Page 18 of Yours

“Six,” he said. “Seven. Eight.”

My nipples pebbled against the cold air of the car, and I fought the urge to cover myself. Instead, I reached down and hooked my thumbs under the waistband of my panties, hesitating for a split second before pulling them down, too.

“Nine,” he said, his voice thick.

I kicked them off, the fabric landing on top of the rest of my clothes. My heart was pounding, the rush of blood echoing in my ears, but somehow, I forced myself to meet his gaze.

His eyes were dark, ravenous, like he was devouring every inch of me. He let out a low whistle, his gaze lingering on the bare curve of my breasts before trailing down, tracing the line of my waist, the flare of my hips.

“Ten,” he said, his voice softer now.

He was quiet for a long moment, and I resisted the urge to shift under his scrutiny. The leather seat was cool against my skin, but the look in his eyes made me feel like I was on fire.

“Ronan,” I said, my voice barely a whisper. “Please?—”

“Shh,” he murmured, reaching out and stroking the curve of my jaw.

I sat there, my breath shallow and fast. Ronan hadn’t said anything for a moment, but his gaze was fixed on me, ruthless and unyielding. He leaned back slightly, his posture as relaxed as if he were lounging in his penthouse instead of in a car with me, naked and vulnerable in his front seat.

“You’ve always been stubborn, Kiera,” he said finally, his voice low and measured. “Always pushing, always testing how far you can go. Tonight, you’ll find out exactly where that line is.”

My stomach churned, the mixture of dread and something else I couldn’t name swirling together. “Ronan—” I started, but he held up a hand, silencing me with nothing more than that simple gesture.

“You called me,” he said calmly, his eyes locking with mine. “You knew what that meant, even if you didn’t want to admit it.”

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. “I didn’t think you’d?—”

“That’s the problem,” he interrupted, his tone harsh enough to make me flinch. “You didn’t think.”

I shifted uncomfortably, the leather seat cool against my skin, but his gaze kept me pinned in place.

“I get it,” I muttered. “You’ve made your point.”

“No,” he said firmly. “Not yet. Move to the backseat.”

“What?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“You heard me,” he said, his tone brooking no argument. “Get in the backseat.”

My heart pounded as I stared at him, my body frozen with nerves. But I knew better than to argue. With shaking hands, I turned and climbed awkwardly over the console, the crampedspace making every movement feel even more humiliating. I knew his windows were tinted, but I didn’t know if they were tinted enough to hide my body from the eyes of anyone that happened to be out at night in this part of the city. I felt the car shift slightly as Ronan opened his door and stepped out.

I barely had time to adjust myself in the backseat before the opposite door opened, and he slid in beside me. The space seemed to shrink instantly, his presence filling it with an intensity I could feel with every single gasping breath of air I managed to pull into my lungs.

“Over my knee,” he said, his voice calm, but unyielding.

My breath caught in my throat, and I hesitated, my hands gripping the edge of the seat. “Ronan, I?—”

He cut me off with a single look, his dark eyes narrowing just enough to send a shiver down my spine.

“Kiera,” he said, his tone quiet and firm. “Don’t make this harder than it is already going to be.”

I swallowed hard, my cheeks burning as I shifted closer to him. My whole body felt like it was vibrating with nervous energy as I placed myself over his lap, my skin brushing against the rough fabric of his jeans. The position made me feel completely exposed, completely vulnerable, and my chest tightened.

Oh, my God.This was happening.

This was really,trulyhappening.

His hand rested lightly on my lower back, holding me in place gently, but firmly enough that I instinctually knew I wouldn’t be able to escape, and I could feel the warmth of his palm against my skin.

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