Taming the Playboy (2 page)

She leaned into him, placing her hand on his thigh, and whispered in his ear.
  Ryan laughed as their next round of tequila arrived.  

Layla glanced at Ryan with a heavy heart.
  His flirtatious ways were endless.  Even after their time together in the employee closet, he couldn’t keep his hands off other females.  She sighed.  He had just said he wanted to take her home.  Shaking her head, she focused on the conversation between Mark and Kevin.   

“You ok kiddo?”
  Mark nudged her.   

“Me?
  Yes, fine.”  Layla blushed and waved him off.  “I need a drink.”

Kevin waved the waitress toward the table, ordered some shots of Patron and patted Layla on the leg.
  “Your wish is my command.”  

The tempo of the music picked up and Layla swayed in her seat.
  The shots had gone to her head.  Kevin grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. 

“You look like you just lost your best friend.
  You can consider me your new one.” Laughing, Kevin pulled her close and ground against her. 

She glanced at Ryan.  She had no right to be jealous but that didn’t stop her from fuming.  He was still sitting at the bar with the brunette
that she now hated with a passion.  The woman was practically in his lap.  Fine!  Two could play at this game. 

She turned her bac
k toward Kevin and arched into him.  His hands grabbed her hips and swayed against her.  She looked over her shoulder and laughed as Kevin winked at her. 

****

Oblivious to the amount of time he had spent at the bar, Ryan looked up and noticed Layla was no longer sitting with his friends.  His companion ran her hand up his leg and he shuttered as she touched the top of his thigh.  She purred and he held her hand still.  He was weak.  He knew that.  His breathing was staggered and he knew he had to walk away before he did something he regretted. There were women all over the bar but only one of them had made her way into his playboy heart.

He scanned the dance floor and found her in the arms of his best friend from work.
  He growled low in his throat.  They were sweating, as if they had been dancing a long time.  Her hands were wrapped around his neck and they were both laughing.  He watched her arch into him.  He watched her flushed face smile at Kevin.   

Kevin was no saint.
  Ryan had spent countless nights with him, bedding anything that moved.  They were single and free and lived every night to the fullest.  They were one in the same.  He couldn’t sit idly by as Kevin ran his hands up and down her body.  His hands curled into fists and he pounded the bar.  His drinking companion jumped as he got up.  

Stomping onto the dance floor, he grabbed Layla’s arm.
  She tried to focus on his face but lost her balance.  She giggled and reached for Kevin to steady her.  “How much have you had to drink?”  His eyes were blazing. 

“A lot.
  And stop looking at me that way.  You were having your fun with that slut up at the bar so gorgeous Kevin decided to help me have some fun too.”  She hiccupped and giggled again. 

“Bro, how much did you give her to drink?”
  He shoved Kevin away lightly and waited for his response. 

“No idea dude.
  We’ve been hitting the Patron.  Now if you don’t mind, I would like to get back to dancing with the most beautiful woman in the club.”  Kevin grabbed for Layla’s arm but Ryan pushed him away. 

“Over my dead body, Merck.”
  Pulling Layla from the dance floor, Ryan led her to a group of couches in a dark corner of the club.  “Sit,” he demanded. 

Layla plopped down on the cushions and stretched.
  Ryan sat down and pulled her into his lap.  “Let me explain one thing to you.  I’m going to explain it only once.  I want you Layla.  And I know damn well you want me too.  And until we both decide we don’t, I expect you to keep your hands off my friends.” 

That sobered her up quickly.
  She stood up and looked him in the eyes.  “This is not a relationship, West.  You said so yourself that day in my bedroom.  You wanted friends with benefits.  No strings attached.  You don’t get to sit with some other woman and grope her while I look on.  You have your fun and I will have mine.  If our paths cross, then great.  But you will not now nor will you ever boss me around.  Are we clear?” 

Layla straightened her shirt, walked to the dance floor and pulled Kevin in close.

****

Ryan awoke early the next morning.
  His head pounded from his late night drinking binge after Layla had left him at the club.  He brushed his teeth and threw on his Red Sox cap.  Work today would be a bitch but he knew he would feel better after his workout. 

