Remedy

by Kaylee Ryan

  Remedy

  Copyright © 2019 Kaylee Ryan

  All Rights Reserved.

  This book may not be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Kaylee Ryan, except for the use of brief quotations in articles and or reviews.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, events, locations, businesses and plot are products of the author’s imagination and meant to be used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events throughout the story are purely coincidental. The author acknowledges trademark owners and trademarked status of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication and use of these trademarks is not authorized, sponsored or associated by or with the trademark owners.

  The following story contains sexual situations and strong language. It is intended for adult readers.

  Cover Design: Sommer Stein, Perfect Pear Creative Covers

  Cover Photography: Sara Eirew

  Editing: Hot Tree Editing

  Formatting: Integrity Formatting

  Proofreading: Deaton Author Services

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Epilogue

  Contact Kaylee Ryan

  Other works by Kaylee Ryan

  Acknowledgments

  It’s been three long years since I’ve been home. Three years of blaming it on my job at the hospital, the eleven-hour drive, and a host of other “reasons” I couldn’t come home. Three years of acting as if the dick swinging between my legs is actually a vagina, when really there is only one reason.

  Collins Ward.

  My best friend’s little sister.

  Three years ago, I came home for a week right after my first year of medical school ended. I was supposed to be home for a full seven days before heading back to my apartment and part-time job in patient transport at Duke Medical Center. Instead, three days in, I went home early, claiming work needed me. I talked up how important the job was with me being a med student and all. I talked a good game because my parents let it go.

  What I didn’t tell them was that I crossed the line. I didn’t tell them that the night before, the reason I didn’t come home was because I was with her. Because I couldn’t pull myself away from her; I couldn’t resist her. Instead, I gave into temptation. We both did. I knew growing up Collins had a crush on me. It’s like a rite of passage for the younger sister to crush on the older brother’s best friend. Collins was always just Caleb’s little sister, four years younger than me. Tall and skinny, she was cute, but there was nothing there.

  That night, things changed. It had been a few years since I’d seen her. Between hanging out with Caleb, our buddies, Alec and Bryce, and my parents during my trips home, we missed each other. The thought never crossed my mind when I was home. I never thought, damn I need to go see Collins. Caleb would bring her up in conversations, a guy she was seeing he didn’t like or how he was glad she was staying close to home for college. I listened—she is his sister after all—but I felt nothing.

  Not until that day three years ago. That day, when I laid eyes on her for the first time in two years, I felt everything. My heart had palpitated in my chest, my palms were sweaty, and my eyes were riveted on her. Let’s not forget to mention how my cock saluted her. That day was when I realized that Collins was no longer just Caleb’s little sister. She was a beautiful, sexy-as-sin woman who I couldn’t take my eyes off, no matter how hard I tried. The end result was my mouth on every inch of her skin, and a whole hell of a lot of guilt.

  When it was time to pick a residency, I knew coming home was the only option. Now here I am, three long years later, and it’s as if history is repeating itself, and I can’t seem to pull my eyes away from her. Luckily for me, Caleb is too preoccupied with his new fiancée, Emily, to notice. The rest of our friends are already feeling the effects of the alcohol and aren’t paying me any attention. So here I sit, just like all those years ago in the corner of the room. This time it just so happens to be a crowded bar, drinking alone and watching Collins’s every move.

  I’m perfectly content, nursing my beer and taking in the view before me. It’s not until she turns and catches me watching her that the contentment washes away and dread fills its place. I watch as she tells Tabby, her best friend, something and then heads my way. Quickly, I drain the warm beer I’ve been nursing, needing all the liquid courage I can get.

  “Grady.” Her sweet voice washes over me.

  “Good to see you, Collins,” I reply, trying like hell to keep my shit in check on the outside. Inside, my gut is churning. I hate how we left things. It’s something that no matter what has been going on in my life over the last three years, she was never far from my mind.

  “Is it?”

  She’s pissed, rightfully so. “Yeah, you look gorgeous.” I let the words tumble free, knowing that it will only piss her off even more.

  “Right.” She laughs humorlessly. “I remember you telling me that exact thing. Funny how I believed you then. I’m no longer that naive.”

  She doesn’t believe me. I penetrate her with my stare, letting her know I’m being honest. “I meant it then and I mean it now.”

  “That’s why you left?” she asks, never taking her eyes from mine.

  “No.”

  “Look, this is the first time we’ve seen each other since that night. I know you’re back, so I just wanted to clear the air. It never happened, that night.” With a disgusted shake of her head, she turns to walk away, but I’m up and out of my seat, reaching for her. I grab her elbow, and she spins to face me. “Let me go.” She tries to remove her arm from my grip, but I hold tighter.

  “No,” I say, my voice low.

