“Wait, do you have a problem with Jacob and me coming?” I ask with mock confusion. “Why? You’re not jealous, are you?”
The edges of his mouth turn down. “I just don’t want this dude thinking he can steal my spot in the friend group. Just because he works with Nate doesn’t mean the other guys will give a shit about him.”
The coffeepot finally beeps, letting me know that it’s done. I pour myself a mug and take a sip. It’s hot enough to burn my tongue, but that little jolt of caffeine hits just how I need it to. “They’ll like Jacob.” Ryan’s frown deepens when he hears the name, so I repeat it. “Jacobis so thoughtful. He texted me this morning, thanking me for the goodnight kiss.”
“He kissed you?” Ryan’s voice sounds strained, and the taste of victory is even sweeter than the taste of coffee.
“I kissed him.” Never mind the fact that I mostly did it for the article. Ingrid told me to get some heat, so I lit a match. Notthat Ryan has to know that. I lift my chin, challenging him to say something.
He nods slowly. When he takes a breath, my eyes dip to watch his chest expand. Stupid eyes. “How was it?”
“Great.” It’s not a lie. Jacob’s breath smelled good, and his lips were soft. It didn’t make sparks fly through my blood, but it was still nice. The kind of kiss that makes you want to go back for another one. Like a sugar cookie—it’s not chocolate chip, but it’s still a solid cookie.
“Huh.” Ryan saunters forward until he’s just a step away from me. The warm morning light plays over the flat planes of his chest, and fuck, my fingers are dying to touch him. It’s like his body is a sun, and I’m some stupid nearby dwarf planet. Gravity just pulls me toward him, more intense with every inch of closeness. “Tell me something. Did he know you like to be pulled close when a man kisses you?”
Then it’s not gravity pulling me toward Ryan, but his hands on my waist, yanking me against him. The way my body folds in against his feels inevitable—like we were made to fit against each other. No muscle in my body resists, not even when Ryan plucks the coffee mug out of my hand and puts it on the counter behind me.
“I asked you a question, Pips,” he growls.
I blink. I can’t even remember what he asked me. It’s like my brain has been wiped completely blank, and he shakes his head.
“Looks like you weren’t paying attention. Let’s try this again.” He brushes his knuckles against my neck, the grazing touch raising goosebumps on my skin. “DoesJacobknow how you like light touches along your neck that turn into a firm grip as a man tilts your lips up to his?”
I take in a shuddering breath, and Ryan’s hand shifts. His fingers wrap around the back of my neck, making the hair at mynape stand up. His thumb guides my jaw upward, and I blink up at his dark brown eyes. Twin vortexes, sucking me in.
“Or how you melt when he talks you through every second?” he murmurs with his lips only a breath from mine, his thumb stroking lazily over my pulse.
I swallow hard.
“Use your words, Pips,” he whispers. “Tell me how much you fucking love this.”
Heat floods my cheeks, humiliation and want tangling in my chest.
“I…”
Ryan grins, and I know he sees the truth I can’t bring myself to admit.
His grip on my neck turns harder as he presses his lips to mine in a searing kiss.
I feel it all the way to my toes and I know he feels it too, in the way my pulse thuds faster against his fingertips on my neck.
Ryan drags his teeth over my lip, coaxing a moan from my chest when he bites down on the soft flesh.
“Even now, you can’t admit it,” Ryan murmurs.
He chuckles as my lips part, but no words escape them. All I can manage is a tiny shake of my head. Right before Ryan dips his head toward mine, I recognize the look on his face.
It’s the same look of triumph he gets when he wins a poker hand.
Then his full lips press against mine, and hot want blooms in my stomach. It spreads everywhere, rushing under my skin. This,thisis what I’ve been craving. I don’t want to pretend that Jacob’s soft, nice kiss is what I need.
Ryan won before the cards were even dealt.
His lips are hard and commanding against mine. When I part my lips, his tongue plunges inside, licking into my mouth, his teeth crashing against mine as he claims my mouth.
Mine, he seems to whisper.
I wrap my arms around his neck and bury my fingers into his sinfully soft hair. Ryan grabs my thighs, his fingers digging into the soft flesh as he hauls me up against him. Our mouths move hungrily against each other as he carries me over to the couch. He lays me down against the pillows, then stands so he can stare down at me for a moment. His eyes sweep over my bared legs, my heaving chest, my flushed face, and he smiles.
