Page 48 of Selfless

“I can, as a matter of fact.”

“And what’s that?” she asks.

“Ours,” I say simply, and I see the pain flash across her face. I take her hand in mine. “You once told me that you want that soul-crushing, all-consuming love. You said that you don’t know who you are until you lose yourself.” I lick my lips. “And Ashlyn, this past week, I lost myself. And it did exactly what you said it would; it drove me crazy.” Her eyes search mine, but she remains quiet. “Can you honestly say that you didn’t feel a difference? That you didn’t feel a piece of you missing?”

She looks away from me. “You know I did.”

Hope makes my heart speed up. I release her hands and dig my right hand into my pocket. The last surprise I have for her tonight. “Please?” I beg, holding it up in front of her. “Take me and this back. I promise I won’t let you down again.”

She looks at the bracelet she had returned to me earlier this week and gives me a small smile. “You know what they say…”

“What do they say?” I ask with a frown, confused where she is going with this.

She gives me a slow and sexy smile. “A king is nothing without his queen.”

I laugh at her statement and nod. “You are correct. I’m nothing without you.” Smiling, I add, “You are my queen.”

“You know all the right things to say,” she says, but it wasn’t meant as a compliment.

“We both know that’s not true, or I would have never lost you.”

She hangs her head, and I lower my hand that holds the bracelet. My free hand goes to her chin, and I lift it to make her look me in the eyes.

My eyes drop to her dark red lips, and I love the way they look on her. She licks them, and my eyes land back on hers. “I can’t live without you,” I say. “Please don’t make me,” I beg.

Her eyes search mine, and I feel her lean closer to me. I hold my breath, afraid of what she may say. “You said you love me?” she asks.

“More than anything.”

A slow smile spreads across her face. “Love is a very dangerous game.”

Her words catch me off guard, but I return the smile. “I don’t expect you to play fair.”

“Nothing about love is fair,” she says, bringing her hands up to my chest. Her eyes drop to her hands as she starts undoing the buttons on my tuxedo.

When they meet mine, I arch my brow. “Plan on teasing me, do you?” I question, not choosing to comment on the fact that she just said love. I know Jaycent told me she said it, thinking I heard it, but she hasn’t said it any other time. And I’m not going to rush it. She’ll tell me again when she’s ready.

“Who said I was gonna tease you?” She chuckles as her hands slide up my chest and over my shoulders, pushing my jacket off on the seat.

“Well, baby. I’m all yours,” I say, making her laugh.

“Then don’t keep me waiting,” she says, batting her eyelashes and puckering her red lips.

A growl forms deep in my throat as I feel my cock start to harden. I reach over with my free hand and press the button to put up the divider, blocking Milton’s view of us.

I lean forward, pressing my face in her neck, and kiss her soft skin while my hand takes hers and places it on my achingly hard cock. “You do that to me.”

She whimpers as her hand massages it over my black slacks. “Please,” she begs as she arches her back, lifting her ass up off the leather seat.

I slide my hand into her dress and cup her bare breast. “Fuck.” I sigh.

“Ryder,” she moans as I massage it.

“I wanna taste you so badly, baby,” I admit.

She places her hands on my chest and pushes me backward. I place my hands up in surrender, not wanting to rush her. If she’s not ready, I won’t push her. But fuck, my cock is so hard for her it’s painful.

She surprises me when she drops to her knees before me. With my hands still in the air, I ask, “What are you doing?”

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