17. Maddox

After my talk with Quinn yesterday, and the decidedly frosty way Ryan had treated me for the rest of the night, I woke up this morning with a new determination to show her how I felt. I had a little over two weeks left until she walked down that aisle, and I planned to use every second I could get with her to my advantage.

I needed to be around her. It was a physical pull to be closer, to be in her presence even if it was just being nearby. Like an addiction, I'd take any bit of her I could get. I'd replayed yesterday's kiss over and over until I had to take a cold shower last night and relieve the pressure that'd built up. Jerking off under the cold water was as miserable as it sounded and left me sexually frustrated.

I'd wait as long as I had to for Ryan, but I hoped it wasn't long. Tossing on my clothes, I slid into my boots and left the house before the sun was fully up. I couldn't remember the last time I'd been up this early without having stayed up the entire night. I quickly closed the distance between my house and Ryan's, eager to not miss a second with her.

Before I even climbed the last step on the porch, the door swung open, and Quinn held out a steamy mug of coffee for me. I took it gratefully. "Thanks, bro."

Quinn gave me a small smile before closing the door behind me. "She's probably not even up yet. For a rancher, she's not even close to a morning person," he grumbled.

"I'll get her up," I promised, and Quinn chuckled.

"Get her up, Maddox. Not keep her in bed all day," he chastised, rubbing his eyes.

I chuckled darkly. "No promises."

He groaned but didn't say anything, and I stepped past him, making my way down the hall as quietly as I could. I knew the layout of this house like the back of my hand, and I turned the handle of her door, pushing it open and closing it behind me with a soft click.

Ryan was curled up under her quilt, her dark curls wild and messy around her face as she breathed evenly. The relaxed look on her face drew me closer. I didn't want to wake her, but she needed to get up. I stretched out next to her, moving closer and tracing my finger down the soft skin of her forehead and cheek. The corner of her mouth lifted in a slow smile as she slowly came out of sleep.

She whimpered softly before reaching up and covering my hand with her own. I wanted to kiss her so goddamn bad, and at this point, I'd already crossed that line twice. Would it be so bad to do it a third time?

Still, we were on her bed, and if I kissed her now, I wasn't so sure I'd be able to stop. Quinn was waiting on her, and she still hadn't chosen me over her fiance. Things were actually pretty fucked up, but at least I still had hope. I had to believe that if we spent enough time together and I showed her that I wasn't running, she'd dump him and give me a chance.

"Freckles," I spoke softly. "Time to wake up." I tried to coax her the rest of the way awake gently, freeing my hand and running it down her arm, brushing my fingers up and down the smooth skin.

Her eyes fluttered open before closing against the bright morning sunlight pouring in through the window. I chuckled at her struggle. Both times I managed to stay over with Ryan since I'd been back, I left before she'd woken up. I was getting my first glimpse into what she was like in the morning, and I had to admit she was pretty goddamn adorable.

"C'mon, gorgeous. Quinn's waiting for you, and if you want me to stick around today and help out, you've gotta get up now." I thought bribery might help even though I knew I'd be sticking around either way.

She rolled onto her back and threw the blankets off, sitting up and glaring at me through the chaos of curls, and I bit my lip to keep from laughing. "Fine, I'm up, but if you try to leave before we're done with chores, so help me…"

"And miss out on even a second in your presence? Never."

She flashed me a small smile before kicking me out of the room to shower. It took everything in me not to follow her into the bathroom and use my powerful persuasion skills to convince her to let me join her. Just knowing she was totally naked under a cascade of water made me hard, and I knew I'd need a distraction to keep from at least going and taking a peek.

Luckily, Quinn was in the dining room when I walked in, and I knew he'd be just the guy for the job. "What's on the agenda for today?" I asked, sitting down across from him at the table and taking a still-warm croissant out of the basket.

He lifted his eyebrow over his steamy mug of coffee. "Is that really what you want to talk about?"

I wanted to know everything about the competition, and he knew it. "You know it's not. Tell me about the fiance."

He snorted. "You mean Yates? The yuppy, old money douchebag?"

"That's what I guessed based on his name, but I figured I was a little bit biased when it came to the guy Ryan's marrying."

Quinn shook his head, buttering his own croissant. "I've only met him once but-"

"Once? That seems a little weird considering you're Ryan's best friend. How long has she been with this guy?"

