Page 22 of Clashing

Chapter fifteen

Irresistible

Ryker

I hit the punching bag once. Twice. Three times.

Seven weeks. Seven fucking weeks and I couldn’t stop.

Not only could I not stop fucking her, I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

I spent a great deal of the day with a throbbing cock that’d only answer to one person.

The torment didn’t subside for a second.

Another girl would pass by and all I’d think about was how Scarlett’s walk made her hips sway, a reminder of how well they moved with mine.

Sweat dripped down my face while I took my frustration out on the punching bag. I should stop. I’d gone longer than I should. No matter what I tried, I couldn’t get her out of my head.

The muscles in my arms, shoulders, and back screamed until I relented. I braced my hands on my knees and panted. In the corner, the dogs watched me with knowing looks.

I waved my hand at them. “Let it go.” I shouldn’t have gone so hard but . . .

It was Friday. There was no escaping her.

Once I cleaned up, I rode to Danny’s. While I waited at the stoplight right before the bar, I spotted Scarlett in booty shorts. She fussed around a big object with her tailgate open. I cursed her in my head but when the light changed, I parked in that very alley.

I dismounted my bike, removed my helmet, and approached. The big square thing turned out to be a stereo, and she already had it covered with a sheet in the truck bed. She secured a tie over the top.

I stroked my jaw. “Moving?”

“No.” She caught her lip between her teeth, her gaze sensuous and dangerous as it crawled over me. “Selling it.”

Fuck, I loved the way she always checked me out. “Why?” I leaned against her truck, arms crossed. “You love listening to music.”

Her apartment always had music playing, and she’d asked me to put some on at my place a couple times. She didn’t care what kind. She just wanted noise.

“Yeah.” She lifted a shoulder. “But I need money, and I have my headphones, so I’ll live.”

“What do you need money for?” She shouldn’t sell her shit. “I can lend you money.”

“No.” Her firm tone aggravated me. She’d accept my cock, but not my help. Why does that bother me? “No one’s lending me money. I can take care of myself.”

So much like Danny. I drummed my fingers against my bicep. What if some asshole took advantage of her? “You won’t get a fair deal at a pawn shop.”

“I’m not going to a pawn shop. I listed it online and someone wants to see it.”

“Wait.” A muscle in my jaw ticked. “Are you about to meet some stranger from the internet?”

“Oh, God.” She braced her hands on her hips and preemptively rolled her eyes. “Here we go.”

“Yeah, Scar, here we fucking go. Why would you do that by yourself? Wearing those fucking shorts?”

“Jesus Christ, Ryker.” She slammed the tailgate shut. “It’s not a big deal. I’m meeting him in a public plac—”

“ Him? ”

She retrieved her keys from her pocket, and they clanked together when she pointed at me. “Relax, psycho. I’m meeting him in public so there’s people around, and he doesn’t know where I live. I’m not an idiot.”

“ We’re meeting him.” I held out my hand. “Keys.”

“What? No.” She stepped back, and I wanted to spank her until that stubborn glint in her pretty eyes muted. “You’re so overprotective.”

I followed as she retreated. “Keys.”

“Ugh.” She stomped to the driver’s side. “You can tag along, but you aren’t driving my truck.”

“I’m going to smack that ass raw.”

She flipped me off and climbed into the truck. I sat in the passenger seat and was about to speak but she started the ignition and blasted the music, then smacked my hand when I reached for the volume knob.

“Goddammit, Scarlett,” I growled.

“What?” She pointed to her ears. “Can’t hear you.”

The cheeky smile she gave before the vehicle lurched forward made me question whether I wanted to kiss or punish her. Both. Definitely both. She rolled down the window and let her hand hang out, bobbing her head to the music. Why do my lips twitch up when she does that?

Ten minutes later, we pulled into a grocery store parking lot. Scarlett parked, then retrieved her phone. She killed the engine, and the music turned off with it. Her curly hair stuck to her neck as she pushed it out of the way and lifted her phone to her ear.

“Hey, it’s Scarlett. You here?” The mumble of his response made my fist tighten. Scarlett twisted in her seat to look out the rear window. “Oh, I see you. I’m in the faded green truck. I’ll be right out.”

She ended the call then turned to me with one of her iconic glares. She had this special kind of glare that you didn’t only see but felt .

“Listen, overprotective freak.” She poked my chest. “I’m a grown ass woman. You’re here and that’s more than adequate. Stay in this car or so help me, I’m not going to let you come.”

I scowled but she didn’t spare me another glance.

She strode to the back of her truck where the stranger approached, his smirk a little too wide, his eyes drifting a little too much.

I clenched my fist as he drew nearer. She opened the tailgate and untied the stereo.

As she reached for the sheet, his gaze slid to her ass.

If he didn’t move that hand off the tailgate so close to her, I would remove it.

Fuck it.

I opened the door and the asshole’s wandering eyes widened. He retreated at my approach, and I cracked my neck. He gulped. Scarlett straightened out, her gaze flicking between us.

She smiled at the guy over her shoulder, then grabbed my arm. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing, baby.” I crushed her body to mine and planted my lips on hers. “I missed you.”

I knew she’d react. She always reacted to me. She moaned softly and I slid my hands into her back pockets, squeezing her ass before pulling out of the kiss.

My gaze slid to the creep, who had the decency to pretend he couldn’t look at my girl. “I thought you might need help.”

He frowned and avoided our eyes. Scarlett recovered and sneered at me before she returned to the guy with a friendly smile she’d never send my way.

“Sorry. Ignore him.” She tossed the blanket off the stereo. “It’s in good condition.”

