Page 8

Ryan

The next morning I wake up sleep deprived and with a slight hangover. Rolling over I see the other half of the bed is empty, but I can hear noises coming from the kitchen, a muffled curse as something crashes to the floor. Smiling, I drag myself from bed, pulling on some sweats and a t-shirt, before walking out.

In the kitchen, Erin is making coffee, her ass peaking out from my Red Sox shirt as she reaches up to grab some mugs. I smile as I walk toward her, wrapping my arms around her waist from behind and whispering in her ear.

“Morning, baby.”

“Hey,”

she says, leaning back to kiss me before pouring us both a cup.

“What’s the rush, Red?”

I ask, pressing more kisses to her neck as I slide my hands under her shirt and up to her breasts.

Erin swats them away.

“We don’t have time, Ryan,”

she says, turning in my arms.

“We have to get moving.”

I stop, pull back and look at her as I try to figure out what’s going on. I don’t think it’s related to what happened last night, the argument. After we went back inside, everything seemed to go back to normal, no one even noticed we’d even left. And even though Erin and I hadn’t talked about it any further, it didn’t affect how we were with each other. Maybe the alcohol helped, or maybe it was my admission about not knowing how to handle this.

It was the truth too, because all of this is new to me. A relationship, wanting more, wanting everything from her. I’ve never been in this situation before. In the past, my relationships, if that’s what you can call them, have lasted on average a week or so. Most of the time I’m not interested in anything too serious, but the one or two times it’s lasted longer than a night or two, it’s always ended not long after. Most girls get tired of my job, the crazy schedule and unpredictable hours that go with it. And I guess none of the girls have made me want to change that.

Until now.

The thought of changing my life for this girl, for Erin, kinda scares me, so without thinking too much about what that means, I focus on the here and now asking.

“What do you mean, we don’t have time? Where the hell do we have to be?”

Erin rolls her eyes.

“Beck and Kelsey’s, remember? We’re going out to the brewery today for lunch.”

I cock my head in confusion.

“We are?” I ask.

She rolls her eyes at me again, her hands on my chest now as she tries to push me away.

“Yes, we are,”

she says firmly.

“Obviously in your post-sex stupor after the ladies’ room trip, you totally forgot we made these plans with them.”

My face breaks out into a grin.

“Come on, you gotta admit, the ladies’ room was pretty hot.”

This earns me a tiny smile from her and I’m glad neither of us is bringing up the argument that came after.

“Yes, yes, I was amazing,”

she says, pushing me again.

“And so were you. But right now, we’re running really late on account of the fact you also kept me up all night when we got home,”

she adds, one eyebrow raised as though I’m one of the kids in her classroom and she’s scolding me for my behavior.

I can’t stop grinning as I picture her in this role. Tight skirt, blouse that has enough buttons open that I can get a good look at her tits. Maybe her reading glasses on and definitely a ruler in her hand as she stands there, debating whether I deserve a smack across the ass for whatever it is I’ve done wrong.

“What?”

she asks, her brows scrunched as she watches me.

“Nothing,”

I say, smiling as I lean in to kiss her.

“Ryan,”

she says, teacher voice back in place.

“We don’t have time.”

“Oh, but Miss Connelly,”

I say, smiling as I start walking us backward to the bedroom.

“We always have time for this.”

Erin fights a smile now as she gives in and slides her hands under my t-shirt, her nails digging into my skin.

“You are a naughty, naughty boy, Ryan Summers,”

she says, lifting my shirt over my head.

“I know,”

I tell her.

“And I think I need to be punished.”

And then I pick her up and sling her over my shoulder, laughing as she smacks me hard on the ass.

Two hours later and we’re finally pulling up to Beck and Kelsey’s place. The front door opens before we have a chance to knock and I see Kelsey shoot us a glare before pulling us both in for a quick hug.

“I know, I know,”

Erin says before Kelsey has a chance to say anything.

“We’re late, I know. But it’s his fault,”

she adds on, jerking her thumb in my direction.

“My fault?” I ask.

