Rescuing Ryder (Serenity Securities, Team Hawk #1)

Chapter 34

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

He pulled her closer and crushed his mouth to hers.

“Ryder, I don’t want you confused while you’re still in recovery. How can you be sure you feel this way and it’s not transference?”

“As a head shrink, you’re incredibly slow on the uptake. Do you feel me beneath you? And you still have doubts?”

She giggled as he gently pushed her off him, stood, scooped her up and headed toward her bedroom.

Standing beside the bed, he let her legs slide to the floor. “Are you wearing those thigh-high silk stockings with the pink embroidered bra and panty set?” He kissed around her injured eye and down her neck, leaving a searing trail where his lips caressed her skin.

“No. Is that why you volunteered to wash my delicates? You’re a closet stalker,” she accused as she pulled off his T-shirt.

“Remember when you used yourself as a smore? I searched for your first-aid kit and you decorated your bathroom with all my teenage wet dreams.”

“You’re way past your teenage years. Yet, you seemed to have given it some thought.” She unbuttoned his jeans when his hand closed around her wrist.

“In this office, I’m in charge, Doc,” he murmured.

“It’s my house and my bedroom,” she argued.

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t remind me. It’ll make my dick shrink if I think about having sex in this hot pink mess.”

She started to punch his shoulder when he caught her hand and brought it along his neck. “How about the blue number with the rhinestones?”

“Nope. How do you know about the blue one? It wasn’t in my laundry.”

“I might’ve searched for your pajamas and opened the wrong drawer.” He picked her up and placed her on the edge of the bed. “What about the sheer white one with the lacy edge?” His hands started with the tiny buttons on her top. “Geez, how many buttons does this thing have? Did you buy it at Cock Tease R Us?”

She laughed as she brushed his hands away and hastily undid them. His eyes gleamed as he parted the top, as if he were unwrapping his favorite present.

“Oh, it’s the green one with the pretty cutouts,” he sighed. Ryder kissed her hard as his hands traced along the edge of the design. “Lay back and let me see the panties.”

“But I want to see you,” Claire pouted. Her hand shot out and grabbed his, preventing him from removing her slacks as she stayed upright. His eyebrow arched at her challenge.

Straightening, he unbuttoned his jeans and dropped them and his underwear to the floor.

Her eyes widened as she took him in. Her hand wandered to his abs, pulling him closer. “I didn’t get a chance to see your underwear,” she said breathlessly.

“Next time, Claire Bear.” He pushed her back and undid her pants. She raised her hips, allowing him to pull them down. Ryder smiled as he viewed the matching panty set. “Damn, you’re beautiful,” he complimented her.

“You’re beautiful, too,” she murmured.

“How’s your head?” he asked. Ryder raised her legs on the bed and went to lay beside her.

Claire turned toward him, rolling her eyes. “My head’s fine.”

He rolled her on top of him. “Your ribs still feel sore. We’ll go at your speed this time. Don’t get used to it.”

Claire smiled as she viewed her playground. She leaned down to lick his nipple when her head swam and she missed her mark. She flushed with embarrassment.

“I forgot about the whole eye thing,” Ryder rolled her to his side.

She held her hand to her head until the world tilted correctly. When the feeling stopped, she saw him staring at her. His thumb traced her lips, before roaming over her shoulder and behind her back. He undid the clasp and straightened to remove her bra. Ryder’s hand traced her collarbone and down the center of her body. He slipped her panties off and took his time memorizing her body.

“We’ll have to think creatively. I don’t want my weight on your ribs.” He explained as he kissed her stomach. Claire’s hands swept through his hair.

“Will you tell me if it hurts?” he asked gently.

“Yes. It hurts right here.” Claire pointed to her lips. He nipped the bottom and kissed her.

“It aches here,” she murmured. Ryder licked it before placing her nipple in his mouth, rolling it over his tongue, and sucking it.

“Hmmm,” she moaned.

Claire’s hand roamed over his abs and down his back. When he lowered himself to kiss down her ribs and hipbone, she tugged at his hair.

“What about here?” Ryder’s hot breath hovered over her mound as he awaited her reply. She raised up on her elbows.

