Read Online Riding Raw by Stephanie Ganon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Stephanie Ganon
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bastard had hurt her.
He gently pulled her body against him, embracing her. She gazed up at him, her breathing ragged, her eyes wide. “Can we go home now?"
He stroked her chin thoughtfully, glancing up at the sound of Bo's footsteps on the threshold. His partner gave him the thumbs-up.
"I think that's a lovely idea. We're all going home."
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Chapter Eight
Duff and Bo hung back as Lily darted into her bedroom. She'd said little during the drive home, other than begging Bo to join her in the backseat, where she'd sobbed on his shoulder.
"Maybe you should go talk to her.” Duff squeezed his partner's hand. “I would probably just make things worse.” He'd started leaning on Bo more and more when it came to anything concerning Lily.
"Right now, the only thing I plan to do is run her a bath. She'll talk when she's ready, Duff."
They moved down the hall and ducked inside the bathroom.
"Something's not right with her,” Duff said, leaning on the sink. “I know she had a rough night—"
"Did you see her neck? The bastard slashed her throat!” Bo bent forward and twisted on the bathtub faucet.
"He nicked her, but I think it was more to scare her than anything else.” Digging his hands in his pockets, Duff contemplated their next move. “I was thinking maybe she shouldn't leave tomorrow. She's still pretty shook up and everything."
Bo tested the water and reached for the bubble bath. “Do you hear me arguing?"
"Arguing about what?” Lily inquired from the doorway.
She was naked. The drying blood crusting on her neck made her look like a victim in a B-grade horror flick. Her bottom lip was swollen but would probably return to normal in a couple of days. Duff noted the ugly reddish purple bruises at her wrists and shoulders from where Doherty had held her down. They would heal rather quickly too, though he suspected her psychological scars might take longer to heal.
"Who's coming in with me?” She walked toward the tub unselfconsciously.
Bo gazed at her appreciatively before moving aside. “There's just enough room for you, I'm afraid."
She swung her hips playfully, a bounce in her walk. Duff couldn't help but stare. He'd forgotten how quickly she overcame adversity. Not much got her down—or kept her there. Dipping her hand into the water, she turned to Bo. “Perfect."
"Anything for the lady."
Duff rolled his eyes. Bo's crush on Lily was amusing at turns, disturbing at others. What was it about her? She'd managed to enrapture an out and proud gay man; he didn't believe Bo would argue that point. He was smitten, damn it, and Duff felt a twinge of jealousy snaking through him.
But was he jealous of Lily? Or Bo?
She sank into the water and leaned back. Holding her breath, she dunked herself and came back up sputtering. “Who's gonna help me wash my hair?"
Duff cursed under his breath.
"Oh come on,” she drawled. “Don't be that way. Duff, you were always so good at it. Get over here and help me out."
He pretended to hesitate, but inside he was anything but annoyed. He loved Lily's hair to the point where it had almost been an obsession. She knew it—damn her—and had asked him to wash it just to get under his skin.
Well, if that was her plan, it backfired. He wanted to touch it, to run his hands through its silken softness. Most of all, he yearned to pull it, wrapping it around his fingers just the way she liked it when—
"Bo, get out that expensive shampoo you order off the computer. If I'm gonna act like a hair guru or somebody, I need the best products."
Bo threw up his hands. “I'm all out. What I do have is that coconut shampoo-conditioner combo with the silk amino acids. It only cost me fifteen bucks, but it works like a charm."
"Is that why your locks are always so bouncy?” Lily teased. “Gee, your hair smells terrific."
She ducked in time to avoid the washcloth Bo lobbed in her direction.
"I'll be right back.” Bo left the bathroom.
Duff went to her,
He gently pulled her body against him, embracing her. She gazed up at him, her breathing ragged, her eyes wide. “Can we go home now?"
He stroked her chin thoughtfully, glancing up at the sound of Bo's footsteps on the threshold. His partner gave him the thumbs-up.
"I think that's a lovely idea. We're all going home."
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Eight
Duff and Bo hung back as Lily darted into her bedroom. She'd said little during the drive home, other than begging Bo to join her in the backseat, where she'd sobbed on his shoulder.
"Maybe you should go talk to her.” Duff squeezed his partner's hand. “I would probably just make things worse.” He'd started leaning on Bo more and more when it came to anything concerning Lily.
"Right now, the only thing I plan to do is run her a bath. She'll talk when she's ready, Duff."
They moved down the hall and ducked inside the bathroom.
"Something's not right with her,” Duff said, leaning on the sink. “I know she had a rough night—"
"Did you see her neck? The bastard slashed her throat!” Bo bent forward and twisted on the bathtub faucet.
"He nicked her, but I think it was more to scare her than anything else.” Digging his hands in his pockets, Duff contemplated their next move. “I was thinking maybe she shouldn't leave tomorrow. She's still pretty shook up and everything."
Bo tested the water and reached for the bubble bath. “Do you hear me arguing?"
"Arguing about what?” Lily inquired from the doorway.
She was naked. The drying blood crusting on her neck made her look like a victim in a B-grade horror flick. Her bottom lip was swollen but would probably return to normal in a couple of days. Duff noted the ugly reddish purple bruises at her wrists and shoulders from where Doherty had held her down. They would heal rather quickly too, though he suspected her psychological scars might take longer to heal.
"Who's coming in with me?” She walked toward the tub unselfconsciously.
Bo gazed at her appreciatively before moving aside. “There's just enough room for you, I'm afraid."
She swung her hips playfully, a bounce in her walk. Duff couldn't help but stare. He'd forgotten how quickly she overcame adversity. Not much got her down—or kept her there. Dipping her hand into the water, she turned to Bo. “Perfect."
"Anything for the lady."
Duff rolled his eyes. Bo's crush on Lily was amusing at turns, disturbing at others. What was it about her? She'd managed to enrapture an out and proud gay man; he didn't believe Bo would argue that point. He was smitten, damn it, and Duff felt a twinge of jealousy snaking through him.
But was he jealous of Lily? Or Bo?
She sank into the water and leaned back. Holding her breath, she dunked herself and came back up sputtering. “Who's gonna help me wash my hair?"
Duff cursed under his breath.
"Oh come on,” she drawled. “Don't be that way. Duff, you were always so good at it. Get over here and help me out."
He pretended to hesitate, but inside he was anything but annoyed. He loved Lily's hair to the point where it had almost been an obsession. She knew it—damn her—and had asked him to wash it just to get under his skin.
Well, if that was her plan, it backfired. He wanted to touch it, to run his hands through its silken softness. Most of all, he yearned to pull it, wrapping it around his fingers just the way she liked it when—
"Bo, get out that expensive shampoo you order off the computer. If I'm gonna act like a hair guru or somebody, I need the best products."
Bo threw up his hands. “I'm all out. What I do have is that coconut shampoo-conditioner combo with the silk amino acids. It only cost me fifteen bucks, but it works like a charm."
"Is that why your locks are always so bouncy?” Lily teased. “Gee, your hair smells terrific."
She ducked in time to avoid the washcloth Bo lobbed in her direction.
"I'll be right back.” Bo left the bathroom.
Duff went to her,
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