Just One Drink (95 page)

Chapter 3

Ryder couldn’t believe it.  Maybe he had heard her wrong?  But he knew exactly what Zaria had said: an engagement ring.  How could Zaria just flaunt a ring in his face?  Could she not see that he loved her, loved her dearly, more than anyone could ever love anyone else.  How could she be so inconsiderate of his feelings?  He looked down, unable to do anything else. 

Zaria noticed Ryder’s demeanor fall and instantly knew a dark storm was brewing in his mind.  He must have thought she
wanted
to marry someone else.  He had no idea that the marriage was arranged by her good for nothing father.  He had no idea that she wanted to marry
him
.

“Ryder… listen to me… please…”

“Look, Zaria, I am not going to just sit here and listen to you talk about how much you love this guy… I can’t.  I can’t listen to that… not when I love you!”  Ryder blurted out suddenly as he got up and turned his back to her. 

She couldn’t believe her ears.  Had he just said he
loved
her?  Zaria had dreamed of this moment countless times before, but she had never imagined it would be like this.  She could tell he was hurt.  He loved her and he thought she loved someone else.  She needed to tell him.

“Ryder… please… look at me…
please
.”  Zaria begged, wanting to see his handsome face.  She was scared to touch him as if the slightest touch might be enough to make him crumble into a million pieces. 

“Why?  Why don’t you leave and be with your fiancé? You obviously don’t need me!”  Ryder continued to avoid Zaria’s gaze, angry tears forming in his eyes.  He couldn’t believe this was happening.  He knew this day would come at some point, but he didn’t expect it to happen so soon.  He was a fool to think he had a shot with her.  He was a stable boy and she was a princess, what did he expect?  He was angry at himself for wasting so many years on a false dream. 

“Please… Ryder… I’m begging you… don’t do this.”  Zaria continued to beg.  Her voice was shaken from the tears slipping down her cheeks.  Ryder could tell by her voice that she was crying, but he dared not look at her.  He wouldn’t show weakness now.

Zaria didn’t know what to do.  She needed to tell him how she truly felt, but the words wouldn’t come out. “Ryder…”  Zaria moved forward, her hand reaching out to touch him, praying he wouldn’t crumble.  She watched as he suddenly whipped around and pinned her to the wall, snapping.

“What!?  What the hell do you want from me, Zaria?  Do you want me to listen to how much you love this guy and how I’m nothing but a dumb stable boy?  I thought, maybe, you had feelings for me, but now I know I was nothing more than a damn fool!”  Ryder’s voice was full of venom as he shook with emotion.  He could feel himself getting red in the face with anger.  He was scared.  What was happening to him?  He had never been this rough with anyone before.  What had gotten into him?  Yet, his body wouldn’t let go of her.

“Ryder… listen to me… please.”  She paused a moment, looking up at him with big blue eyes. “I love you.”  Zaria’s voice was nothing more than a faint whisper as she spoke those three fateful words.  She looked at him, praying he would believe her.  She desperately needed him to believe her.

Ryder’s face instantly softened.  What?  What had she just said?  Had Zaria, princess of the Araeldan Empire, just expressed her love for him?  Ryder couldn’t believe it. 

“What…?”

“I love you,” Zaria repeated once more.  She knew her feelings for Ryder were true.  She needed and wanted to express her love to him.  Ryder, after all, had the right to know her true feelings.

“You… you love me?”  Ryder stuttered, dumbfounded.  He couldn’t believe it.  Zaria loved him?  He felt like he was dreaming. 

She nodded before giggling a bit.  His eyes lit up in pure happiness before he suddenly picked her up off the ground and twirled her around with glee.  He squeezed her tight, making her giggle with excitement until she had to push him away.  Had he squeezed her any harder he would have squished her.

“Zee… you don’t know how happy this makes me…”  He smiled at her before it hit him.  If she loved him, then how was she engaged?  A serious look developed on his face before he set her down on the bed, looking at her. 

“Zee… I don’t understand.”  Zaria looked at him curiously.  What could he not understand?  Did he not believe that she loved him?  Doubt started to surround Zaria as she bit her lip.  She feared his answer as she asked, “What… what don’t you understand?”  Her voice was soft as she looked at him, eyes filled with doubt. 