Quinn shifted in his chair, his eyes darting away from me. I could tell he was hiding something, but his loyalty wasn't to me, so I didn't press. I waited for him to answer.

"Uh, I'm not exactly sure. She says for about six months. She didn't want us to meet him until she knew it was serious," he answered, still not looking at me. I'd let it go for now.

"So, why does she like him? What does he have that I don't?"

Quinn shrugged. "Stability, I guess. The fact he's here. Plus, I don't think he has the ability to really hurt her."

My stomach twisted, and I dropped the croissant I was about to bite, suddenly not hungry. Fuck, I really hurt her. I didn't know if I'd ever be able to make up for the choices I'd made. "Is he really here, though? You hadn't met him for six months, and I haven't seen the guy once since I've been back."

Quinn shrugged, not knowing what to say, I guess. "Level with me, Quinn. Is there any chance at all that she'll ditch the douche? Am I just making shit more complicated for her by being around?"

"No, there's more than a chance, Maddox. Don't give up. Yates doesn't deserve Ryan. The jury's still out on if you deserve her, but I know her deep down better than anyone. She never really moved on from the dream of you. I don't think it'll take much pushing on your part to convince her if you just keep showing her you're around and not going anywhere. You have to build back that trust, but lucky for you, Ryan's the most forgiving person I know," he said, and hope filled me.

If there was even a tiny remote possibility she'd call off the wedding and be with me, I'd never quit trying. Not for anything. I'd give up everything and move to Texas and become a rancher if that's what she needed me to do.

Fuck, I hoped that wasn't what she needed from me.

Still, right now, it didn't matter. What did matter was Ryan and showing her I knew I fucked up and that I was willing to do whatever it took to make up for it. Showing her that no matter what either one of us had been through, she was always it for me. There'd never been another woman who made me feel like she did, like I was willing to rip out my heart and hand it over on a silver platter for her to do with it whatever she wanted.

We both straightened up as Ryan walked into the room, bringing with her a lightness of energy and her orange-vanilla scent that woke my appetite back up in more ways than one. "You slackers ready to hit the hay? Literally?" she asked, laughing at her own lame-ass joke.

Quinn groaned, and I rolled my eyes as she snatched a croissant for herself, shoving it in her mouth and holding it between her teeth as her eyes sparkled. She took a huge bite and grabbed the bottle of water Quinn handed her before spinning on her heels and walking back out.

I glanced back across the table at him, and he was already standing up, dusting off his hands. I slid my chair back and stood, picking up my plate. "Leave it," Quinn insisted, waving his hand. "I cook breakfast, Shannon does the dishes. She likes to feel useful."

"You made those?" I asked, pointing at the buttery croissant, and I swear he blushed a little.

"Yeah, I love to cook."

"You've got to meet my buddy, Grayson. He owns this fucking incredible restaurant that has a waitlist for forever. If you ever come to LA, we'll go," I promised.

"I'd like that," Quinn agreed, and we walked to the barn, just shooting the shit.

Ryan had already pulled out her and Quinn's horses, but there wasn't a third. "I see the horses for Quinn and me, but what are you going to ride?" I asked her, flashing her my cockiest grin while I swaggered up next to her.

After my little chat with Quinn over breakfast, I decided today I was going all-in with the charm. I didn't have time to waste taking things slow, but I also needed to tread carefully. I still had to be myself. She wasn't some groupie I didn't care enough about to even learn her name.

She looked up at me through her thick, long lashes, heat flashing in her eyes. "Why, you offering?" she practically purred, and I was instantly hard as a goddamn rock. Fuck, I hadn't expected her to play along, but it excited me like never before. My heart was pounding, and I leaned forward, brushing my lips against her ear as I whispered, "Always, baby."

"If you two aren't going to make room for one more, there's shit to get done," Quinn grumbled, climbing onto Daisy's back and effectively ruining the moment. I stepped back from Ryan before shooting a glare in his direction.

"Yeah, that's what you get for being so hot," he shrugged, and I laughed. I couldn't argue with his logic; even if I was still irritated he ruined the moment. I would have bet every cent I had that Ryan would have let me kiss her again in about ten more seconds if he hadn't interrupted. Maybe it would be better to let the tension build up throughout the day, though.

