ROMANCE: THE SHEIKH'S GAMES: A Sheikh Romance (80 page)

“Ms. Morris?” She nodded and the guy shoved the bag into her arms. “Dinner for you. Have a good night.” He was gone before she could say a word so she closed the door and sat the bag down.

She smiled into the empty apartment. Ryder was so sweet and thoughtful. It was exactly those things she loved about him most.

***

“Why are you in such a good mood?” Hunter strolled into his brother’s office and took a seat.

“Am I in a good mood?” Ryder didn’t know how much to share because he and Hunter had never been the sharing type of brothers.

“You’re practically glowing,” he scoffed and feigned disgust.

“I’m seeing someone. It’s going well.”

Hunter’s smile was wide and genuine. He was happy for his brother. “Anyone I know?” He saw the moment his brother’s smile dimmed. “It is.”

“Don’t worry, it’s not Mimi.”

“It wouldn’t bother me if it was.”

Ryder stared at his brother long enough to make him squirm. “Right.” They both knew it was a lie so he didn’t call his brother on it.

Hunter left that statement alone. He knew Ryder knew all about it because he and Mimi were close, but he wouldn’t talk about it. With anyone. “Skylar.” They needed to get this out in the open and he would be the one to do it.

“Yes.”

“I didn’t know you liked her Ryder. If I did, I never would’ve gone after her.” He laughed at his brother’s skeptical look. “Okay I would have flirted with her mercilessly to rile you up, but I wouldn’t have asked her out.”

Ryder relaxed. “I know. But how did you know?”

Hunter looked over his shoulder and leaned in. “I overheard you and Mimi talking. I realized what an ass I was being so I fixed it.”

Ryder’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

Hunter shrugged. “All you need to know is that it was handled. And things are going well so I made the right choice.”

Ryder didn’t like that comment but he was glad Hunter was finally being an adult. He switched topics. “Do you have a trip to England booked?”

Hunter nodded. “I leave next week and I’ll be gone for two weeks, unless you need me someplace else.”

“For now all we need is London but I’m looking into some other options and I’ll keep you in the loop.” He stood and grabbed a sheet of paper from a nearby printer. “You have signed more than half of all the new leads brought in by the new marketing campaign, congratulations.”

Hunter frowned. “Thanks, I think.”

Ryder smiled. “You’ve done good, very good Hunter.” He pulled an envelope from his desk drawer. “This is a bonus for your hard work.”

Hunter’s green eyes went wide with shock. “For real?”

“Yep. Don’t spend it all on one lady.” He laughed at his own joke and saw that familiar charming smile cross Hunter’s face.

“Never, little brother.” Hunter didn’t understand what had just happened between him and his brother, but he wouldn’t fight it. “So are we good?”

“We’re always good Hunter.”

He nodded and left, passing Mimi on the way out. “Hi Mimi, how’s it going?”

“Fine, Hunter,” she said and brushed by him to speak with Ryder. “You have a lunch meeting,” she handed him a slip of paper.

“Thanks.” He read the note, smiled and grabbed his jacket. When he arrived at Skylar’s apartment he knocked loud to be heard over the music playing on the other side of the door.

Kendra flung the door open with a harried smile. “Come in Ryder, I was just leaving.”

Ryder was confused when Kendra pulled him in and somehow switched their positions. “See you, then,” he said and closed the door, locking it. He went toward the sound of the music and stopped dead in his tracks at the sight before him. “Holy hell.”

Skylar turned, looking the perfect blend of innocent and sex kitten dressed in a sexy hot pink contraption made mostly of ribbons and lace. It strategically covered her most sacred spots without really covering anything and judging by the look on his face, she had succeeded. “Ryder.”

“You look amazing.” He stalked over to her and pushed her against the wall and attacked her mouth. His hands were everywhere all at once, her breasts, her waist, her hips and grabbing her hair. “God you taste good,” he groaned and kissed his way down her body.

She gasped loudly when he lifted one leg over his shoulder and licked at her core until those gasps turned to screams. She grabbed on to his hair to keep her upright and pushed her hips forward, feeding him more of her. “Ryder, yes!” She groaned and one hand tightened on her hips while two fingers sank deep inside her. “Ryder!” She called his name on a long scream that shook them both when his mouth curled over her most sensitive spot and sucked her to completion.

