There were plenty of outrageous claims about Ryan out there but one that always irked him was this belief that he was some sort of misogynist, solely based on the fact he has dated his fair share of women. By no means did he consider himself the perfect man, far from that. He did take some comfort in that none of his past girlfriends were out there supporting these false narratives. “I have no issue admitting that if gender specific categories were eliminated, my award mantle would be rather empty.” Ryan spoke with cadence, sharing similar ideologies with one another made things flow very easily. “The public has a fascination with fame. Everybody wants to be famous, yet there is nothing sweeter for people to sink their teeth in than seeing somebody have a fall from grace. It’s happened in every era since the golden age. You and I could donate millions of dollars to charitable organizations but that headline won’t get as many hits as Ellie-Grace Summers and Ryan Ross Hernandez are seen stumbling out of a club in Hollywood. It’s bullshit.” He takes a sip of his wine when he finishes musing aloud. If he were honest with himself, he never forgot about her birthday. It was something that always crossed his mind when he looked on his phone and that date flashed on the screen. Unfortunately, things had not ended for them in a matter he felt like he could reach out and acknowledge it in the past. “You can always take comfort in knowing that I’m fifteen years ahead of you. If you ever feel old, just look at me and recognize your youth.” He remarked with a soft laugh. Ryan had a difficult time coming to terms with turning 40 a few years ago. It set almost a paranoia in him seeing most the circle around him married, being parents, or at the very least in long-term relationships. There was a certain sadness he felt from never experiencing that.

It was fascinating to hear from Ellie-Grace’s own lips the somewhat serendipitous turn of events as they sat here together ten years after assuming the two would never even be back at a place where they would exchange simple pleasantries, much less drinking wine and talking about that strange and hectic time in their lives. “The passing of time is scary, especially when you’re looking at this rulebook of how your life should look at certain ages. I do believe that life has a funny way of coming full circle at times. Did I ever think you and I would be at a position to be sitting here together? No. Perhaps that’s just how it was suppose to go, you know?” He took a longer sip from his glass, leaning his head against the back of the couch. He smirked as she spoke about revisiting her debut album. Maybe that would have never happened, given the circumstances around it, if they hadn’t reconnected. “I think we could come up with some cool ideas to refresh some of those songs. Could I go by a pseudonym and join your touring band?” He asked her jokingly. There was a certain appeal to him leading that life. Still being a musician and doing what he loved while being able to maintain a low profile and live a normal, fame-free life. He knew the reality of that was long gone for him. “You wrote some great songs for that album, though. It’s much better than the songs I wrote when I was a teenager. Most of those never saw the light of day, thankfully.”

He chuckles and looks up at his home as she talks about the space. It was beautiful and immaculate, albeit lonely at times living in such a vast space by himself. “Aside from exhibiting my privileged life, I always wanted a big house. My mom and I pretty much lived in one bedroom apartments most of my childhood. It was all she could afford as a single mother. The idea of having my own property was something I always wanted. I don’t need all this right now. Hopefully one day I’ll have some kids running around here, likely destroying all my fancy shit.” He says before finishing the small wine left in his glass. “Oh, that’s great for him. I’m glad he can now officially use Alfie as his legal name. Alfred sounds like the perfect name for someone born in 1928.” While he did not get a chance to know her siblings terribly well when they were together, he recalled that she did not have as close of a connection with her sister as she did with her younger brother. Ryan remembered that when he started dating Ellie-Grace, her father and sister were both not the biggest supporters of the relationship. “How are you and Jeanette these days? Full disclosure, the only name your parents got spot on was yours. I approve of that name.” He asked her before quickly adding in his next remark to not let it simmer on in case it was a less than ideal subject to bring up.

Ryan reaches over for the bottle and fills up his glass, doing the same for Ellie-Grace’s, catching every last drop to ensure the bottle is empty. There was never a lack of alcohol in his home, although his intake of such had decreased drastically in the last few years. He decides to let her comment sit up in the air. “Fuck it, I’m just going to come out and ask it. How has your love life looked like in the last decade?” He asked her as he settled back on the couch, making it sound as casual as possible, exhaling a chuckle. He knew he had asked Joshua a few weeks prior a similar question regarding her relationship status. Hell, he was even guilty of googling her name to figure these things out, some of it making its way as material for “Sex with Former Lovers.” None of that really compared to hearing it from her own perspective.

