Had this been any other situation in which a beautiful, willing woman whispered such a seductive invitation into his ear, Ryan would have instantly let the growl in his chest free at the same time he flipped her onto her back and pulled her dress over her thighs. Instead, he fought to keep control of himself, still aware of the reason for Rebecca's presence here, but quickly allowing the inhibitions that came with that awareness to fade into oblivion.
He wanted her and the look in her eyes left no doubt that she wanted him just as much.
What was the professional way to segue from a conversation full of emotional confessions into a sensual ravishing of the goddess before him?
"Stand up," he rasped.
Rebecca didn't hesitate. Still holding his hand, she rose to her feet beside the bed and let Ryan guide her in front of him. Even seated, he had no problem reaching her cheek to stroke a finger down her soft skin.
Ryan could feel the pleats of her skirt brushing his jeans when he also stood. Having her so close, yet barely touching her, was a torturous kind of tease, but Ryan wanted to be sure she was ready for the next step.
"You're so beautiful," he told her. Rebecca smiled coyly at the compliment. "I want to see you. Will you take off your dress?"
Wordless, she nodded. Her hands disappeared behind her back, untying the knots that held her dress together. Briefly, she let it sag over her frame and then slipped it over her shoulders and slid it to the floor in a puddle around her feet. Ryan exhaled a long breath. His eyes explored along her curves, pulled like magnets to the lines of her white, lacy bra and panty set. He followed those lines until his cocked throbbed in time with his heartbeat.
Rebecca seemed encouraged by his expression. She took a step back, letting Ryan see even more of her sexy body. She twisted to the side, purposely flashing Ryan a peek of her round, voluptuous ass.
"Your turn. Take off your shirt."
He liked that she felt comfortable enough to call the shots. Grinning, he reached for the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it over his head. Then he tossed the t-shirt off to the side and did his best to puff out his chest as much as possible without looking ridiculous. Rebecca's giggle reassured him that it was the right move. When he looked back at her, her fingertips were toying with her bottom lip.
It only took him a half stride to cross the space between them. Ryan's arms circled Rebecca, one hand on the small of her back and the other on the back of her neck. He guided them both into another kiss and enjoyed the feeling of her warmth on his bare skin. When he had tasted just enough of her strawberry lips to be momentarily satisfied, he moved to the curve of her neck. Alternating between kisses and gentle nips, he worked to quicken her breath, taking each gasp as a prize and feeling rewarded by her curious fingers on his chest.
Without letting her go, he told her to unbutton his jeans.
This time her laugh held a hint of nervousness. Ryan, too, was nervous about this escalation and so he opted to keep his eyes closed as he pressed his lips to the top of Rebecca's head. The smell of her shampoo made him squeeze his eyes together even harder to suppress a moan.
After a second that could have spanned the length of an eternity, Rebecca's fingers slid down Ryan's torso to his jeans. He felt her tug at the stiff waistline, then hook her fingers inside to work the button free. She even went so far as to pull his zipper down.
He kissed her once more, and then let her go to make the space he needed to pull his jeans off. Now, standing before her in only his boxers, he became very aware of how visible the outline of his cock was inside the stretchy fabric. Especially because Rebecca was staring directly at it.
Ryan thought about inviting Rebecca to lie beside him on the bed. He imagined letting her explore his body at her own pace, slowly allowing her to feel comfortable with him before he asked for anything more. He was already searching for the words, but her eyes dared him to be bolder and the two front teeth nibbling her lip demanded it.
He reached out and grasped her wrist, pulling her across the gap this time, and pressed her palm to the front of his boxers. Her eyes, wide with surprise, snapped to his face and then down to her hand. For half a second, she was as rigid as he was.
"It's so big," she whispered. There was a ring of earnestness in her voice that would do Ryan's ego good for years to come. Pleased with the payoff from his gamble, he let go of her wrist, but she kept her hand pressed against him on her own. He felt her fingers stroke along his length. All the way to his head and then back in the other direction.
"You're more beautiful than I ever thought a woman could be," he told her. Using one knuckle, he hooked it beneath her chin and raised her gaze back up to meet his. "Feel how much I want you. What it does to me when I look at you."
Those big, chocolate-brown eyes searched deep into him. Rebecca's hand trembled just enough that Ryan couldn't stop himself from hugging her. He stroked her nearly bare back with slow and reassuring caresses until felt her lips brushed against his chest. "I want you, too."
Now it was her mouth moving against his skin and careful pressure from her hands that guided them onto the bed. On top of the mattress, Rebecca paused on her knees and unclasped her bra. There was no path to victory for Ryan in the fight against his groan of desire when he saw her breasts. It rumbled in his chest like the sound of a caged animal breaking free for the first time.
Nude, save for her white panties, the pink blush that crept down from Rebecca's freckled cheeks onto her chest was very noticeable. It made the dark colour of her nipples and areolas stand out even more against her soft, creamy skin. Ryan had to force himself to stop just staring at her firm, round breasts and nothing else. With effort, he followed the pink hue back to her pretty face.
Rebecca noticed. She hadn't joined him yet where he lounged against the pillows and was now walking toward him on her knees. She cupped both her breasts in her hands and jiggled them with an exaggerated look of lust flashing over her expression. Then she laughed and hid her face in her hands as her blush deepened.
She peeked at Ryan over her fingers. "Do you like them?"
He laughed too. More so at how absolutely adorable he found her than at her clumsy seduction attempt. "Yes, I like them. Come here."
Before she could even begin to move, he grabbed her hand and pulled her the rest of the way across the mattress. Even more emboldened from the success he had found after taking his last risk, he guided her into straddling his thighs. Rebecca settled herself quickly, the heat from between her legs burning even brighter in Ryan's mind than it did against his leg.
Chocolate curls spilled over Ryan's shoulders, soft as Rebecca's lips on his mouth. When she straightened, she caught his bottom lip between hers and pulled it to its limit. Ryan groaned again. The ache in his groin was beyond persistent now.
She looked stunning sitting topless on his lap. Cautiously, Ryan raised his hand to her breast and stroked the supple flesh just below the curve of her puckered, deeply red areola. Rebecca's eyes closed for a second, her lips opening to let a quiet moan escape.