“Please,”

she says, grinning at me.

“You couldn’t keep your hands off me. It’s totes your fault.”

I laugh as I pull her into my arms, planting a hard kiss on her mouth. It’s a relief to know things are normal between us again. That my over the top reaction to Finn and Erin hasn’t ruined things like it so easily could have.

“Well, whoever’s fault it was, we need to get moving,”

Kelsey says, swatting us both on the shoulder.

“It’s a two hour drive to this place.”

“Where exactly are we going?”

I ask, glancing at my watch. It’s just after ten in the morning.

“West End Pub out near Greenfield,”

she tells us.

“Great little pub on the river that serves good food and even better beer.”

“Sounds good,”

I say as I shake Beck’s hand and we all walk out to the car.

“What time do you need to leave tonight?”

Erin asks quietly as she and I slide into the back of Beck’s truck.

I look over at her, see the sad smile she’s wearing. I know exactly how she’s feeling knowing our weekend together is nearly over. If I had my way, I wouldn’t be leaving at all. But I have a job in Boston waiting for me, and as much as I’d love to take the whole week off and stay up here with her, I can’t. We have a huge investigation starting up tomorrow, a potential crime ring that’s about to be broken wide open. I’m actually lucky I got this weekend off to come up here in the first place; but it seems like I’m already changing my life for this girl I’ve fallen so hard for.

I run a thumb across her bottom lip, give her a quick smile before I say.

“It’s okay, baby. I’ll stay tonight and drive back tomorrow morning.”

“Really?”

she says, a look of hope in her eyes.

I lean in and kiss her, wishing I didn’t have to leave at all. “Really.”

The drive out to the pub is filled with lots of chatting and laughter. Beck and Kelsey are in the middle of planning their wedding and there are an endless number of things going wrong. Between caterers who overcharge and every single person in Rockport having something to say about where they are having the ceremony, or the reception, or even their honeymoon, Kelsey is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Well that, or punching someone.

“It’s just ridiculous,”

she says, looking back at us.

“Every person in this town feels the need to tell me that I shouldn’t be wearing white on account of the fact that I’m clearly not a virgin anymore.”

Beck and I both laugh. I’ve heard the stories of how these two got busted going at it multiple times when they were kids. I’m pretty sure nothing’s changed on that front since Beck walked back into this town over five months ago.

“That’s what you get for living in a small town, baby,”

he says, reaching over to squeeze her thigh.

“I know,”

she says, crossing her arms over her chest in a huff.

“I’m beginning to think moving to Boston sounds like a smart idea after all.”

Beck laughs again.

“Bullshit, you love this town,”

he says, glancing at her. She smiles at him and I know he’s right.

“Don’t pretend you don’t, too,”

she says, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

“You know I do, babe,” he says.

I turn to Erin and see she’s looking at me, instead of them. I get the feeling she hasn’t even been listening to the conversation at all.

“You okay?”

I ask, stretching my arm along the back of the seat so my fingers are brushing the back of her neck.

“Yeah,”

she says quietly.

“Erin,”

I say.

“What’s wrong?”

Erin glances to Beck and Kelsey now.

They’re laughing about something and it’s obvious they are both over-the-moon happy.

Moving back here has been good for him.

Gone is the grouchy detective who carried a chip on his shoulder and refused to let anyone in.

The one who lived for his job and would often be first one in and last one out of the office each night.

Beck might have loved being a cop, but it’s clear that he loves Kelsey more and there is nothing even remotely close to resentment at the fact that he had to give all that up to move back here so he could be with her.

I glance at Erin again and see she is still watching them and it suddenly dawns on me what’s going on here.

“Baby,”

I whisper, my hand on her chin and dragging her attention back to me.

“Yeah?” she says.

“Yesterday morning, what we talked about,”

I start, wondering if she knows what I’m referring to.

“What about it?”

she asks, almost defensively as though she’s also remembering the argument from last night and the impact that had on my words.

“I meant what I said about falling for you,”

I say, my thumb running along her bottom lip.

