Wild Embrace (Wilder Irish #11) - Mari Carr Page 0,43

could have been confusion or anxiety or…even anger.

She hated all of them. “I know where Colm hides his emergency stash of condoms.” She pointed to her bedroom door. “They’re just down the hall in the bathroom. I can run down and grab—”

“No,” he interjected. “I…don’t want anything between us.”

His words made her happy, and she would have smiled, but the sweetness of what he was saying didn’t match the expression or the tone.

“Ryder—” she started, clueless as to what was going through his brain.

Before she could attempt any sort of reassurance, the fog lifted and she fought for breath as Ryder obviously shook off whatever was bothering him and gave her a smile that was pure seduction.

Then he took a step away, reached for the hem of her sweater, and pulled it off.

“Time to take care of our similar problems,” he said.

Chapter Nine

Ryder ran his fingers along the top of Darcy’s bra, certain he’d never seen a more beautiful woman. He’d spent the entire afternoon half-erect, fighting the overwhelming desire to drag Darcy away from the party—family be damned—strip her naked, and lose himself inside her.

He knew he was being a fool to forgo the condom, but there were two fundamental truths that outweighed all of his fears.

One, Darcy wasn’t Denise, and while he struggled with trust, there was a persistent voice inside that told him he could trust her, that he did trust her.

And two, apparently, he was a fucking caveman.

He wanted to come inside her, mark her as his own. It was a new emotion for him, but damn if it wasn’t a powerful one. He’d never wanted to possess a woman, claim her.

But as he looked at Darcy in her bra, her cheeks flushed with arousal and maybe a little bit of embarrassment, it was all he could do not to beat his chest, toss her over his shoulder, and drag her to his cave.

Darcy began to unbutton his shirt, her fingers trembling slightly as she slipped each one free. Throughout, her eyes never left his. He recalled her doing the same thing in the elevator the night of Halloween…and that night so many years ago.

Once his shirt was open, her gaze drifted lower as she ran her hand over his chest. Ryder reached around her and unhooked her bra, drawing the straps over her shoulders.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured.

She smiled shyly. “So are you.”

Ryder bent his head to kiss her again, unable to resist the feeling of his lips against hers. As they kissed, he pushed her backwards, one slow step at a time, until they reached her bed. Her bedroom was larger than he would have expected, and mercifully, she had a double bed, not a single.

Ryder unfastened her jeans, drawing the zipper down. They worked together to tug down the tight denim as well as her panties. She’d been barefoot all day, not bothering with shoes in her own house.

Once she was completely naked, he took a step back so he could look at her. Darcy, though inexperienced, possessed a confidence he found captivating, attractive. She’d been raised in the midst of a loving family, who’d instilled in her a strong sense of self-worth.

“Lay down on the bed, Buttercup.”

She sank onto the mattress, scooting to the middle, leaning back and supporting her weight with her hands behind her.

He shook his head. “Lay down,” he repeated, perfectly aware he was pushing her. He was still essentially dressed, only his shirt hanging open, while she was completely naked. Lying down while he stood would make her feel even more vulnerable, but Ryder wanted her to know she never needed to feel that way with him.

She dropped down, her long hair flowing over the pillow beneath her head, framing her heart-shaped face like a dark-chocolate halo. Her bright blue eyes never left his face and he felt as though he could see straight to her soul through them. Darcy was so open, so guileless, able to express her emotions so freely. He could see her excitement, her desire, her happiness.

“So fucking beautiful,” he repeated, smiling.

“Ryder,” she whispered when he sat on the edge of the bed next to her. “What about your cloth—”

“I’m not rushing through a single second of this, Darcy. It’ll be hard enough for me to hold back once I’m inside you. It’s been too long…and God, I want you so bad.”

She tried to sit up once more, but he pressed her down with a firm hand on her shoulder. “Lie still.”

Ryder toed off