Page 91 of Stockman's Showdown

His emotions were raw and unveiled, hiding nothing.

Whether it was the late nights, the lack of sleep, or the joy of finding something positive towards solving the murder mystery, somehow her shields were down, for the first time.

‘Hating you was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,’ she said, licking her lips. ‘I’ve had to fight for everything I have, tojust survive. So much so I’d come to accept that as a part of life, because I know to never get too comfortable. But fighting you, hating you, is like stepping into a fiery forge, only to be hammered on the anvil. I’m tired of fighting against you. I’m a much better person when we stand beside each other and fight side by side.’ She pointed to the crime scene. ‘Look at what we’ve achieved together. You and me, we’re like some beautiful collision of some kind, that just keeps on clashing where that explosion is guaranteed.’

His large fingers tenderly gathered up one of her hands. ‘I don’t know why I upset you, or why I suffer with some block of emotions, foot-in-mouth, or whatever it is when it comes to you, but I am human, Bree. And I’ve never wanted to be close to anyone as much as I want to be with you. I-I—’

She pressed her free fingers across his lips. She couldn’t let him say what his eyes were telling her. She wasn’t ready for that. ‘So don’t put your foot in it now. Instead, do something positive with that mouth.’

‘Like what?’

‘Kiss me.’

Ryder didn’t hesitate. His hands cupped her cheeks, and his lips were against hers in an instant, in the most tender kiss of her life.

He lifted her onto the side bench, while keeping his lips against hers, not breaking contact for a second. The heat of their kiss blazed into a furnace that had to melt all conventions of physics, effortlessly breaking down all those barriers that had protected her for so long.

But why did she give in now?

‘Don’t! Stop thinking and stay with me, Bree,’ he murmured against her mouth.

How did he know?

But she did stop thinking, especially when his kiss deepened, pressing his lips harder against hers. Gripping the back of her head, with his fingers tangling in her hair as his tongue tangled with hers giving her a renewed thirst for more.

Her mind was in a losing battle as her body quivered under his touch. One of his hands was on her bare thigh, sliding higher over her hip to her chest. She moaned a breathy little sound as he clutched one of her breasts.

It should have snapped her out of it, but Ryder refused to let her go.

With one arm around her body, his mouth, tongue, lips danced down her extended throat as they went lower and lower. His nimble fingers pulled down her dress, her bra exposed, and his eyes lit up.

‘Gorgeous, just gorgeous.’ He licked his lips, and his head dipped down to her cleavage.

Sweet sugary hot cakes, his hot mouth was as powerful and pleasing as the man. He suckled and licked one breast, while his fingers kneaded the other, somehow unlocking all her inner desires and deep need for Ryder Riggs.

Why was she fighting this man, who was doing everything right to please her? Why was she denying herself something good? To hell with the consequences, she could deal with all that tomorrow. She had to have some skin. And now.

Desperately, she pulled up his shirt.

His mouth broke away from hers, to rip the shirt off and toss it behind him, exposing that torso of perfection, only for his hot mouth to return its attention to her body with a vengeance. She groaned louder, her body moving from the impact he’d forced upon her as he worked from one breast to the other. His arm around her body keeping her in place, she had no choice but to hold on and enjoy the ride.

Her hands wandered down his chest, her nails scraping against his abs carved from warm smooth stone to that delicious light smattering of hair leading down to the waist of his jeans.

He came up for air, one hand cradling the side of her face like a love letter meant for her eyes only, his eyes locking on hers showing the depth of heat and desire he had for her. She completely forgot everything as her world filled with Ryder Riggs.

‘We can stop.’ His voice was deep, his breath ragged, combined with that look of his, it was as sexy as hell.

‘Do you want to?’ She knew what she wanted.

‘Hell no.’ Again, the assault on her lips resumed as he kissed her, bundling her closer as she sat on the steel workbench that ran along the wall.

There his fingers moved like magic. Gone was her underwear, her dress down to her waist, where her body wilfully arched into him.

He gave a hearty grunt of approval, pushing her thighs wider, the hand on her hip making her tilt for him, only spurred by her aching need to be touched. He had her body under his command. And no one had done that.

Without warning, he dropped to his knees, lifting one of her legs over his shoulder and all she had to hold on to was his head. His tongue, face, and fingers sent her to another heaven far beyond anything she’d ever felt.

If she wasn’t pressed against the wall, she would’ve slid off the bench to the floor like liquid steel.One arm banded across her belly, fingers gripping her fleshy thigh, as he pressed his fingers inside her. Again, she all but melted away. Her eyes shut, as a thick moan escaped from her throat. It was unrecognisable as her own.

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