11. Gia

I know tonight didn't go as planned. Chloe is staying with Ren tomorrow night. Can I take you on a date?

I let out a long sigh and put down my phone. Everything in me is screaming no, don't do it.

This is a fake relationship, but it feels far too real. I have to take a step backward before I get any more attached.

Josh is against it for some reason, I should listen to that right?

The idea of backing off makes me sick to my stomach. I want to spend more time with him.

It's a fake relationship, we have to make it believable, right?

I would love that.

Okay, well, be ready to go at five. I'll pick you up.

Perfect. Good night.

I smile to myself as I read Ryder's text messages again. He is the sweetest man. I'm feeling all of the feelings for him, and I can't stop myself. No matter how much I know that I should.

He ghosted me before, regardless of what he says. He'll do it again. No matter what, he could always have tried harder.

I let out a long sigh.

Why is it that the negative committee in my head always has to swing in and try to make me sabotage something when things are going well?

Fear, I guess.

Yeah, I'm a little scared that I'm going to fall hard for this man and then he's just going to give up and leave me like he did so easily before.

Yes, I have abandonment issues because of my mother and my father's shitty behavior, but years of therapy have gotten me past all that. Right?

Clearly, there's more that I need to work on.

I stop and take a few deep breaths and blow them out as I focus and clear everything else out of my head. I try to feel the anxiety and negativity I'm currently feeling before blowing them all out through a long exhale.

Ryder thought that I didn't want to see him again because I didn't reply to the text messages he thought he was sending me. It's okay. He's proven numerous times to me that he's not like the men my age that I've dated, and I have to accept that.

Actually, I kind of like it.

I open my eyes again and feel lighter. The tension is gone as is the fear.

Just as quickly as that all leaves, Mia's voice pops into my head.

I make a face and roll my eyes.

Mia's behavior at dinner tonight wasn't cool. It was pretty annoying, really.

I don't have a good feeling about her, but it'll come out why eventually. I'm too exhausted to deal with it right now.

***

The next day, at five sharp Ryder is at the cottage door. He hands me a bouquet of roses in a gorgeous crystal vase and kisses me on the cheek.

"Aren't you a gentleman?" I gush. "These are beautiful."

I hurry inside and put them on the table before he leads me to his car.

"I hope you don't have a curfew tonight," he teases.

"What if I do?"

"You'll be late."

He pulls out of the driveway and steers toward the road.

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise."

"I don't like surprises."

"That's a shame."

I chuckle and shake my head. Before long we're pulling into a private airstrip.

"What is this?"

"We're going to take a little trip."

"What?" I gasp.

"I'm a pilot, remember?"

I nod. A few minutes later we're boarding the plane and climbing into the cockpit of a small Cessna.

I settle into the co-pilot"s seat as Ryder goes through the pre-flight checklist with ease. The engine roars to life, and soon we are hurtling down the runway, lifted into the air by Ryder's skilled hands. The sun is starting to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of pink and gold.

As we soar through the sky, I am in awe of the beauty unfolding beneath us. The world seems so small from up here, and all my worries and stresses melt away. Ryder glances over at me, a smile playing on his lips.

"Enjoying the view?" he asks, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

I turn to him, a grin spreading across my face. "It"s amazing. Thank you for this."

We fly on in comfortable silence, the hum of the plane"s engine lulling me into a sense of peace. The city lights start to twinkle below us as darkness settles in. Ryder reaches over and squeezes my hand.

Before long he's asking into the microphone if we're clear for landing.

"Where are we?"

"New York City. Just in time to watch Wicked."

"What?" I gasp.

He grins back at me. "I may have overheard you telling Chloe how you wanted to see it on Broadway."

"Ryder, this is… I can't even put it into words."

I"m glad I could surprise you," he says, his eyes sparkling with delight.

We touch down smoothly at the airport, and Ryder helps me out of the plane. The bustling energy of New York City surrounds us, a stark contrast to the peacefulness of our flight.

We grab a taxi to head to the theater, and as we walk into the grand lobby, I can hardly contain my excitement. The lights dim, the music swells, and we are transported into the magical world of Oz. Watching the performance with Ryder by my side feels like a dream come true.

