Page 35 of Unmasking Her Shadow

The shit-eating grin Ryker is giving the floor tells me this is his doing. Might as well finish what he was trying to start.

“I have a shirt you can wear in my locker.”

I don’t bother asking her if she wants it. Instead, I just grab her hand and pull her to the locker room. It’s just a plain black t-shirt, but it smells like me, and the thought of her wearing my clothes and smelling like me…fuuuck. I snatch it out of my locker and hand it to her. She glances around and turns to face the opposite direction to peel off her wet top and bra. I bite my knuckles. I’d rather get tased than go through the torture of having my girl half naked in front of me and not being able to do anything about it. Turn around. Turn around. I get the faintest glimpse of her nipples when she turns, still tugging my shirt over her chest.

She grabs the neckline and pulls my shirt over her nose. Before I can ask what’s wrong, she inhales, making an “Mmm” sound.

“It smells like you,” she states, her eyes shining with the smile I cannot see.

“Red,” I warn.

She pops her nose back out of my t-shirt but keeps a fistful still in her hand at her chest.

“Right now,” she breathes.

“Right now?”

She nibbles her lower lip, and I step into her, walking her backwards until her back hits the lockers.

“Say it,” I demand.

“Kiss me, Kioni.”

Her words come out in a plea, and I cup both sides of her face and smash my lips to hers. She deepens the kiss, and every flick of her tongue over mine has my mind and body going crazy. Fuck baby steps. She feels too good. I drop my hands to her ass and lift her. Her legs wrap around my waist and her ankles lock behind me.

“Tell me to stop.”

She shakes her head and cups my face the way I did hers. “No red,” she says before sealing her lips to mine again. I remove a hand from her ass and snake it up her body until it’s wrapped around her throat. Her thighs are like boa constrictors, tightening when I squeeze harder. I turn her face away from mine and kiss up her neck, rubbing my thumb over her pulse. She moans and the fucking door opens. I kiss her one last time before I place her on her feet and step backwards, panting and horny as fuck. Neither one of us say a word as the woman walks by us, unaware of the tension she walked through.

“I’ll walk you to your car,” I tell her, extending my hand towards her.

She grabs her wet clothing off the floor and threads her fingers through mine. Ryker looks thoroughly proud of himself when we walk out. Yeah, yeah, I owe you one. I tell him with my eyes. I stop by her driver’s side door and wait until she unlocks it before opening it for her. She gives me a wicked smile and presses her lips to mine in a quick but tender kiss before getting into her car.

“You said whenever I want,” she defends.

“Mmm. But what about me?”

“What would you do if I said you could kiss me whenever you wanted?”

“I would make you fucking mine, Red. But I know this,” I point back and forth between us. “seems fun for you right now. Tell me when the fun has become permanent and not a forgotten page in a misprinted book that is supposed to be there, but the story went on without it.”

“I understand,” she whispers. I almost have her door shut, and she pushes it back open. “Just one more? For the road?”

I bite back my laugh. “Anything for you.” I lean into her car and kiss her goodbye again, attempting to pour everything I feel into one kiss. “Get home safe.”

25

Sam

“Are you here for a particular dog that you saw on our page?” the volunteer asks, opening the door that leads to the kennels. The air reeks of wet dog and piss.

“No,” I yell so she can hear me over the barking. “I’m just looking today.”

“Let me know if there is one you would like to get out. You can take them for a walk in the park out back.”

“Thanks!”

I walk down the aisles and wish I didn’t, because I want to take them all home with me, and now I’m sad I can’t. This is probably a mistake, anyway. I’ll end up choosing one that destroys my house while I’m at work. Or I’ll take the one that falls for my stalker and lets him inside without so much as a whimper. I reach through the bars and pet every single dog I pass, except the one that growled at me. I like and need my hands and fingers. The next one I come to appears to be empty until a head pops up to look at me from underneath a large blanket.