seam of my lips with the tip of his tongue, I open to him on reflex, allowing him to slip inside. Slowly, my frozen mind starts to thaw as he teases and coaxes me to respond. I grip his arms where he holds me in place and let the unfamiliar sensation wash over me. Want and need war with logic and fear, but passion wins out in the end as I melt into him.
When he pulls away, his hands still holding my hair tightly, he stares into my eyes with a look that should terrify me. The man looks starving. That’s the only way to describe it. Starving and like I’m the only thing on the menu he wants to devour.
“Happy Birthday, Cherry,” he whispers, his hot breath skating over my lips.
“What the?” I mumble, my brain still short-circuiting.
“Consider it a gift. I wanted to do that since the first time I laid eyes on you, but you were far too young for a man like me.”
“I’m still far too young for a man like you,” I answer, hating that my voice sounds a little breathless.
“Maybe,” he concedes, “but you’re old enough now that I won’t feel bad about taking what I want.” He smirks, his words acting as if he has poured iced water over my head.
He sits back up, adjusts his dick unashamedly, and winks at me before pulling back out into the flow of traffic as if he didn’t just rock my world.
“I might be young, Diablo, but I’m smart. Don’t sit there thinking I’ll be an easy lay. That’s not me. You can take your fancy car and your thousand-dollar suit and shove them where the sun doesn’t shine. I’m not for sale and if you try to take me, as you so eloquently put it, I’ll cut off your dick and feed it to the birds like day-old bread, and I’ll do it all with a fucking smile on my face.”
Chapter Ten
Reid’s apartment is the stuff of dreams. It’s on the top floor of a swanky tower block right in the heart of the bustling city.
High ceilings and light wooden floors teamed with floor to ceiling windows give the space a light and airy feel. The corner apartment has an open plan concept, where the kitchen, sitting room, and dining area blend into one another seamlessly.
The kitchen boasts oak cabinets, granite countertops, and stainless-steel appliances that don’t look like they get used much.
The sitting area has a large, light gray, corner sofa with a handful of cream cushions tossed haphazardly upon it and just in front of that is a large well-crafted dark wood coffee table sitting on top of a gray and black checkered rug. The table and chairs in the dining area match the colors of the sitting room with a dark wooden table that sits four and gray high back chairs surrounding it.
With lamps in each corner and a ridiculously large television mounted on the wall, I can imagine spending evenings snuggled up on the sofa, watching movies to the pretty backdrop of the city below.
“I’ll show you where everything is in a minute. Let me take you to your bedroom first.”
I tense beside him, which he doesn’t miss.
“Relax, Cherry, you’ll be in the room beside mine, but if you change your mind, you’ll know where to find me.”
I follow him to the bedrooms, tapping my fingers lightly against my leg as my nerves begin to get to me.
“This is yours for however long you need it.” Reid pushes the door open and steps to the side for me to take it all in.
The high ceilings and light stone tile floors complement the warm cream-colored walls. One wall, however, is a deep navy blue, acting as an accent color, drawing the eye toward the huge bed that sits against it. I stare at the monstrosity in shock, taking in the cream linens and navy throw pillows, wondering why on earth someone would need a bed that size. Either side of the cream leather headboard are simple black bedside tables with glass-bottomed lamps on top of them. Across from the bed is a large, whitewashed dresser with another lamp on one side of it and three tall candles on the other. Hung on the wall above it is a huge ornate oval mirror, which I quickly turn away from when I catch a glimpse of my pale face.
“I’m pretty sure this room is bigger than the entire trailer I grew up in,” I