“Trolling Amazon for free books.”

“Free? They can’t be very good.”

I sit on the edge of the bed and lean on the headboard. Like it’s the most natural thing in the world, she moves over right next to me. I drape my arm around her shoulders and she leans in to my side.

“Not really. Sometimes it’s promotional…or maybe the first in a series. They give that one away, and then you have to buy the others to finish the story.”

“I see.” I hand her my credit card and she gives me that big, beautiful smile again. I know, without a doubt, I would do anything to keep her smiling like that. “Get whatever you want.”

She launches at me, throwing her arms around my neck and squeezing tightly.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Fuck. All this over a few books? Not that I’m complaining. Trust me. “Doesn’t take much to please you, does it?”

“Nope. I just need your billing address please,” she says in a sweet voice, batting her lids.

Fucking cute. I give her my driver’s license and she looks down at it with a grin.

“Your middle name is Harley?”

“Yeah. Blame Chopper. If he had his way, it would have been my first name.”

“It’s cute...Harley.”

“I don’t do ‘cute’, baby doll.”

“Okay, Harley. Whatever you say.”

“What’s your middle name, smartass?”

“Selena.”

“Selena. I like that.”

“Thank you. Now, go away.”

She goes back to her phone and it’s like I don’t exist anymore. I leave her there and head into the shower. Yup, under my skin, all right.

CHAPTER 5

***Raven***

I feel like a kid in the candy shop…on Christmas and my birthday rolled into one. I got a couple books I wanted and I didn’t have to pay for them. Sweet. He just found the way to my heart. No. Not heart. What he’s after is a little farther south. Although lately, he seems different. The jealousy, the way he talks…he wouldn’t be like this if he didn’t care, right? Could he possibly want something more? No. I can’t think like this. That’s how I’ll end up getting hurt. He likes me and I like him. Let’s just leave it at that.

He walks back in, wearing those sexy-as-sin boxer shorts that don’t leave much to the imagination. I lick my lips and watch as he climbs into bed.

“Put away the phone. Book time is over.”

“Oh? What time is it?”

“Gage time.”

I burst out laughing, and he raises a curious brow.

“What’s so funny?”

“I just got this image in my head of you saying that while doing the ‘Hammer-time’ dance.”

I gasp as he grabs me by the waist and pulls me to him. Nothing is funny anymore. In fact, I don’t even remember why I was laughing. He takes my phone and places it next to his on the nightstand.

“I. Don’t. Dance. Got it?”

“Got it,” I whisper.

He laces his fingers through my hair then gently trails his index finger down my cheek.

“You’re beautiful, you know that?”

“So you keep telling me.”

“And I won’t stop.”

Tremors run through my body as I stare into his eyes. With just a look, he makes me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.

“Tell me something about you,” he says in a low voice.

“What do you want to know?”

“Everything.”

“Wow…that’s specific.” He leans in and bites into my bottom lip. “Ow!”

“Keep it up. I might put you over my knee yet.”

“Okay, okay. Where should I start?”

“Tell me about back home.”

I shrug, not really knowing what to say. “My dad raised me and Lonnie. She left when she turned eighteen, and then for a long time it was just me and him.”

“How’d he die?”

“Killed in the line of duty…armed robbery gone wrong.”

“What about your mom?”

“Never met her.”

“How come?”

“She was some kind of heiress. Her parents didn’t approve of my dad. He was Mexican and a cop, so he wasn’t good enough for their princess. When she found out she was pregnant, they gave her an ultimatum. Us or the money. They actually wanted her to get an abortion, but she opted instead to give me up to my dad.”

His arm tightens around me supportively. I haven’t talked about her in a long time. I don’t know how she could do it. How do you leave a baby you spent nine months carrying inside your body? And afterwards…she never even tried to see me once. “Daddy was my rock. After he died, I was a little lost. Everything moved so fast. Lonnie swept in, signed some papers, and packed me up. I didn’t even get to go to prom or graduation.”

“Do you miss it?”

“I do, especially Toni. She’s my best friend. But there’s nothing there for me anymore.”

“You don’t have any other family?”

“Nope. I was accepted into the Miami International University of Art and Design, but I had to give it up when I moved.”

“Art? What were you going to study?”

“Graphic and web design.”

“There are other art schools around.”

“I know. I just have to get some other stuff sorted out first.”

“Like what?” He asks.

“I need to get my own place. I can’t stand living with Lonnie. I just wish my birthday would hurry up and get here.”

“You and me both.”

I lay my palm flat on his hard chest and move closer. “Why don’t you remind me what’s in it for you?”

His hand creeps under my shirt, and his fingers slowly dance up my spine. My breathing gets ragged and my body trembles against him.

“I finally get to do what I’ve wanted to do since the moment I saw you…sink my dick deep inside you.”

I can barely keep my eyes open, but I fight it because the look on his face is affecting me as much as his touch. “Is that all?”

He traces circles over my heated skin – my hip, the dip of my waist, and up my ribcage. His voice, low and hoarse, weaves its way into my senses.

“I’m going to kiss every inch of your gorgeous body.”

I slide my fingers into his hair and lean in, our lips just inches apart. My pussy is twitching, begging for attention. He gets close to my breast and I arch into him, but he withdraws his fingers.

“Once you’ve come on my tongue a few times…I’m going to fuck you nice and slow.”

“Gage…”

“At first. But then I’m going to take you hard and fast…in every position and location I can.”

He parts my thighs and places his knee between them. I move my hips, desperately trying to ease the ache between my legs.

“When I’m done with you, you won’t be able to walk for a month.”

“That…sounds painful.”

His fingers continue their exploratory mission, trailing over my thigh. I moan, feeling like I might shatter at any moment.

“I’ll have you coming so hard, you’ll welcome the pain.”

Dios. “Please, Gage. I don’t want to wait.”

He stops instantly, pulling my shirt down.

“No, Raven.”

“It’s just a few weeks. What difference does it make?”

“I just can’t.”

“I have something I want you to hear.”

I sit astride him, reach for my phone, and play the song Toni sent me earlier – “Nobody Has To Know” by Kranium. He raises a brow at me, and I wonder if he’ll understand any of it. I lean in close to his lips and whisper, “No one has to know.”

Toni’s been giving me a few pointers, so let’s see how they work. Moving to the beat of the music, I roll my hips and grind on his now rock-hard dick. He lowers his gaze, biting into his bottom lip as he watches. I reach up and cup my breasts, kneading them and pulling on my nipples. With a moan, I throw my head back and imagine doing this while he’s inside me. He grabs my hips, chest rising and falling rapidly as his breathing gets out of control. I smirk as I turn around, kicking things up a notch. He groans as I pull my T-shirt up to my waist.

“Raven…”

I lean forward, place my hands on the bed between his legs and slowly bounce on top of him. Let him see what he’s missing…what he could be getting right now. He growls and pulls me down onto the bed.