Ryan couldn’t hold back a laugh upon hearing her flabbergasted reaction to his age and quick change to appear her usual kind and inoffensive self. There was a sense of comfort when she rubbed his shoulder. “Hey, I’m not offended whatsoever. I’ve fought the clock long enough. Right now I’m comfortable being in my forties. For an array of different reasons, I kind of wish you had met me now rather than in my early thirties.” He stated, although leaving his remark open ended. There were a lot of personality traits that he wish he had possessed back then that he held now, in addition to vices he has dropped since then. “The times have changed, Ellie-Grace. We don’t have to follow the pattern of our parents and have kids or get married when they did. Would it be ideal to have the ability to pause time and recognize the great moments in life as they happen? Absolutely. Unfortunately, life is just this constantly moving ferris wheel.” Without thinking about it, at some point as he spoke he placed a hand on her knee, not dissimilar to the same way she tried to assure him with her touch. Ellie-Grace was someone who he could spend hours talking to, which was commonplace even ten years earlier when they dated. He loved listening to her. Her voice carried weight in his mind. “Aww, that is the nicest thing I have ever heard. Thanks for always being the flattering kind, EG.” He remarked sarcastically before taking a sip from his glass. “We should create our own award show and implement all the changes we wish for. Granted, it may get to our heads and we make sure we win every other category.” He said while chuckling.

If either one held any regrets or sour feelings about their past, they clearly were not being brought up tonight. They had both grown to a place where those moments were no longer haunting. “For every decision that we feel as if we have control over, a curveball is thrown your way that sends you into a loop. ‘Tis life, right? We met a long time ago when we were different people and at different stages in life. Who knows where either of us would be without that period of time? The good, the bad, and the ugly. All of it are puzzle pieces in our book.” For a long time he held a deep self-loathing towards himself, both for things he said and did a long time ago, as well as for opinions of others that were out of his control. “Cheers to that. I couldn’t ask for a better person to be with tonight.” He stated while raising his glass up slightly and taking a drink. “Oh, that would be too controversial. It would be more believable to get married before us performing together ever happens again.” He remarked with a sly smirk.

Somewhere along the way, be it for his actions or simply how he carried himself, there was a disbelief whenever he pointed out to wanting kids or a family. He had seen how his mother had to fend for herself a lot of her life and while he was likely not to ever experience the same financial troubles she had when he was a child, he had no desire to live an entire life by himself. “I know you sure as hell did not hear that one from me ten years ago.” He jokingly added before laughing, knowing exactly the vibe he gave off back then differed a lot from who he presented himself as today. Wanting kids was a lot different than actually having a partner to imagine that future with. Ryan leaned his head against his hand, watching her closely as she spoke about her family. For as much as he loved to speak himself, he had this ability to make someone he is talking to feel like they are the only person he sees when they are in conversation. He never missed a beat. “An accountant named Bill? Sounds like the type of guy she would go for. A stable job, probably a bit boring overall but still an okay guy. Next up it’ll be a stock broker named Andy. Another run of the mill kind of man.” He remarked, not exactly judging her for wanting those things, but the typical was never something that drew his interest. Dating someone like Ellie-Grace when he did was very much on brand for him. Regardless of any typical sibling fights she had, he found the fact that she had a somewhat stable family and siblings to count on as a rather strong bond to have. Being an only child, once his mom passed away it felt as if he had no family left to count on which only heightened his wish to construct one for himself. “How’s your mom been? She was an absolute sweetheart from what I remember.”

He slowly nodded his head as she began to answer his question. While he knew that she had a thing with Hayden shortly after the two broke up, he always had his issues with him. He knew he had no right to be jealous of her moving on, although it didn’t stop him from feeling an ache whenever he saw pictures of the two. It was hypocritical of him given that he dated and was photographed with several women after him and Ellie-Grace fizzled out. Adding the fact that Ryan dated his cousin Izzy a couple of years after, it all contributes to the greater notion that the two would never reach a point of friendship. He felt a sense of guilt that if he had stayed clear of Ellie-Grace, perhaps her love life would look a lot different at this point. After listening to her speak, he laughs at her mention of his dating life. “I’ll make sure you get a vinyl of that album to add to your collection.” He told her while chuckling, chugging down a bit more wine. “Those relationships I speak about on that album were mostly between 2010 and like 2015 or so. I haven’t really actively dated since 2016. I’ve been on one date in three years, believe it or not.” Ryan stated, knowing that it may well come off as a lie to somebody hearing him say such a thing. It was true. Obviously hook-ups and one night stands were a thing in more recent memory, even then he was closing in on six months of no such thing. While his dating life had been more active after their break up, he was not about to dig into that unless she pushed him. It could not have been easy for her at her young age then to see him freely moving from relationship to relationship after what they shared. “We have both dated someone from the Merjos family. Not many people can say they’ve done that.” He added while laughing, “I know what you mean. It is tough to find that genuine spark. When things come about organically. I don’t believe those moments or people come about very often.” As he says that, it reminded him of how they came to be and how easy that spark occurred.

