Troping Through the Snow by Alexa Riley

“We’re all lucky I’m not about to do life in prison,” he says, and I swallow. “Who’s the kid?” Ryder’s possessive gaze racks over my body.

I don’t know why I do it, but I lift my chin in defiance. Who knows where or who he’s been with? Two years and not a word. Well, I have two words for him and they’re not “fuck off.”

“My boyfriend.”





CHAPTER 4





RYDER





“Try again, sweets.” I step closer to her, and her stubborn ass takes a step back. “Because we both know there’s only one man that makes these panties wet, and it’s me.” I toss the handful of underwear on the ground as I keep my eyes on her.

“Maybe there’s someone else,” she rushes to say. “I mean, there is someone else. You were gone, and I got a boyfriend. That’s not impossible to believe.”

She crosses her arms over her chest defensively, and I shake my head. “Of course it’s not impossible to believe. Look at you.” I take my time looking up and down her lush body that’s only gotten fuller and softer since I left. My cock aches with the need to sink into it, but I’ll wait. “The reason I know you’re lying is you keep biting your bottom lip.”

Luna immediately stops and then narrows her eyes. “That doesn’t mean anything.”

“Every time you told a story, you’d start biting that bottom lip.” This time when I move closer she holds her ground. “And when I finally got to sink my teeth into it, I knew just how good it felt.”

Her eyes widen for a fraction and then she blinks and walks around me to put space between us. “It doesn’t matter. The point is you were gone, Ryder.”

“God, I love it when you say my name.”

“Don’t.” She holds her hands up and shakes her head. “You left me for two years.”

“Technically it was seven hundred and twenty-five days and”—I check my watch before looking back at her—“fourteen hours, three minutes, and eleven seconds.”

“And I’m just supposed to do what? Fall on my back on the bed and spread my legs to welcome you home?”

Being near her after all this time is taking away every ache and pain I ever felt while we were apart. Suddenly it’s warm in my chest, and I almost don’t recognize it because it’s been so fucking long. Pure joy, that’s what I feel when I’m near Luna.

“It would make things a lot easier if you did.” I lick my lips, thinking about what I’d do if she followed through with that threat. “But I know you, Luna, and you’re too damn stubborn to do what you’re told. Like staying put.”

“Staying put?” She makes the cutest growling sound in the back of her throat. “You left me to sit and wait without a word.”

“I couldn't put you in danger.” I sigh because I knew I’d have to explain. “I thought you would remember what it felt like to be in my arms.”

“I did.” She looks away and then I hear her soft words. “I still do.”

“I’ll explain everything, but right now, you need to do as you’re told.”

“I’m not a child,” she snaps, and when she looks at me, I see hurt mixed with something else in her eyes. “Ryder, you could have been dead.”

“You think death could stop me from getting to you?” I shake my head, and she rolls her eyes.

“You were always so damn arrogant.”

“You liked it,” I tease, but she ignores me as I stalk over to where she’s standing. “This apartment is tiny, sweets, and you can only get so far.”

She looks at the door, but I step in the way so she can’t make a run for it. “You can’t touch me.”

“Why?” I say as my fingers twitch and flex to do exactly that.

“Because I know when you get your hands on me, I won’t be able to say no.”

“That’s exactly why I want to put my hands on you.”

She leans back against the little kitchen counter, and I brace my hands on either side of her. Bending down, I look straight into her eyes, and her lips part.

“Ryder.” She licks her lips, and I watch her pretty pink tongue dart out.

“Every night I thought about that kiss, Luna. The way you opened up so easily for me and let me taste you.” My mouth waters as I lean in close. “And when you say my name, I remember how you moaned it while dry humping my cock.”

Her cheeks burn red as her breathing picks up and I brush my lips over hers. I can practically hear her heart beating as I take my time and feather kisses along her mouth.

“Only this time I’ve got nowhere to go and nothing that’s going to take me from you.”

“How do I know you won’t just go again?” There’s so much in those words she’s not asking. Like if I’ll hurt her again.

“There’s plenty of time to talk this out later.” Right now we’ve got a lot of lost time to make up for.

“Ryder, I don’t think—”

“The time for thinking is over. You’ve done enough of that while I’ve been gone.”

When my mouth touches her, it’s not gentle or sweet. I grab her around the waist and lift her off the ground so I can hold her against me. She opens like my sweet girl, and I slide my tongue right in. She tastes like sugar and sunshine and promises of what’s to come. I’m so fucking starved for her that I just stand there and kiss her like it’s the only thing I’ll ever do.