“Yessss,” she hissed as his mouth lowered. Claire spread her legs and watched as his hot tongue slid inside her center and dragged upward as if he licked an ice cream cone. Watching her reaction, Ryder held her gaze. He lowered himself farther and sucked her clit into his mouth.

Claire’s sharp intake of breath made him delve deeper as he feasted on her. Craving more, she raised her hips to meet the heat of his mouth.

“I want to touch you,” Claire whispered. He crawled up her body, careful not to add his weight to her ribs. Ryder’s mouth captured hers before he moved to her side and knelt by her shoulders, giving her a view.

She traced his stiff cock and swiped the drop of pre-cum from the tip with her fingers and popped it in her mouth, closing her eyes at the taste of him. Claire wanted more. Her hand closed around the base of Ryder’s cock, stroking it upward and giving a squeeze watching more of the liquid seep from the top. Leaning in, her tongue slid from the bottom to the top, and her mouth closed over the head.

Ryder groaned, and she glanced up to see the molten desire in his eyes as he watched her. Claire stroked him as she grew bolder, taking more of him. His hand gripped her hair, tugging as she bobbed to the rhythm she set.

“Claire,” he whispered her name reverently as his hand twisted the blonde strands tighter. Her other hand lowered, and Claire grabbed his balls and squeezed. “Careful, Claire Bear,” he growled as she began to suck and massage his hard shaft with her tongue, swiping over the top.

Her mouth watered at his taste as Claire drew him farther into her mouth, touching the back of her throat. Ryder’s hips plunged forward, giving her more of his length. Controlling the rhythm with his thrusts and tightening his grip on her, he smiled as she fought to take control.

Ryder hissed and withdrew from her mouth. His chest moved rapidly up and down and Claire smiled at her effect on him.

“Two can play that game,” Ryder teased, pushing her against the pillows and lowering himself. Pushing her thighs apart, his thumbs separated her folds. Her hands clenched the sheets as Ryder’s tongue plunged into her core. Claire shook her head, keening at the feel of him inside her, his hot breath fanning the flame and spreading it throughout her body.

His finger glided inside, curling upward, making her back arch in response. Ryder chuckled mischievously, adding a second finger and thrusting harder, deeper. Humming over her clit, he smiled as she began to beg.

“Don’t stop. Ohhh, please, Claire chanted as she pushed herself against him.

“You’re soaked, Claire Bear,” he gritted out, “I want you to come for me.”

“I want you inside me,” Claire panted as she reached for his hair, intending to pull him over her.

“No.” His thumb covered her clit, moving in tiny circles. “You taste sweet. I can do this all night.”

Ryder’s mouth covered her nub and sucked hard, making her body stiffen as she cried out. She babbled incoherently as he gently slowed the strokes and lapped up all her juices.

Ryder felt almost high as he watched her body shake beneath him. He wanted to bury his face inside her and spend hours feasting on her. His shaft grew harder, listening to her cries. Claire didn’t hold back and met him thrust for thrust. Ryder liked control in the bedroom and most women he met allowed him to take over. Not Claire; she met him head-on and gave as good as she got.

Her eyes appeared glassy as Claire stared at him. Her hand fluttered to rest on top of her belly as she came back down to earth. The room filled with the scent of their lovemaking, and his dick demanded attention.

“I want your warm mouth around my cock again,” Ryder commanded her huskily as he moved closer to her head.

She turned to the side and propped herself forward on her elbow. Ryder’s hand twisted in her hair, controlling how far she swallowed and how fast, remaining cognizant of her dizziness.

Her mouth covered him and Claire pulled on his ball sac, as she moaned against his shaft. It pulsed, wanting release, but Ryder refused to let go. He wanted to feel this way forever. Closing his eyes briefly, he listened to the sounds of her slurping and sucking him and growled away the temptation of burying himself full hilt into Claire’s throat and releasing himself.

Her breathy sounds undid Ryder as she writhed against the sheets with her lips wrapped around him. He glanced down, unable to imagine a more beautiful sight than to see her big green eyes staring back at him as she accepted him.

