Tender is the Nerd (5 page)

He understood. They still had much to learn – about themselves and about each other. Following close behind, he surrendered to his release with a sense that he belonged here, belonged with Miranda. Nothing had ever felt so right.

M
iranda woke
up from a great dream of lying on the beach with Rylan, hands clasped as they listened to the waves and talked about vegetables. The room was dark but light seeped in from somewhere in the apartment. Grabbing her fluffy white bathrobe from her closet, she put it on and tied the sash before following the light into the kitchen.

Rylan glanced up from his laptop and smiled. He’d put on his jeans and his plaid shirt but had left the shirt unbuttoned.

She’d become quite fond of looking at his chest, which had a generous sprinkling of manly hair over nicely defined muscles. She debated whether it would be wrong of her to coax him back to bed when he was probably working on the app. But he must not be totally into it or he wouldn’t have noticed her walking into the kitchen.

His gaze traveled over her bathrobe and lingered at the tie. “Whatcha wearing under that?”

“Come back to bed and I’ll show you.”

Instead of pushing back his chair, he sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. “Frazer knows I’m here.”

That statement cleared the sensual haze from her brain in a hurry. “How?”

“I had some ideas for the app so I came out to work and his text popped up on my screen. Late tonight he stopped by the office to see how I was doing. When I wasn’t there but my car was, he got worried. Good thing I saw the text because he was minutes away from calling the cops.”

She looked at the kitchen clock. Two thirty-five. “When did you text him back?”

“About an hour ago.” He grimaced. “He called and I fumbled the conversation. He figured out we weren’t over here watching
Star Trek
reruns. Your reputation is ruined, milady.”

“I don’t care about that. But I care about your relationship with your brother. How did he react?”

“He wanted to know how long we’d been seeing each other. I told him the whole thing is brand new, hours old.”

“Was he upset?”

“Couldn’t tell. I said we’d talk Monday morning.”

She would have preferred a different scenario than Frazer finding out by accident but there was nothing to be done about it, now. “Should I be there when you talk to him?”

“I appreciate the offer, but probably not. It’ll be better if I handle it. He did mention the personal relationship disclosure statement the company adopted a couple of weeks ago and wondered if you and I plan to sign it. I said we hadn’t discussed that yet.”

“Hm.” She’d been part of the brainstorming session about that document and at the time hadn’t thought it would ever pertain to her. Blake Pearson, the rich investor’s son they all had to tolerate as a coworker, had groped her three weeks ago and then denied doing it. The incident had prompted CEO Tony Bainbridge to have the company lawyer draw up a relationship disclosure statement so everyone would be clear about who had touching privileges and who did not.

“For what it’s worth, I don’t think we should rush into signing something.”

She walked over and sat close enough that their knees touched under the table. She wasn’t eager to sign anything at this early stage, either, but she wanted to know his reasons. “Because of Frazer?”

He shut down his laptop and shoved it aside. “Hell, no. Frazer’s opinion shouldn’t have anything to do with whether we sign or not. Now that he’s aware we’re involved, the document doesn’t matter where he’s concerned.”

Miranda wasn’t so sure. “Then why did he ask you about it?”

“He’s a rules guy.” His jaw tightened. “Typical Frazer. I’ve dealt with this all my life, Miranda. He doesn’t want his little brother coloring outside the lines.”

“So you want to do exactly that.” There was no mistaking his belligerence. Frazer’s comment about the document had struck a nerve.

He scowled at her. “I suppose you think I don’t want to sign it just to spite him.”

“Sort of sounds like it.”

Blowing out a breath, he met her gaze. “Well, that’s
not
what it is.”

“Then what is it?” Her head was beginning to hurt.

“It’s premature. What’s happened between us tonight is fantastic, but it’s only hours old. Right now it feels solid as a rock, but maybe that’s because we’re in the privacy of your apartment.”

She looked into his eyes. “Do you think all the warm fuzzies will disappear when we leave our cozy love nest?”

“When you put it that way, no, I suppose not.”

“Me, either. I wasn’t in favor of signing that thing, but the more I think about it, the more I realize we should. It isn’t an engagement announcement. It’s designed for this very situation – two people connected to the company who are in a relationship.”