  “Grady,” she says with a sigh. “I’m not doing this with you.” I give her a pleading look. “What? You don’t want me to hate you? Fine, I don’t hate you. I won’t tell Caleb. Hell, I’ve kept it to myself this long. I won’t ruin your bromance. Now let me go.”

  She tugs again, but I hold steady with my grip on her arm. Not tight enough to hurt her, but tight enough to keep her here. “It happened,” I say through gritted teeth.

  “Trust me, I remember,” she replies, anger lacing her voice. “I also remember waking up alone. I want nothing more than to erase that night from my memory and pretend it never happened. That’s what I plan to do. This is closure, Grady. You should do the same.”

  Not giving a fuck who’s around, I back her up against the wall, bracing my arms on either side of her head, palms flat, boxing her in. The sweet smell of lavender and something uniquely Collins washes over me. I can’t help but close my eyes and breathe her in. It’s been too damn long. Three long years without her, helps put things into perspective. Sure, it would suck to lose my best friend, bu
t losing her, it’s not an option. I’ll fight for her, for both of us.

  “Grady,” she breathes.

  Although it’s not meant to be, my name is a plea on her lips. She wants this as much as I do, but she’s fighting it. I can feel it coming off her in waves. My eyes pop open to see her watching me. “I can’t do that, Collins. I won’t do that,” I say adamantly.

  “Please,” she whispers.

  Bending, I place my lips next to her ear. “No way could I forget you or that night.” She sucks in a deep breath when I place my lips just below her ear. Lifting my head, I see her breathing is labored, and that tells me all I need to know. She doesn’t want me to stay away any more than I want to.

  “Someone will see us, and then we both have a lot of explaining to do.” Her voice is breathy, and her eyes are closed. She’s not as unaffected as she would like me to believe.

  “Fuck that. We’re both adults. We don’t have to explain shit to anyone.”

  Her eyes flutter open. “So you’re going to tell Caleb what happened between us? Are you going to tell him how you snuck out while I was sleeping? You willing to lose your best friend since birth over that one night?”

  “If that’s what it takes,” I tell her honestly. It’s been three fucking years, and I can’t get that night out of my head. Can’t get her out of my head. At first, I thought it was the guilt, but then anytime I would even think about attempting to date, it was always Collins who was front and center in my mind. Then there was today and my reaction to seeing her for the first time since the night I left her in bed alone. Ignoring this, whatever this connection is and forgetting the night happened is not an option.

  “Don’t,” she says, panic in her voice. “That solves nothing. It was a mistake, one that won’t be repeated, so why ruin a lifelong friendship over one night?”

  “Is that all I was to you? One night?”

  Something flashes in her eyes, but it’s gone before I can work out what it is. “It was years ago, Grady. Let’s just agree to be cordial and forget it happened.”

  “Did you not hear what I just told you? I can’t forget.”

  “You’re going to have to,” she says, leaning up on her tiptoes and kissing my cheek. I’m so shocked by the act, by the feel of her lips against my skin, she’s able to duck under my arm and scurry away. I could have stopped her, but she needs time.

  Turning, I rest my back against the wall and watch her go. I’ll let her have tonight. She can run and pretend that what happened between us is a figment of her imagination. Seeing her again has everything all rushing back, and no way am I going to let this go without a fight.

  My legs feel as if they could fall out from under me, sending me crashing straight to the floor. I focus all my attention on each step that carries me further and further away from him. When I finally reach the table, I drop into my seat and exhale the breath I’ve been holding.

  “What’s up with you?” Tabby asks.

  “Nothing. I need another drink.”

  “I thought you went to get another drink?”

  Shit. “I went to the bathroom instead,” I lie, and I know I’ll regret it because now I’ve mentioned the bathroom, my bladder is screaming at me to be relieved.

  My best friend gives me a look that tells me she knows I’m full of shit. “Really? I could have sworn that I saw you talking to Grady.” She sits back in her chair and crosses her arms over her chest, raising an eyebrow. We both know I’m busted.

  “I might have run into him,” I confess.

  “Uh-huh, and what happened?”

  “Nothing. I said hello. He said hello, and now I’m back.” Tabby doesn’t know what happened that night. She knows that my crush turned into something more, something all-together different than just a crush, but that’s it. I never told a soul. When I woke up, and he was gone, I knew that was it for us. The fantasy of him feeling about me the way I’ve always felt for him was shattered. I didn’t see the point of telling anyone what a fool I’d been. I was so blinded by his words, the attraction, and the longing I’ve had for him for years, that I let all of it cloud my judgment. I’ll not make the same mistake twice.

  “I’ll let that go, but don’t think I don’t know something happened. Your face is flushed, and you looked like a newborn deer on those legs on your way back to the table. I know it’s been a while since you’ve seen him. Did the near sight of him knock you on your ass?” She laughs.

  If she only knew. “Ha ha. It’s been three years, and no, the alcohol is getting to me. I haven’t eaten much today.”

  Her eyes soften. “I don’t know how you do it, working in the ER.”