Grabbing his ear buds, he locked his front d
oor.  It was already a hot morning.  The sun was barely up but he felt its fierce rays hitting his bare shoulders.  He set his play list to his usual upbeat music.  His muscles screamed and his head pounded. 

As he began to stretch, His mind raced with thoughts of Layla and Kevin.
  It killed him to see them walk out of the club together last night.  He prayed their departure was innocent.  There was something about that woman that had him all tied in knots.  He had been an asshole.  In the bright light of day, he realized he had no right to her. 

Grabbing his phone, he shot her a text before he started running.
 
‘I am so sorry about last night.  Forgive me?’ 

He ran his usual three mile route, weaving through a quiet area of town.
  His breaths were even.  His feet pounded to the beat of his music.  Sweat ran down his back and he poured the remainder of his water over his head.  The run had done little to help him forget.  He took his front porch steps two at a time and looked at his phone.  There was nothing from Layla.  He would call her later.  This was not over. 

He showered quickly before heading to the gym.
  His anxiety was through the roof when he spotted Kevin doing a training session with one of their regulars.  He took a few deep breaths before approaching him.  He couldn’t blame him.  Layla was gorgeous.  And she certainly was not his property.  If he had any doubts about that, she had reminded him last night. 

Kevin turned around and laughed when he saw Ryan’s pale face.
  “How are you feeling this morning?” 

“
Well, like a total asshole.  My head is pounding, my mouth is dry as a dessert and my dick needs a hell of a workout.  Glad you asked yet?”  Ryan put his things down in his office and walked back out into the weight room.  Holding his breath, he asked the question burning in his mind.  “How was your night?” 

“I had a great time.
  Thanks for the invite.  Your friends are really cool.  And that Layla,” Kevin whistled.  “She is hot.  I’d like to give that tight ass a work out outside of the gym if she’s game.  I look forward to going out with you guys again.” 

The front door opened and both men turned.
  Ryan’s stomach dropped.  Layla stood in the door, gym bag in hand, and smiled at them.  “Good morning boys.  Ryan, I came to talk to you.  You have a minute?” 

Ryan shut the door to his office and pulled out the chair for her.
  Her eyes were clear and bright.  He wondered how she looked so alert after the night they had.  “I’m glad you came.” 

Layla blushed.
  “I got your text.  I thought maybe you could apologize the right way.” 

Ryan chuckled.
  “You’re right.  I am so sorry.  I am not a jealous person at all.  But something snapped last night.  I wanted to kill Kevin.  I couldn’t stand seeing his hands on you after my hands had been places I can’t stop thinking about.”

“How do you think I felt?
  We had just shared something amazing and you went right to the bar and got close to another woman.”

Ryan stood and pulled her to her feet.
  He wrapped his arms around her and moved her hair behind her ear.  Her long neck was exposed and begged for his mouth.  He kissed a line from behind her ear, down her neck and across her collar bone.  “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.  I am sorry if I made you question that.  I never said I’m not an asshole.  But I would do anything to get you back up against a door.” 

Layla’s hands ran down his back and stopped at his waist.
  Looking into his eyes, she purred as she rubbed her body against his.  “Not good enough.  I think you are going to have to show me how sorry you are.” 

He moaned and stopped her
hand as she reached for his shorts.  “Tonight.  My place.  8:00.” 

Throwing a look over her shoulder as she shut the door, she smiled at him.
  “It’s a date.”

“Lay, wear something I can rip off.”

****

Layla pulled into the driveway of the cutest little house she had ever seen.  Located on the outskirts of the city, the ranch style house was surrounded by palm trees and blooming bushes.  The small front yard was well kept and clean.  She locked her car and smiled as she walked up the front steps.

She knocked lightly and took a deep breath.  “Hi.”  She smiled at him. 

He opened the door wide and she ducked under his arm.  “Come in.  I hope you haven’t eaten.  I have some steaks on the grill.” 

He took her hand and led her to the backyard.  There were two glasses of wine on the table.  He pulled a chair out for her and handed her a drink.  She watched the sun set in the distance, the reflection glowing off the pool. She took a large sip and smiled at the wine.  “This is wonderful, Ryan.  Thank you.”

“You are the first
woman I have ever had here.  I’m actually a little nervous.”

