Page 35 of Raggedy Dan
He didn’t argue.
The rest of their clothes hit the tile floor in a hurry.He checked that she was ready, and when he found a wealth of slippery wet, entered her in one slow, deep thrust that made them both gasp.She clung to him, nails digging into his back, mouth on his neck, tasting salt and leather.He moved hard, steady, each stroke dragging a moan from her throat.
They came together fast, almost too fast, the buildup of the whole day crashing over them like a wave.He buried his face in her hair, breathing ragged.She held him tight, trembling.
When the aftershocks faded, he didn’t pull out.Just rested his forehead against hers, eyes closed.
“Stay,” he whispered.
She kissed the worst of the scars on his jaw.“Already decided to.”
He carried her to the bedroom then, each movement gentle and careful, like she was precious cargo.They finished slower this time, face-to-face, hands everywhere, no rush anywhere.When they shattered again, it was a promise.She felt it in her bones.
After, tangled in sheets that smelled like him, Riley traced the burns across his chest.
“I kinda like you, Raggedy Dan.”
He pressed a kiss to her temple.“And I more than like you, Riley Monroe.”
***
Dan
Dan wiped down the workbench in the garage, the repetitive motion doing little to ease the knot in his gut.These days there were a thousand reasons to earn an ulcer, and zero ways of avoiding it.Middle of the night, he needed a quiet activity.Maybe wrenching on his bike would help offset all the things he couldn’t control.
He’d been at it for a couple of hours, and the longer his hands were busy, the more silent his mind became.
His thoughts wandered back to that first day at the shop, when Dawg had barreled in and called her “Meg” like they were old pals.It had stuck with him, that casual familiarity, especially seeing Riley run into Dawg’s arms when she needed the comfort.Dan wasn’t the jealous type, not anymore, not after the blast had stripped away any illusions of control, but the familiarity between them had sparked a question he couldn’t shake.
He pulled out his phone and shot a quick text to Dawg: *Hey brother, quick Q about Riley.Why’d you call her Meg that first day?Ella introduce her that way or what?*
Dawg’s reply came almost immediately: *Yoga nickname.Ella started it.Said Riley’s got that fiery, no-BS vibe like Meg fromLittle Women.The one who’s all independent and artsy.Stuck in class.Riley digs it there, says it’s like a reset button.But she told me she prefers Riley everywhere else.Keeps her worlds separate, you know?Why, jealous?:D*
Dan stared at the screen, a reluctant smile tugging at his scarred mouth.Little Women?He hadn’t pegged Riley for the literary type, but the name fit, her strength wrapped in all that quiet defiance.And yeah, maybe there’d been a twinge of jealousy, seeing her lean on Dawg like that.But recognizing the nickname was a yoga thing, a safe space she carved out for herself, eased something in him.It was another layer to her, like the tattoos she inked on her own skin, stories she chose when and how to share.
He texted back: *Nah, just curious.Thanks man.*
Dawg: *She’s good people, Dan.Treat her right.*
Dan pocketed the phone, the words lingering.Treat her right.Like he needed the reminder.But yeah, he would.Every damn day.
He made his way back to their bedroom and stood in the doorway appreciating the woman in front of him.She’d gone to bed in one of his RMMC support shirts, and he loved seeing her in the club’s gear.
Time to wake my woman up.
***
Riley
Riley lay there in the afterglow, her head pillowed on Dan’s scarred chest, listening to the steady thrum of his heartbeat.The room was quiet except for the distant serenade of crickets outside, and the day’s events swirled in her mind.Moments like the honest laughter with the girls, the easy camaraderie, and the way they’d welcomed her without question.Their acceptance and friendship made her feel settled, like she belonged somewhere for the first time in years.But that warmth stirred something else, a curiosity she couldn’t quite suppress.
She propped herself up on one elbow, tracing lazy patterns on his skin with her fingertip.“Hey, Dan?”
“Mmm?”His voice was low, sleepy, his eyes half-closed as he looked at her.
She hesitated, suddenly unsure if she wanted the answer, but the words tumbled out anyway.“Before me...what was your dating life like?I mean, after the military, with the scars and all.Were there others?”
Dan’s eyes opened fully, and he shifted slightly, pulling her closer.“Not much to tell, really.After the blast, I wasn’t exactly prime real estate.Women took one look and bolted.There were a couple who tried, but they were pity dates, mostly.One nurse from rehab stuck around for a few weeks, thought she could ‘fix’ me.Name was Sarah.Blonde, sweet, but she couldn’t handle the stares we got in public.Ended it gently.She said it was too hard watching people flinch.”
