Page 23 of Riding Hard

“Oh,” I exhale, because as soon as the sexy haze lifts, I realize what he’s just said.

Alex told him.

Which means… Alex has probably told him.

I open my mouth to try and say something, but I’m not sure what. Panic courses through my veins at the thought of him knowing everything. Well, at least knowing what Alex knows. He doesn’t know everything.

I close my mouth, then open it again, maybe to explain that Victor tricked me all those years ago. That I was young and dumb, and then I was scared and dumb. I didn’t know how to get out… if I’m being honest, I still don’t.

Thankfully, he puts me out of my misery and begins speaking before any of my words come out.

“He didn’t tell me anything else, and I didn’t ask. I know you’re running from something, hiding from it, but I want to hear it from you.”

“Why?” I ask before I really think about the word or about the question. It’s a big one.

His brows snap together, and then he grins, though just the corner of his lips tips up. It’s cute and sexy all at the same time. I have to ball my hand into a fist, my fingers itching to slide along his jawline and feel the stubble there.

He leans down slightly, his lips so close to mine that it would take very little effort for me to shift forward about half an inch and taste him. I don’t, but I really want to. He smiles, and my heart squeezes. He knows what he’s doing.

I shift my gaze from his mouth. My eyes find his, and my breath hitches. His black eyes are sparkling as he watches me.

Hot.

So damn hot.

“Slade,” I breathe.

His hand moves, but I’m too mesmerized by his gaze. I can’t look at his hand. My muscles jump when I feel his fingers gently glide up the center of my throat. My heart races even faster, slamming against my rib cage. A whisper of a touch, so damn gentle that I have to press my thighs together.

My belly dips and then heats at his touch.

“Because, Juliette,” he begins, “I want to hear about you from you. Not from someone else. I want to know you.”

I almost ask why again, because I cannot understand why this gorgeous man would want to know anything at all about me. I don’t ask that, though. Instead, I sink my teeth into my bottom lip and tug at the flesh there.

I feel his thumb glide along my jawline before his arm falls away. I miss his touch instantly. I miss something I didn’t know I wanted, didn’t think I ever needed.

Touch.

A man’s touch.

One that doesn’t hurt.

CHAPTER

TWENTY

LOOT

My cock presses against the zipper of my jeans. Shifting closer to her, I touch my mouth to hers. I feel her breath hitch against my lips. When I slip my tongue inside her mouth, lightning bolts zip through my body at her taste.

Yeah, I knew it would be good, but I didn’t know she would feel this great. I shift my head back slightly, nibbling her bottom lip to break the kiss. I don’t move too far away from her. I don’t want to give her too much breathing room.

There’s something about keeping her dizzy and wanting, craving, needing… me.

Juliette sucks in a breath, her eyes finding mine. Her cheeks are flushed, her gaze searching mine as if she is trying to figure something out. The hand next to her head falls as I take a step backward.

She doesn’t move, though. I would fuck her against this door if I thought she’d be into that kind of thing. Judging by how pink her cheeks are, she is not into that sort of thing at all. I don’t even know if she’d be into doing it with the lights on. She’s bright fucking red. It’s adorable.