The guy nodded, eyeing me while he took wary steps forward. Logically, I recognized that he drew closer to examine the stereo. A good excuse to get close to her. I snaked my arm around her waist and pulled her snug against me. My lip curled. He noticed, swallowed, and looked away.

Good.

Less than thrilled, Scarlett pinched my arm. Hard. It hurt but I didn’t budge, much to her dismay, evident from the little huff she exuded. Being this pissed at me, she’d be extra fun in bed tonight.

The guy asked questions about the stereo, and I kept her firm against me, despite her subtle attempts to escape.

I could only imagine the fury she’d unleash after this.

The thought rushed blood to my groin and Scarlett stiffened when I hardened against her ass.

The stranger inspected the stereo and the fucking tease rolled her ass against me.

I held in my groan and dug my fingers into her hips.

The creep wanted to make sure the stereo worked, so we plugged it into an outlet outside the store. After a few minutes, he offered cash and retreated quickly, a nervous tremble in his hands as he eyed me. It wasn’t until we were in Scarlett’s truck that she swatted my arm.

“What the hell is your problem?” she hissed, smacking me with her purse. “He didn’t do anything!”

“He stared at your ass and stood way too close.”

“You mean like you do all the fucking time?”

“It’s different when I do it.”

“How is it different?”

I caught her wrist when she tried to land another blow. “Because you want me to stare at your ass. That’s how it’s fucking different.”

“You’re so anno—”

“Annoying? Yeah, so you tell me.” I grunted and yanked her toward me by her wrist, pulling her within reach of my lips. “And you have no sense of self-preservation. It’s pissing me off.”

Scarlett jerked away and started the car, then pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward Danny's. “Kiss my ass.”

I wedged my hand between her ass and the seat and pinched. She squealed.

“I will.” I set my palm on her inner thigh, where her skin scalded mine. “I’ll do more than kiss it.”

“You’re the worst.” Even as the words left her mouth, she pulled her thighs together and licked her lips.

“We’ll see if that’s true when I slide my cock into your already wet pussy.” I nudged her thighs apart and palmed her through her shorts.

“ Fuck. ” She gripped the steering wheel and gasped. “I’m driving, Ryker.”

I applied more pressure. “Then drive.”

She whimpered and rocked her hips against my hand. “If we get in an accident, it’s your fault, and you’re paying for it.”

She had a point. It’s not my fault you’re irresistible.

Reluctantly, I returned to my spot high on her bare thigh. God, that skin. “The fuck you need money for anyway?”

“An art class.”

“Do you have what you need now?”

“Almost.” She chewed the inside of her cheek. “I have a couple other things I can sell.”

“Jesus, Scarlett, let me loan you the money.”

“No.”

“Come on, baby. Why the fuck does it matter? It’s a loan.” I shrugged to mask how much this bothered me. I liked her leaning on me for orgasms. I shouldn’t want her to rely on me for other shit, yet the urge to encourage her to wouldn’t simmer down. “I’m not giving it to you.”

“I don’t need it.”

“I have no doubt you’ll find a way to get the money but why sell your shit when you have another option?”

She parked behind the bar and twisted toward me. “Ryker, drop it. This is me, okay? It’s the way I am. I don’t like depending on people. I don’t like being rescued. I don’t like owing anybody anything. I’d sell my bed before I’d borrow money from you.”

“That’s fucking insane.” I petted circles against her thigh with my thumb. “Everybody needs help sometimes. You literally bitched about how Danny won’t let you help him.”

“That’s different. He’s in actual pain because of the shit he does by himself. He isn’t capable of some of the things he needs done. I’m capable and handling it, so stop being such a prick.” She got out of the car, the slam a testament to how done she was with this conversation.

Muttering under my breath, I got out and followed her toward the bar’s rear door. “Don’t meet another stranger without me.”

“You don’t have a say, Ryker. I’ll do what I want, and you can suck it up.”

“You’re fucking asking for it.” I snatched her arm and threw her against the brick wall, then caged her in with my arms. “You’re not going without me. End of discussion.”

She got right in my face. “You don’t control me. End of discussion.”

“I’m not controlling you, Scar. I’m protec—”

“I don’t need protection,” she snapped. “I’m good. I’m fine. I take care of myself.”

I pinned her to the wall with my body and wrapped my fingers around her throat. “You take care of yourself?”

Despite glistening sweat on her skin sticking strands of her hair to her neck and face, goose bumps erupted on her arms. She fisted my shirt, her breathing shallow. Hooded eyes destroyed my decency.

“You don’t always take care of yourself.” I ground my cock against her. “I take care of you.”

She bit her lip, her eyes fluttering. “I take better care of myself.”

Now she was really a sking for it.

“You do, huh?” I eased back and slipped my hand between her thighs.

She gasped, and I touched her through her shorts until she ground against my hand with a low moan.

“You do this better?” I rubbed her harder, and her pupils expanded. “You can’t do this.” I planted my lips on her neck and sucked until she hissed. “You can’t do this.” I crashed my lips on hers.

She curled her fingers around my biceps and mewed into my mouth. I rubbed her faster, harder. She whimpered, falling out of the kiss, eyes squeezed shut. I knew her body well, and when she was close, I stopped.

She whined and shoved against my chest. “You’re such a dick.”

“What’s that? You want my dick?” I placed her hand over my bulge. She flushed and traced my throbbing erection. “If you want it, you have to ask nicely.”

Her hand tightened around my cock and all thoughts of telling her this thing between us had to end flew out of my mind.