“Still as clumsy as ever, baby.”
Ryan held onto my hips and didn't let go. “First off, you lost the chance to call me that a long time ago and second, let me go. I can take it from here.”
I pushed his hands off my hips and headed back inside. I hated the way he made me feel, and I needed to get as far away as possible. My body betrayed me tonight.
I hear Ryan laugh behind me as I tried not to limp, but I was failing miserably. “If you need me to take care of that ass of yours, you know where to find me. We rented the cabin right next to you guys.”
Fuck me!
CHAPTER 3
I did everything I could to avoid Ryan. He tried to talk to me once, while we were in the bar, but I did everything I could to avoid his gaze. The sad part was, my body craved for more of what happened outside.
I could feel his eyes burning a hole into the back of my head, and I knew I needed to get out of there.
After telling the girls what happened, we headed home and called it a night. Leigh Ann was glued to Matt the entire night and Taylor was trying to play hard to get with John, but they knew something was wrong. They both were bummed to leave, but they knew I needed them right now.
They both promised to see the guys when we got back from our hike in two days and they all swapped numbers. On the ride home, they both talked about how hot and sexy each guy was, while I was trying to not think about Ryan’s fingers down my pants. Why did he have to be here? I would think about him from time to time back home, but I can't risk another heartbreak with him. He is dangerous, and I can't afford to do that again.
When I went to bed, I had an ice pack on my ass and I was wearing my Draco Malfoy is hot t-shirt. Yes, I have an obsession with movie t-shirts, and I don’t care. It hurt like hell to lay on my side, but the ice was starting to help. I couldn't get my mind off what happened with Ryan tonight. A part of me wanted to see him again, but the other part was telling me to run.
I drifted off sometime in the night while listening to my favorite country band, and woke up to someone screaming. What the fuck? Throwing the cover off, I bolted down the stairs as fast as I could to find out who screamed. Mind you, I completely forgot about my tailbone and winced the moment I got down the stairs. How the hell was I supposed to go on a two-day hike with this?
Limping quietly towards the bat by the front door, I grabbed it and mentally prepared myself for anything. If someone was trying to rob us, I would make sure they would never walk again. Slowly making my way around the first floor, I reached the kitchen and saw Leigh Ann with her hands over her mouth and shoulders shaking with laughter. What the hell was she screaming about? I turned the corner with my bat held high and froze.
Ryan was completely naked by the stove, making breakfast. I checked him out from head to toe, and I wish I hadn’t. His ass was pure perfection and his legs… Don't get me started on those. Let’s just say you could see every definition of muscle. Then to top it off, his back was ripped, making me want to lick him all over and mark him as mine. Something caught my eye, but before I could take a closer look, he turned his back away from me, showing all his glory up front. Were those scars?
No! He isn't yours, you stupid brain.
“How much do you want to bet, we can bounce quarters off his ass and it would bounce a few feet?” I said, resting the bat on my shoulder and smiling like it was Christmas morning. Here was the sexiest man I had ever known, naked in my kitchen, cooking breakfast. Today must be my lucky day, even if I didn't want anything to do with him. He may have broken my heart, but that doesn’t mean I can’t look and enjoy the scenery.
“Who the fuck screamed and why the fuck isn't there coffee?” Taylor came down the stairs, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She never was a morning person. I couldn't wait to see what she thought about this situation.
“We are contemplating playing quarters on Ryan’s ass.” I nodded my head in his general direction, and she followed suit. “Wanna join in?”
“Well, what do ya know, shrimpy decided to flash his goods to the whole world. Good for him.” Taylor walked right past him and started to get her coffee ready. “Sorry to say, Brianna, his package needs some attention.”
Did she just say what I think she said? Leigh Ann looked at me and was just as confused as me. Whenever someone was naked in front of her, she would crack jokes and do everything she could to make the situation worse. I was always the brunt of the joke when she caught me getting out of the shower. I will never live down the horrible trimming situation.
