Passing His Guard (Against the Cage #2) (23 page)

He muttered a curse that sounded more like reverent awe. “You’re so fucking beautiful. I don’t think you could be more perfect.”

She was moved beyond words. Reaching for him, she threaded her fingers through his hair, met his worshipful gaze, and warned, “You keep saying things like that and you
will
make me fall in love with you.”

But his response rocked her to her very core. “Would that be such a bad thing?”

What was he saying? Was he telling her this wasn’t just sex for him? That he
wanted
her to fall for him? No, not now . . . She couldn’t have this conversation with him now. That would change everything. But before she could stop him, Aiden dipped his head and ripped the protest out of her mouth in the form of an unintelligible moan.

The hard ball of his tongue piercing teased the bundle of nerves at the top of her sex as he applied rhythmic suction that sent her crashing over the edge in seconds. She cried out, and her fingers curled into his hair, holding him against her as spasm after blissful spasm wracked her body. Her empty core contracted, still yearning to be filled, leaving her both sated and aching for more. The physical contradictions he stirred in her mirrored her emotional turmoil. Did Aiden have any idea how thoroughly he’d just fucked her?—in every sense of the word?

When he pulled away and crawled off the bed, a horrible sense of déjà vu slammed into her. “Where are you going?” she cried, cursing herself for sounding so needy.

“To get my wallet.”

The ambient light from the bathroom outlined Aiden’s shadowed form. Lord, he was big. She watched him grab his pants off the floor and dig his hand into a pocket. He swore and then shoved it into the other. When he pulled out his wallet, she noted the hastiness in his movements. He lacked his natural grace. Perhaps she affected him as deeply as he did her. Finding what he was looking for, his wallet hit the table with a
thump
and the crisp sound of a tearing wrapper announced Aiden’s intent.

Ryann was suddenly seized with a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty. She knew she wanted him. In her whole life, she’d never wanted a man as badly as she wanted this one, but his comment earlier had rattled her, and a part of her was scared that if she did this, come tomorrow she wouldn’t be able to let him go. In seconds he was sheathed and coming toward her, proving his deft efficiency at donning protection.

Aiden must have taken her silence for what it was—second thoughts. When he reached the bed and crawled back over her, he took her face in his hands and gifted her with the sweetest kiss. “You don’t have to do this, you know. It’s not too late to change your mind.”

A part of her wondered if he was hoping she’d chicken out. But she’d meant what she’d said. She was tired of playing it safe. Bottom line, she was falling for Aiden, and regardless tomorrow was going to suck. Letting him go was going to be painful no matter what happened between them tonight, and one thing she knew with absolute certainty: She would never regret being with him.

She slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, opening her legs to accommodate his hips as she deepened their kiss. His spicy masculine scent mixed with her light feminine flora, blanketing them in an intoxicating cocoon of lust. She could taste herself on his tongue, and the intimacy sparked feelings of possessiveness that surged up inside her, catching Ryann off guard. No, there was no doubt about it, after tonight she would never be the same, but she was determined that neither would Aiden.

“I haven’t changed my mind,” she whispered between kisses. “I want you to make love to me.”

CHAPTER

 24 

W
hoa . . . wait a minute. Is that was she thought this was?
Was
that what this was? It sure as hell didn’t feel like just sex, but love?—he wasn’t sure. He’d never been in love before. No question he was in lust with her, and he’d be the first to admit he cared about her, but love was crossing a line he wasn’t sure he was willing to step over. When he’d asked her if it would be such a bad thing to fall in love with him, it was a question he’d been mulling over ever since she’d told him she was falling for him. They were hastily spoken words he wished he could take back, because the answer had resoundingly been yes.

He needed her to say it, to agree with him that they were a terrible idea. No matter how much the thought might appeal to him, the analytical side of his brain, the side that refused to be ruled by emotion, barraged him with multiple reasons why they shouldn’t—couldn’t—be together. His life was in Vegas, for one. And Ryann’s career was in New York. Aiden would never consider trying a long-distance relationship. Fuck, he didn’t even know if he could do a short-distance one. And theirs wasn’t exactly the best basis to build a lasting relationship on. This would be one messed-up episode of
How I Met Your Mother
.

