Page 51 of Hating On Riot

I should’ve believed him. I should’ve known Bella would betray me. But I had refused to see her for who she really was. Bella was a conniving bitch who wreaked havoc on other girls’ relationships with their boyfriends just because she could, with her big blue eyes, red hair, curves, and big tits.

Riot was nothing but good to me, yet I let an entitled, selfish girl turn me against my best guy friend. The guy who helped me with my schoolwork so we could both get good grades, attend the same college, and make something of ourselves. Make our families proud, especially the older brothers we looked up to.

His thick fingers gripping my chin pull me out of my thoughts. I look up at him and blink several times.

“I’m real, Arie.” He lowers his head and brushes his mouth against mine. “We are real. Don’t let anyone come between us again. You get me?”

I give him a firm nod.

“Good.”

“Does that mean I’m yours?” I’d say girlfriend, but that word doesn’t capture what I feel for him. It’s dumb and naïve, but I like to think of him as my soulmate. Or maybe we’re more like star-crossed lovers if our brothers find out.

I shove what they’ll do to one another — and to us — once—if—they find out to the back of my mind.

“Fuck yeah, you are. We already agreed, Arie. We also agreed to take it slow, and I plan to stick to my end.” He searches my face. “You have to stick to yours too. You are Coop’s during the day, but no more PDAs. I was already pissed off seeing the two of you on the field on your first day.”

He lets go of my chin. His massive shoulders droop. Uncertainty crosses his face before he glances away. He’s reliving the moment. My poor guy.

“No more PDAs. I promise.”

My words take away the uncertainty and hurt from his face. I pull him down, full on me, with my hand on the back of his head. It hurts to see him hurt. To know I’m the cause of his insecurities when he is the most secure, confident guy I’ve come across.

Needing to comfort him, I slide my hand under his shirt and skim my fingers down his back. His hum of contentment reverberates against my chest. He loves it when I caress his back. “What should we do about us? About Coop?”

“Status quo for now.”

Ready to move on from the status quo, I slide my other hand under the waistband of his shorts and trace his back dimples. His skin is warm and smooth. Smiling, I go lower, certain his butt is just as warm and smooth but will tighten into balls of muscle under my touch.

“Arie,” he warns, a growl-groan.

I don’t heed his warning. When we secretly dated, I never did. I lived on the dangerous side when it came to Riot. I wasn’t prim and proper. I didn’t follow the same routine, staying within the safety of what I found to be boring but consistent and predictable.

Now? Now I want to let go of safety and fly, as I did in our game where he chased me, caught me, and helped me fly as I stood on the tips of my toes with him behind me, lifting me toward the sky or the kitchen ceiling.

It felt so good and right to be in his arms, and I want that feeling again, but something more memorable. For life.

I wrap my legs around his waist, lift my hips, and grind on his erection. My shorts are thin. I’m not wearing underwear. He’s going commando. I feel everything from the cotton clinging to my wet pussy to how Riot’s cock jerks with need every time I grind my hips on his.

“Arie.” His groan near my ear is thick with longing. Thick. Long. His erection.

“I want a taste, Riot. I . . .” Oh, God, this part is so embarrassing. “I’ve never given a guy a . . . you know, a BJ.”

“Never?” There’s disbelief but also awe.

“I’m a prude.” I bury my face in his shoulder. “But I’ve watched porn, if that gives you any confidence in my ability to make you come so hard you forget your name.”

The room goes deathly quiet.

“Actually, NVM,” I say quickly, with his words about using shorthand at the forefront of my mind. Probably because I’m mortified that I’m being so open with Riot when the acronym BJ didn’t come up in any conversation between Cooper and me.

“This can’t be NVM. Not when we’re in NSFW territory.”

“Riot!”

He chuckles. “Give it to me straight, sweetheart. Why the embarrassment? This is a safe space. Or at least I hope it is. If not, tell me, and I’ll do anything to make sure it is, Arie.”

“Okay, well, here goes.” I stare straight into his green eyes. He’s looking deeply into mine. “I’ll disappoint you,” I mutter.