Hot Finish (15 page)

It was an interesting angle, eating her from straight on, and Ryder had to readjust technique, but what he loved about it was that Suzanne held the back of his head and ground herself onto him, her gasps and moans getting frantic the more he licked and sucked.

When she came, he held her ass tightly and took in the pulsing contractions of her body around him, satisfied that he had satisfied her. He had turned the shower on to heat up, and steam rose behind her as he settled back on his calves, her skin already turning pink and dewy from the moist room.

Suzanne was breathing hard and wiping her lips, but she moved to the tub and pulled back the shower curtain. Stepping inside, she put her hands on the shower faucet, gripping it as her bottom came up in the air. “I do believe this is what you said you wanted?”

Oh, God, yes, it was what he wanted. Ryder almost tripped over himself getting into the tub behind her, and as he watched the water sluicing down over her gorgeous body, he made sure the chocolate was gone with a few drops of hotel body wash and a swipe of his hand over his erection. Impatiently he rinsed himself off, then gripped Suzanne’s ass and drove into her.

They both moaned as their bodies joined, that amazing incomparable feeling of being connected in tight, hot passion. Ryder went in and out with a hard, slapping rhythm, his hips colliding with her ass, his cock held tight by her slick vagina. Her head turned upward, her eyes closed, the water soaking her hair and rolling down her cheeks in little rivers. Her lips were swollen from sucking him and bright pink in the harsh overhead light. Everything about her was sexy, sensual, beautiful. Every angle, every tilt, every arch, every inch, and Ryder came inside her knowing that no woman would ever be as perfect for him as this woman.

SUZANNE
lay on the chaise in their room staring out at the Strip, a soft drink on the table next to her, a trashy magazine in her lap. She was wearing nothing but a soft, terry-cloth robe from the closet in the room, her inner thighs sore, and her hair still damp from their shower sex. That had been some good, pounding sex. But then, it was always that way with Ryder. And as a result, she felt lazy and content, like the proverbial cat stretched out for a nap.

He was pacing around the room on the phone, doing an interview, but she had him tuned out, realizing that she’d almost forgotten how good she was at relaxing. Doing nothing felt amazing.

When was the last time she’d just laid around and taken it easy, not worrying about anything? Not since Christ was on a potty chair, she’d swear to it. By the time Ryder hung up the phone and flopped onto the chair next to her, she was on the verge of falling asleep.

“I got tickets to that magic show tonight if you’re up for it,” he said. “I know you’ve always wanted to see that.”

Suzanne turned a little to face him. The man was being really, really sweet, she’d have to give him that. “That was really nice. Does it mean I have to get off this couch though?”

“I can give you a different kind of magic on that couch, but to see the show, you’re probably going to have to get dressed and go to the theater.”

Suzanne fiddled with the belt on her robe. “Hmm. I can definitely do that. Later. What time is the show?”

“You’re all about later, aren’t you?”

“What does that mean?” Not that she cared. She didn’t want to fight with Ryder. Not now, not later, not ever again.

“Just that you were teasing with me that word in the bakery. It took me five days to get my later.”

She reached out and caressed the scruff on his chin. “Poor thing. I’m sorry.”

“I’m glad you’re here.” He took her hand and kissed her fingertips. “Remember how when we were here last time I took you for a drive around the track? And you were screaming, but you loved it? Man, we had a good time. We had a lot of good times.”

Normally she wouldn’t stroll down memory lane with him for anything. But today it felt right. Nice to be able to talk about the memories they shared. “Yeah, and you did a burnout to impress me and the crew got pissed that you jacked up the grass for no reason.”

He laughed. “I was a little too full of myself in those days. I didn’t understand the game.”

“I guess neither of us really did.” Suzanne hadn’t really understood what it would mean to be the wife of a stock car driver, though she had to say she’d adjusted to that as well as could be expected given her upbringing. Talking to people was a skill she was good at and she’d excelled at the social events Ryder’s career had required. It was her own insecurities that she had chosen to ignore and those had come back to haunt her.

But he was right. Early on, they’d had good times.

“So we’re older and wiser now, huh?”

“Definitely older. The wiser remains to be seen.” Suzanne thought about her younger self and how she’d just dived into everything in front of her. Maybe in some cases that hadn’t been wise, like say, in the case of marriage, but she’d sure had fun. When was the last time she’d really cut loose? Other than in the front seat of her car with Ryder? Or playing touch football with Ryder and the kids?

