Chapter forty-three: Skylar Royce
It’s only been four days since the case had ended, four days since Larissa had left to spend the day with her mother and four day’s since Skylar last seen Ryder but it felt like forever. Skylar was a bit hesitant in letting Larissa out of her sight, she had grown close to the girl but Larissa was constantly sad that Ryder had left, Skylar could tell. Then came the questions about Larissa’s mother, she hasn’t asked about her mother since she’s been here but now it was nonstop questions about her mother’s whereabouts so Skylar decided to take her to see her mother. Melissa had come by in tears when she had seen her daughter and they left to spend the week together.
Now that the case was over Skylar truly didn’t know what to do with herself. She paced constantly, slept occasionally and though she wasn’t much of a TV person she forced herself to sit through at least two movies. During the fourth day she spent all day by herself, she started to get a little use to being alone, the only visitor she had within those four days was Sidney who had come looking for Ryder and had thanked her for finding her dad.
Skylar had thrown herself into a temporary summer job at a thrift shop, her boss was nice though she rarely ever saw him around during the job hours only after when it was about time for her to go home, but she felt as though she was gradually getting her life back. So of course you could only imagine her shock and surprise one day after work when she saw Ryder outside of her house, sitting on her porch stairs. She had to repeatedly tell herself that she wouldn’t cry but just as she stood right in front of him the tears came. Ryder took his time getting up; he looked hesitant or almost worried as he walked toward her.
“What’s wrong?” he asked once he stood only inches away from her. Skylar had had a whole sorry speech mesmerized but she couldn’t remember it for the life of her so instead she said the first thing that came to mind.
“I missed you so got damn much it hurt, I was afraid that after you said that you were leaving that you weren’t coming back that scarred me because I’m so used to you you know? You’ve helped me through everything and I’ve been nothing but a bitch to you.” He said nothing as she spewed on. “I am so damn sorry I don’t even give a fuck if you don’t trust me just don’t ever leave—” but before she could finish her sentence Ryder pulled her into the folds of his arms and kissed her like he meant. He gave his all to her, there was so much emotion in that one simple kiss. Skylar didn’t hesitate to open up to him, she’s been waiting for this and now that the opportunity arouse she wasn’t about to let it pass her up.
“I missed you too,” he whispered against her lips before nipping her bottom lip and teasingly capturing it between his teeth. “You don’t have to apologize, in some fucked up way I get it and I’mma tell you what I should have shown you a long ass time ago. I trust you Skylar, I trust you more than I’ve trusted anyone, any woman, I’ve trust you even more than I trust myself at times and my intentions weren’t to make you feel otherwise. I didn’t think where I lived or even my phone number was important to give to you because well let’s be honest I spend most of my time with you anyways,” he said with a gentle smile. “But I didn’t give them to you because—”
“I don’t care anymore, seriously,” she said cutting him off.
“Don’t do that I’m trying to explain myself so please just shut up and listen,” he said making her smile slightly at his minor out-burst. “I didn’t give you any of those things because they were important to me, my mother is the only one with the exception of her care taker Loretta who ever calls me on that number or any number and you have been to my house you just hadn’t realized it, and I don’t invite people over because my mother is staying there and I am very protective toward her so I take visitations seriously but you…the way you were toward my mother was what truly mattered to me and you more than passed, you passed with flying fuckin’ colors baby,” he said flashing her a genuine smile. Skylar threw herself back into Ryder’s arms and kissed him until she felt as though if she didn’t stop soon she’d die of lack of oxygen.
“Damn,” she breathed. “I feel like I waited my whole entire life for that,” she said as he sat her back down on her feet.
“You ready to go in the house?” he asked.
“Should I not be,” she said as she grabbed his hand, unlocked the front door and let him inside. Ryder walked her to the couch but before he could pull her to him she stopped him.
“What is it?” he asked.
“I want to see it,” she whispered as she looked toward her mother’s door.
“Now?” he asked sounding a bit unsure.
“Yea, now,” she said as she chewed on her bottom lip. They walked toward her mother’s door hand in hand and propped it open slowly. Skylar hadn’t been in her mother’s room since Ryder had last seen her mother so she didn’t know what to expect, but what she saw once she opened the door had her dropping tears immediately.
Skylar’s mother’s room wasn’t really her mother’s room anymore it was more. It wasn’t just a place for her mother anymore it was a place for Skylar as well. There were pictures of her mother everywhere and there were even some of her father. There were these beautiful water candles, the ones that didn’t need to be lit with fire, they gave the room a heavenly blue-ish glow.
“I can believe you fuckin did this,” she said as she walked farther into the room. There were pillows filling up the entire space of what used to be her mother’s bed. The pillows looked a lot like the one Ryder had given to Larissa; they were lined up so neatly on the bed with little thoughtful messages on them. Through Skylar’s blurry eyed teary vision she turned toward the wall on her left to see a little doggy bed in one section where Angelo sat taking his morning nap, on the opposite wall were words draped in the most beautiful hand writing.