Ryan had lost track of time as their conversation seamlessly carried on for hours. The copious amounts of wine throughout the evening helped matters, although it was only enhancing an already memorable time the two were share. At some point during their time together, the once proper wine tasting session of sharing flavor profiles and savoring the aromas, had shifted to opening all kinds of different bottles and saying to hell with it. Now they were taking swigs straight from one of the most expensive bottles of white wines that you could find, something that would make any sommelier rage on sight. The combination of alcohol and good company had achieved the rare feat of him being able to get out of his usual overthinking mind. He was having a good time and not thinking about every little thing that typically make him anxious.

Her laughter was infectious as she went on with her story. When she broke out in a fit of giggles, Ryan couldn’t help but follow along, momentarily leaning against the nearest wall clutching at his stomach while trying to catch a breath. “Oh god... I’m fucking dying.” He was able to somewhat spill out before he began to slowly compose himself. “I-I mean this with all the love in the world...” He stammers out, pausing for a quick second before finishing his thought. “You have had some baaaaaaad dates after me.” Placing emphasis on the word before breaking out into a giggle.

Ryan carefully takes the open bottle in his hand. For whatever reason he always felt like the most functional drunk around, or at least held that responsibility. He was typically the one helping friends out when they had too much to drink and making sure they were okay. He brings his own watch up to check the time, noticing that it was closing in on midnight. “Why don’t you... you spend the night?” He says, coming off more like a question than he would have liked. “Like, you should! I have plenty of space and we still have wine to finish, EG.” He explained, although he felt like he was just blabbering on. There were many factors why he felt it was best she stayed over tonight. Wanting to make sure she was safe and not quite wishing for their time together to end, being the two main contributors. He lowered his gaze for a moment, realizing that his denim shirt was no longer on his body, figuring he had removed it at some point during the night but unable to pinpoint when that was. Now he had just a v-neck t-shirt on and his tattoos on full display. “Uhh, when did I lose my shirt?” He questioned aloud before laughing, sitting slightly on the arm of the couch.

In the long winding journey of life, Ryan was a believer that there were these invisible strings that tied you to certain people. No matter what paths you took separately or how much time it had been since you last spoke, there was always going to be this pull towards that person. Reconnecting with Ellie-Grace over the last few months was one of those things that happened at the perfect time in his life. A friendship after their relationship fell through was not plausible for an array of reasons, many of which laid firmly on his shoulders and reckless past behavior. If you were a fly in the room when they were together, it was clear to see why they were attracted to each other a decade earlier and still got on so well present day.

"Ellie-Grace, his name was freakin' Kenny. Call me.. call me superficial but there are people with particular names who I'm not fucking dating, especially if they look like they escaped The Wizard of Oz universe." He stated just as he started laughing, knowing some of his past criteria for dating someone was questionable at best. Their respective track records when it came to their love lives couldn't be more different. He hadn't been on your typical date with someone who wasn't involved in the entertainment industry one way or another in over fifteen years. After his career grew past a certain threshold of success, he felt as if becoming involved with someone who was outside of this mad world would be unfair to that person. "Touché, Summers. But hey! Who am I hanging out with tonight? Hmm?" He shrugged his shoulders innocently with a shit-eating smirk cracking on the corner of his lips. "That is quite the talent to not fall on your ass with heels on." He took a moment to admire her long legs, being a feature he greatly appreciated on her, as she was nearly his height with the right heels on.

