Chapter 6

Six

Kandy

I wake to sunlight streaming in through the sheer curtains on my bedroom window and a face pressing between my legs. Yesterday I never did make it back to my apartment before midnight. But when I finally managed to climb the stairs I found Ryder here waiting for me wearing nothing but my pumpkin orange apron and a smile.

He made sure I ate and after hours of slinging food and fixing Theo's truck, I admit I forgot to eat.

Ryder had my back. He might look like a GI Joe on the outside with his miles of muscles, but between you and me the man is the softest teddy bear in the world.

He stripped me out of my clothing, showered me and promptly put me to bed. I thought for sure he'd want a repeat of the night before, but he surprised me once again by gathering me into his arms.

The heat coming off of him seeped into my weary body until I was boneless. He arranged my limbs so I was cuddled into his side, my head pillowed on his hard chest, my leg hitched over his thigh, and my hand resting on his six-pack abs. He'd pressed his lips to the top of my head and as I drifted off to sleep, I felt like I could lie there happily for the rest of my life. And, okay, if I am being honest, after our fuckfest the night before I was more than a little bit sore. Getting myself off with my vibrator had in no way prepared me for all that was Ryder.

But I think his devilish plan last night was all about this morning.

A fully rested Kandy is better than a dog tired one.

A grin steals over my face as I slowly spread my legs and enjoy the delicious scratch of Ryder's beard against the tender flesh of my thighs.

Hard to complain with his hot, wet mouth teasing my clit.

I slide my hands beneath the sheet to slip my fingers into his thick hair. His tongue drags through my slippery folds and my fingers clench reflexively. I bring my knees up, my feet flat on the bed, tenting the covers over him and giving him better access to every sensitive inch of my pussy.

Strong rough hands cup my ass and I tense when his thumbs glide over my puckered entrance moments before he wraps lips around my nub and sucks.

"Ryder," I moan, shimmying my hips against his face.

Thick fingers stroke through my juices, tease around my clit only to dip back down and spread my velvety channel. Barely hanging on, I bit my lip, fighting back the urge to rip off the covers and try my hand at being on top.

Another finger eases in. "Oh, Ryder!" He presses and I gasp when he sinks the tip of his thumb into my ass, working my virgin hole in slow strokes.

I moan, writhing into his hands and mouth.

His tongue strokes over my clit, and he growls when I try to close my legs from the bolt of electricity zinging through me.

I shoot to my elbow, the covers bunched in my hand, ready to fling them off. "Ry, God, please just?—"

Sharp banging from the front door has me flopping back on the bed. What now?

"Kandy, I need you!" A loud voice carries through the front door followed by more pounding.

"I don't care what's on fire. Let the fucking place burn."

Ryder's disgruntled voice is muffled by the covers and I can't help my giggle.

I stroke a hand over his hair. "Don't worry. I'm off duty today."

"Thank, fuck. Now where was I?"

He starts to crawl up my body and I tense when I feel his cock drag over my thigh, the fat, swollen crown leaving behind a sticky wet trail.

Oh God.

He groans as loud as I do as he continues to pump fingers into my pussy, stroking me nice and steady. And God, can this man work my body just right.

I sigh and spread wider ready for everything he wants to do to me when I hear the front door open and slam again.

We both freeze like two teenagers caught in the act.

And of course, that makes me giggle. The look of shock on Ryder's face is downright comical.

"Kandy? You awake yet?" I recognize Ed's voice as he calls out. Heavy footsteps pound their way toward my half-open bedroom door and the closer he gets the redder my face turns.

"Who the?—"

"Get back under there!" I yank the cover over Ryder's head but I can still feel his massive cock pulsing against my thigh.

Shit, shit, shit.

I scramble to pull the covers up to cover all of me while Ryder thinks this is a good time to tease my clit.

My eyes roll closed, and I try to pin my knees closed. Yeah right. Not with Paul Bunyan shoulders between them!

"Umm, is this a good time to tell you I don't have a key because I gave it to Ted?"

Sharp teeth sink into my thigh and I gasp, biting back a moan. Holy hell he's going to make me come with someone else in the house.

I manage to pull on a straight face just as Ted peeks his balding head with its fringe of gray hair around the doorway.

"You decent, Kandy?"

Um, hell no! I peek down to find for once all my bits are covered. "Mostly."

Ed takes that as an invitation and steps into the doorway. "You know I wouldn't bother you on your day off, but I don't know what's going on. At least half the town?—"

My door swings open.

