Wild Embrace (Wilder Irish #11) - Mari Carr Page 0,51

surroundings, of their colleagues just outside the locked door.

Finesse and longevity were things they were going to have to work up to. Between her inexperience and his long dry spell, it was safe to say it was going to take some time before they could come together without this instant spontaneous combustion.

Ryder held himself above her, supporting his weight on his elbows for several long minutes before he was able to rise. She watched as he stood, wishing she could find the strength to do the same. He pulled his pants up and refastened them, his gaze locked on her as she lay at his feet like a sack of potatoes.

She wasn’t sure what she’d accomplished, but his eyes were shuttered again, confused, still angry.

Darcy couldn’t decide if she’d taken one step forward or three very large ones back.

Ryder wasn’t finished fighting.

Which meant she wasn’t, either.

She started to push herself up, but he shook his head.

“Stay there. Don’t move.” He walked to the small bathroom in his office and she heard water running.

As far as his demands went, remaining motionless was the easiest one to follow. Her bones felt like they’d turned to Jell-O, her pussy twinging. Her second time, though quicker and harder, had been even better than her first. And she knew they’d only scratched the surface of the things Ryder could teach her.

Ryder returned with a washcloth, and heat suffused her face when he ran it gently between her legs, wiping away the remnants of her arousal and his come.

“You’re a shitty sub,” he said, his voice deadpan, no heat behind the words.

She laughed, and this time, her response provoked a grin from him.

“We’ll get there,” she said softly.

He sighed, then tossed the washcloth aside, grasping her hand and helping her stand.

The two of them resumed their previous spots on the couch.

“Darcy—” he started.

“This isn’t over.”

He sighed and she held her breath, waited for him to dig out some other stupid reason for stopping.

“Okay,” he said at last.

Darcy was surprised by his easy capitulation. “Okay?”

“If I continued to say no, would you stop nagging?”

She crossed her arms. “I don’t nag.”

He grinned. “That’s another word for tenacious, so yes, you do. But for the sake of argument, I’ll reword. Would you stop insisting?”

“Never,” she replied. “You haven’t given this a fair shot.”

“So my answer remains the same. Okay. We’ll go out on another date. And then this is over. Sunday after next. Ravens game. You, me, and the boys.”

Darcy was surprised by his choice but by no means disappointed. Like her, he was taking this trial run seriously. His feelings about her family had mattered deeply to her, and it was clear he was running a similar test. “Okay. Sounds fun.”

“I know how you are with the boys, Darcy. They love you. I just…you’ve never really seen me with them for extended periods of time.”

“Ryder. I’ve seen you with them enough to know you’re an amazing dad.”

“Yeah, well, the game felt like a good trial. The boys mean everything to me.”

“I can’t wait.”

“Today wasn’t… We didn’t accomplish… You still don’t know—”

She placed her fingers against his lips. “I’m not scared. And I want more. Want it all. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

“You’re wrong. It’s a sprint. I’m going to show you exactly what kind of man I am. There won’t be any holding back.”

“Good,” she said.

He scowled at her response. “And then this will be over.”

She shook her head. “Nope.”

“Yes. You’ll see.” He released her, his tone dismissive, self-assured.

If Darcy had one failing, it was that in arguments, she always had to get the last word. She could tell Ryder wasn’t telling her the truth about why he was pushing her away. She wasn’t sure how she knew, but there was something deep inside telling her that everything he’d said about her being too inexperienced, too young to handle what he wanted was a lie.

Of course, regardless of whether he believed that or not, she couldn’t wait to prove him wrong.

She kissed him softly. “No, Ryder. It’s your eyes that are going to be opened.”

Chapter Eleven

Ryder stepped out of the kitchen and tossed the dishtowel over his shoulder when he heard a knock at the door. He’d been washing the few dishes left in the sink over the course of the day and then he was heating up some soup for Clint’s dinner.

The two of them had actually accepted Yvonne’s invitation to Thanksgiving dinner this year. Ryder had left the decision up to Clint, who hadn’t taken