Page 53 of Ride With Me

“What?” I demand in a whisper. “Ollie, that’s dangerous.”

“Oh, don’t start.”

“But—”

“No buts.” He stops me firmly but not with anger. “I’m twenty-seven years old, Hugh. I know what my body can and can’t handle.”

“Yeah, okay,” I mumble, sufficiently chagrined.

“It was just too suffocating,” he continues.

“What was?”

“Living with my parents. All I wanted was to get a job at a coffee shop right there in town. I wanted to start living like an adult, and they were telling me not to go, like I was going to die or something.”

“They’re scared,” I say, as I have the realization. “Of losing you.”

“I know. I told them that I’d come to LA with Hawk, and I’m taking my pills and all the precautions I can so I don’t have a seizure. I know how to take care of myself,” he repeats like he needs me to believe him.

I look at him for a long moment. At the way he stares up at me, not hiding from the conversation in the least. Facing it all head on.

“I believe that,” I say simply.

“Good. Now the problem with me having sex is—” He goes right back to the start of the conversation and makes me snort. “I’m really twitchy, right? When I’m turned on, I’m scared that I’ll lose control of my body, that I’ll have a seizure. I get so worried sometimes, that I’m not able to...” He trails off, his cheeks darkening with embarrassment now.

“Orgasm?” I finish for him.

“Mm-hm,” he hums. “But I’ve been able to do lots of other things, just not...” Again, he trails off, and this time I finish his sentence with a teasing smile.”

“Penetration?”

He scowls at my tone but then snorts after just a few seconds. “Anyway, all of this to say, I swear I’ve never felt this way before about anyone, and I might be sheltered, but I’m no innocent. I’ve done things, and I’ve seen things.”

I can’t help but be amused at how he emphasizes it. I’m pretty sure he’s talking about watching porn, but I’ll let him tell me about all of that when he wants to.

“There’s no rush—” He pushes a finger against my lips.

“Yes, there’s a rush. I need you to fuck me, Hugh. I want you so bad, it’s driving me insane. But first, I want you to tie me up?”

CHAPTER 5

OLLIE

“Tie you up?”he explodes, with the refusal already in his eyes. Just like I suspected he would. But I need to convince him. I need to show him, and myself, that I candothis.

I can have sex just like any other person in the world, and enjoy myself, and I cancomewhile I’m having sex.

“Yes,” I say, doing all I can so my voice won’t shake. I need to show Hugh how much I want this—want him.

“Ollie, it’s your first time?—”

“Exactly,” I interrupt. “Shouldn’t I get to choose how it happens?” He stays quiet for way too long and I’m happy there’s no more hard refusal in his eyes, but there still isn’t any peace or happiness there either. “You have to have lots of ties, don’t you?” I ask in a whisper, trying to sound sexy.

Hugh snaps his head sharply toward me and his eyes are filled with desire.

“Of course I have ties,” he says, his voice coarse.

“Then please, let’s go use them,” I practically beg. “I want to feel...” God, how can I describe it? “Safe. Secure. Like I can just relax because no matter what my body does, it won’t ruin the moment, okay? Please.”

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