"I know you don't really want to see me again once we leave, so what's the problem? I won't ask for more after this. You're right. Let's get this out of our system."

She holds her face close to mine and I splay my hands across her belly, towards her small waist. "Riley. You're being really f.u.c.king weird."

"Why? Because this isn't what you expected? Did you think I was going to cry when I heard you speaking to Will? Tell you what a b.a.s.t.a.r.d you are? That would be easy for you, wouldn't it?" Riley presses herself against me and I grip her waist, fighting against moving my hands anywhere else. If I do, she's won.

"Can't do this because you're not the one in control?" she asks, brown eyes meeting mine, dark, challenging. "You didn't seriously expect we'd do this without a fight, did you?"

Riley, between me and the wall, and my mind is torn between confusion and temptation. Her soft skin heats beneath my palms, and her hands slide beneath my shirt, as she digs her nails into my abs.

Riley's face brushes my ear. "Do it. f.u.c.k me."

Jesus Christ. I slam her back against the wall and her breath rushes out. "You want this, Riley?" No reply. Pressing myself into her, I grab Riley's hands and hold them above her head. "You'd better not be f.u.c.king teasing me again."

"One thing though," she says, wriggling against my hold, the movement of her naked body next to mine hardening my c.o.c.k.

I grip harder. "What?"

"You have to kiss me."

"No."

"You said kissing meant more than s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g someone. I'll screw you if you kiss me."

Too much. I drop Riley's arms and step back. "Not gonna happen, Riley. You want me to f.u.c.k you; I'll do it but no kissing."

"You kissed me before. Why not now?" She moistens her lips, and edges closer.

Riley's mouth, millimetres away from mine, drags me out of my comfort zone into somewhere I refuse to go. I twist my head away, my heart pounding with the need to hold her down and do what she's asking - the kissing and f.u.c.king.

"Told you, Riley, my head's f.u.c.ked. If that's what you need, I can't do this."

"Wrong answer." Riley's mouth touches mine and I dip my head to kiss her neck instead.

"Nate..." she warns, hot breath against my hair, and in the same breath flicks open the b.u.t.ton on my jeans.

"They're separate, Riley," I say. "Love and s.e.x. They don't go together."

Riley pauses and pushes hair from her face. "Love?"

"Not love. s.h.i.t, you know what I mean. Intimacy. I said before, if I kiss someone it's because she means more."

"So you either screw somebody or love them. No in between?"

"I said intimacy, not love. I haven't loved anybody for years!"

"You haven't tried!"

"Have you?" I ask.

"No."

"So don't judge me."

"Stop arguing and just do this! You've already b.l.o.o.d.y kissed me, what's the big deal?" Riley closes her teeth around my earlobe and blood rushes from my head downwards. Already aroused by a semi-naked girl pressing herself against me and how easy it would be to drag the rest of her clothes off, this isn't helping my control over the situation. And she f.u.c.king knows it. "Riley."

"Nate Campbell holding back?" she teases. "Come on."

"I don't hold back," I growl.

"Really? Because it looks like you are."

"Be careful what you ask for, Riley, because it might not be what you want," I say in a low voice, swallowing down the reaction she really wants.

"Show me." Riley's eyes darken and lips curl into a challenging smile.

I slide my hand between her legs and hold her challenging look. Riley closes her eyes as I touch her through her dampening panties. All my doubts disappear. This is more than a challenge, she f.u.c.king loves this.

Riley grabs my hand and squeezes my fingers so I can't explore her; and with her other hand, she tugs my head up by the front of my hair. Again, I attempt to look away but she moves to grab my face in both hands.

"You know what I think? n.o.body ever told you to, Nate. You're used to the grateful girls who'd do anything to f.u.c.k you."

"Like you?" I stand with her pressed to the wall, heart hammering against hers, on the brink of letting go and throwing her onto the bed.

"No." Her grip on my hair doesn't loosen. "Kiss me."

I look back into the eyes of my mirror girl who knows my bulls.h.i.t and wants me. "Still doesn't mean anything, even if I do."

"I don't care."

And we both know we're lying.

Hesitantly, I place my lips on Riley's. She pushes her mouth against mine and parts her lips. The taste bursts across my tongue and I'm all in. The kiss is rough, frustration exchanged in the harshness of our lips and with this comes the end of our battle. I laugh against her mouth as she nips my lip grips my shoulders, and with each of her small movements against me, I harden further.

Riley drags her head away, tipping her chin upwards as she struggles to breathe. I kiss my way to her neck and the moan vibrates in her throat as I lick and nip my way down to her collarbone. She untangles her fingers from my hair, placing one hand on the nape of my neck, tracing fingers down my spine with the other.

"Is that enough?" I murmur against her and run my tongue along the swell of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, reaching around to unclasp her bra.

"No, that'd better just be the start."

Her eyes shine, no longer hidden, no longer the Riley who tore into me before.

We sink onto the bed and we kiss again. She's delicious, intoxicating, and the mind-shattering connection from the kiss pushes away my self-control as l.u.s.t surges.

Two f.u.c.king years.

17.

RILEY.

The crumpled sheets are cool against my hot skin as Nate presses me into the bed. I can't move, our limbs tangled, mouths locked, and I lost any desire to change my mind one kiss ago. Nate kneels and grabs his T-shirt between the shoulder blades, his arms flexing as he does. The familiar skull and eagle tattoo stretches across the planes of his chest, and I catch my breath as I take in the sight of him. The lean, taut muscles, the ridged abs, and the trail of hair heading into where his jeans sit low on his hips. I want more than his body - I want more than he's prepared to give others. Do I already have this from his kiss?

Heat grazes my skin as he strokes my belly, teasingly playing with the edge of my panties. Before I can catch my breath, Nate's mouth is on mine again, as he delves his tongue into my mouth, exploring, tasting; our innermost selves mingling as our breath does. I struggle to move, wanting Nate naked too.

I nip his lip; Nate nips back, before another bruising kiss. I push his head from me, and he props himself up, an arm either side of my head. His eyes fixed on mine, he skims his fingers along my panties.

"f.u.c.k, you're turned on," he mutters and yanks my panties to one side to slide his fingers across the wet heat. The stroke of his fingers works me higher when I'd sworn to myself I'd keep control of this. When a sound of pleasure escapes my lips, Nate sits back on his heels again.

I pull at the zip on his jeans and Nate doesn't need any more hints. In a swift movement, Nate tugs at my panties and I move my legs so he can pull them to the floor. He reaches behind and pulls his wallet from his back pocket. With a smirk, he pulls out a condom and holds up the blue square.

"Always prepared, Nate?"

"I just got the one." He slings his wallet to one side and stands to shuffle out of his jeans.

The blood pulses in my ears as I watch him tear the condom open and slide it onto his hard length. "You'd better make this good, then," I say, attempting to hide my trembling reaction to him.

Nate dives forward, pinning my arms to the bed above my head, chest touching mine. "You think saying that's gonna worry me?" Nate's dark eyes remain on mine as he slides a hand along my thigh, slowly, until he reaches between my legs. "I'm good, Riley. You want to find out or not?"

The promise of his words is joined by the rush of pleasure as he strokes me, working me higher with skilful fingers. I close my eyes, and the knot builds in my stomach as he slowly pushes a finger inside me. When his mouth closes over my breast and he sucks onto my hardened nipple, my body yields to his, and he's right. I won't win this. I draw in a breath, but the pleasure stops any attempt to resist him.

This wasn't how it was supposed to be; he wasn't allowed to control this.

I slide my hands along his arms to the curve of his shoulders and hold him in place. Hot kisses move across my neck, jaw, and onto my mouth, his fingers working in a movement to match his tongue.

How can Nate not want to kiss? The euphoria from the overwhelming and total sensation of mouths and bodies joined can't be matched. I wriggle against him, as the knot binds tighter, pushing me further and further towards letting go.

I dig my fingers into his back. "Stop."

"Why?" he breathes against my ear.

"Not yet. Not-"

My breath catches as he kneels, roughly dragging me to the edge of the bed by the legs. "Not good enough? Need me to do better?"