After the show, we walk hand in hand through the vibrant streets of New York City. The city that never sleeps is alive with energy, and I feel like I"m on top of the world. Ryder stops at a small restaurant for us to grab a bite, and we sit outside under the twinkling lights, savoring the moment.

As we talk and laugh and share stories, I realize how much I enjoy Ryder"s company. There"s something so easy and natural about being with him, like we"ve known each other for years. I feel a warmth in my chest that has nothing to do with the summer evening.

Ryder reaches across the table and takes my hand in his, his gaze steady and sincere. "I"m so glad you"re in my life," he says softly. "I feel like I can be myself around you, and that"s rare."

"I feel the same way."

"Why don't we head back to Ash Cove?"

I nod.

He laces his fingers through mine before we make our way back to the landing strip.

It's a short trip back, but the night sky is so gorgeous and I'm in awe of all of it.

When we return to his house that night, we walk into the living room and he instantly grabs me in a hungry kiss.

"I've been wanting to do that all night, but I knew once we started, I wouldn't want to stop."

"Smart man."

He slowly begins taking my dress off and I'm unbuttoning his shirt. We make our way up the stairs to his bedroom, kissing and leaving a trail of clothes along the way.

We tumble onto the bed together and he makes it a point to slowly worship every inch of my body with his mouth, tongue, and hands. Each lick, each bite, each caress is filled with so much attention and care that I'm ready to crawl out of my skin.

"Ryder, please."

"Please what?"

"Please, I need you inside me."

He chuckles softly before shaking his head.

"No Ma'am, I'm taking my time with you tonight."

"Ryder, I don't know if I can handle that."

"Trust me."

He spreads my thighs before his hands and mouth go to my soft, wet core. I moan, my hips bucking toward him instantly.

He continues his tantalizing worship, darting his tongue against my most sensitive spot, causing me to writhe beneath him. The pleasure is building, and I"m panting, begging for release. His fingers expertly find their way inside me, adding to the delicious sensation.

Finally, I can"t take it any longer and I cry out, "Ryder, I"m going to come!"

He doesn"t let up, and I shatter around him, waves of pleasure washing over me. My body is still convulsing when I feel him position himself at my entrance. He thrusts inside me slowly, giving me time to recover from my orgasm.

"Are you alright?" he whispers, looking deeply into my eyes.

I nod, still catching my breath. "I"m fine. I just needed that."

He begins to move with more urgency, and I match his rhythm, wrapping my legs around his waist. Our bodies move together in perfect synchrony, each thrust causing a jolt of pleasure to race through us.

He continues to kiss me deeply, our tongues dancing together as our passion grows.

Just as I feel myself reaching the brink of another orgasm, Ryder pulls out and flips me onto my hands and knees. I arch my back, presenting myself to him in a position of vulnerability.

He wastes no time in thrusting back into me, his hands gripping my hips firmly as he moves. I whimper, loving the new sensation, and I feel him hitting my G-spot directly.

"God, yessss."

My moans fill the room, echoing off the walls as we continue our intense lovemaking. Ryder"s breathing becomes more erratic, and I can feel the tension building within him.

"Ryder, I"m close," I gasp.

He groans, thrusting harder and faster. "Me too."

With one final thrust, he slams into me, and I cry out as an orgasm rips through me. My entire body trembles as rhythmic contractions sweep over me. He follows suit, releasing deep inside me, his body shaking against mine.

We collapse onto the bed, panting heavily as our hearts race.

"That was… amazing," I manage to say, still trying to catch my breath.

Ryder pulls out of me and crawls back up my body, kissing me passionately. "I"m glad you thought so."

We lie there, entwined in each other's arms.

My stomach growls and I giggle.

"Someone is still hungry. Let's go downstairs and find something to eat. I know there's some ice cream down there."

"Oh, that's perfect. Nothing better than ice cream after the dessert we just had."

I roll out of bed and Ryder follows. He smacks my ass and I squeal and shoot forward.

