Page 25 of Love Starves

"You know better, Blythe," she starts. "There's no future with that boy. I've told you time and time again that you need to marry into a good family."

"I think you misspoke, mother," I tell her, crossing my arms defiantly across my chest. "I think you meant to say a wealthy family. Not good. Those two aren't exactly interchangeable."

She sighs instead of getting angry like I hope. Even a bad emotion is better than a neutral one. "I do not care to fight with you tonight since we're heading right back out, so I won't tolerate your insubordination. Have your fun with him then be done. You will never have mine or your father's approval for him as a match if that's what you were hoping by bringing him tonight."

I clench my teeth together so tight that I worry I may have to schedule a damn dentist appointment this week to get them unstuck. All the while, the scene plays out in my head of lobbing what's left of my baklava at her plate and all. I'd love to see the plate shatter as much as that perfect image she's so worried about.

At my furious silence, she scoffs, "You're the heir to the Clemonte legacy. One would think you'd be a bit more grateful for the life that your father and I have provided for you. Any other young woman in your shoes would have no issues respecting our wishes. Maybe by the next time we're in town, you'll have changed your tune and we can have an adult conversation. It was good seeing you, dear."

She stands to leave and I'm fucking seething too much to bother trying to stop her. Besides, it's probably for the best that I don't anyway. Anything I have to say to her right now isn't going to be something aladyneeds to be overheard saying. Fuck her and fuck all of this. I'd give it all up in a heartbeat if it meant keeping my guys compared to the stuffy, nonexistent bullshit the two of them have. I wouldn't even doubt it if he's got more than one mistress on the side.

Stewart walks through the swinging door from the kitchen and startles to see me still sitting at the table alone. Toning down my scowl, I push away from the table and leave the room. The last thing I want to do is snap at him for something that is nowhere close to being his fault. By the time I'm in the hall, it's to see Father and Ryan coming out of the office reeking of smoke. The former has a hand across the other's shoulders which he quickly drops as he notices me.

Before I can narrow my eyes alerting anyone to my suspicious thoughts, my mother comes from around the corner as though she was lying in wait for that door to swing open. Ushering him toward the entrance, they both spout off some nonsense goodbye before waltzing out as fast as they came in tonight. Taking an evaluation of how I feel about that like Dr. Geoff has suggested, I find myself more relieved than upset at their behavior. Not like it's all that different than any other time they've been home.

At least those times they've stayed longer than a few hours before running out like the house was on fire.

Cursing that inner voice, I reassure myself that things would've only gotten worse the longer they stayed, so it's a good thing they weren't home to stay. Besides, now I've got Ryan all to myself and it's time to find out what went on in that study.

Speaking of the devil, he saunters up to me with a wild expression, admitting, "Well, that was interesting. Here I was thinking this was going to be more of a ‘be seen and not heard’ kind of dinner."

"What did he want you in there for?" I ask, crossing my arms on my chest. It pushes my breasts up, putting full cleavage on display. Something Ryan isn't ashamed to get caught noticing as his eyes flick down to my chest and back up again.

He licks his bottom lip before replying, "I'm not sure really. Just asked weird questions about why I chose to go to college here away from my family and what kind of relationship I have with them. Oh, and if I was aware of who you are and the obligations attached to your family name."

"Fucking ridiculous," I all but shout. "I can't apologize enough to make up for them. It means a lot that you showed up tonight in support. Where'd you get such fancy digs anyway?" The last is asked as I run a finger down the lapel of his jacket.

"Had it in the back of my closet, if you can believe it," he smirks. "Never know when you might need one, and it sure came in handy tonight."

Things are going smoothly with him. In spite of Hurricane Clemonte, the guy hasn't gone running off into the night screaming his head off. Which, of course, means that in true Blythe fashion I'm about fuck that all up.

"It looks great," I tell him. Waiting until his attention roams back to my eyes, I add, "But it'd look even better if you took it off."

A storm brews in those warm honey eyes as they track my movement toward the stairs. I don't bother to turn around and check to see if he's followed. Confident that I didn't make the trip up to my room alone, I start stripping the moment I step through the door, dropping pieces of clothing slowly piece-by-piece. The door snicking shut is loud in the empty room, and it brings a smirk to my lips. Using the remote on my bedside dresser, I turn on some of my darker tunes that Elliot hates so much. A flash of guilt almost overwhelms me at the thought of his name, but I tamp it down and mark it to deal with later.