Suzanne sat up and swung her legs over the chaise. “Let’s go hit the town.” There would plenty of time to lie still when she was dead, and he was most definitely a man who knew how to show her a good time.

CHAPTER
FOURTEEN

RYDER
had thought he’d fall asleep during the magic show or be wincing from the corniness of it, but he was actually fascinated by the illusions, and he spent most of his time trying to figure out how they were done, what the science behind them was. Suzanne didn’t care about the science. She just oohed and awed and enjoyed the thrill of surprise. It was one of the things he loved about her—she just dove into everything she tried, and even watching a pimped-out Vegas show was no different.

It was cold outside so she had worn a coat to the MGM Grand, and it was bunched in her lap. Ryder slipped his hand under the bulk and took hers into his, enjoying the way her smooth smaller hand fit into his. She gave him a quizzical look but she let him.

He just didn’t think she understood how much he had loved her, how much he still loved her. How much just being next to her made him happy, content, exhilarated. He even loved their sparring. It had been an electric and amusing part of their relationship until the snarkiness had become real.

But how was he supposed to tell her? How could he convince her that their marriage deserved a second chance?

The only thing he could think to do was show her a hell of a time in Vegas and take it from there.

After the show, he followed her out of the theater, his hand on the small of her back. “I made arrangements for us to have a private showing of the white tigers at the Mirage. I know you always wanted to see them.”

“Wow, that’s cool, but now? It’s eleven at night. They’ll let us do that?” She put her coat on as they headed for the front door.

“It’s Vegas, baby. Eleven is like happy hour before the real night begins. And it doesn’t hurt that I’m a driver in town for Champions Week.” He’d also paid a hefty fee, but she didn’t need to know that.

“Ah, that’s true.” She smiled at him, a pure straightforward smile. It wasn’t seductive or coy or sly, it was just happy. “Thanks. Let’s go. I’ve always wanted to see them.”

He was busting his balls to impress her, and so far, it looked like it was working.

Thirty minutes later, Ryder stood back and listened to the habitat worker explain the environment of the famous white tigers to them. “There are only a few dozen left in the world who have this combination of white fur with black stripes, pink paws, and ice-blue eyes. The rarest of all tigers are those who are pure white, missing the black stripes.”

The tigers looked bored beyond belief to Ryder, which was a little ironic given they were in America’s party city, but Suzanne leaned over the railing and stared at them in fascination. “They’re beautiful. So majestic.”

That she was.

Ryder ambled behind Suzanne as the trainer led her over to the dolphins who were also housed in the habitat facility. He wasn’t sure what tigers and dolphins had in common but they were both living the life free of predators with food handed to them umpteen times a day.

“Here is our changing room,” the trainer said, a middle-aged guy in track pants and a golf shirt, his head shaved to level the playing field between bald spot and hair growth. “Go ahead and put on your bathing suits and I’ll meet you out here in five.”

“Suits?” Suzanne looked blankly at him. “Why?”

“Surprise,” Ryder told her, hoping she’d think it was a good one. “You’re swimming with the dolphins, babe.”

Her face lit up. “Really? But I don’t have my bathing suit.”

“I had it sent over from our hotel. It should be in the changing room.” Again, it had cost him more than he cared to think about to pull this off, but that look on her face was worth every dime. She had told him for years that she’d always wanted to swim with the dolphins. Growing up, she had never even made it to Sea World or an aquarium. There just hadn’t been money for those kinds of things, and she hadn’t seen her first in-person marine animal until she was in college.

Suzanne jumped up and down in her boots and sweater dress. “Thank you.”

And she leaned over and kissed him. Right on the lips, in front of the trainer and half a dozen dolphins. Oh, yeah. Totally worth four grand.

Ryder followed her into the changing room. The trainer looked like he was going to protest them using the same room, but in the end he just clamped his mouth shut.

“Aren’t there male and female changing rooms?” she asked with a grin as she ransacked the bag sitting on the bench in the center of the room.

“Probably. In fact, I’m sure of it.”

“Then you should use the little boy’s room.” Suzanne pulled out her teeny weeny yellow bikini.