As we make our way downstairs, I feel like I"m on cloud nine. The night has been nothing short of magical, and I can"t believe how perfect Ryder has made everything feel. We rummage through the fridge and find an assortment of ice cream flavors, and I grab my favorite, cookies and cream.

Ryder finds a spoon for us to share, and we plop down on the couch naked, still relatively dazed from the ecstasy we just shared.

"This has been the most unbelievable night," I say, taking a bite of the ice cream.

"I"m glad you feel that way," Ryder replies, handing me the spoon filled with ice cream.

We continue to indulge in the sweet treat, savoring each spoonful, and the conversation naturally flows between us.

"Josh said you travel a lot, is there someplace you've never been that you'd love to go?"

"Australia, hands down."

"Really? I've always wanted to go there as well."

"Maybe we can go together." I tease.

He grins back at me.

"I would love that."

"What made you become a pilot?"

"That"s a great question," he says, taking a spoonful of ice cream. "I"ve always been fascinated by the sky and the freedom that comes with flying. My dad was a pilot, so I grew up around airports and airplanes. I just knew it was something I had to do."

"That"s amazing," I say, snuggling closer to him. "It must be an incredible feeling to be up so high and in control of the plane."

"It truly is. It"s like being in a bird"s body, soaring through the clouds and seeing the world from a whole new perspective."

"Today, getting to see that perspective with you, was pretty great."

"I liked being able to share that with you. I also enjoy seeing you walk around my house naked."

"Is that so?"

He nods.

"Top ten favorite things ever," he teases.

I grin wickedly back at him as I take the ice cream container out of his hands and put it and the spoons on the coffee table. I take a bite of the ice cream before I kneel in front of him, placing myself between his legs as I lock eyes with him.

My hands find his big cock and my head goes down. I keep eye contact with him as I lick up and down his hard shaft. The cold from the ice cream makes him squirm and gasp.

I like that reaction, I'm going to do that again until he tells me to stop.

His breath hitches as I take him into my mouth, sucking and swirling my tongue around him. I can see the pleasure building in his eyes as I work my magic.

As I continue to pleasure him, alternating from my warm mouth to a mouth full of ice cream he reaches down and fists my hair, guiding my movements.

"Oh, fuck, baby," he moans, his hips bucking slightly as I continue to work on him. "You"re going to make me come if you don"t stop."

I smirk up at him, slowly swallowing his cock and then releasing him with a pop.

"I don"t want you to come just yet," I say, standing up and kissing him deeply.

"Why not?" he asks, his eyes still filled with desire.

"Because I want more of you."

With that, I straddle him, lowering myself onto his hard cock. He groans, his hands finding my hips as I begin to ride him. My eyes meet his, and I see the passion and desire reflected back in them.

I start to move at a steady pace, feeling him glide inside me. Our bodies sync together perfectly, as if we were made to be together. My breasts bounce with each thrust, driving us both wild with arousal.

I lean forward, resting my hands on Ryder"s thighs as I increase my pace. The rhythm is electrifying, and I can feel myself getting closer to the edge. Ryder"s hands grip my hips tighter, matching my movements as he thrusts up to meet me.

"You feel so good, baby," he growls, his eyes locked onto mine.

I throw my head back, moaning loudly as the pleasure builds within me. My body tenses, and I know I"m close.

"Ryder... I"m going to cum!"

That"s all it takes for him to lose control as well. He thrusts up hard, burying himself deep inside me as we both cry out in ecstasy.

Our bodies convulse together, locked in a passionate embrace as the waves of intense pleasure wash over us. Finally, we collapse onto the couch, panting heavily as our hearts continue to race.

"You kneeling in front of me with my cock in your throat, is definitely top two worthy."

"Mmmm, I'm pretty competitive. I guess I'm going to have to figure out how to top that."

"I like the way you think," he chuckles.

He stands up and reaches out for me. We lace our fingers together and he leads me back up to the bedroom.

He kisses me gently as we fall back onto the bed.

"Let's watch a movie," he offers as he looks for the remote. I snuggle up close to him, my head on his chest as he starts playing the new Dwayne Johnson movie. We're asleep before the movie's been on for twenty minutes.