He shushed me again. “Whether you do or not—yet—doesn’t matter. I need you safe. You’ll be safe here.”
“I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”
“I’m not saying you aren’t.”
“Well, yeah, you kind of are. I’m not moving in with you just to be safe. That’s not what I’m about.”
“Then move in with me because you want to.”
It would be so easy to say yes. To confess my love for him—and I did love him beyond reason—and shield myself behind his walls. Behind him.
But I couldn’t. That wasn’t who I was. That wasn’t who I’d ever be.
I cupped his cheek. “Ryan, are you sure you love me?” I hated the words as soon as they left my lips. This was “insecure-about-men Ruby” coming out. He’d only recently taken my virginity. He was the only man I had any experience with. Why in the world would he want me?
“I don’t say things I don’t mean,” he said, his dark eyes serious.
No, he didn’t. I knew that much about him.
“It’s just…so much has gone on in the last two weeks. Your mother—”
“My mother isn’t who I thought she was. I’m dealing with that. I’m still dealing with your part in it, as well. But I can’t deny my feelings any longer. When you got that text…” He raked his fingers through his damp hair. “I couldn’t stand the thought of you being in danger. Even potential danger. I’ve been living the past several months with everyone I love being in potential danger, and I’m damned sick of it, Ruby. So you’re moving in here.”
“Don’t go all caveman on me,” I said. “It isn’t you.”
“Maybe it is me. Maybe I want to have some semblance of control over my life.”
“You can’t control me.”
“Damn it!” His fingers threaded through his hair once more. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”
I knew what he meant. His life had been turned upside down, and now he wanted to take it back. Beginning with me, apparently.
I took his hand and caressed his palm. “Look. I get it. I get what you’ve been through. But me moving in with you isn’t the answer.”
“What do I have to do?” His eyes blazed with dark fire. “Fuck you into submission?”
I arched my brows, and my pulse beat rapidly in my neck. Goose bumps erupted all over my flesh, and a flaming arrow shot between my legs. My clit began to throb, and before I knew it, the familiar scent of my arousal permeated the bedroom.
Ryan’s eyes glazed over, and he inhaled. He smelled it too.
Did I want to be fucked into submission?
Hell, no. At least not the rational, logical part of me.
But part of me did. The part that wanted to surrender to Ryan Steel in all his masculine glory.
And that frightened me. Big time.
He walked toward me, like a wolf stalking his mate. My rational brain screamed at me to push him away, get out of there, run like hell.
But my libido ov
errode all reason. He was going to try to fuck me into submission, and I wasn’t going to stop him.
A simple “no” would do it. I knew that. Ryan Steel wasn’t a rapist. He wasn’t any kind of criminal. But he was domineering. He had been since the beginning, always getting what he wanted in that jovial way of his. He was far from jovial now, though.
My heart nearly thumped out of my chest, and my tummy fluttered with anxiety. Yet I didn’t stop him when he grabbed my shoulders. Didn’t stop him when he lifted me in his strong arms and carried me to his bed. Didn’t stop him when he nearly ripped the terry robe from my body and spread my legs harshly.