Page 14 of Loud Hot Roomie (Taboo Streets #4)

Riko

Why does this hurt so bad?

Because I thought he was different. I thought we were more than a dirty little secret. And the look on Casey’s face was the icing on the cake. I’ll never be able to go back to physical therapy again. The whole time I was gushing about my man and she was bitter about her ex, it was one and the same.

I’ve been at Rhett’s house for hours, lying in his bed and staring at his ceiling. Since Derek was blasting my phone, I left my phone charging by my backpack on the floor. Eventually I’ll need to check to see what he has to say.

Will I forgive him?

Right now, my heart aches too fucking badly to think about making him feel better. He wasn’t making me feel any better when I talked with him and Casey. In that moment, he chose her feelings over mine and it sucked.

“Your dad texted me,” Rhett says as he saunters into the room. He tosses his phone at me. “He’s worried.”

Frowning, I take the phone and shoot Rhett a confused look. “Why?”

“Read for yourself.”

Riko’s Dad: Is Riko with you?

Riko’s Dad: Please let me know. This is important.

Riko’s Dad: His mother and I are worried. I know he talks to you. Is he with you?

Rhett: He’s at my house. Why?

Riko’s Dad: Thank God. We just met his boyfriend. The man was panicking and begged us to find him.

I jerk upright and shake my head. “Wait. Derek went to my parents’ house? What the fuck?”

“Your boyfriend’s a stalker.” Rhett shrugs his shoulders.

With my stomach twisting in knots, I read the rest of their text exchange.

Rhett: They broke up.

Riko’s Dad: Wonderful. I wish I would have known that.

Rhett: Sorry, man. He’s going to be okay. I’ve got his back.

Riko’s Dad: Thank you. Tell him we miss him.

I gape as I try to scroll to see more, but there’s nothing. There’s too much to comprehend with their conversation. Derek somehow found my parents’ house and demanded they find me? I’m stunned that he was able to pull this off.

With a groan, I slide out of the bed and then kneel beside my bag to check my phone. There are a million missed calls and texts from Derek. I ache to read them all, but I go for the ones Dad sent first.

Dad: Where are you?

Dad: Derek is here. He’s distraught. Sounds like you two had an epic fight.

No fight. I just left him. It was impulsive and probably childish to do so, but I never claimed to be anything but.

Dad: This man thinks highly of you. Why didn’t you tell me you were working on a business? I could have helped.

“I did not expect him to go over there,” I grumble, anxiety clawing at me.

“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Rhett says. “I’m Team Riko, but I do think you should talk to him. If I recently learned I liked men and then discovered the man I’m in love with is friends with my ex, I’d probably freeze up too. Maybe hear him out.”

“I don’t love him,” I lie. “It’s too soon.”

Rhett snorts out a laugh. “What the fuck ever. You fall in love with everything within three seconds of having it in your greedy little hands. Remember that time we found that baby bird in the woods. You had it named and shit ordered on before we even made it back to my house.”

Derek isn’t a baby bird.

He’s a grown-ass man who’s said and done some hurtful things to me.

But he’s also done a lot of sweet, kind, and sexy things too.

I guess that’s why this hurts so much. I’m unhappy with the not-so-good things.

Are you perfect, Riko Valentine?

The doorbell rings, but neither of us get up since the rest of his family is downstairs watching a movie. I reply back to my father.

Me: It’s something I started. I’ve already got my first client.

Dad: Incredible work. And doing soccer? I wish I would have followed my passions as a young man.

I frown at his text. Since when? The man is practically married to his company.

Me: I love soccer too much to give it up. It sucks my body works against me.

Dad: Derek told us all about Casey being your physical therapist. I’m sorry.

I toss my phone away from me as if it’s covered in poison. Rhett laughs at my dramatic response. My father is a hardass. He’s not one to dole out compliments or praise. Why now? What the hell did Derek say to him?

Me: I didn’t know Derek was going to bug you guys. Mom is probably weirded out.

Dad: It was abrupt and he just walked inside like he owned the place, but your mother was quick to be hospitable. Especially when he praised her cooking lessons. You know how she gets about that stuff.

I’m in a dream. I can’t even imagine Derek in the same room as my parents, much less him waltzing in, blabbing about me, and sucking up to them. It’s totally what I planned on doing when I met his parents.

My cheeks warm and my heart beats harder. I miss him. It’s barely been a couple of hours and I ache to be in his arms.

Me: Is he still there?

Dad: No, he left.

Me: Maybe we can come over one evening for dinner and catch up. Less drama.

I fidget awkwardly as I wait for his response.

Dad: We’d really like that. Tomorrow night?

Me: I need to find Derek first and make sure we can fix this.

Dad: I’m sure you’ll have it worked out very soon.

“Yo, Riko,” Cason says from Rhett’s doorway. “Package for you. You have to sign for it.”

