DON’T STOP (Lila and Darrell) novel Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Ryder

Lila didn’t answer right away. She just stared at me with wide eyes and parted lips, as though the words had gotten stuck somewhere between her throat and her tongue. The hallway light caught the faint flush creeping up her neck, and I could see her pulse fluttering quickly at the base of it nervous and alive.

Yes, I had seen her when my eyes drifted across the ceiling. She had moved away fast, but I’d noticed her there. I was the one who had created that stupid hole in the first place, because-

“I think you need to leave,” she said, breaking the silence.

I stayed exactly where I was–close enough to feel the warmth coming off her skin, but not touching her yet. I wanted her to feel the question settle between us. I wanted her to understand how serious I was.

“Lila,” I said quietly, keeping my voice low so it stayed just between us. “You can’t ask me to leave yet. You heard me right. Why did you watch us for so long? What did you feel? Did you ever wish it was you instead?”

She swallowed again. Her arms were still folded across her chest like a shield, but her fingers had started to fidget against the fabric of her sleep shirt. She looked down at the floorboards for a second, then lifted her gaze back to me. Her eyes were glassy and conflicted, but she didn’t step back.

“I…” Her voice came out small at first, barely above a whisper. Then she drew a quick breath and raised her voice. “I felt jealous, okay!” she yelled.

The word exploded out of her–sharp, raw, and honest. It echoed slightly in the quiet hallway and hung there between us like smoke.

I didn’t flinch. I just held her gaze, letting the admission settle. My heart kicked hard once, but I kept my face calm.

Jealous.

That single word told me more than any long explanation ever could.

She kept going, voice rising with every sentence. “Wasn’t I the one who made your fucked–up cock rise again? And she had to be the one on top of you?”

“Hey, I warned, my tone sharpening just enough to cut through her rant. “That’s rude.”

She scoffed and folded her arms tighter. “Leave my room. I want to shut the door.”

୮

“Are you really blaming me?” I asked, stepping a fraction closer. “Are you really upset with me? You were the one who said you didn’t want this. What could I have done?”

She bit her bottom lip hard and looked down. Her gaze landed on the front of my shorts. Even soft, the bulge was obvious- thick, heavy, and impossible to ignore. Heat rushed to her face. She jerked her eyes back up.

“Are you done staring?” I asked quietly.

She scoffed again, annoyed at me and at herself. She pushed at my chest with both hands, harder than I expected, and slammed the door shut. The wood met the frame with a sharp thud. Through the last narrow gap, our eyes locked. Hers were wild. Mine were dark and steady.

The door clicked closed.

1/3

1:18 pm

M

A

Chapter 15.

Safence pressed in

I stood there breathing steadily, heart still pounding from her confession. Jealous. Mad. Claiming me in a way she didn’t even realize she was doing.

A second later, I knocked three times, firm and deliberate.

The door flew open almost immediately.

She stood there with flushed cheeks and eyes blazing with anger and something hotter underneath it. Her chest rose and fell quickly. Her hands were clenched at her sides. She looked ready to yell again.

“What do you want?” she snapped. “And no, I’m not hungry, and I don’t ever want to go to the ranch again.”

“You talk way too much,” I said.

#

Then I closed the distance in one step.

My mouth crashed onto hers.

She gasped against my lips, hands flying up to shove at my bare chest. “Ryder-”

I didn’t let go. One arm banded around her waist and pulled her flush against me while my other hand cupped the back of her neck, fingers threading into her hair. I kissed her hard, demanding and hungry, with no room for hesitation. She tried to twist away and tried to push me back, but my hold was firm and unyielding, and the heat of her body against mine made my control slip.

I felt her resist for one more heartbeat. Then she stopped fighting.

Her hands slid up to grip my shoulders instead. She kissed me back, fiercely, angrily, desperately. Our mouths opened at the same time. Tongues–met, tangled, and swirled in slow, wet strokes. I sucked gently on hers, then deeper, coaxing a soft moan from her throat. The sound vibrated between us.

My lips moved over hers in a slow, thorough rhythm, licking along the seam, sucking her bottom lip into my mouth, releasing it with a soft wet pop before diving back in. Our tongues slid together again, slick and hot, tasting each other like we’d both been starving. The quiet room filled with the intimate sounds of our kiss: soft smacks, breathy sighs, and the faint wet glide of tongues meeting and parting.

I pressed myself closer without thinking, chest flattening against hers. She moaned louder into my mouth, fingers, digging into my shoulders. I tilted her head back further so I could kiss her deeper, slower, and more deliberately. My tongue stroked hers in long, lazy circles, then flicked against the roof of her mouth before sucking gently again.

Her legs trembled against mine. Every swipe of my tongue sent a fresh wave of heat through me. I could taste her–sweet, sleepy, desperate–and I wanted more. I kissed her harder, chasing the feeling, letting myself drown in it.

I pulled back just enough to rest my forehead against hers. Our breaths came in short, uneven pants, mingling in the small space between us.

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