Ryder had seen that scrap of nothing in her suitcase and had known that was what he wanted to see her in. “I want to be with you in the little girl’s room.”

She tossed his trunks at him. “Only if you close your eyes.”

“Okay.” He could play the game. But he could also peek, which he did right when Suzanne was bending over, giving him a view more intriguing than the Vegas Strip. He definitely had a thing for her ass, he was man enough to admit it.

As she started to turn toward him, he clamped his eyes back shut.

“Were you peeking?”

“No.”

“Liar.”

“Yes.”

Suzanne laughed as he opened his eyes. “Just tie my top, will you?”

Ryder nuzzled the back of her neck as she lifted up her hair. She smelled good, like shower gel and the crispness of the winter wind. As he fumbled with tying the strings, he told her, “I’m much better at undoing these.”

“Just pull it tight. I don’t want to flash the dolphins.”

“That’s not the porpoise, is it?” he joked.

“Oh, my God. You are so ridiculous. Freak.”

He was giddy, that’s what he was. A man in love, thrilled to be spending time with Suzanne.

“A freak in bed.” He finished tying her bikini top and undid his black pants, dropping them and his boxer briefs to the floor.

If he happened to bump her backside with his crotch after he was naked, it was a total accident.

Unfortunately, Suzanne wasn’t prepared for his not so subtle seduction. His bump sent her off balance and she went stumbling forward.

“Dear Lord, put your clothes on!” But she smiled at him as she regained her balance, and started pulling her hair up into a ponytail.

If she had any idea what that position did to her body in that bikini she would never be cruel enough to suggest he put his clothes on. “Your breasts,” he managed in a strangled voice. “They look . . . amazing.”

And huge. It had to be something about the tiny triangles making her breasts look bigger, but Suz seemed to be busting out all over.

She cupped them, which wasn’t helping his lack of desire to put on swim trunks.

“I know, they seem bigger all of a sudden. It must be PMS and all the ice cream I’ve been hogging on.”

“Whatever it is, keep doing it.”

Her eyes dropped to his penis and as she stared at it, Ryder felt it spring to life from semi-erect to fully locked and loaded.

But she just rolled her eyes. “You’re insatiable.”

“One of the many reasons you love me.”

It was a comment people made all the time. He wasn’t fishing, wasn’t trying to make a statement. But the second the words were out of his mouth, they both froze, her in a bikini, hands in the air, him standing butt naked on the tile floor.

“Because, you know,” he started to say.

But Suzanne held her hand up. “It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not fine,” he said, frustrated. They always ignored shit like this, and he didn’t want to ignore it any more. “I loved you, Suzanne, as a man loves his wife, and I was happy with you. That means that a part of me will always love you and you’re going to have to learn to live with that.”

He expected her to bluster, to protest, to call him names. But instead, she just said, “A part of me will always love you, too.”

His heart swelled. “Really?”

“Which makes us being here together really stupid and dangerous.”

“How is this dangerous?” he asked her, softly, feeling seriously optimistic about their relationship for the first time in years. If they still loved each other, after two whole years apart, and could have this much fun together, they could work through the other bullshit. He knew they could.

It was too much though. He had taken it too far into serious and Suzanne retreated behind flippant. “It will be if I drown you.”

Disappointed, Ryder tried to shake it off, bending over to step into his trunks. “Nah. I could take you on land or in water.”

Suzanne picked up a fluffy towel and wrapped it around her shoulders. “Last one in gets no oral sex.”

Then she took off running.

Damn it. Ryder had one foot in, one foot out. “No fair! I’m not dressed!”

“That’s what you get for standing around picking your butt.” She shoved open the door laughing.

Ryder gave her chase, but by the time he was sliding to a stop at the edge of the pool, she was already sitting down, feet in the water, putting on her life jacket.

“Cheater.” He plopped down next to her.

But he wasn’t really annoyed, and seeing her smile, seeing her eyes sparkle like that again, directed at him, was something that Ryder couldn’t describe. It was like winning a race and Christmas all rolled into one.

As she rubbed noses with the dolphins and learned to give them commands to jump, splashing the hell out of Ryder, her pure laughter and joy gave him the greatest pleasure he’d had in years.

