Page 11 of Laying it Bare Biker Style: Ryder

“Talk to me, Baby. It mightbe difficult to do, but I need to know what’s going on. And maybeit will help you to get it out. I’m not leaving.” He kissed the topof my head.

“I don’t think it was oneof them. But I can’t be sure. I can’t remember.” My voice rose asdid my distress. “But I think . . . what if he did something elseto me?” My breathing morphed into gasps, blood pounded in my ears,and my heart thudded violently in my chest. My fingers and toestingled. “What if he raped me? It happened in my nightmare. Thatwasn’t consensual and he was vicious.” Hysteria was quicklyovertaking my body.

Fingers under my chin, he tilted myhead back to meet his steady gaze. “Look at me, Baby. Focus onme.”

It took me a moment, but I finally methis gaze.

“Breathe in. Breathe out.”He demonstrated, his eyes never leaving mine.

After a few moments, I mirrored mybreaths after his. Mine were still shaky, but at least I wasn’t onthe verge of hyperventilating anymore.

“Good girl. I’m not goingto say it’s going to be okay because nobody wants to hear that shitafter what you’ve just told me. But we’re going to figure this out.I’m going to find out exactly what happened to you and who did itand then there’s going to be hell to pay. But you’re with me. Iwon’t let anyone hurt you again. Okay? Trust me?”

But for how long? I was starting tofeel like I wanted forever with him. But it wasn’t fair for me toask him that. And in all honesty, I didn’t think I wanted hisanswer. So I just nodded.

“Good girl.” He pressed akiss to my forehead. “I’ll be right back. You will be okay in herefor a quick minute until I get back from the kitchen? I’m going togo get you a bottle of water.”

Burrowing into his sheets, I noddedagain. They smelled like him and that brought immensecomfort.

“I’ll be quick.” He slidout of bed and rushed out the door. He was back in just over aminute. But he carried not only a bottle of water, but a bottle ofJack Daniels and a shot glass.

I eyed him warily. Was alcohol a goodidea on an empty stomach? “I don’t want to throw up in yourbed.”

He sat down beside me. “I don’t thinkyou will. But if you do, it will be my fault and I’ll take care ofit. Drink some water first and then I’ll give you a shot ofwhiskey. I think it will help settle you so you can go back tosleep.” He handed me the water bottle.

After sitting up, I unscrewed the capand took a long drink. I wasn’t sure anything could help me go backto sleep at this point. And I really didn’t think I wanted to closemy eyes again, ever.

When I was finished, he traded thebottle for a shot glass.

“Bottoms up.” He encouragedwith a small smile.

I tipped the glass to my lips andslugged it down. It burnt like lava the entire way down my throatbefore I erupted into a coughing spell. “Burns.” I rasped when Icould finally get my vocal cords to operate.

“That just means it’s goodwhiskey.” Taking the glass from me, he walked around to thenightstand and set it down beside the two bottles.

Then I slid under the covers androlled close to the edge to try to fall back to sleep.

He slipped in on the other side. “Hey,where are you going?”

“Back to sleep. I’m sureyou have things to take care of tomorrow. You need sleeptoo.”

His arms snaked around my waist and hetugged my backside up against his front. “You’re going to sleepwrapped up in my arms. Maybe I’ll chase the nightmares awaythen.”

I surely hoped so. And if I was reallylucky, he’d bring me some naughty sexy dreams as well. He wasn’tinitiating sex, but it was the next best thing. And right now Icould really use the comfort and connection.

The next morning, I awoke snuggled upin Ryder’s arms, but I had managed to roll myself so that my cheeknow rested against his chest. I didn’t recall any steamy dreams,but I had slept peacefully after my night terror so I could besatisfied with that. I sighed, not really wanting to move and notintending to until he woke up, so I closed my eyes again. I was inno hurry to leave his bed. Even though that was going to turn intoa huge problem.

Sadly, only about ten minutes passedbefore he stirred. When he blinked down at me, he smiled. “Did yousleep okay afterward? You didn’t wake me again, so I’m hoping so.”He was sporting sexy bedhead, but I was sure mine just looked likean abandoned bird’s nest.

I barely kept my fingers from runningthrough his strands or running them along his short beard. I alwaysliked a bit of scruff on a guy. But even though his was a bit morethan scruff, it did not detract from his hotness factor. “I sleptreally well then. Thank you.”

“Then that’s how we’llsleep every night.” Untangling his arms from around my waist, hecrawled out of bed and headed into the bathroom.

My eyes followed first his impressivecock tenting the front of his boxers and then his grabbable ass ashe ducked into the bathroom, my thoughts still spinning on hiscomment. But I had to stop myself from thinking more into that. Hewas only doing that so that my sleep wouldn’t be plagued bynightmares. It wasn’t because he enjoyed sleeping with me in hisarms – although I knew he wasn’t repulsed by it. But the onlyrelationship we could possibly have would be purely physical. Notthat that idea was a complete turn off, but I did want more. And hehad told me he did not. So I’d push those thoughts away and focuson getting my life straightened out.

He stepped out of the bathroom andwalked over to his dresser. Still appreciating his extraordinarycock and ass – I couldn’t dismiss those – my eyes were also drawnto the art coloring his body. I had caught glimpses of the tribaltattoos that stretched from right above his elbows and up under hisshirt, but now with his chest bare I could see they extended uparound his shoulders. However, on his right shoulder he had hisclub patch inked on his skin. But what really captivated myattention was the dragon that took up most of his back. Its scaleswere a deep purple and depending how he flexed, it seemed to move.It was almost hypnotizing.

My stomach released an outrageousgrumble and I wrapped my arms around it to hide the excessiveracket, effectively pulling me out of my enchantment.

---