Page 110 of Ridin’ Dirty

I was on my way back to the bedroom, my second mug of coffee for the day nestled in my hands. In barely twenty-four hours, Riley had, in fact, owned my body in nearly every room of the house. I was exhausted as I was deliriously happy.

I paused when I crossed the threshold and found him sitting outside in nothing more than his boxer briefs. His pup was at his side, soaking up his affection as he absentmindedly scratched in the spot between her ears. Watching him in a quiet minute of solitude, knowing I was the one who had access to him in this way, made my heart ache so much it scared me.

I loved Twister. I really did. But I never had him like this. If he would have given me this—simple, quiet intimacy—I would never have gotten over him. Now, I was sure I’d never get over Riley “Pistol” Wells. Not ever.

I loved him so much it hurt.

Except, as the day raced toward sunset, I was beginning to understand he wasn’t the cause of my pain. I was.

I knew there were pieces of him he wouldn’t give me. Pieces of him from which he was protecting me. Truths it was better for me not to know. But I was keeping things from him, too—a past I was hiding from everyone—and it felt like a lie; a lie that could ruin everything. In some ways, it had already tried to chip away at us.

Rusty attempted to warn me, and this weekend getaway was further proof Riley didn’t want Cherry. Not really. But that didn’t make her less of a threat knowing what someone like her was capable of. I knew all too well.

Covered in one of Riley’s tees, I ventured across the room to join him out on the balcony. As soon as I took the seat next to his, he reached over and dragged me closer. I yelped in surprise then laughed softly into my coffee cup, taking a sip.

Relaxed as he was, he looked back out over the mountain, not saying a word.

Simple, quiet intimacy.

The smart thing to do would have been to keep my mouth shut and enjoy everything about where I found myself. The late summer mountain air was perfect. I smelled like Riley and sex—really great sex. The Airbnb had delicious coffee. And so long as we were locked away, club drama barely existed.

But I couldn’t enjoy the view.

I couldn’t stomach the coffee.

The way I felt about Riley was becoming all consuming, and there wasn’t room for the lies. I was going to suffocate if I didn’t tell him.

“Can we talk?”

“About?” he asked casually in reply.

“Cherry.”

He turned his head, looked me straight in the eye, and said flatly, “No.”

It was stupid. It was so totally and completely stupid, but his answer filled me with uncontrollable suspicion and doubt. Before I could think better of it, I asked, “No because you’re a Stallion and you can do whoever the hell you want, or no because⁠—”

“You’ve got to be fuckin’ kiddin’ me,” he interrupted, his brow dipping into an irritated scowl.

He was right. I knew he was right. We were in a house on the side of a mountain that probably cost a whack because he wanted to give me a honeymoon.

A honeymoon.

“Shit. Shit, shit, shit—this is coming out all wrong,” I groaned, feeling slightly panicked. “I didn’t mean to make this about her. She just…she triggers me.” Riley stared at me, his scowl still marring his handsome face. I needed to fix this. I needed to explain.

“She reminds me of…me,” I confessed.

His expression softened into something else. While certainly less angry, he couldn’t be described as open. With narrowed eyes, he replied, “Not followin’, babe.”

Damn, but I started this and now I had to finish it.

I took a breath, turning to face him more directly before I squared my shoulders and began.

“I told you my brother and I had a falling out after he got his final patch. It was bad. So bad that I ran away. I moved to Wyoming. To Gillette. I—I lived in the Stallion clubhouse down there for three years.”

I could tell by the look in his eyes he was no longer confused. There was only one kind of woman who made her home in a biker clubhouse. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

Fortunately, his awareness of this truth meant I didn’t have to get into the details. As I studied his face, trying to tell what he might be thinking, a knot clogged my throat, preventing me from saying anything more. This was it. This was either the beginning of forever or the beginning of the end. I knew it down to my bones.