Library

Chapter Five

AVA

I woke up the next morning in Ryder's arms. Early morning sunlight filtered through the closed blinds to highlight his face. His eyes were half-lidded, a lazy smile curving his lips.

"Hey."

I liked the lazy cadence of his voice in the morning. "Hey yourself." A warm, satisfied ache lingered in my limb as I stretched. Our legs were entangled in the sheets.

I was of two minds. Part of me wanted to stay in bed with him, enjoying watching the sun dance on his face and warm my skin. The other more cautious and guarded part gave me a mental nudge. We crossed a huge line last night. Wanna lose your gig? Get up and leave.

"I should go."

Ryder's arms tightened around me. "Stay."

The single word was both command and plea. My heart skipped a beat. I wanted nothing more than to remain here, cocooned in this intimate bubble with the man who had turned me on and captured all my attention.

This kind of connection, it defied my professional logic. I drew a shaky breath, steeling myself against the longing that threatened to overwhelm my senses. "Ryder, we can't rush into this."

His laugh was soft as he held me to him. "I think we already did." He toyed with a strand of my hair on the pillow.

I tried to remain logical when all I wanted was to pull the covers back up and go for round two. "We don't even know each other that well."

Ryder's expression darkened with an intimate desire. "I know the way you smile, the sounds you make when you're deep in pleasure. I know you're the most fascinating woman I've ever met, Ava." His hand slid down to cup my face, his touch tender. "There's something here worth exploring. You feel it too—I know you do."

I leaned into his palm, tears pricking at the backs of my eyes. I couldn't remember the last time, if ever, anyone looked at me the way Ryder did, as if I were something precious to be coveted and cared for. "It sounds tempting."

"I could tempt you into staying." He traced my shoulder.

"You probably could."

"Uh-oh. Here comes the but."

"But." I couldn't let myself get carried away. Or was I already swept far away from shore? "Ryder," I started to speak, for his sake as well as mine. "Your big fight with O'Connor is in a few days. Don't you have to train?"

"Gym's open twenty-four hours." His grumble was muffled against the pillow, but still very, very grumpy. And kinda cute.

I found myself pushing his hair off his forehead. "Your trainer and coach won't like being kept waiting."

He gave me a shrewd look. "You've learned too much about the business already, you know that?"

I gave a naive shrug. "It's my job. And don't worry. I'm going to keep last night between us."

He brought my head down for a kiss. I felt him hesitate before he pulled away from me and rose from the bed. He put his boxers back on at some point. It was probably a good thing he did. If I glanced at his big cock of this morning, my best laid plans to get going would shift right back into the bed. Why was I having such a hard time leaving? It was just a one-night stand. So why did it feel like we had something more going on?

Ryder headed to the shower. "I'm not going to the gym yet. There's something I need to do first. If you want to run by the dog shelter, I'll be there for a couple of hours."

I found my bra and panties on the floor. "Sure, I'd love to see you around the dogs."

He lingered at the bathroom door, watching me put on my underwear. "I gotta admit, seeing you out of bed, I'm not thinking about much else."

My nipples hardened as he stared at them.

"There's room for two in the shower." His hint was far from subtle.

The way I wanted to remove my panties again so fast was scary. I held my composure as I stomped down on my sex drive. "I'd better not. Just trying to get back into pro mode, you know?"

He smirked. "Judging by the way your body's responding to me, it's going to take awhile."

"Look who's talking, big guy." I glanced at the long shaft that made me lose my mind last night.

"I told you. You make it difficult to hide anything." He went into the bathroom.

While he was in the shower, I hunted for my dress, shoes, and accessories. I had most of them on by the time he came out of the bathroom, a towel slung around his hips. "I'm going to need to swing by my place first for a change of clothes." I looked for my keys out of habit. "Shoot. I forgot I took a rideshare."

"I'll give you a lift."

My eyes veered to the thin trail of dark hair on his stomach that disappeared beneath his towel. "I'm, uh, going to wait for you in the living room."

About twenty minutes later we were in his car. This was where it all started last night after we left the mayor's ball. My pussy tingled in remembrance of Ryder making me come.

"Thanks for the ride home." I unbuckled my seat belt once he pulled into the parking lot of the extended stay hotel.