Peering over my shoulder, it's to find Ryan still over by the door and fully dressed watching with wide eyes. I'm not certain, but I could almost swear there's something he's at war with himself over. That only lasts as long as it takes me to sit on the edge of the bed and part my knees. I'd purposely left on my heels and ruby-red thong. Now he gets an eyeful of my red-tinged brunette hair falling over my shoulder partially hiding my tits from view while he studies me; starting at my toes and getting hung on my chest for a few before finally finding my gaze.

Slowly lowering myself back on the bed is his breaking point. I'd laugh watching a man undress so fast if I wasn't already hot and ready for him. He all but stumbles to his knees and buries his face between my thighs. There's no teasing or warning. From the second his face is close enough, my panties are slid to the side and his tongue starts lapping. His intensity drives my back off the bed in an arch on a moan. One of the quickest orgasms of my life and I'm not ashamed either when his teeth find my clit and he sucks hard, slipping a finger then two inside my already slick channel.

"Jesus," I breathe, coming down slower than I normally do.

"Nope," he argues, rising up from between my thighs to cover me with his body. "Ryan, remember?"

I laugh, making him shake a little with his own chuckle. The jovial mood is broken as he drops his lips to mine. His tongue sweeps in to plunder and claim what he probably sees as his reward, but he doesn't realize I'm not really into letting someone simply take. Not until it’s too late, that is. By then, I'm meeting him stroke-for-stroke with the tangle of our tongues. A sexy almost growling noise vibrates his chest guaranteeing I'm dripping for him as he lifts to his knees and elbows and reaches between us. The feel of the head of his cock rubbing through my folds is enough to have my eyes rolling back in my head. And that's the moment he chooses to piston his hips, slipping inside in one swift motion and having me gasping for breath. Sex with Ryan isn’t sweet like it was with Nick. If I compared, it'd be more like Crue with a tinge of desperation or trying to prove something.

By the time we're both collapsed in a sweaty heap, I swear I could sleep for days. Uncharacteristically, I find myself asking him to stay to which he gladly accepts.

It's been a few weeks since dinner with my parents and Ryan spending the night. I've learned way more than I possibly ever thought I'd want to know from some of the chicks in the book club. Like Maisie having some weird shit with her ex and him guilt-sending her flowers. I thought Luci's asshole husband was bad. Maisie's could write the fucking book on being a douche. Mother fucker ran off and left her in a house fire, saving himself. Which explains how she got the nasty burns on her body. That was a fun conversation to have. Especially when Jade accused me of sleeping with Dr. Geoff after I admitted to sleeping with my last therapist. I don't think I'll ever erase that image of old sweaty, wrinkled balls from my mind. But it did get me to open up and tell them why I'd been mandated to see Geoff due to my anger issues.

Then at the next one, I pressured Penelope to confess why she'd chosen to seek out a broken-hearted book club to relieve whatever she's been shouldering. Her story wasn't as tragic as Maisie's nor as fury-inducing as Luci's, but sad, nonetheless. Falling in love with the one person you thought you were meant for, only to have him rip your heart out of your chest and stomping it into the ground has still got to suck balls. Next on my list of nosing is Jade and Jolene. I've still got to figure out their stories, and no one has escaped me yet, so they'll have to share if the rest of us have. I've kind of left Abilene alone since her entire life is out there in the tabloids anyway. I understand completely how that shit feels and will probably save her for my last egg to crack.

In between the meetings, I'm meeting with Geoff on my regular schedule and spending time with Ryan. Call me a saint...well, maybe not that far, but I've also been including some of the other guys for more than just sex. Deklyn and I caught a movie the other day. Forget the fact that we ended up fucking in the dark theater since no one was in there. Oh, and I didn't turn down Kenji's offer of a yoga class last week either. That one didn't end in sex, but the euphoric state of mind he put me in was almost as good as the real shit.

I dropped my phone in the sink the other day when the thought hit me that I might actually be falling for the guys in my life. It's terrifying, but after being witness to the sad display my parents put on at dinner a couple weeks ago, my walls have been slowly crumbling down. I don't want to live my life love-starved like they do. I'm going to be a greedy bitch and enjoy my sexy man buffet for as long as it's available.

The book club has been a step in that right direction, too. It's been nice to have other chicks to talk to who only judge me for my crassness and not social status. It's why when Jolene mentioned throwing Imma a baby shower, I literally jumped in headfirst and took control. Besides, I'm pretty good at hosting parties, even those of the g-rated kind.

I've never thrown a baby shower, so I researched for the past week on all the shit that's supposed to be at one, and we've got it all. An excited giddiness takes over any time I think about how Imma might react. I just hope I don't make her cry. Though, that's a wish I know won't be coming true. She shed real tears at the last book about some sappy fated mates' crap for crying out loud. There's no way we're getting out of this without some today.

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