Page 86 of Ride or Die

“I need a shower, baby,” Cole grits out against my lips.

“No,” I whine in objection, shaking my head and urging his mouth back to mine with a murmured, “I need you.”

This time Cole pulls away, leaving me breathless as he stares at me, searching my eyes.

“What is it?” I pant out, suddenly worried I’ve said or done something wrong.

“Say that again,” he rasps.

Lust fogs my brain and it takes me a second, but when I realize what he’s asking, I lean in, pressing my forehead against his. Staring deep into his eyes, I say, “Ineedyou.”

“Fuck.” Cole closes his eyes on a ragged breath, his hands moving to my ass, and in one seamless motion, he stands, lifting me with him and stealing my breath. I wrap my arms and legs around him and he walks us inside. I bury my face into the crook of his neck, breathing him in. He smells of leather and sweat, and the spicy scent that is all him. I moan again, pressing a kiss to his skin, licking and sucking him, devouring him.

Seconds later, we’re in my bedroom—Cole’s bedroom—the dim light of the lamp on the nightstand illuminating the space in a soft glow as I’m deposited onto the bed. Resting back on my hands, I stare up at him, my chest heaving with shallow breaths.

Cole removes his hat, placing it onto the tallboy before staring down at me. His eyes roam over me slowly, darkening the second they zero in on my slightly parted thighs. I almost close them. Almost. But when he licks his bottom lip, thumb coming up to wipe the damp trail of his tongue while he continues his steady assessment of me, I open up a little more to him when he meets my eyes.

“What do you want, Clara?” he drawls, his voice low and throaty, borderline dangerous.

I allow my own gaze to trail down, taking in the way his T-shirt skims over the defined muscles underneath, to the jeansthat tug tight enough I can see the way his erection strains against the denim. I’m forced to press my thighs together in some pathetic attempt to quell the ache between them, but it’s in vain because I’m too far gone. I need him. And it’s both confusing and terrifying because I haven’t felt this need in so long, maybe even ever.

“I… want you,” I manage through my thickening throat.

“You got me, baby,” he says, holding his arms out at his sides. “I’m right here. But I need you to use your words, to tell meexactlywhat you want.”

I lick my suddenly dry lips, nervous, gaping up at him as he watches me, waiting.

“I want you to—” I swallow hard, briefly considering my words. “Claim me. Make me yours.”

With a deep inhale, Cole closes his eyes for a moment, like my words physically affect him. I see his Adam’s apple bob, his chest hitching a touch. Looking at me again, he releases his breath, arching a brow as he takes a step closer to me. He reaches behind his shoulder, and in one swift move, he pulls his T-shirt over his head, tossing the discarded clothing off to the side of the room, andholy shit.

I don’t know where to look first. His chest is broad, muscular pecs, dusted with hair and inked with tattoos, leading to an impressive pack of stacked abs that pull and constrict with every one of his breaths, and another light trail of hair that disappears down into the waist of his jeans. He’s perfection in its finest form, and I am a puddle of wanton need.

As if he can read my mind, Cole flashes me a smirk tinged with cockiness as his hands move to his belt buckle, releasing it and unfastening the button of his jeans. Ever so slowly, he tugs down the zipper, the sound of the teeth releasing almost echoing throughout the silence of the room. And as I stare at the way the denim hangs open, the way his cock strains against his blackbriefs, I feel my heart lurch into the back of my throat. This is happening. This is actually happening.

Kicking off his boots, Cole takes another step toward the bed and reaches out, gently pinching my chin between his thumb and forefinger, forcing my eyes up to his. “What else do you want?”

“I want you to take control,” I whisper on a stifled whimper, surprising myself with my words. “Ineedyou to take control.”

Cole releases another shuddering breath. “You trust me?”

I nod. “I do. And I know no matter what, you’ll never hurt me.”

“Never.” He shakes his head vehemently, pressing one knee onto the mattress, then the other until he’s right there, kneeling in front of me on the bed, his body looming over me in the least intimidating way.

“Tell me to stop and I will, okay?”

I nod again.

“Words, baby,” he rasps in a low warning.

“Yes,” I pant out, and honestly, I’m so desperate I’m barely holding on. I don’t even know what I’m agreeing to. But yes. With Cole, I have a gut instinct that it will always beyes.

With a soft, knowing smile, he stares deep into my eyes as his fingers trail downwards, finding the hem of my T-shirt before inching it up. “Arms up, darlin’.”

I lift my arms and he tugs my T-shirt over my head, tossing it off to the side and then, allowing his gaze to trail down over my breasts. He cups my cheek, ducks down, and licks into my mouth, forcing me back down onto the bed and kissing me so deeply, I feel his lips and his tongue in every part of my body.

Cole is careful as he lays on top of me, keeping his weight to the side while nestling his hips between my thighs, his warm, hard body pressed against mine as he continues kissing me. His hand moves from my jaw, fingers dancing over my skin asthey trail down over the swell of my breast, grazing my pebbled nipple. I suck in a breath, my back arching off the bed when he teases the sensitive bud, drawing featherlight circles around it, and I feel him grin against my lips, knowing exactly what he’s doing to me, before he continues down over my ribs, my stomach, stopping at the waist of my sleep shorts and toying at the sensitive skin.