by R. Linda
I tilted my head and pursed my lips. “I’m not so sure.”
“I am.”
“How?”
“Simple. I pay attention. It’s not hard to pick up on people’s reactions and cues if you look carefully.”
He was right. He was the most observant person I had ever met. He noticed the smallest details and was always able to tell how I was feeling before I felt it. He just always knew.
I was sort in awe of how perceptive he was. He might not contribute much to conversations other than an arched eyebrow or chewing his lip, but his looks said it all. He could make a person confess to a crime with a single flick of his eyebrow and penetrating gaze. And he was always right.
“You watch them tomorrow and tell me if I’m wrong,” he said, pushing his hand from my thigh around my back and guiding me closer to him. My heart pounded in my chest, and all he did was stroke his thumb down the column of my throat and hold me close.
“Okay,” I breathed and moved my hands from his shoulders to his chest, ready to push myself up and go to bed, but Ryder had other ideas.
Twisting his fingers into the ends of my hair, he tugged on the strands, causing my head to tip back and expose my throat for him. Placing an open-mouth kiss to the centre of my throat, his tongue tasted my skin, dragging up and down, following the movement of his thumb.
My hands found their way into his hair, massaging his scalp and pulling on the curls that were desperately in need of a trim, but I wouldn’t let him cut them. I loved his hair long. Gave me something to grip. My skin prickled with every kiss, every lick, every breath.
“You’re doing it again,” Ryder growled, biting down lightly on my collarbone.
“What?” I pulled back to look in his darkened, heavy-lidded eyes. He licked his lips.
“Making those noises.” His voice was thick.
“What noises?”
His lips pressed into the spot between my neck and shoulder, sucking softly. I moaned.
“Those noises,” Ryder hissed.
“Sorry.”
“No, you’re not.” Ryder smiled my favourite dimple-flashing smile.
I pulled on his hair and angled his head. He licked his lips. “Not at all.” Lowering my mouth to his, I kissed him.
“Bailey,” he bit out between kisses. “You’re killing me.”
“I’m being quiet.” At least I thought I was being quiet now.
“Stop pulling on my hair.”
“But I like it,” I said, giving him my best sweet smile.
Threading his fingers into my hair, he pulled my mouth back to his. “So do I.”
His mouth was warm on mine. Our lips soft, they moulded together. I shifted, moving closer, letting him control the kiss. His hands lowered to my back while mine stayed firmly in his hair. Our tongues danced, twisted, explored until we ran out of breath.
Pulling back, Ryder cursed and closed his eyes. He looked like he was in pain. His eyebrows pinched together as his fingers traced patterns on my back. He was fighting with himself, and it made me smile. I drove him crazy in the best possible way, and that feeling never got old.
“Kiss me,” I whispered, leaning in close again and brushing my lips against his.
“No.” He shook his head.
“Yes.” I licked his lower lip and piercing.
“Stop.”
“What?”
“Wriggling. Moving your hips,” he said, clearing his throat. “You’re making things very…hard.”
I smiled against his lips, which were still clamped shut and unmoving against mine. “Make me.”
I wriggled again.
His hands dropped to my hips, gripping tightly. I expected him to stop me from moving, shove me backward slightly, and he did, almost, then he pulled me back to him again. He wasn’t stopping me from moving. He was taking control. Pushing me back, pulling me forward, and maintaining a torturously slow speed.
I laughed softly.
“Shut up,” he whispered against my lips. “You drive me crazy. There’s only so much I can take.”
“Until what?”
In a move I wasn’t prepared for, he flipped me around until I was on my back on the sofa and he hovered over me. “Until I drive you insane.”
Excitement coursed through my body. “Do your worst, Jones. I’m looking forward to it.
A thump echoing above our heads pulled us back to reality. I’d completely forgotten Indie was upstairs, heartbroken and probably crying over Linc. With a groan, Ryder sat back and pulled me up. “This isn’t over, love.”
