Page 36 of Wicked

“I belong with Shephard, but that isn’t the expectation. If I sleep with you, it will only be with you.”

“You belong with him orto him?”

While I think over my answer—it’s not a simple one—I take the chance to look my fill. Clothed, Ryker Conway is sexy as sin. Half-naked? He’s magnificent, a warrior, a fighter, though he doesn’t know it yet.

His shoulders are round and muscular. His back too. Everything about him is dark and muscular. From his full and sexy beard to the smattering of hair over his pectorals.

And that sinful strip transecting down his taut abs to disappear below the band of his shorts? I’m breathless just thinking of trailing my fingers and my mouth down, down, down.

But can I take his length and thickness in my mouth without feeling intense revulsion?

He faces me. Dark and brooding is replaced with intense and searching. He has such beautiful eyes and thick, long lashes.

In the game of life and death, Ryker can be something more. He can be my chance for normalcy.

“What the fuck am I getting myself into, Harper?”

“If you’re not in, you’re out. That’s all I can say. I’m sorry.”

Sighing, he takes my small hands in his big ones. “Don’t be. Just . . . just don’t break my heart, okay?”

His voice is soft, and his tone, pleading. I slip my hand out of his. I want to go to him, but I don’t. When I do, it’ll be on my terms and not because he’s begging me with his eyes and his words not to break his heart.

“Never. But break mine, and Shephard will crush every bone in your body.”

He doesn’t blink. His gaze is unwavering. His body, unflinching. He’s not fazed by my threat. Smirking, he pulls me back into his arms.

“Fair warning, sweetheart. I’m in.”

I wrap my arms around his neck and nestle into his warmth and the strength of his body. I’m right. Ryker is the one who will make me normal again.

14

Harper

“Sunday was sooo fun. He won’t ditch us this week, will he?”

April shrugs off her backpack and sets it on the table. She’s on her second week of school, sixth grade already, and wants help with her science homework.

“Ryker texted me he’d be here.”

“You’re so lucky he’s your boyfriend. He is hot.”

She sits with this blissful expression.

“Looks aren’t everything.” I slide into the booth and take a sip of water from the plastic cup.

I had time to box with Shephard and shower before I picked April up at school. She had volleyball practice.

“If he were ugly, you’d still go out with him? Is he your first boyfriend? You’ve never brought a guy skating before.”

“Who’s ugly? What’s the name of the guy you’ve been skating with?” Ryker saunters over and plops down next to me.

His thick thigh and massive shoulder rubs against my leg and arm, reminding me of what I’d been missing out on when I let him know I wouldn’t be seeing him in person again until Wednesday.

He had hemmed and hawed, declaring that three days was too long not to see one another. Then when he saw me and Shephard running by him and his teammates, he did something utterly adorable that had me falling harder for him. He sent me a short playlist, two songs to be exact. Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” and Oliva Newton John’s “Physical.”

Ha-ha.

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