Layla put her wine down on the table and stood.  She walked to where Ryan ha
d just sat down and crawled onto his lap.  Her fingers traced his bottom lip and he smiled.  She kissed his neck.  His head fell back and he moaned.  She bit his ear lobe.  His hands tangled in her hair.  She loved driving him crazy.  Her smile lit up her whole face as she leaned back to look at him.  “You don’t ever have to be nervous with me.  But thank you for letting me be the first.  Your house is wonderful.”

Ryan let out a nervous laugh.  For all the nights he spent with women, he had never let it be personal enough to share a part of his world.  He had owned his house for about a year and had been so proud when he was able to afford it.  But sharing his most personal space was something he just wasn’t willing to do. For all his stalking of Sophie, she had never walked past the front door.  Heck, the woman he considered his sister had never even been to his house. 

Layla was different.  He didn’t understand why, but he felt she just fit.  He had known her such a short time but everything about her drew him in.  Her dark hair and big, dark eyes were the things he dreamed about.  Her long legs and petite frame made him almost weak in the knees.  And her tattoos.  Ryan sighed.  Her tattoos set her apart from the plastic and fake women he usually spent his nights with.  “I will give you a tour when we are done eating.”

Layla ran her hand over his zipper, rubbed twice and undid the top button on his jeans.  “Why wait until after dinner?”

He picked her up, turned off the grill and led her to the bedroom.

Chapter 3

Ryan laid Layla down in his bed.  His heart raced.  Every time he was with her, it was like the first time.  She reached for him, pulling him on top of her.  He unbuttoned her shirt as she squirmed beneath him.

“Tonight, Ms. Barringer, we are going to play a game.  I want to see how many times I can make you come before you beg me to stop.” She shivered.  He smiled.  This was going to be just as good for him.  “You ready?”

She nodded as he unhooked
her bra and sucked a nipple into his mouth.  She closed her eyes.  His fingers tugged her jeans open.  A moan escaped her lips.  Without removing her pants, his fingers found her wet core.  She was ready.  The smile on his face was instant.  He spread the moisture around her hardened nub, rubbing in circles with his thumb.  Her eyes rolled back and her orgasm was immediate.  “Oh my God, Ryan.  More!”

“That’s one.”  He tugged her jeans and thong from her hips.  His tongue traced her toes, her calves and the inside of her thighs.  Her body tightened and he yanked her legs further apart.  “Here comes two.”

He buried his face between her thighs.  His tongue dove deep, licking her folds.  She was swollen and slick.  Finding her sensitive spot, his tongue circled wildly.  She bucked off the mattress, grabbing his hair.  “I’m so close.”  With one final flick, her release poured from her.  The aftershocks were strong, but he didn’t let up.  She was panting, her legs quivering beneath him.  One finger entered her, followed by a second.  She rode them with abandon.  Her eyes met his and she pleaded.  “Please.”

Increasing the pace, Ryan lifted his head.  “Please what baby?”  His fingers bent and he pushed into her again and again.  They hit her deep and found the spot that had quickly become her favorite place to be touched.

“Please.  Don’t stop.  That’s amazing.  More.”  Her voice was barely a whisper.  Her head thrashed back and forth.  “Holy shit.”

He smiled and sucked her clit into his mouth.  Her body came apart.  She screamed his name, her body limp and boneless.  That was three.  She grabbed for his head.  Her knees bent and pushed together, making him lift his head to look at her.  “Ryan,” she moaned. “please.”

“Please what?” His fingers continued their pumping.  She was soaked.  His fingers were slick. Her breathing was ragged and her face was flushed.  Heat poured from her body.  The room was quiet except for the sound of the pleasure he was giving her.

“I can’t take anymore.  Please stop.”

He smiled.  “You can do better than that.”  He pulled his jeans down and rolled on a condom. “Get ready for number four.” 

He slammed into her and she moaned.  His pace was frantic.  His body rubbed against her overly sensitive skin and she dug her nails into his back.  His lips met hers in a passionate kiss, tongues dueling, teeth scraping.  As his pleasure built, he forced it away.  This was about her and he wouldn’t give in until she came apart with him inside her.  His strokes became deeper.  He grabbed her ass and pulled her up so he could fill her completely.  She repeated his name over and over again as her core became hot.  He knew she was close. 