I looked back down at Ryan, wrapping one of her curls around my finger. "We can share," I declared, letting go of her hair and climbing up on the saddle before she could argue. I reached my hand down, and she took it, letting me help her up. She threw her leg over Storm's saddle, and she settled her back against my chest. I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her even closer.

Burying my nose into the crook of her neck, I breathed her in. She was so fucking enticing, I wanted to take my time and run my tongue along the curve of her neck and up her jaw, but I didn't. Instead, I leaned back slightly and let her take the reins, enjoying the feel of her body swaying with mine as we rode to one of the outer pastures.

Her hair brushed against my cheek as it blew in the breeze and tickled as it caught in my stubble. I laughed as I untangled it from my face, and she twisted to look at me. "What's so funny?" she asked.

"Your hair keeps getting caught on my face," I said, still chuckling. "Don't get me wrong, I like it. It just tickles. But I can think of other things of yours I'd like on my face more." I stopped fighting to keep her hair off me. Instead, I lowered my hands to her hips. I pulled her back against my body even closer, close enough that I'd bet she could feel the semi-hard dick I was currently sporting from having her pressed against me.

Her body was like the best drug I'd ever tried, but I had a feeling it'd be more addictive if I ever got a real first taste. I'd be lost to an addiction so bad that nothing would ever compare. I wanted to fling myself headlong into it without any fucking hesitation.

"Hmm," she hummed, and I had a feeling she didn't know exactly what to say, but that was okay with me. I liked how innocent Ryan was. Her inexperience was a fucking turn on like no other.

All too soon, she pulled on the reins, bringing us to a stop. We climbed down and got to work in the hot as fuck sun, but I didn't mind these chores now that I was out here with Ryan and even Quinn. The dude was honestly pretty badass, and I found myself liking his company, which was saying a lot, considering I hated almost everyone.

After a couple of hours, my muscles were straining, I was thirsty as hell, and my stomach was trying to eat itself because I was so goddamn hungry. I hadn't done this much manual labor since I was a kid, and I remembered why I fucking hated growing up on a cattle ranch. Could I do this kind of work day in and day out? Sure. Did I want to? Fuck, no.

"Break for lunch?" Quinn panted, sweat pouring down his face. I was sure I didn't look any better as I pulled off my baseball hat and wiped my face with my shirt. I didn't miss the way both of their eyes lingered on my abs, and I chuckled. "I can take it off if you want," I offered, reaching for the hem of my shirt and pulling it over my head.

I knew I looked good, and if my girl wanted to check me out, I had absolutely no problem with it. As an added bonus, I'd get to ride back to the house with her body pressed against my shirtless chest. I was getting hard just thinking about it and took a deep breath to calm down.

It didn't work.

We loaded the tools and climbed up on the horses, and I gripped Ryan's hip in one hand and moved her hair away from where it stuck to her neck with the other. I couldn't help myself and pressed a soft kiss to her damp skin, opening my mouth just enough to brush my tongue against her skin. She tasted salty and sweet, and I wanted more.

A breathy moan came out of her mouth, so I kissed her again, and she melted into me, resting her head back on my shoulder. I let the hand on her hip drift down to her thigh and back up to her stomach, pushing up the fabric of her tank top and letting my fingers tease the soft skin underneath. I was so captivated by her that I didn't notice where we were until I felt her stiffen against me before she sat up. I pulled my hands back and looked around her to see what she'd reacted to.

"Douchebag at three o'clock," Quinn muttered as he rode past us up to the front porch.

A tall blonde guy that looked like he'd stepped straight out of an Abercrombie and Fitch catalog stood on the porch with his arms crossed and an annoyed look on his face. I had to assume this was the fiance, Yates.

Every picture his name had conjured up for me had just been proven right. But he couldn't be all bad if he managed to get Ryan to agree to marry him, right?

Still, my gut told me there was something not right with this guy. I didn't know what yet, but my intuition rarely steered me wrong. I wasn't exactly making a great first impression, but I really couldn't give any less of a fuck. This guy had stolen my girl, so I immediately hated him on principle.

Ryan pulled herself even further away and climbed down off of Storm. I glared at Yates, not at all happy that he was the one to make her pull away from me. I felt like I'd made some real progress with her today, and he came along and wiped all that out. My fist clenched around the saddle's horn as I climbed down behind Ryan and tied the reins off on the porch rail.

