Page 90 of Rear View
That bottom lip stuck out. “Why not?”
I took it between my teeth, then released. “That ain’t why I did this, yeah. I wanted to give my girl what she needed.”
She tugged the front of my shirt. “And what about what you need?”
I wanted it—wanted all of her—real goddamn bad, but I wasn’t about to risk messing things up by going too far too fast. Not with her. Dragging her hips to the edge of the bed, I angled in and kissed the line of her jaw. “You’re what I need, Ryah.”
Her smile was electric before she nuzzled her nose into my neck, then sighed, long and slow and so damn content. “I like you, Xavier. A lot.”
My fingers flexed, digging into her waist ’cause that was music to my ears. “Say that a little louder, darlin’.”
She chuckled. “You heard me.”
“Damn right I did, but that shit’s good for my ego.” I pulled back, took her face in my hand, then pinned her with my taunting gaze. “Now, say it again.”
She rolled her lips around her teeth and bit down to fight her grin.
Silence.
I cocked a brow in challenge. “No?” My palms landed on her ribs and tracked up when I repeated,“No?”I shook my head slowly, then clicked my tongue. “You gonna play me like that?”
Her chest shook from her contained laughter.
“If that’s how it is, then.” Snapping my hands under her arms, I jerked her into the air. She shrieked when she flew up as I lifted her above my head.
“Put me down,” she said through a fit of laughter that weakened her demand.
“Nah.” I dipped my head to the side, pretending to see up her skirt. “I’m kinda likin’ this view.”
Her laughs morphed to giggles, and she wriggled in my grasp.
“Ain’t no escapin’ me.” I dragged my teeth over her thigh. “Not until you say it again.”
Her words came out through a squeal when she repeated, “IsaidI like you a lot.”
I launched her onto the mattress, where she bounced onto her side. “Damn right you did,” I said, tapping her ass.
She straightened her dress as she faced me andtsked. “So greedy.”
Setting a knee down, I crawled up the bed and ranged over her. “I’m greedy for everything you got. All of it. You’re mine now.” I hovered my mouth against hers when I said, “I’m keepin’ you, dream girl.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ryah
Xavier hadinsistedon lugging my suitcase up to my apartment when he’d dropped me off the next night. Just crossing the threshold was like reentering a prison. The closer we’d drawn to the city, the more that tension had crept back in. The air felt heavier, made it harder to breathe.
I wanted to go back to our hotel but I’d shoved my work aside long enough, so like it or not, I needed to dive in.
Turning on the kitchen sink, I filled a glass and drank deep. The air in the apartment was warm, my cotton fitted tank top and night shorts comfortable.
The latch turned, the front door creaking open, and I jolted. Zoya pushed inside.
“You’re home!” she squeaked, hair streaming behind her as she sealed the distance to me. When she stopped, her face was less than an inch from mine. “First of all,” she wagged a finger in front of my nose, “welcome home, hussy. Second, you did not, in fact,keep me posted!”
I snickered and threw my arms around her in a hug, squeezing tight.
She pecked my cheek and pulled back. “So”—she waggled her brows—“he kept you busy, huh?”
