Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 119092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
“This isn’t much better than the shed,” I said, and Ruger turned to me, raising his brows.
“Are you fucking serious?” he asked. “I find the one place within a mile that we can have privacy and you’re gonna bitch about it? Besides, it’s tradition. Guys take girls up here all the time. Hell, Horse proposed to Marie on a roof.”
I frowned.
“I guess it’s okay,” I said.
“Well that’s a relief,” he muttered, flinging the blanket down flat. Then his hands were tangling in my hair and his mouth covered mine.
I don’t quite remember how I wound up on the bottom. I certainly don’t remember what happened to my panties, although I sort of suspected Ruger stole them. He seemed to have a bit of a panty thing going on.
What I do remember is trying not to scream and failing when his mouth sucked my clit in deep. I also remember when he plunged into me, stretching me open wide and reminding me that I wasn’t just crazy about him because he took good care of Noah.
Holy shit, the man had skills.
We took a break after that first round of reunion sex, relocating into the shade behind the little shed housing the stairwell. Ruger lay back and made a little nest for me in his arm, and I snuggled in close. He’d lost his clothes along the way, and I figured if being totally naked out in the open didn’t bother him, I might as well enjoy the view.
I leaned up on one arm and started kissing his chest.
“That’s nice,” he said, his voice hoarse. “Jesus, I’ve missed touching you.”
“I’ve missed you, too,” I said. The tribal tat on his pec called to me, so I started tracing it with my tongue. I loved how he tasted, just a little salty and all male. I loved how hard his muscles were, too, and deep down inside I had to admit I loved the fact that he’d do anything for me.
Anything.
I dropped lower to find the ring in his nipple, flicking it with my tongue.
“Think it’s time to talk yet?” he asked.
I let the ring go reluctantly.
“Yeah, probably,” I said, looking up at him. “We should probably get us—whatever we’re going to be—figured out.”
“Let’s make it official,” he said. “I want you to be my old lady, pretty sure you know that. You up for that?”
“I think so,” I said slowly. “Were you serious about being faithful? I mean, after you came to get me, when Em and I were with the Devil’s Jacks? Were you serious about not sleeping around? Because that’s still a deal breaker for me.”
“Totally serious,” Ruger replied. He looked me right in the eye. “I haven’t slept with anyone else, babe. Not since I fucked you in the shed. I’ll admit, I thought about it, but they weren’t you. Just wasn’t feelin’ it.”
I caught my breath.
“Then why did you keep telling me you couldn’t make any promises?” I asked, startled. “I thought you were screwing girls left and right the whole time.”
“Always told you I wouldn’t lie,” he said. “Didn’t want to make a promise I couldn’t keep. But shit, Soph, when I thought I might lose you? It all got real clear, real fast. I don’t give a flying fuck about anyone else, babe. I love you. Think I’ve loved you from the first, when I found you and Zach on my couch. Spent a lot of time trying to talk myself out of it, but it’s not goin’ away.”
I blinked rapidly. He loved me. Ruger loved me. I guess I’d known that for a while now—you don’t take care of someone the way he’d taken care of me and Noah if you don’t love them.
Hearing the words was still nice.
“I love you, too,” I replied, feeling suddenly shy. “I think I have for a long time. You were always there for me.”
“That’s what you do when you’re crazy about someone,” he said, giving me a little grin. “Trust me, I wasn’t helping you move, putting alarms on your windows, all that shit, outta the goodness of my heart, babe. Not running a fuckin’ charity here.”
I gave a little laugh. His gaze was so intense, I couldn’t meet it any longer. I looked at his shoulder instead, and for the first time I really studied the tattoos there. There was a series of round dots, each trailing off a bit, almost like a line of comets.
“What are those?” I asked.
“What?”
“The tattoos on your shoulders. I’ve been trying to figure them out for a while now. They don’t look like anything.”
He lifted, leaning back on his elbows, and gave me a serious look.
“Sit on my hips,” he said. I raised a brow.
“You ready for seconds already?” I asked. “Or trying to dodge the question? Let me guess, you got drunk and now you can’t remember what they are?”