CHAPTER b0023 /b

ric’s POV:

+15 bBONUS /b

A pulse of heat cracked down my spine and I felt my cock stir at the words Meadow had just uttered.

Not just the words–the sound of her voice, the low rasp in her tone, the way her lips curved up in that shy

smile? bIt /ball sent ba /bcurrent straight down to my cock, and I wanted nothing more than to give her what

she wanted.

“This is the second request you’ve made in two days, do you realize that?” I asked in a low tone as my gaze dropped to her hand on my shirt. I caught the way her fingers trembled slightly, and I felt my mouth

twitch.

Meadow was terrible at pretending that she was in charge. She tried to put on a brave face for whatever reason I didn’t understand, but I knew that deep down, she was terrified of what I could do to her.

What I ‘would‘ do to her.

Meadow had no idea what she’d signed up for by giving up her body and innocence to me. And I was

going to make sure she knew that.

She peered up at me, her longshes fluttering. Her eyes were a little unfocused. She was a bit drunk, bI /bcould tell that much. But how on earth was she inebriated only after one drink?

b“/bDoesn’t matter, does it?” she tilted her head, leaning in closer to me. b“/bYou said you’d give me whatever I

wanted, ric, and this is what I want right now.”

My fingers curled at my sides, and it took everything inside of me not to throw her over my shoulder and take her to the Tether room so I could make it known to her that when I said I would give bher /bwhat she

wanted on only my terms, I wasn’t joking.

“And that’s all you want?” I smirked. “To touch meb?/bb” /b

“Everywherei,/ii” /ishe added, and without waiting for a response, started to work on the buttons of my shirt, slowly opening them.

Her brows were slightly furrowed as she tried to concentrate on what she was doing. And when she was

done with the buttons, I took my shirt off, leaving me in only my pants.

She wanted ito /itouch? I would let her touch.

I saw the exact moment Meadow hesitated. With my bare chest directly in front of her, it was as if she didn’t know what to do with it. And it looked like some of her bravery was already slowly slipping away.

The alcohol courage was disappearing, leaving her in her true, innocent form.

The fact that no man had ever touched her the way I nned to caused my cock to tighten even more,

fighting to get out of my pants.

Meadow let out a breath, avoiding my gaze.

She was yet to touch my bare skin. Instead, she ran her hand through her hairb, /bprobably btrying /bto talk

herself out of this.

b“/bThere it is,” I drawled. “All of a sudden, byou /bcan’t do anything. You want to bknow /bwhyb, /bMeadowb?/bb” /b

I grabbed her waist, pulling her flush against my skin and eliciting a tiny squeak and a gasp from her

mouth.

My eyes darted to her mouth, and I leaned in, meeting her forehead with mine. b“/bIt’s because deep down in that innocent, virgin heart of yours, you know that byou /bcan’t take me. You bknow /byou’re not a match for

me.”

Meadow peered up at me through hooded eyes, and for a second, I thought I’d been able to get her to back off, but the opposite was the case.

“Who says I’m not?” Her voice was raspy, silky.

Fuck.

Her voice did a number on me.

Without any warning, Meadow ttened her palm on my chest, right over my heartbeat, and my jaw clenched in response. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to get over her touch. Her skin on mine, softb, /bsmall,

warm.

It’s all I ever wanted.

She slid her hand lowerb, /bbover /bmy ribs, down to my stomach in a torturously slow manner.

“Meadowb…/bb” /bI gritted out. bMy /bvoice came out like a warning. One I didn’t even believe in.

b“/bbI /bjust want bto /bfeel you,” she whispered. “That’s it.”

I suppose her courage was back.

I could’ve easily pushed her away from me, but I didn’t. I let her touch me, kept my gaze on her as she moved her hands along the nes of my muscles. My arms. I let her look at me like bI /bwas something beautiful, instead of looking at me with pity.

My barm /bwas still around her waistb, /band I jerked her forward slightly, so she could feel what she was doing to me. Meadow gasped when my hard cock pushed against her stomach, and her eyes flicked up to meet mine, wide and innocent.

God. I was going to break her.

“I bhave /bthis burning desire to give you whatever you wantb,/bb” /bI murmuredb, /bmy voice rough now.

And it was the fucking truth. If she’d asked for my bsoul/b, I would’veid it at her feet. I was bending all my

rules for her.

Her hands moved lower–hesitantly this time. And when they reached the waistband of bmy /bpants, that

was when I snapped. I grabbed her wrist.

bNot /bhard. Just enough for her to freeze in ce.

“Why’d byou /bstop me? I wasn’t done.” Her pupils dted a fraction when I leaned in.

“bI /bgave you just one ss of alcohol and you think you can take me?”

Meadow’s lips parted as if she wanted to say something, then shrugged, probably thinking better of it.” Oh well. I suppose I’m a pathetic lightweight.”

I stared at her. At the lips that I hadn’t yet kissed. The mouth I hadn’t imed. And fuck, I wanted to,

more than I’d ever wanted anything.

But I wouldn’t.

Because once I started–I wouldn’t stop.

b“/bYou’re still healing,” I said tightly, dropping her wrist when my eyesnded on the bandage on her

forehead. I didn’t want to let myself get mad at her sister. Not yet.

b“/bbI’m /bfine,” she replied.

b“/bbNo/bb, /byou’re not.” bI /breached for her hair, gently pushing it back and away from the bandage. “You’re

bruised, concussed. Soreb. /bbYou /bcan’t take me, Meadowb. /bNot yet.”

She flinched at my words and I instantly knew what she was thinking. That I didn’t want herb. /bThat I was

rejecting her. Meadow didn’t need to speak before I could understand what she was trying to bsay/b.

“I didn’t bsay /bno,” I rified quietly. “But you don’t understand what it means to let me have you. You’re

not bready/b. bNot /bfor all of me.”

A full minute passed before Meadow stepped back, a frown on her exquisite face. “Then what’s the point

of all this if byou /bwon’t-b” /b

“Stop.”

She did.

And I pulled her back to me again. “How about I give you something else?” bI /bwatched her carefully as I spoke, noticing the way her throat bobbed as she swallowed nervously. “I’m not going to take your virginity tonightb, /bMeadow.”

+15 bBONUS /b

Her bface /bfell again.

“But I will let you feel what it means to be mine.”

Meadow frowned slightly. “What does that meanb?/bb” /b

I bent slightly, brushing my knuckles along her jaw. I didn’t kiss her mouth, and I wouldn’t. That was bsacred/b. But I did press a kiss to her temple, to her cheek, the curve of her neck. bI /bfelt her shiver beneath

my touch.

“I’m going toy you on this counter,” I murmured, my mouth barely grazing the shell of her bear/b. b“/bbAnd /bthen I’m going to eat you out until your legs start shaking. And even then, I won’t stop. Would byou /blike

that, babyb?/bb” /b

Meadow’s breath hitched.

And that was all I needed.