Samantha
“Do you have any idea who might have done this, Sam? Any enemies? Any ex-boyfriends you might have upset in some way?”
I shook my head at Officer Martin, who was standing in my living room taking my statement. Ryan and I sat on my couch while other cops inspected the house and collected whatever evidence they could. Squeezing my hand, Ryan gave me a look I couldn’t quite understand, but I appreciated that he was there. God, I don’t know what I would’ve done if I’d come home alone and found the door looking the way it did.
Shit, what if I hadn’t gone out at all? Would whoever had done this have done more than vandalize my front door?
I shivered and shook my head. “I have no idea who might have done this. I don’t have any exes, and I don’t think I have any enemies.”
“It could just be a prank,” another officer said, moving to stand next to Martin. “Some kids going around, thinking it’s funny to freak out residents in the neighborhood or something.”
Martin looked skeptical. “No one else has called in any other vandalism, and the neighborhood was quiet and peaceful when we drove through it.”
“And why would anyone prank just me?” I asked, baffled. “I don’t even know any teenagers. My kid is in elementary school.”
“Then who else could it be?” The other officer shrugged.
“I might know,” Ryan muttered with a heavy sigh.
I turned my gaze to him, stunned. “What? Who?”
“You got a name?” Officer Martin asked.
Ryan nodded. “Yeah, Bill Johnson. He’s a former VP at my company. He was let go a couple months ago, and he didn’t take it well. He was harassing me and my company before I came back here, and I was told he’d calmed down. I hadn’t thought he might come here.”
“What makes you think he has?” Martin questioned.
Ryan hesitated, glancing at me, his gaze uncertain.
Finally, he said, “Last night, I heard something outside my house and when I went to investigate, I found my tires slashed. A pot had been broken on my back porch as well, but I’d thought it was a raccoon or something at the time.”
“And you didn’t report the tires?”
Ryan shook his head. “I didn’t want to draw attention to it if it was Bill. I wanted to handle it internally, with my personal security, but I didn’t think for a second that he’d go after someone other than me.”
I could hardly believe what I was hearing. This was just too crazy to be real.
It was a stark reminder of what Ryan’s life was actually like outside the borders of our little town. He was a businessman. A billionaire!
Of course he had to have enemies. Nobody made that kind of money without pissing a few people off along the way.
“All right, we’ll look into this Bill guy,” Martin said. “It doesn’t look like he broke in anywhere, and nothing else was vandalized or damaged on the property. You should be safe to stay here tonight, but we’ll have a patrol stay in the neighborhood just in case.”
“Thanks,” I murmured, rather comforted by that. “I appreciate you coming over.”
“Of course.” Martin nodded. “If anything else happens, give us a call right away. It’d go a long way if we could catch whoever this is in the act.”
That was a lot less comforting. “All right, I will.”
I stood and walked the officers out of my house, closing the door behind them. Releasing a long breath,
I turned and found Ryan standing in the middle of the living room. He looked guilty as he gazed at me.
“Why didn’t you tell me about this Bill guy?” I asked, moving to stand in front of him.
He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “I’m sorry. I really thought I could take care of the whole situation by myself without getting anyone here involved. I didn’t think he’d do anything like this.”
I folded my arms. “Why target me? It’s not like he could know about Henry, and we’re not a couple.”
Ryan nodded. “Yeah, I’m not sure. It’s possible, if he’s been lurking around town, that he’s seen the two of us together. He might have just drawn his own conclusions about our relationship, and since I didn’t really respond to his attacks at my place, maybe he thought going after you would get my attention.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose and shook my head. “That’s really messed up.”
“I know,” Ryan murmured. “I’m so sorry, Sam. I never wanted to involve you and Henry in this mess. I promise I’ll do everything in my power to deal with this and make sure this never happens again.”
“It’s not your fault,” I assured him. “But, yeah, for Henry’s sake, please figure this thing out. I don’t want him in any danger.”