“Hope not.” I stood reluctantly. We didn’t get a lot of alone time together. Not with me hardly being allowed to step foot in my own dorm, and certainly not with Jack around all the time. It was like he had radar that alerted him to the fact Ryder and I were alone together. He always showed up at the worst time. I half expected him to come running through the front door now, which was crazy.
Leaning down, I pressed a kiss to Ryder’s mouth just as his phone rang. He took it out of his pocket and flashed the screen at me.
Jack.
Dammit.
Radar. Or cameras. Microphones. Something. He had to have something. Every single time.
“Goodnight,” I whispered and left him to answer his phone while I lifted my bag over my shoulder and climbed the stairs.
Indie was lying on the bed face down when I walked into the room. “You okay?”
“Fmmmne,” she mumbled, her voice muffled by the pillow her head was buried in.
I dug around in my bag and pulled out my pyjamas. Changing quickly, I climbed onto the bed bedside Indie and draped my arm over her back. We lay there silently for a few minutes. I didn’t want to push her; she’d talk when she was ready.
Her breathing was rapid as her body shook with small sobs. My heart hurt for her. I wished I could do something to cheer her up, make her feel better or convince that there were plenty of other guys out there who would love to date her. But Indie was oblivious to anyone who wasn’t Linc.
Eventually, her breathing evened out, and her body stopped shaking. She was still face down in the pillow, so I wasn’t sure if she was awake or asleep until she finally lifted her head to look at me.
Long blondish brown locks fell in her face and stuck to her lips, but she didn’t care. Her eyes were puffy, red-rimmed and bloodshot. Wiping her nose on the sleeve of her pyjama top, she sniffed. “He’s getting married, Bailey.” Her voice was so sad, it trembled as she spoke.
“I know. I’m sorry.” I brushed the hair out of her face and cupped her cheek.
“What’s wrong with me?”
“Nothing. In, you can’t think like that. There’s nothing wrong with you. You are perfect. Beautiful, funny, smart, talented.”
“I bet you say that to all the girls.” She let out a strangled laugh. “It just hurt to find out like that, you know?”
I nodded. “Yeah, it was a bit of a shock.”
“And what was with the bubble gum?”
I laughed. “I know. Ryder flinched every time she popped a bubble. I thought he was going to strangle her at one point.”
“Wish he had,” she sighed and pouted.
“Can I ask you something?”
“If it’s will I make out with you, you better be sure, because I’m seriously considering it. Guys suck.” Indie tried to smile and lighten the mood, but it was all forced. She wasn’t feeling it.
“Think Ryder might have a problem with that.” I laughed. “Don’t think about it. Just give me the first answer that pops in your head. What’s the most important thing in the world to you?”
“Linc.”
I nodded. “And what do you want for Linc?”
“To be happy.”
“And if marrying Jasmine makes him happy?”
“Then I want to stick a fork in…her eye. Not mine. I don’t like pain.”
“In,” I said in my best stern voice.
“Fine. If she makes him happy then I want that.
I just won’t be happy about it. It should be me.”
“You are going to be fine. You’re going to put on your big girl clothes this weekend, and you’re going to visit your brother, and Linc, and not fork Jasmine’s eye.”
“Way to ruin a party, Bailey.” She stuck out her bottom lip but nodded. “Big girl clothes. I can do this. I can pretend I don’t care he’s getting married. I can pretend my heart hasn’t been ripped out of my chest, stomped on by Jasmine’s stupid stripper heels, shredded and blasted into space. Easy.”
It was my turn to frown. Sarcasm meant she was not okay, and this weekend was going to blow up in our faces. Hopefully, after Cole’s birthday and not during it.
Chapter Five
Ryder
It was the whispering voices that woke me.
“I don’t know.”
“Maybe something’s wrong?”
“Did they have a fight?”
“Why is he sleeping on the sofa?”
“Trouble in paradise?”
“Clearly, he screwed up. Bailey’s too sweet, too good for that shithead.”
