Page 60 of Tight End

“You heard me, June.” His thumb smooths across my bottom lip, tugging it slightly. “You belong to me, and I’m done fighting it.”

TWENTY-SIX

Ryan

June’s beensilent the entire way home. Don’t get me wrong, she’s pissed, but quietly simmering Her arms are crossed and she’s glaring out the window like everything outside has personally offended her. She won’t look at me. She won’t talk to me. But you know what? I refuse to regret a damn thing. There was absolutely no way I was going to stay at home or watch from the front of the restaurant whileMr. Fitzpatrickput his hands all over my girl.

He’s lucky I let him leave without a single scratch on him, but that’s used up every ounce of generosity I have right now. If June thinks I’m going to give this up, give her up, she doesn’t know me real well.

She’s going to have to talk to me, whether she likes it or not.

I pull into the parking lot under my building, and as soon as I shift this new SUV into park, June is unbuckling her seat belt and reaching for the door. Unfortunately for her I’m faster, hitting the lock button with one hand and grabbing her arm with the other.

She reacts almost instantly, whipping her head around and pinning me with a glare that would wither the balls of most men. Except I’m not most men. “Let me go, Ryan.”

I don’t fall back. I don’t let her go. Instead, I lean closer, invading her space, and I sure as hell don’t miss the heat that flares in her eyes. “I don’t think so, June. We need to talk.”

“I have nothing to say to you.” She presses her lips together and shakes out of my grasp, but I’m too close, and she can’t get far.

“Well, I have a lot to say.” I take a deep breath, running my fingers down the side of her face, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear. “Four years, June. I spent four years trying to forget you, and then you show up one day and change my entire life.”

“I gave you a choice. You didn’t have to be involved with us.” Her voice is barely a whisper, her hands gripping the seat belt, twisting it as much as she can.

“There was no choice, and please don’t think I regret a damn thing where my son is concerned, because I don’t. There was no way I was going to leave him or you. Having a kid at this point in my life was never part of the plan, but now I can’t imagine a life without him. And you ...” I press my forehead to hers, staring into dark-brown eyes and losing myself in her. My voice drops, and every word that follows drips with the pain of my past. “You make me want things, things I haven’t wanted in a long time, and that scares me.”

“You ruined my date.”

“He sold you out for football tickets.”

“Which you offered. You’re unbelievable.” Her laugh is humorless, and she tries to pull back, but I slip my hand around her neck, holding her to me.

And I’d do it again in a heartbeat if it meant I’d get her tomyself. “I didn’t force him to take them. He wasn’t good enough for you. He doesn’t deserve you.”

“And you do?”

“No.” Her eyes widen, and I take another breath, stealing the oxygen straight from her lungs. I need this, I need her, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. If that makes me weak, so be it. “I’m definitely not good enough. When it comes to you, I’m jealous and possessive. I want every fucking man alive to know you’re mine, to know that if they touch you, they’ll have to face my wrath. I wouldn’t sacrifice you to save the world like a good man would, a deserving man. I’d burn everything to the goddamned ground just for one more taste of your lips, to hear your laugh, to fuck you like you deserve to be fucked.”

Her gasp is the only sound hanging between us, and for several seconds neither of us moves. I’m drowning in her, only this time I don’t have a lifeline, anything to pull me to the surface. Last time we were together, I let her go. I let her walk away. I’m not sure I’ll be able to make that same promise. Not when there’s a hurricane demolishing me every time I look at her.

The air around us sizzles, crackling with tension.

My heart races.

My insides twist into tiny knots, and I need her to say something.

But she doesn’t.

My fingers feather down her neck as I pull away, giving her space even though that’s the last thing I want.

With a sigh, I unlock the doors. If she wants to go, she can. I’m not going to stop her. Not tonight. Football taught me to pick my battles, and this doesn’t seem like one I’m going to win. Not if she won’t talk to me. I acted like a caveman, Iruined her date, and if she needs time to process, I’ll give it to her. I’m not giving up, but I can give her a day.

As much as it kills me to see her walk away, I know this time it won’t be permanent.

I close my eyes, leaning my head against the seat, fully expecting to hear the door slam as she runs to the elevator, only it never comes.

Her hand lands on my upper arm, and I stiffen, waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop. But I’m met with more silence. My eyes fly open, and as soon as I turn her way, she’s over the center console, and climbing in my lap.

I don’t have time to react, to think. Her hands are on my shoulders, running through my hair, gripping the short strands. She tilts my head back, and we stare at each other. Her breaths are coming in shallow pants, and her beautiful eyes are darkened, swirling with a heat that doesn’t come close to the lust burning through my entire being.

---