“I hit pause,” I frantically say, staring at my phone that shows it’s been paused. But it just keeps playing.
“Didn’t realize women could be hoisted on like they’re a wooden joint,” he mocks, stifling a laugh.
If I were a possum, I’d be playing dead so perfectly that they’d probably bury me alive. A hilarious panic pulls my mind in every direction until I burst out laughing, blushing like mad as I show him my phone. “I don’t know. I hit pause. It won’t stop. Shit.”
“My pussy squelches with hot fluid...” it keeps playing as I try to disconnect the Bluetooth.
I look at him. “Really? No comment on that one?”
He leans his elbow on the car door, seeming to consider the ramifications of indulging. To my surprise, he actually does—perhaps it’s too ridiculous of a scenario not to bite. “Well, if you’re not making your womansquelch, then you’re obviously doing it wrong.”
I blush even harder, my voice shaking with a residual laugh. “Oh, good to know the expert is weighing in,” I mutter and finally hit the off button on the stereo as my last resort.
He snorts at my comment.
I can’t even look at him after that.
To my shock, he drops his head into his hand and quietly chuckles.
“Well, um, sorry about that,” I awkwardly mumble, humor lightening my tone, putting my phone down.
“You really listen to all that?”
“It’s got a good story,” I defend, pulling out onto the road, my palms sweating against the steering wheel.
“Yeah, the story was reallysquelching.”
I laugh so hard that I rub my eyes at a stop sign. I still can’t believe Ryder now knows I listen to these books… “I’ll be honest, I don’t even know what to follow up with after that.”
“Yeah, I don’t either. My guilty pleasure is just a fucking baking show, but you’re all fifty shades.”
“Oh, this book is much better than that. I mean, come on, what billionaire even has the time to stalk her like that? At least in this one, the male lead makes sense.”
“But youdidread fifty shades?” he counters.
I sigh with a giant grin, shaking my head. “I just really know how to paint a lovely picture of myself with you.”
“Yeah, making me look like an angel over here.” He leans back in his seat.
My mouth twitches every few seconds from a frown to a smile. Using self-deprecation as a source of humor, I say, “Andrew’s just going to love hearing about this.”
“I can keep erotic literature playing in your car a secret of ours.” His tone is hard to read, the man sighing as if he heard what he just said.
The tension thickens with each passing minute, and I’m not sure what it means. Is he angry? Does he find it funny? Is he just not sure what to say? Everything thankfully eases once we pull up to the dealership.
“Thanks for the help with Andrew. And for being a good sport just now.”
He unbuckles his seatbelt and opens the door, taking the scent of his cologne with him, tapping the frame twice while speaking as he leaves, “Like I said, making me look like an angel, Stevens. I’ll always take advantage of that.”
Once he shuts the door, I lean back and groan as loud as possible, banging my head on the back of my seat while watching him walk away.
His irresistible smell lingers, and I cannot unhear how he mentioned getting a woman wet is a no-brainer. Dammit. Now all I can think about is what kind of tricks a man like him has up his sleeves... he was always seen with different women on his arm back in his early career. I’d bet a lot of Monopoly money that Ryder can make a woman so weak at the knees that he’ll have to carry her. And where’s he going tonight? To make another womansquelch?
No, stop it. I literally just had a conversation about how I don’t follow him. Plus, I need to chill. Ryder doesn’t deserve my crush like this. He even admitted he’s actively trying to avoid me. Why would I make this easy for him?
Heaving a sigh and caressing one of my hands, I re-center myself. I’m overthinking,again. It’s just nice to have some of the ice broken since wedowork together. That’s it.
Never would have pictured erotic literature to be what got us talking, though.