He cuts off abruptly and his gaze travels from my face and then farther down over the bulky covers.

Well, hell.

None of my bits might be showing but there is little I can do to hide the enormous bulge of Ryder. Or his legs and feet that I am sure must be hanging over the edge of the bed.

Kill. Me. Now.

Ted's eyes fly back to mine and he sends me a sheepish grin as his cheeks turn pink.

Any other time, you know, and I'd tease him mercilessly about the blush.

Ted is a grizzly old, retired truck driver who swears like a sailor and has no problem clocking a dude when they run their mouth too much.

In fact, there are several men in town who've been on the receiving end of Ted's fist when they ran their mouths more than he cared to listen to.

Now that he is retired, Ted works for me at the diner. Usually he is fine opening things up on his own, but of course today, the first, no second, day I wake up with my virginity a thing of the past and a man's face between my legs, Ted needs me.

I call bullshit. I crank a brow at my old-timer friend.

Nosy small-towners. I swear if I didn't love them to pieces…

I have better things to do than entertain Ted while Ryder waits impatiently between my legs. And I know he is impatient because he slowly shifts his head and reaches forward with his tongue to drag the tip over my dripping slit from bottom to top.

And those fingers of his have ways of entertaining themselves, too. They've slowly started to finger fuck me, and it's taking all my concentration not to moan or start glowing with embarrassment.

Oh, sweet Jesus.

I clench my thighs around his head and dig my nails into his scalp. But that only results in eliciting a quiet chuckle from the bastard. A chuckle that causes his tongue to dance against my clit.

I hold back a moan and my gaze flies to Ed. "What's wrong, Ed? Is the lock on the front door jammed again?"

Ed grins and hitches his thumbs in his belt loop while he rocks back on his heels a bit. "Nope. Not a thing wrong with the lock. Though, I kind of wish there was. That door's getting a workout this morning. Couldn't figure out what was going on when everyone started to turn up, but things are starting to get clearer."

I rolls my eyes again at his knowing grin. "I can't believe I have to say this to you of all people. But get to the damned point, Ed."

He must realize he sounds exactly like the gossips he hates listening to at the diner because the grin drops from his face, though the corners of his lips still twitched a bit. "Sorry. I'm thinking someone got wind you have yourself a new man and shared it around. That is a new man, right? That's not the ex up under there?"

"Oh, for fuck's sake." I hold the covers to my chin while I untangled my body from around Ryder. I slide to the other side of the bed and, careful to make sure I hold the comforter so it covers all of me, I flip the other edge of the cover back to reveal Ryder's head. He's wearing a shit-eating grin and thank fuck he has that beard or I am sure my juices would be shining off his chin. But screw it.

"Ryder, Ted. Ted, Ryder. You didn't get to meet before. Ted was on a supply haul," I offer by way of introduction.

"Ryder, Ted works for me at the diner. Usually he's fine handling mornings on his own, but I'm guessing either he's turned into a peeping Tom and decided to come right on up here to get his jollies or else there's a problem at the diner."

"Hey, I'm no perv," Ed grunts like some ogre. He gives a violent jerk of his thumb over his shoulder. "It's all the rest of those assholes who have a problem."

I grin at the return of the normal bad-tempered Ed. "What assholes are the problem today?"

"Take your pick. I think every single one of those fuckers is sitting there waiting for breakfast."

Slowly what he was trying to tell me dawns. "Every single one?"

He nods. "Every single one. Every single person who lives in this godforsaken town. I swear, I moved here after I retired thinking I'd found people like me—vets, truckers, bikers. People who know how to mind their own fucking business. But no, turns out I moved into the middle of a fucking sorority. Fuckers gossip worse than any bunch of bitches I ever met. I swear to fucking God, if one more of those assholes?—"

"Ted, Ted...stop!" I hold my hands up and don't know if I should cry or laugh. "Are you saying there are customers waiting at the diner right now?"

"Customers, my ass." He snorts all flustered. "Bunch of busybodies, every last one of them. But yup, every last person in town showed up for breakfast today."

Alarm starts moving through me. "So, you're telling me the diner is full of customers and the only two employees of the diner are up here? In my bedroom?"

"Yep. That's what I've been trying to fucking say." Ed's impatient gaze moves to Ryder. "Since you're the one who entertained our girl and is keeping her hostage, I'm making you responsible for getting her up and dressed and down to the diner before those shitheads tear the place apart. I left Theo pouring coffee for everyone, but God help us all if he decides to try his hand at cooking. Whole fucking state of Vermont will be in flames."

