Soul Chance (9 page)

Ryder forced a laugh he didn’t feel. “Right. Well, I’ll check in with you tomorrow afternoon sometime. I want to go over those new wines you’d like to have brought in from Napa.”

“Yes. Sounds good. Enjoy the rest of your Saturday.”

“I’ll try.” Ryder waved back to Liza. He exited the resort with a barely concealed scowl.

He strode toward the beach house ready to ask Ari how she could even think of going to the casino again. He couldn’t believe she’d gone once already. Earlier, he’d questioned his tactics with her. Demonstrating yoga to Ari had been a test of his wills as she’d gotten into the positions he’d requested of her. Hell, he’d been tempted to take Ari when she’d bent over in her downward facing dog pose. He’d held back, deciding to cut Ari a break when he’d seen tears shimmering in her bewitching eyes.

Ryder walked faster, bothered by the disappointment tearing through him at Ari’s undisciplined decision to join Manuel. He shook his head as he neared the ranch. Why had he even bothered to show her any restraint? Ari obviously hadn’t learned.
The casino, really?
He didn’t know why he was even surprised. Ari would never change. Partying and gambling seemed to run in her veins.

Ryder entered the beach house, hoping to find out that Ari had changed her mind. He scanned the front rooms for her then went to her bedroom and found it empty. Several party dresses that hadn’t made the cut for the night still lay across her bed.

Anger fired up his blood as he strode to his bedroom to change. Their deal notwithstanding, it wasn’t Ari’s fault he’d hoped she’d stay in tonight to be with him. Hadn’t she already shown him money and partying was all that mattered?

* * * *

Less than an hour later, Ryder entered the crowded Florida casino. The noise, lights and smoke irritated him as he moved toward the blackjack tables. He preferred private gatherings over loud, brassy hotspots.

“Hey, aren’t you Ryder Stevens?”

Great.

Ryder made eye contact with Trent, his bodyguard and driver, letting him know with a slight shake of his head he didn’t need his assistance. The last thing he needed was to be detained by a bunch of fans and having Trent intervene would only invite more interest. Ryder looked to his left at the buxom brunette who was staring at him with an apologetic grin. “I get that a lot.” He didn’t wait for her to respond, striding forward to where the card players were congregated.

It only took him a moment to spot Ari standing next to Manuel. She stood out with her lime sheath dress. She’d piled her twists high on top of her head, and a few loose strands of hair drew Ryder’s gaze from her lovely face to the tempting display of cleavage, thanks to the daring V-shaped neckline of her outfit.

Ryder watched Ari laugh at something Manuel said. She looked happier and less guarded than he’d seen her since arriving at The Cove. Manuel touched Ari’s arm, setting off a wildfire in Ryder’s blood as he cut across the floor to them. Never taking his eyes off Ari, Ryder gained some satisfaction when she shifted her attention from the blackjack table to see him approaching.

Ryder saw the shock in her wide brown eyes before she blinked and spoke to Manuel. The bartender looked up in surprise at Ryder and offered a friendly wave. Ryder returned the gesture as Ari made her way over to him. She turned heads, both male and female, exuding sensual grace as she walked. Ryder glanced at her silver stilettos. The glitzy heels highlighted her shapely legs, made it all too easy for him to picture them resting on his shoulders as he sank balls deep into her. He wanted her so bad it pissed him off.

“Fancy seeing you here.” Ari’s polite grin and light tone bellied the stiffness of her posture and the fire in her brown eyes.

Ryder wanted to kiss that derisive smile off her pretty face until he slipped past her cool façade once again and she was trembling in his arms. “What the hell are you doing?”

Ari sighed. “I’m enjoying the nightlife, you?”

“I can’t believe you’d choose a casino of
all
places to do that.” Ryder tamped down the overwhelming urge to yank her to his side. He really needed to let go of the possessive streak rip roaring through him whenever he was around her. Ari didn’t want to be his. Still, they had a deal and he would make damn sure she honored it.

Ryder decided he’d give her one chance to come with him without making a scene. “Let’s go, Ari.”

Ari managed a breezy laugh, a miracle considering her frayed nerves. Ryder wasn’t supposed to be here, messing up her evening. He looked handsome as hell in well-cut tan suit. He’d worn no tie, opting inside to leave the first two buttons of the shirt undone. Ari assumed it was his version of casual attire. The suit and the teal blue shirt he’d paired with it screamed money.