I grabbed my shirt and pulled it on, watching as Ryan climbed up the porch to greet her fiance. Quinn moved beside me, having already tied up Daisy. He leaned close but kept his eyes locked on Ryan. "Pretty sure the dickhead's here for lunch. We should fuck with him," he whispered, shifting his eyes to look over at me where they were practically sparkling with mischief. I almost laughed, except I noticed Yates's stare burning through my skull.

I wanted to lift my hand and flip the fucker off, but instead, I glanced over at Quinn, who still stood shoulder to shoulder with me. "I'm in."

Ryan and Yates walked ahead of us, and their conversation drifted back to Quinn and me.

"Where's your ring?" Yates asked.

"Oh-" Ryan started, but Quinn cut her off. "She can't wear that monstrosity working on a ranch, dude."

It looked like Yates was biting his lip to keep from telling Quinn to fuck off, so I chuckled but kept my mouth shut.

"Sorry, but Quinn's right. I'd break it or lose it or get it caught on something and hurt myself. But it's safe on my dresser. Promise," Ryan confirmed.

After that, the silence was awkward as fuck, but Quinn and I shot each other looks. He was about to make this lunch a lot more fucking bearable.

We followed Ryan and Yates into the house, washing our hands and making our way into the dining room. Shannon was placing a couple more dishes on the table, and even though Yates and Ryan walked in the room ahead of Quinn and me, Shannon lit up when she saw us. "My boys! I'm so happy to have everyone here for lunch," she fawned over us, wrapping her arms first around Quinn and then me. "The only thing that would make this better would be if Charlie and Justice were home."

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Yates frowned, his jaw muscles tense, and my chest swelled a little. I'd always fit in with the Knight family. They took me in and accepted me as one of their own when I was a kid. This family was the only bright spot in my entire childhood, and I missed them more than I'd thought.

Coming back here and being with them felt like coming home. As an added bonus, it made Yates uncomfortable that Ryan's family had included me more than him. I went over and patted Alex on the shoulder. This was the first time I'd seen him since I'd been back, and the first time I'd seen him since his accident.

I was glad Ryan told me about what happened before I saw her dad because it was shocking seeing the powerful and indestructible Alexander Knight so broken. Even still, he wore the warm smile I remembered from when I was a kid. If I ever had kids, and that was a big if , I'd want to be the kind of dad Alex was, or even True's dad, Chris.

"Good to see you, son," Alex declared, clapping his hand over mine. His eyes were warm and welcoming, and a little part of me that had been knotted up inside for a very long time loosened at their forgiveness and compassion. I convinced myself a long time ago that the Knights all hated me because of how I left. It wasn't just about Ryan. Yeah, that was fucked up, but they all had been like family, and I disappeared without a word.

"You, too, Alex. Hope you don't mind I've been helping our girl out the past couple of days," I added, knowing it would probably piss Yates off. Quinn coughed behind me to hide what sounded like a laugh, and I moved to the chair next to Quinn. Ryan sat across from me, and Yates was next to her.

Ryan's dad chuckled, probably well aware of what I was up to, but that was fine. I doubted he liked this idiot any more than Quinn or I did. "Not at all. Imagine if your fans could see you now," he mused.

Shannon passed me a tray of ribs that smelled both spicy and sweet, and I pulled a couple onto my plate before giving the dish to Quinn. Yates was studying me across the table, probably trying to figure out who I was. "Fans?" he finally asked.

A cocky smirk spread across my face, the one I knew pissed people off when I used it. "Mhmm, fans," I drawled, not really caring to answer his question. He had Google. He could figure it out if it mattered that much to him. My eyes drifted to Ryan, who looked like she wanted to crawl under the table and hide. I wouldn't mind if she did, maybe I'd join her.

"So, Yates," Quinn began, pausing his forkful of baked beans halfway to his mouth. "What is it that you do again?"

The blonde dickhead sat up straighter, obviously on more comfortable ground talking about this. "I'm in finance," he stated proudly, even puffing out his chest a little. I didn't even try to hide my eye roll, and I watched as his face turned red. But then he smirked, tossing his arm across the back of Ryan's chair and stroking the skin of her shoulder with his thumb. I clenched my teeth but wouldn't take the bait.

"How interesting ," Quinn mocked. "Doesn't your dad own the company or something?"

