Page 74 of Caught Up

It took a minute, but eventually his barks dropped into a low, steady growling. Standing, I carefully looked through the peephole. Junior was right on the other side of it, wearing his riding gear, helmet dangling from his fingers, hair mussed from wearing it. His jacket was unzipped, revealing a blackT-shirtpulled tight across his pecs. My nipples hardened at the sight of him, and warmth bloomed in my core. This was what I got for spending so much time on BikeTok.

Junior suddenly made it worse by running his hand through his hair, his shirt creeping up just enough to reveal a tantalizing glimpse of lower abs. I nearly walked through the closed door trying to get to him, but the sound of my roommates rushing toward me stopped me just in time. I turned to see Ryan holding a can of mace and a taser. Beside them, Taylor clutched the largest, floppiest of her dildos.

Ryan looked over at it agape. “What are you planning to do with that?”

“Dick-whiphim,” Taylor said.

“That’s not going to do anything but make him laugh.”

“Oh, really?” She flicked her wrist, slapping Ryan across the thigh with it.

Ryan howled and clutched their leg, dancing away.

Junior pounded on the door. “Lauren? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I called over Walter’s renewed barking. “What do you want?”

“To talk,” he yelled.

“Shut up!” someone shouted from outside, likely one of our neighbors hanging out a door or window. Great.

“Ryan,” I said. “Come hold Walter.”

They limped over, shooting a glare at Taylor on the way, and grabbed Walter’s collar.

I cracked the door. “You have serious boundary issues.”

Junior smiled, devilishly handsome in the dim light. “Let me in and I’ll show you just how bad they are.”

I fought a shiver, refusing to be turned on by that comment. “My roommates are both holding weapons.” Sort of. “And Walter doesn’t like strange men.”

“Good boy,” he said.

“Walter is a girl!” Taylor yelled past me for some fucking reason.

Junior’s smile widened, eyes boring into mine, and I realized what she’d done.Oh, no.He parted his lips and dropped his voice into a bass growl. “Good girl.”

Behind me, Taylor let out a sound like a dying whale, clearly overwhelmed by her praise kink.

“You’re still not coming in,” I said, hating how breathless I sounded.

Junior stepped back on our stoop. “Then why don’t you come out here, and your friends can keep an eye on you from inside.”

I studied him for a moment. Maybe this was a good thing. Maybe I could get my answers and, if I didn’t like them, tell him to get lost, and this would be the end of it between us. For good, this time.

I turned toward my roommates. “If I suddenly crawl into his lap, please come grab me before I get charged with indecent exposure.”

Taylor grinned. “No promises. Rap sheets are hot.”

Ryan shook their head. “Ignore her. We’ll obviously stop you.”

I handed the baseball bat to them, gave Walter a grateful pat, and slipped outside.

Junior was leaning against the stoop railing with his legs crossed at the ankle, the streetlights casting his face in sharp angles. God, that jawline was next level. And his cheekbones. There were models who would kill for them. It was like he’d gotten all of his parents’ best features. Mom’s eyes, father’s full lips and strong brows. The way they were put together was devastating, always drew my gaze, always had me hoping he’d gift me with a rare smile because of how it transformed his expression from cold and unapproachable to warm and intimate, just for me.

There were no smiles tonight. Instead, he watched me with a heat in his eyes that had me stopping just outside the door because I didn’t trust myself to get any closer.I’ve been inside you, that look said.I’ve felt you come around the head of my cock. And if you think that was the last time I’ll ever wrap my fingers around your throat, you’re out of your goddamn mind.

He pushed off the railing. “Keep looking at me like that and see if I don’t fuck you right here on these steps.”

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