Ricochet (Renegades #3)(49)
Author: Skye Jordan

She slid her fingers across his cheek and slowly, gently, purposely brushed his lips, her gaze following. Then she dragged them open. The movement sparked a memory of their night together. Of her making the same motion as she’d swept her fingers down his face at the most intimate moment, in that blissful aftermath of dual climaxes as they sank back to reality. He’d filled her then, her body warm and wet and still tight around him.

He’d never felt as content with any other woman as he had in that moment. And all that he’d learned about her since only verified she was everything he’d already sensed at soul level. Everything he’d never believed he’d ever find…or even want. And she definitely deserved a better man than his ragged, fucked up ass.

But… He let his gaze drop to her mouth. Let his hand slide that direction, his thumb glide over her lower lip, and realized he didn’t just want her anymore, he needed her. He needed her to get his head right, and keep it right until she shipped him back to the guys who needed him most.

Ryker slipped his hand around the back of her head and drew her in. The mere feel of her lips sent a wash of relief through his entire body. She was better than any drug. Better than bottles of vodka. Better than mindless sex with any bar chick.

Everything about her was instantly familiar, yet amplified by his need. The silky feel of her hair, the way her breasts pushed against his chest, the hug of her belly to his erection. Her soft lips gave, and she opened to him, taking his tongue in the same way she parted her legs to take his cock.

He loved the feel of her melted against him, like he was equally hard to resist. Loved the way she wrapped her arms around his neck and made that delicious purr at the back of her throat. Loved the way her tongue stroked his, slowly, like there was nothing she’d rather do than taste him.

Ryker slid one hand down her back, over her hips, and grabbed her ass, pulling her up and in until she straddled his thigh, barely touching the ground. Her back arched, pulling her out of the kiss.

“Nath—”

He kissed her again, before she said what he knew she was going to say—that stupid we-can’t mantra. Turned his head and slanted his mouth over hers, taking more, teasing more. Her body was warm and damp and moving against his and…goddamned sonofabitch, he’d never felt anything so good.

Her tongue licked into his mouth, as hungry as his. Her hand fisted his hair, creating a burn along his scalp. The other clung tight to his shoulder, digging in as if she wanted to climb his body, the same way she had the other night.

Ryker’s mind went white with pleasure. He couldn’t think, couldn’t plan, couldn’t stop to talk, to reason, or make any deals. He just needed her. And she wanted him. And…yes.

Just…yes.

His hands slid over the damp, warm flesh of her back, and he moaned, teasing her lower lip with the little bite he knew turned her on. He didn’t know how his hands found bare skin. Didn’t know what he was going to do now that they were there while he and Rachel were in the middle of nowhere, but hell if he cared. He was going to drown in one beautiful moment at a time.

She pulled out of the kiss, her warm eyes hazed with that familiar look of lust that turned Ryker inside out with need. She clung to him, dropped her forehead to his shoulder, and rocked it side to side.

He raked his fingers through her hair, closed his eyes and breathed in the floral scent of her shampoo. An excruciatingly sweet sensation tightened at the center of his chest until it felt as if it were cutting him in half, pushing his mind toward random, foreign thoughts that threatened to drive him insane. Was this what the married guys felt like when they went home to their wives? How did they live without it when they were in Afghanistan? And why did this feeling make him want to dig his heels in and stay instead of scare him into running?

“Nathan…” she said against his shoulder. “This is…just… I can’t think rationally when you kiss me. God, we have to stop doing that.”

“Baby, I can’t seem to think at all unless I am kissing you. We have to do that a lot more.” He cupped her face and tilted it up toward his and kissed her again.

His phone rang.

He ignored it.

Rachel pushed away and held him back with a hand at his chest. “Answer,” she said, breathless. “It’s probably Jax this time.”

Ryker growled and jerked the phone from his pocket. This time the screen displayed Jax’s name.

“Goddammit.” Now he was all revved up with nowhere to go. He dropped his head back and pushed Rachel to arms’ length. On the third ring he answered, still breathing hard. “Hey. Caught me in the middle of a climb.”

“We’re here,” Jax said. “How long do you think you’ll be?”

Ryker checked to make sure Rachel was steady, then released her arm and looked down at his crotch, scowled back at Rachel, gesturing with a look-what-you-did expression. She twisted her mouth into the cutest little grin that made Ryker’s chest feel like a roller coaster, and looked away.

He refocused on the call and planted his hand on his hip. “We? Who’s we?”

“I brought as many people as I could grab,” Jax said, sounding proud of himself. “A couple of girls to help Rachel get the office together and the supplies put away. I grabbed Charlie from his other job a day early, and snagged a couple of the construction guys you hired too. And we brought a couple more truckloads of supplies. That should at least get you started until the rest get here.”

Frustration and disappointment dragged Ryker’s shoulders down. Yes, he was glad for the help. Yes, he wanted to get a jump-start on this project. But now he wouldn’t even be able to steal some time with Rachel when they got back down the hill.

Maybe tonight, after—

“Oh,” Jax said. “And Marx is here too. When you get back, you, me, Charlie, and Marx will drive to the top of the bridge and walk it. Talk logistics.”

All the air exited Ryker’s lungs. His teeth clenched.

“So how long do you think?” Jax asked again.

“About an hour.” He said good-bye, disconnected, stuffed his phone back into his pocket, and reached for Rachel. He gripped her waist and lifted her off the ground.

She gasped in surprise. “Nathan—”

“We need to talk.” He shifted his hands down to her ass, and she parted her thighs, wrapping her legs around his hips and positioning his erection perfectly to the heat between her legs.

He carried her to a rock outcropping a few feet away, where he sat and took a little too much time positioning her just right on his…lap. Now, talking was the very last thing on his mind. Especially when she had that lusty look of hunger in her eyes and her fingers fisted in his shirt.