Dirty Princes (Hot Candy 3)

“I’m telling you, he seemed to be in pain,” Riddick says the next day, and for the tenth time. “He kept saying I should be with you, and it just… doesn’t add up.”

The one who seems to be in pain right now is Riddick. I keep massaging the gel into his back and over his muscular butt. Not that it’s any hardship on my part. “He didn’t reply, though.”

We’d knocked on his door and called his name for a long time. I could hear the TV playing inside. He was there, all right. He just didn’t want to speak to us.

Could Riddick be right? Was there some problem Ryan didn’t want to tell us about?

But why? What could be so bad? It fits in with how he has been pushing us away all the time, but still…

“You told me,” I say, pressing my thumbs into the small of his back, making him groan, “that if he acts like an asshole, then he is an asshole. No hidden agendas.”

“And you,” he turns his head to smile at me, “told me to see the gold in him.”

“I did.” I splay my fingers on top of his ass cheeks. He’s so gorgeous. So strong and yet gentle. Riddick is gold.

Why are we so hooked on Ryan, both of us? We keep thinking he’s better than he acts, kinder.

Then again… he found Xavier for Riddick. He called me to find out how he was. He asked me—something I didn’t tell Riddick—how I am, told me I deserve the best. That Riddick loves me and will take care of me.

It was so sweet. And sounded a lot like goodbye. Like Riddick says.

No wonder he’s freaked out.

“I’m sure he’s fine,” I tell him, and give him a little slap on the ass. He hisses, and I grin. “Will you be fine, while I go meet Candy?”

It’s late afternoon, and I came to his apartment after work to check on him before going out again to meet my bestie.

If he moved in with me it would be… so much more practical. Okay, let’s be honest: it would be so much nicer. His apartment is cold and dark, and Fluff doesn’t like it.

She likes Riddick, though, and my apartment is big. If he moved in with me, it would be perfect, but I haven’t had a chance to talk to him about this yet. I don’t know if he expects his brother to return here after rehab.

“How’s Candy?”

“Good. I’m so happy for her. It’s exciting!”

He blinks a bright gray eye at me. “You want kids, Princess?”

I wipe my hands on a paper napkin so that I can go wash the gel off my hands without smearing the whole apartment on the way. “Someday.”

“How about kids with me?”

Heat spreads in my face. Aw, I love him. “Someday.”

“And Ryan?”

My eyes sting. “I’m going to wash my hands.”

“Bry…”

Yes, I’m still in love with Ryan, too. Yes, I’m miserable that the three of us can’t be together.

Yes, last weekend was the happiest of my life, and I really don’t want to think about it anymore.

When I return to the living room, he’s dozing, his face buried in his folded arms, that glorious ass on display, and desire swamps me.

So sexy, this boy…

“I’ll miss you,” he whispers as I bend over him, his voice heavy with sleep. “I miss you whenever you’re not here.”