Page 53 of Faking It Right
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I figured my ‘I Excel at Fingering’ guitar one would have been a tad too aggressivefor a first impression.” Even now, he couldn’t resist a quip, but I could hear the genuine warmth beneath it.
My hands tugged his henley upward with deliberate slowness. He lifted his arms to assist, and I tossed it aside, taking a moment to appreciate the view. He was lean and wiry, all subtle lines and warm skin, with a happy trail of dark hair that disappeared into his waistband. He wasn’t built like a cover model, and I wouldn’t have changed a single thing. He was just Ryker. Everything was perfect.
“Your turn,” he said, his voice unsteady as he pulled off my shirt.
I guided him backward until he was lying on the bed, then followed him down, showering kisses on his neck, his collarbone, and the center of his chest. Each touch was reverent and unhurried. I wanted to memorize every freckle and scar.
“Harley,” he breathed, his fingers threading through my hair as I ventured lower, trailing kisses down his stomach.
I glanced up to find him watching me, his expression a mix of nervousness and desire. The vulnerability in his eyes made my chest ache.
“You’re beautiful,” I told him, meaning it more than I’d ever meant anything.
His cheeks flushed. “You don’t have to say that.”
“I know.” I placed another kiss above the waistband of his jeans. “But I want to.”
I took my time undoing the button and zipper, sliding them down his legs along with his boxers. He kicked them off, then reached for the button on my pants. His fingers fumbled,betraying his nerves, but I stayed patient, letting him set the pace.
When we were both naked, I moved back up his body, settling beside him rather than on top of him. I didn’t want him to feel trapped or overwhelmed. My hand slid down his side, over his hip, and along his thigh. “Is this okay?”
His throat worked as he swallowed. “Yeah. It’s…yeah.”
I smiled, leaning in to kiss him again as I continued my exploration. Eventually, my fingers drifted lower, dipping between his thighs to brush over his entrance.
Ryker tensed, making a small noise of uncertainty against my lips.
I pulled back, moving my hand to rest on his hip instead. “Sorry, force of habit,” I apologized, pressing a reassuring kiss to his forehead. “We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for.”
“I’m not—” He took a shaky breath. “I’m sorry, I’m not sure if I’m ready for that yet.”
“That’s okay. There’s no rush, snookums. We have all the time in the world.”
His tension eased at the silly nickname, a small smile tugging at his lips. “I’m looking at that thing,” he said, gesturing toward my lower half, “and I’m pretty sure it violates the building code for my particular entrance.”
Laughter burst out of me. “Don’t worry, I’ll wear a hard hat.”
“I’m trying to be serious here! I feel like a keyhole staring down a battering ram and wondering about my life choices. While I appreciate your optimism, I’m seriously questioning your spatialawareness if you think your monster cock will fit inside my tiny virgin hole. Stop laughing!”
I cracked up again, making him scowl. “Hey, if you didn’t want me to laugh this hard, try being less funny.”
“I feel like I’m about to be violated by a zucchini with a God complex. That thing’s a fucking pool noodle that developed sentience and a mean streak. It’s not a penis; it’s a traffic cone with ambitions!”
I was howling with laughter. “What does that even mean?”
“Big meat. Small cave. Math bad.”
Tears of mirth gathered at the corners of my eyes that I had to wipe away. “Okay, okay, okay. Take a breath.”
“Breathe?Breathe? You’re about to turn me into a human shish kebab with that thing, and you want me to focus on breathing techniques?” Ryker demanded, his voice jumping an octave. “How am I supposed to breathe when you’re planning to rearrange my internal organs with that anaconda? My lungs can’t function when they’re being relocated to my throat! And you expect me tofucking breathe?”
My body shook with laughter until I was gasping for air. “Stop! I can’t reassure you when you’re making me laugh too hard!”
The stubborn set of Ryker’s jaw did nothing to lessen my amusement as he crossed his arms over his chest.
I took a shuddering breath, almost crying from how hard I was laughing. “Give me a second. Hold on.” He gave me a moment to compose myself. “One, thank you for the best ego stroking I’ve ever had in my life.”
“Thatwas your takeaway from what I said?” Ryker asked indignantly.
