When The Clock Strikes (ONC 2020)

9| Date Night

"Looks like the storm is starting to pass," I said quietly. I clutched the ends of the sheet together that I had wrapped around my body. I was standing in front of my bedroom window; watching as the rain started to finally slow.  

I heard Ryder as he climbed out of my bed and came to stand behind me. Without saying anything, he bent his head down and started dusting kisses along my neck and shoulder. Against my will, my head tilted to the left to give him better access.

"So it is," he said against my skin.

My breath starting coming in short pants. Why was I so affected by his touch? Everything about him seemed to draw me in. His voice, his words, his kiss. Everything.

Even though my body screamed for me let this go further, I turned around to face him. "Shouldn't you be getting home?" I asked with little to no conviction in my voice.

A corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. "I probably should be."

The truth was, I didn't know what any of this meant. We had spent an amazing night together full of passion and orgasms. I was never the one-night-stand type. I didn't know what was okay and what wasn't okay. I knew that I wanted to see him again; more than anything.

Cam's words whispered through my mind: "You don't want to spend your life with an uptight, money-hungry, narcissistic, selfish asshole. You want someone creative, like you. Someone who would rather spend a date night binging the latest season of YOU on Netflix and making your toes curl."

Well, Ryder had certainly done that. And more. Whenever Adam and I were intimate, it was always HIS pleasure he cared about. Most of the time he was in a rush. I probably would have never noticed if I hadn't spent last night with Ryder.

He was very attentive to me and seemed to know exactly what made me go crazy with pleasure. Not only that, he took his time. We had done it fast and quick on the couch the first time. Then when it was over, he got to his feet. I thought he was going to leave, but instead he said: "Take me to your bed, Ally. I want you to show me what's its like to make love to someone."

At first I didn't know what he meant by that. I wasn't going to ask and ruin the mood, so I ignored it. But now when I thought about it, I wondered if that was the first time he had ever made love to someone. Not had sex, obviously he was way to amazingly skilled to be a virgin. I meant, actually making love. The scary part was, it felt like the first time for me, too. I've been with three other men besides Ryder; and it has never been like that.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked as he cupped my cheek.

Crap. While we were standing here I completely got lost in my head. "Nothing," I lied. "What are you thinking about?"

His raised brow told me he didn't believe me. But to my surprise he said, "I'm thinking about which restaurant I should take you to tonight for dinner."

Okay. I wasn't expecting that. "Dinner?"

"Yes," he said with a laugh. "I want to take you on a date, Ally. A proper one. You know, in a restaurant with people, candlelight, and maybe some wine." He leaned forward and said against my lips, "After dinner...I'll spend the night making love to you."

"That sounds like a date," I moaned into his mouth when he kissed me. I could honestly kiss this man forever. I was so lost to his kiss- to him- that when he pulled away, my eyes remained closed for a few seconds.

"What time can I pick you up tonight?"

Tonight...oh, shit. I was supposed to work. I worried by bottom lip. As much as I needed the money, something inside me told me not to pass up on this opportunity with Ryder.