Ahead, I see a woman running. Her dark hair is pulled back into a messy knot on the back of her head, her body gorgeous and curvy. All she wears are tight spandex shorts and a purple sports bra. Hot damn. I can’t make out her face, but I’m sure it’s stunning too. She gets closer and I see who she is. Mystery girl. My brown-eyed stranger.
“Hi,” I say as she gets closer to me and my dog.
“Oh, hey, Ryker…” she says with hesitation in her voice.
“I don’t think we’ve formally met,” I say giving her an arrogant smirk.
She busies herself with fixing her messy updo, noticeably at unease.
“Yeah, I guess not.” She wipes her sweaty palms on her pants, most likely doing nothing because her entire body seems to be covered in perspiration. Holy shit. My pants are growing excruciatingly stiff at just the idea of her wet body.
“Ryker Allen.” I extend my free hand out to her, trying to divert my mind from the erotic images I’m now having of this beautiful goddess.
She surprisingly takes my hand in her small one and shakes it.
“Claire Davis.” I suddenly feel like I owe this woman my life after she saved it.
“Uh, thanks for taking me home last night,” I say as I look down at my dog, now sniffing some other dogs shit. Fucking awesome. I’m hit with shame at the thought of her seeing me plastered. “Sorry, if I acted like a douche.” I tug on Griz’s leash, trying to pull him away from the shit lying in the grass before he tries to eat it, which will then make me throw up again in front of this woman.
She waves me off. “No need to thank me, but you really should be more sensible. You could have really hurt yourself.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I salute her like a fucking prick. God, she probably thinks I’m the biggest asshole to ever walk the planet. “But, really, I appreciate your help. It had been a rough night and I suppose it could have been much worse had you not rescued me from my alcohol-induced stupidity.
“Trouble in paradise?” she bites. Wow, this gorgeous woman is more of a spitfire than I realized. She starts jogging in place as if she’s planning on darting away from me any minute.
“I’m sorry, what?” I have no idea what she’s talking about.
She saw you with Vanessa last night, dumb ass.
“Oh, you mean Vanessa?” I ask even though she has no idea who Vanessa is.
“Is that Malibu Barbie’s name?”
I nearly choke out a laugh. “I’m sorry, what?” I’m now holding my stomach, hunched over in laughter.
“Oh, sorry, I meant Skanky Barbie. Or how ‘bout Brainless Barbie?” This girl is on a roll.
Once I finally compose myself, I’m able to look at her without laughing.
“Yes, that would be Vanessa and I wouldn’t really say there’s trouble in paradise, but, yes, we broke up last night.” She probably thinks I’m utterly callous for not even caring, but I feel nothing but a reprieve after getting rid of that bitch.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” she says, but I’m mindful that she’s undeniably not sorry.
“Don’t apologize. She was just helping me keep my bed warm.” I waggle my eyebrows at her.
“You’re a pig. You know that?” She starts back toward the lake in a full-on sprint. She has an hour-glass physique and it’s giving me exceedingly tactless thoughts.
“Wait!” I holler toward her retreating back. “I was only joking,” I lie. For some reason though, I want this woman’s approval.
She slowly comes to a stop, not turning toward me right away.
“I’m sorry, that wasn’t funny. Honestly, we weren’t serious and I decided to end things with her last night.” I know I sound like an ass, but I’m really not disappointed.
“Why did you sing that song last night?” she asks, still staring out at the opaque, sapphire-colored water.
“What song?” I only played two songs and I know exactly what she’s referring to, but I want to hear her say it.
She doesn’t answer me but turns so I can see her chocolate eyes, their warmth wrapping around me like a blanket on a chilly night. I am such a fucking pussy.
“Those were just a couple of my favorites. I play them every time we have live music.” I’m so full of shit and I know she isn’t buying my BS.
“Right.” She slowly bobs her head, the knot on top gradually coming undone and causing loose hairs to drape around her heart-shaped face. She looks fucking adorable. She reminds me of Pebbles from The Flintstones. “Are you sure? Because you gawked at me the entire time you sang Brown-eye Girl.”