  “I like helping people. Sure, there are times the job gets to me, but at the end of the day, the rewards outweigh the downfalls.”

  “I’m gonna give you a pass.” She grins. “I’ll order us some wings while you go to the restroom.”

  “How did you know?”

  “Your knees are bouncing up and down so fast you’re shaking the table. Go.” She waves me off, and I don’t have to be told twice. I’m up and out of my seat and headed toward the restrooms. I don’t look around, instead keeping my eyes focused straight ahead. I can’t get pulled under his spell.

  Not again.

  After I take care of business, I head back to the table with the same avoidance as before. Head down, no eye contact. To my surprise, when I reach our table, we have guests. My brother and his fiancée, Emily, have joined us, and just my luck, Grady and Alec are with them as well.

  “Hey.” I lean in and give Emily a hug.

  “Did you get the email I sent about dresses?” Emily asks. They’ve been engaged less than a month, and she’s already in full wedding planning mode.

  “I did, and I love them. Is that your pick?”

  “Yeah, I think so. Everyone seems to agree.”

  “I’m so excited for you,” I say, giving her another hug.

  “Thank you. Did you put in for the time off?”

  “I did. I still can’t believe that you’re planning a wedding in three months.”

  She waves off my concern. “It’s nothing. It’s all coming together, and Caleb wants to make it happen before he starts his new job.”

  My brother is an attorney. He was able to land a job at a big law firm here in Indianapolis. He signed on to start after taking his boards which will be at the end of August. The wedding is the end of July, just two short months away. I was happy for him when he told us, but concerned about his job if he doesn’t pass his boards. Ever cocky, he assured me that after all his years at law school, he could pass in his sleep.

  “It makes sense,” Tabby chimes in. “This way you can take your honeymoon. I’m sure being the low man on the totem pole, he’s not going to get much time off that first year.”

  “Jesus, it’s not prison.” Caleb laughs. “I get vacation time and floating holidays, but I want some time with my wife, just the two of us before I start working long hours again. She’s put up with me all through law school. I want to give her that time, but I want it to be as my wife.”

  I can feel Grady’s eyes boring into me, but I continue to pretend he’s not standing mere feet away. “Anything I can help with?” I ask my future sister-in-law.

  “Not at the moment, but don’t worry. I’ll call you if I need you.”

  “Me, too,” Tabby agrees. “I’m happy to help.” Tabby and I are roommates, so chances are she’d end up helping me anyway.

  “So, Grady, how long are you in town for?” Tabby asks.

  “I have a month before my residency program starts.”

  “Who would have thought that you two would end up being a doctor and a lawyer,” Bryce says.

  “Not me,” Alec says.

  “Fuck off.” Caleb grins, taking a sip of his beer. That reminds me, I definitely need another drink.

  “You ladies not drinking tonight?” Bryce asks, throwing his arm over my shoulder.

  “We are. We’re just pacing ourselves.”


  “How are you getting home?” Caleb asks immediately, realizing we’re both drinking.

  “Ever heard of these things… they’re usually bright yellow, with the letters C-A-B written down the side? They actually pick you up and take you anywhere you need to go. You just have to pay a small fee,” I quip at my older brother.

  “Ha ha. Have you ever heard of two beautiful young girls drunk off their ass in a cab alone at night? Not a good outcome.”

  “You’ve read too many case files, lawyer boy,” I tease.

  “Just be careful, yeah?”

  “Fine,” I mutter. “You’ve killed my buzz anyway.” I look over at Tabby. “You ready to head out?”

  She studies me, knowing there’s more to it than just arguing with Caleb. He and I go round and round all the time; he’s just being my protective, big brother. It’s never had me wanting to head home early. My best friend knows this, and I know she’s going to want answers as soon as we are in the cab and headed back to our apartment. I have the cab ride home to decide what or how much to tell her. I don’t make it a habit to keep things from my best friend, but this… it was over before it began, no point in dishing details when he acted as though it never happened.

  “I can drive you,” I rush to offer. Anytime with her is a bonus. Maybe I can get her to talk to me. “I’ve had one beer all night. No point in wasting money on a cab when I can take you.”

  “I’m sure you have better things to do,” Collins replies. Her tone of voice tells me she’s not impressed with my generosity.

  “No, actually, I don’t. First day back in town, I’m beat from my day of travel.”

  “You staying at your parents’ place?” Caleb asks.

  “Yeah.”

  “Perfect. These two live just about two miles from there at the Sunny Glen Apartment Complex.”

  I watch her as she gives her brother a death glare. Yeah, she’s not impressed. “Even better.” I step toward her and place my hand on the small of her back. “Ready to go?” I’m trying on my best “I’m just being a nice guy” face though the truth is, my body hums with the feel of her warmth against my palm. It’s been too damn long since I’ve been this close to her. Only in my dreams.