“Come for me, Layla.  Now.”  His voice was demanding as his orgasm built deep within him.

She tightened her legs around his waist and she came.  Her orgasm was endless, wave and wave washing over her.  He yelled her name as his own pleasure slammed through him. He collapsed on top of her, both of them breathing heavily.  She said something unrecognizable as he pulled out of her.  Her eyes shut tight and her breathing evened.  Smiling, he pulled the blankets over her as she fell into sleep.

****

He watched her sleep.  Her tiny snores filled the room.  Her silky hair fanned over his pillow.  She was the most beautiful woman in the world.  His heart sped up and he froze.  He felt something for her and he was terrified.  For the first time in his life, a woman had gotten under his skin.  He shook his head.  He would have to find a way to work her out of his system.  Having feelings was unacceptable.

He walked into the back yard.  Dinner was ruined but he didn’t care.  He had been with lots of women.  His philosophy was let her get off once and he could let himself go.  But, not with Layla.  Not with the woman that was currently asleep in his bed, in his bedroom, in his house.  “Shit.”

He cleaned up the back porch, threw the steaks away and put the rest of the uneaten food in the refrigerator.  He slipped on his shoes and closed the door to the tiny third bedroom he had turned into a home gym.  He turned on the treadmill and hit the incline.  If he couldn’t screw her out of his mind, he would run until his body gave up. 

Twenty minutes into the run, his legs screamed at him to stop.  This was his third work out of the day and his body let him know.  He would hurt in the morning.  But mile after mile, thoughts of Layla drifted off and thoughts of sleep took over.

****

She awoke to a dark room.  Reaching for Ryan, she found nothing but cold sheets.  She slipped on his t-shirt and set off to find him. Music blared from a shut doorway down the hall.  She could hear the pounding of footsteps on a treadmill.  He was nothing if not dedicated. 

She cracked the door open but he didn’t look up.  His eyes were locked on the baseball game on the flat screen hanging on the wall.  Her heart leapt.  He was gorgeous.  If she had to describe perfection, it would be Ryan West.  His muscles rippled across his shoulder blades with every step.  His solid legs were tanned.  If there was an ounce of fat on him, it wasn’t visible.  She watched his abs, ripped.  His arms, solid.  She licked her lips.  His sleeve tattoos were a turn on. She couldn’t wait to ask him about them. She took a step into the room and the floor squeaked.

His eyes shot to the mirror and locked with hers. He grinned.  His dark hair had become curly with perspiration. 
HiH

His eyes were so dark, they were almost black. His lips were sinful and why full, long eye lashes were wasted on a man, she would never know. 

“Did I wake you?”  He hit the volume on the radio.

Her voice was barely a whisper.  “Are you ok?”

He toweled off his hair.  “Yes.  I’m great.  Are you ok?”

She smiled as he pulled her in for a sweaty hug.  “I would say I am most definitely better than ok.  I should probably get going.”

“Stay. I am off tomorrow.  We can spend the day together.”  His mouth had a mind of its own.

Layla smiled.  “Are you sure?”

“Yes.  Let me take a quick shower and we can talk for awhile.”

She giggled.  “I’ll join you.”

Ryan took his time washing every inch of Layla.  His hands were gentle and he kissed her and held her against him.  When they were through, he gave her a clean t-shirt and helped her get dressed.  He even let her use his toothbrush.  He was so screwed.

“Tell me what some of your tattoos mean.  I love them.”  Layla traced the script B on his right arm.  “This is my favorite.  I love the Red Sox.”

“
Shit! Seriously?”  His shock made her smile.

“Yes.  I am a big Ellsbury fan.  Hottest center fielder in the league.”

Ryan laughed.  “That’s my girl.”  My girl? 

“What about his one? What are the initials in it?”  Layla traced the orange ribbon on his wrist. 