“Good morning, Ladies. Who is ready for some pancakes?” Ryan turned around with a plate stacked high of pancakes and Taylor was right. He was showing off his goods for the world to see. Not to mention he could hit a home run with how stacked he was.
“What the hell are you doing here, Ryan? You almost gave Leigh Ann a heart attack.” I tightened my grip on the bat, preparing myself for batting practice.
Hey, normally if a man was naked in my kitchen, cooking me breakfast, I would be in heaven. But this man was starting to piss me off. I told him last night things were over, and nothing was ever going to happen again, but it looks like he didn't get the hint.
Leigh Ann walked over to Ryan and checked out his package. She sighed and grabbed the plate of pancakes from him and the syrup off the table. “If you will excuse me, I am going to eat my pancakes and drool over this man. He is fine as hell. Might want to keep him close Brianna.” Leigh Ann winked at me and slapped Ryan’s ass. “Never know who might steal him.”
“HE IS NOT MINE!” I growled out loud. Why does everyone think he is mine? That is the last thing he was. And why did I keep growling? I am not an animal.
“Don’t worry, Bree. I wanted to show you what you have been missing out on the past three years. I plan to do whatever it takes to you win you back. And I will win you back.” Ryan's eyes went dark, and his dick started to throb and release pre-cum.
I couldn't stop staring, and my body was responding way too fast. No! Don't you dare do this again. So instead of focusing on how hot and steamy we could get upstairs, I walked past Ryan and joined Leigh Ann at the dining room table for pancakes.
Taking a look at my plate, I realized I was missing the most important ingredient to making a perfect pancake. Turning to retrieve the peanut butter, which is crucial to have when you eat pancakes, Ryan set it down in front of me. “I remembered how much you love your peanut butter.” He said with a smirk.
I tried to suppress a smile, but failed miserably. “Put some damn clothes on. I get that you want to win her back or whatever. But people like to eat their food in peace and not look at some hot, fine man, strutting his dick in their face. So get out!” Taylor was trying to save me from further embarrassing myself. She knew what he had done to me, and she hated his guts. “And leave our girl alone. She already told you she isn't interested. So take a hike.” The Keurig light turned on at that moment, and Taylor went back to preparing her morning cup of coffee.
“I don't give up easily. I always get what I want.” He turned towards the door, and I couldn't help staring. Could you blame me? If you had a man like this in front of you, you would stare too.
“That man is so infuriating!” I shoved a massive bite of pancake into my mouth and tried to think of anything besides his dick and my vagina having a wild ride. But holy sweet alien babies, these pancakes were delicious.
“I hate to break it to you, but I don't think he is going anywhere. I think you are in trouble chica.” Leigh Ann smiled and didn't hold back her amusement. “Also, you might want to check your chin; I think you are drooling.”
“She is right. I mean who would break into a cabin, strip down to nothing and cook breakfast for three females. He has some balls. I mean big balls.” Taylor emphasized how big he was with her hands.
“While you two have a good laugh at this, I am going to get ready for our hike. I want to forget this ever happened.”
~*~
With our bags packed for
our two-day hike, we met up with the hiking group at the main lodge. I was thankful my tailbone was healed, otherwise this trip would be a disaster.
About half our group had already shown up a few minutes before we did, and we were waiting for the rest of the crew. I rocked my ‘Property of my Book Boyfriend’ t-shirt and black spandex shorts. I knew I would get a few weird looks, but I didn't give a rat’s ass what they thought. I loved to have weird shirts and show off my nerd side.
“So who is your book boyfriend lately? A vampire? Fae? Shifter?” Taylor asked while double checking her pack. She knew about my obsession with books, and I was starting to bring her to the dark side.
