?Chapter 73:

“You think you can p me and walk away?” Ryder’s voice was dangerously calm.

His voice was dangerous now, every word dripping with unspoken desire. I tried to sound brave, but my voice betrayed me. “I’m not afraid of you,” I breathed.

Big lie. My body betrayed me. It was bad enough that I was naked—the heat between my legs was undeniable, contracting and rxing in a torturous cycle. Ryder’s presence stirred something deep and primal inside me, something I both feared and craved.

He leaned in, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. “You should be,” he whispered, his breath hot against my skin, sending a jolt of electricity down my spine.

A low gasp escaped my lips, my legs trembling beneath me. Ryder’s hands came up, bracing on either side of my head, trapping me against the tree. His body was so close, his chest just inches from mine, but he wasn’t touching me. Not yet.

The space between us buzzed with tension, the unspoken hunger in his gaze nearly undoing me. I felt like I was drowning in his eyes, unable to look away. I swallowed hard, my throat dry, my mind screaming at me to push him away. “Because of him, you’re here naked like a whore!” my thoughts reminded me—but my body was adamant. It wanted more. Ryder’s dominance, his control—it was intoxicating.

“I should punish you for that p,” Ryder said, his voice now a low growl. His hand came up, tracing the curve of my jaw with the back of his fingers, a small, taunting smile ying on his lips.

Goddamn it! He knew exactly what he was doing to me. A new game, of course, a new way to torture me.

My breath hitched. “I wouldn’t,” I managed to speak, my voice squeaky, and I regretted saying anything.

Ryder’s lips curled into a wicked smile. “Liar,” he murmured, his thumb brushing over my bottom lip. I pushed my head further, willing myself to enjoy the feel of his skin on mine.

I couldn’t hold back anymore. My lips parted slightly, my body aching for more, but he pulled back just as quickly, leaving me in an awkward position, my body hanging on the edge of desire. I hated him for it.

“Tell me to stop,” he whispered, his voice rough, his mouth now inches from mine. His breath was warm against my lips, teasing me with what he wasn’t giving. I could smell his taste—coffee and whiskey. An oddbination, but it was enticing.

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My mind screamed at me to say it, to push him away—but my mouth hung open, the words stuck in my throat. Instead, my fingers curled, nails digging into the bark of the tree.

The tree pressed against my back as Ryder’s hand finally came down, gripping my waist firmly, and I let out a gasp.

His touch was like fire, sending heat flooding through my stomach and legs. “Can’t do it, can you?” Ryder taunted, his voice almost a purr. “Because you don’t want me to stop.”

Shit. I felt my resolve crumble, and my body surrendered to his touch as I tilted my neck, letting my hair fall away so he could have full ess to it. His fingers pressed against my waist, holding me in ce.

“Say it, Jasmine,” Ryder repeated in that sexy whisper that made my toes curl. His lips nipped my earlobe, tugging it gently. “Tell me to stop, and I will.” But the words wouldn’te. My body was trapped in his web of desire, and I couldn’t escape.

My breath came in ragged gasps, my entire body alight with sensation as Ryder pressed closer, his lips hovering just above mine. He didn’t kiss me—not yet. That wasn’t Ryder’s style. Instead, his lips brushed mine teasingly. They felt slightly chapped but soft, torturing me with their proximity. The warmth of his breath, as he asionally tugged at my lips with his teeth, danced across my skin. Why wouldn’t he just kiss me?

“I hate you,” I whispered, but the words tumbled from my lips, weak and shaky. Ryder’s eyes sparkled with amusement, his gaze burning with intensity. “Then prove it,” he challenged, his voice low and daring.

He leaned in, his lips grazing mine before pressing them lightly against mine and pulling away, a soft, fleeting touch that had my core clenching with need. My breath hitched, my heart racing like a wild animal.

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