Page 43 of Release Me

“Maria from the first floor. We’ll get rid of all the trash and empties and leave cash for her.”

“Don’t you just haveallthe answers.” I sigh heavily. “I want a lock on my door.”

“For what?” Ronan blurts, and then his jaw tenses. “I mean, no one’s going in your room. We’ll make sure people know the rules.”

“People break rules when they’re horny.” I stare at him pointedly. Like the one where he wasn’t going to fuck his friend’s sister.

The corners of Ronan’s mouth curve through a sip. “Fair enough.”

Connor’s phone chirps with a text. He dismisses my request with a “Fine” as he reads his message, then elbows Ronan. “Sherrie and Georgia are going to Sin tonight. You in?”

His words feel like a gut punch. Sherrie. She’s the one who doesn’t know her left from her right.

“No thanks,” Ronan says without missing a beat.

“Are you kidding? Dude! They were smoking hot.”

“Been there, done that.” His eyes glimmer across mine before he takes a long sip of his beer.

Connor is not accepting his answer. “What’s wrong with you, man? You turned those girls down last night. Now you’re saying no to these two. Is your dick not working or are you getting something somewhere that I don’t know about?”

Please be too dense to figure it out, dear idiot brother.

I stick my head in the fridge, afraid Connor will see the answer in my face. Or that he’ll see my stupid grin of satisfaction, hearing that Ronan isn’t picking up other women.

Thankfully, Connor’s phone rings, distracting him before he forces an answer from Ronan. “Shit, I gotta take this. Hey,Mom … Yeah, I know. I’m sorry. I’ve been busy … You know, same old. Next Saturday … Yeah, it should be a blast.”

I take the opportunity to glance over and catch Ronan’s focus on my ass. He lifts his gaze to meet mine, to see my quirked brow, the one that says I’ve caught him.

He subtly nods toward our rooms and then, easing off the couch, saunters down the hall, disappearing into the bathroom.

“Five months … Sorry, I don’t think I can make it.” Connor’s mom is no doubt asking him to visit her in Orlando. “Yeah, she’s here. Studying. Always studying. Finally broke up with the douchebag.”

I roll my eyes but throw a wave Connor’s way. Danielle has always been kind to me, even though I’m a byproduct of her ex-husband’s affair.

“She says hi.”

With nervous flutters in the pit of my stomach, I collect my container of veggies and hummus and my water and head toward my room. I get as far as the bathroom when Ronan reaches out and, grabbing hold of my wrist, pulls me in.

“What are you doing?” I hiss.

He takes my dishes and sets them on the vanity. “How long do you think he’ll be occupied?”

“At least twenty minutes.” Danielle loves to talk and now that she’s pinned down her son, she won’t let him go so easily.

“That should be enough time.”

“We can’t! Connor’sright there.” Even as I deny him, my hands smooth over Ronan’s chest, the soft cotton of his T-shirt hugging his curves. It’s the first chance I’ve had to touch him so freely like this and he is all hard muscle.

His fist curls around my ponytail and he pulls, tilting my head back until I meet molten eyes. “Then you shouldn’t have stuck your ass in the air like that, wearing these.” His gaze settles on my mouth as he pinches at my leggings, stretching them.

A giggle slips from my lips as my confidence soars, earning a crooked smile from him.

This is surprisingly fun.

And I so badly want him to kiss me.

Ronan leans forward, and I think he’s read my mind, he’s going to grant my wish. But he veers at the last second, the heat of his breath skating over my cheek. His lips settle on my neck. “I need to come, Ryan,” he whispers, his tongue dancing over my skin, sending shivers all the way down to my nipples. “I need you to make me come right now.”

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