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but even poets lie.
“Three weeks before I saw you for the first time, at the end of the summer, I tried to end my life.” He holds up his wrists, showing the marks I’ve seen before. “I failed miserably but told myself I’d try again. I was ready to leave this world. There was nothing left for me in it. Then you appeared, my angel. You revived my heart and breathed life back into me. I knew at that moment, I had to stay for you. Even if it was just to keep you safe for a little while.”
No one has ever spoken such meaningful words to me, about me. I’m pretty sure my heart is now sitting somewhere in my shoe because I can’t feel it. It’s not rapid-firing; it’s quite literally stunned, unable to beat.
“I…I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. That’s not why I’m here. I came to tell you, I’m sorry.”
“Your behavior is so unacceptable, Ridge. I’m not sure how I can ever move forward, even as your friend.”
He smirks, a glint of defiance in the look. “I don’t want your friendship, Angel. I’m not giving up on you. Just becauseyou’veclosed the door on us, doesn’t mean I won’t keep trying to get through it. Take my apology if you will, and I hope you will, but I’m not going anywhere.” He stands up and slides the seat beneath the table. “You’ve moved me more than any human can ever move another. That’s not something I’m willing to let go of. Not in this lifetime, and not in the next.”
As he goes to walk away, something awakens inside me. Call it foolishness, but I don’t want him to leave. Even after he spewed another threat from his foul mouth.
“Wait.” I grab his arm, which is odd, considering he’s always the one stopping me while I’m trying to get away. Ridge spins around, peering down at me. I push myself up and grab his face, bringing his mouth to mine. I’m not sure why I do it. Maybe to see if that spark I felt the first time is still there. Regardless of my reasoning, it is. It’s there. I feel it all. Deep in my core, between my legs, and even in my heart that’s now found its place back in my chest. I feel every emotion in existence, and I hold on tight because the one that I feel the most is acceptance.
I felt something with Maddox, but he bailed. He made a choice, and he walked away when I was ready to drop to my knees and beg.
Ridge never leaves. He’salwaysthere. He doesn’t judge me or put me in the back seat. He doesn’t look down on me or treat me as if I’m beneath him. He doesn’t pity me or back away, no matter how hard I push. For some fucked-up reason, this guy loves me, and maybe for just a minute, I’ll let that be enough.
CHAPTER24
RIDGE
Stunned.Speechless. Completely fucking consumed by this girl. That’s the only way to explain how it feels kissing her right now. The room could be filled with people and all I’d see is her. We could combust into flames and I’d only hold her tighter.
My hands slide down her long-sleeved tee shirt. I keep going until I’m holding either side of her waist beneath the fabric.
The nerves in my head erupt when her fingers weave through my hair. My head tilts slightly to the left, hers angled to the right. Our noses brush and I inhale a deep breath of the air she just exhaled. The overpowering scent of lemons floods my senses. Riley loves lemons, namely lemonade. It’s fitting because my girl is as sweet as she is sour. Behind the lemon scent is a tinge of cotton candy and I’m certain it’s her body spray. She must have replaced the bottle I stole from her room a couple weeks ago. I took it so I could smell her when I miss her the most.
Right now, though, I’ve got her. She’s all mine. The way she pulls me closer and closer reaffirms that she’s slowly falling. She can take her time. As I’ve told her, I’m not going anywhere.
Walking her back a few steps, I stop when her ass hits the table. She sits down, our mouths never parting. A whimper slips through her lips and the vibration against my mouth has my cock twitching. It feels like home between her legs, and I never want to leave.
“Ridge,” she whispers, and on the off chance her mutter is a warning that we need to stop, I kiss her harder. She relents, pulling out of the kiss, no matter how hard I fight to keep her in it.
My soul shatters momentarily, but when she sucks in her bottom lip and smirks, the pieces come back together. Breathless, she says, “Not here.”
“Not here,” I repeat her words. “Okay.” Taking her hand, I lead her quickly across the small meeting room. Through a door in the back, there’s an auditorium that’s used for plays by the drama club and concerts by the band. I take her through the door, moving quickly out of fear she’ll change her mind.
Still holding her hand tightly, I push the drawn curtain on the stage back and lead her behind it.
It’s fairly dark, but a dim light on the back wall shows me enough of her beautiful face.
Riley surprises me by grabbing my face in her hands and putting our mouths back together. I step into her, walking her backward until her back is mounted on the wall. Her legs wrap around my waist, caging me in while I hold her in place with an arm under her ass.
Trailing my mouth down her neck, I suck and kiss, feasting on her delicate flesh like it’s my favorite dessert. Her skin tastes as good as her mouth, like salted caramel. A delicious fucking treat.
Self-control eludes me as I remove my hand that’s keeping her pinned to the wall. Her feet catch her fall and I shove my hand down the front of her pants. There’s no trailing of fingers leading up to it. Patience isn’t my strong suit.I go straight for her cunt, cupping it with my palm. I’m a bit surprised to find that it’s bare. It wasn’t long ago I watched her shower, while getting herself off, and she had a mound of hair coating her pussy. I can only assume she did that for me.
She better have done it for me.
Wandering thoughts get the best of me, and now more than ever, I have an agonizing hunger to take what’s mine.
With her head rested back against the wall, Riley keeps her eyes on mine. Peering up at her while I pepper kisses along her chin, I stick two fingers inside her wet pussy. Her legs open wider, inviting me in, and I accept the invitation. Curling my fingers, I plunge deeper, hitting her G-spot as she utters a yelp.
“You like that, Angel?”