“I did not gawk.” She’s making me sound like a prowler. You did just sniff the pillow she slept with.
“You so gawked.” Now she’s laughing that youthful, carefree, giggle. Once again, I’m becoming agonizingly tight down below.
I chuckle. “Okay, so what if I did sing that for you? What would you say?”
I hold my breath, having no idea what to expect from her. She probably thinks I’m a fucking whack job.
“You don’t even know me,” she whispers, driving my dick almost all the way through my damn shorts.
“You’re right. I don’t. But you caught my eye as soon as you walked into my bar. I can’t really explain it.”
She gives me a half smile, telling me she’s not sure how to respond to my admission.
“Well, it was nice meeting you, Ryker, but I need to get home. Enjoy the rest of your walk.” Before she strolls off, she bends down to stroke my dog on the head. And now I’m envious of the little fucker.
“Would you like to go for coffee over at the Espresso Bean?” I ask once she’s already nearing the lake.
“Uh, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she says before continuing away from me. “Let me just make this clear, Ryker Allen, I’m not interested in your cocky-ass flirting. It does not turn me on like I’m sure it does all your playthings.” Ouch.
“Who said I was flirting? I just want a damn coffee.”
“Right. Well, no, thank you.” Without another word, Claire slowly descends from my sight, abandoning me and my raging hard-on.
15
Claire
“I am fucking exhausted,” Sierra says, blowing a fallen hair out of her face. She has sweet little Auggie strapped to her chest.
“Is he sleeping better for you?” I ask as I push Brady in the stroller, thankful he’s sleeping after the epic tantrum he just threw as we were walking into the mall.
“Ugh, not really. And I get to hear all about how much I’m failing as a mother. My wonderful mother-in-law.” She pauses. “Stupid bitch,” she mumbles under her breath which has me chuckling.
“Just ignore her. She obviously has nothing better to do than bully you when she isn’t having tea with the other country club bitches.”
She starts shaking so hard in laughter that I’m concerned she’s going to wake poor Auggie, but he just keeps snoozing away.
Since I met Sierra, I’ve learned that her mother-in-law is rather the socialite. She and Miles’ father own a very high-profile country club right outside of Phoenix. I’m sure she’d keel over dead from shock if she saw that we’re both in yoga pants and flip flops right now. In a way, she reminds me of my own parents, but I never had to live up to standards like that, thank God. Although, Trevor would have preferred me to be more of a conformist but screw him. In all the years I was with him, not one of those people I met through him, ever became one of my friends. I don’t care to be a part of that counterfeit bullshit.
We continue our stroll through the crowded stores, not finding a single thing we’re looking for. I’ve been trying to find a bathing suit to wear in Evan’s pool, but everything I’ve tried on has made me feel like a freaking bloated cow.
“Claire, you look gorgeous girl. Just pick a damn suit,” Sierra whines, apparently over my indecisiveness. “Here, go try this one.” She holds up a yellow and black floral-patterned two-piece. Typically, I’d tell her “hell, no”, but this one is actually giving me some
hope.
After trying the suit on, I head back to the rack to grab two more in the same style, one fuchsia and the other teal. If nothing else, I’ll have another one for next summer.
“So, um,” Sierra starts as we’re heading out of the department store I found my suit in.
“What’s wrong?” I ask hesitatingly.
“What do you think about moving in with me and Auggie? I mean until Miles comes home.” Woah. That was definitely not what I was expecting her to ask. But hell, she’s brilliant.
“Really?” I’m suddenly elated, as I’ve been dying to get out of Evan’s house. They’ve been so helpful since we came to Phoenix, but I feel like I’m always in their way.
“Yeah. I mean, why not? You don’t want to live with your brother and I’m lonely as hell in the house by myself.”