For as much as they've seen each other and interacted as of late, the prospect of one spending the night at the other's home was not something that had been brought up as a possibility before. It had been almost ten years since the last time that happened and that was back when they had an intimate relationship. He had a list of reasons building in his head for reasons she should stay, which thankfully he does not have to convince her much more than he already has. He instinctively jolts his body up when Ellie nearly falls, although she is able to compose herself. "There is plenty of wine, as you saw for yourself." He quipped. Ryan rolled his eyes sarcastically at her remark about his past sexual endeavors. It was a source of creativity for both his songwriting and comedic material for those close to him. He stumbled over to slump on the couch next to Ellie-Grace, this time with no space between the two. "Why thank you..." He said quietly, stretching out his arm and raising the sleeve of his shirt slightly to showcase more of his tattoo sleeve. There were only a few additions of ink he had made since the two dated, all minor details he had gotten while in Japan or somewhere other exotic destination that inspired him. "The bad boy and the pretty blonde girl. Of course we were going to date... like come on. Look at us." It may appear as the slight cliche love story but it was true in their case. There was always a flirty undertones to their interactions prior to them dating that none of his friends were surprised when they found out they had gotten together. He took a long swig from the wine bottle and handed over to Ellie-Grace. "You still don't have any tattoos, right?"

“Was this guy’s legal name actually Kenny? Not Kenneth or Ken? Now that’s a name I would get changed.” He mused, followed by a chuckle. Ryan did not feel like his brand of humor was cruel, at times it could be raunchy or a bit off-the-cuff, but it worked well in their intimate setting. She was the sweetheart that everyone instantly loved once they knew her. He was more of an acquired taste if you stuck around long enough. You either loved him or hated him with a passion, so the pairing helped balance the two sides. “That may be true, but you are dealing with some prime real estate here.” He gestures to himself and gently tugs down at his collar as he began laughing. “I remember you practicing wearing heels around the house before an event, trying not to fall on your face. It was cute.” He recalled the early days of them dating and her lack of experience wearing heels, usually keeping a pair of flats nearby if needed. Now it was second nature to her, which he did not oppose for a second. She still possessed this easygoing charm that no high-end fashion could hide.

While a decade can change a person a lot, all the integral parts that first drew him to Ellie-Grace were still very much present. At their core, the maturity of the two was likely the biggest difference they possessed, as physically the years had been rather kind to both of them. There was a reason why he tried to say as little as possible about their relationship in public, taking years before every releasing a song that could be alluded to their time together. He wanted to keep their relationship as close to his heart as possible and he never thought twice about defending her whenever her name came up, even in the years that followed their time as a couple. “Was I not your typical well-mannered southern cowboy?” He asked her with his best over-the-top southern accent, letting her hand trace over his arm. He rolled his eyes at the mention of her date from four years ago. “Gosh, sounds like you loooved this Kenny guy. Get over it.” He teased her, admittedly the feeling of her touch on him being a welcomed sensation. It was something small but it took him back to the simplicity of their romance years prior. “I think I have enough tattoos for the both of us...” He jokingly stated, knowing well that her pain threshold was very low. “I remember the first time you took me home I tried to hide them. Then it hit me that everyone has access to the internet, of course they have googled me.” He shakes his head and chuckles. He takes a drink from the bottle before placing it down on the floor, definitely not needing more but the liquid satisfying his thirst.

“The first time I saw you at that recording studio in New York... fuck. I was ready to blow my entire life up.” He said chuckling, just musing his thoughts out in the open, watching Ellie’s hand graze his skin. “I don’t get drawn to people that easily... you-you had this aura. You still do. It’s magnetic.”

“You know what? I have instituted a new rule for myself when it comes to dating. I will only date people with at least three names. No more of these boring, two name losers.” He remarked in an almighty tone with a giggle soon following. Their names were a mouthful. Typically you would have to click on a story of the two to even be able to see whatever the headline was following their long-form names. “Yeeeeah, I don’t think Jeanette will ever show up at one of my concerts. Eh, I’m not for everyone... I can wholeheartedly accept that now.” After spending so much of his life trying to appeal to everyone and receive an overall sense of acceptance from everyone he met, he finally had settled in to the notion that he was never going be liked by everyone and that was okay. The energy he would spend on being well liked by as many as possible had now shifted to be placed upon his friends and making those relationships worthwhile. “Oh my god! You were absolutely Bambi! That’s adorable!” He exclaimed, clapping his hands together as he bursted out laughing. It was not a far stretched analogy but it struck him the right way after enough drinks. The fact that she wasn’t this picture perfect girl who fit in naturally in the million dollar galas and designer dresses was appealing to him back then. He had dated those women who wanted that photo-op more than the actual time spent together and it always grew tiresome. Now Ellie-Grace may fit the mould better but her essence was nearly untouched.

