Writer

Chapter 14

Rye

She wasn't looking at me but I knew that her gaze was glued to my neck.

"Who are you?" Paisley asked.

Immediately my body froze, and I didn't answer her. Instead, I let my hand just move towards her cheek. I caressed her jawline with my finger, basking in the way it was so damn smooth.

"Rye." I felt her whisper into my bare neck.

The vibrations sent a wave of trembling heat through my body, and I had to take a moment to compose my guilty thoughts.

"Yes?" I said, more confident than I felt. God, she did so many things to me. So. many. things.

"You.. you. Didn't answer my.." She paused, and I felt her fidget in my grip. I didn't let her go, I wouldn't let her go. I didn't want to.

She could surpass that anxious feeling and finish her fucking sentence. I knew she could.

"You didn't answer my question." Paisley said finally when she knew I wasn't going to respond to her without that last part.

I let a light chuckle escape me before I spoke.

"I'm Ryder Knight." I knew it wasn't the answer she was looking for, but I didn't know what to say that wouldn't creep her the hell out.

I'm Ryder Knight, the love of your life but you don't really know that yet. I've known you since we were in middle school and I've seen you almost naked at least twenty times. I've dedicated my teenage years to making you notice me and epically failed...

Her hard tug on my sleeve made me snap out of my weird ass mindset.

"I want.." I looked down at her and gave her my best frown. What was she going to say?

When she saw my glare, she blushed and nuzzled her head into the crook of my neck again.

I groaned, loving the feeling of her, but hating her damn silence. She's taunting me, teasing me at the worst times.

"Paisley." I said with my don't-fuck-with-me tone, and pulled slightly away from our perfect, tight, comforting, embrace.

"Finish your sentence." My eyes roamed hers, the green getting more vibrant the longer I stared. She was biting her lip viciously, and I immediately took my thumb and pulled her bottom lip from her teeth.

"Finish." I said again. I held my thumb on her chin, feeling the roundness underneath my touch.

"I, I want to know you."

My heart fucking ached at the way she said it. Every time she spoke I fell more and more in love with her. And she didn't even know it.

"Oh you will, Paisley. You will." Smirking, I let my arm wrap tighter around her, and I found myself trying to lead her to the couch. My father's office was oddly comforting. Oddly.

She didn't need to go back in the dining room. We didn't need to go back. We could sit here for the remainder of the night if it meant her letting me hold her close. I didn't want the proximity of our bodies to separate.

I loved her this close.

I loved the feeling of her.

I always will.

All those years of waiting are finally paying off.

Paisley questionably tried pulling away from me, and I knew she was thinking of us going back into the dining room.

But we wouldn't be. Not when I felt like this.

Not when I felt my heart fucking swelling with love for her.

"No." I sighed and pulled her onto the couch.

She hesitated in my grip for a moment, but then I felt her relax, and I did, too.

Her body was on the side of mine, and the distance I didn't like much, so I pulled her onto my lap and leaned back on the pillow.

"Rye!" She squealed in my arms.

I laughed and pulled her closer so her head rested on my chest and her arms were tucked to the side of her.

She was so small, so fucking tiny, and I feared I would crush her with the slightest movement.

But I knew I wouldn't. I knew I could never dare to hurt this beautiful person.

Paisley's breathing moved from harsh to calm in a matter of seconds, and I found my breathing matching hers.

We were perfect, we fit together perfectly.

I knew I wouldn't fall asleep. But I knew I wanted to watch her.

I wanted to see the way she scrunched her nose and parted her lips when she drifted off into sleep.

Like I used to.

I wanted to brush her hair with my fingers gently and bask in the moment of how I could finally fucking touch her.

Paisley was mine. She was mine. I just had to make her believe it.

And, I would.