“If you love me, like you say you do… then how do you have that ring? How are you engaged?  Why did you say yes?”  He looked at her, searching for answers in her eyes.  He took a hold of her hands gently squeezing them in his, awaiting an answer.  He watched as her face fell and she sighed, as if about to cry.

“I… I think my father arranged it.  You know that party that happened today?  Well… I thought it was just some sort of business party or something… but when I entered the ballroom everyone cheered, louder than usual, and then my dad took my hand… and the next thing I know some Prince Oliver was down on one knee putting a ring on my finger… It all happened so fast… I couldn’t stop it… I’m so sorry Ryder.” 

Zaria laid her head on his chest, feeling the tears rush down her cheeks.  She didn’t want to marry some stranger.  She wanted to be with Ryder, forever, not someone she had never met before.  She had grown up with Ryder.  She loved him.  It wasn’t fair that her father was forcing her into a marriage she didn’t want.  It wasn’t fair that her father could even make these decisions for her. 

Ryder held her close, looking down at her.  An arranged marriage.  Zaria didn’t want this and Ryder couldn’t let it happen.  One way or another he would find a way to be with Zaria and make her happy.  He wouldn’t rest until they were together.

“Zee… I don’t know how… but I promise you that we will be together in the end... For now, I need you to play along with the arranged marriage thing.  We will figure out something, a way to run away together.”  Zaria’s eyes grew huge.  Run away?  Could she really run away with him?

“This is… if you want to…”  Ryder’s voice was soft as he realized she could reject him.  She could easily pick the man that had given her the giant ring over himself.  It would probably be the right decision for her, but Ryder didn’t want her to be with someone else.  He wanted her to choose him even though it would probably ruin her life as she knows it.  He knew he was being selfish but how was he supposed to live without her?

“What are you saying?  I love you… of course I want to be with you.”  Zaria suddenly said before leaning forward and kissing his lips for the very first time.

Chapter 4

It was surprise after surprise.  Was Zaria really kissing him?  He smiled before pulling her closer as he pressed his lips into hers.  He had dreamt of his moment countless times before.  He had never imagined it would actually happen.  He had never felt this way before and he never wanted the feeling to go away. 

Gently he pushed her down until she was laying on his bed.  He continued to kiss her, gently, as he stroked her hair and caressed her face delicately.  He loved this woman and nothing else mattered.  He promised from that moment onward he would cherish and love her for all of eternity.

The kiss began to intensify as their suppressed feelings crept out for the first time.  Zaria’s hands tangled into Ryder’s thick curly hair as she continued to kiss him, harder now.  She didn’t care if this was inappropriate behavior for a princess.  She didn’t care.  She loved him and she would be damned if anyone tried to stop her from loving him.

Overcome with the passion she felt for him as she kissed him her fingers tangled in his hair, she pulled him even closer, pressing their lips together firmly.  They were kissing passionately now, getting out of breath.  Soon enough it was too much.  To Ryder’s disappointment, he felt Zaria pull away, panting. 

“Mmm… Ryder… I’ve been waiting my whole life to do that…”  She looked at him, her eyes bright with excitement.  Ryder looked down at her chest, seeing it flutter with her rapid heartbeat.  He started to grin like an idiot when he realized that the beautiful princess before him truly did love him.  He beamed with pride at the thought.

“You know… I’ve loved you from the very first moment I laid eyes on you.”

“Just because I told you I love you doesn’t mean you need to start reciting fairy tale nonsense in order to impress me.”

“No!  It’s true!  You were beautiful, absolutely beautiful.  You were the only person that was kind to me.  Everyone else treated me differently because of the way I looked, but not you.  You cared for me when no one else did.  You made me feel loved when everyone else made me feel like an outsider.  You were my angel Zee.”  Ryder blushed as he expressed his true feelings.  He knew he sounded sappy, but he didn’t care.

Zaria blushed deeply when she heard his words, wondering if they were true.  Had he really loved her that early on?  Had she?  She had always loved him as a friend but when had that love turned romantic she couldn’t remember.  Zaria didn’t care, all that mattered was that she was sure she loved him now.  It was finally time to act upon that love.

