“Cool.”
While she does her thing in the bathroom, I pull out one of my plain black gym tees and lay it at the foot of the bed. I remove my shirt and undo the button on my pants to change into a pair of shorts.
Ruby exits the bathroom, and electricity crackles between us. Her hungry gaze travels from my feet up to my torso. “There’s a t-shirt on the bed.”
“Thanks.” She snatches the shirt and retreats to the bathroom to change.
She comes back after I’ve changed and turned down the covers. Her in nothing but my tee that touches the tops of her thighs is one of the sexiest sights.
“I’ll sleep in the guest room.”
“I don’t want to put you out of your own bed.” She twists her fingers together and looks at me with pure longing.
“If I stay, I’m going to kiss you,” I warn.
“I’ve been waiting for you to try. If you don’t want to. If you aren’t into me, I understand.”
“The problem is, I’m afraid once I start, I won’t want to stop.”
“So don’t.”
“C’mere,” I call her to me as I sit on the edge of the bed.
She pads across the room softly, the hem of my shirt kissing the tops of her thighs as she walks toward me. She stops in front of me and I run my hands up the backs of her thighs, discovering she’s bare underneath.
“You’re trying to kill me,” I mutter, ushering her to stand closer, between my legs. “I don’t want to take advantage of you and have you wake up with regrets tomorrow.”
“A gangster with morals,” she whispers. “I know what I want and I want this. Tonight. Here with you.”
“You’ve saved yourself all this time. Why now?”
“I could die tomorrow. You said it yourself. Your life is dangerous, and I’ve never felt more alive than when I’m with you. Since the moment we met, something inside of me has lit up. This yearning. Desire. This need to be wanted by you.”
“Trust me. I want you. I’ve thought of nothing but you for the past twenty-four hours, but earlier you said that you’ve been saving yourself for marriage. Tomorrow, once we’re married.” I give her a squeeze, the words leaving my mouth killing me because fuck I want her. Want to feel her sweet heat wrapped around me as I sink inside her and claim all that’s left of her innocence. Disappointment fills those doe eyes, and it breaks my heart. “I’m not going to fuck you like some rando who picked you up at the bar. I’m going to treat you right, Ruby. You have no reason to trust me. We don’t know each other. Not yet, but I’m going to show you how a real man treats his woman.”
Tears well up in the corners of her eyes.
“Why are you crying?”
“Because that’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
I pull her into my lap and stroke her cheek, pushing her dark tendrils back. I kiss her plump lips for the first time of many, tasting the saltiness of her tears.
Ruby opens the part of her lips to me, sliding her tongue against mine. She tastes like the sweetest of sins. I know I’m going to corrupt her, but I’m too selfish to care. Everything about her feels as though she was sent here by the heavens to be perfect for me. Like Cupid shot an arrow through my heart, I know I’d sell my soul to the devil to keep her.
I’ve never wanted anything more than I want her right now.
Laying her back on my bed, I yank my shirt over her head, exposing her naked curves. Her beauty.
There’s never been anything more beautiful than the sight of her in this moment. Naked, willing, and oh so fucking ready to be claimed. To be owned by me.
Her dusty rose nipples pebble under my heated breath as I taste each one. She clutches the comforter with both hands as I loom over top of her, taking in every inch of her skin, debating where I want to kiss her next.
Her pouty mouth curves into a perfect O.
“Let me make you feel good. Let me cherish you.” I slide a palm up her inner thigh, teasing her soft skin.
“Please,” she coos, panting and eager for my touch.
