AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her lips twitch.
I roll my eyes before becoming serious. “I’m more or less there, and it helps hearing you speak so . . . frankly,” I smirk. “On a good day I realize my mom’s situation was so much different than mine, but on a bad day, the lines blur.”
Mara stands beside me while we both take another drink from our bottles. She gives me another searching look before she squeezes my arm and picks up a dish to carry out to the table.
I’m still nervous about jumping head long into more of a relationship with Ryder, but considering we’ve been sharing a bed these past few nights, I guess it’s gone past the point of going back to just friends. I’m not even sure I’d be able to do that. It would hurt seeing him with another woman.
A stab of jealousy shoots through me as I think about tomorrow. The fact that he’s going to be talking to her tomorrow causes my jealousy to rise. It shouldn’t but that possessive streak of mine is rearing its ugly head and I need it to disappear. I trust Ryder, and it amazes me how quickly that’s happened.
Suddenly Ryder is standing in front of me. Lost in thought like I was, I didn’t even see him approach.
“You, okay?” he asks, concern lacing his voice.
I step into him and slide an arm around his neck to keep him close. “I’m more than, okay.” I plant a quick kiss on his lips. “I think Mara’s getting lunch set up outside,” I comment, watching her carry a platter of meats through the living room.
“Um, I know what I’d rather be eating.” He smirks.
“Behave,” I whisper against his lips. “You can have your mouth on me later. If you’re good.” I rub against the hardness I feel between us.
“Stop making out in my kitchen,” Donovan shouts from the patio doors.
Ryder moves his hands to my hips, and grips tightly to keep me still.
I offer him an amused smile before blowing him a kiss and moving out of his arms.
“Let’s eat.”
“Don’t take too long about it.” Ryder smacks me on the butt. “I’m hungry for dessert.”
Rolling my eyes, I chuckle at the wiggling of his brows. “I know, same with me.” His eyes grow hot and I laugh. “Mara’s made a delicious looking meringue.”
He groans and I nudge my hip against his before saying, “They’re our family and friends. I’ve no plans to rush. Just sit back and relax.”
“You’re killing me,” he whispers, and then says loudly, “Okay, babe.”
Sitting at the table with our friends while we’re a couple feels amazing. I haven’t had this before so I take a minute to sit back and relax while watching the interaction between them.
The love Mara and Donovan share is obvious in the slightest interaction they have. A slight touch of their hands, the odd glance they share, the way each other’s eyes seek the other out . . . every interaction is full of a secret meaning. Then there’s my guy. His touch on my thigh sends shards of pleasure through me and fills my heart with love for this incredible man.
Love is a strong word, and for a long time only applied to Reece. I only understood sibling love, having missed out on a lot of the parental love I should have had. I’ve never loved a man before but Ryder has slowly worked his way inside. It helped with my hang up being friends with him first and now I’m not sure what I’d do without him.
With me, he’s so sweet, kind and loving. Words I wouldn’t speak out loud. But they describe how he treats me well. At first, when he bought Kix, he really was someone I’d describe as being a tough Marine. His whole attitude was ‘leave me alone,’ but now the chip he had on his shoulder seems to have fallen away.
“So where are you planning to go?” Mara asks.
I blink.
Ryder squeezes my thigh, while Mara and Donovan hide their smiles but the amusement is clear in their eyes.
“I’ve just been telling them we’re going away for a few days.” He chuckles.
“Oops, sorry. Um, I’m not sure yet, but somewhere with snow . . . lots of snow.”
“What about the cabin in Stowe that Lewis, Mia’s father owns?” Mara suggests, filling her plate.
“I’m not sure when it’s booked up, but Liam offered it to Reece because they can’t go,” Ryder adds while we fill our plates with chicken and salad.
“It’s a good idea, and I do know they rent it out all year. It gets booked up quickly though, so you’d have to check with Lewis’s secretary for available dates.”
