Page 59 of Riot of Autumn

Her nails dig into my arms hard enough that I might be bleeding. And just like that, I get it. She’s worried about me. She’s struggling because of what almost happened to me. It shouldn’t make me feel a stupid warm glow inside, but fuck, knowing that she’s concerned about me unleashes the animal inside me.

“I’m here. I’m never leaving your side, Ruby. They’ll have to chop me into pieces and bury me in the four corners of the earth in order to keep me away.”

“The earth is round. There are no corners,” she says through a rough breath, and I grin down at her.

“It’s a saying, Cube.”

“It’s wrong.”

God, I fucking love this woman.

“You missed the important part of that statement.” I press a kiss to her forehead and her hands drift down my arms to settle on my sides.

“Don’t tell me how I should or shouldn’t interpret the shit you say,” Ruby says, a small smile lifting her lips. I drop another kiss to the corner of her eye and then the tip of her nose.

“But I love bossing you around,” I murmur against her lips, brushing my mouth back and forth over hers. It’s not even a kiss, just a tease that kindles the spark of connection that exists between us.

“Stop talking and kiss me, you idiot.” Ruby pulls at my sides, sliding our wet bodies together, and my brain finally catches up to the rest of me. Ruby’s naked body is crushed tightly to mine. Her breasts against my chest, her thighs pressed to mine. And because there’s nothing else I want more in this world than to kiss her right then, I do.

The softness of moments before is gone. In its place is a jagged, unrelenting need to claim her. For the both of us to prove that we’re still here and alive. Sharing one breath, our mouths collide in a violent clash of tongues and desire.

“Fuck, I need you,” I groan into her mouth, dragging my hands down her back and grabbing her ass as I rock against her.

“Then stop talking so much and do something about it,” Ruby says with a gasp, her head falling back.

I kiss a path down the column of her throat, sinking my teeth into the skin where her neck and shoulder meet. Ruby’s squirming in my arms, pulling at my body while needy sounds fall from her lips.

“Turn around,” I growl, spinning her before I give her the chance to disobey. Her hands land on the rough tile of the wall, and she looks at me over her shoulder with fire in her eyes. I love the challenge in them, even though she’s doing exactly what I asked. I never want to see that numb look on her face again.

I trace the arch of her back, and her body moves with my touch like a cat. My hand skates over her ass, and because it’s too luscious to deny, I land a slap to her perfectly round cheek. The sound is loud as it echoes around the shower, and I chuckle at Ruby’s low growl.

“You just wait. I’ll be reciprocating.”

My chuckle grows louder, but I don’t let Ruby get any more words out. My hand is between her thighs, and I sink a finger into her waiting body. She’s already so damn wet and I’ve barely touched her.

Any protests are replaced with short breathy pants as I add another finger, sliding them in and out of her to the beat of her pulse. I see it pumping in her neck and I suck on the spot, eliciting a long groan from her. I’m tempted to drop to my knees and start all over with my mouth, but there’s a small part of me that’s still aware that all our friends are out in the other room. I’m sure they’ve guessed what’s going on in here, but we probably shouldn’t spend hours fucking each other, as much as I’d like that.

Ruby groans when I pull my fingers away, but it quickly turns into a moan when I line up my dick and press inside. I have to stop and take a breath, because everything about Ruby undoes me. I’ve barely got the tip in and I’m afraid I’m going to explode the second I’m buried inside her.

Ruby arches her back, pushing her ass back and making me slide in a few inches. I fist her hair in one hand and grip her hip with the other, forcing her to stay still until I can’t take it. The sound that comes out of my throat as I slam into her is pure animal. The growl reverberates around my bathroom, and I have no doubt they can hear it in the other room. I don’t give a fuck. Let them all hear how much I want this woman. How much she unravels me until I’m lost to my most animalistic nature.

“Ezra,” Ruby moans my name, sobbing with pleasure as I tug her head back and claim her parted mouth with a kiss. I want to drown in every part of her, her mouth, her skin, her taste, and smell.

The kiss is sloppy, my hard thrusts making it difficult to keep that contact. Ruby pulls away with a long moan when I let go of her hair to grip her other hip. The feel of her, of sinking deep inside her, has me rabid, lost.

“You feel so fucking good, Ruby,” I rasp, sliding my hand over her hip and down between her legs. I find her clit and rub it in time with my thrusts.

“Oh fuck, Ezra. Shit. Don’t stop, don’t…” Ruby gasps, her legs trembling. Her body starts to shake as she falls apart on my cock. The feel of her, hot and wet, squeezing and pulsing around me is all it takes. I shout her name as I thrust once more and come with a rush of pleasure so damn strong my legs nearly give out.

It takes a minute for the world around us to come back into focus. The water is pounding against my back—thankfully, it hasn’t gone cold yet. I’m still buried deep inside Ruby and when I pull out, she moans like she already misses the feeling of me.

“Come here,” I murmur, my voice sounding rough again. I’m tired as fuck, but I’m also wired. Having Ruby here with me has all my emotions on the surface and my whole body feels raw.

Ruby doesn’t fight it when I pull her back under the water. She watches with half-lidded eyes and a soft smile while I wash her body clean and then her hair. When I move to make quick work of washing any remnants of the ocean off my body, Ruby pushes my hands aside and takes over. Her hands glide over my shoulders and down my arms. Across my stomach and lower until she’s fisting my dick and sliding her hand up and down.

“If you start that, we’ll be in here all night. I guarantee one of our friends will barge in here at some point once they get sick of waiting for us.”

“I’m surprised it hasn’t happened already.” Ruby chuckles and, regretfully, drops my dick. She presses a kiss to my chest and then moves out of the shower with a sigh. “Let’s go have our team meeting.”

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