Ryan's Love - C.A. Harms Page 0,61

side, taking me with him.

I sighed in disappointment when he was no longer pressed against me.

“I’m not going anywhere.” He smiled as if he could read my thoughts. “Never too far, baby. That’s a promise.”

“Me too,” I assured him.

I fell asleep curled safely against his chest as he gently stroked my shoulder, filling my mind with peaceful assurance. Waking up with Ryan next to me, naked, was something that would never get old.

I didn’t want to leave him, but I wanted to help Olivia with breakfast. It was Pancake Saturday, and I had grown to love helping her whenever I stayed overnight on those days. Saturday mornings were a tradition she and Ryan had created together, and I wouldn’t do anything to change it. I slipped on my sleep shorts and a tank top and quietly exited the room, closing the door behind me.

As I walked down the hall toward the kitchen, I could already hear the clinking of pans and the cupboard doors shutting. Olivia had the radio set to a country music station, and words about love and life filled the open area.

She turned just in time to see me emerge from the hall and offered me a smile. “Good mornin’, sunshine,” she chirped.

Her happiness and fun-loving attitude was a mirror image of her father’s. They both always had the ability to make even the worst day so much better.

“Good morning,” I said as I stepped up to her side. She already had the batter mixed, and a bag of chocolate chips sat next to the bowl, still unopened. The pan was on the burner, greased and heating. “So what do you need me to do?” I asked, letting her lead the way.

“You can add the chocolate.” She pointed to the bag. “Last time, Dad said I had more than enough.” She rolled her eyes at the ridiculous thought of there being such a thing as too much chocolate.

“As if that is even possible,” I said as I tore the bag open and began adding the chips. She grinned when I went a little overboard. I would happily endure Ryan complaining to see that bright smile on her face. It isn’t like he wouldn’t eat them anyway.

I tilted the whipped cream can upside down and sprayed it onto the top of the pile of pancakes Olivia had placed on a plate. I swiped my finger across the peak it had formed and lifted it to my lips.

Ryan stepped up behind me and reached around, wrapping his hand around my wrist. He then lifted my finger toward his mouth and placed his lips over the tip, sucking lightly.

The flick of his tongue mixed with the gentle suction instinctively made me squeeze my thighs together. The sense of need combined with the overpowering love that rushed through me gave me chills. Was it normal to be so consumed with one man that everything around you just disappeared with one single touch?

The thoughts racing through my mind were inappropriate, given that Olivia was only a few feet away.

He released my finger and carefully let out a slow, calming breath. When I knew I was relaxed enough not to melt to the floor, I looked back over my shoulder and met his heated stare. The smirk on his lips told me he knew exactly what he had just caused. The arrogant ass played a hard game of teasing.

“Well, that wasn’t really what I’d planned on tasting first thing this morning, but it’ll have to do. For now, anyway,” he said.

I narrowed my eyes at him as he chuckled and slowly backed away. That was cruel.

Bonus Chapter

Olivia

I woke up to Bailey shrieking. “Yes, I’m serious. He proposed, and the ring is gorgeous.”

I peeked up over the back of the couch. Her back was to me as she talked on the phone.

“Seriously, Alena, he is perfect. He treats her so well, and she deserves it after what Kevin put her through.”

I remember overhearing my dad telling Uncle Jackson about Amber’s ex. He was awful, and Bailey is right; she did deserved better. After the initial shock at the idea of my father being with another woman faded away, I found I truly loved Amber.

When Dad told me he wanted to ask Amber to marry him, it floored me. Not because I didn’t want him to but because it didn’t bother me that he wanted to. I never thought I would actually be comfortable with him remarrying. But over the last six months Amber had