Rebel (Renegades #2)(39)
Author: Skye Jordan

“I miss having a dog,” he said, trying to ignore how amazing he felt. How satisfied, how comfortable, how…high. He felt like Rubi was in his bloodstream.

“Why aren’t you pushing to stay?” she asked, her voice matter-of-fact. “The wild-child type isn’t as exceptional as you thought?”

He paused in the living room by the sofa and took her arms, turning her to face him. “Are you serious?”

Her gaze darted away, and she shrugged. “It’s not a secret that I’m not your type. Who knows what those sweet girls give you that I don’t.”

Her show of insecurity was a sweet blow to his chest. “Rubi—”

“Friends, right?” She laid her warm palms against his belly and lifted her eyes to his again. A thin shell veiling her expression. “No hard feelings if you…if this…isn’t what you want.”

Isn’t what he wanted? Wes’s brain tilted. What the…?

Then he searched her eyes again, and he saw it—vulnerability. Such deep vulnerability, Lexi’s words about Rubi’s childhood flooded back.

“The fact that she’s pushing you away tells me just how important you are to her. Maybe too important.”

His chest constricted again, so strong it choked off his air. Still holding her arms, he dropped his head to get himself together. He wanted to jerk her against him and smother her with all the affection and attention she missed growing up. Yet, he was sure that would be the very quickest path to losing her.

When he met her eyes again, he could clearly see the brave front she’d pulled up, one thinly veiling hurt beneath. Her lips parted, and Wes knew what she was going to say. Knew what she was going to do. She was going to push him away out of fear.

He pressed his fingers to her lips. Took a deep breath. “You are more woman than all my others put together. Your sexual confidence is the ultimate turn-on. And it lets me feel just as secure, just as free. More open than I have with anyone. Ever.” He grinned to lighten it up. “I’ve certainly never considered smearing ice cream all over a woman.”

The fear softened, and she smiled before lowering her gaze. “That was definitely…different.” Her tone hinted that it had been different in a thrilling way.

Yes. This was what he wanted. He wanted to be different to her. Unique. Not someone she could replace with anyone she randomly picked up at the club. She couldn’t just turn her back on him now and pretend things hadn’t changed between them. Or even inside herself. A good start.

Now he just had to figure out how to hold on to this connection.

“But I get the feeling you might pull back into yourself if you have to cuddle with me all night—’cause, yeah, I’m a snuggler.”

That made her laugh, which pleased him.

“And I know it’s going to be hard to believe”—he put his hands up in a stop gesture—“but I’m not this beautiful in the morning. This”—he gestured to the bruise around his eye—“takes a lot of work to maintain.”

Still laughing, she leaned into him and pressed her face to his pec with a kiss.

He ran a hand down her hair, closed his eyes, and kissed her head. “I’m loving what we’ve got going here, baby,” he said, softly, seriously. “I don’t want to push you too hard, too fast.”

“You’re right,” she said, muffled against his skin, nodding. Then she pulled away, crossed her arms, and pulled herself up. “Thanks for the triple orgasm.” She waved toward the kitchen. “Now get your sexy ass out of here.”

Wes burst out laughing and pulled her close again. Joy pumped his ego. He just needed to be patient, give her room, and let her believe falling for him was all her idea.

He took her hand and glanced at the storyboard. “How’s the app coming?”

“Good. I gave the crash app to Jax for some tests. I just started on the fight app, but I’m falling behind on that NSA project, so I might have to put a hold on that for a little while.”

Guilt tripped in as he reached for the rig on the sofa. “You know I’m going to pay you for your help with the rig, right? And if you don’t have time, then…you don’t. It’s okay.”

Her mouth quirked. “I can always squeeze in a little programming for a friend. I’ll charge you the same thing I charge Jax.”

Nice comparison to yank him right back to earth. Friends.

“Right.” He nodded and started toward the kitchen sliders. “And on that note…”

Wes unlocked the door and stepped into the night. The heat built up in his body made the cool wind feel heavenly. Rubi leaned down, grabbing Rodie’s collar to keep him from following Wes.

“Sorry, baby,” Rubi said, petting him. “I know he’s cool, but you’re all mine.”

The simple act of standing outside her house kicked up nerves in his belly. He forced them into the background. “See you at the set tomorrow?”

“I don’t know. I’ll try. I’m pretty backed up with work.”

His gut tightened. He felt her slipping away. Started to wonder if this was it. If she’d had her one time with him and he’d never get another chance. But he nodded. Give her space, ass**le. She leaned her head against the edge of the door, planted the toes of one bare foot on the top of the other. Her lids were growing heavy.

God, he wanted to grab her, slide under the covers with her, and tangle his body with hers as she fell asleep. He had to fight himself not to ask her to come to the set for lunch. Not to ask her out for tomorrow night.

“Okay,” he said instead. “But Troy’s going to light me on fire. If you don’t come by, you’ll miss me acting like a human torch.”

She winced. “Now there’s incentive.” Lifting her head from the door, she stepped back. “Later, dude.”

Wes forced a chuckle at the purposeful get-lost-before-you-do-something-you’ll-regret message in those words and said, “Later.”

Within half a mile of her house, all his doubts crept in. All the excitement and connection they’d experienced faded. And his hopes for starting here and developing something more started a downward slide.

By the time he’d reached Jax’s house, the complex knot tightening his chest made him realize everyone else might just be right.

He might not be cut out for this kind of relationship.

Twelve

Rubi stepped into the grand house overlooking the canyons of the Hollywood Hills—the ninth house Jax and Lexi had looked at buying over the last two weeks. Jax and Lexi were either alone in the house or one of them had brought the Realtor because only Jax’s truck and Lexi’s BMW—the one Jax had recently bought for her—sat in the driveway. But the house was quiet, as if it were empty.