Yates scoffed and opened his mouth to speak, but instead, Quinn turned to me, effectively cutting him off. "When we're done with the hay, we should take our girl for a swim. You in?"

"The old pond in the east pasture?" I asked, wanting to make it clear I was more familiar with this place than Yates would ever be.

Quinn nodded before turning to Ryan. "What do you say, Lancelot?"

"I think that sounds lovely," Shannon spoke up, her eyes dancing as she looked at me and winked. Yeah, she knew exactly what we were doing and was on board. I loved these people.

"Uh, yeah. It's hot out there today, so a swim sounds good," Ryan agreed, shifting in her seat a little further away from Yates's wandering fingers. Interesting.

"Bathing suits optional," I tacked on with a wink in her direction, and I watched as her eyes flashed.

"You're just going to-" Yates slammed his mouth shut mid-sentence, probably thinking better of whatever he was about to say. "Sounds like fun," he said instead.

"Sure does." I flashed him my cocky grin again, keeping my eyes locked on his. This prick would never beat me at this game.

Alex's voice cut through the tension. "So, Mad, I hear your dad moved out."

I nodded. "I bought the place, but it needs a lot of work. Speaking of, I'm having a new AC installed, and it's going to take a few days." I turned to Ryan. "Do you mind if I sleep over for a night or two while they do the work? I could get a hotel, but it'd be easier to stay here so I can keep helping out."

She stiffened next to her fiance. "Sure."

Quinn clapped his hands together once. "Perfect. We can all cuddle up in the fort and watch movies like the other night. Maybe even trade massages. Hauling hay is hard work."

I took a sip of my lemonade to keep from laughing. Yates's eyes were cold as he stared at Quinn and me from across the table, and I could read every way he wished he could fuck me up in his hard glare. I couldn't have imagined a better way to get under his skin and let him know I was stepping back into Ryan's life and had no intention of leaving again. Ever.

"I'm great at giving massages," I agreed. I'm sure my face gave away all the ways I was thinking about my hands running over every inch of Ryan's soft and smooth body.

Ryan's parents stayed silent. I was sure they didn't know what to say, and we sat in awkward silence. Yates was shaking with barely controlled fury, and I wondered if I was the only one who noticed, but one glance at the smirk on Quinn's face told me he saw it, too. I wanted to high five the fuck out of my new partner in crime, but I held it in, at least until we cleared the dishes and took them into the kitchen.

I held up my palm, and Quinn slapped it heartily, leaving a sting behind. I didn't mind one bit. "Fuck, yes. Did you see the look on that dildo's face?" he laughed.

"I thought he'd stroke out when you talked about cuddling and massages," I cracked up.

"We need to actually do this whole sleepover thing tonight and post a picture to her Insta," Quinn added.

I nodded. "Imagine what'll happen when we tag me in it."

"Oh, fuck, yes. We are one hundred percent doing this."

Right as I finished rinsing our dishes, there was a knock on the door, and I heard a familiar voice a few seconds later. Drying my hands, I walked back into the dining room to find Connor's hulking form taking up the entire doorway. "Hey, man. What's up?"

He nodded at me once. "Sorry to interrupt. Zen called to let me know you have files to review since he couldn't get ahold of you."

"Yeah, I left my phone inside this morning so it wouldn't get broken. Here, come in," I offered, pulling out a spare chair next to Quinn. "This is Alex and Shannon, Ryan's parents," I started introductions, and Connor shook their hands. "You know Ryan and Quinn, and this is Ryan's fiance, Yates," I said last as Connor's eyebrow raised, and he took Yates's hand, squeezing no doubt harder than necessary. He knew what Ryan meant to me and supported me completely in trying to win her over. He supported me so much that he was still in the middle of fucking nowhere Texas with me even though Zen had gone home.

I hadn't missed that he assigned Julian to guard Zen and Kennedy while he stayed here with me. "Everyone, this is Connor. He's my friend and," he met my eyes with a subtle shake of his head. "Someone I work with on occasion." I finished, hoping that was good enough. He obviously didn't want Yates to know he was part of the band's security for some reason.

Yates turned to Ryan. "Babe, do you normally have this much… company?" He smiled, but it looked forced, as if it was the last thing he wanted to do, which made it look more like a sneer.

