Chapter 52 (9/16/16)

Happy weekend all, and hello bonus post :) 

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When I got home from work the next day, I took a shower, shaved, moisturized, and then for good measure, put on a pretty lacy bra and panty set.  Over it, I pulled on a pair of leggings and a long sleeved shirt, intending for the pretty underwear to be a bit of a surprise beneath the otherwise boring clothes.

I had spent nearly an hour at work today surfing the internet and looking at recipes, trying to figure out something to make that might impress Ryan.  I realized that was a recipe for disaster (bad pun absolutely intended) and decided to stick with a delicious and simple chicken and vegetable pasta dish that I could make in my sleep.  I’d rather do a good job on something unimpressive than botch something impressive. 

Somehow, I managed to time everything pretty perfectly and was almost done when my doorbell rang.  I abandoned the kitchen and opened the door for Ryan.  He promptly held out both a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine.  “What is this?” I asked.

“Well,” he said with smirk, stepping inside, “I can’t be sure, but from an initial examination it appears to be a bottle of wine and some very pretty flowers.”

I rolled my eyes.  “I agree with your assessment, Sherlock, and I thank you for your kind gesture.  Even though it’s completely unnecessary.”

“Well, back when I used to date, I always got flowers for them when I fucked something up.  I’m breaking that connection,” he informed me as he followed me into the kitchen. 

I laughed and set the flowers down so I could get a vase out.  I handed it to him.  “Can you take care of those for me while I finish this up?” I asked, gesturing at the stove.  “And I will gladly benefit from the fruits of your labor to make up for past idiotic behavior.” 

“Oh good, because I was starting to think you didn’t appreciate it,” he teased me.

I turned and made eye contact with him and told him seriously, “I absolutely do.  I just feel weird when men are nice to me, so I guess I act like a dick about it.”

He blinked in surprise and then said, “That was…enlightening,” he said.  Then he frowned and said, “And kind of awful, actually.”

“Well I didn’t say it to make you feel bad for me,” I said matter-of-factly.  Being blunt and to the point made me feel less weird about being vulnerable and saying things that were probably a little awkward.  “I just said it so you’d know.”  Then I turned back to the stove. 

Ryan didn’t say anything for a moment, and I fully expected the evening to take a weird turn.  I sighed softly to myself, wondering why I couldn’t just keep my mouth shut and appreciate things.  Then he said, “Do you have a corkscrew?” I pointed him towards the drawer that had it and he opened the wine, found glasses, and poured for us both.  He set my glass down next to the stove, then leaned against the counter, took a long drink of his wine, and said, “I know you’d like to move on and pretend that conversation didn’t happen, and I’m fine with that, but first I want you to know that I appreciate you telling me that.” 

“Thank you,” I said quietly.

“You’re very welcome,” he replied, leaning over and kissing my cheek.  “Now, feed me because I’m starving and this smells delicious.

I gave him a dirty look.  “Go sit down, bossy.”

“You’ve never complained about it before,” he said innocently.

“That’s because the only time you’re ever bossy is…” I trailed off, narrowing my eyes at him. 

He laughed. “In bed?” he asked with a smirk.

“Go sit down,” I said again.  With one last smirk and a wiggle of his eyebrows, he took his wine and sat down at my small table.  I got out plates and silverware and brought our dinners over to the table. 

Ryan inspected his plate.  “Doesn’t smell like poison,” he said, sniffing it.  “But the best poison never does.”

“Oh, and where did you learn so much about poison?” I asked him drily.

“A poison expert never shares his secrets,” he said seriously. 

I rolled my eyes, for at least the fifth time since I’d let him in.  “Of course he doesn’t.”

Ryan took a bite of his dinner and then nodded appreciatively.  “This is really good.”

“Thank you,” I replied.  “I told you I wasn’t an idiot in the kitchen.”

He chuckled.  “I never thought you were.”

When we finished dinner, Ryan helped me get the plates in the sink, but I waved off his offer to help me wash dishes.  “I’ll wash them later,” I said.

“Later when?” he asked.  “Because I have plans for you for the rest of the evening.”

“Oh, do you?” I asked coyly, smiling at him.  “What kind of plans?”

“These kind of plans,” he replied, crossing the distance between us in three steps, grabbing my face firmly, and kissing me hard.  I gripped the sides of his shirt tightly for several seconds before sliding my hands up his stomach and chest, then wrapping one around the back of his neck and pushing the other up into his hair.  I yelped in surprise when he picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder.  “We’re going upstairs,” he informed me.

“I am perfectly capable of walking upstairs, you know,” I pointed out from my unfortunate inverted position.

“Where’s the fun in that?” he asked, taking the opportunity to smack my ass.  “I kind of like you like this.”

When we got up to my room though, things were suddenly different.  He set me down carefully on my feet and kissed me gently, his tongue barely parting my lips.  “Are you nervous?” he asked, looking at me.

“Why?”

“I can feel your heart pounding,” he replied, pressing his hand tighter against my back. 

“Maybe a little,” I replied.  “It feels different this time.”

“Bad different?”

“No,” I said quickly.  “Not at all.  Just…different.  I don’t know.  More serious?  Like it means something?  It never meant anything before.  Or, at least it wasn’t supposed to.” 

Ryan let me ramble away, and then when I stopped, he kissed me.  “I think it’s good different,” he said decisively after pulling away.  Our eyes met briefly before we kissed again. 

We peeled clothes off as we kissed, and when I was down to my bra and panties Ryan took a step back and looked me up and down.  “Damn,” he said.  “I’m one lucky motherfucker.”  Then he pushed me down onto the bed and climbed on top of me, easily freeing me from my bra before concentrating his attention on my breasts. 

I moaned as he teased my nipples with his lips and tongue and eventually his teeth.  My hips seemed to grind against his of their own accord.  When he finally slid a hand into my panties, I groaned and moved my hips furiously against his fingers, trying to get some relief.  It had been far too long since we’d had sex.

“Point taken,” he murmured in my ear, sliding my lacy thong down my legs and positioning himself between them. 

“Yes,” I hissed when he pushed into me.  He worked himself slowly into me, sucking and nibbling at my neck the entire time. 

I have no idea how he managed to last as long as he did, but three positions and 4 orgasms later, I curled up against him, exhausted.  “I don’t think I could come again if I tried,” I groaned. 

“Is that a challenge?” he asked, his hand trailing up my inner thigh.

“Not really,” I replied, but I gasped when he began to stroke lightly between my legs.  “Ryan, I don’t think…” but I trailed off as he continued, switching between tight circles and smooth up and down strokes.  As it turned out, I was wrong, and Ryan was certainly up for the challenge. 

“That’s what I thought,” he said smugly, pulling me tightly against him. 

“I appreciate your competitive spirit,” I mumbled sleepily, burying my face in his chest.  He laughed.  I closed my eyes, listening to his heart rate slow back to normal as we lay tangled together in the dark. 

Several minutes later, I forced my eyes open.  I was so sleepy.  “Are you staying?” I asked him. 

“I’d like to,” he replied.  “If that’s okay with you.”

“As long as you’re ready to behave yourself so we can both get some sleep,” I said, laughing.  “I have to work tomorrow, and I assume you do too.”

“I don’t, actually,” he said.  “But I’ll keep my body parts to myself so you can sleep.”

I got up to go to the bathroom and brush my teeth, but I glad to climb back into bed with Ryan when I was done.  I had never been a cuddly sleeper, but I didn’t even mind too much when he rolled onto his side and wrapped his arm around me.  I didn’t have long to think about it, because I quickly dropped off to sleep.