“Babe you taste so good.” He stood and kissed her hard.

“I like how I taste on your mouth,” she purred while she undid his pants and pushed them down. “I need you in me now,” she said and jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist.

In less than a second he was buried deep inside her and thrusting his way to heaven, because that’s what it felt like to be inside Skylar. His Skylar. That’s how he thought of her now. Ryder was out of his mind with lust and Skylar licked and nipped at his neck and ear, crying out with every thrust.

“Oh yes, Ryder. You feel so good.” She whispered words of encouragement, naughty words and just plain dirty words in his ear, loving the way he responded. “Fuck me, Ryder,” she said and he drove into her like a man on a mission, sending them both over the edge at the same time. She smiled and slid down the wall, taking him with her.

Ryder struggled to take air into his lungs, especially with her hands still all over his body. He looked down at her, love shining in his eyes, as she struggled to catch her breath too. “You are so sexy Skylar, but when you come you take my breath away.”

A small gasp was her only respond for several long seconds and then she wrapped her arms around his midsection. “God, I love you.” His entire body stiffened under her and Skylar felt that she’d made a mistake. A big one. She took several breaths for strength, for confidence before she spoke. “Ryder,” she began when he cut her off.

“I love you too.”

Skylar popped up so quick it was comical. “You do?”

He opened one blue eye and looked up at her. “I do.” He pulled her in close so he wouldn’t have to look at her for his next question. “I have a question for you.”

“Shoot,” she told him with a goofy grin on her face.

“Am I your fallback guy?” He braced himself for her answer.

Again she popped up, this time her eyes were blazing with anger and she sat on him. “What did you just ask me?”

His eyes were closed but he still flung an arm over his face. “You heard me. I need to know.”

Skylar pushed his arm away and grabbed both sides of his face a bit harder than she needed to get his attention. “Why would you ask me something like that?”

His eyes bore into hers. “Something Hunter said to me earlier. After you said you loved me, I realized I did too, love you I mean,” he smiled nervously. “But now I need to know. Are you with me because Hunter didn’t want to see you anymore?”

Skylar smacked his chest with the back of your hand. “What did he say?”

“Just that he never would’ve gone after you if he knew I was into you and that he ‘fixed it’.”

She sat back and he groaned when her moisture dripped onto his growing erection. “That little sneak!” She adjusted their bodies until she took him inside her again. “Our second date was bad, I mean spectacularly awful. It was so bad I just left without a look back. Now I’m thinking he did that on purpose.” Skylar leaned over and kissed his forehead, his cheeks and sank back down on him.

He groaned and clenched her hips. “So?”

“So no you’re not my fallback guy. I said yes to Hunter because there was no spark and therefore no risk.” She bounced a few times until his eyes closed and his head rolled back. “I love you Ryder. Only you.”

He quickly flipped their positions. “Good, because I don’t love anyone else but you Skylar.”

“How much,” her laugh turned into a moan under his sensual onslaught.

“This much,” he said and proceeded to show her for the next few hours.

One year later

Skylar looked herself over in the mirror, happy with the way the beaded cream dress fit her new body. Her auburn hair was up in an intricate do of twists, curls and diamond encrusted pins. She felt beautiful and she was happier than she’d ever been.

“It’s almost time,” Kendra interrupted her musings. “Are you ready?”

She turned to her best friend with a big grin. “As ready as I’ve ever been.”

Kendra’s face softened. “Good. You look beautiful, like stupid beautiful. I hope you know that.”

Tears pooled in her eyes and she flung herself at Kendra. “Thanks Ken, that means a lot.”

“It better since I’m the one who got up at the crack of dawn to help you lose the weight.” Secretly she was thrilled for her friend. Not only had she found a solid man to love, who loved her more than anything, but she had become the best damned marketer Kendra had ever seen.

Mimi walked in wearing a simple rose sheath, similar to Kendra’s. “Hey Mom, someone’s been calling for you.” She held out the tiny bundle wrapped in a hot pink blanket for Skylar to take.