Ryan throws his hands up and nods his head innocently. “Sorry! You’re right! Not for me. I’ll let you have that little southern charm.” He was used to not receiving the warmest of welcomes from the parents of someone he dated, given the reputation attached to his name. The case with Mr. Summers was different. He could sense the absolute anger and hate he held towards him, which Ryan largely held no hard feelings about. What father wants to see his daughter walking in with an older man who was known as a “womanizer”? If anything, the most difficult aspect was seeing how his disapproval affected Ellie-Grace, the woman who by all accounts he loved, no matter how the story was spun.

“I’ve never been but I think going to meet your family was about as close as I’ve ever felt to being a defendant in a court case.” He said with a small chuckle, although at the time he played it off as his usual, smooth operating self. “You and my mom got along very well. I had gotten off stage and you two had inside jokes and all these embarrassing stories about me.” He scoffed sarcastically, as that was a memory he held dearly.,Ellie-Grace was one of just a select few women he ever introduced to his mother. He did not want to get her attached to someone he knew deep down was not going to be around long. The two met before one of his shows and by the end of the night it felt like they knew each other for years. They hit it off almost instantly and he knew that while she never explicitly told him so, she was disappointed that things didn’t last between the two.

He never outright asked her but he always had that hunch that he was her first serious boyfriend. It was a title he didn’t think he would be holding as a then 33 year old man, then again he also didn’t think he would be dating someone her age either. It all just happened. Ryan had jokes lined up that he could throw at her and easily defuse things. Admittedly, he didn’t want to do that. He was happy having her this close to him again, feeling her delicate fingers through his hair. It all felt familiar and new at the same time. “I don’t think I’ve had that feeling since.” He said quietly under his breath, the liquid courage slipping out. At some point during their conversation his hand moved to rest on her upper leg, his thumb gently tracing little circles over her dress. “You know... I think I... I lo-“ He starts to speak but cuts himself off soon after, smiling to himself. He brings his free hand to move a few strands of loose hair from her face, making eye contact with her in the process. He does not give himself time to overthink or analyze the moment, instead going all in and following his instincts. In a quick motion, he moves his fingers to rest on the side of her neck while his thumb caresses her cheek, before leaning in and kissing her. It was not your typical peck on the lips, this carried a jolt of passion. Almost as if the person behind it had been waiting nearly ten years to do that again.

In Ryan’s mind it made sense that both of them thought about the “what ifs” and “maybes” of what they had together. Their relationship had a very abrupt end where many loose ends were left as such. Take in the fact that they did not truly utter a single word to each other in the years following their break up, there was never a chance for closure between the two. As cruel as it sounded back then, it was easy for him to get past most relationships. He was an expert at hooking up and engaging in rebound sex until the idea of someone dissipated from his head. That was not the case for Ellie-Grace who still found a way to occupy space in his mind at times, even prior to them reconnecting. A dozen different possibilities crossed his mind when she pulled away from their kiss. She might slap him. She might push him away. She might, in a very Ellie-Grace Summers matter, excuse herself from the situation and leave. To his surprise, she didn’t. And he eagerly welcomed her follow-up kiss.

Of course they had spent countless of times like this in the past; just sprawled on the couch, all over each other, making out. Tonight it felt different. Maybe it was a combination of many things. The taste of liquor in both their mouths. The relearning of each other’s lips. The near six months he had spent without sex. The years of not sharing such a moment with anyone who was anything more than a form of passing the time. The simple excitement of two people who cared deeply about each other still. Ryan placed his hand firmly on the back of her head, fingers tracing between her long blonde locks as he guided the kiss to a deeper state. He allowed his tongue to slip into her mouth for a few seconds, pulling away slowly from their embrace. Looking deeply into her gentle, light colored eyes, he flashed her a quick devilish smile. “You weren’t being stupid, Ellie...” He stated in a hushed tone, referencing what she was saying before he kissed her. Given the proximity of the two, his breath was hitting her face with every syllable he spoke. It was no secret that Ryan loved to talk, yet he knew the times when less said was more effective.