Did I order something from that butt plug site and have it sent here so my mom wouldn’t open it? Wouldn’t be the first time I did some crazy shit like that.

I rise to my feet and pad out of the room, barefoot and trying to figure out what it could be.

Rhett’s dad, Owen, and his sister, Addison, both smirk knowingly at me from the couch.

Rubbing at my temple, I make my way to the front door.

A man with a giant cardboard box stands there waiting.

I immediately recognize the strong fingers gripping the box, even if his head is hidden.

How did he know to find me here?

Did my dad really rat me out?

My parents must’ve liked him if they gave up this information. I can’t help but feel a flood of relief at that thought.

“There’s nothing in this box,” the man behind it admits, shame in his voice. “I just wanted to see you.”

He sets the empty box down beside him and stares at me with such longing I can’t help but lean toward him. His eyes and nose are red like he might’ve been crying which makes my heart hurt even more.

“What are you doing here?” I demand, voice hoarse with emotion.

“I’ve come to beg your forgiveness.”

I awkwardly twist the rubber ring around my finger. His bloodshot eyes dart over to it and a dimpled smile stretches over his handsome face. “You kept it on.”

“I did.” I lift my chin to meet his stare. “Just because I was upset doesn’t mean I want to lose you.”

A rush of relieved breath escapes him. “Thank fuck. I kind of freaked out.” He steps closer to me. “I thought I lost you and I couldn’t bear it. I need you, Riko.”

His hand reaches out and gently takes mine as if to test the temperature of the water before diving in.

I squeeze his hand, needing his touch more than ever.

Then, roughly, he jerks me to him for a Derek bear hug that always puts everything back together for me.

I squeeze his middle, tears forming and words escaping me for once.

He rubs up and down my back as if to soothe the both of us.

“I love you,” he says against my hair. “So fucking much. You worried about being the one to break things and it was me. It’s always been me. I’m the destroyer of hearts. I’ve never been able to stop it from happening. But with you? I feel like I can. I have to because I need you.”

I pull back so I can see his handsome face. He cups my cheek and then leans forward to kiss me. I stop him with a shake of my head. His features crumple.

“I’m going to kiss you,” I say with a teasing tone. “You can stop looking at me like I murdered your puppy.”

His eyebrow arches up. “What are you waiting for then?”

“To tell you something first.” I grin at him. “I love you too, Dere-Dere.”

This time when his mouth crashes to mine, I don’t stop him. We kiss passionately, ignoring the round of applause from the Monahans inside the house. In fact, we kiss for so long, Rhett eventually tells us to get a room, but not his, because the neighbors are going to complain.

“I need to grab my stuff,” I tell him. “Come on.”

We head inside and Derek greets everyone with a sheepish wave.

“Hi,” he says gruffly. “I’m Derek Blake. Riko is going to be my husband one day. I hope you all will attend the wedding.”

Addison giggles and Owen stands to shake Derek’s hand.

“We’d be honored. Riko is like a son to me,” Owen says with a grin.

I shake my head at Derek. “You go from being afraid to tell people you’re in a relationship to inviting everyone to the wedding? Please tell me you didn’t tell my parents that.”

Derek’s dimpled grin is my undoing. “I may have asked your mom if she can make the wedding cake.”

“You did not.”

The teasing smile of his is hard to read. I’m equal parts horrified and giddy as fuck.

We’re really doing this. Falling in love. Committing to one another. Making each other happy.

Twenty minutes later, we’re home and I’m eager to continue kissing my man.

We barely get through the door before stripping out of our clothes in a mad dash to his bed.

It feels right and real when we sink into the mattress.

He’s hard and ready to fuck, but because he adores me, he spends time worshiping my cock with his talented mouth.

“Come down my throat like a good boy,” he commands. “I need to taste what’s mine.”

When he talks filthy, it destroys me in the best possible way. There’s no holding back when he gets like this. Derek is intense in and out of the bedroom. I love it.

He presses a slick finger into my ass, urging me to find my release even quicker now that he’s rubbing my prostate.

I whimper and groan, trembling as my orgasm nears.

When he murmurs that he loves me before choking on my dick again, I lose it.

Cum floods out of me and he growls as he gulps it down.

The man is always starved for me and it’s intoxicating.

As much as I want him to rush, he takes his time sucking every drop out of me and fingering my sensitive insides. I can only take the teasing for so long before I’m begging for him to be inside of me.

I lie boneless as he lubes up his cock and then with a desperate thrust, he’s inside me. Our mouths fuse together and all is right in the world. He fucks me hard but with a gentleness I can’t explain. As if I’m precious to him. The most wonderful thing he’s ever held in his arms.

And I scream his name, over and over, because I can.

Because he’s mine.

Because he loves it.

Because he loves me.