He peered out the front window, a perplexed look wrinkling his brow. "I thought you said you grew up in this town."

"I did. My parents moved a while ago, so this is where I'm staying while on assignment."

He nodded. "Are you going back to LA when it's over?"

I rubbed the back of my neck. "I haven't really decided what my next move is going to be." It felt awkward telling an established MMA champion that I had no clue how my life was going to end up in a matter of weeks. "I'm focusing on the article for now."

"I have to give you something interesting to write about then." He cast a lingering look my way before his gaze moved to the flickering hotel sign. "I can't have you running back to Hollywood."

He made it sound like a joke, but I heard something else in his voice. Maybe I was kidding myself when I thought there was a hint of sadness in his tone. Heaviness settled over my empty stomach. Was I feeling sadness, too? "I'm not going anytime soon. Me and show business don't get along on the West Coast."

"I read one of your bios."

"Did you?" Surprised, my hand stayed on the door handle instead of opening it.

"I did a little investigative work of my own when you first got here. Born and raised in Sunridge. Your online bio said you went to Berkeley, got married right after graduation. You used to work for one of those big shot celebrity entertainment networks not too long ago."

I was impressed he put in the work to learn about me. "All of that was before my divorce. Show biz can be tough on a personal life."

His eyes softened with sympathy. "Only if you let it. I don't know your ex, but it looks to me like he took a big L for walking away from you."

I dropped my hand from my neck, now warm and getting hotter from his assessment. "That's kind of you."

"I'm not being kind in a bullshit way. I'm being honest. Any man who was lucky enough to be with you and walked away needs to have his head checked for a concussion."

I laughed. "My ex didn't have a concussion, but he did have his head filled with dreams of making it big. We both did, if I'm being honest. But I tried to make the marriage and work life balance, you know? He didn't want to."

Ryder just shook his head. "His loss."

We stopped talking. Maybe I said too much. A silent moment passed where our eyes met and I could tell we were both thinking of the same thing: last night, wrapped in each other's arms, sweaty and tangled in the sheets. My body was a live wire as I recalled every touch, kiss, and thrust. Geez. I had it bad for Ryder.

"I better change and meet you at the dog shelter." I got the car door open.

I felt his warm hand on my knee. The simple action made another memory unlock from last night. I was never going to be able to even look at another Lexus without thinking of my experience in this one.

"I can wait for you."

"No, it's cool. I can drive myself. Besides, I like to have all my work gear with me." I talked on, trying to make a believable excuse for why we didn't need to show up together.

He gave a knowing chuckle for all my effort at trying to save face. "Everyone knows you're interviewing me for an article, Ava. It doesn't look weird if we're in the same car."

But it would if I tripped up and stared at him too long. Or if my body was drawn his way. Already I felt a tug towards him. Before I could change my mind, I gave him a friendly, neutral wave. "You can text me the shelter address. See you in a little bit."

I stepped away from the car. He left me with a half-smile and that worldly, bullshit-proof look of his before putting the car in reverse to pull out of the lot. He glanced at me in the rearview mirror. I gave another wave.

Sure, I was neutral. Completely.

I took the stairs to my hotel room, popped into the shower, and got my stuff to get started for the day. Last night was in the past. I couldn't let myself get sucked into an old headspace. For goodness sakes, didn't I leave California for a reason?

I thought I left behind the old emotional Ava, the one who allowed herself to get wrapped up in a fuzzy romantic blanket, only to get drenched with neglect or ice-cold rejection. Ryder already showed he was different, that he respected me and could handle the one time we let our walls fall.

So why was I continuing to look for bricks to throw at my own boundaries?

I zipped my laptop bag. My body still remembered last night, but I had to put my mind on what I came here to do. This visit to the dog shelter would give me more writing material on Ryder's life.

He texted me the dog shelter address. I plugged it into my phone's GPS and got into my car. About ten minutes later, I arrived at my destination.

The shelter was a little haven nestled within a calm corner of the city. The exterior had charming wooden signs and a colorful mural depicting happy dogs in various playful poses.

I summoned my courage to go inside the facility Ryder had founded. I told myself I was here for research, though it was hard to get past the simple thought of wanting to see him again.