“Or maybe he’s being a gentleman and letting his girlfriend comfort her heartbroken friend,” I grumbled and rolled over.
One of them scoffed. I was a gentleman. I wanted to argue, but it was too damn early.
Peeling one eye open, I winced and shut it again. I folded my forearm across my face to block out some of the light before I opened my eyes again and let them adjust to the brightness of the morning sun.
Hell.
“Turn off the sun,” I complained, squinting.
Why did she have to open all the curtains already?
I glanced at the time on the DVD player. It was barely 7:00 a.m. Why wasn’t my mother sleeping?
She and Kenzie were standing in the doorway, hands wrapped around their coffee mugs, watching me curiously.
“Where’s my coffee?” I asked.
“Where’s my hello?” Kenzie snapped, but Mum disappeared into the kitchen, only to return a minute later with a hot cup of coffee for me. I threw off the covers and stood. Taking the coffee from her outstretched hands, I leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Hi.”
“Hi, honey. I’ve missed you.” She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me in for a hug.
“Missed you too.” She released me and moved to the side so I could say hi to Kenzie.
“You need a haircut.” My sister flicked my hair by way of greeting.
“Bailey likes it long, so I’m keeping it like this.”
“Aww, isn’t that sweet? He’s still so whipped.”
“Kenzie, be nice, or he won’t come home to visit anymore,” my mum scolded my sister so I stuck out my tongue at her. Sometimes it was harder to tell who was older—us, or my nephew Cole.
“Why are you here, Kenzie?”
“I’m not allowed to visit my favourite twin brother?”
I chose to ignore that question, because not only was I her twin, I was her only sibling.
“Fine. I missed you. Cole missed you. We wanted to see you before the party.”
“Where is my little dude?”
“Making you a surprise breakfast.” Kenzie threw her head back and cackled.
I winced. With Cole making me food, it could be anything. Mud pies, dog food. Who knew what I would get? I shuddered.
“So, what’s with the makeshift bed? You two love birds have a fight? She dump your possessive, overprotective ass?”
I rolled my eyes and went back to my sofa where it was warm. “No. We stopped at the diner last night to see Johnny.”
Kenzie winced. “I haven’t seen him for so long. I keep meaning to go out there and say hi.”
“You should.”
“What happened at the roadhouse?”
“We ran into Linc and his fiancée.”
Kenzie’s eyebrows shot up, and our mum looked clueless. She’d met Linc and Nate once or twice, but never seemed to remember that Indie was in love with the guy. Linc. Not Nate. That would be weird.
“He’s engaged?” Kenzie confirmed.
I nodded.
“And Indie was with you?”
I nodded again.
“Oh, the poor girl. She’s staying at their place this weekend, isn’t she?”
“Nope. She’s upstairs with Bailey.”
“Ahhh, the sofa makes sense, then. You’re too nice, little brother.”
“Three minutes, Kenz. I’m three minutes younger. It doesn’t make me your damn little brother.”
“It kind of does.”
“It does not.”
“Technically, it—”
“Enough, you two. Kenzie, he’s been home five minutes. Let him settle in before you drive him up the wall.” Mum held her hand out to shush my sister. “How is Indie, sweetheart?”
I shrugged. “Last night, sad. Today, probably vengeful, knowing her.”
“Uncle Ryder!” Cole’s excited voice came from the doorway. I looked up and smiled at him, placing my coffee on the end table just in time for Cole to come running across the room and throw himself into my arms. “I’ve missed you!”
“I missed you too, buddy.” I ruffled his hair and squeezed him. “You been a good boy for your mumma?”
“Of course.” He smiled proudly. “I made you breakfast. Are you hungry?”
“Starving.” I held out my hand to him. “Help me up?”
Cole gripped my hand with both of his and grunted and groaned as he pulled with all his strength to get me to stand
“When did you get so strong?” I asked, bouncing to my feet.