“Okay, but we’re going to clean that shit up before I start moving in.” I tease her, but really, I refuse to live there if there’s garbage overtaking the whole damn place.
“Yes, Cinderella.” She bats her long lashes at me and then rolls her eyes. I don’t know what I’d do without this girl. “When do you think you’d want to move in?” She asks as she stops at a shop filled with knick-knacks that I refuse to push the stroller through, knowing I’ll most likely break something.
“Well, I don’t exactly have a job yet, but I can dip into my inheritance to help with rent and groceries and whatever else we need.”
She swats her hand at me in annoyance.
“Girl, I’m not worried about that shit at all. I always buy enough food to feed a small army anyway and we have to pay the rent, with or without you there.” She has me tearing up now. Stupid woman hormones.
“You’re the best, but I promise I’ll pay you back as soon as I find a job. I wish one of those damn places would call me back.”
“They will. Don’t worry.”
We head toward the food court so she can feed a now wailing Auggie.
When she got discharged from Ahwatukee, she decided to go back to school. She and Miles married right out of high school, so they both had to work full-time jobs, leaving no time for classes or homework.
“When do you want to move in?” She asks again as she lifts Auggie over her shoulder. The kid wastes no time in giving his mama a good burp.
“Is Saturday too soon?” Brady sits beside me in the stroller, slapping my leg because, apparently, I’m not giving him his puffs quick enough. “Chill out, dude.” I lean in and kiss his nose.
“Hell, no! I can’t wait!” Poor Auggie startles in her arms because of his loud mother.
“So, are you going to tell me where the hell you went the other night when you didn’t come back?” Sierra asks as she backs out of the parking lot, careful not to hit the car next to us.
“I told you I had to get home.”
“You’re full of shit and you know it.” She gives me a pointed look as she drives out of the insanely busy parking lot.
“Yeah,” I huff. “I wanted to stop at the store to get some snacks, but when I passed Ryke’s, the dumb ass was outside, stumbling around like a flipping idiot.”
“What?” She laughs. “He walked out of his own bar trashed?” She shakes her head amused.
“Yep.” I pop the “p”.
“Okay… so, what does this have to do with you?” She gazes at me out of the corner of her eye.
“I may have taken him home,” I mumble, hoping she’ll drop the topic.
“I knew it!” she shrieks, causing Brady to bellow from the backseat.
“Yay!” my son shouts as he slaps his chubby little hands together. “Mama!”
Sierra and I both laugh.
“You totally want to screw his brains out,” she states straightforwardly.
I stare at her with my mouth agape, in total disbelief.
“I so hit the nail on the head.” Damn her.
16
Ryker
It’s Wednesday night, so this place is slow as hell. I think I’ve helped two customers in the three hours that I’ve been here. I should probably tell Austin to go home, but I’m using him as a distraction from a certain brunette.
“It’s hump day, dude. Why the fuck isn’t anyone out drinking tonight? Isn’t that what everybody does before they get laid?” The logic in this guy’s head often has me flabbergasted.
I chuckle. “Man, you’re fucking insane.” I grab a beer from under the counter, popping the tab off then taking a long ass swig. I don’t normally drink while I’m working, but right now, I desperately need something to divert my attention.
“You never drink when you’re here. What crawled up your asshole?” He seriously can’t say anything without sounding like a crude fucker.
“Fuck you.” I throw the bottle cap at his head and laugh at the red mark it leaves behind.
“Damn it!” he yells which causes us to get stares from the few customers we have, sitting in a corner booth.
“That’s what you get.”
The bell over the door chimes, alerting us to the crowd of college-aged girls who wander in.
I won’t lie and say that a few of them aren’t eye-catching, but they remind me way too much of Vanessa. Never will I deal with a chick like her again.
“Hot bitch at twelve o’clock,” Austin says as he holds the neck of his beer bottle, tipping his head back to take a long pull from it.
“Why does Amanda put up with your stupid ass?” I shake my head at him.
“Whatever. At least I’m getting some.” He slaps me on the back.