“Me either. I don’t want you in any danger, either.” His shoulders dropped, and he sighed again. “I’ll get out of here and leave you alone for the night.”
He moved to walk past me, but I grabbed his arm and stopped him. He looked down at me with a furrowed brow. I held his gaze.
“I don’t want to be alone,” I whispered.
“You sure?” he softly asked.
I nodded. “Absolutely.”
There was a moment when we just stared at each other, and then, he yanked me into his arms and kissed me. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I clung to him. His tongue plunged into my mouth to tangle with mine, and I grew desperate for him to touch me. I didn’t want to think about anything else at that moment. I just wanted to feel his body against mine.
I breathlessly ended the kiss and took his hand. Giving him what I’m sure was a hungry look, I led him through the house and up the stairs. We made our way down the hall in silence, and when we reached my bedroom, I released his hand and moved to stand next to the bed.
My eyes locked with his, I slowly began to strip out of my dress. I let it pool at my feet and then removed my bra and panties as well. When I was naked, I sat back on the bed and scooted to the middle of the mattress.
Ryan stared at me for a few moments more, but then, he crossed the room, pulling his shirt off and throwing it to the floor. My breathing grew heavier the closer he came. I felt like he was stalking me, like a predator closing in on prey. Incredibly willing prey.
When he reached the bed, he stopped. His eyes roamed over me, and he ran his hand over his mouth.
“Damn, Sam,” he rumbled. “You are gorgeous.”
I grinned, my cheeks warming at his praise.
“Are you going to keep me waiting?” I purred.
Smirking, he undid the buckle of his pants and pushed them down and off, along with his underwear. His erection sprang free, and I stared at it, entranced.
It had been so long since I’d seen him like this, but I suddenly felt like I was that eighteen-year-old girl about to lose her virginity to her crush. I was shy but excited. I wanted this so badly, I didn’t know how patient I could remain.
Luckily, Ryan didn’t waste any time. He climbed onto the bed, grabbed my ankle, and yanked me closer to him. I let out an excited yelp and laughed as he covered my body with his. He cut off my laugh with a rough kiss. He ran his hands down my sides, cupping my breasts and flicking his thumbs over my nipples. I whimpered as pleasure unfurled within me. I spread my legs and wrapped them around his waist.
His erection rubbed against my sex, sending a jolt of sensation through me that had me arching my back with a soft cry.
“What do you like?” he growled. “Tell me how to make you feel good, baby.”
I released a breath and bashfully answered, “Um, I’m not sure. It’s been awhile.”
He lifted his head and looked down at me with a surprised, confused expression.
“What do you mean, awhile?”
I looked away from him, too embarrassed to hold his gaze while I replied.
“I, uh, haven’t actually had sex since that night.”
“What?” he exclaimed. “Are you serious?”
I crossed my arms and pursed my lips, annoyed by his response, as though it was such a huge deal that I hadn’t been getting regularly dicked down over the years.
“I am,” I snapped. “I’ve been a little busy, you know. Raising a kid and all.”
Ryan cupped the side of my face and turned my face back to his. “I’m not judging, I promise. I’m just surprised. I don’t know how you haven’t had men tripping over themselves to be with you.”
I chewed on my bottom lip and shrugged. “I mean, I’ve dated. I’ve done…stuff with guys. I just never got that far with anyone else.”
His lips slowly curled into a grin. “Do you know how happy that makes me?”
I blinked. “What? Why?”
“It means I’m the only man you’ve been with,” he explained. “I like that. A lot.”
I scoffed. “I know you think that sounds romantic and whatever, but tell me this: am I the only woman you’ve ever been with?”
He winced and grinned sheepishly. “No. No, you aren’t.”
“And do you think I care?”
He chuckled. “I mean, I think you do a little bit.”
She rolled her eyes. “Okay, of course I care, but it’s whatever. You’ve lived your life, and you’re not a monk. Had I had the opportunities you did, I’d have a lot more experience, too. Would that make any difference to you?”
