Page 100 of Special Delivery

“They haven’t told me everything, but I know he hurt you.”

“Hurt me?” I huff a laugh. “That sounds so simple. I was living a lie for four goddamn years.”

His eyes widen and I sigh.

“Bradley was…decisive. He liked to decide on when and where we will meet and how much time we’ll spend together. He claimed to have healthy boundaries, but it turned out he had a wife and a daughter the whole time.” My gaze lifts back to the stars, avoiding his. “I found out after the wife did because she accused me of stealing her husband and destroying her daughter’s family. Bradley ended up claiming I seduced him to get a better grade, even though I was long done with his class before we started dating. He wanted to paint me as the bad guy. And he succeeded.”

“Fuck, Paige… That’s even worse than I thought.” His hand start drawing soothing circles over my palm, and my head swims.

“When I saw you drop off Chrissy, the memories flooded my mind. I knew, deep down, that there were a million explanations for who she might be to you, but none of them mattered. Because I remembered how bad of an idea it is to trust someone.” This is only the second time I shared the story, but somehow, it’s a load off my mind. Still, it doesn’t change how I feel.

“Isn’t it a bad idea to lose someone you grew close to?”

“You don’t get it.” My eyes snap to his. “It’s not hard for me to trust someone. It’s impossible. So, thank you for the effort, but you can quit now.” Even though my voice cracks with emotion, I manage to keep my composure.

“I’m not going to. Especially not after finding out the reason for your fear.” His answer, though completely contradicting what I said, doesn’t surprise me.

“I know you enjoy arguing with me for some reason, but this is not an argument you can win.”

“Can’t I?” His question is a challenge.

“Fucking Jordan,” I murmur, and he smiles softly. “She never should’ve told you.”

“She just wants you to be happy.”

“Who says I’m not?”

“I do. I say you’re happier with me, and I think you know it. You’re just too scared to admit it. It’s obvious I’m the brave one out of the two of us.”

His words grate on my nerves. I know they’re a cheap taunt, but my competitiveness still comes out swinging. I rise to my feet, extracting my hands from his hold. He stands up, too.

“How about you? What’s this about you leaving the country?”

“Why do you even care?” With a smug look on his face, he crosses his arms in front of his chest.

I let out a huff. “I don’t, but running away doesn’t sound very brave.”

“Who says I’m running away? Don’t try to turn this on me. The only reason you’re not kissing me right now is because you’re terrified you wouldn’t be able to stop.”

“Pfft.” My lips blow a raspberry, though my heartbeat pulses loudly in my throat.

“Prove it. Come on, show me you can touch me and feel nothing. Show me, and I’ll let you go.”

A beat passes. Two. Then, just like the last time he challenged me, I wrap my hand around the collar of his shirt, pulling him closer. Unlike the first time, this isn’t an exploration. No, our lips colliding feels like coming home after a long day. Our tongues tangle passionately as our bodies fuse together. His heart thuds so hard, I feel it through both our clothes.

One of his hands wraps tightly around my back as the other grabs me by the back of my hair. The sting of my scalp shoots straight to my core, which is already dripping and begging for friction. Maybe I was too confident when he challenged me, because the thought of our lips separating feels unbearable now.

“Fuck, you taste good,” Ryan murmurs, not separating our mouths.

I let out a moan as he walks me back to the nearest available surface. My ass perches on a wooden table, and he spreads my legs to step closer. I lock my ankles behind his back, and the stiff ridge of his cock makes contact with my clit, eliciting a moan from my bruised lips. My back arches with the friction of him grinding his hips over my most sensitive spot.

“Ryan, I need you.” My voice is a breathy whisper and completely incompatible with my previous statement, but I can’t force myself to care. There’s a need building deep inside of me, one that wants to swallow all other thoughts, leaving only him in my body and mind.

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

Ryan

There’s no time to waste. Supporting her back, I use my other hand to grab the waistband of her panties and pull them down her legs. It’s rough and hurried, and still nowhere fast enough for my aching cock. I slip the underwear into my pocket, unwilling to part with it.