"You should."
"You get annoyed when Kay does that."
"I don't want to make Kay come on the counter."
"Oh."
"You're fucking adorable nervous."
"I don't get nervous."
"Yeah, you do."
Dean's gun turns off. He stands. Stretches. Looks to us. "You really waiting for me to leave for the show?"
Ryan nods.
"Cruel." He motions to us then turns to his customer. "What would you pay to watch that?"
The guy chuckles. "How come you're not constantly walking around with a black eye?"
"Lightning fast reflexes." He weaves to the right, dodging an invisible punch.
He takes forever cleaning the guy up.
Bringing him to the counter.
Checking out.
Packing up.
God, he's still here.
Ryan leans in to whisper. "I'll get rid of him."
Yes. Now.
He motions to the bathroom. "Meet me here in ten minutes."
I nod.
"Without your panties."
Chapter Thirty-One
Leighton
I leave the door open a crack, but it isn't enough. The air conditioning drowns out Dean and Ryan's conversation.
I shouldn't spy. Even if I'm desperate for more insight into Ryan's thoughts.
We're still carrying on with this ruse even though it's true. We're still going to his ex-girlfriend's wedding. We're still proving some point about how over her he is.
But he is over her. Almost.
And he's obliged to go. His parents are close with her parents. His parents are going to be there. I think. We haven't exactly talked about that. More about how heinous she is. How much I want her to suffer.
But I want her happy and far away so much more.
I take a deep breath and exhale slowly. There's no sense in getting jealous. Ryan is honest with me.
He tells me what he's thinking.
He tells me what he wants.
Right now, he wants to throw me on the counter and fuck me senseless.
Penny's wedding is an excuse to enjoy paradise with my boyfriend. That's all.
"You do realize there's closed circuit security here." Dean's voice flows through the crack in the door.
Ryan chuckles.
"Okay, I'm leaving. But Leighton, you should know anybody can access that footage with the password."
He's right—we have a security camera. But no one checks the footage. And I have the password too. I can easily erase the half an hour in question.
My heartbeat picks up as footsteps move toward the door.
The bell rings.
The door slams into the frame.
I push aside my friends' commentary. I push aside the five foot three, raven-haired, honey-eyed elephant in the room. I push aside everything besides the desire pooling between my legs.
Dean is gone.
It's just me and Ryan.
We've been alone at Inked Hearts a million times. But not like this. Never like this.
After a deep breath, I turn the handle and step into the main room.
The window shades block the sunset. Pink and red string lights glow in the dim room. The hearts shine like stars in a dark sky.
Ryan is leaning against the counter, the picture of patience. His pupils dilate as I unfurl my fist to show off my black panties.
Fuck, it feels so good having every ounce of his attention.
Having him wrapped around my finger.
It's half a dozen steps to him. As soon as his fingers brush my palm, I crumble. I lose any sort of upper hand. But then I don't care about being the one in control.
He takes my panties and slides them into his pocket.
I back into the counter. My palms hit the plastic. Slowly, I push myself up.
I stare into his eyes as I spread my legs.
God, the intensity in those baby blues. Like he's going to devour me. Like he's going to drive me out of my damn mind. No, that isn't a like.
It's exactly what he's going to do.
His fingertips curl into my skin as he places himself between my legs. "You're nervous."
"Not for this."
"Yeah for this."
I hold up my thumb and forefinger. A little. "To leave the shop. To lose my family here." To go to Hawaii and face the possibility of losing him.
"You won't lose me."
"Easy to say when you're about to fuck me."
"I'm not about to fuck you. It's gonna be an eternity before I fuck you."
I swallow hard.
He looks up at me with every ounce of affection in the world. "You won't lose me." He plants a soft, slow kiss on my lips. "This is everything I want."
"But Penny—"
"I don't give a fuck about Penny."
"Then why are we—"
"You want to call it off? Say the word. I'll cancel our flights right now."
"No zip lines?"
"We can find some here."
"No crystal blue Hawaiian waters?"
"Afraid I can't find those here."
"You're that over her."
"Yeah. But it's like your rule—" He hikes my dress up my thighs. "Easy to say when I'm about to dive between your legs. I don't blame you for doubting me. Fuck, I doubt me all the time."
"You'll tell me if you realize you still have feelings for her?"
"If you want to talk, I'll back off."
No. I need to feel our connection. "I want to not talk."
He nods. "Whatever you want to know, I'll tell you." He pushes my dress another inch up my thighs. Drags his fingertips over my skin.
"Ryan—" my breath hitches in my throat. "I… please…"
"Please what?"
"Touch me."
"Close your eyes."
I do.
He slides one arm around my waist and uses it to hold me in place. His other hand stays between my legs.
His thumb traces a line up and down my inner thigh. Higher, higher, higher, almost—
Then down again.
"You have no idea how much I think of you." Up, up, up. "How badly I want you." Almost—"You're everything."
"Ryan?"
"Yeah, baby?"
"Keep saying sweet things."
"No." His voice drops to something low and demanding.
Mine squeaks. "No?"
"No, Leigh. We're done with sweet today." He switches to his index finger. Drags it up my inner thigh with the lightest touch in the world. "I have a million dirty thoughts of you. I want you to hear them." His fingertip skims my skin.
A groan rolls off my lips.
He traces that line with his middle finger. His ring finger. His pinkie. Then he works his way back again. Ring. Middle. Index. Thumb.
My eyelids press together.
My sex clenches.
My toes curl into my sandals.
He does it again—all five digits in both directions.
Every brush of his fingers sends heat right to my sex.
"Look at me, baby."
His eyes are filled with this intoxicating mix of lust and control.
Ryan is an evil tease.