The orgasm explodes within me in mere seconds, making me cry out, my hips bucking of their own accord against his face as wave after wave of sensation washes over me, draining me completely.

“Beautiful,” he whispers as he moves up my body to kiss me, his lips covered with my juices. “Taste yourself. See why you drive me wild.”

I lick and suck his tongue, do the same to his lips, and then he’s pushing away from me, reaching out to pull me into a new position. He eases my legs off the arms of the chair until I’m sitting, docile and perfect, perched on the edge. My thighs shake, I feel dizzy, completely overcome, and he reaches beneath my chin to tilt my face up, forcing me to look at him.

“I don’t know how long I can hold out until I have to fuck you,” he murmurs, stroking my chin with his thumb.

Staring at him, I say nothing. I know we should probably talk more. We’re too caught up in the sexual haze that overcomes us every time we’re together, but things need to be said. Exposed.

Confessed.

“Fuck, you’re so beautiful, Violet. I’m sorry,” he whispers, his fingers gentle as they brush through my hair.

I move so I can sling my arms around his shoulders. “Sorry for what?” I ask as I run my fingers through his soft hair, stroke the back of his neck. I never want to stop touching him. Never want to let him go. He’s become … everything to me.

Everything.

“For hurting you. Saying what I said pushed you away and I did it to protect you, which is fucking stupid.” His hands run down my back, making me shiver.

“Protect me from what?” I ask.

“Me.” He tilts his head back, his unwavering gaze meeting mine. “I can’t help but wonder what you’re doing, wanting to be with a man like me.”

I smile as I trace the line of his jaw. “You make me feel. You challenge me and you care about me more than any other man I know. You’ve shown me so many things in such little time and I can’t wait to see where you’ll lead me next. I’m in love with you, Ryder.”

“I love you, too, Violet. I know … I know it’s all happened so fast, but …” He pauses, his expression going serious, his entire body still. “Your father wants me to go to London.”

Pressing my mouth to his, I whisper against his lips, “He wants me to go to London, too.”

“Really?” He sounds surprised, but not irritated like Zachary had when I mentioned it to him. I love that about Ryder. To him, I’m an equal. “Doing what?”

“Whatever I want. It would be an executive-at-large position.” I dip my head, kiss his neck, lick at his salty skin. I can’t get enough of him. “What about you?”

“International brand marketing.” He sounds so proud and I squeeze him close, simply enjoying the feeling of his hot, damp skin on mine. “Sounds pretty fucking impressive, doesn’t it?”

“It sounds amazing,” I whisper against his neck.

“He offered me the job. Told me more than once that you praised my abilities.”

I lift my head to smile at him. “I did.”

“As long as they were my professional abilities.” He chuckles and my heart soars. The mood between us has changed. What I thought would be another filthy endeavor of long, hard fucking has turned … sweet. Tender.

Loving.

“Always.” I shift and press my chest to his, enjoying the closeness, the sound of his heart, the sensation of his chest rising and falling with his every breath. I close my eyes and savor just sitting with him. Absorbing him.

“Come with me,” he whispers, his hands going to my hips, tickling my skin. “Let’s go to London together.”

“Do you mean it?” I lift my head, breathless at the words he’s saying. He wants me to go with him. “We haven’t known each other very long …”

His fingers press into my flesh so hard I gasp. I lift my head to see his eyes are blazing with heat and aimed right at me. “When you know, you know. I was stupid, trying to deny this, but I can’t any longer. You’re mine, remember?”

I stare at him, overwhelmed by what this means. “Yes,” I whisper. “I remember.”

“Come with me, Violet,” he demands. “I don’t ever want to be apart from you again.”

I nod, too overcome to speak. More tears come, filling my eyes, spilling down my cheeks, but they’re not sad tears. I’m happy. Happy that he would want to make such a commitment to me, thrilled that we’re together. That he wants me just as bad as I want him.

He brushes the tears away, catching them with his thumb, his lips. “Don’t cry,” he whispers. “You’re killing me, baby. All I ever want to do is make you happy.”

“I’ll go with you,” I finally say, gasping when he grabs me tight and falls against the back of the chair, taking me with him. He clutches me close, kissing me as he lifts his hips, thrusting his cock deep inside me again and again. I’m his captive; I can’t move as our bodies slap together, damp with sweat, skin on skin, his cock hitting just right deep inside my body until I’m crying out and he’s shouting my name, the two of us coming together, like some sort of miracle.

But that’s what we are, Ryder and I. What we share is like a miracle. Our strange little relationship that should never have worked, that makes no sense …

It makes absolute, perfect sense after all.