This isn't goodbye
Love taught me to die with dignity;
Though there's no flesh my spirit remains in the vicinity.
The first night I held you in my arms I knew I was in love,
Just like a diamond I couldn't help but stand in awe of.
But you grew to steer clear of all feeling,
You're not at fault this was your way of healing.
You've been through so much and yet you're still dealing
But you've never been one for surrender or yielding.
My world you've purified,
Know that I've always stood by,
Though you ask why,
I know I could lie.
Though I stood high,
I always knew you could fly.
You're my joy and my pride,
I may not be there by your side,
But this will never be good bye.
Skylar didn’t recognize the poem as her own; she turned a curious gaze toward Ryder.
“Though she hasn’t shown herself to you yet for reason I don’t even know I thought it would be a good idea if she at least contributed to the room that was her’s, so that you’d always know that she was around,” he said answering the question she never voiced out loud.
“You’re too fuckin much, I can’t believe after everything we’ve been through that you’d still fuckin’ do something like this for me. I can’t fuckin thank you saying the words just don’t seem like e-fuckin’-nough,” she said through her tear stripped voice.
“You’re so fuckin’ welcome,” he said making fun of her use of the word fuckin’ in her every sentence. “Where’s Larissa?” he asked as they left her mother’s room.
“She went to stay the week with her mother,” she said.
“So we have the house to ourselves?” he asked with a mischievous grin on his handsome face. He began to walk toward her and she had this sudden urge to run so…she did. Skylar turned toward the stairs and only got up about 5 before a big hand came around her waist and pulled her up into the air and over a very broad shoulder.
“You could have at least given me a head start,” she complained as she lay dangle
d in his arms.
“I did, trust me if I hadn’t you wouldn’t have even made it to the first step,” he said as he trudged up the remaining stairs and to her room throwing her on the bed without mercy. A little squeal left Skylar’s lips as she scooted toward the top of the bed. She watched mesmerized as Ryder stripped in front of her without hesitation. “Would you like me to do the honors?” he asked gesturing to her clothes.
“No, I can do it myself,” she said as she got to her feet and with clear nervousness began to strip away her clothes. Skylar felt a bit self-conscious as she stripped in front of Ryder but she tried her hardest not to show it--she wasn't entirely sure that her efforts had come across though. When she was fully naked she looked up at Ryder who was giving her overly exposed body a once over.
"You're gorgeous, seriously. A-fuckin-mazing" he said as he walked toward her.
Thanks," she said awkwardly as she fought the urge to back up.
"You seem a bit self-conscious," he teased.
"Nervous I'll admit but self-conscious no," she said shaking her head.
"Why so nervous?" he asked as he teasingly approached her with predatory steps, wrapping his hands around her tiny waist. "This isn't your first time is it?" he asked as his hands began to roam over her overly sensitive body.
"No it's not," she said shaking her head slightly taking in deep breaths to keep from pouncing on him, "but I wouldn't exactly say that I'm all that experienced either," she admitted sucking in a lung full of air as his hands ghosted over her breast.
"I see no problem with that I've been told I'm an excellent teacher," he said as he pushed her to the bed, immediately capturing her lips in a demanding kiss. Skylar opened her mind and body to him overwhelmed by all of the things he was having her feel all at once. The way Ryder thrust his tongue in and out of her mouth rhythmically sent an erotic tremor through her body. Ryder's mouth left hers and Skylar gasped as his lips pressed behind her ear and went to travel farther and farther down her body. He left no place untouched Ryder spread her legs gently and settled himself between them. He looked back up at her and paused only for a moment before ever so slowly pushing himself ever so gently inside.
They made love two times that night before finally drifting off to sleep. When they woke the next morning, they were both immersed with the ray of lights streaming in through the curtains. Skylar woke to find Ryder already awake and looking down at her.
"Morning," he whispered.
"G'morning," she said as she turned in his arms to face him. "How long have you been awake?" she asked.
"Don’t know maybe about half an hour now," he said with a shrug of his shoulder.
"So you've been watching me sleep for half an hour?" she asked.
"Don't get carried away now it was only for like maybe 20 minutes," he answered with a goofy smile.
"Because that's so much better," she said sarcastically.
"I could wake up beside you every fucking night of my life," he whispered as he ran his hand up and down her back.
"What happened to the egotistical, controlling bastard I'm so used to speaking to you sound nothing like him," she joked as tried not to get overwhelmed by his words.
"He's still there trust me I just thought I'd be more approachable to you if I was honest."
"So what? Everything else you say to me is when you're not being honest?" she asked.
"No everything I say to you is 100% true but I rarely ever tell you how exactly I feel about you."
She said nothing though the question she wanted to ask was how exactly he felt about her but she didn't really want the answer she wanted nothing to ruin this moment. "I want to take you to dinner," he announced.
"Now?" she asked unsure.
"Yea, I want to take you now," he said as he sat up in bed.
"Umm ok," she said as she sat up too. "Do you have a place in mind?" she asked as she held the sheet up to cover her naked body.
