24. Ronan

Ronan

I could kiss this woman for hours and never get enough of her. But eventually, things start to heat up of their own accord. My dick is ready for more, and judging by the way Willow starts to writhe on top of me, she's ready, too.

Pulling away, I look in her eyes, heavy with desire. "Next time you come, it's gonna be on my cock, Cherry."

Her eager nod is both adorable and fucking hot. She reaches to the side for a condom, bringing one of her nipples directly over my head. I mean, I have to suck it. It's like, a rule. Nipple in my face that belongs to the gorgeous woman I"m in bed with? I'm gonna suck on it.

"Ronan," she moans, but she doesn't move. "Your cock. In me. Now."

Well, okay, that's some instruction I can follow. Releasing her breast with a pop, I let her settle back over my hips and roll the condom down my already leaking dick.

"He's eager." She giggles, and my cock jumps in her hands.

"He likes you." I grin. "But he likes being inside you even more."

Her impish smirk as she lines up her hips and sinks down slowly is pure perfection. "I happen to like him inside me, too." Leaning down, her lips graze across mine. "And I like you."

I don't get to respond before she kisses me harder and starts to bounce her hips up and down. I grab her ass, digging my fingers in as I help her rock along my length. Her lips break away from mine, her forehead landing on mine as she starts to pant.

"Fuck, yes."

She pushes up, her hands coming to my chest as she arches her back and undulates forward and back, the change in motion obviously stroking something inside of her, judging by the cries and whimpers escaping from her mouth.

"How. The heck. Do you. Do this. To me," she pants, her head tossed back. She's a fucking goddess above me, working me up into a frenzy. Recovery time? What the hell is that? I can feel myself ready to blow, and start reciting All-Star stats to try and push away my orgasm.

"Oh my God, Ronan." She's close, but somehow, I can sense that wall from earlier, the one that wouldn't let her relax, starting to creep back in. She's getting caught up in her head again.

Not on my watch.

With her upright, I can access her clit easily, and I pinch it, rolling it between my thumb and fingers as I start to lift my hips up to meet her movements. "You're gonna come for me, Cherry. Squeeze my fucking cock and explode all over me. You can do it."

Her nails dig into my chest as her moans grow deeper.

"That's my good girl."

I feel the clench of her pussy around me, and then she's pulsating, every wave pushing me further over the edge into my own orgasm. I stop trying to hold back and let it come over me with a roar as she screams my name, collapsing onto my chest.

We stay like that for a moment before she rolls off me. "That was amazing," she murmurs, a soft smile on her face. I take advantage of her closed eyes and just drink her in. Her skin is flushed with a sheen of sweat, her lips swollen. God, she's stunning.

I move to get up, figuring I should deal with the condom, find my clothes, and get going, even though it physically hurts to think about leaving right now. But we still haven't talked about what we're doing or what happens next, and I don't want to push Willow too far, too fast.

There's also the not-so-small matter of my kid at home, and the fact that I didn't tell my mother I'd be gone all night.

"Where are you going?" Her soft voice hits me, still husky with pleasure but now with a thread of confusion and hope that I don't want to read into too much.

Glancing over my shoulder at her, I try to ignore the part of me that really doesn't want to leave.

"Home?" I phrase that one word as a question, partly because I don't know what's the best course of action here, and partly because I know just how easily I could give in and stay just a little while longer without a second thought to the repercussions.

Her lower lip is tugged between her teeth, and my hand automatically reaches out to free it.

"You could stay."

Her whisper is so quiet, I would have missed it if I wasn't so tuned in to everything Willow says and does.

"I could," I reply softly, moving back to lie down on the bed. "But only for a little while."

She shifts over, into my open arms, laying her head on my chest. "I know, Peyton needs you." She lifts her head so we're eye to eye, her hand resting on my skin right above my heart. "I would never want to come between you and your daughter; I know she comes first."

I tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, rising up just enough to meet her lips in a gentle kiss. "And that's exactly why I'm still here."

Awareness comes to me slowly. The tickle of soft hair under my chin, the rise and fall of someone else's chest against mine. For a second, I'm back in Hawaii, waking up with the ocean shores right outside our hotel room, the warm tropical breeze waiting for us, nothing to worry about, no one to interfere. Just me and Willow.

But we're not in the islands anymore.

Real life is waiting for us just outside this apartment. It's pitch-black outside, and I panic, realizing I fell asleep with Willow in my arms.

I carefully reach over, not wanting to disturb sleeping beauty, grab my phone, and see a text from my mom.

MOM: Not sure how late your team thing is going, I'll sleep in the guest room. No rush.

Guilt swamps me. It's well after midnight, and I glance back down at Willow, who's somehow still asleep. Briefly, I consider sneaking out and not waking her, but she deserves better than that.

"Cherry," I whisper softly, stroking her hair. "I gotta go home."

"Mmph." The adorable noise she makes as she nuzzles in even closer has me smiling, despite the turmoil of guilt mixed with absolute contentedness. Fuck, how I wish I didn't have to go, a sentiment extremely familiar to how it felt leaving her in Hawaii.

That time I didn't wake her up and regretted it ever since.

"C'mon, beautiful, I need you to wake up." I pepper little kisses over her forehead and down her cheek until I feel her turn and meet my kiss with her own.

"I'm awake," she says sleepily. "What time is it?"

"Just after one in the morning. I have to go home." Regret laces my tone as Willow pushes up to sit, the sheet pooling around her waist, baring those perfect tits that moments ago were pressed up against me.

"God, you're so fucking beautiful." I lean in to steal another, deeper kiss. "I wish I could stay here and worship your body for hours."

"Ronan," she moans as I suck her neck, her fingers tangling in my hair.

"Tell me I can see you again," I murmur against her soft skin, breathing in the aroma of sex and Willow. "And I don't mean from a distance at a game or some damn event. I mean like this."

"Seeing me naked might be a challenge," she says, but there's humour — and desire — in her voice.

"Challenge accepted."

Pressing one final kiss to her neck, I lift my head and cup hers in my hand. "I want to take you out on a date, Willow Lawson. A real one, where I pick you up, take you out, and at the end of it, bring you back here to show you exactly why dating me is a really good idea."

A seductive smirk crosses her face. "So you're saying that sex is the only reason I should date you?"

"You mean really fucking good sex? Not the only reason, but one of many."

Willow's smile falls slightly as she sobers. "Ronan, I meant it when I said we have to keep this a secret for now. I've never dated a baseball player. And now I'm dating one who plays for the team I work for? I just…I need us to move slowly."

I nod, keeping my eyes locked on hers so she knows I hear her. "I understand. And we'll go at whatever pace you need. I'm just grateful you're giving me a chance to show you this could work if we're just open to it and honest about the fact that something exists between us."

Her hand lifts to cover mine that is still cupping her cheek. "You and your belief in fate, huh?"

I shake my head as she turns to kiss my palm. "Not just fate. There's so much more between us than just that. I want you like I've never wanted any other woman. I've never encountered anyone that makes me want to believe I can have it all. Not until you."

A part of me is panicking that I'm moving too fast. That I'm being too honest, too vulnerable, by coming clean about everything I feel — have felt since meeting Willow. But when I look at her, I don't see panic, I don't see a woman ready to run in the opposite direction.

I see a woman ready to say yes.

"Can I take you out on a date?"

Her smile is blindingly brilliant. "Yes."