With that Ed turns on his heel and marches out of the apartment, slamming the front door with a disgruntled bang behind him.

My shoulders start quaking as I hear him stomping down the stairs. I turn my gaze to Ryder. "So, that was Ted."

Ryder bursts out laughing, his whole deliciously naked body shaking with it. Happiness bubbles up fast and furious inside me watching him. I still can't believe my Ryder is here and in my bed. I never thought I'd see the day.

I get the sense laughter and joy are not Ryder's typical default mode anymore. So I doubly enjoy watching as he lets his mirth break free.

Three days. I give myself the sharp reminder, not for the first time since Ryder and I came to our agreement. I can't get too attached, can't allow myself to feel too many emotions for the man I once loved. He's going back to his big corporate world Monday and I'll stay back as the small- town country bumpkin. Our worlds no longer mix.

Sure, I'm lucky fate threw him in my path, but I know it's only temporary. And I'm not going to make the mistake of losing my heart to him again. Fool me once...

I slip out of bed and over to the dresser. I nab panties, a bra and slide into them. My gaze wanders over to Ryder as I snatch a t-shirt out of a drawer.

Naked and stretched out across my bed like it's the place he's been waking up every day for ten years. He rests his cheek on his fist, his elbow buried in the bed, and watches me get dressed with a small smile playing over his lips.

I try not to feel self-conscious with his eyes on me as I pull on my shirt.

As I straighten it, I notice his smile grows wider. A quick glance down shows me the orange t-shirt I blindly picked has a graphic of a car and a wrench that reads I might be a mechanic but I can't fix stupid.

Ugh. Wasn't I just super sexy?

I roll my eyes, yank the shirt off and opt for another one; purple this time with Kandy's Diner across the front in a splash of orange. With his heated eyes tracking me, I reach for a black skater skirt from my closet. Probably too late to worry about looking like a supermodel at this point. I mean, I was wearing a wedding dress the first time he saw me, and that didn't seem to deter him.

I flick my eyes over to him as I sit in the chair by my window and pull on socks and boots. At least these are cute with a sexy zipper up the side. Nothing like the big city girls with their fancier clothing choices, but it will have to do.

I squint a little as I try to imagine just what kind of woman he usually dates. I mean, he is handsome but still rough around the edges. I can only imagine his days in the Marines only helped make those edges a little more jagged. But he is gentle with me, caring even. But there has always been something about him that makes it clear most women would be more than happy to drop their panties around him.

Case in point. Me. Ten years gone and less than three hours back in town and I hand over my virginity on a silver platter.

I hurry into the bathroom to untangle my hair and brush my teeth. I have to get my head out of the clouds and remember I have things to do that have nothing to do with the man in my bed.

I dash back into the bedroom to find Ryder sitting on the side of the bed in a clean pair of jeans and pulling on a black Henley over his head that clings to every groove and bump.

God what a delicious morsel of eye candy.

I shake my head. "Sorry I have to head out so quickly and that we didn't get to finish," I offer as I step past him. I think better of it and step back over to him. I stand between his thighs and place my hands on his shoulders before leaning down to give him a good morning kiss. I made it quick, thinking of what might be happening to my diner right this minute, but I enjoy the heck out of it. I might need to remind myself not to fall for this man, but that doesn't mean I can't indulge myself a little for the next day.

Ryder's hands come to rest on my hips, and he gives them a squeeze as he kisses me back, obviously as intent as I am to enjoy every second. After a minute, I reluctantly pull back. "I've got to go make sure my diner's still standing. If you get hungry, come down and I'll fix you breakfast. Otherwise, I'll see you later?—"

Before I got my last word out, Ryder stands, forcing me to take a step back. I tilt my head to look up at him, squinting in confusion.

Strong arms pull me into his muscular body and pin me in place, those dark eyes of his holding my gaze.

"I'm going with you. Wait for me. I just need to wash up the beard and clean up real quick."

My mouth falls open. "But you don't have to…"

"I'm going with you." He says each word slowly, deliberately, as he moves into the bathroom. "If you think I'm letting you face those fuckers alone, them all knowing we spent the last two days together, you're out of your mind. I'm actually surprised it took two days for the crowd to build."

My heart melts into a puddle in the middle of my chest. "I'll be fine, Ryder. You honestly…"

"Wait. For. Me." His tone leaves no room for argument.

I look around my bedroom in confusion. "Okay, then. Guess I'll go wait by the door."