He tugged on her hair enough so her head rested on the back of the couch, exposing her neck and collarbones. Placing a hand on her waist, he shifted his position on the couch to have a better vantage point. He began with a soft kiss on her chin, that slowly started to drift further down around the length of neck, ever so often opening his mouth to grip his teeth on a small surface of her skin, biting her. “I’ve missed this... I’ve missed you.” He says once he is able to retract his lips from her body long enough, only to have them return to kissing her collarbones and the small section of her upper chest that was exposed with her dress. Ryan may have undergone a lot of changes to his personality. One thing that was never going to change was his enjoyment and desire for sex. He found it to be fundamental in any romantic relationship. If there was not that lustful flame involved, he quickly lost interest in someone. Ellie and him never lacked that, in fact he considered it a strong highlight of their time together.

Each kiss and touch she placed upon him had this delicacy to it that unhindered his desires. After only a short period of time together back in the day, she figured out exactly the right buttons to push to get him going. While they complimented each other almost perfectly on a creative level and personality wise, the shared wavelengths sexually certainly played a role in their romance. Ryan smiled at her comment about him, leaning his head into the warmth of her embrace. He believed every word she said, knowing that the liquor may provide the loose lip, but it did not dismiss the thoughts and feelings they were expressing right now. "You're beautiful, EG... I've never stopped wanting you." He said aloud, never truly having lost his attraction to her despite the many years that had passed since the last time they were in such a position.

Ryan tugged at the ends of her dress, letting his hand travel underneath the fabric to feel the soft skin of her inner thigh, his fingers tracing over gently. With the control on his court, he pulled her hair forward to have her look at him. He returned to her lips, kissing her with this feverish passion. There was no room for subtleties at this point. Usually he wouldn't think twice about engaging in such debauchery on the couch, but after such a long time and given who his company for the night was, he didn't want to waste this moment. Reluctantly, he pulls his lips away from hers and returning his hands to his sides, standing up as his eyes hungrily trace over the length of her body in a very obvious matter. "How about we go upstairs?" Before she has a chance to respond, he lifts her up from the couch by her armpits, almost instinctively her arms wrapping themselves around his neck and legs around his waist. It was only a few steps away from the couch when he pushed Ellie-Grace's back against the wall, once again embracing in a deep kiss.

It was intense. It was passionate. It was real. He pulled away from their latest kiss, tugging down at her bottom lip with his teeth. Ryan kept his hand gripping either side of her waist, her body pressing tightly against his own, carefully starting to climb the stairs with her. Instead of going to any of the guest bedrooms he could choose from, he heads towards the master bedroom, kicking the door open with his foot. The space was vast, as you would imagine, a large California king sized bed at the center of the room paralleled to the large window that provided the bit of light that was shining perfectly on the bed. Ryan wasted no time laying Ellie down on the bed, a small sly grin appearing on his lips when he makes eye contact with her. He tosses his shirt off in a swift movement, all his tattoos now on full display. While he was not the most muscled up man around, he clearly worked out and tried to stay fit, the clear outline of his abs serving as proof.

Ryan had a near perfect memory when it came to recalling what Ellie-Grace liked and didn’t in a sexual setting and was more than ready to play his cards right. Perhaps one of the reasons he had a long list of lovers in the past was because he held such an unfiltered confidence in his actions. Almost as if everything he did during intimacy was calculated in advance, while coming off as organic every time. There was not much on the table that he didn’t explore behind closed doors with a woman he was seeing. It wouldn’t be all too surprising if his wine cellar was some sort of kink room for all kinds of sexual adventures instead, albeit the number of sexual partners he had and his outspoken nature about those experiences gave off more the impression of him being this sex-crazed Fifty Shades of Grey-esque character than he truly was. He was just a guy who enjoyed sex and knew exactly how to get his counterpart at his level.

His eyes carefully watch her fidget with her dress, studying her body in the process. He enjoyed the teasing process of foreplay. Those little looks and smirks. The touches that became more urgent. At times he wanted to get straight to business, others he wanted to savor it. He wanted to savor her now. “Make it a night that I won’t soon forget and that may just come true, Ellie-Grace.” Ryan challenged her, a telling smirk flashing her way for a second. It was thrilling to see how the same woman who was an absolute sweetheart could change her demeanor entirely. The irony that he had just released an album titled Sex with Former Lovers and was now about to engage in the very act he sung about had not hit me but he was sure it will looking back.

