Page 103 of Wicked Little Game
“Any issues with his business?”
“No, and stop distracting,” she says, switching the topic.
That’s going to be a wonderful discussion. One for another day. Good for her that I’d gladly spend the rest of my life listening to her arguing me into the ground.
She yelps as I pick her up, walking out onto the patio. I still don’t feel comfortable smoking inside, not even when the house smells like a hardware store.
May had been hot, but now even the nights are so warm that it’s a good idea to sit out there by the pool.
She snuggles against me as we sit down on the lounger, chuckling as she sees the bracelet around my wrist. It’s the exact chuckle I expected to hear from her, and my heart feels like it’s ready to burst.
“I googled it, by the way.”
“What?”
“Ivan Pavlov. You conditioned me into loving you, dipshit.”
“Do you want a treat for learning his name?” she says with a laugh. “And did you just say that you love me?”
“Don’t make me take it back,” I whisper against her lips. “But yes, I love you. And not just because you rewired my brain to feel this way.”
“I love you too,” she says, kissing me softly. “Good thing that you came back now, because otherwise you wouldn’t get to have a say in the remodeling process of our house.”
“Our house?”
“Yeah, our house. Unless you don’t want to move in.”
She laughs, leaning back so that she can look at me while we talk.
“And you’re okay with me not being around all the time?”
“I’m okay with it, as long as you’re okay with me pulling up with a fucking tank if someone does as much as harm a hair on your head.”
I know that she’s serious, and I love her for it. Rockwell was right when he told me we could make it work.
If any woman on this earth would be open to putting up with the box of damaged goods that’s labeled Samuel Ryves,it’s Ruby. Not that she is the poster child of emotional regulation, but maybe two halves can make a whole.
“Max promised me I could drive one when I come to visit you guys at base. And you should be nicer to Charlie. He really looks up to you.”
“You wanted to come visit them?”
“Kind of. They invited me. Charlie said something about civs not being allowed on base, but they threatened to remove him from the group chat if he snitched on us.”
I shake my head with a laugh, pulling her closer.
“I think they plotted something to get us to talk. I probably would have showed up on your doorstep in a week or two if you wouldn’t be here now,” she says, nuzzling against my neck.
“Guess we should thank them,” I murmur, pressing my hips up against her because she, not very subtly, started grinding over my lap.
She moans softly, her hot breath fanning over my skin and every needy sound that leaves her goes straight to my cock.
“But there’s something else I want to do first,” I growl as I pull her shirt off.
EPILOGUE
Samuel
The sounds of slot machines, people’s excited voices, and the distinctive clacking of tokens being stacked fill my ears. I’m on the verge of sensory overload, already regretting agreeing to this trip, but I think I’m doing a pretty good job at hiding it. Admittedly, the way Ruby’s body feels in my lap is helping. My personal fidget toy.