Without a second thought, she leaned up and kissed him again.  The kiss was passionate and deep.  She was no longer shy.  She wanted him, like nothing else.  Ryder could sense the desperation in her kiss and kissed back with the same type of need before picking her up and laying her down on his bed and getting on top of her, still kissing her hard.  He felt her trying to take off his shirt and suddenly stopped.

“Wait… Zee… are you sure about this?”  She nodded, sure of her true feelings.  She knew this was dangerous.  If anyone found them Ryder faced death and she faced disownment.  Both were horrible punishments but at this point Zaria didn’t care.  She wanted Ryder and she wouldn’t let him slip away. What if this was their last chance to be together?  She had to make the best of the present because who knew if they had a future. 

Ryder looked down into her eyes before nodding.  He certainly wouldn’t be foolish enough to deny her.  She wanted him and he wanted her too.  He would just have to give her the best night of her life.

He looked down at her again before kissing her neck gently.  He then started to descend down her skin until his lips were between her breasts.  Zaria moaned softly as he did so, arching her back toward him.  Ryder took the opportunity to unzip her dress, slipping it off her shoulders and exposing her beautiful breasts. 

Ryder smiled like a child in a candy store.  He leaned down and started kissing the sweet globes before him.  He moaned along with her as he tasted her sweet skin.  He had never imagined anything would taste so good.  He continued to lick and tease her breasts with his mouth, unable to get enough of her.  It was driving her mad.  She wanted more.

Zaria was enjoying herself and could feel herself get excited.  She had never felt like this before and wanted Ryder even more with every passing minute.  She wrapped her legs around him, pulling him closer. “Ryder… please… I want you… I want you to be my… first.”  Zaria blushed deeply as she admitted her virginity.  Ryder blushed as well as he realized the honor she was bestowing on him.  She wanted him to take her virginity.  Ryder couldn’t beam any brighter with the pride that was now coursing through his body.

“I want you to be my first too… love.” Ryder whispered softly before unbuckling his pants.  Zaria watched him, blushing.  She had never done anything sexual before and felt a little out of place, but she knew she was making the right decision.  She didn’t want anyone else but Ryder.  If, for whatever reason, they didn’t end up working out, at least he’d have this piece of her that he could keep forever.

Chapter 5

It didn’t take long for the two of them to get into the rhythm of things.  Once Ryder’s pants had come off and he had awkwardly inserted his penis inside of her it was all instinctual after that.  After a few minutes of experimenting with his technique, he finally became good at thrusting in and out of her, making her feel good. 

Soon enough they were both moaning in pleasure as he pounded into her.  Zaria was holding onto the bed sheets for dear life.  She was enjoying the ride he was giving her.  She didn’t want it to end.  She kissed and bit his neck in pleasure as he grabbed her hips and started to bounce her up and down on his throbbing member.

She was sitting on his lap now and it felt natural for her to be bouncing on him like this, as if this was how it was always meant to be.  It felt even better to have one of her breasts in his mouth.  She moaned loudly and they kept at it.  Their clothes were long gone by now and they were getting ever closer to blissful orgasms. Neither of them knew what to expect.

When it finally did hit them, it rocked their worlds.  Zaria was the first one to succumb to the pleasure, shaking like a leaf as Ryder started using his fingers to play with her. She had never felt anything like it.  It felt like her body was rolling with pleasure and that she would die at any moment only to find herself in heaven.  She grasped onto Ryder, not daring to let go as the waves of pleasure overtook her and she had her first orgasm. 

The orgasm didn’t just make her body shake, but it made her much, much tighter.  Ryder’s eyes grew as he felt her inner walls hug his member.  His cock had never felt anything like it before and Ryder tried to hold back his impending orgasm, but there was an overwhelming feeling in the pit of his stomach.  But Zaria continued to squeeze him tighter.  He was no match for her sweet pussy and he couldn’t hold back any longer.  Suddenly he was shooting his seed deep inside her.

After a few minutes and catching their breaths they fell together on the bed.  They laid in the bed together, pleasantly exhausted.  Zaria moved, pulling herself off him, feeling a bit empty but ignoring the feeling.  She was laying against him now, seed spilling out from between her legs.  She didn’t care, however, all she cared about was that she had just made love with the love of her life and that it had been the best experience of her life.  She smiled happily before laying her head on his chest.  He kissed the top of her head with a smile.  Exhausted they both fell asleep together, naked and in love.