Page 49 of The Grinder

The truth, asshole. Anything else’ll just get you in trouble.

He smiled, attempting to be both charming and disarming. Hopefully not failing at both.

“Well, you see, I met this woman…”

Her lips curved in a sweet smile, one he was fast becoming addicted to.

“And you’re saying you’d stay for her? Even though you haven’t known her that long?”

“Haven’t you ever had that feeling that you know what you’re doing is right? It’s kind of like when you’ve got a good team. There’s a feeling in the air in the locker room. An excitement you can almost touch.”

Her smile dimmed a little. “And you’d stay just because you think she might be…important to you?”

He leaned forward, getting in her space now because he couldn’t resist her anymore. “I’m saying I might be persuaded to give up everything for the right girl.”

She opened her mouth to speak again but he’d waited too long to kiss her. He sealed his mouth over hers for a deep, intensely sensual taste of her.

Her hands had fallen to his shoulders as if to hold him off, but as soon as his tongue slid against hers, she gripped him and tugged him closer. He came willingly, breathing a sigh of relief that she’d initiated the kiss after he’d laid that bombshell on her.

And now that she had, all bets were off.

But tonight, he was taking his time. Last night had been frantic. Fantastic but over way too fucking fast. And she hadn’t asked him to stay the night.

Tonight, he was hoping for an invitation into her bed.

But first, he was content to just kiss her. Because, holy fucking hell, he loved the way she kissed. Like she couldn’t get enough of him.

He certainly couldn’t get enough of her. And she definitely wasn’t close enough. No way.

Reaching for her hips, he grabbed her and lifted her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her and crushing her against him. She didn’t seem to mind.

Her arms went around his shoulders, her hands sliding into his hair and fingers raking against his scalp.

Christ, that felt amazing. He really wanted to feel those nails elsewhere on his body. Like, lower. Along his thighs. On the inside of his thighs. On his cock.

Hell, he’d take her hands on his body anywhere he could get them.

He’d take her any way he could get her.

Aly’s heart pounded against her ribs, lungs working overtime as her desire for Riley consumed her.

Yes, she’d felt out of control last night, but she was beginning to believe she’d never be in control when it came to Riley. Right now, that didn’t bother her. Tomorrow morning, it was going to bother the hell out of her.

But it wasn’t tomorrow yet.

It was tonight and tonight was going to be amazing.

Tilting her head to the side so he could deepen the kiss, she let herself sink into him, let him hold her tight against him like he couldn’t bear to release her. Soaking in the heat of his body, she let herself disconnect from reality.

And Riley became her world. She could only see him, only smell him. Only taste him. Every muscle in her body relaxed and she gave herself over to him. She had no idea why or how. It just happened.

Apparently, Riley was so attuned to her, he noticed immediately, took the reins, and ran with it.

Dragging his mouth away from hers, he kissed his way down to her neck as his hands spread across her back and held her close to his chest.

He was so big, she almost felt small against him. But not lost. Riley held her too tightly for her to feel lost.

And his mouth… Oh my god, his tongue traced decadent patterns on her skin that made her shiver, her body moving against his until she’d begun to rub her mound against his erection, which she felt through his dress pants.

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