“Hey, sugar. Can I get a Guinness?” A young girl, probably just twenty-one, with a southern drawl asks. She has dishwater blonde hair and she’s wearing a skintight, leather skirt. I’m pretty sure if I looked close enough, I’d see her ass cheeks. Definitely not from around here. I have a feeling this girl has never had beer before, much less a Guinness. I think it tastes like shit, so I can’t imagine her being fond of it.
Along with an iced mug, I grab a bottle for her and pour her drink.
I feel like a total ass, but I stare at her as she takes her first pull and immediately spits it out onto the counter.
“You don’t like?” I snigger at her and she shoots daggers at me with her cobalt eyes.
“That tastes like,” she pauses as she spits some more and I hand her a glass of water. “Fucking hell.” She gags and then grabs her nose. She obviously inhaled the offending beverage. I’m trying so hard not to laugh at this girl, but she’s making a complete fool out of herself. I know she came up here by herself just to flirt with me and show off. The showing off part is biting her on her nearly bare ass.
“Would you like a different kind? That one’s on the house.” I have no doubt in my mind that she’s going to turn me down, but I’m not done giving her hell for her reaction to the first glass.
“Uh, no,” she says as she wipes her bright cherry-stained lips on the small napkin I gave her. “I’ll stick with water, thanks.” Her cheeks now the same color as her mouth, I feel kind of bad for giving her shit, but that’s what happens when you try to act like a jezebel.
“Lyla, what the hell are you doing?” I turn at the demanding voice, immediately recognizing the black-haired girl as Claire’s friend. My insides turn and I suddenly feel like there may be hope for me to see her again. I know she wants nothing to do with me, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her since I saw her the other day.
“Just getting a drink.” She leans into the other girl. “I think he might want to take me home.” She winks and then turns back toward me. Does she really think I didn’t just hear her? Oh, my fucking God. Why do I always attract broads like this?
“Lyla,” Blackie hisses. “He does not want to take you home. He’s trying to work, not get hit on by a floozy like you.” She couldn’t have said it better.
“That’s not true, is it, sugar?” What am I, her fucking grandson?
I cough into my hand. “Uh, yeah, sorry. I’m just working.” I turn aw
ay from them, pretending to look busy, hoping sugar will leave me the hell alone.
I’m in the middle of drying out a glass when I hear Blackie behind me. I don’t mind talking to her because she’s my only hope to getting to my brown-eyed girl again. What the hell, Allen? She is NOT your girl.
“Sorry about her. She’s a bit straightforward with no filter whatsoever.” She shakes her head in disgust.
“You think?” I chuckle. “Where’s your friend?” Why bother beating around the bush?
“Who? Oh, you mean Claire?” I have a feeling she knew exactly who I was referring too. If that’s the case, she’s been talking about me. Why do I fucking care?
“Yeah, did she come back with you tonight?” I’m assuming that she has no desire to ever see me again after witnessing my alcohol-induced vomit session.
“No, I’m just out with some classmates tonight.” I raise my eyebrows at her because I’m having a hard time believing that this girl is in school.
“You’re only in college? How about Brown-Eyed Girl?” Fuck. Did I really just say that aloud?
She laughs. “Brown-Eyed Girl? Oh, my God. That’s the song you sang to her!” She shrieks in excitement. I have a good feeling about this girl. I forget about my embarrassment, knowing that she’ll most likely help me.
“She told you that?” I ask, probably looking like a blushing school girl.
“Uh, yeah! She totally did, but she also told me about how you lost your cookies the other night in front of her.” She points at me. “Let me make one thing clear here, buddy.” Man, she’s feisty like her friend. “She is a no bullshit kind of girl. She’s not looking for a skirt-chaser, so if that’s what you want, you better look elsewhere.”
“I’m not a skirt chaser,” I lie. I have to wonder if this girl knows my reputation. I mean, I have seen her around here several times over the last couple years.
Revived (Unexpected Series Book 1) Page 8
