Page 39 of Clashing
“Ice?”
“Nah, just give me a minute.”
“You need to go to the doctor—”
“No.” He straightened his knee, a determined frown on his face. “No doctors.”
“Stubborn as a fucking mule, I swear,” I muttered, returning to the sink.
He scoffed. “Look who’s talking.”
A witty retort died on my lips when he hissed in pain. He really needed to do something about his knees before he couldn’t walk at all.
I finished the dishes and said goodbye to Dan with a kiss on the cheek. On my way to the bar, I spotted Ryker reclined against the wall in the alley with his thick arms on display over his chest.
My heart raced. His fervent stare stopped me in my tracks. Eyes dark, he uncrossed his arms and beckoned me. It shouldn’t have been that easy for him to get me over there, yet my feet wouldn’t stop moving.
The moment I was in reach, he seized my hips. His warm, calloused hand cupped my face, and his lips caught mine in a kiss that sparked tingles all over my body. His hands slid down and claimed my ass with a tight squeeze. Breaking the kiss, he slipped his hands into my back pockets as he nuzzled my neck.
“This is just fucking.” His teeth scraped my skin. “You know that, right? It won’t turn into anything else.”
“I know.” I angled my head and lost my fingers in his dark hair. “I don’t want anything else.”
“Good.” He smacked my ass. “You’re coming home with me tonight.” He grabbed my hand and had me halfway around the building before I processed his statement.
“Wait, I need stuff.”
“What stuff?”
“Uh, keys? My car?”
“You don’t need your car, and I already locked your door.” My keys dangled from his finger, and I gaped.
“Seriously? Do you know any boundaries?”
“Well,youweren’t going to do it.”
“Dude, you need to get over that.”
He halted and dragged my body to his. “Scarlett, if you keep pissing me off, I’m going to edge you all night and not let you come.”
I licked my lips, and his gaze darted to the movement. He groaned and pulled me into another kiss, his tongue sweeping over my lips. “You’re going to be the death of me, I swear,” he grumbled, taking my hand again.
I formed a retort in my head, but it vanished the moment he handed me a helmet. I paled at the motorcycle we paused in front of. “Uh, no.” I shoved the helmet into his arms. “I don’t think so.”
“Why not?”
“Why don’t I just bring my truck?”
“What’s wrong?” His lips lifted in a smirk. “You scared?”
“I’m not scared. I just don’t like motorcycles.”
“You’re such a bad fucking liar. Come on, sugar. I promise I won’t drive crazy. Live a little.”
I scrunched my nose at the beast of death he called a vehicle. He gripped my neck and kissed me, his tongue plunging between my lips and caressing mine. “Come on, Scarlett,” he murmured against my mouth. “Have a little faith.”
My insides fluttered in demand for more kisses. A demand I didn’t have the strength to deny. “Fine.”
