Page 25 of Ride Me

Chapter 5

“What? Rousseau? Is that you?” Allegra turned to look out the window and saw him, phone in hand, staring back at her. Her heart was pounding from running as well as his blunt, vulgar question. If she had any self-respect, she’d hang up the phone right now. “And what the hell did you ask me?”

“I know I have no right, but I have to know. Is that where you went today? To him?”

Of all the nerve.

“You’re right. It is none of your business. Unless I can ask you where you were yesterday. Or about all the people you’ve been with since I met you. And frankly, I can imagine how long that list is and I don’t have that kind of time.”

Silence and shame. Her heart shouldn’t ache at that, but it did. Just enough for her to ease his mind. “Ben and I are friends, Rousseau. He was nice enough to walk me home from Mambo Toussaint’s. You know her, don’t you? Michelle’s mom?”

He didn’t take the bait. “Nothing else?”

“We kissed. At the door.” And I loved it. It was better than a chocolate caramel roll. Better than iced coffee.

All the things she could say to wound his pride ran through her mind, but her throat closed in protest, refusing to lie. Ben’s kiss made her warm, but Rousseau could make her burn with a single look.

He lowered his chin to his chest, his shoulders slumping forward as if protecting himself from a blow. She laid her palm against the glass, wanting to touch him. What was it about this man that made her long to comfort him and tear his clothes off all at the same time? “Did you want me to lie or avoid telling you altogether? What would be the point, when you already know things about me I’ve never shared with anyone else? When I already know you and Ben have shared women before, and it would be a little hypocritical of you to start acting possessive now.”

I know about the Loa. I know about everything. Talk to me.

His head lifted and she could feel his gaze on her body like a physical caress, heating her skin through the space that separated them.

“No, you’re right. I don’t want lies. Not from you.”

She was supposed to be considering her options. Thinking carefully about everything she’d learned and making a rational, well-informed decision. But hearing his voice, feeling this connection, she knew the decision had been made for a while. Right, wrong, or insane, she wanted him.

“No lies. That’s good. Then I’ll tell you I love your new haircut.”

His laugh was an exhalation of surprise as he ran a hand over his shorn hair self-consciously. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. And when Ben kissed me, I was wishing it was you.”

He swore under his breath. “Too much honesty can be a dangerous thing, bebe.”

“Why? I’ve fantasized about you for weeks. I’ve made a fool of myself and you’ve barely given me the time of day until now. Is it because Ben walked me home? The only other time you approached me was when someone was asking me to dance.”

He hesitated, and she knew he was thinking about the fact that it wasn’t really him that last time. “You trying to get me to admit I’m jealous? That it burns to think of someone else getting the chance to touch you when I can’t?”

“Who said you can’t?”

“Allegra, I—”

“You can show me,” she interrupted, shocking herself with her brazen words. “You can’t touch me from there, but you can tell me how you want me to touch myself.”

His low growl vibrated against her ear. “You have no idea how tempting you are.”

She hit the speaker button and set the phone down, her hand going to the top button of her blouse. “I’m not usually,” she admitted, stripping out of her shirt and letting it drop to the floor. “At least, no man I’ve ever known has mentioned it.”

“They’re all idiots. You’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever known. Fearless.”

She didn’t feel all that fearless, but she was more aroused than she wanted to admit when he growled into the phone again, coming closer to his window, as if desperate to see more.

“I’ve been dreaming about your perfect breasts for days. Since the club. Small and perfect with those sassy nipples I want in my mouth. I can still feel you in my hands.”

A warm breeze lifted her hair and her lashes fluttered in surprise. The window wasn’t open, yet she felt it, curling around her neck and down, moving to squeeze her nipples as if in response to Rousseau’s words. “What...?”

Can’t be left out,cher. Let us show Rousseau how much you want him. Want this.

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