“I knew from the second you started being a brat in the interrogation room that you would change everything for me. Even when I was trying to get you home to James, I couldn’t stop myselffrom falling for you, but I never thought you could ever feel the same way. When you gave me the smallest shred of hope that you could… I knew I would give it all up to give you the world,” he tells her, watching the tears pool in her eyes.
“So that’s it? You’re giving it up because of me?” she asks, unable to hide her sadness.
“Not because of you,foryou, well, us. I want to build a life with you, and we can’t do that if I hide behind a mask. I made the choice when he had me. If I got out of there alive, I was done with all that. My past is nothing compared to our future,” he says, reaching over and cupping her cheek in his hand, pulling her face to his “And don’t worry, I’ll still put it on and fuck your brains out anytime, you just have to ask nice.”
He kisses her, slow and gentle, like he is trying to commit the feel of her lips against his to memory. His rough, calloused hands caress her leg, leaving goosebumps in their wake. He pulls it over his waist, forcing her to move closer until her body is pressed against his. Liz deepens the kiss, parting her lips for him. Their tongues dance around each other, soft and gentle. His hand squeezes tighter, like his restraint slips the more her mouth meets his.
She clenches her thighs, trying to ease some of the tension building between her legs. A soft, breathy moan escapes her lips when she brushes against the hard length of him. He stills, letting out a moan of his own against her mouth. He rolls them back over without ever breaking their kiss. Only when he is perched on top of Liz, settled between her legs, does he dare pull away.
“Is this okay?” he asks, scanning her face for any sign of discomfort, relieved to find nothing but love shining in her deep green eyes. It’s not enough. After what happened only a few days ago, he needs to know he is not pushing her too far. Eyes stilllocked, she smiles at him, nodding her head. He drops onto his forearms, desperate to be as close to her as their bodies will allow.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he says, sliding an arm under her, keeping her head cradled in his hand. The breathy sound she lets out as he eases into her has every nerve in his body lighting up. Her hands fly around his back, digging her nails into his warm skin as he moves in and out of her, a slow, methodical pace, trying to savor every second.
Liz rolls her hips, a silent plea for more. Gentle and tender is amazing, but that has never been them, and they both know that. She can feel him fighting to hold himself together. A bite of sharp pain mixes with his pleasure when she rakes her nails down his back, finally snapping the last shred of control he had.
His hand clenches, holding tight onto a fistful of her hair. His pace quickens. Harder. Faster. He releases the grip he has on her hair, reaching down to pull one of her legs up, resting it on his waist. Liz screams in pleasure, the new angle letting him get impossibly deep, hitting everything just right.
She begs him to stop. It’s too much. He ignores her cries, refusing to let up when he feels her start to tighten around him. She tries to move away, needing a small reprieve before he sends her flying over the edge. The only break she gets is the second he takes to adjust himself onto his knees, hovering over her.
“Don’t even think about it,” he growls. His hands dig into her waist as he pulls her back, slamming her onto his cock. She throws her head back, fingers gripping the sheets so hard her knuckles turn white. Every stroke sends her spiraling toward release. Her legs begin to shake. Riley reaches between them, his thumb circling her clit in teasing strokes, and she shatters around him.
“That’s it, baby, come apart for me,” he says through his heavy breathing. Her legs quake. Liz arches off the bed, seeing stars. He loses it the second she obeys. He doesn’t let up, fucking her untilhe can’t any longer. His orgasm crashes through him like a storm, stealing the breath from his lungs. He collapses on top of her, trapping her beneath him. Neither one has the strength to move, instead, staying in a sweaty heap, fighting to catch their breath.
It’s Liz who reluctantly moves first, wiggling her slick body out from under Riley’s. She props herself up against the headboard, pulling Riley to her so his head rests in her lap. Absent-mindedly, she runs her fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp, savoring every rumbling moan he lets out. He pulls himself away, settling next to her in the quiet. They will have to go back soon, but he knows what will be waiting when they do.
“I’m sorry, princess,” he says, kissing the tip of her nose when she looks up at him. “I keep giving you moments like this just to drag you back into a fight.”
Her soft hand slides into his, fingers lacing together. The weight of her head rests on his shoulder. “Stop apologizing. What is happening is out of your control. I need to have these moments with you between the crazy, or I will lose it,” she assures him.
He can hear it in her voice, she means it. The constant fights don’t bother her as much as the lack of normalcy. If that’s what she needs, sneaking off to simply exist in each other’s company, then he will make it his personal mission to give that to her. He just wishes he had more to offer.
“Well, how about this… I can hear your stomach rumbling, and I know none of the guys bothered to keep the kitchen stocked. So, I say we go back to base, order a pizza, and kick Mikey out so we can get some real alone time.”
“That sounds amazing. I guess I should get dressed,” she says, dropping his hand from hers.
Riley throws himself back onto her lap, pinning her in place. “Change of plans. We stay here, and you never put clothes on again,” he mumbles into the blanket covering her legs, giggling asshe gently rakes her nails across his shoulders carefully avoiding the angry looking scars.
“Too late. You already promised me pizza,” she teases, prying herself from his grasp.
He watches her with an eerie focus as she darts across the room, naked as the day she was born. Only when her own door closes does he force himself to get dressed, meeting her in the living room when he is done. He isn’t left waiting long when Liz comes strolling out. When his eyes land on her, he regrets ever suggesting they leave.
Her long, flowing hair is pulled back and twisted into a claw clip with his favorite strands refusing to cooperate and framing her face instead. A loose, light-blue crop top and matching shorts, with slits on each side that reach her waist, hugs her body, paired with low-top sneakers. He wraps his arms around her, sharing one last kiss before they go outside, leaving their home behind once more.
Liz connects her phone to Riley’s truck the minute she gets in, excited to show him her favorite musical. She is singing along to the first few songs while he speeds along the winding roads when his phone rings, ruining his personal concert.
“Hey, Ty. What’s up?” he answers.
Liz lowers the radio, not trying to be nosy, but also needing to hear what Tyler is yelling about on the other side of the phone.
“Calm down, man. What is happening?” Riley asks. The blood drains from his face. Liz goes flying into the dash as the truck comes to a screeching halt.
“You should wear a seatbelt,” Riley says, ignoring the daggers she stares at him.
He turns back to the call, staying stopped in the middle of the road. “Okay. Send everything. I’ll do what I can to get it secure. Tell them not to do anything stupid. I will figure something out,” he says beforehanging up.
“What the hell is going on, Ry?” Liz asks. Fear grips her like a vice.
Riley turns the truck around and drives them back, going as fast as he is able without terrifying her. “Scott knows why you were in his office. He is rounding everyone up. We can’t go back.”
