THIRTY EIGHT - LEXIE

Lexie I didn’t know why I was still following Ryder, but I was. His hand gripped mine tightly, and something in him had shifted. He wasn’t fighting anymore—no longer resisting whatever was pulling us together, no longer trying to push me out of his life, his penthouse, or his bed. He pulled me close by the bed, and his kiss had softened. The tension that always seemed to surround him was easing. His touch sent shivers down my bare arms. I should’ve told him the truth, but I couldn’t. If I did, it might change everything. If he knew I was a virgin, he might back off, might make it into something more serious than I wanted. I didn’t want him to stop. This was what I wanted, what felt right. Every guy I’d been close to before hadn’t been enough. They weren’t him. So, I kept silent, letting my hands roam over his body, feeling the taut muscles under his skin. I ran my fingers over his chest, his strong shoulders. He unclasped my bra, slid the straps over my shoulders, and let it fall betwe