“Thanks for bringing me today,” I say as we roll to a stop, the gravel crunching under his tires as my window seals shut.
“You needed it,” Ryder replies, unbuckling himself after turning the truck off, sighing through his nose. “Plus, I would have just been thinking about you the entire time, anyway. Apparently, you’d just be rubbing yourself, too, so I might as well do that for you,” he deftly adds, getting out without looking at me, save for a sly glance over his shoulder while he shuts the door.
My jaw juts out as I unbuckle myself.This freaking man...I hop out of the truck, opening the door to the back to grab the small cooler I’ve brought. On the other side, Ryder grabs our bags. Our gazes connect, staring each other down.
Those damn looks of his, like he knows how sexy he is and how smooth he can be.
Unable to hide the warmth that floods my cheeks and navel, and hell, nearly everywhere else, I return my own look. “Oh, and when touching myself, I also thought about the face you make when you come. Ireallylike seeing you lose that edge of control,” I tease, shutting the door in the same sly manner. His face hardens with concentration, like he’s ready to grab me and fuck me right in his truck.
A wicked grin steals my face, my legs turning to jelly as racing thoughts hollow me out. I walk closer to him while he shoulders the door shut.
He grunts, “Woman, you’re just begging to be fucked hard and dirty.”
My expression wildly falters, imagining him taking charge and correcting the situation. “You make it sound like a threat, but it’s really just the opposite for me.”
The corner of his mouth curls in devilish approval. With a single, slow shake of his head, he speaks with a grittier voice, looking at the white SUV that pulls up on the other side of us. “How the fuck did I get lucky with such a horndog?”
I smile at him. “I’m thinking the same thing.”
His laughter is quick and natural. It’s sweet, with no reservation, and oh, how it makes me swoon.
The passenger door to the SUV opens.
Carla and Kyle.His friends. You can screw Joey later. Meet his friends now... god I am talking to myself like a caveman...
My attention refocuses when a woman, who can only be Carla, exits the white SUV. She’s around my height, perhaps even a little taller, and wears a black yoga outfit. Her dark, sleek black hair is pulled into a ponytail that drapes over her tan shoulders. From the other side comes a man that’s an inch or two shorter, with short black hair and dark eyebrows, wearing a white shirt that clings to his muscular figure.
Kyle and Carla Martinez.
The woman flashes a grin. Carla’s sunglasses make it hard to tell where she’s looking as she waves at us. “Hey! It’s good to meet you, Julie,” she says.
She grabs more of their belongings as I—who is in near sexual whiplash—try my best to sound cordial. “Yeah, it’s really nice to meet both of you as well!”
Kyle grabs some bags, speaking with a slight accent, “Yeah, nice to meet you, Jules.”
Ryder chimes in. “You’re looking small, Martinez.”
Kyle chuckles, shutting the car door as Carla grabs her purse. The two of them face us, the bright rays of the sun streaking through the trees above. Kyle squares his shoulders as he looks at Ryder. “Hey, shut the fuck up, man. I’m on my break right now.”
I’m not sure how to read anyone, but I relax quickly when Kyle breaks into a wide grin, Carla scoffing as she faces me. “In case you can’t tell, he’s my feisty little man.”
I laugh, staring at myself in the reflections of her sunglasses. “All fighters are feisty.”
She nods to Ryder. “Especiallythisone.”
Ryder rolls his eyes. “Don’t even start, woman.”
“Oh, shut up. You know you love me,” Carla taunts, going in for a hug with Ryder. In true Ryder fashion, his emotions are subdued, and he pulls Carla in with a single arm.
“Good to see you, lady,” Ryder says.
“You lookgood.” She pats his biceps as the hug breaks. “Youkilledit on the screen, man. We are so excited for you.”
Carla faces me, raising her sunglasses to reveal warm, brown eyes. “And come here yourself! I’m a hugger. Let me know if it’s too much.”
Kyle quickly adds, “She says that, but doesn’t mean it. She’ll hug you, anyway. She’s like a damn golden retriever.”
Carla turns around to playfully smack his chest, pressing her full lips together before facing me again with a shake of her head. “Comparing me to adog,” she jokes, Kyle grinning at her from behind. “Anyway, bring it in. I also brought wine. We’ll need it, being cooped up with these two.”