And when they slid into bed together that night, Suzanne yawning, legs wrapping over his, he cuddled her close to him and vowed to just appreciate. If Suzanne didn’t want to be married to him, he would take whatever she was willing to give. He just wanted to enjoy the weekend, and that he was definitely doing.

It was clear that she was exhausted and didn’t want another round of sticky sex, something he’d known when she had pulled on pajamas and glopped cream all over her face. He’d known her long enough to recognize she was in sleep mode and the sex shop was closed for the night. But he didn’t really mind. He was tired, too, and there was something intimate and pleasurable about cuddling up close with her. This was really a kind of relationship they hadn’t shared since the divorce. Presumed divorce.

“Thank you,” she said sleepily, her fingers brushing over his chest. “That was cool. Both the show and the animals. I can’t believe you remembered I wanted to swim with the dolphins.”

“Suz, I remember everything.”

She sat up slightly and stared at him. “You do, don’t you?” she asked softly.

Ryder looked deep into those amber eyes and said, “I do.”

I do remember everything. I do love you. I do want the chance to be a better husband.

He left those unsaid, because he didn’t want to ruin the moment.

All Suzanne said was, “I do, too.”

Then she closed her eyes and fell asleep, while Ryder spent an hour staring at the ceiling, enjoying the feel of her in his arms.

TY
watched the women perusing the dessert buffet at lunch and felt a measure of pride that Imogen was piling her plate up high with zero hesitation. A man respected a woman who made friends with a brownie from time and time and wasn’t afraid to admit she liked food. Imogen was big on veggies and whole wheat stuff at home, but here in Vegas, she’d been indulging herself, and Ty was digging it. It showed she was capable of cutting loose and enjoying life.

Suzanne and Tammy were right up there with her, and Ty thought he and Elec were lucky men. Suzanne was a hell of a woman, too, and he would say that Ryder was a lucky man, except he wasn’t exactly sure what those two were doing, and he figured this might be his only chance to ask.

“So, uh, how’s your week going?” he asked Ryder, digging out the last bite of meat from the crab leg on his plate. The six of them were at one of the famed Vegas buffets and Ty had the stuffed gut to prove it.

Ryder looked at him from across the table like that was a dumb question. “Good. How about yours?”

“Oh, cut the crap, Jefferson, you know I’m asking you about Suzanne. What the hell are you two doing?”

“Well, that’s subtle,” Elec told Ty.

“What? We’ve known each other a long time. There’s no point in beating around the bush, especially since as soon as Suzanne is done building that sundae over there, she’ll be back at the table and I still won’t know what’s going on.”

“When I figure out what’s going on, I’ll let you know,” Ryder told him.

“But, are you two dating? Are you exclusive with each other, or what?”

“We don’t talk about it.” Ryder tore a hunk of meat off his prime rib and avoided looking at Ty.

“You don’t talk about it.” Now there was a brilliant plan. “You’ve had a very volatile history, you know. If you don’t talk about where this is going, where it will be going is Uglyville.”

Ryder bristled. “You make it sound like we’ve been violent. Volatile. Please. That’s fucked up. We’ve had words with each other, that’s it. What couple who is divorced hasn’t done that?”

Now he’d pissed his friend off. That wasn’t his intention. He just wanted to make sure that neither he nor Suzanne got hurt all over again.

Before he could figure out what to say, Elec stepped in. “I think the point is, we’re just concerned about you and Suzanne, and maybe it’s time for you all to talk about things. Maybe not talking is what got you here in the first place.”

“Exactly.” Ty sat back in triumph. “Oh, shit, here come the girls.” He made a throat cutting motion with his hand then smiled at his fiancée. “How did you make out at the dessert buffet?”

“I got way more food than I can ever eat, but everything looked so incredible I couldn’t pass it up. You’re morally obligated to finish whatever I can’t.”

Ty swiped a tiny pecan pie cup off of her plate and popped it in his mouth. “No problem.”

Tammy sat down next to Elec and said, “You three looked very serious when we walked up. Is everything okay? They didn’t change the publicity schedule, did they? I have my day all figured out around it.”

“Nah, that didn’t change,” Elec assured her.

“They were probably talking about me and Ryder, questioning him as to what the hell he and I are doing,” Suzanne declared, slapping her plate down on the table and sliding into her chair. “God, I don’t even know why I got half this dessert. I’m feeling a little nauseous, I think I ate too much.”