“I thought you were going to be nice to the donors. I think you referred to yourself as the perfect date.”
“Back to my question. Why am I suddenly your bodyguard? Why are you deviating from our plan? Who is that asshole?”
“He’s a nice guy. I’ve known Rider for almost two years,” I tell him. “He’s fine. He?—”
“There’s nothing nice about him. He couldn’t take his eyes off your tits.”
“You’re exaggerating yet again.”
“He wants to fuck you; did you know that?”
“No, he doesn’t. He wants to date me, but?—”
“Same thing.”
“It isn’t the same thing. He wants to get to know me.”
“So that he can spread your legs and fuck you.”
I gasp. “You’re being crass. What has gotten into you, Ridge?” I finally manage. “Why don’t you go back to Cassia and leave me alone. You looked really cozy with her. Don’t let me hold you back.”
“I’mnotinterested in Cassia.”
“The two of you were flirting. I saw it with my own eyes. I left to give you some space to work your magic, and you didn’t even know I was gone.”
“Work my magic.” He snorts and sort of smiles. It’s feral, and I feel it in my lower belly, which I hate. “She was flirting with me while I was trying to placate her. To let her down easy so?—”
“Is that what we’re calling it? From where I was standing, it sure as hell looked like flirting.”
“So you had to find the first male and throw yourself at him?”
“Yes,” I shoot back. “I am a woman with needs, and you clearly aren’t interested in meeting them, so I’ll look elsewhere.”
Okay. Shit. I hadn’t meant to say that.
“Oh, I’m plenty fucking interested.” His voice has dropped low and dangerous. He’s closer now, his chest almost against mine. “I’m trying to do the right thing here, Robyn.”
“Well, do me a favor and don’t. I’m sick of you doing the right thing.”
Then his mouth is on mine. He cups my face in both his big hands, tilts my head back, and kisses me like I’m all he needs. There is nothing soft about it. It’s deep and demanding, and my brain shuts off in an instant.
I make a small noise against his mouth. His hands slide from my face. One drops to my shoulder. The other lands at my waist and uses it to walk me backward. My shoulder blades meet the cool wall. My dress slides up against the surface. He doesn’t stop kissing me. His tongue strokes against mine. His teeth catch my lower lip, just enough to make me gasp, and he uses the gasp to deepen the kiss.
His knee nudges between mine, and I let it. I grip his huge biceps and make a small whimpering sound.
Then his hand is at the hem of my long skirt. He gathers it up in one fist, dragging the fabric up the outside of my thigh. Up, up, and up some more. He keeps going until I feel his palm against my hip. He grips my pussy in his big hand over the thin fabric of my panties, cupping me. His thumb is directly over my clit. It’s warm and pressing.
He breaks the kiss long enough to put his mouth right against the corner of mine. “Tell me to stop.” It’s not a request. It’s an instruction. I should heed it. I really should.
I open my mouth to say it, but a different word comes out.
“No,” I whisper against his lips. “I want you.”
His fingers hook into the side of my panties, and he yanks them aside.