“I’m not going anywhere.” Ari glanced behind her, gave Manuel a reassuring wave then met Ryder’s gaze. “I’ve exercised and practiced per your protocol. You told me to enjoy the rest of my day, remember?” Ari glared at Ryder, ignoring the warning flashing in his gray eyes.

Ryder’s cold smile twisted Ari’s tummy into a few thousand knots. He was furious with her, but why? Hadn’t she done everything he’d asked?

“I also told you we’d work on certain things later.
This
is later.”

Heat rushed to Ari’s face as the implication of his statement registered. She gasped when Ryder took hold of her arm and proceeded to walk her through the casino at a rapid pace. “
Hey.
Slow down.”

Ryder’s dark laugh made Ari’s pulse race. “So, you
do
remember what we were to work on later.”

Ari kept quiet. She clutched her mini purse, mentally cursing her choice of words. He wanted to shock her and he had. Ari gritted her teeth, determined not give Ryder the satisfaction of reacting. She briefly wondered what Manuel must’ve thought of her abrupt departure as prickles of awareness skittered through her.

Ari quickened her steps, trying to keep up with Ryder’s long-legged stride as they made their way to the exit. She was breathless by the time they were outside. Ari stole a glance at Ryder, wishing he’d speak because she didn’t know what to say. A few seconds later, a gleaming black limo pulled up to the curb in front of them. Ari recognized Trent getting out of the car. She acknowledged the bodyguard’s polite greeting and thanked him as he opened the door for her before she slid into the plush leather seat.

She took in a deep breath when the door was closed, relishing her scant few moments alone. Her head was spinning and her feet aching, thanks to Ryder’s megalomaniac display in the casino. He was angry? Well, so was she. Ari glanced to her left when Ryder’s door opened. Her heart banged against her chest as he got into the vehicle.

The back seat seemed to shrink as Ryder looked at her. She held her breath when he moved in her direction, not sure what to expect. She exhaled when he reached for her seatbelt and fastened it for her. Ari wondered if they were headed back to the beach house. It was a half hour away from the casino. She started to ask Ryder then thought better of it as he fastened his own belt. His stonewall expression made her throat dry. If he didn’t want to talk then she wouldn’t either. Ari turned her face toward the window, needing something other than the damnable silence between them to focus on.

The landscape became a blur of shapes to Ari. She was distracted as hell and on edge by the time the limo stopped in front of the beach house. Ari practically leaped from the vehicle when Trent opened her door. Not waiting for Ryder, she went up the path to the ranch, absently thinking it was a beautiful night, the perfect temperature for a stroll along the beach.

Or to learn Ryder’s meaning of the word ‘deeper’.

Ari reached the terrace and glanced over at the spot where she’d tasted Ryder for the first time. The scandalous memory caused Ari to stumble as she reached the door. Ari swore beneath her breath as she dug in her purse in search for her key. The suspense of what was to come at Ryder’s hand was driving her crazy. She was still trying to get the door unlocked when Ryder joined her on the porch.

“Allow me.” Ryder stepped forward, pushed his key into the lock and opened the front door.

Ari moved past him into the darkened space. She flipped on the lamp near her, put her clutch on the coffee table then lifted one foot to remove her shoe.

“Leave those pretty stilettos on. Take the dress off.”

Ari looked at Ryder, her heart racing as he shrugged out of his suit jacket. She watched him take off his shoes and socks.

“I’m waiting.”

Ari reached up and slowly lowered the zipper along the side of her dress under Ryder’s silent appraisal. She shivered as the silky sheath slid over her hips and fell to the floor in a soft puddle about her feet.

Ryder nodded. “Sexy.”

“Thank you.” Ari considered the effort she’d gone through weeks earlier to find lime lingerie to match her dress well worth it just to catch a glimpse of the raw hunger she saw in Ryder’s eyes.

“Turn around.”

Ari did so, her steps unsteady as she whirled around.

“Stop.”

Ari froze with her back to Ryder. She felt exposed in spite of her bra and thong. Ari focused on her posture as Ryder approached her. His footsteps seemed to match the beat of her heart. Ari hissed in a breath when Ryder caressed her ass with both hands. Her arousal dampened her panties and Ari wriggled against Ryder. Tendrils of heat swept over Ari and her nipples pebbled in her bra as Ryder continued to touch her.