“I’ve been eating all my vegetables. Except for the broccoli,” he whispered in my ear. “I throw that in the bin when Mumma isn’t looking.” He giggled. “Come on.”
With my hand in his, he led me to the kitchen where he had a plate on the counter waiting for me.
“What’s this?” I asked, unsure if I wanted to know the answer. I recognised a few of the ingredients and wasn’t convinced they were meant to go together in one dish.
“Breakfast, silly. It’s Mumma’s favourite.”
I looked over my shoulder at Kenzie. She was standing there with a hand pressed to her mouth to cover her laugh. “Yep. Favourite.”
“Thanks, buddy,” I said and took a seat on one of the stools.
Looking at the food in front of me, it took an enormous effort not to screw my face up in disgust. Cole was standing on the other side of the counter with wide eyes and the happiest, brightest smile on his face. I couldn’t disappoint the kid. I had to eat what he made me. After all, he went to so much trouble cooking the toast and spreading a half a cup of butter on top. Seriously, it was so thick, there was enough to butter an entire loaf of toast, plus some. But that wasn’t all. On top of the butter were peanut butter, cocoa powder, and oats, topped off with strawberry syrup.
Gross.
“Mumma eats this?” I questioned Cole, and he nodded enthusiastically.
I picked up the toast and tried not to think about how bad all that butter was going to be for me and took a bite.
I was too young to die of a heart attack.
Holy shit.
It was disgusting. Sickly. And, yep, that wasn’t strawberry topping. It was tomato ketchup.
On toast with peanut butter, oats, and cocoa.
My stomach heaved as I chewed.
And chewed.
And chewed.
And chewed.
I couldn’t bring myself to swallow it for fear of it immediately coming back up when I chucked my guts up.
“Do you like it?” Cole smiled hopefully.
“Delicious!” I mumbled through a mouthful.
“Cole, honey. Why don’t you go and check to see if Bailey is awake? Quietly, though. You don’t want to wake her if she’s still asleep,” my mum suggested.
“Okay. Uncle Ryder, you keep eating. I’ll check on Aunt Bailey.” He skipped out of the kitchen, and I smiled, loving the way he referred to her as his au
nt.
My mother rushed over, grabbed my plate, and emptied it into the bin before placing it back in front of me.
I looked at Kenzie, “You really eat that?”
She scoffed. “’Course not. I send him to clean his room or something while I throw it in the garbage. I ate it the first time because he sat with me and wanted to watch me eat it all. As soon as I was done, I threw up.”
I nodded. That one mouthful I regrettably had to swallow was churning in my stomach as we spoke.
Cole’s footsteps echoed on the stairs as he bounded down them.
“She’s still sleeping, so I gave her my dragon to cuddle and snuck back out.”
“That’s very sweet, baby,” my sister said, dropping a kiss to Cole’s head. “We should go, anyway, so we can get ready for your birthday party later.”
“Party! Yeah! Are you coming, Uncle Ryder?”
“Wouldn’t miss it, kiddo.”
His eyes widened when they landed on my plate. “You finished it?”
“Absolutely. Best breakfast I’ve ever had.”
Cole grinned. “That’s because I made it.”
“Okay, Cole, say goodbye. We need to go.”
He came over and gave me another hug before walking out with Mum and Kenzie.
Mum returned a few minutes later and rummaged through the fridge.
“How about bacon?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” I said, rubbing my stomach.
“Think those girls will wake soon?”
“If you cook bacon, they will. They’ll smell it in their sleep.”
“Who needs an alarm clock, huh? Just cook bacon.”
“Something like that.”
Chapter Six
Bailey
The smell of grease—bacon grease, to be exact—woke me up. Well, that, combined with Indie trying to climb over me and basically straddling my waist.
“What are you doing?” I pushed her off me.
“Bacon. I smell bacon.”
I sat up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes as a stuffed dragon fell onto the mattress beside me. Where had that come from?
“Food, Bailey, come on. Let’s eat.” Indie jumped out of bed a lot perkier than she was the night before.
