Page 83 of Special Delivery

Unfortunately, my wish is quickly ruined by the sound of my alarm ringing. I grab the phone as fast as I can to silence it, but Ryan still stirs behind me.

“Shit,” I murmur, noticing it’s nine am.

“What’s going on?” Ryan says in a groggy voice.

“I have to be wedding dress shopping with your mom in less than an hour.”

A groan escapes him as he unwraps his hand from me, dropping it to his forehead. He’s not wearing a shirt, and my gaze catches on the defined muscles of his chest and stomach. We barely got any sleep last night. After scarfing all the food, we talked more before he decided to spread me out on my couch. He called me dessert as he devoured me before bringing me back to the bed and fucking me. Then he remembered the toy he got me and fucked me again so we could try it out. A pensive, nostalgic look forms on my face, but it’s soon broken by another alarm.

“Fuck, I have to go,” I say, jumping out of bed.

“Do you really have to?”

“No, I’ll just tell Kim that I was incapacitated by her son’s dick and can’t help her choose a dress for one of the most important days in her life.”

Ryan shucks a pillow at me and I chuckle as I throw it back at him. “Fine, go.”

In the bathroom, I rush to brush my teeth when Ryan joins me. He takes the second toothbrush from the holder, the one he used last night, warming my insides with a sense of familiarity. I spit out the remnants of the toothpaste, studying myself in the mirror. Instead of brushing his teeth, he steps behind me, moving the hair from one side of my neck and pressing his lips to it. I let out a content sigh before realizing there’s a red spot on my neck, right next to where his lips currently are.

“Stop. Stop it.” I take his hand to pull him away, but he doesn’t budge. “I don’t have the time to cover one hickey, let alone two.”

His chuckle tickles my neck. “Fine. But only because it’s my mother. If it were anyone else, you’d be sporting two hickeys right about now.”

“Lucky me,” I mutter, making him laugh. “Aren’t you working today?”

“Nope. I only took three shifts this week.”

I shake my head, rushing to get ready. When I finally exit my room, I find Ryan fully clothed, scrolling his phone on my couch.

As soon as he hears me approach, he places the phone back into his pocket, glancing up at me. “Ready?”

“I guess.”

“Let’s go, then.” He places a hand on the small of my back, and the heat of his palm seeps into my skin.

With a silly smile on my face and butterflies in my stomach, I let Ryan open the door for me. He must’ve fucked the brain out of my skull last night because I haven’t even thought about my intrusive neighbor seeing us leave, until she appears right in front of us, clad in a lilac tweed skirt suit.

“Linda,” I squeal, my eyes widening.

She presses a hand to her chest, her shoulders dropping with relief. “Oh, thank God, that’s what the noise was. I was afraid we were having coyotes again.”

My face reddens with embarrassment. “It’s not…” I turn to Ryan for help, but he raises an eyebrow, along with a corner of his lips.

“Oh, poppycock.” She waves me off. “I might be old, dear, but I’m not that old. Anyway, I came because I need your help.”

“I’m sorry, but I was just on my way out, and I’m running late.”

“No worries. The young man here will surely help me, won’t he?” She shoots him that old lady smile, only hers is laced with years of war strategizing.

I offer Ryan a sympathetic look.

The corners of his eyes crinkle with a smile. “I’d be honored to.”

I should’ve warned him about her. She’s persuasive even when you’re prepared, but this, being confronted with her tactics completely unequipped, he doesn’t stand a chance. Still, I attempt to save him.

“Linda, I can help you when I come home. I’m sure it’s not an emergency.”

“Oh, shush, dear. No offense, but I’d much rather watch him mow my lawn than you.”