Page 25 of Ryder

I grab his biceps, tip my head back, and moan. I’m giving him better access. His mouth feels so good. He’s making me feel things no man has ever made me feel in my life. He’s kept me in this state of low-level arousal all day—except for the times he used his skilled mouth to push me into a far higher level of arousal.

I want him to touch my breasts. I want him to reach his tongue farther under my bra and flick my nipples.

He’s good at this. Maybe it’s his age. Maybe I should be jealous of all the women who came before me. But I think I’ll thank them instead because I’m going to reap the benefits of everything he learned from his prior sexual partners.

Lord, I want to take this further. It’s a good thing we’re by my car already. If we were inside, I’d probably beg him to take me to bed just like he insists I’ll eventually do. To hell with my virginity. I wasn’t saving it for any particular reason. I just haven’t met anyone worthy of considering having sex with.

When I went on dates in high school, I was not ready to have sex. The only person I’ve dated since high school was Smith, and no way in hell would I have let him take my clothes off. I shudder at the thought. The few times he tried to grope me made me vomit a little in my mouth. I’m not sure why I continued to go out with him as long as I did.

Ryder suddenly reaches farther and flicks my nipple with his tongue.

I gasp and rise onto my toes. His mouth…Damn.I dig my fingers into his biceps. Good thing I don’t have long nails. I’m panting when he lifts his head.

And Ryder is smirking. Of course, he is.

“You’re so smug.”

“You’re mine.”

It’s hard for me to get in the car and drive away. Harder than I expected. I feel an odd sense of loss that I don’t understand. How could I possibly feel empty after spending one day with a man I just met?

I’m distracted as I drive back to town. It takes about fifteen minutes. The town isn’t large, and the mansion is only a few miles out. I live with my parents above the bakery, so I pull up behind the strip mall and park in the back.

I’m grinning as I turn off my car, trying to ignore the check-oil light. I think I’ve got a leak. I need to get it in for a service, but I’ve been dragging my feet because that will mean an encounter with Smith since he works at the garage, which his father owns.

With a sigh, I step out of my car, shut the door, and turn toward the back stairs that lead up to my family’s apartment.

And freeze.

Smith is leaning against the wall next to the door. His arms are folded over his chest, and his legs are crossed at the ankles. His stance is casual. His expression is not. “Where’ve you been, Claire?”

I’ve had the best day of my life, and I’m tired. I do not want to get into a conversation of any sort with Smith. He’s already ruining my mood.

“What do you want, Smith?” I ask, not answering his question.

He shoves off the side of the building, standing taller with his hands on his hips. Every inch of him is confrontational, and I can imagine why.

“It’s all over town, Claire. You went to see those Wilde assholes. Please tell me you had car trouble or something on the way back and got delayed for hours. I don’t want to hear that you’ve been up at that mansion cavorting with those money-grabbing city boys.”

Shit. “Get over yourself, Smith. It’s none of your business who I spend time with.”

“The hell it isn’t. You’re my girl, Claire. I know you’re slow to accept that, and Lord knows I’ve given you space, but it’s about time you stop hiding from us and stand by my side as my girl.”

I gasp. Is he serious? He’s delusional. “Smith, I am not youranything. I never have been. I don’t know where you got that idea from. We dated for a while. We broke up. It’s been two years. I’ve never given you any indication we are anything to each other. I’m sorry if you believed that. Move on. Find a woman you have more in common with.”

He chuckles, the sound grating on my nerves. It’s not a good chuckle. It makes my skin crawl. “Claire, honey…”

I shake my head. “Don’t call me that. I’m not your honey, Smith.”

Before I can stop him, he steps forward and grabs my shoulders. His lips are on mine less than a second later, and he’s kissing me. It’s gross, and I try to break out of his clutches, but he’s too strong and bigger than me.

I purse my lips together to avoid returning his kiss, but he holds me tighter, his fingers digging into my biceps so hard it hurts. Fear crawls up my spine. Real fear for the first time in my life. He could drag me off and rape me if he wanted.

Think, Claire.

It’s hard with his nasty tongue rasping across the seam of my lips. Finally, I lift my knee and jerk it up between his legs as hard as I can.

It works. Smith releases me with a gasp, staggering backward until his back hits the wall. He buckles over, grabs his junk, and groans. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” he growls.

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