Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 62923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Ryder grabbed two pieces of luggage and lugged them down the hallway and to the front entrance. Cassie was messing with him—trying some reverse psychology shit. Hell, it was working. He really didn’t like the idea of Remi being alone, not with everything going on in his life.
He was still pondering the whole to stay or not to stay issue when he hugged Cassie good-bye, told her he loved her, and then helped load all the luggage into the two vans driving Cassie’s crew to the port. He waved as they drove away, knowing his brother and Cassie’s mom would be proud of the woman their little girl was turning in to. They’d also be thankful she was traveling the world and having fun. They’d believed in travel and dreamed of giving her the world. Looking up at the sky, he said, “She’s doing well, big brother.”
He turned and walked toward his car, but the motivation to leave wasn’t there. After checking his watch, he realized he had a mere two hours of sleep time before he needed to head to the precinct. He eyed Cassie’s mansion, looking all comfortable and cozy…and much closer than his own house, and decided he’d pass out in his guest bedroom suite and try to grab as much sleep as possible. They had a dead kid on their hands and he wouldn’t be worth shit all day if he didn’t at least get some sleep. With the decision made, he made his way back to the house, locked the door, set the alarm code, and walked the maze that would lead him to the bedroom suite Cassie designated for him when she’d first bought the house three years ago.
When he passed Remi’s suite, he paused and placed his ear to the heavy wooden door. Yes, he knew it was creepy but did it anyway. Remi had gone to bed before the drinking party started, saying he didn’t feel well. There was absolutely nothing wrong with Ryder wanting to make sure the younger man was okay. It was completely innocent. Barely two weeks had passed since Remi was in the hospital; checking on him was the right thing to do. Yep, that was the story he would go with.
Softly, he knocked on the door and then pushed it open. With one wall of Remi’s room made of nothing but floor to ceiling windows, the moonlight bathed the king-sized bed where he slept. Ryder thought about asking if everything was okay but decided against it when he noticed how soundly Remi appeared to be sleeping. Maybe rest was the best solution for whatever troubled him.
He quietly closed the door and hurried to his suite. Now he only had an hour and forty-five minutes to rest, and he knew much of that time would be spent remembering the image of perfection he’d just spied on. Remi’s legs had been tangled in his sheet, like he’d been fighting with the blanket and the blanket had won. He’d been sleeping on his stomach with his long, muscular legs clearly visible and served as a magnet to Ryder’s eyes. His bubble butt, encased in black boxer briefs that hugged the delicious mounds, had been observable to Ryder…and he wouldn’t soon forget how fucking good Remi looked. He’d wanted to lick him. What was it people said? If I lick it; it’s mine. Yeah, that’s where Ryder currently resided. He’d licked him once but had refused to claim the it’s mine part.
Disgusted with himself and his new case of voyeurism and old case of regrets, he tossed his own clothes aside, climbed into the bed, and tried to think about anything except the adorably exquisite man only two doors down from him.
Anything.
Anything.
He had nothing. All he could think about was Remi.
It was amazing how vividly he could remember every detail of that night. Remi’s twenty-first birthday. Meeting at the club and wanting the younger man more than he’d ever wanted anybody in his life. Taking him to his house and fucking him through the night. He’d explored every inch of Remi’s body and, even after taking him three times through the night, had wanted him again at morning’s first light. That morning, before he knew who Remi was, they’d made love. It had been deliciously slow….
His hand automatically slipped beneath the blankets and into his briefs, seeking out his cock the way he wished Remi would. He shoved the blanket aside and lowered his underwear enough to give him access to both his cock and balls. He’d feel guilty afterwards but didn’t care now. Just seeing Remi had made the desire for release too strong to resist.
He’d just spit into his hand when an ear-piercing scream split the silence of the almost-empty house. Ryder was on his feet in seconds, grabbed his service revolver and raced toward the bedroom door when the second scream echoed through the house. His adrenaline spiked. Terror that someone was trying to hurt Remi raced through his veins, causing him to stumble in his haste to get to him. The bedroom door was still closed, and Ryder slammed into it with enough force to knock it off the hinges. With his revolver raised in front of him, Ryder’s eyes scanned the room, searching for danger and silently vowing to obliterate anybody who might have the nerve to try and hurt Remi.