Page 56 of Riding Dirty

When his fingers curl around the sheet at my chest, he tugs it off in one swift move, pulling it out of my grasp before it even registers what he’s done. As much as I would love to be with him again, I know I need to get going. If I don’t, I might stay in this bed with him all day long. Who needs money, food, or anything when we have sex?

“I have to get ready for work,” I mutter.

He snorts, moving forward, his lips wrapping around my nipple and sucking deeply. My eyes roll, my eyelids flutter closed, and my head falls back against the headboard. He hums, the vibration sliding throughout my entire body, and that’s when I know I’m going to be late for work, which is fine because I’m pretty sure Alex is going to be late, too.

CHAPTER

FORTY-FOUR

WRATH

Standing with my hip against the sink, a cup of coffee in my hand, I hear a knock on the front door. I know who it is before I even look through the peephole.

It’s Alex.

I also know that he was out last night. I saw him leave on my way up. I made sure he didn’t see me, but at this point, seeing him is unavoidable. Pushing off the counter, I walk over to the door and tug it open, fully expecting him to give me some shit the moment he sees me.

But he doesn’t.

Instead, he walks right past me and heads straight over to the coffee system that Elodie has set up. I don’t understand the damn thing, but she makes a mean cup of coffee, so I’m not going to question it or bitch about it.

“Mornin’,” I murmur as I close the door behind him.

I walk over to the little table that Elodie has and sink down into one of the chairs, setting my coffee down as I watch him and wait for his response. Granted, I don’t know him well, but I’ve never seen Alex look so… disheveled.

I assume he’s got a hangover, and I would assume there was some serious sexscapading last night, too. Leaning back in the chair, I lift my cup to my lips and take a sip, continuing to watch him as I wait for a response.

Once he’s finished doing whatever the fuck he’s doing at the little coffee area, he turns around slowly, his cup in his hand. I watch as he closes his eyes, lifts the cup to his lips, and takes a sip.

His eyes open, and then they connect to mine. “Okay,” he states, “what the fuck is going on here? And don’t even fuck with me, because I am still drunk from last night and tired as fuck.”

My lips twitch into a smirk while my gaze searches his for a moment. I stifle the laugh that is threatening to bubble up from my throat. I think about telling him to fuck off and mind his own business, but I also know that Elodie is his business—she’s his family.

“I had some work shit come up with Cake. It was an emergency that took me out of town. As soon as I got back, I came here.”

He watches me, though I can’t tell if he thinks I’m full of shit or what. He just looks really fucked up and ready to puke at any given moment. He takes another sip of his coffee, his eyes never leaving mine.

“You should have texted her,” he deadpans.

No shit.

“Yeah, Elodie made sure to inform me of that. Gotta admit, never had any kind of relationship like this, so I’m gonna fuck up.”

“You’re almost fifty.”

I’m sure that’s meant as some kind of insult, but I don’t take it as one. First of all, I know my age, and that’s my age. I’m not going to get insulted because someone points it out. Secondly, relationships aren’t needed in my world. I’ve never had the inclination or desire to do that.

Not until I met Elodie.

“And you’ve been to the clubhouse, yeah?” I ask.

He wrinkles his nose, and then something slides behind his gaze, and I can’t read the expression. He’s thought about something, and I’m not sure I want to know what it is. There is a glint in his eyes that I don’t think is for me to know.

“Yeah, I’ve been to your clubhouse,” he says before he clears his throat and takes another sip from his mug.

I hear the shower turn off, and I know Elodie is going to come out soon to get dressed for the day. This conversation needs to be done and over with before she does. I can’t have Alex pissed at me, not after I already got him somewhat on my side.

“Then you know relationships aren’t needed. Some guys date girls in town. Some of them have even had kids and gotten married, but I’ve never felt the need. Never had the desire. It’s been easy, and easy has worked for me.”