He walked towards his nightstand for a moment, opening a drawer and quickly taking hold of a condom. No matter how much alcohol had been consumed tonight and how badly he wanted to feel her entirely, he was not going to run any risks. Tonight had the potential to create some serious ripple effects in both their lives that he did not even fathom to consider. All he knew for sure, and every time he had sex, was that he did not want to run into any pregnancy scares. It didn’t feel like the time to ask about birth control and all the other possibilities. Ryan tossed it to the side for now, knowing that it wasn’t needed yet. His hands moved freely over her legs, starting at her ankles and traveling their entire length up to her thighs. He felt as if her long legs were sculpted to perfection. It was not a feature that she could hide. He props his body over hers, keeping enough space between them so he can pull down further at her dress to reveal more exposed skin. Trapping her hands over her head, he brought his face down as his lips returned to kiss her body. This time in more sensitive areas. He started slowly kissing her areolas, going from one breast to the other, until he picked up the pace and parted his plump lips to take her nipples in his mouth. Sucking on each breast, his tongue lapping over her skin in a repeated motion. All the while keeping his eyes looking up at her to see every facial expression.

His body instinctively grinds itself against her, his hardening shaft tugging inside his pants, aligned perfectly to rub against her inner thighs. “That look in your eyes... you’ve thought about this a lot...” he began to muse aloud, picking up his head from her chest and releasing her hands from his grip. “You’ve thought about my hands... my lips... my tongue... among other things...” He states gently in a almost a whisper, although the look on his dark brown eyes remained the same lustful gaze he’s had since he kissed her for the first time tonight. As one hand traveled to her outer thigh, the other was caressing her breasts. “I don’t think anybody knows you like I do, Ellie... nobody else knows the way around your body.” He was clearly toying with her to see how she would react.

Admittedly, while the last handful of months of them reconnecting were strictly professional, he couldn't deny the ideas and images that popped into his head when he saw her. She still looked like the woman he was absolutely crazy about a decade earlier. Hell, in his eyes, she looked even better these days. It was not by mistake that the timespan of them starting to speak to each other again was aligned almost perfectly with his current dry spell from having sex. When Ellie-Grace came back into the picture, it threw everything in his life for a loop. One night stands and short sexual flings no longer held the appeal they once did for him. The many drinks they shared got them to this point, but in no way did that make the feelings and intentions behind it any less genuine. He was confident in what he wanted and that was Ellie-Grace.

Ryan felt a shiver down his spine as her nails explored his body. It was a sensation he longed for. There was never a motion when they made love that felt careless with her. She always had the perfect timing with her actions. For as much as he came off as composed and in control to such debauchery, Ellie held the rare power that if she wanted to, he could easily end up in the palm of her hands. The tables could easily flip between the two and that was part of the thrilling depths that they shared on an intimate level. Their sessions could easily go on for hours due to their respective detailed approaches of making the other feel like they were the most important person on the planet, which in those moments rang true.

When she went on to explain that she knew him just as well, it wasn't something he would deny. No matter what anyone could say or determine from their relationship all those years back as an outsider, nobody but the two of them knew the burning passion that they had for each other. It was a spark that was set almost from the very second they first met. "You're right... we do know each other quite well." He remarked, biting down on his bottom lip as he could sense her slipping out of her dress completely, eyes locked on each other. He holds on to her waist to keep her in that slightly sat up position, unable to resist the urge to kiss her again some more. Now that he was relearning the outline of her lips, he didn't want to stop. "Speaking of tastes..." Ryan quipped as he broke away from the embrace. His gaze traveled down her body, as expected only her panties were left untouched. He pushes her body down to lay on the bed once more. He sets a trail with his tongue that begins at suckling on her earlobe and continues down her collarbone, breasts, and stomach until he meets the fabric of her panties.

With his head now at her midsection, he looks up, figuring she knew exactly what he had in mind next. Ryan would typically tease her more but up close her scent was intoxicating. He wanted this as badly as she did. He found as much delight in pleasing a lover as he did in being on the receiving end. "Now this part I've missed..." He kept his eyes on hers when he pulled off her panties, now having her laying before him completely bare. Spreading her legs so he could nestle his face between them, tossing them casually over his shoulders, his tongue began lapping over her wet, warm slit. They were long, well-timed strokes, ever so often his lips touching the most sensitive spots of her, damping his stubble. His hands gripping on her thighs with enough pressure to increase the hyper sensitivity she felt and serving as a means to keep her body in place.