Page 84 of Rear View
Earl straightened. “We’re done.” He exhaled, goodand slow. “Let’s just shake this off. You and Alec enjoy tonight with the crew. Reset for tomorrow.”
I offered a salute. “Can fuckin’ do.”
“I’ll see you both in the morning,” he said, then headed off.
Alec tipped his chin my way. “I’m just gonna grab Sheila. Meet you in the lobby in thirty?”
“Done.”
He left and I aimed for my door.
“Xavier, wait,” Trina called, heels doing a slow click as she stepped closer. “I wondered if you’d like to join me for a drink? Talk about your career some more.”
Hell. No. I wasn’t about to let her, or Ryah, read into that shit. Where I stood was gonna be crystal goddamn clear. “Nah. Wanna get back to my girl.”
“Oh, well.” She reached for my hand. “If you change your—”
“Bye, Trina.” I turned and stalked away. When I set the key card to our door, it flashed green and clicked. I cracked it open and stepped inside.
The bathroom entrance stood wide, steam fillin’ the place. Ryah moved into the room and at the sight of her, I forgot how to damn well breathe.
Her hair was down, rolling in soft waves over her shoulders. Makeup done to highlight those full lips and pretty copper eyes. And her dress. Jesus. My cock twitched at the sight of it. The thing was a light-green flowy number that hugged her breasts and waist before it fell loose at her hips and down to her feet. She stood a little taller, her heels giving her an extra two inches, but she still barely reached my chin.
“You’re perfect, dream girl.”
She bit her lip, twisting her skirt when she gave me a shy smile that made my chest tighten.
I wanted to grab her, toss her on the bed and spend the night showing her just what I thought. Make her come on my tongue and scream my name and—
Goddammit!
Needing to keep myself busy, I shoved a hand into the pocket of my jeans, latching it around the key chain she’d given me. No one’d bought me anything since I was little. Not even Ma. She would’ve, but with dad controlling the cash, it wasn’t in the cards. And dream girl had no clue how deep that hit, or how much more I wanted her for it. The gift wasn’t the point. Sure, it was cute as hell, but it was her interest in my life. In me.
“How long until we leave?” she asked.
“Half hour.”
I headed for the couch and Ryah followed. When I lowered myself onto it, the leather creaked as I gave it my weight. Grabbing my girl’s wrist, I tugged her to me. She sank down, legs falling apart to straddle my hips before she wiggled forward to get closer.
Christ. I hadn’t thought this one through. I groaned, gripping her waist to keep her from movin’ against me more, ’cause I was trying real hard to be civilized and if she didn’t stop…
Setting her palms over my chest, she trailed her small hands north, along my shoulders and around the back of my neck. Her fingers twisted in the hair at the base of my skull, slowly, her eyes going soft when she asked, “Why won’t your dad just leave you alone?”
My gut hardened. “’Cause”—I stared past her out the window—“he’s all about control.” It wasn’t a lie, but it still felt like shit to say. I needed to tell her about my past,all of it. And, damn, if the idea didn’t terrify the hell outta me. I’d never hurt her. Ever. But I could still scare her. Knowing I’d been to jail, done hard time, that on paper, I was no better than my old man…Fuck!
I liked the way she looked at me. Didn’t wanna lose it. Didn’t change the fact that I owed her that truth.
My thumb tracked a long line over her hip. I looked away as my throat locked up. My body coiled tight. I exhaled, rough and harsh.
Tell her, man. Just tell her.
My phone rang with an incoming call and my grip cinched tighter. I didn’t move.
“You gonna check that?” she asked.
I swallowed around the dumb lump in my throat. “Yeah.” I rolled my shoulders and pulled the thing out. When I eyed the name on the screen, I sat up straight. My attention landed on my girl. “You, uh, said you wanted to meet my ma, yeah?”
Her nod was easy. “Yeah.”