But then Ryann tugged him closer and she shimmied beneath him, seating him at her hot, tight entrance. All rational thought fled his mind, and lust rolled through his veins like the backdraft of an inferno. She was wet and ready for him. He’d made sure of that, not wanting to risk hurting her. He wasn’t a particularly gentle lover, and she was so damn small, so fragile. Breaking their kiss, he looked down at her, searching her eyes for any hesitation. Reflecting back at him was only trust, and possibly another emotion he couldn’t deal with right now. His chest tightened, his heart cramping at the sight of her—so fucking beautiful . . .

There was no doubt or anything else he could cling to in order to convince himself to stop. He wanted her too badly, needed to sink into her too much, to stop now. He nudged his hips forward, pushing himself past her entrance as he kept his gaze locked on her vibrant stare. Though, God’s truth, if she changed her mind now, he wasn’t sure if he’d have the willpower to stop.

She was so tight, her wet little glove squeezing him unbearably as he inched inside her. He couldn’t go faster, not without hurting her, and the pressure building at the base of his spine, the ache of the twin weights between his legs, warned him he wouldn’t last long with her this way.

She felt too good—too amazing. Never in his life had taking his pleasure been so . . . perfect. His concern for her comfort forced him to slow down, to savor when he would have plundered and conquered. He gained precious ground with his gentle retreat and advancement. Held captive by her trusting gaze, a well of emotion he wasn’t prepared for crashed into him. He wanted this to be as earth-shattering for her as it was for him. If he didn’t get a handle on himself, he was going to come like an untried adolescent, and he still had several inches to go.

“Ryann.” Her name left his lips on a breathy plea for restraint. “Fuck, I don’t want to hurt you, but I’m not sure how much longer I can hold back.” Every muscle in his body was strung ripcord tight. His cock throbbed in time with his hammering pulse, each beat building unbearable pressure.

“It’s okay,” she whispered, wrapping her legs around his hips and inching him farther. Her mouth moved to the thick cords of muscle running down his neck. As she nipped and sucked, kissing her way down his throat, she whispered. “I can take it, Aiden. I promise you won’t break me.”

“Well, that makes one of us then, sweetheart, because I’m pretty sure you’ve already broken me.”

But he was wrong. It wasn’t until she dug her heels into his ass and thrust her hips up, seating him tight against her core, that he truly shattered—into a million fucking pieces. Barking out a sharp curse, he slipped his hands beneath her back, fingertips gripping her slender shoulders as instinct took over. He pulled back and slammed into her once, twice, three times, and then he came harder than he’d come in his entire life. As his cock pulsed against her core, his massive body shuddering over hers, Ryann’s orgasm gripped him, squeezing tight and milking every last drop of release from him. Her nails bit into his shoulders, her back arched beneath him, crushing her soft, full breasts against his chest, and her breathy moan broke through the rush of blood pounding in his ears.

As the euphoria slowly began to ebb and Aiden drifted back to reality, one thought resonated in his mind:
Come tomorrow, there is no way in hell I’m going to be able to let this woman go.

Oh, Lord, what have I done?
Ryann lay in Aiden’s bed, curled in his arms, her back nestled against his solid chest, unable to sleep—which had not been a problem for him. Aiden’s slow, rhythmic breaths teased her bare shoulder. How could he sleep at a time like this? Granted it was after four a.m. and they had a long day ahead of them, but in the wake of what they’d just shared, shouldn’t they at least have talked about it or something?

Aiden had said precious few words after heading to the bathroom to dispose of the condom and then returned to tuck her against him. She had so many thoughts and questions buzzing through her head, but she kept them all to herself when she sensed an uneasiness about him. Snuggled in his muscular arms, he brushed a kiss against her shoulder and gave her an affectionate squeeze, holding on as if he feared she’d disappear. Was he dreading tomorrow as much as she was?

