Page 34 of Faking It Right
He shrugged. “It feels…natural.”
From Ryker, that was practically a declaration of love. “I’ll take it.”
His fingers tightened around mine. “This is all new to me, Harley. I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“You seemed to know exactly what you were doing earlier when you made us both come,” I teased, unable to resist.
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
I pressed another kiss to his shoulder. “I know. And it’s okay. We don’t have to figure everything out tonight.”
His voice warmed with affection. “I never thought I’d end up in bed with my best friend.”
“Are you complaining?”
He turned in my arms, allowing me to see his smile in the dim light. “Not at the moment, no.”
I couldn’t resist guiding him into a position that let me press a soft kiss to his lips. He responded immediately, his mouth warm and yielding against mine.
When we parted, he settled back against me, relaxing once more. I held him close, savoring the weight and warmth of him. For all my confidence, I’d never truly believed I’d be so lucky. Now, I wanted to memorize every detail of the exact texture of his skinbeneath my fingertips, the rhythm of his breathing, the way his body fit against mine, as if designed for that purpose.
“Harley?” Ryker’s voice was soft, already edged with sleep.
“Hmm?”
“Thank you.”
The sudden gratitude confused me. “For what?”
“For being patient with me. For waiting.”
My throat tightened with emotion. “You were worth every second.”
He made a small, contented sound and nestled closer. Within minutes, his breathing evened into sleep. I stayed awake a little longer, holding him and allowing myself to believe that it wasn’t a fleeting moment of curiosity or experimentation on his part.
I allowed the truth to wash over me. What I felt for Ryker transcended mere desire or physical attraction. That emotion had quietly taken root during our years of friendship, hiding behind my teasing remarks and flirtatious comments.
Whether tonight marked the start of something enduring or simply a fleeting chapter in our story, I would cherish how Ryker surrendered to my touch as the walls between “pretending” and “meaning it” crumbled into nothing. At least for now, he was mine, not only in body, but in the vulnerable spaces between heartbeats where truth lived.
Chapter Nine
RYKER
I wokeup with a delicious warmth pressed against my back, my body caught in that perfect space between sleep and wakefulness. Something hard nudged against my ass, and I instinctively rocked against it, chasing the pleasant friction. A sleepy sigh tickled my neck, and my foggy brain finally registered that I was in bed with Harley.
Harley, who was sporting some impressive morning wood nestled firmly against my backside.
And I was enjoying it?
My dick grew hard and aching as a confusing need pulsed through me. “Shit,” I whispered, trying to scoot forward to put some distance between us.
Harley’s arm tightened around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest. “Don’t go,” he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep. His warm breath against my ear sent a shiver through me.
I should have insisted. I should have pulled away. Instead, my ass rocked against his hardness in a slow, deliberate motion that made him groan.
“Mmm, someone’s feeling frisky this morning.” Harley chuckled, sounding more awake now. His hand slid down to rest on my hip, neither encouraging nor discouraging my movements.
“I’m not—I didn’t mean to—” I stammered, mortified but unable to make myself stop.
