Free Fight for Me by Bethany Bazile Page A

girl but me. When he pulled off his shirt, enticing me with all his inked-out muscles, I was shamelessly tempted to break my promise and make him want me.
    Trying to sleep next to him spiked my arousal and managed to evoke a really hot Ryder-induced dream. In the dream, I was exploring his impressive erection. I was stroking him in my hands as he moaned and pleaded for more. I woke up and realized my hand was inappropriately close to that part of him. He was wearing gray boxer briefs, but his shape was perfectly outlined through the clingy fabric. My palm was settled on his thigh, fingers brushing against the steely length of him. I glanced at him and thanked God he was still asleep.
    Since I was already practically groping him, I just threw propriety to the wind. I mean, I’d waited ten years to touch him intimately. I couldn’t stop myself if I wanted to. I may never have another chance to touch him this way. I moved my fingers over the cotton material of his boxer briefs. His morning wood was hard and warm beneath my fingers. It twitched as I carefully glided my fingers down it and over the plump tip. My temperature was getting elevated, my breathing uneven. I was nearly salivating by the time I ran my thumb over the head.
    Wait.
    Oh my God.
    My thumb rolled over the two small, round pieces jutting out of the head. I went over it again to make sure I wasn’t in some kind of fantasy, but that only confirmed it.
    He’s pierced.
    I circled the unmistakable barbell through the hard tip, then glanced back up at him. This time he was looking straight into my eyes with a lazy, hungry gaze.
    “What is this?” I asked stupidly. As if molesting him while he slept was no big deal.
    “If you don’t know what that is, then you shouldn’t have your hand wrapped around it.”
    “Not that. Is it pierced?” I whispered it like some great hidden secret.
    He chuckled at me, a deep throaty, sexy laugh.
    “Why would you do that?”
    “If you ever get your way, you’ll find out.”
    “My way?”
    “You’ve always had a way of getting what you want. With all those looks you were giving me yesterday, you want me. But this is not a good idea, Lexi.”
    “I wasn’t giving you looks, and I don’t want you.”
    “Yeah?” He lifted a brow and looked down at my hand. “Then why is your hand still on my dick?”
    I pulled my hand away but continued to stare at it. I’d heard of guys piercing themselves but never imagined I’d see one.
    “How do you fight with… that ?”
    “I don’t. I take it out and switch it out with a smaller one afterward.” He shifted uncomfortably and lifted an eyebrow when he noticed my gaze still locked on that part of him.
    “Can I see it? I mean… I just want to—”
    “ Fuck no! ” He pulled on the edge on his briefs and said, “This is the only barrier I have between us, and I’m thinking I should keep it.”
    “Come on. I’ve never seen one.”
    “If you’ve never seen a dick, then you don’t want to see this one. Might scare you off.” He winked and smiled.
    “Very funny. I’ve never seen a pierced one.”
    His hands were behind his head, his legs crossed. He was splayed out, looking incredibly sexy and smirking at me. “It’s called an apadravya. If you look online, you’ll see plenty examples.”
    “Please….” I pouted.
    “There it goes. You haven’t changed after all.”
    “What?”
    “You’re pouting and trying to get your way. If I let you see my dick, then you’ll want to touch it, and then you’ll want to put your mouth on it, and how the fuck am I supposed to say no to that?”
    “Ryder.” I pushed my body closer to his, and he tensed, not looking so sure anymore.
    “We’re not doing this, Alexis.”
    I dipped my head into the curve of his neck and licked the smooth skin there. He turned into a statue. I didn’t think he was even breathing. “You know you want to show me,” I whispered.
    He groaned and trembled. Yeah, this was working.
    I moved my