She tried to sleep but was too wound up to rest. The melee of thoughts running rampant through her mind made her restless and anxious. Just as she’d imagined, sex with Aiden had been amazing. He’d been gentle and considerate, sweet and . . . loving. Though she’d sensed he’d taken a pace with her that had come at great cost to him. It wasn’t until the end, when he’d finally let go, that she’d felt a glimpse of what it’d be like to be possessed by this man. He was power and passion all bottled up in a 185-pound package of hard, muscled fighter. Never would she have guessed he would be capable of such tenderness.

Just lying here thinking about it made her want to experience it all over again. She was running out of time, and she felt the tick of each passing second eroding the hole inside her heart. Tomorrow would come soon enough. Snuggling in deeper, she wiggled her bottom against him and felt the instant response of his erection pressing between her thighs. He drew a deep breath behind her and buried his face in her hair as he exhaled a growl. His hand slipped from her breast to travel down her stomach and between her thighs. He parted her folds and slipped a finger deep inside her, his thumb teasing the bead of her sex.

“As much as I want to do this again,” he whispered, his voice a throaty rasp against her neck as he nuzzled her shoulder. “I don’t have another condom.”

Reaching behind her, she took him in hand and stroked his impressive length, forcing her mind to shut down all thought beyond him and her, right here, right now. “I’m on the pill,” she offered. “I’m okay with it if you are.”

“Are you kidding me? Sweetheart, if I’d known you were good with commando, I would have had you six ways to Sunday by now.”

Before her mind could process his movement, she was on her back and being devoured by a soul-searing kiss. Aiden positioned himself between her slick folds and thrust deep, burying himself inside her. The way he filled her, stretching her sheath, was the sweetest blend of pain and pleasure. The pressure of him hitting her core, connecting with her innermost sensitive places, ripped a moan from her throat as a sharp curse tore from his. His oath told her exactly what he intended to do to her.

She arched her back, tipping her hips to put him at just the right angle. Without the latex barrier between them, everything was heightened, stripping away all physical and emotional walls. There was nothing sweet or gentle in the way he took her. And Ryann knew this was going to be a hot, intense ride. A dangerous thrill skittered through her veins as she slipped her hand up to his shoulders, dug her nails into his flesh, and held on for dear life.

Ryann woke to her phone ringing in the next room. When it stopped and promptly started up again, she knew who it was. The sickening feeling of dread settled in her chest like a lead weight, ushering in a slam of reality that wrecked her postorgasmic bliss. Exhaling a groan, she reached behind her for Aiden, wanting to burrow into the safety of his arms and pretend the rest of the world didn’t exist—just for a little bit longer. He wasn’t there. The place behind her was still warm, his masculine scent clinging to the sheets. A moment of alarm made her pulse leap, and then she heard the shower kick on.

She wasn’t ready for it to end, wasn’t ready to leave his bed and pretend this hadn’t been the most amazing night of her life. Aiden had been every bit as wonderful as she’d thought he would be. He’d been attentive and patient, gentle and wooing at times, and rough and dominant at others. His style in the bedroom was as variable as the aspects of his personality. After making love throughout the night and then this morning, she felt like she knew him better than anyone. And there was no doubt how thoroughly he’d gotten to know her.

With him, she’d discovered things about herself she’d never known. How and where she liked to be touched, how she liked to be handled. She’d lost count of how many times he’d made her come, and was amazed to discover that each time was a unique mind-blowing experience. He was an attentive lover, but a demanding one, as well. His complexity and passion were unlike anything she’d ever experienced before, and something told her she never would again. She loved everything about it—everything about him.
Oh, my God . . .
the thought sent an eruption of butterflies battering abound inside her chest.
I’m in love with Aiden Kruze.

“Oh, no . . .” she groaned, covering her face with her hands. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.” She thought she could handle it. Thought she could compartmentalize the sex and keep her emotions out of it. She thought wrong. And it wasn’t like she could very well tell him how she felt. No doubt he heard it all the time after taking a woman to his bed. Who wouldn’t fall in love with that and become a cling-on? And that was exactly what he’d think of her. He wouldn’t believe it was truly him she was professing to love. No, telling him how she felt would be a huge mistake. It’d only further complicate an already touchy relationship.