Eventually, I managed to walk through the front door. Soft barks and the soothing sounds of gentle conversations between staff and volunteers filled the air. I quickly picked up on a sense of warmth and comfort. The space was bright and inviting, with large windows allowing warm autumn sunlight to stream in.

The central reception area welcomed visitors with informative brochures about the shelter's programs and initiatives. Wall photos captured heartwarming moments of dogs finding their forever homes. Ryder was already there. He crouched on the floor of the lobby, giving a treat to a lab as he praised the dog for following a command. He saw my shadow fall over him and he looked up. My heart cartwheeled like a kindergartner trying to impress her first crush.

"Ava, what a nice surprise," he said, standing up and walking over to me. I caught a whiff of his cologne and had to resist leaning into him. "What brings you here?"

I blinked. This was odd behavior given that he just texted me the address.

Then he got close to me and muttered under his breath. "How's this for playing along?" He was enjoying this too much. I caught that smirk on his face, an all-too obvious reminder of last night.

I corrected my stiff posture, hoping the heat from my flushed face wouldn't cause my makeup to slide off. I considered myself a pro at journalism. Could I at least do a reasonably good job of amateur acting? "I heard about your charity. I'd love to learn more about the work you do here."

"I'd be happy to give you a tour," he said, his voice light and conversational. His eyes lit up as he began to describe the organization. "We train rescue dogs to be service animals for people in need."

As he showed me around, I became captivated by his passion for the mission. The main kennel area was a spacious haven for the dogs awaiting adoption. Comfortable bedding, toys, and water bowls were provided for each furry resident.

"This is Luna." Ryder stopped by a kennel to pet a grey wiry-haired poodle. "She's going to help a little girl with anxiety. And Oliver here will work as a medical alert dog for an older vet who lives alone." He spoke about each dog and client with care and tenderness, and I could see how much this work meant to him.

The more he spoke, the more my attraction deepened into something more - respect, admiration.

We moved forward on the tour. Adjacent to the kennel area was a dedicated space for play and socialization. Here, dogs could interact under the watchful eyes of trained staff and volunteers. I smiled as the dogs played fetch and tugged on toys.

The shelter also featured a clinic where the dogs received necessary medical care. A cozy lounge area allowed potential adopters to spend quality time with dogs they were considering bringing home.

All of this made me realize the dog shelter was more than just a physical space; it was a place of hope, second chances, and unconditional love. Every corner radiated the dedication of the staff and volunteers who worked around the clock to provide a haven for dogs in need, as well as a testament to Ryder's commitment to making a positive impact on the animals and his community.

He introduced me to the staff, and I spoke with them about their work. When he stepped aside to go feed one of the newer pups, a couple college-aged volunteers gave me mischievous smiles.

"Now that he's gone, we'll give you the real scoop," the guy promised. He told me he was a journalism major and hoped to do reporting, too, some day.

But he was only teasing. He and the other volunteer told me stories about how Ryder provided undivided attention to each pup during training sessions; stories about how gentle he was in teaching them commands, how patient he was...these were all things that showed me a new side to him –a compassionate and caring side.

He came back and we continued to go through the facility. When the tour ended, he turned to me with a soft smile. "So, did I convince you this is meaningful work?"

"You didn't need to convince me. I can see how much you care. It's really inspiring."

He glanced at his watch. "Hate to cut this short. It's time for my gym session."

"Go ahead. You've given me plenty of your time already."

Ryder gave me a close-lipped smile that would've given our secret away to the whole world if anyone was watching. "Feel free to hang around if you want. The staff is friendly and can answer all your questions. "

"I may go ahead and watch a few training sessions."

"Mine or the dogs?"

"The dogs, of course." I kept it light and playful. "I see you in the ring every day." Not that I didn't want to see more of him outside of the ring.

"See you later." He gifted me with a normal goodbye as he headed out. A dog bark in the kennels down the hall snapped my mind back to the moment.

Time to get in more research on the facility and my mind temporarily off Ryder.

Comments

0 Comments
Best Newest

Contents
Settings
  • T
  • T
  • T
  • T
Font

Welcome to FullEpub

Create or log into your account to access terrific novels and protect your data

Don’t Have an account?
Click above to create an account.

lf you continue, you are agreeing to the
Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy.