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Taking my hand in his, he squares his shoulder, his opposite hand falling to my hip.

“Like this,” he says, stepping back.

I move the opposite foot forward, matching his movements. Sidestep, backward, sidestep, forward. We waltz through the rain like a regal couple from times past.

Tipping my head back, I smile as the rain pelts my face.

“You’re beautiful,” River says, his gaze locked on me when I look back to him.

“So are you.” I smile, licking the water from my lips.

“No, I mean it, Red. You’re stunning. Even drowned like a rat...” His hand comes up to cup the side of my face as our movements slow.

“Careful, I might start to think you’re falling for me,” I tease, my stomach hollowing at the look he gives me.

“I think it’s a little late for that.” I swear is what he says, but his voice is so low and the rain is so loud that I can’t be sure.

Movement to my right catches my attention and I turn, realizing Annie is standing on the sidewalk, presumably waiting for her ride to pick her up on the curb, if the way she keeps looking down the street is any indication.

Lucky timing.

Turning back to River, I reach up and take his face in both of my hands and I kiss him like my whole world depends on it. I pour everything into the kiss, my fingers tangling in the wet strands of his hair as I hold on to the rush of emotions that pours over me.

I may have started the kiss as afuck youto the woman stupid enough to let this man go, but it quickly morphs into something all of its own.

When River breaks the kiss, panting as he rests his forehead against mine, Annie is all but forgotten, and my singular focus is on the man in front of me.

“Keep it up and I’m liable to fuck you right here in the middle of the sidewalk,” he grumbles.

“And that’s a problem?” I pull back just enough that he can see the wicked arch of my brow.

He tips my chin with the back of his hand, his eyes searching mine like he’s looking for something he’s not sure he wants to find.

My heart stutters in my chest.

“Come on, Red. Let’s get you home and out of these wet clothes.” He grins.

“Say less.” I drag my teeth across my bottom lip before clamping down on it.

He uses his thumb to free my lip before capturing it with his own, dragging his tongue along the indentations my teeth left behind.

If I didn’t know it already, I certainly know it now...

I’m in some serious trouble.

“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask, my fingers moving in soft strokes through River’s silky hair.

It’s dark. So dark I can’t tell if he’s sleeping or awake, though given the even nature of his breathing, I think he might be theformer. His head is lying on my chest, arm wrapped around my middle, leg thrown across mine.

We’ve been lying this way for a long time.

Since we got home from the restaurant.

Well, technically, it was a little bit after that, given that I barely stepped into the apartment and he had me stripped bare, ass on the kitchen counter as he drove into me.

After that, he carried me into his bedroom, curled up against me, and hasn’t spoken a word since.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out Annie was an unexpected and unwanted visitor. I could feel the tension radiating off him the second she approached the table.