Ryder lightly tugged Claire’s hair, withdrawing from her warm lips. She whimpered in need.

“Do you have condoms?” he asked her, as Ryder bent to capture her mouth.

Claire froze. “Condoms?”

“Yeah,” Ryder whispered as he pulled back to view her face.

Her eyes widened and Claire shook her head in sheer panic. “I don’t have any,” her voice came out shrill as if she’d die by this sudden revelation.

“I have one in my wallet,” Ryder soothed as he moved from the bed in search of his pants. Pulling the billfold out, he hastily checked the expiration date and nodded at her questioning gaze. Ripping the wrapper with his teeth, he pulled out the covering, dropping the wrapper on the bedside table. Claire grabbed it from him, rolling it down his shaft.

She leaned against the pillows, opening her legs, inviting him.

Ryder shook his head. His hand glided over her silky limbs as he closed them and moved behind her. Pulling her back against his chest, he used his arm to anchor her leg high and adjusted himself at her entrance.

“If you get dizzy, I don’t want you passing out from the orgasm,” Ryder informed her breathlessly as he pushed his cock upward.

Claire let out a long moan as he buried himself deep, feeling her walls clench around him. He draped her leg over his. Gripping her hips, he withdrew and invaded her again and again.

She writhed against him, pushing her hips into him. Claire panted heavily, matching the sounds of his grunts. She tightened around him and Ryder ground deeper inside as she wailed and rode the orgasm. He continued to pump into her, letting Claire ride the last waves before he slid out. She turned in surprise.

“I want you to ride me. Don’t lean forward. Sit straight up,” Ryder ordered as he positioned her on top. “Don’t glance down, ride me, feel me and take what you need.”

Claire nodded, still dazed from her orgasm. He guided her hips over his stiff cock and down. She sat still, fully seated on his shaft. Her mouth parted in an ‘O’ as she took in the entire length and size of him. Ryder’s hands moved up to her plump, round breasts as his thumbs grazed her taut nipples before he began to pinch and tug on them.

A slight red flush covered Claire’s chest as she gasped her pleasure. Her head started to peer down at Ryder when he ground himself deep and stopped moving. Her breath caught. On the brink of another orgasm, she howled in despair.

“Don’t look down,” he gritted out. Ryder’s control began to slip as he moved beneath her. Claire matched his rhythm and closed her eyes. His hands pulled and tugged on her pebbled nipples as she undulated her hips, grinding herself into him. Ryder grunted. She became his undoing. Her hands flew up to hold his wrists and the tension grew tighter between them. Her pussy swelled around him, wrapping him in her heat.

“That’s it, Claire, let go,” he encouraged her fervently.

Her eyes flew open, her lips parted, and Claire cried her high-pitched release. Her muscles clamped around him, and Ryder raised his hips, slamming into her harder before exploding inside her.

His nostrils flared at the scent of sex. Ryder noticed her reddened cheeks against her pale skin, the sheen of sweat between her breasts, and the soft smile on her lips.

His heart skipped a beat, as he felt an unknown emotion grow inside his chest. Ryder easily pictured a life with the woman who challenged him at every turn. Claire forced him to feel whether he desired to or not.

Lifting her up and to the side, Ryder rolled off the bed to dispose of the condom. She turned to her side to watch him warily. He wondered if Claire knew how much she affected him.

Walking back to bed, Ryder pulled her to his chest, her head resting on his shoulder.

“Do you feel all right?” he murmured as he listened to her slowing heartbeat, wondering if he pushed her too hard after all she went through.

“You know, for a guy who has continued therapy and a corpsman, you sure are slow on the uptake. Do you not feel me right now? I’m a limp noodle. I don’t want to move for at least a day,” Claire teased him lightly.

A low rumble at her banter came from his chest. For the first time in a long time, Ryder felt like the old version of himself. With her lying in his arms, his world felt complete.

“How about a snack? You didn’t eat much this evening,” he admonished her.

“I thought I did rather well,” Claire teased and giggled, making him rub his scruff against her face and neck.

“How about I bring us pecan pie from Saint’s mother, Edie?”

“With ice cream?” she asked.

