Total pages in book: 186
Estimated words: 176552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 883(@200wpm)___ 706(@250wpm)___ 589(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 176552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 883(@200wpm)___ 706(@250wpm)___ 589(@300wpm)
My silence was a confession all its own.
A quiet, rough sound escaped him. His hand slipped from my jaw to the back of my neck, cradling me like something precious and breakable. “That part of you… that’s mine. No one else’s.”
His thumb traced over my bottom lip, gentle, but the possessiveness in his eyes turned my bones to liquid. He kissed me so softly it was almost sweet, but the claim in it rooted itself deep in my chest, right beside my thudding heart. When he pulled back, his thumb brushed slow circles on my cheek. His voice came low, almost like a vow.
“I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure it’s always better for you than it is for me.” “I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure it’s always better for you than it is for me.”
I folded into him without thinking, my cheek pressing against his bare shoulder. “It’s supposed to be mutual.”
“With you, it always will be, but I want you so fucking addicted to what I do to you that nothing else even comes close.”
He kissed me one last time. It was quick, light, almost chaste if not for the way his lips lingered a fraction too long, like he was branding me.
“I’ll let you get dressed now.”
I hesitated, my pulse thundering as I glanced down — then back up at him.
“But you didn’t… you’re still…”
A low, lazy chuckle vibrated through his chest. His hand slid over my hip once more, possessive even as he stepped back.
“I can handle this. You couldn’t handle what it would take to fix it.” His gaze dipped to my mouth, then lower, searing through me. “One day.”
Promise and threat stitched together, he finally turned, exiting the bathroom without another word.
I spotted Ryder leaning against the pool table, scrolling through his phone like he hadn’t nearly wrecked me twenty minutes ago. He was in fresh clothes, black tee clinging to him in all the wrong ways beneath his jacket he’d reclaimed, and his dark hair was still wet. He must’ve used the other bathroom to get ready.
I glanced down and—yep. He had definitely taken care of himself. Only the usual print was visible in his grey sweatpants that should honestly be criminalized. Cade was dressed too, already looking at me with a giant grin stretched across his face. Ryder looked up then, and our eyes locked.
He didn’t say anything.
He didn’t have to.
The way his gaze traveled over me, he knew exactly what I was thinking and wanted me to keep thinking about it.
“Ready to go?” he asked.
I nodded, pretending my pulse wasn’t doing gymnastics.
“Good night?” Cade asked, wagging his brows like the instigator he was.
“Great night. Would’ve been a greater morning if someone didn’t decide to sing off-key.”
“That’s rich coming from someone who turns into Cardi B when they get too tipsy,” he shot back.
“Okay, first of all, I only did that once, and I was provoked.”
“Provoked? You pulled a whole Coyote Ugly with Roxxi.”
“Exactly,” I reasoned, straight-faced as I slipped my cheer shoes on since the alternative was the boots I’d been wearing. “I was provoked by the music. It’s like when that one Juvenile song comes on and Cloe immediately gets in position. Ari too.”
Cade mock glared. “Don’t drag sweet Ari into this.”
“She’s not sweet when ‘Back That Azz Up’ comes on,” I quipped, antagonizing him with a grin.
He reached out to grab my bags, shaking his head like I’d just slandered a national treasure. I gave him a grateful smile.
“Such a gentleman,” I teased.
“I try my best. Plus, I figured the guy who made you come seven times last night needed a break.”
My mouth dropped open. “Cade!”
He grinned wider. “I almost stood up and gave a standing ovation.”
Ryder laughed. “I was going to carry them for her, but you already took up the task.”
I groaned and rubbed my hand over my face. “Can we just go?”
Ryder opened the door. “Ladies first.”
“Oh, don’t try and be all gracious now.”
We weaved through the backyard toward the front of the house, the air crisp with that unmistakable fall edge that hadn’t yet turned to full chill. I tugged my sweater down over my leggings.
Cade, never one for silence, looked between us. “So, are you two a thing now, finally, or are we still doing the cryogenic thing?”
Ryder glanced at him, amused. “That was a big word for you.”
“I would fake being offended and call you an asshole, but I only know it from overhearing Ari talk about it with some guy from one of her classes before I stole her for a chat.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “Someone’s been watching too many dating shows.”
As the words left my mouth, a thought lingered. He’d been name-dropping Ari more than usual lately. I hoped I wasn’t reading too much into it. He’d already hurt her once, unintentionally or not, and it was only because Ari had asked me, Cloe, and Roxxi not to say anything that we never did.