Riot pulls up next to the sidewalk a few minutes later, the sight of his motorcycle helmet and leather jacket doing something strange to my insides. He dismounts and pulls hishelmet off, shaking his hair loose over his shoulders as he gives me a heart-stopping grin.
He stalks closer, golden eyes glinting in the dusk with that look of hunger I’m so used to seeing. “You look beautiful tonight, Eloise.”
He stops right in front of me, and I blush, dropping my gaze as a sudden wave of shyness overtakes me. “You look pretty damn yummy yourself.”
Riot chuckles, and a wave of mortification crashes over me.Yummy? Eugh.
“You ready to go, sweet girl?”
“Where are we going?” I ask.
Riot slides his palms down my arms, frowning at the goose bumps that cover my skin. “We’re going nowhere until you’re warm.”
“I’m not—” But it’s too late. In a second, Riot’s removed his jacket and is feeding my hands through the oversized armholes. Once it’s on, warm notes of leather and tobacco fill my senses, enveloping me in a comforting embrace. I’m not sure why I was fighting it before. This is… nice. Really nice.
He tugs the ends closed, gazing down at me with a heated look that does things to my insides. “There. Much better.”
I nod, at a loss for words. Riot’s grin widens, his golden eyes sparking with an emotion I can’t quite place. “To answer your earlier question, I have a couple of things in mind. But I thought it’d be best to run them by you and let you choose.”
“I… get options?”
“You do. Unless you want me to surprise you. That’s the last option.”
I shake my head. “I, um… I’d really like to decide, if that’s okay.” It’s so rare for me to get to choose whatIwant to do. I don’t want to waste this opportunity. “What are you thinking?”
“To start, we can grab a drink at Stingray Tavern, or if you’re hungry, we could grab a bite at Rusty’s Anchor. It’s karaoke night at the Coral Keg, so we can do that if you’re in the mood for a duet. And if none of that sounds appealing, I got a bunch of supplies ready to have a little midnight picnic under the stars.”
“Honestly, that last option sounds amazing.”
“Picnic it is, then.” He places his helmet onto my head and helps me onto the back of his bike. Pressing my body flush against his back, I wrap my arms around his abdomen, sighing at the feel of his muscles shuddering beneath my touch. A spike of bravery comes over me, and I slide my hand down, down, down, stopping to tease the top button of his jeans.
His hand snaps down, covering mine with ease. “Easy, little muse. I’m not a patient man, nor one with enough willpower to stop you.” He turns his head over his shoulder, and the breath freezes in my lungs at the hunger in his bright golden eyes. “But if you want me to take you on the back of my bike in the open where everyone can hear you scream, I’d have no objections.”
Heat floods my face, which I promptly bury into Riot’s back. His body shudders with laughter as I slowly—regretfully—bring my hands back to rest in an appropriate spot.
“I was hoping you’d keep going,” he says with a smirk.
And then he takes off, the sound of my joy lost to the roar of the engine.
“We’re here.”
Riot pulls into a spot out front of the Driftwood Haven long-stay hotel, but leaves the engine on as he turns his head to speak to me. “I just have to grab the backpack of stuff, and we canhead out. You’re more than welcome to come in, or you can wait here.”
I loosen my grip on his abdomen, sliding back so I can dismount effectively. “I’ll come in. I’d love to see where the infamous Riot Arden is staying. See your digs.”
“Mydigsare nothing special,” he says. “Just warning you.”
Riot leads me along the walkway of rooms on the first floor, stopping in front of the third door on the left and inserting a key card. It opens on the first try, and as he opens the door for me to step inside, the air grows thick with a strange, heated energy. It raises the hairs along my arms and fills my veins with fire, one that can only be quelled with Riot’s touch.
The door clicks shut behind us, but I can’t look at Riot. Instead, I gaze around the room, taking in the meager furnishings, bare walls, and half-empty bottles of liquor dotted around the space like decoration.
His bed is unmade, the sheets horribly rumpled and falling onto the floor. As I stare, I can’t help but imagine Riot there, lying spread out on the mattress, his skin bare and golden eyes piercing, beckoning me toward him. My gaze flicks toward Riot, my eyes inadvertently moving to his hips, where those two tattoos are hiding.I could finally see where they lead…
“A picture lasts longer, sweet girl.”
I drag my gaze up to his, my lips pursing at the sight of his haughty smirk. “Might last longer, but never as good as seeing the real thing.”
His eyes flare, and he takes a step closer. “You think so?”
