I sit up and pull him with me below deck. The door to the cabin is just past the bathroom. In the room is a platform-styled queen bed with a thick blue comforter on it. I slip off my sandals and lay back on the bed as he slowly closes the door behind him, watching me. I scoot back to the pillows and pull the comforter from underneath me to cover myself. Once I’m settled, he lays down next to me but on top of the covers.
"Ryan, come on. Get under the covers."
He groans, sitting up to kick off his shoes before joining me. Even though I was tired before, the idea that I'm lying in a bed with him has me wired awake, and considering how chilly it is outside, it's getting stuffy in here. Ryan must feel that way as well. He sits up to slide open two small circular windows that are on either side of the cabin to allow the air to circulate. I push the comforter down, and he pulls me into his arms. His kisses are urgent, and his hands are buried in my hair. I cling to him as he lowers me onto the bed and covers me with his body.
My hands wrap around his back, and I pull him closer to me. I start tugging on his shirt, wanting to feel his skin. He sits up and pulls it and the t-shirt he wears under it off. Before he lays back down, I bring my hands up to his chest. He’s on the lean side, but his muscles are defined in a way that's making my mouth water. His shoulders and biceps are rock hard, and I know it’s from all of the lifting and kayaking he does at work. He has an amused expression on his face as I explore the contours of his body.
"What?" I ask, catching his eye.
He shrugs, a very mischievous look on his face. "Just looking forward to my turn."
I blush, turning to hide my face in a pillow.
"Had not meant for that to be a scary thing." He playfully tugs on my arm. "Grace, I'm not in any hurry. Well, truthfully, I'd love for stuff to happen sooner rather than the alternative. What I'm trying to say is never, ever feel rushed with me, okay? And I promise to sit on my hands if you want to touch me again because that felt heavenly."
I peek up at him before sitting back up, bringing my hands to touch him again. I hear him sharply inhale when I lean down to kiss his chest. When I look back up at him, he captures my mouth with his. A moan escapes my lips, and Ryan pulls back. I look at him, confused.
"Just need a minute. Scratch that, Maybe an hour."
I lie back against the pillows and bite the knuckle of my index finger to hold back a laugh. It’s hard not to feel giddy looking at this beautiful man and knowing the effect I am having on him. It makes me feel dizzy and amazed that this is actually happening. Knowing how he is seals it for me; how he flew to Cleveland to help me move down here; how he takes care of Kate. I picture the sweet little grannies gushing over him at the knitting club. When I had fallen in love with Jon, there was this bad boy appeal to him. He'd talked me into ditching the date I was on to be with him. It had been exciting, but when times got rough, he'd taken it out on me.
Ryan doesn’t need to act like that. There is no reason for him to be aggressive or a bully. Like when those lawyers made a pass at me. He had not yelled or threatened them, just said I was his girlfriend and that was that. I know, though, just as he had said above on the deck, that he will protect me.
He swings his legs over the side of the bed. On my knees, I move over to him and begin gently kissing his back.
"Ryan?"
He turns to look at me.
"What if I don’t want to wait?"
I grab his hand and pull him back to me before unhooking my belt and dropping it over the side of the bed. Then I take his hands and place them on the hem of my shirt and lift my arms up in the air for him to pull it off