held a pair of jeans and clean underwear. Making a quick diversion into the bathroom where Becca heard the sounds of rustling fabrics, Ryan popped out in jeans with nothing else covering the rest of him.
It was impossible not to admire what he had going on. Tight, tan, and bigger than most men, Becca had a passing urge to hang off one of his huge arms. So much skin exposed got her body thinking things her mind wouldn’t allow.
Ryan had to walk past her to get a shirt out of his bag and when he did his head spun toward her. He took a minute to dig a gray long sleeved henley out and pull it over his head, giving Becca a full view of rippling muscles and an amazingly broad back. Gulping, she looked away and cursed the blood mix yet again.
He turned and leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. “You know I’m flattered Becca, but we can’t. Even if Gabs and I are in a weird place.”
Jaw dropping, Becca realized he had sensed her body’s reaction and her face flamed. “Oh my God, Ryan. No. I’m not here to try to do that. I mean, I get what you picked up,” her face had to be tomato red, “but it isn’t what I want to do. It’s the whole vamp blood thing. I’m really sorry, I can’t control it.” She blathered on, digging herself an even deeper hole until she finally gave up and snapped her mouth shut.
Several very long heartbeats of silence later, Ryan’s face split into a wide smile and he laughed. “So what you’re saying is that you’re turned on right now, but you don’t want to be? I can live with that.”
Becca couldn’t laugh. She wanted to hit him for mocking her. “It’s not funny, Ryan.” She wished he’d stop.
That only made him laugh harder. “Are you kidding? That’s hilarious!” He roared, stopping and making a serious face for a moment. “You know it’s totally okay if you just want me for my body.” Then he broke out again sparing her from having to even make an attempt at an answer.
Humiliated, Becca turned on her heel and stalked toward the door. Ryan appeared beside her, the wolves were nearly as fast as the vampires, as her hand closed on the handle.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be making fun of you like that.” There was genuine remorse in his voice. “Your timing just couldn’t be more perfect.”
Becca looked up to see his face, to gauge whether he was serious or not. What she saw there caught her unawares. “Ryan, are you okay?” Her mortification took a back seat to the troubled expression he wore.
Those big shoulders rolled and he frowned. “I don’t know, all these ladies wanting me for my body with no strings should have me dancing a jig. Only I’m not.” He let his eyes catch hers, failing to hide the sadness there. “I guess I wouldn’t want a chickish guy like me either if I was a girl.”
The turn in topics had Becca in a very awkward position. “You mean that’s what’s got you two in a funny place? You’re more into it than her?” Maybe she was wrong; Ryan would understand exactly what she was going through.
His lack of a response told her she was on the right track.
“We talked about this, didn’t we? That she’s just not the warm fuzzy type?” Becca wasn’t sure if she was talking Ryan through his troubles or hers.
“I’m not whining about her not telling me all of her deepest darkest or saying I want to talk about feelings all the time.” He gave her a look letting her know he wasn’t that bad.
If he didn’t look so hang dog, she would have laughed. The thought of Ryan talking feelings deep into the night was almost as funny as thinking of Michael doing it. That sobered her.
“All I’m saying is that she sees this as a long term hookup. That’s it. I mean it was hot and fun and everything at first, but come on,” passion leaked into his plea, “we’ve been at it for years. And it’s not like we’re doing it with anybody
It was impossible not to admire what he had going on. Tight, tan, and bigger than most men, Becca had a passing urge to hang off one of his huge arms. So much skin exposed got her body thinking things her mind wouldn’t allow.
Ryan had to walk past her to get a shirt out of his bag and when he did his head spun toward her. He took a minute to dig a gray long sleeved henley out and pull it over his head, giving Becca a full view of rippling muscles and an amazingly broad back. Gulping, she looked away and cursed the blood mix yet again.
He turned and leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. “You know I’m flattered Becca, but we can’t. Even if Gabs and I are in a weird place.”
Jaw dropping, Becca realized he had sensed her body’s reaction and her face flamed. “Oh my God, Ryan. No. I’m not here to try to do that. I mean, I get what you picked up,” her face had to be tomato red, “but it isn’t what I want to do. It’s the whole vamp blood thing. I’m really sorry, I can’t control it.” She blathered on, digging herself an even deeper hole until she finally gave up and snapped her mouth shut.
Several very long heartbeats of silence later, Ryan’s face split into a wide smile and he laughed. “So what you’re saying is that you’re turned on right now, but you don’t want to be? I can live with that.”
Becca couldn’t laugh. She wanted to hit him for mocking her. “It’s not funny, Ryan.” She wished he’d stop.
That only made him laugh harder. “Are you kidding? That’s hilarious!” He roared, stopping and making a serious face for a moment. “You know it’s totally okay if you just want me for my body.” Then he broke out again sparing her from having to even make an attempt at an answer.
Humiliated, Becca turned on her heel and stalked toward the door. Ryan appeared beside her, the wolves were nearly as fast as the vampires, as her hand closed on the handle.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be making fun of you like that.” There was genuine remorse in his voice. “Your timing just couldn’t be more perfect.”
Becca looked up to see his face, to gauge whether he was serious or not. What she saw there caught her unawares. “Ryan, are you okay?” Her mortification took a back seat to the troubled expression he wore.
Those big shoulders rolled and he frowned. “I don’t know, all these ladies wanting me for my body with no strings should have me dancing a jig. Only I’m not.” He let his eyes catch hers, failing to hide the sadness there. “I guess I wouldn’t want a chickish guy like me either if I was a girl.”
The turn in topics had Becca in a very awkward position. “You mean that’s what’s got you two in a funny place? You’re more into it than her?” Maybe she was wrong; Ryan would understand exactly what she was going through.
His lack of a response told her she was on the right track.
“We talked about this, didn’t we? That she’s just not the warm fuzzy type?” Becca wasn’t sure if she was talking Ryan through his troubles or hers.
“I’m not whining about her not telling me all of her deepest darkest or saying I want to talk about feelings all the time.” He gave her a look letting her know he wasn’t that bad.
If he didn’t look so hang dog, she would have laughed. The thought of Ryan talking feelings deep into the night was almost as funny as thinking of Michael doing it. That sobered her.
“All I’m saying is that she sees this as a long term hookup. That’s it. I mean it was hot and fun and everything at first, but come on,” passion leaked into his plea, “we’ve been at it for years. And it’s not like we’re doing it with anybody
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