“Hey baby,” she cooed to her and Ryder’s two month old daughter, Brooklyn Marie Tompkins. Six weeks after declaring their love for each other, Skylar found out that her flu was in fact baby Brooklyn. Ryder proposed right away but she told him no. They needed to get to know each other and make sure their love would sustain them for the long haul, not a baby. Ryder reluctantly agreed and did everything to show her just how great they were together. He dropped everything when she fell ill, kept her well fed and rubbed her feet after a long day at the office. He’d been perfect. So perfect that after her six month checkup, she’d proposed to Ryder over the sound of little Brooklyn’s heartbeat. “How’s my baby,” she asked and snuggled the baby close. “Mimi thank you for agreeing to be a bridesmaid and for holding Brooklyn so she’s part of the ceremony.”

She blushed all the way to her ears. “You don’t have to thank me Skylar. You’re Ryder’s girl and he’s my best friend so you’re my girl too.” She shuddered and then laughed at her words. “You know what I mean.”

“I do.”

“She does,” Kendra piped in. “What I want to know is, what’s going on between you and Hunter? You two are creating so many sparks I’ve got the fire department on standby.”

Mimi rolled her eyes. “You’re mistaken.” She reached out for Brooklyn. “I came up here because the planner said you have five minutes. I’ll be at the bottom of the stairs, waiting.” She left as quietly as she came.

“I’m not buying it,” Kendra said breaking the silence.

“Me either, but let’s leave it alone. It’s a touchy subject, I think.” She gave herself one last look in the mirror. “Let’s go get me married!”

***

“I can’t believe you made me your best man,” Hunter told Ryder as he fixed his bow tie in the mirror. “You really need some friends.”

Ryder laughed and clapped his brother on the back. “If you stopped being a dick we’d be great friends.” He shoved a glass of champagne in his brother’s hand. “Seriously, thanks for doing this. I need you by my side when I make Skylar my wife.”

“I am happy for you little brother, even though I think you could be together without making it so…permanent.”

Ryder laughed and shook his head. “I want permanent. I want her there, next to me until the day I die.”

Hunter shivered. “Well at least you got an adorable kid out of it.”

That had surprised Ryder more than anything. Hunter was a great uncle and Brooklyn adored him as much as he adored her. “She is beautiful.” His daughter had her mother’s fiery red hair and her father’s deep blue eyes and her uncle’s devilish dimples. She was a well loved baby.

“She gets that from me.”

Ryder threw his head back and laughed. “Whatever gets you through the day, Hunter.”

“I know that one lucky lady will help me get through the night.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

“You’re incorrigible man. Let’s go take our places before Aunt Marie finds us and tells me how to please a woman.” He cringed at the thought.

“Hey I love that old lady, she gave me a groomsmen’s gift. It was a box of sex toys.” It had been the strangest conversation he’d ever had, but the old woman knew her stuff.

“Let’s not talk about it. I’m getting married!”

The ceremony felt long to Hunter, but even he couldn’t deny the love shining in his brother’s and Skylar’s eyes. Those two had what it took to make their love last. At least he thought so, not that he knew what it took.

The crowd erupted when Ryder kissed his wife long and hard, and Hunter caught a haunted longing look on Mimi’s face. The sight of her always made his heart squeeze, but when she held Brooklyn he felt as though a piece of his heart was missing. The bride and groom fled up the aisle amidst a flurry of rose petals and Hunter reached for Kendra’s hand. As the best man he would escort her for the evening. When he went to whisper in her ear, it wasn’t there. Well it was there but it was much lower. “Mimi. You look beautiful today,” he told her mostly out of habit, but she did. Pink suited her pale skin.

“You always clean up well, Hunter.” Her words were sincere but he hated the sadness that seemed to follow her everywhere. “Kendra wants that groomsmen so we’re stuck together.”

“I don’t feel stuck at all. I can’t wait to dance with you again.”

She scoffed loudly. “Sure, Hunter.” She pulled him up the aisle where they would stand in the receiving line.

“I mean it. I loved dancing with you and tonight you can’t say no.”

She glared at him. “What’s this? Are you hoping I’ll be your lucky bridesmaid that you can screw all night since you leave for China in two days?”

He hadn’t been thinking that but now that she’d put the thought in his head, it was perfect. He could hold her in his arms again, press his body to hers all night for one enchanted evening, before he spent the next six months drumming up business in China. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Well, good then.” She crossed her arms and refused to let her disappointment show. He didn’t have to shut the idea down so quickly.