Page 19 of Bite Your Tongue

Before Gemma and Saylor arrived at the bar tonight, I made the mistake of asking Smith a bit about Saylor. As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted it because I could tell instantly that Smith was weirded out about my sudden curiosity after years and years of being around her and never asking a thing. I couldn’t help myself though. I wanted to know if Saylor liked this type of thing tonight. Like parties and being the center of attention. When I first asked, Smith seemed amused and chuckled, explaining that Saylor was content being alone, genuinely didn’t love most people, and yet loved being the center of attention. He also went on to say that she was passionate about her job as a nurse.

Just what I thought …

Saylor Smith is a walking conundrum.

It seems like she surrounds herself with noise because maybe she’s afraid of the quiet. She wants people around to tell her she’s amazing because, deep down, that’s not how she sees herself. She walks into a room, and instantly, people notice her—truth be told, I think that’s her goal.

She confuses me, and yet I just want more.

I sip my drink, not wanting to get too out of control tonight because if I did, I’d be following her around like a dog in heat. That’s not really an option because, up until a few minutes ago, her brother was here, and even if he wasn’t, she’s made sure to shoot a few dirty looks my way, making it known she still can’t stand me.

When I finally catch her at the other end of the bar by herself, I know this is my only shot to wish her luck at her new job. I’m probably one of the last people she wants to hear those words from, but I don’t give a fuck; I’m still going to say them.

Pushing to stand, I head toward her, reaching her just as the bartender slides her a drink with an umbrella and cherries in it.

Exactly my type of beverage.

“Saylor,” I say, leaning against the bar, crowding her slightly.

Wrapping her beautiful, plump lips around the straw, she narrows her eyes slightly before sucking. My cock jumps, and I almost groan under my breath before I can stop myself.

“Hey there, Ry-Ry. Back again for another rejection, I see,” she teases, but she’s right.

“You’re only going to turn me down so many times; eventually, you’ll feel bad enough to hook up with me again.”

“I doubt that.” She laughs.

“Okay, you’ll get horny enough to want my dick again.”

She gives me anare you for reallook before smirking. “Baby, they’re called toys. They make it quite easy to be a single woman who never needs to call up a dude.”

The words come out as smooth as molasses, and for the life of me, I can’t understand how she got hurt by Rowan. She’s fucking feisty and witty.

Lifting her glass, she pulls the straw between her lips again. I can’t even fight it—my eyes instantly go to her mouth, watching her suck in the sweet liquor.

“So, you haven’t thought about me since that night?” I say, studying her carefully.

Her cheeks become slightly flushed, but I’ve figured her out enough to know she’ll play it off like I have no effect on her.

“Not really,” she says matter-of-factly.

“It’s too bad, you know. Because if you had, I was going to tell you I’d give you a proper goodbye gift.” My dick pulsates.

I know I should shut my fucking mouth. She’s been through enough with her ex, and here I am, pretending like I don’t know what he did to her. But, Christ almighty, now that I’ve had her once, I have no control when it comes to this woman.

“I bet,” she says, trying to keep her composure.

I lean against her, pushing my mouth to her ear. “I would have told you that I’d give you one last night before you moved away. One last fuck to get you out of my system so that I could think straight again,” I growl lowly. “One last time to get me out of yours too.”

She looks up at me, lifting an eyebrow. The sass on her expression never falters as she speaks her next words. “Let me make one thing clear: I don’t need to get you out of my system.” Just when I’m about to lose hope, she pulls a cherry from her drink and pulls it between her lips before eating it. “But I am quite needy tonight, and I could use a release before a long day of travel tomorrow.”

She’s quiet for a second before she sticks her tongue out. On it is the cherry stem, but now … it’s tied. In that short periodtime, she somehow fucking tied it with her tongue without me noticing.

Jesus Christ, that’s hot.

Without thinking twice, I take the stem from her tongue.

“Consider it a gift,” she taunts. “So, Pretty Boy, your place or mine? Or maybe your truck again?” She stops. “Also, this is the last time we’ll do this because after I move away, I am no longer doing this wholeone-night standthing.”

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