“And part of falling for you means I don’t want to even think about being with anyone else.”

“I haven’t been with anyone since I met you,”

she says and the shocked look on her face tells me that’s not what she was planning to tell me.

I smile, an unexpected feeling of relief flowing through me, at both her admission and the fact that she wants this, despite how scared I know she is.

“Neither have I, Red,”

I tell her.

“And I’d really like to keep it that way.”

“You would?”

she asks nervously.

“Erin,”

I say, leaning closer so my mouth is only inches from hers.

“When I’m in, I’m all in.”

“Really?”

I close the gap and press a light kiss to her lips.

“Really. And babe,”

I add, kissing her again.

“I am sorry about last night…the whole Finn thing.”

Erin pulls back, her eyes meeting mine.

“Truly, I’m sorry,”

I repeat.

“It won’t happen again.”

She looks at me as though she isn’t sure she can believe me. Just when I’m about to tell her again, she nods and whispers.

“Thank you,”

before leaning in to kiss me again.

Lunch at the pub is fantastic. It’s on the river and even though it’s too cold to sit on the balcony outside, inside there is a huge stone fireplace that sits right in the center of the room. We grab a table by the window and spend the afternoon laughing and talking. The ladies volunteer to drive home, so Beck and I sample the wide range of beers they have and by the time we’re rolling out of there, the sun has long gone.

When we arrive back at Beck and Kelsey’s place, we say goodnight, me promising I’ll see them both again very soon. And as I slide onto the passenger seat of my SUV, laughing as Erin has to adjust everything so she can drive it, I can’t help but wish I really could stay here forever.

“You okay there, Detective?”

Erin asks, glancing over as she backs out of their drive.

“I will be soon,”

I say, leaning over to kiss her as I slide a hand up her thigh.

“You’re drunk, aren’t you?”

she says, laughing as she half-heartedly swats my hand away.

“Maybe,”

I say.

“But I’m still hot for you.”

I slide a hand under Erin’s sweater, cupping her breast in my hand as I pinch and pull her nipple through her bra. I smile as she gasps before shooting me a wicked look.

“Ryan,”

she warns.

“What, Red?”

I murmur, my mouth on her neck now.

“I am trying to drive here,”

she says, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.

“And it is your car.”

I laugh, nibbling and sucking at the skin just below her ear. The moan she lets out takes my semi-hard dick to full-blown hard and I’m wondering if I can wait until we get home. This town isn’t big, but the way I’m feeling right now, I really need to be inside this woman.

“How about you stop driving and pull over?”

I whisper, my eyes on the dark turn-off up ahead.

Erin giggles, squirming in her seat as she indicates for the turn off. My hands are already out of her sweater and I’m undoing the belt and buckle of my jeans before she’s even got us in park.

“Well then, Detective,”

she says, her voice all sexy and seductive.

“Now that I’ve pulled over as ordered, what are you going to do with me?”

I grin back at her, sliding my hand across her cheek.

“How about you climb on over here beautiful girl?”

Erin smiles back at me, undoing her seatbelt before she slides over, straddling my hips. My hands go to hers, itching to undo her jeans so I can pull them off, but I stop, my hands sliding up her body to her cheeks instead.

Because in this moment, in the silent darkness of the car, something changes. Suddenly, I want to tell her everything. About how I feel and what I want and where I see us going.

“Erin,”

I murmur, knowing, even in my drunken state, that this is dangerous ground I’m treading on right now.

“Yeah?”

she whispers nervously.

My thumb strokes her cheek.

“I want to be with you,”

I whisper, having no idea where these words are coming from or why I’m saying them right now. It’s far from romantic and deep down, I know they’re words she’s afraid of.

“I want to know you,”

I continue, my words a whisper.

“I want to know everything about you. I want…”

“Ryan,”

she murmurs, almost pleading as she leans down and kisses me. I groan as her mouth meets mine in a hard kiss. My hands slide into her hair now, holding her against me, even as a voice somewhere in the back of my head tells me I need to dig deeper and find out what it is she’s so scared of.