“No,” he replied, dropping his forehead to rest on mine. “It wouldn’t make a damn bit of difference. I get what you’re saying, Sam, but I still like it.”
“You’re intolerable.”
“And you’re sexy.”
I groaned and laughed. “Just kiss me, dummy.”
He did, slanting his mouth over mine and stealing my breath. Ryan slowly ran his hand down my belly and between my legs. He touched me, and I moaned.
“You’re still so wet,” he hissed. “I could slip right into you, but it’ll be a little tight, won’t it?”
“It’s fine,” I panted. “Just do it, please.”
“You’re such a romantic.”
I groaned, curling my fingers into his hair and yanking him down for another kiss. He removed his hand and repositioned himself so his hips rested between my legs. Reaching between us, he took hold of himself and lined up with my body. Ryan flexed his hip and pressed his erection inside me. I released a hiss of breath as there was a pinch and a bit of pain, but it quickly disappeared as he sank into the hilt. My body took him in as though it had always been waiting for him.
“Shit, Sam,” he growled. “You feel better than I remember.”
I couldn’t speak. I was too overwhelmed with the feeling of fullness and the pleasure consuming me.
He moved over me, driving in and out of me over and over again. He started out slow and easy, giving my body a chance to adjust to him. However, as it grew easier for him to slide in and out, he moved faster and harder.
I cried out, total ecstasy engulfed me, and the world shrank until the only thing that existed to me was this. Ryan and me, intertwined, our bodies joined as one, was what I’d been missing. I hadn’t realized just how much until that moment, but I suddenly knew no other man could make me feel this way. I’d held myself back from every other potential relationship because, deep down, I’d always known Ryan was the only man I’d ever wanted. Despite my anger and hurt, a part of me had always longed for him.
Now that we were together again, it just felt right. It felt like we were always supposed to be like that with each other. It was natural.
“I’ve missed you, Sam,” Ryan told me, his voice a low rumble. “You have no idea how badly I’ve wanted to be with you again.”
His words made my chest tighten, and I couldn’t come up with the right words to relay all that I was feeling at that moment, so I just wrapped my arms around him and hugged as tight as I could. I moved my hips with his, chasing the release we were both growing desperate for. When he suddenly brushed his fingers against my clit, I exploded.
Throwing my head back, I screamed as my body convulsed, pleasure booming through me like a bomb had gone off. Ryan tensed and then let out a roar of his own as he poured his release into me. I saw stars, and then his face, his expression twisted in ecstasy.
When the last ripples of our orgasms passed through us, he carefully pulled out and collapsed on the bed next to me.
“Holy shit,” he said while gasping for air. “Sam, that was…that was…”
“Incredible,” I breathed.
“Yeah,” he agreed.
I turned to him and cuddled into his side. He wrapped an arm around me and held me tight.
“Thank you,” he murmured.
I chuckled softly. “Has it been that long since you’ve had an orgasm? You’re welcome.”
“No,” he laughed. “I mean, yes, thank you for that, but also, thank you for tonight. For giving me a chance.”
I traced circles on his chest with my fingers. “You’re welcome. Remember, though, that this doesn’t guarantee anything.”
Those words seemed harsh, especially after what we’d just done, but my reasoning behind my decision was returning to me. I didn’t want to get either of our hopes up. I didn’t know what this was, or if it would actually go anywhere. I wanted to temper my expectations, so I didn’t end up hurt and alone again.. “I know,” he assured me. “Still, it feels like we’re at least moving forward. That’s got to be worth something, right?”
“Yeah, I suppose.” I nuzzled my cheek against him. “Let’s not worry too much about it quite yet, okay? Let’s just enjoy the afterglow for a bit.”
“Absolutely,” he murmured before pressing a kiss onto the top of my head. “I just want to lie here for as long as I can and relish the feel of you in my arms.”
I smiled and nodded, feeling the exact same way.