“If that’s what you want, then I guess I need to do it.”

She didn’t care for his answer. “Are you saying you’ll do it for me but given a choice you’d rather not?”

“Yes, damn it! I’d like to wait a week or so instead of waltzing into the office Monday morning and asking for the document like a couple of preprogrammed robots.”

“Are you sure that isn’t because Frazer implied we should sign it?”

“I’m absolutely sure.” He leaned toward her, his gaze flinty. “I’m not five anymore, Miranda. I don’t automatically reject something just because Frazer thinks it’s a good idea.”

She was ready to challenge that statement. “But it
is
a good idea.” She threw his glare of irritation right back at him and her breathing quickened. “It’s a
great
idea. Tony thinks so or he wouldn’t have created such a document in the first place. Don’t you want to support him?”

“I support the hell out of him all the time. He knows that.” Rylan glanced at her and his brown eyes darkened. “Your robe’s coming open.”

She lifted her chin. “So?” She made no attempt to close it. “It’s not like you haven’t seen everything before.”

“I can’t think when you’re . . . like that.” His hot gaze scorched her partially exposed breasts.

“You aren’t thinking anyway. You’re just repeating old sibling rivalry patterns.”

His eyes darkened until they were almost black and a muscle twitched in his jaw. “You are so
wrong
, Miranda.” His voice vibrated with anger but his gaze was hungry. “All I want is a damn week!” Shoving back his chair, he loomed over her. “Is that too much to ask?”

She slapped her hands on the table and stood, which made her robe gape wider. Then she got right in his face. “What in hell do you need a week for, Rylan?”

“
This.
” Hauling her away from her chair, he tore off his glasses, pinned her against the table and covered her mouth with his as he wrenched open her sash. With a groan he cupped her breasts and in seconds his mouth was there. He gasped for breath. “You drive me insane.”

“Good! You deserve to be driven insane!” She gripped the edge of the table and arched her back in wild abandon.

“Yeah, I do.” Bending her over the table, he took possession of her nipple, sucking and nipping as if he couldn’t get enough.

Her heart pounded so fast and loud she was deafened to every other sound. She gripped the back of his head and urged him to take more. Oh, yes, this was what she’d craved, a man who could totally lose his mind and cause her to lose hers.

She gloried in his eager touch, the wet slide of his tongue and the scrape of his teeth. Her body readied for the firm thrust of his cock, but that couldn’t happen here. She whimpered.

Slowly releasing her, he stepped back and gulped for air. His eyes blazed with an unholy fire and he shook his head as if to clear it. “Damn, woman.” Then, to her complete astonishment, he leaned down and neatly hoisted her over his shoulder, bathrobe and all. Gripping her ass to steady her, he started out of the kitchen.

“Hey!” The blood rushed to her head as she hung there staring at the floor. When did he get so strong? “Put me down, Rylan Krause!”

“Nope.” His voice was choked. “I need you.” Carrying her into the dark bedroom, he laid her on the mattress with surprising gentleness considering how he’d unceremoniously thrown her over his shoulder.

Stunned and incredibly turned on by his caveman tactics, she lay there quivering as he shucked his clothes and rolled on a condom. Yeah, he was breathing like a freight train, but he’d
picked her up and carried her.
“Who are you, the Incredible Hulk?”

“Batting cage.” He sucked in air. “Go there a lot.” He braced a palm on either side of her head before climbing into bed and easing between her thighs.

“The batting cage?”

“Great stress reliever.”

“Guess so.”

“But this is better.” Probing her entrance with his thick cock, he slid partway in. His breath hissed out as he buried it to the hilt. Then he began to pump and pump hard. “Come for me.”

She had no choice.

L
ater
, as they lay facing each other in the darkness, she stroked his soft beard. “I think we had our first fight.”

“Hell of a good fight.”

“Yeah.” She smiled. “It was.”

“Miranda, I’ll sign that thing.”

“We can wait a week.”

“Oh, really?” Laughing, he pulled her on top of him. “So that’s all it takes to get you to agree with me? Note to self – have sex prior to argument. Saves time and feels awesome.”

