Page 53 of Ruthless Rose

His brows raise. “I’ve been a real pain in your ass.”

I give him a closed mouth smile, my shoulders inching toward my ears again. “Maybe.”

We’re quiet for a while as he holds me, offering me comfort within his strong embrace. I burrow closer. “What else do you need, Daph?” His voice has gone husky, and he nuzzles the shell of my ear with his nose.

When our gazes meet again, I’m spellbound, shaking my head. I’m not sure what he’s asking.

“Do you need … me?”

The storm in his eyes causes heat to flow through my veins. “I know I’m not supposed to want you. But I do.” My quiet admission seems to knock him off balance. “Needing someone. That’s another level entirely.” I swallow, watching his eyes flash with emotion.

“Daphne … I think I need you. But I don’t want you to get hurt.”

I blink. “I—”

He brushes his lips over mine. “Things might be hard for a while.”

“Is anything worth having easy?”

He shakes his head, then sighs. “I hate to bring it up, but Alora—”

“Is psycho. I know.”

“Aren’t you going to ask what we argued about this morning?”

“That’s not my business, Micah.”

“What if I want it to be your business?”

My breath hitches as he lowers his mouth, delivering a soft, sensual kiss to my lips that leaves me trembling. He strokes his hands down my back and cups my ass, bringing me closer.

I want to be so much closer.

“Are you still coming to the game tonight? And the party?”

I smile. “I’m about to go to physics and confirm that, but yeah. I’ll be there—” I bite down on my lip, trying to stop myself from finishing my thought. It’s completely useless. “I’ll be there either way.”

“Really?” His eyes light up.

I nod. “I won’t let you down, Micah. If you say you need me, I’ll be there. Not like—”

His body stiffens and his eyes slam shut for a split second right before he takes my head between his big hands. His tongue sweeps along my lip before it plunges inside my mouth to tangle with mine. The rest of what I was going to say about his family letting him down is lost to the moment.

Forgetting where we are, I return his kiss with equal heat and slide my hands up his chest. I want to rip his clothes off and feel his skin against mine again. I want all of his lust. All of his passion. All of his desire.

His tongue strokes against mine, hungry. “Fuck. I want to fuck you right here against this wall. Make you scream my name.” My mouth gapes at his words, and he chuckles. “Don’t worry. I have a little more decorum than that. It’s just a fantasy. What do you dream about, Daph?”

I look up at him, feigning confusion. “Don’t you know?”

He frowns.

“I thought that’s what Daph’s Dream Dick was all about.”

Laughing loudly, he hauls me to him, kissing the top of my head. “You surprise me all the time, Daph. I like it. A lot.

---