupping her breasts through her bra. She moaned into his mouth. Her nipples were hard beneath the lace, begging for attention, and Seth didn’t disappoint. He unclasped her bra, freeing her breasts, and sucked one nipple into his mouth like a starving man. His teeth grazed the sensitive bud, and Ryan gasped, her back arching off the bed.
Seth tore off her panties with a single, ruthless yank, leaving her completely bare, sprawled out, waiting for him. Her hands reached for his belt buckle. She unbuckled it, unsnapped his jeans and slid the zipper down. She cupped her hand over hishard cock through his boxer briefs. She’d never get enough of this man.
****
Seth’s cock throbbed in his jeans just looking at her. He stood, stripping with quick, impatient movements, until he was naked, his hard dick springing free.
He grabbed a condom from the nightstand, his fingers trembling with fucking desperation, and rolled it on, his cock twitching as he smoothed the latex down his shaft. Then he was at the foot of the bed, crawling up between her legs like a predator stalking its prey. He placed hot, open mouth kisses against her inner thighs, and Ryan whimpered, her hips lifting off the bed, begging for his mouth.
Seth buried his face between her legs, his tongue dragging a slow, torturous path up her slit. He groaned at the taste of her, fucking heavenly and salty-sweet, and he dove in deeper, his tongue grazing her clitoris in quick, strokes. Ryan cried out, her hands fisting the sheets, her thighs clamping around his head as she came undone on his tongue.
When he finally pulled back, his cock was so hard it hurt. He moved up, the head of his cock pressing against her and paused, just for a second, to look into her face.
“I want you so much, Ryan,” he growled, his voice rough and raw.
