Utah (Knights Corruption MC: Laredo #4)

Chapter 14

14

“Are you in pain, or have you adopted a permanent scowl?”

“It’s not from pain,” he answered, glaring at me as I retrieved a black V-neck shirt from my closet. As of late, he’d been extra ornery.

I stood in the middle of the room with my jeans on and contemplated changing my shirt in the bathroom or right here in front of him. For the sake of convenience and time, I changed my shirt and adjusted the material, grimacing when my hand brushed my nipple. I explained my reaction before he could even ask.

“My breasts are constantly sore now. I’d love to not wear a bra, but I don’t think that’d be appropriate.” My laughter died on my lips when he rose from the bed and stalked toward me, the deepest line forming between his eyes.

“Your tits are practically falling out.” He gestured toward my cleavage. “That shirt is way too small for you now.”

“It’s not small. It’s fitted. And we’ve been over this before. I work for tips, and if showing off the girls gets me more money, then I’m okay with it.”

“I’m not. ”

“You don’t get a say.”

Once Utah and I started sleeping together, we’d argued numerous times about the tops I wore to work. I didn’t know if he thought just because he was fucking me, he had some sort of ownership over me, but I’d never changed my wardrobe. That would’ve set a dangerous precedent.

He took another step closer, his stance domineering. “You like guys leering at your tits, then?”

“Stop saying tits.”

“Tits.” The smirk on his face would’ve been infuriating if not for how sexy it made him look.

“You’re an ass.”

Clasping the necklace I’d chosen, I adjusted the elongated pendant until it rested directly between my breasts.

“That draws even more attention.”

“I need more money now that I’m pregnant.”

“I told you I got you. You don’t have to work at Rocky’s anymore.”

“And I told you that I’m not depending on you for money.”

“This is bullshit. You’re having my kid. I don’t get a say at all?”

He ran his hand through his long strands, and despite being irritated with him, I wanted to do the same. His gorgeous hair only added to his allure.

“When it comes to the well-being of our child, yes, you’ll get a say, but not toward anything else in my life.”

“Is that so?”

Gone was any trace of anger in his voice. His rasp was deeper, smoother. His slow strides toward me were calculated. The muscles in his jaw flexed, and his lips pursed ever so slightly. The crook of his brow was cocky. I’d seen this expression before, too many times to count. And I’d always ended up naked beneath him or on top of him, depending on my mood .

I held my hand up. “Stop.” How did we go from arguing to… whatever is happening now?

“Stop what?”

Utah was a foot taller than me, so it wasn’t uncommon for me to have to look up at him, but the gesture was amplified by how close he now stood.

“I know what you’re doing.”

“And what is that?”

“You’re trying to distract me with all this,” I said, waving my hand from the top of his head to the tips of his boots.

“I just wanna be closer to you. That’s all.”

“All of a sudden? You’re not just trying to persuade me to change?”

My breath caught in my throat when his tongue glided over his bottom lip.

“It’s not all of a sudden.”

“What about my second question?”

“I don’t remember what it was.”

“Uh-huh.” Utah’s proximity forced me to retreat, but the wall was only a few paces behind me. “What are you doing?” I asked, my hormones ramping to the nth degree.

I’d been fascinated by the man in front of me ever since he first showed up at the bar. He was mysterious, only showing me enough of himself to keep me on the hook, which was fine because we were only messing around at the time. I didn’t want anything more. But everything was different now. I was pregnant, which meant we’d be in each other’s lives for a very long time. And while my feelings for him had deepened, I wasn’t sure about moving forward in a relationship with him, if that was even an option. In the bedroom, we were in sync, but outside of it, we were like oil and water sometimes. I was an open-up-and-talk-about-it type of woman, and Utah was the epitome of a man of few words.

But the chemistry between us was insane, borderline paralyzing. Sometimes I couldn’t think straight when he was near, and now was one of those times. The random thoughts and images that ran through my head were dizzying. I needed to get away from him before I did or said something I might regret. I was vulnerable enough with the pregnancy; I didn’t need to start spewing emotional garbage all over him.

He braced his arms against the wall on either side of me, his face merely inches from mine. I got lost in his gaze, releasing any reservations I’d held moments ago.

“What are you doing?” I asked a second time, needing to hear my voice, hoping the sound would break this hold he had on me.

“Thank you for taking care of me.” His warm breath cascaded over my lips. “I don’t like depending on anyone, but with you… I don’t know… it’s different.”

“It is?” I struggled to release those two little words.

“It’s always been different with you, Ria.”

“It has?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry I haven’t said so before.”

His gaze fell to my breasts before slowly traveling upward, lingering on my lips before he cast his eyes back to mine.

His were a lighter shade of brown than mine, flecks of gold embedded in the iris.

“You are?”

“Do you realize you keep asking two-word questions?”

He smiled, and I all but melted.

“I do.”

His grin deepened, and I released a heavy breath. When he looked at me like this, stood so close, he messed with my brain and my sanity.

“I miss you,” he said, his lips even closer now.

“I’m right here.”

“Not close enough.”

“What do you me— ”

His mouth took mine, and I gasped, inhaling his breath as my own. The soft sweep of his tongue elicited goose bumps. It had been so long since we kissed, I almost forgot what he tasted like, what he smelled like this close. Weaving my fingers through his hair, I tugged, and he groaned his approval.

He seized my waist and pulled me impossibly close. “Don’t go to work. Stay here with me.”

“I have to go,” I mumbled against his lips. His response was to bite my lower one. “You don’t play fair.”

“Of course not.” He pulled back and looked at me. “But you don’t either.” He glanced back down at my breasts. “You’re really not gonna change your shirt?”

“What? No.”

He clenched his teeth but didn’t say anything more on the subject, dropping his hands from my waist and stepping back.

Was the kiss his way of trying to get me to change my mind about my attire?

Or did he really mean everything he said?