Page 85 of The Moment He Saw Her

He’d known sex with Libby Gulliver would be amazing, but not that it would literally rock his world. He’d never experienced something like this before. The need, the urgency, and the all-consuming knowledge that once would never be enough with this woman.

It was fast, fierce, with no finesse, and nothing could have stopped him then. He felt her tension build as she spiraled to her climax again. His hand went to her breast and stroked the nipple. Seconds later, she was shuddering out another release. Ryder followed after two more thrusts.

His chest was heaving like hers as they came down from whatever madness they’d just created between them. She kept her hands around his neck, burying her face in his chest as he held her.

He felt different, which couldn’t be true, but he felt it anyway.

“Ryder, you need to move,” she said long minutes later. “Someone could see us.”

He didn’t want to move. What he wanted to do was lock the door and stay in here all day. Or, better yet, take her home and spend the day in bed. But he knew she was right.

He lowered his arms and stepped back. His kisses had left her lips swollen and her skin flushed. Ryder watched as she closed her eyes, and when they opened, reality had returned, and she was remembering all the reasons what they’d done was a bad thing.

“Libby, it’s okay.”

“It’s not, not really, but I wanted that, Ryder, as much as you, so I’m not going to say otherwise.”

At least she hadn’t tried to deny that.

“But we can’t think about this now. Meadow will arrive, and—” She pressed a hand to her mouth. “She could have seen us… come looking for us and seen what we?—”

“She didn’t,” Ryder said, kissing her again, this time softly. “Go,” he said, stepping back farther. “Take some time in the bathroom, and I’ll head downstairs. When you’re ready, we’ll start setting up for the day. No need to start up here until after the lunch rush.”

Ryder wasn’t sure how he kept his voice even, but he did. She nodded twice, then fixed her clothes and, without looking at him again, left.

He dropped into his office chair, knowing he’d never come in here again without seeing her naked on top of his desk.

“Not your brightest move,” he muttered. The problem was, he wanted that woman with a hunger he’d never experienced before, no matter how hard he’d tried to deny it.

She had secrets, and he knew her life wasn’t here in Lyntacky. In all likelihood, she was leaving soon, which made his stomach clench. They were different people from different worlds, and there was also the fact he’d slept with Libby when she’d only recently walked out of her wedding. But he knew her well enough to know she’d never have done that with him if she cared for someone else.

Do I know her that well?

All this thinking at such an early hour was hurting his head, so he shelved it for now but knew it, whatever it was, would have to be dealt with later. Libby Gulliver had crept under his guard and was now important to him.

Chapter25

Libby was still reeling at lunchtime, but at least she was busy.

“Those chocolates you made are sooo good, Libby,” Zoe said, wandering out of the kitchen chewing. “I ate two before Ryder told me to stop.”

“Thanks.”

“The designs are awesome too. If the accounting doesn’t work out, you could always be a chocolatier.”

If only you knew.“Thanks, Zoe, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Zoe went to sit with her family, who was here early to help set up for the party, all loaded down with gifts and things to make Ally’s day even more special.

What did it say about Libby that she could be engaged one minute and sleeping with another man the next? She had no answer to that because this, who she was today, differed hugely from the Libby she’d been a few weeks ago.

But she knew she could never compare what she’d done with Ryder to anything she’d shared with Andrew. What happened in his office upstairs had been beyond anything she’d felt or experienced before. His touch, his kisses, the feeling of him inside her—it had been magical, if that was even the right word. Libby couldn’t think of another but knew she’d never forget what she and Ryder Duke had shared.

She looked to where he stood talking to Sawyer and Birdie, who had just arrived. Everything about that man was hot. The way he wore his clothes effortlessly, the look in his eyes when one of his family members was close, like he’d not seen them yesterday. She wasn’t sure how he could believe he was anything but special, and yet she knew he didn’t see what others did.

Ryder Duke may not have said it to her, but he believed he was average. The man could not be further from that if he tried.

He turned, as if sensing her watching him, and smiled. It was small and a little tentative, but still a smile because that was just another part of the man. He liked to make those around him feel good.

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