Ryan shook her head. "Not normally."

"Hasn't been for a while, but it's about to become your new normal since I'm not going anywhere. Right, Freckles?" I challenged.

She looked at me with pleading eyes, and I figured that was my signal I'd pushed hard enough, and I needed to back off just a little. At least for now.

"Right," she said in a small voice.

"Well, I should be getting back to the city," Yates cut in, sliding his chair back and standing up. Quinn and I stood up with him, and Connor followed our lead. We all wanted to make sure he got the fuck out of here and didn't make Ryan pay for us fucking with him.

"Good to see you again, Yates," Shannon insisted with a bland smile, and Alex murmured a simple goodbye.

"You, too, Mrs. Knight, Mr. Knight. Thank you for lunch, it was delicious." The dude was smooth, I had to admit. The problem was he was too smooth, and that shit rubbed me the wrong way. It was like he wasn't actually showing any of who he actually was or hiding his true self or something. I didn't like it.

We all followed him out to the front porch, and I held out my hand. He took it, squeezing so hard his muscles strained and shook, but my ice-cold stare never faltered. Neither did my grip. This motherfucker thought he could scare me with a hard handshake? Pathetic.

"Keep your fucking hands off my fiancee," he demanded in a low voice so Ryan wouldn't hear him over the conversation she was having with Quinn. Connor's eyes narrowed, though, as he watched our exchange.

"Yeah, not gonna happen. I don't like you, and if you think I'm going to stand by and watch you marry my girl, you're out of your goddamn mind."

He stepped closer, trying to pull me forward by the grip he still had on my hand, but he was both smaller and weaker than I was. "Listen, jackass-"

"No, you listen," I growled over him. "I will never stop fighting for her. And if she chooses you, I'll still be there, making sure you don't hurt one single hair on her perfect head. And if you do? I'll fucking kill you. Just so you know," I promised before shoving away from him. He stumbled once in the dirt, the dust dirtying up his perfectly polished dress shoes.

He was shaking with the effort to contain his anger. I considered that mission accomplished.

He moved over to where Ryan stood by Quinn, and I watched with a smirk as Quinn threw his arm over her shoulder and pulled her into his side so Yates couldn't get his grubby hands on her. Yates clenched his jaw as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her cheek before shooting Quinn one last glare and stomping off to his car.

"I don't like him," Connor said, stepping up beside me as we watched the bastard climb into his imported car and take off down the driveway without a backward glance.

"What's to like?"

"I mean, he's up to something," he clarified, running his hand through his close-cropped hair and watching Yates's retreat through narrowed eyes. I'd never met anyone with better instincts than Connor, so when he said something wasn't right, I trusted him.

Quinn came up beside us while Ryan went back to the house. "We hate that guy, right? Like it's not even a question?"

"Fuck, yes. I've never wanted to punch anyone more than him."

Connor nodded. "He has a punchable face, but I think there's more to it than that. I'm gonna do some digging."

Quinn perked up. "If you need help taking him down, I'm definitely down for that."

The screen door slammed behind us as Ryan passed by our little group and made her way to the barn without glancing at us once. I winced. "How mad is she?"

Quinn shrugged. "I think she's more embarrassed and doesn't know what to do with it. She'll get over it in a little while." He turned to me. "You coming back out with us this afternoon?"

The corner of my lip twitched as I almost smiled. "Were you serious about swimming and massages?"

He laughed, and Connor's eyebrows shot up. "Massages?"

I waved him off. "We spent the entire lunch fucking with Yates."

"And yes, I was serious. Skinny dipping in the pond this afternoon and massages tonight while we cuddle and watch movies. We can make a Ryan sandwich, as long as you don't mind sharing your girl with me," Quinn flirted.

"You have the samples Zen sent. He's waiting on you to listen and give him feedback this afternoon," Connor reminded me.

"I'll give her some time to cool down while I work. What time do you want to meet at the pond?"

Quinn glanced up at the sun, shielding his eyes. "Four?"

I nodded. "I'll see you out there then."

Turning, I headed toward the big, black truck Connor had rented and waited for him to unlock it to drive us back to my house. Zen was already gearing up for our next album, and I couldn't wait to hear what he'd come up with sound-wise.

But what I was even more excited about? Getting naked and wet with Ryan later this afternoon. Time couldn't pass fast enough.