“I’d be crazy if I said no. Who makes the homemade stuff? It’s delicious,” Ryder asked.

“Bryanna makes it. She owns the bakery. We’ll have to check it out some time,” Claire stated wistfully.

“Can I ask you something?” Ryder stroked her hair.

“Hmmm?”

“You’re part of this big Serenity family circle, yet you still feel you’re on the outside?”

Claire lay thoughtfully for a moment before pulling the sheet higher up her chest. “I guess sometimes I don’t feel like I’m a part of this big, happy community they built together,” she admitted.

“Why? They seem to genuinely care about you.” He peered at her, confused.

She shrugged her shoulders and snuggled into his chest. “I counseled Kassie after a devastating event. At one time, we didn’t know if she’d recover. She pushed Chase away. She thought me interested in him when she saw us out for dinner,” Claire sighed.

“Were you?” Ryder asked as his body tightened, waiting for a response. Picturing her with Doc sent his blood boiling.

Claire shook her head. “No. We celebrated over a business dinner. Kassie overreacted and fired me. She apologized profusely and even sent me for a full spa day at Samantha’s because she felt guilty for her reaction.

“Then why don’t you feel like you’re part of the group?” he pushed.

“I don’t know. I guess I feel like I know all her secrets and I don’t want to make her feel uncomfortable every time we’re together. The women tend to do stuff in groups. They even watch the kids like one big family, taking turns and planning special events,” Claire’s voice sounded melancholy.

“I don’t get it. You sound as if you admire those things about them, yet you stick to the outside,” he reasoned.

She sighed. “It doesn’t matter now. Any chances of breaking into the inner circle disappeared after the Kilner event.”

Ryder shifted and used his finger to tilt her jaw to see her face. “I’ve worked with a team similar to the men here. They’re protective. Even though I didn’t like their tone, they genuinely care about you.”

“It’s not only about Kilner. I think my actions at the housewarming party clinched their desire to not socialize with me,” Claire confided.

“What happened?” Ryder asked as his arm tightened around her, encouraging her to tell him.

“They threw me a housewarming party. I became paranoid about coming home alone after the first note. Chase insisted on walking me to my car the evening of the party to ensure I went home. I planned to run in, grab some clothes, and return to my office on the mountain. The light in the entryway doesn’t work. I ran an extension cord from the living room into the hallway. When I returned home, it was dark and I felt along the wall for the lamp. When I turned it on, they all yelled, ‘Welcome home.’”

“I’m failing to see why it separates you from the group.” Ryder stated.

Claire took a deep breath. “I carried pepper spray. When I turned on the light, Kassie became my biggest threat and I sprayed her.”

Ryder laughed out loud, “You’re the asshole who sprayed her?”

She punched him in the arm. “It was an accident. I feel really bad about it.”

Ryder continued to chuckle as he snuggled farther down on the pillow to search her face. He sobered when he saw the insecurity and vulnerability in her words.

“Psychiatrist, get over thyself. You made a mistake. Do you know Kassie stayed home a few days to allow the redness time to go down? When she returned, she never once mentioned you did it. She and Chase stated she experienced an accident. If they didn’t care, they wouldn’t protect you the way they did. Besides, the night Kilner attacked you I called Whiskey. The family you think doesn’t want you assembled. By the time I jogged the half block back here, jimmied open the screen door and worked on the French door, Leo growled and bitched in my ears about following orders. They dropped everything the moment they learned you were in danger,” he explained gently.

“I didn’t know,” Claire whispered.

“Now, you do.”

She let out a contented sigh and smiled sleepily. Ryder pulled her back to his chest. She yearned to belong to the Serenity crew. He recalled how much he enjoyed PT with the team, the witty banter between the men, and the love they shared for their women. Once, Ryder experienced the same comradery with another team, and part of him knew how Claire felt.

Her breathing evened out, and he adjusted the covers over her, allowing Claire a nap before he pushed her to eat something. A strange longing for what the men of Serenity found overcame Ryder as he stroked her blonde hair and studied her features. His heart grew sad at the thought. Ryder didn’t deserve a second chance after bungling the lives of all his brothers.