Page 34 of Inflame Me
God, I hope my mom is doing better today.
“Rhys, let me up,” I demand.
He lets out a soft chuckle then releases me. He falls out of me as I rise, and then I quickly pick up my clothes from the floor and throw them on my body.
“Bye,” I say, gripping the door.
A steel band wraps around my stomach. He was so quiet I didn’t even hear him get up. As his hot chest rests against my back, I should feel utterly relaxed and satisfied, but unfortunately, I don’t.
“Lips,” he orders, but I’m not in the mood.
“Rhys, let me go.”
He turns me in his arms, his face close to mine, as I grip his strong arms. “First, you don’t leave me without a kiss. Ever. Second, remember what I said; I run this.” The way he says it makes my knees weak, and I seriously don’t know why.
“I have to go,” I tell him softly, my pulse racing again for the second time this morning.
“I have had a taste of you, Tanner, but I’m eating until I’ve had my fill.”
I don’t respond. I can’t with his tongue down my throat as he takes everything from me, his mouth hot and delicious. He pulls away, and I find my lips wanting to follow him.
“Go. Be ready in an hour.” He turns me, opens the door, and with a small nudge, I’m out in the hallway.
What in the hell just happened here? I breathe out hard. I need to get to my mother.
A loud whistle comes from down the hall, and my head darts to it. Princess stands there, shaking her head back and forth, but she has a smile on her face. I don’t know if she’s unhappy with me or if she thinks I’m crazy. I know I’m crazy, so that one is an easy call.
I move down the hall toward her—well, toward the door where my mom is.
“What did I tell you about that one, Tanner?” She shakes her head like she can’t believe me. “Girl, you don’t know what you signed up for.”
I huff out a breath. Maybe she can tell me.
“Care to tell me, because at this point, I really don’t know.” I look to the ceiling like it will give me some divine intervention. It doesn’t come.
“I told you he’s hardcore. Don’t be surprised if he has another woman in that bed tonight. Hell, even later today. Don’t get your heart involved. I love Rhys, but he bounces to his own rules.” She shakes her head in disbelief. “And you are way too innocent to be caught up in that.”
“It was just one night. It’s not like I’m asking him to marry me or something.” I’m not. No. But the thought of another woman in his bed does something to my gut, making it swirl to the point that I want to throw the hell up.
“We’ll see,” she says, moving away from my mother’s door.
I open it to find my mother is sitting up. She’s awake, but drowsy.
“Where have you been?” she asks, her words a little slow.
“I was just hanging out.” Like I want to tell my mother where I spent the night.Oh, hey, Mom, I had a one-night stand with my father’s friend.That’s not something she needs to know.
When I sit on the bed next to my mom and take her hand, she doesn’t flinch as badly as before. I guess that is progress. Right? She looks better today, more alert. More like my mom.
I can’t lie to her, but I’m just not ready to talk to her about Rhys.
“We need to get a few things packed up. The cops from home are coming here to talk to us. The club has a place they are going to take us to so we can get questioned.”
Her eyes widen. “I thought all that was done. I called them and went along with your story.”
“They have more questions.”
“Dammit, I bet anything it’s his buddy Griff who’s coming. That man…” She closes her eyes. “He’ll be tough, and we need to keep our stories together.”
