Page 55 of Truly

The buildup climbs dizzyingly fast, and every cell in my body braces for the impact. My thighs shake. My core is so hot it’s as if I’m swallowing fire. The top of my head might blow.

I’m … so … close …“Fuck!”

“Ride me, baby,” he says through clenched teeth. His hands find my hips again, and he moves me up and down. “Ride my dick all the way through it. Don’t stop.”

“I can’t.”

“Yes, you can.” He thrusts into me from the bottom until his body goes taut. Then he begins to shake. “Dammit.”

I fight to open my eyes to watch him fall apart.

His head presses into the pillow, exposing his throat. A low, guttural sound escapes him. The tone scratches against my already sensitive skin, sending a second orgasmic wave tumbling through me.

I pant, my hands dropping to his chest. He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me onto his chest. He struggles to catch his breath, too.

“You are quite the negotiator,” he says, chuckling.

I laugh. “Does this mean you want to try to make it work?”

“This means I’m never letting you leave my life again.”

I nestle against him.Thank God for that.

CHAPTER 17

Luke

I pullout of my driveway, taking a right instead of a left. Troy answers before I pass my mailbox.

“Castelli.”

“Hey, Troy.”

“What can I do for you, Luke?”

“I’m running to the feed store. I’ll be gone an hour, maybe. Just giving you a heads-up. Laina was doing the dishes when I left. If anyone shows up, you might just let her handle it. She’s in a bit of a pissy mood.”

Troy gives me one chuckle.One. It’s the first time in ten days I’ve heard him do anything besides relay or accept information.

“Noted,” he says. “Are you expecting anyone while you’re gone?”

“Nope. And if Gavin shows up, tell him to get his ass back to work.”

“I’ll let you know if we have any problems.”

My brows pull together.Would he really say that to Gavin?I’m not sure. I think he might.

“Well, all right,” I say, wondering if I should mention that I was just joking. “Thanks.”

The call ends.

My stomach knots like it does every time I talk to Troy. Guilt eats me alive for not telling Laina he’s here. I’ve almost told her more than once; the truth was on the tip of my tongue. But then I remember Troy’s insistence, and Anjelica’s, that Laina’s safety was on the line. And if she knew Troy was there, she might force him to leave.

I keep quiet.

I squint into the sun, driving a quarter mile before I can turn away from it. Luckily, I know where the giant pothole is in the center of the road and can swerve around it without seeing it.

“Laina, Laina, Laina,” I say, exhaling. “What are you going to do, my lady?”