Nate parts my legs and rubs a stubbled cheek against my thigh as he kisses his way from my calf upwards. G.o.d, no. I blink, fighting to keep control as antic.i.p.ation trembles through.

Strong hands slide beneath my a.s.s and pull me upwards; his tongue slides along my flesh and I jolt at the sensation. I grip the edge of the sheets and bite back the groan as Nate teases me with soft strokes of his tongue. The strength builds as the pleasure coils deep inside and the shaking intensifies. I'm unable to remember the last time a man went down on me and definitely, not one so enthusiastically. In moments, he has me spiralling high; and when Nate slips a finger inside me again, I fight against crying out.

The pressure builds and I can't decide whether to move my shaking self away or give in to the inevitable. The choice isn't mine, as Nate holds me to him, his fingers digging into my backside as he moves his fingers and tongue harder. Shivers run along my spine over and over as he sucks on my c.l.i.t, and his scruff sc.r.a.pes against me as he moves his face against my sensitive flesh. I let go, pushing into him, and grasping his hair as I chase the stars. They blind me as the o.r.g.a.s.m hits; sudden and intense, and I grab a pillow to place over my face.

"f.u.c.k!" I yell, smothering the words in the fabric, but not enough to hide from Nate.

Nate releases my legs and I prop myself up on one elbow as he eyes me with a lazy smile, still kneeling on the floor and stroking between my legs. His eyes burn with a fervour to match mine, and his smile grows as he looks down at the panting mess he's made of me.

He holds his c.o.c.k and kneels upwards, moving towards where he holds my leg with his other hand, his dark eyes fixed between my legs. He slides himself along the slick heat, b.u.mping my sensitive c.l.i.t.

"Want me to f.u.c.k you now?" He lifts his eyes, and the expression smacks of something I've seen before. Smug.

No way.

I launch myself at Nate and, taking him by surprise, he falls backwards. I straddle him, his c.o.c.k pushing against my stomach instead. The sheets from the bed drop to the floor next to us. Nate catches me, one arm around my waist as he props himself up on one hand behind. "What you doing, Riley?"

I push at his shoulders, attempting to make him sink backwards further, but Nate laughs and holds me firm. "Nice try."

I mash my mouth with his, gripping his head in both hands. The distraction works and he moves his hand from the floor to hold my face and kiss me back, sinking onto the carpet. He stops and holds my cheeks, eyes searching my face.

"You don't really think you're gonna take charge, do you, Riley? That's not happening."

I don't reply and sit back against his hips. We lock ourselves in a Riley and Nate match of wills, eyes challenging. Nate breathes heavily and I attempt to control my breathing too, aching for Nate inside me but refusing to show him how much.

I keep my eyes fixed on Nate's. "You don't get to do things your way, Nate.

Nate's eyes darken and he seizes my wrists. "Yes. I do." I'm dragged against his hard chest, our lips millimetres apart.

"You don't look in control right now," I whisper.

"You have no idea who you're dealing with, Riley."

"Sure I do, Nate Campbell." I pull my hands away. "And I'll deal with you the way I want."

Nate winds a hand into my hair. "No, you won't." His grip tightens and he places his mouth close to my ear. "I told you, don't mess with me because I don't think you can handle what I'll do."

I can't move my head from Nate's hold; I could struggle or move away but instead hold still. "Really?"

"Yeah. You do what I say."

"Nice try," I whisper back. "No."

Nate lets go of my hair and in a swift move tips me over onto the sheets. I gasp as my back hits the floor. Pinioning my hands back over my head with one hand, he pushes my legs open with his knee. He runs a hand along my thighs and plunges his fingers into me, thumb against my c.l.i.t.

"Next time you come, I'm gonna f.u.c.k you," he whispers. "I'm pretty d.a.m.n sure you want me to."

The waves of arousal crash through as years of frustration pour out into this moment, intensified by how quickly the dynamic between us flipped. I want this man more than I've wanted anybody. Ever.

"Maybe," I say and fight a smile.

"Maybe?" he scoffs and works his fingers against the most sensitive part inside me until I'm falling apart in front of him again. "Maybe?"

"Yes. Let go of my hands."

"No."