Page 38 of Driven by Desire

CHAPTER TWENTY

Riley smiled and swiped a towel over the steamed-up mirror. She looked pretty sexy if she did say so herself. It must be all the fucking she and Soloman had been engaging in. It was good for the blood flow. After the insanely hot garage sex, Soloman had brought her back inside to half-heartedly lecture her on the proper use of his kitchen. She had proceeded to show him how good she was at naked clean-up, which ended in the bedroom (it turned out she was not good at naked clean-up, but she was very good at naked other things…).

Finally, after another round of sex and an in-depth discussion on foreign cars and exactly what type of car Soloman was going to be buying her – because no way was she going to let dude promise her a car and not follow through – they fell asleep wrapped in each other’s arms. Once again, Riley had woken before him, but this time she had slipped into the shower instead of the garage.

She decided she would surprise him with a naked wake-up blow job and dropped her towel before reentering the bedroom. He was already awake and dressed though when she stepped through the doorway. He was sitting on the edge of their unmade bed, his eyes on his phone and a deep frown on his face. The scar bisecting his lips looked more prominent.

“What’s wrong?” Riley asked, wrapping her arms around her middle and wishing she had held onto her towel.

His eyes flicked up and warmed as soon as they landed on her naked body, taking in the delicious flare of her hips and slope of her breasts. Her hair was piled precariously on top of her head.

“Trouble at Merchant’s. Someone managed to bypass security during our few closing hours and graffitied the shit out of my lobby. Several thousand in damages,” he growled, irritation obvious throughout the tensed lines of his body. He stood and looked at her. “I have to go deal with it.”

“I didn’t know you owned that one too,” she said, avoiding his eyes. The MO sounded a little too familiar. She really needed to call off her troublemaking dog.

“Yes, that and most others in town,” he acknowledged, watching her carefully. “I don't like competition.”

She nodded absently. “Will you be gone long?”

“I don't know,” he said, rubbing a hand over his short hair. “I’m sorry, you’ll have to stay here.”

She shrugged. “No problem, it’s a big place, I’m sure there’s lots to do. I’ll go for a swim in the pool or watch TV or something. But I do need to get back to my shop eventually, Soloman. Maybe we can discuss it when you get back… and why are you looking at me like that?”

His frown had turned fierce, his eyes cold in a way she hadn’t seen in days. “You won’t be going back to the shop any time soon, Riley. And I meant you’ll be staying here, in the bedroom.”

Her mouth fell open.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” she snapped, stepping toward him. “I can’t stay in here. As nice as your bedroom is, there’s nothing to do. You don’t even know how long you’ll be. You can’t just lock me in the bedroom every time you leave the damn house!”

“Nonetheless,” he said, taking her by the arms and swinging her around. He walked her backwards until her ass hit the bed. “You will be a good girl and wait for me here in our bedroom, where I know you won’t get into trouble.”

“Fuck you!” she yelled, losing her temper. She tried to shove him away from her, but he was like a brick wall. He didn’t even flinch when her hands slapped against his solid chest.

He picked her up by the waist and tossed her in the middle of the bed, where she landed with a bounce. He grunted in pleasure at the sight of her tits bouncing with her. She rolled onto her hands and knees and glared fireballs at him. Her hair came loose from its messy knot and fell in thick waves around her shoulders.

“I would do exactly that and show you just how much control I have over you right now, Riley. But unfortunately, I don't have time.” He turned and strode toward the door.

She called his name just as he reached the threshold. He looked back at her and waited for her to speak. She glared at him and said, “It would seem from this whole ‘bang, bang, mine, mine’ routine you have going on here with me that you want some kind of relationship, correct?”

He growled at her, clearly not amused by her word choice. But he raised a brow and remained standing in the doorway, waiting with as much patience as she assumed he was capable of. She raised up on the bed on her knees, heedless of her nakedness. His eyes flickered over her bare body, a pained expression entering his eyes. He did not want to leave her to take care of the emergency at his club.

“Locking me up isn’t a good way to start building trust, Soloman,” she deliberately said his name with a slight purr, the way she knew he liked it. “You want me to want to be here with you, right?”

His gaze pinned her to the bed, licking over her body. He gave her a sharp nod.

“Then you have to start earning that respect from me by giving me a little freedom. You have security around this place I assume? Where am I gonna go? Just give me the run of the house. Please, Soloman.”

She thought maybe he was going to listen. Her heart sped up in anticipation. Was it possible that this hard man was willing to grant her a little freedom. If he was, then maybe she could consider a possible future with him. Maybe he wasn't as unyielding as she thought.

“Both doors lock from the outside, Riley. Don’t bother trying to leave the bedroom,” he said, his voice held no warmth as he spoke.

“Underestimate me again, fucker,” she snarled from between gritted teeth as the door closed behind him. She hurled a pillow at it as the lock engaged. “That’s how I stole your fucking car in the first place!”

Two hours later she was wearing another one of his shirts and roaring up the beach on a stolen motorcycle. She ginned under the black helmet. She’d never ridden a Ducati XDiavel S before. She’d’ve pegged Soloman as more of an old school Harley kind of guy. But hey, she wasn’t going to complain. She needed the kind speed only a crotch rocket could provide to put some distance between her and the kind of hell that would fall on her head once Soloman found out she was gone.

She knew better than to try to go through the gates of his private estate. Security would stop her in about two heartbeats and then there would be hell to pay when Soloman got home. There was going to be hell to pay anyway, but at least she got out for a joyride and was going to check on her shop.

Thank god for Katie and her supreme patience in teaching Riley everything she knew about breaking out of impossible to escape places. Riley’s dad had taught her how to steal cars and Katie had taught her the fine art of breaking and entering. Between her two favourite mentors, Riley was unstoppable. Or unlockupable anyway. She grinned from beneath her helmet and enjoyed the feel of Soloman’s fine ass Ducati as it purred like a kitty between her thighs.

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