Page 37 of Loved By You

But it's Ria. She's never been a possibility until now. And while the timing might not be perfect at the moment, if I don't act, one day someone will love her the way she deserves to be loved and won't make her fight for it, and I want that someone to be me. But for now, she needs a friend, and as much as it's killing me not to reach over to kiss her, to touch her warm silk skin, and soak up her scent I need to put her needs before mine because I know that no one has ever done that for her.

I pull up outside her house, which is in complete darkness, aside from a tiny light that is glowing through her front door window. I look over to the passenger seat and find her still sleeping. She must be exhausted. It's nearly 4 am and I know her day will be starting soon with the girls. She shouldn't be busting her ass like this. But I get why she's doing it and it only makes me admire her more.

I lean over and stroke the back of my hand over her cheek and she stirs.

“Ria, sweetheart, you’re home,” I whisper, not wanting to scare her awake.

She slowly raises her head, looking round the car, blinking repeatedly.

“Oh my God, did I sleep the entire way?”

“Yeah, you did, sleeping beauty.” I chuckle.

“Don't ever invite me on a road trip. I can never stay awake in the car unless I’m driving.” She rubs her eyes and then smoothes out her hair.

“Noted,” I say, staring at her, taking in just how beautiful she is. I am having to fight my instinct to lean in and kiss her. Iwonder if she can sense this moment, this tension that's swirling between us.

Her throat bobs as she swallows and clears her throat.

“Erm, thanks for the lift home. You didn't have to. I would have driven myself,” she stammers as she reaches for her purse to find her keys.

“I told you it was no trouble. I wanted to make sure you got home okay after helping us out. I’ll pick you up for work tomorrow.”

“You can't drive back now. It's such a long drive.”

“I'll be fine. I'm trained to have minimal sleep, remember? Years on the front line will do that.”

“Stay with me,” she whispers so softly I almost miss it.

My eyes widen in surprise and she must see the look on my face as she tries to play down her offer. “I ugh.. I mean, on my couch. You can stay on my couch, please. I would never forgive myself if something happened because you drove me home.”

I don’t even have to think about my answer. I would share a bed with Nugget if it meant more time with her. That thought alone makes me realize how hard and fast I’m falling for this woman and that I need to get my feelings in check before I fuck this up and have her running scared.

We exit the car and walk up to her house in the silence of the chilly night. She opens the front door as quietly as she can and we both tiptoe into the house.

She drops her keys in a small bowl on a side table and flicks on a lamp that lights up her narrow hallway and I watch her reflection in the mirror as she slips off her shoes and reaches round to rub her neck.

I’m moving towards her before I realize it, my hands reaching for her shoulders without thinking. “Here, let me,” I murmur.

She doesn't speak, doesn't nod, but the look she gives as we stare at each other in the mirror tells me it's okay to touch her.I slowly gather her hair in my hands and move it to one side, giving me access to her shoulders, and I start to massage them. She tilts her head to the side and lets out a soft moan that causes my dick to harden.

Fuck’s sake, not now.

“You're so tight,” I tell her, my voice husky, and then I mentally slap myself.That didn’t sound suggestive at all, you dick.

“Uh huh.” She moans, closing her eyes, relaxing under my touch. I lean in closer and even after a 10-hour shift, she still smells like warm vanilla.

“Oh my God, that feels so good,” she mutters.

The soft noises of appreciation she makes have my dick weeping in my suit pants and I am either going to have to stop rubbing her shoulders or find a way to fill her mouth. That thought doesn’t help the situation.

“Ria, baby, you’ve got to stop moaning like that. Those noises do things to a man.”

My words seem to break our moment, and she moves away from me, clearing her throat. “Let me get you some blankets and pillows.”

I watch her as she takes the stairs, her ass swaying in her work skirt, and it takes all my strength not to follow her. Instead, I head into the darkened front room and strip out of everything but my boxers, folding them and placing them on the edge of the couch.

Ria appears in the doorway holding a pile of blankets and a pillow. She stops dead in her tracks as her eyes blatantly rake over my body.

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