“Wait, wait!” Straddling him, she sat up. “If I remember correctly, and I’m sure I do, you were the first to give in, so technically I won. Note to self – be naked under bathrobe when arguing. Flash boobs for the win.”

“But instead of claiming your victory, you deferred to me.” He stroked the tops of her thighs. “So obviously your orgasm was the tipping point.”

She leaned down until their mouths nearly touched. “You came after I did, smarty pants. I say your orgasm was the tipping point and after enjoying that experience you decided I was right, after all.”

“I did and you are.”

She drew back in surprise. “I am?”

“I feel pretty dumb admitting this, but apparently a part of me is still five.”

Her breath caught. Not many guys would own up to something like that. “Don’t feel bad. Most of us have that problem.”

“Maybe so, but in our case it could cause a lot of trouble. So here’s the deal. If you see me acting like the rebellious younger brother, promise you’ll call me on it the way you did tonight.”

“Even if it leads to a fight?”

“I pretty much love fighting with you, Miranda.” He continued to caress her thighs.

“Ditto.” She took a shaky breath. “But all that aside, if you want to take a week to sign that document so you don’t feel as if Frazer hounded you into it, that’s fine with me.”

“Thanks. But I don’t need to.” His caress became more intimate, more focused on her sexual command center, which was conveniently within reach. “But there is something I do need.”

“Again?”

“Unless you’d rather not.” He stroked her clit.

She sucked in a breath. “I’d rather. But I want to be in charge.”

“Great idea.”

“We need light.” She moved away from his clever fingers. “Close your eyes.” Reaching over, she switched on the lamp and picked up the condom box. She smiled when she glanced back at him and his eyes were obediently closed. “Good boy.”

“I can follow instructions when I feel like it.”

“Are you feeling like it now?” She bent down and kissed his closed eyelids.

“As it happens, I am.”

“Good. Just keep your eyes closed and focus on your other senses.” She brushed her lips over his amazing lashes. Then she stroked them with the tip of her finger.

“What are you doing with my eyelashes?”

“Admiring them.”

“FYI, that’s not one of my erogenous zones.”

“But it’s one of mine. Looking at those long lashes gets me hot.”

He smiled. “Prove it.”

“You’ve got it, batting cage boy.” Maneuvering around his erect cock, she sat on his thighs while she opened the condom packet.

“What a great combination of sounds.”

“What?”

“A woman tearing into a condom and breathing fast while she does it.”

“Don’t let it go to your head.” She put the condom in her mouth to moisten it.

“Don’t worry. Everything’s traveling south at the moment. Are you sucking on something?”

“Uh-huh. It goes on better if it’s wet.” She started rolling the condom over his impressive erection.

He groaned. “That’s a thousand times more erotic with my eyes closed.”

“Yeah?”

“Gigabytes more. Terabytes more.”

“It gets better.” As she began to lower herself onto his waiting cock, he swore softly and reached for her hips. She batted them away. “Hands off. I’m in charge.”

“Right.” He clenched his jaw.

Her pulse raced but she made the journey very, very slowly. When she was about halfway, his whole body began to shake and he grabbed fistfuls of the sheet. The guy had serious arm muscles. No wonder he could throw her over his shoulder.

“
Miranda
.”

She ached for him, too, but she wanted to make this memorable. “Almost there,” she crooned.

He drew in a sharp breath.

“Now.” She pushed down, taking all of him.

He gulped. “Don’t . . . move.”

“I’m supposed to be giving the instruct–”

“If you move I’ll come.” His voice was strained.

She smiled, remembering what he’d said to her not long ago when their positions had been reversed. “Then come for me.” And she set a pace that brought them both to a shattering climax in seconds.

They were both really noisy, too. She’d never had a lover who made her worry about the neighbors. She put the noise factor solidly in the plus column, though.

In fact, nearly everything about Rylan belonged in the plus column. He was crazy smart, fun to be with, adorable to look at, and he approached sex with gusto. He had some issues with his brother, who inconveniently happened to be her ex-boyfriend, but she was optimistic that they could work through that.

When they settled down a little, he reached up, cupped the back of her head and drew her down for a deep and thorough kiss. She sank into that kiss with a certainty she’d never felt before. No relationship was perfect, but this connection with Rylan felt damned close.