“Go over to the chaise.”

Ari moved over to the leather divan. She paused before sitting, unsure if that was what Ryder wanted.

“You may sit down.”

Ari perched on the chaise, questions popping into her head as Ryder left the room. She heard him open his bedroom door then listened for more clues of what he was up to. He returned a few minutes later with two of his dark ties in his hand.

More than a little wary, Ari tried to appear nonchalant as Ryder came over to her.

“Hold out your arms.”

Ari frowned, her bravado crumbling in a matter of nanoseconds. She searched Ryder’s face for some indication of his intentions but found no answers.

“Now.”

Nervous, Ari raised her hands to Ryder. She watched him loop one tie around each wrist. He then fashioned a slipknot with the thin material binding her hands.

“Too tight?” Ryder tugged on the silk ties.

Ari gazed at her bound wrists then at Ryder. “Ryder—”

“I’m going to secure your hands behind you.” Ryder stepped to the side of the chaise, keeping hold of the ties.

A pang of apprehension zipped through her when Ryder raised her bound hands by pulling on the silk encircling them. She turned her face to see him push the fabric through the decorative wood at the top of the chair. Her heart pounded as he quickly secured the silk in another fancy knot, effectively binding her hands above her head to the furniture.

“How does that feel?”

Ari glowered at him as she tested the bounds. She wasn’t going anywhere. “It feels constrictive.”

Ryder gave her a patient smile. “You are restrained but not uncomfortable, yes?”

“I’m not uncomfortable.” She was vulnerable. Ari wriggled on the soft leather, conscious of her half-naked state. The position lifted her heaving breasts and Ari tried to slow her chaotic breathing.

“Good.” Ryder stepped in front of her, hooked his hands beneath her knees then pulled her forward until her bottom was almost to the edge of the chaise. He sat down beside her and placed her leg over his, making Ari aware of her damp thong. “Were you gambling tonight, Ari?” Ryder reached between her parted thighs and caressed her pussy through the wet lace.

His intimate touch sent a jolt through Ari, making her wetter, her nipples harder. “W— What?”

“You heard my question.” Ryder pulled the front panel of her thong to one side, exposing her pussy, and Ari moaned when he rubbed her clit with his thumb.

“
No.
” Ari turned her head to look at him. “I just wanted a night out.”

Ryder slipped his finger between her pussy lips. He held her gaze as he caressed her slick folds. “And the other time you went out with Manuel? Did you gamble then?”

Ari scowled. She knew better than to trust Liza not to tell. Thank goodness she hadn’t mentioned playing the slot machine. Ari’s eyes widened as she averted her face from Ryder’s.
The slot machine.

“Well?” Ryder slipped a finger into her and Ari gasped.

“I-I played on one slot machine.”

“After all the trouble gambling has caused you, you played on a slot machine?” Ryder shook his head as he stroked her, his terse tone in stark contrast to his gentle touch. “Unbelievable.”

Ari groaned, dismayed by the displeasure in Ryder’s voice. She was embarrassingly wet, evidence that she was somehow enjoying her current situation. Ari strained against the homemade restraints. She should have never allowed Ryder to tie her up. “A penny slot…I only played that.”

Ryder added a finger. “How much did you lose?”

“T-Twenty dollars.”

“That’s it?”

Ari moaned again when he added yet another finger, stretching her. “
Yes.
” Her incensed retort reverberated in her head along with the slick sounds of her wet pussy as Ryder thrust shallowly into her.

“In Vegas you promised me no more gambling.”

Ari briefly closed her eyes, blocking out the stern look on Ryder’s handsome face. “Losing twenty on a penny slot machine can
hardly
be called gam—” Ari mewled when Ryder yanked his fingers from her pussy.

“But it
is
gambling, Ari.” Ryder pushed his wet fingers deep into Ari’s mouth, making her choke. “Isn’t it?”

Ari coughed as Ryder dropped his hand from her face. She trembled and whimpered when he pushed his fingers back into her pussy.

“Isn’t it, Ari?”

Ari licked her lips, still tasting herself as Ryder finger-fucked her. “
Yes.
”

“Yes, it is.” Ryder hooked his fingers within her, hitting her sweet spot with deeper strokes. “You lied to me.”

“I— I’m sorry.” Ari arched her back, straining against Ryder’s hand as the first glimmers of an explosive orgasm teased her senses.