Sullivans 06 - Let Me Be the One

never left her this out of breath. Or anywhere close to the edge of giving over every last part of herself. “No one in this bar cares about baseball or whether we’re engaged or not.”
    With those reminders in place between them, meant to douse the fire jumping and flickering so wildly, she would have scooted away from him.
    But he didn’t let her move.
    And, oh, if she didn’t end up even more lost to desire, to pleasure, at the way he used his muscles, his strength, to keep her right where she was. Still, she had to try, at least one final time, to try to save herself before she went all the way under.
    “The show’s over now. You don’t have to do this, Ryan.”
    “Yes,” he growled, “I do.”
    And then his mouth was back on hers and he was pulling her from her bar stool to fit tighter between his legs, his hands hard on her hips, his tongue forcing hers to dance with his again in a kiss that was as close to making love as she’d ever come with all her clothes on.
    The groan she’d been trying so hard not to let go of sounded wanton and breathless into his mouth as Vicki gave in to what she’d wanted for so long...to be in Ryan Sullivan’s arms.
    At least for one beautiful night.
     
    * * *
     
    It had been a hell of a night.
    As one second had ticked through to the next, Ryan had wanted Vicki more. He’d been hyperaware of every sensual shift of her body, her mouth, her hands, her eyes. Her laughter had repeatedly lit up the party, and her innate sensuality had inflamed every living, breathing guy—and many of the women, he suspected—at the party.
    He’d worked to hold onto his self-control, but being so close to her tonight while pretending to be more than they actually were had kicked him right over the edge.
    It didn’t help any that he was jealous as hell of anyone else who made her laugh, who looked at her with appreciation, who couldn’t take their eyes off her luscious curves. If one more guy at the team party had asked to see her sculptures, he would have pounded his skull into the nearest marble tabletop.
    Only, when they’d gotten in the limo to head back to his place, the madness had gotten worse. She smelled so good and as the party had worn on, he’d gotten used to the pleasure of reaching for her, stroking her soft skin.
    He hadn’t wanted to stop, didn’t see any reason why he couldn’t pull her into him so that she could lay her head on his shoulder. Two friends who had made it through a rough evening together.
    But when he’d reached for her, she’d slid just out of reach and then started shaking the door handle like she couldn’t wait to get away from him.
    Finally, he’d seen how shattered she was. How tired.
    He had been putting on the pro-ballplayer show for more than a decade. But she didn’t have his years of practice. Ryan felt terrible about the situation he’d put her in. And that was why he’d followed her out of the limo into the seedy bar.
    To apologize.
    At least, that was the reason he gave himself, the only reason he could allow.
    He’d silently sworn up and down that he wasn’t going to touch her again, that he wasn’t going to give in to the urge to take her mouth...or to his desperate need to know if she would respond to him the way he’d always dreamed she would.
    Only, now that he had her lips under his and her body wrapped tightly against him, despite all those years of wanting, regardless of the few kisses and caresses they’d already shared while playing girlfriend and boyfriend this past week, it was a goddamned revelation how good she smelled, how soft her lips were, how sweet her curves felt...and how much he wanted to be able to give in to the need to drag her against him like this whenever he wanted.
    She was tired. Maybe even a little drunk.
    Ryan knew he was taking advantage of both those things.
    But, suddenly, he didn’t care anymore.
    Not when everything he’d ever wanted, everything he’d ever dreamed of, was finally on the verge of being his.
    The chance to make love to Vicki was fifteen years in coming.
    And Ryan Sullivan wasn’t going to waste another second of it.

Chapter Sixteen
     
    Ryan pulled his mouth from hers, but he didn’t remove his hand from her neck. She felt branded by his touch as he reached into his pocket for his cell phone and called them a cab to replace the limo he’d sent home. His eyes never once left hers as he spoke and the second he hung up, his mouth was right back there on