Page 42 of Pucked Together

"Teach you?" he asks, somewhat amused.

"Yes," I breathe out, nearly shaking, probably from being shirtless and totally vulnerable.

"Ok," he nods as he considers it. "What do you want to know?"

I hesitate to answer. Because how do you say the things without sounding like a horny perv.

“Um…everything. Teach me what feels good. For you. For…me. I’ve never done more than kiss.”

His eyes go molten. The look there sends a shiver down my spine.

I don't know if I can be totally honest with this man. I barely know him. But he's Keelan's best friend, and Keelan's always been a pretty great judge of character. Besides, something in me connects deeply with something in Ryker. I know we can both feel it.

“And you trust me?” He asks, waiting.

"I do," I answer honestly. I look at him, and there's a slight tug on his lips. "What?" I ask, rolling my eyes. "You find this amusing? I'm being serious."

"No, yeah. It is serious. I'm sorry. I just...wow, ok. I just read you wrong this whole time, and I feel like a total ass."

I sit up to see him better. "What are you talking about?"

"The piercing, the tattoo, the yoga pants?"

"Wait, you saw my tattoo?"

Now, he bites his lip.

"Izzy, I showered you, remember? I've seen a lot more of you than you've seen of me."

Damn. He's right. I totally forgot he's already seen me naked and at my most vulnerable. There's a pink tinge that sneaks up into his ears, and I know he's embarrassed that he's seen it.

"And what did you think?"

He closes his eyes, and when they look back at me, I can feel the intensity in his gaze.

"I haven't stopped thinking about that little heart tattoo."

My breath catches, and I can't believe he got close enough to see it without me knowing.

"I'm sorry if that was personal. Nothing happened that night, I promise."

"I believe you," I say, reaching for his shoulders.

"So what do you want to do? You're in control here, Wildfire."

Those words make me feel even safer to be with him. Because, yes, I've always been in control. Which is why none of the other guys I've ever been involved with had access to me in this way.

But I want Ryker. I want him to know me. All of me. Just like I'm dying to know him. In every way imaginable. We've already crossed the line that was set out before us. Now, it's up to us to see how far we want this to go.

"We take it slow," I finally say.

He reaches out and caresses my cheek. "Ok," he smiles. And that smile nearly knocks the breath out of me. There's no way this can be real.

Every time I've told someone my situation—that I haven’t… It's been met with intrigue but never with this restraint and patience.

He says it like he means it. And I feel it.

"This is about you," he says, pushing me onto my back as he lays down next to me and runs a finger down my chest to my navel.