Page 89 of Rough Ride

As I stared down at her perfect heart-shaped face, I thought to myself,I’m doing it right now.

“Sorry that happened to you,” I said instead, lowering my lips to hers in a soft kiss. “But now I’m even more happy I beat the shit out of him.”

All sorrow on her face was immediately replaced with a cheerful smile. “Me too! And I’m glad you don’t judge me for my fling with Appleton.”

“Oh, I’m definitely judging you,” I replied, rolling away from her. “Appleton is the fakest cowboy I’ve ever known.”

She spun toward me. “Hey!”

“I’m an honest guy. I can’t lie. You have terrible taste in men.”

Sophie threw a leg over me, straddling me like she intended to wrestle me like a steer. “I don’t know about that. Between you, Johnny, and Eli, I feel like my taste in men is on the rise.”

“That’s what I meant,” I insisted. “First Appleton, then Johnny, and then Elijah?” I shook my head. “Horrible taste.”

She playfully smacked me in the chest. “Hey! Johnny and Eli are nothing like Chris Appleton!”

“They’re not as bad as Appleton. But that’s a low bar.”

She grabbed my wrists and pinned them on either side of me, her blonde hair swaying down to tickle my chest and chin as she leaned close. “Come on. You can do better than that.”

I clenched my jaw. “Johnny and Elijah are… all right.”

Sophie gave me a quick peck on the lips. “See? That wasn’t so hard.” She ground her hips against my crotch and smirked. “Unlike other things.”

I reached around and cupped her ass. “I’m not sure you can handle another round today.”

One of her eyebrows slowly rose. “I’ll be the judge of what I can handle.” She flattened herself against my chest. “But you’re right. I’m way too sore to go again right now.”

“Which hole is too sore?” I asked.

She snorted with laughter. “Both.”

I caressed her back with my fingertips. “Good thing you’ve got a mouth, then.”

She gave me a cutting grin. “Keep stroking my back like that and I’ll show you what this mouth can do. You didn’t give me a chance to in the shower.” She reached out and touched my arm. “I like your tattoos, by the way.”

“Don’t change the subject,” I replied, moving my fingers underneath her jaw until my thumb pressed against her lower lip.

She ignored me and traced a red fingernail along my arm. “Is that the ying-yang symbol?”

“Yup.”

“Do you believe in karma, then?”

“I wish we lived in a world with karma,” I answered. “Iwantto live in a world like that. But I know better now. Good men lose all the time, while assholes win. Karma is a fucking joke.”

“If you don’t believe in it,” Sophie asked, “then why get the tattoo?”

“I got it when I was young,” I said. “When I still had hope.”

“Aw, come on,” she said, dragging her fingernails down my chest. “Surely you havesomehope remaining somewhere inside.” She tapped her fingers against my abs.

“If I do, it’s buried so far down I don’t know how to find it anymore.” I gave her a smile. “But right now? With a beautiful, naked woman like you laying on top of me? I feel pretty damn fine.”

Her eyes sparkled. “That’s a start. Let’s see if I make you feel evenmorefine.”

Before she could make good on her promise, my phone rang.

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