Page 18 of A Lot Like Love
“Fuck off, Chase,” Ryder said, arms folded across his chest as he waited for his brother to leave.
“Happy to. Now y’all go have a good day, you hear me,” he drawled, eyes shining as he grinned. “And if you get bored, Chloe, come find me. I’m a whole lot more exciting than this one.”
She hid her smile again as she watched Ryder escort him out. She had no idea what they were talking about, and she didn’t want to know. What she did know was that having Ryder act all possessive over her had been kind of nice, his touch strong, his body even stronger. She’d never had anyone in her corner like that before, and even if wasn’t real, it was amusing.
She just had to remember that for all his talk, he’d gambled away his ranch, and had complete disregard for how fortunate he was, which made him no different from her father. Kinder perhaps, and stronger in plenty of ways, but a gambler was a gambler, and those kind of leopards never changed their spots. So the last thing she needed was to get used to being his girl.Or anyone’s girl.If she was going to have some fun with him along the way, she needed to be careful; so careful that there was no risk of her heart or any other part of her getting broken.
“Sorry about that,” Ryder muttered when he appeared again.
“You’re pretty similar, you know,” she told him, rising and moving closer to him.
“What makes you say that?”
Ryder had looked pissed off before, but now his expression had changed. His face had softened, eyes like question marks as she stopped just in front of him.
“You’re both used to getting exactly what you want,” she said, sucking back a lungful of air as she placed her hands on his shoulders, running her fingertips down his tee and wishing she was touching skin instead. “And you like a challenge.”
“Are you’re saying that’s a good thing or a bad thing?” he asked.
“I’m saying that it’s about time someone took control of you.”
“Hmmm,no,” he said.
“Hmmm,yes.” Chloe stood on tiptoe, still a foot shorter than Ryder. He had to be at least six four, which meant next time she was around him she was going to make damn sure she was wearing heels.
When he bent, Ryder’s mouth was so close to hers that she could kiss him with the smallest tilt forward, could have his lips moving against hers almost instantly, but she didn’t. Instead she looked from his eyes to his mouth, teasing him, thinking about it, almost giving in. Would it be so bad to enjoy him if it was only temporary? If it was clear it was just for fun?
“I thought you didn’t like the idea of being my girlfriend,” he said, shuffling forward an inch, his arms encircling her waist, hands firm over her hips.
“Women are fickle,” she murmured, so close to kissing him. “But this is just for business, to make sure we’re playing our roles right.”
“So youwantto be my bought-and-paid-for mistress?” he asked, grinning as he dipped his head and pressed a soft kiss to her neck, just below her jawline, then another even lower.
Chloe stretched her neck out and bit back the sigh that was so close to escaping, mouth parted in anticipation.Only he didn’t move up, lips caressing her collarbone instead, so gently the pleasure of it almost hurt.
“I’m not your mistress,” she forced out, “because a mistress is never the one calling the shots. Rich men use mistresses then discard them like a used pack of cards.”
He paused, his breath hot against her neck, his head slowly moving up so she could feel the heat against her cheek. Chloe could feel her heart slamming hard against her chest, her breathing rapid, fingers itching to claw over Ryder’s skin.
“I’ve never had a mistress before, so I wouldn’t know.”
She laughed, a throaty rumble that she hardly recognized. “I doubt that very much.”
Now his chest was skimming hers, his mouth even closer, his hands slipping from her hips to touch the top of her butt.
“I’ve had plenty of lovers, Chloe,” he whispered, “just no mistresses. And I’d sure as hell remember if I’d had one like you.”
Ryder stayed still, his breath warm on her skin, closer to her ear now that her lips.
“Does that mean I’m in charge, then?” she asked, turning slightly to the right, never taking her eyes from his mouth.
“It means I’m at your mercy, so do with me what you will, darlin’.”
His sexy drawl rattled her, made her want to rip off his T-shirt and push him down to the floor and take him right there in the living room.
She reached up, fingers crawling up his chest, until she reached his collarbone. With all the willpower she possessed and then some, she clutched the neck of his tee and yanked him forward a little, touching her lips to his so gently it was only the barest brush of their mouths. Need swirled inside her, but she wasn’t ready to give in to her lust, not yet. She wanted to stay in control.
When she pulled back, every part of her screaming out for more, his lips so pillowy and warm, she whispered against his mouth.
“We leave for Vegas in the morning.”