"Yes," he said slowly as he pried the sheet away revealing her naked body to his hungry eyes. Skylar made no attempt to take the sheet back as she got out of the bed and headed toward her private bathroom for a shower. Skylar was nervous about this relationship with Ryder she's not use to being this way with him and it all seemed a bit sudden but a part of her really liked it, but the thought of going to sleep and waking up beside him was just too much to process it seemed a little fast but it wasn't like they were stranger's to each other they've known each other for about two months and a half now and they've pretty much been through it all together.
After her shower she wrapped herself in a towel and reentered the bed room, Ryder was once again dressed and he was waiting there, sitting on the edge of her bed. She grabbed panties and a bra for some odd reason not feeling as nervous as she should to be getting dressed in front of him. She sat down in her vanity chair to blow dry her hair as she watched Ryder in the mirror of the vanity. A lot of thoughts roaming through her mind but not entirely sure what to do about them. She liked Ryder no doubt about it she'd even go as far as to say that she might even be in love with him but she didn't think he at all felt the same and again he might be thinking the same as her that this was all a bit too fast.
"What are you thinking about?" Ryder asked.
"Too much to process right now," she answered before even thinking about it. She returned her attention back to getting her hair straight and dry before putting down her blow drier and going to her closet to look for a dress. "You plan on telling me where we're going?' she asked as she pulled out a navy blue dress with a very high neckline with several cutouts revealing a bit of cleavage.
"What better place to take you to than Mrs. Delarosa's cafe I mean that was our first official date," he said as he watched her. Skylar turned back to her vanity for some accessories and noticed a box that hadn't been there before.
"What's this?" she asked picking up the box and opening it up. Skylar almost immediately dropped the box once she saw that expensive ring that looked back up at her. She turned toward Ryder slowly. "Ryder?" she said knowing that the question she wasn't saying was easy to know without her voicing it.
"I don't want to waste time being your boyfriend just to find out what I already know," he said confirming her suspicions of what the ring stood for. She looked back down at the sparkling diamond in her hands.
"What do you already know?" she asked.
"I know that I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you." Skylar's throat threatened to close up with the amount of emotions running through her.
"So this dinner was just a ploy so that you could propose to me?"
“No the dinner is the celebration.”
“But what if I said no?”
“You won’t,” he said confidently as he got up to stand in front of her.
“But what if I did?” she said looking up at him not knowing whether or not she was serious or not. Ryder didn’t seem at all like the commitment type so yes it was efficient to say that she was a bit taken back.
“You wouldn’t.”
“What makes you so sure?” she asked cocking her head to the side.
“Why are you so reluctant?” he asked instead of answering her question.
“Because I take this seriously and I don’t want to waste my time on something that won’t last; I don’t want to get hurt,” she added softly.
“I won’t hurt you, you’ve pretty much seen me at my worst and I had plenty of opportunities to hurt you but I never did,” he reminded her as if that statement was supposed to comfort her someone.
“I’m not just talking about physical hurt Ryder; I’m talking mental and emotional as well.” Ryder stopped for a minute and said nothing; he looked down at the ring in her hand at then back to her face.
“I know what my father did and most people say I’m just like him but one thing I’d never do is intentionally hurt a woman in any way I’ve seen what it has done to my mother,” he said in a very serious tone as unshed tears sparkled in h
is eyes.
“I believe you,’ she whispered, “but are you sure about this? Are you sure you don’t want to wait a little longer; get to know me or something?”
“No,” he said simply. “I already feel as though we’ve been married this whole time.”
“I do think we might fight a little too much,” she said with a short laugh.
“I love fighting with you and if it ever comes down to it I’ll fight for you too,” he said wrapping her up in his arms.
“I’ll admit I like fighting with you too,” she said as she giggled into his chest.
“I don’t just make these kinds of decisions on a whim, a lot of thought goes into it and a lot of thought went into this and I’m sure I want to marry you,” he whispered against her head.
“What about Larissa?” she asked.
“I love that little girl and so whatever your decision is concerning her is fine with me.”
“Really?” she asked as she looked up at him shocked.
Really,” he whispered. “I love you Skylar,” he said and she could literally feel the emotions behind his words.
“I love you too Ryder,” she whispered as tears jumped to her eyes. Ryder pried the ring box from her fingers and removed the ring from its box; he pocketed the box and knelt down on one knee holding the ring out so that she could see it.
“Will you marry me? He asked as his eyes pleaded with hers. Skylar nodded her head frantically as the tears continued to flow down her face.
“Yes,” she said as she watched him get to his feet. She didn’t wait for him to steady himself before jumping into his arms.
“Shit, you could have waited until I at least put the ring on you,” he said causing her to laugh and pull away while she held out her hand for him to place the ring on her ring finger. “Now you can jump into my arms,” he said with a smile and she did, he caught her and gave her one of the most heartfelt kisses she’d ever received in her life. “Can we just skip the wedding and get straight to the honeymoon sex?”
The End*