He took a deep breath and sat down on the couch.  She followed and snuggled into his arms. “The orange ribbon is leukemia awareness.  I was diagnosed at eleven.  We moved out here to get what my parents thought would be the best treatment.  I was almost twelve before my parents would allow actual doctors to treat me instead of all these holistic healers.”  Another deep breath and Layla pulled back to look him in the eyes.  “I had a bunch of chemotherapy through a port in my spine.  When that didn’t work, I got a bone marrow transplant from someone I had never met before.  Since then, we have kept in touch almost daily.  My life was saved by that transplant.”

“Oh, Ryan.  I didn’t know it had been that bad.”  She held him close and he let out the breath he was holding. 

“I was in remission until a little scare in college.  Five rounds of chemotherapy later, I lost my baseball scholarship and all hopes of playing in the majors.  So,” He held his wrist out to her.  “I had this done the day I lost my scholarship.  I wanted to remember the courage through loss and the person who gave me my life back.  Those are my donor’s initials.”

“That is beautiful Ryan.  The tattoo and the story.  It must have been so much to take in at that age.  So hard to understand.”

He patted his lap and she crawled on.  “It was scary and it completely sucked.  But honestly, I would not change it for anything.  Boston was a great place to grow up.  We lived in Bay Village.  But moving to LA at eleven, wow.  That was heaven. I was convinced I would be famous. An actor or an athlete.  I even gave rock star a chance but I can’t sing a note. I met some amazing people that took care of me and helped me realize what a gift the cancer had been because it would make me stronger than I could ever imagine.  And it did.  I gave up the scholarship and moved on to whatever was next, becoming a better person everyday.”  He laughed.  “I go overboard on the health stuff.  But it’s not only my job.  It’s how I have to live my life to try to stay healthy.”

“Was it hard starting school here after everything or did your parents home school?”

Ryan laughed.  “Well, I was a really skinny bald kid with dark circles under my eyes in sixth grade when I should have been in seventh.  It wasn’t easy.  I was bullied right away.  But I met Mark in the hall and he asked if I wanted to be friends.  That was cool.  By the end of the day, I was part of the whole Moretti group.  Caleb was my best friend for a lot of those years.  His parents thought of me as their other son and I spent so much time with his family. I thank God for them.  Mark and Caleb took me to chemo in college since we all lived together.  And Rich would come down after every treatment.  They were my family.  Even the bone marrow donor came down a few times and offered to do it all again if I needed it.  So it was worth some ridicule to get to where I am now.  But someday I would like to thank those bullies.  They forced me to want better for myself.  And if they could see the twig kid they made fun of all grown up, I would thank them for turning me into the best trainer in LA.”

“I am so glad you had them.  Life was mundane on the east coast.  It was me and Soph against the world. Basically the blind leading the blind.”  She laughed a comfortable laugh and laid her head in his lap.  “What about the, are they vines? That are wrapped around your arm?”

He stroked her hair.  “I guess you could call them vines.  They represent breaking the chains to my past.  Just a reminder about not letting my past hold me down.”

“And the star on your chest?”

Ryan leaned down to kiss her.  “I got it when I bought my house.  Told myself I would get one on the other side when I did my next life changing thing.  Something has to happen eventually.  Right?  Enough about me Ms. Yappy. I want to know about you.  Are you working out here in LA?  What do you do?  What do you think of LA so far?”

She giggled.  “Well, I am not working but have a second interview Monday to be an interpreter.  I am fluent in sign language and if I get it, I will work for a deaf non profit that offers their services to people when they go to meetings, or doctors, or even church. ASL has always fascinated me and when I was a freshman in college, I took my first class.  I graduated with a degree in language sciences.  I worked for a hospital in Georgia but I think a non profit is more up my alley.  I like LA ok.  I missed my sister terribly and once I saw Mr. Eye Candy, I figured I would stay around just for the view.  People are different here.  And the pace is much faster.  But I think it will be a good choice.”

“Did you leave anyone special behind?”  Ryan picked at his fingernail. 

Layla smiled.  “Subtle.  No.  I didn’t leave anyone special anywhere.  I have dated a lot.  I have been serious with exactly zero of them.  I’m not a long term girl.  But I am a fun while it lasts girl.” She shifted in her seat.  “But my friends back east are amazing.  It would be fun for all of us to fly out there for a long weekend.  They would love you.  You’d have them eating out of your hands.”