Getting Lucky - Jennifer Lazaris Page 0,43
he’d left her apartment that night destroyed him.
He had done so many things wrong, and made so many bad decisions. The last thing he wanted was to begin their relationship with secrets. Telling Zoe was a risk, but one he needed to take to clear his conscience.
“Zoe, the night I left here, I was really upset.” He shook his head. “I went to see—”
She put a finger to his lips. “No. We’re starting this all over from the beginning tonight. Everything and everyone that doesn’t matter, we need to leave in the past. Okay? Anything before this moment doesn’t matter.”
“All I want to do is to start over again,” he whispered, threading his hands through her hair. “I only want you. No one else. Can you forgive me for taking so long to get here? Say yes.”
“Yes.” She touched his face, tracing her fingers along his jaw. “A million times, yes.”
Ryder took her face in his hands and leaned in to kiss her.
Desire swept through him once more as he gathered her close.
How had he denied himself this kind of connection for so long? Kissing her made him feel alive, like he was firing on eight cylinders when he’d been limping along on two.
Zoe ducked under his arm and grinned over her shoulder. She beckoned him with her index finger.
A smile played on his lips as he watched her tease him. “Where are we going, Strawberry?”
“I can promise you one thing. It’s not to your SUV.”
CHAPTER 22
Zoe led him to her queen-sized bed and gently pushed him down on the fluffy comforter. She knelt in front of him, her knees sinking into the plush blue carpeting.
“Hey.” He brushed a silky lock of hair behind her ear. “You don’t have to do this.”
She placed her finger against his lips. “I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. However…” she trailed off.
“What?”
“Do you mind letting me be in control for a while?”
Watching her kneeling before him like some kind of flame-haired goddess, he could honestly say he had no problem with that whatsoever.
His cock strained against his jeans. He wasn’t sure he’d last long, but she seemed so eager to please him he’d let her do whatever she wanted.
“I’m all yours.”
***
Zoe smiled. All hers. She liked that. She wanted nothing more right now than to please him. Even with very little experience, she still wanted to try.
“Take off your shirt,” she ordered.
He arched a brow. “Yes, ma’am.”
Ryder pulled his shirt over his head, revealing his well-muscled chest and upper arms.
Zoe paused to closely study his tattoos. They completely covered both of his arms. She grazed her lips along his right forearm and slid her tongue up to his bicep. She kissed the intricate design surrounding his last name, which was written in bold Celtic letters. “These are beautiful.”
He grinned at her. “You like my tattoos?”
“They’re sexy. Like you.” She sank back down between his legs.
Zoe unbuckled his belt and slowly pulled the zipper of his jeans down. To her surprise, he wasn’t wearing anything underneath. She finally got an eyeful of him in all his big, naked glory.
He was perfect.
“I’ve never done this,” she said. “So you might have to guide me.”
She teased kisses down the trail of hair leading to his stomach, before drawing his entire, delicious length into her mouth.
He let out a hiss of air between his teeth and tilted his head back. “Oh damn. You’re doing just fine, baby.”
It was all the encouragement she needed. Kissing and licking down his shaft, she finally settled into a slow rhythm she hoped would drive him crazy.
He wrapped her hair around his fist, gently tugging on it to get her attention.
His eyes were so heated; her stomach flipped and her panties grew damp with anticipation.
“That look,” she whispered. “The one you’re giving me now. God, Ryder, it makes me so wet.”
His grip tightened around her hair. “Keep talking like that and I’ll have you under me in a heartbeat, Strawberry.”
“Not yet.” She drew him back into her mouth, teasing and taunting until he grew tense.
“Zoe, wait,” he said, his voice ragged.
She ignored him, continuing her onslaught until he grabbed her hands and gently pulled her onto the bed. Easing her back against the pillows, he straddled her.
She blinked at him. “I wasn’t finished,” she pouted. “What happened to me being in charge for a while?”
“That was a while.” He slid her jeans off her hips and removed her shirt. “You’re making me crazy. I need to touch you, Zoe. I