Page 106 of Fighting a Riot

He stared across the room for a long moment. “You’re trouble, Nora.”

I wrapped an arm around his waist and gave him a squeeze. “I’m not, Yak. Just think about it.”

We went upstairs after an hour of communing with the brothers and their women. My exhaustion was written all over my face, according to Yak. I was tired, but after his revelation, I was determined to catch enough of a second wind to do what I’d been wanting to do with him for weeks.

Yak locked his door and wrapped me in his arms. “I know you have your fancy pajamas or whatever, but… I want you in my shirt tonight.”

I cocked my head to the side. “What about sleeping naked?”

“Woman. That isn’t happening tonight. All I ask for is to have you in my shirt with me, in that bed, and I get to hold you, knowing you’re fuckin’ safe in my arms.”

I shrugged. “Okay.”

He slid his hands along my back and up my arms to cup my shoulders. “I don’t trust that. Not a bit.”

“I’ll sleep in your shirt. They’re comfy… or at least the one I wore when we met was really comfy.”

With a nod, he let me go. “I’m gonna shower. You want the bathroom first?”

I wanted us to wash this day away together, but I knew he wouldn’t have that. I shook my head. “You go ahead. It’ll give me time to pick out which of your t-shirts I want to sleep in tonight.”

The moment I heard the shower, I snagged one of his black tees and went to his nightstand. It wasn’t cool to snoop through his drawers, but I wanted to be sure he didn’t try to nope out on sex tonight. In the top drawer I found an unopened box of condoms.

Excellent.

I opened the box, grabbed one, and tucked it under my pillow. If I got my way, we wouldn’t really need it. However, I’d come to realize that even though Yak didn’t come off as headstrong and stubborn, he still found ways to steer a situation the way he wanted it. Especially where sex was concerned.

I wasn’t putting up with that tonight.

The bathroom door opened and Yak sauntered out with only a towel wrapped around his waist. It took serious willpower not to yank the towel free, ball it up, and drop to my knees. Instead, I picked up his t-shirt, grabbed a pair of my undies from my duffel bag, and set a personal record for shower speed.

I turned on the lamp on my side of the bed and Yak threw me a curious look. “If it’s okay, I’d rather fall asleep with the light on.”

His face set with a hardness I realized was his banked anger. “Because of what they did to you.”

I climbed into the bed and snuggled up to him. “Just for tonight.”

“That shithead’s lucky he got arrested.”

I put a hand on his tank-top clad chest. “We aren’t talking about him in bed.”

He heaved a deep breath. “You’re right, woman. Come here.”

As I snuggled closer under the covers, I let my hand wander from his chest down to his waist. He had satiny-feeling basketball shorts on if the waistband was any indicator.

“Why are you wearing shorts?”

His free hand grabbed mine, bringing it up to his lips. “Why do you care?”

I locked eyes with him. “Evasive, much?”

One brow lowered and he narrowed that eye at me. “You’ve been up to something since we came in here, Nora.”

I leaned up on an elbow, pulled my hand from his, and tugged his tank up his torso. “You’re right. I’m going to do what I wanted to do weeks ago. Get up close to your gorgeous tattoos, trace them anyway I want, and then suck your cock.”

He pulled at his tank, but I put my hand on his. “Not that I needed the reminder today, but life is short, Noah. I’m lucky as hell. I get that, but I’ll be damned if I squander even one more moment with you.”

He cupped my cheek. “You’re tired, baby. It’s written all over you.”

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