Page 76 of Bad for Business

“I’m not going to say anything else because I don’t want to scare you away. But I need you to know that I plan on staying as long as you’ll let me.”

My hands drop to his chest as I fist his shirt. I desperately cling to the fabric, pulling his body closer to mine as I search his face for any indication that he doesn’t mean every word he’s saying.

I have no idea what will happen between us. This entire thing is foreign territory to me. I’m not good at letting people in, but I want to try for him. I don’t want to have to look back and wonder what would’ve happened if I’d just let down my walls for him.

So I’m not going to make myself wonder.

For once in my life, I’m going to lead with my heart instead of my head and hope that I don’t end up hurt in the end.

I don’t know what to say back to him. I don’t know how to tell him how scared I am or how hard it is to let him in. I know I won’t find any of the right words.

So I kiss him instead.

I press my mouth to his, hoping he understands everything I cannot say with the kiss. We’re a frenzy of tongues, lips, teeth, everything. It’s like we’ve both been deprived, and now that we have a taste, we can’t get enough. I continue to cling to the fabric of his shirt like it’s the only thing keeping me grounded.

I moan—or maybe he does, I can’t be sure. It’s probably both of us.

It feels like the floodgates have been opened. Sure, we’ve kissed over the last few days. We’ve even made out, but I think we’ve both been holding back, afraid to get hurt.

Now, it’s like we’re both ready to suffer the consequences as long as we at least get a taste of what it’s like to cling to each other instead of pushing one another away.

Ryker’s hands travel down my back, his fingers trailing over the white linen fabric of my dress.

I know I’m the one to moan this time when he slides his hands underneath the fabric and his fingertips press to my bare skin.

More.

I need more.

I rock up and down, needing some sort of friction for the ache between my thighs.

He hasn’t touched me since that night in his room. I haven’t touched him at all, despite wanting to. I’ve held back, knowing that it would blur the line too much for me.

Now? I don’t care about the line. I’ve leapt right over it, right into Ryker’s arms.

I grab Ryker’s face again, wanting to deepen the kiss however I can. My back arches as I give everything I have into the kiss, desperately hoping it’ll lead to more.

I don’t know how it happens.

One second, we’re on the edge of the pool; the next, we’re crashing into the water.

I don’t even have time to gasp or react. I’m in Ryker’s lap, and then our bodies are sinking to the bottom of the pool.

My stomach drops as my entire body freezes in fear.

I can’t swim.

Strong arms wrap around my middle. My entire body relaxes because Ryker’s here. I know he won’t let anything happen to me. He kicks through the water until both our heads break through the surface.

“Cami,” he gets out, his voice full of panic. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

I nod. While the shock of hitting the water was scary, the feeling didn’t last long. I knew Ryker was with me.

He guides us to the shallow side of the pool. My feet hit the bottom, and I let out a relieved sigh.

Ryker immediately brings his face to mine, his hands roaming different places on my body as if to make sure I’m okay. “You hate water, don’t you?” he asks, making my heart race at the fact that he remembered.

“It’s fine. I’ve been in pools before. I just stay where my feet can touch.”