“Darian. He is a Fae. He is from Alanea Alder’s Bewitched and Bewildered series. If I met a man like him, he could do whatever he wanted to me no questions asked.” Each week I always found a new man I loved. It wasn't because I wanted one, it was because books found a way into my heart and healed me. It was the best stress reliever in the world, and it felt good to get away from reality sometimes.
“Well, well, well. Look what we have here.” Leigh Ann brought her sunglasses to the bridge of her nose, looking at something or someone behind me. She bit the corner of her lip, and I swear I saw her start to drool.
“Hot damn. Please tell me they are on the menu today.” Taylor said, looking at whatever caught their eye.
I turned to see what they were drooling over, and my mouth dropped. No. No. No. No. No. This can't be happening. Ryan, Matt, and John were headed our way with their hiking packs in tow.
“Hey, Ladies. You guys ready for a hike?” John directed his attention at Taylor, and I'm sure her panties were soaked. He was a little over six foot, with brown hair and blue eyes. Not to mention, the guy was built like a brick.
“You guys are coming, too?” Leigh Ann asked with her arms crossed.
Shaking my head at these two, I didn’t noticed Ryan right next to me. His massive arm went around my shoulders, and I looked up to see him smiling down at me. “Actually, we are your tour guides.”
Well, fuck a Goddamn duck. I was going to be stuck with Ryan for three days and two nights out in the wilderness with no one to save me. I looked at my best friends, and both of them were locked in a conversation with their own man. Traitors! It looks like I was going to be on my own then.
I grabbed Ryan's wrist and removed his arm from around my neck. “Get your hands off me, Ryan.”
Ryan leaned in to whisper in my ear. “When this hike is over, you will be begging me to fuck you. Three days alone with me in the wilderness is going to drive you wild.”
My head dropped to my chest, and I tried not to groan. He was one hundred percent correct. Ryan and I used to love to find secret areas in the forest and go to pow town. But now things were different. It looks like I was going to need to keep an eye on him.
“My vagina is out of business. She isn't taking any orders from a pompous jackass, who thinks he can get whatever or whoever he wants.”
Ignoring me completely, he kissed the top of my head and went to address the group. “Alright, everyone. Let's get going. It's a ten-mile hike up to the top of the mountain, and we plan to stop at several locations for you to see what Mother Nature has to offer.”
An older woman, who looked to be in her sixties, raised her hand. “What about the bears and wildlife?”
“With a large group, we will deter the animals away from us. But I made sure to pack bear spray and bells for us to wear on our ankles. If we make enough noise, the animals will not bother us.” Ryan looked to be in instructor mode. He answered all the questions everyone had, and he was extremely patient with everyone.
Who was this man? He used to be a brute and growled at almost everyone. I would call him a berserker most nights, but now something was different. Now he was patient and kind to anyone he met. What happened in the last three years?
“Try giving him a chance Brianna. Things are not always as they seem. Give him a chance to explain what happened.” Matt was staring at Ryan, but had a weird look on his face.
“I don't know if I can.” I shuffled my feet, with my arms across my chest. I wanted to give him a chance, but my heart wasn’t ready for that.
“He is a good man. He has never been with another woman since you. John and I tried to get him to find someone else, but he would always say ‘no one would ever replace his nerd.’ I never knew what he meant until I saw you both at the bar.”
I tried to respond, but my mouth and brain were not communicating. No one could replace his nerd? Did he mean me? I looked over at Ryan, who was talking with the older lady who asked about the wildlife earlier.
“He isn’t the same Ryan I knew, is he?” I was used to the asshole who took what he wanted and didn't have a care in the world what happened. He was my summer fling, but I always wanted more.
“He isn't the same man you remember. Give him a chance, Brianna. Our guy only has eyes for you.”
“He even tried tracking you down.” John chimed in. I whipped around and looked at John. Before I could get a word out, Matt smacked him in the gut.
“What the fuck! She isn't supposed to know that, you dick wad.”
Leigh Ann and Taylor both looked at Ryan in wonder. “Brianna, I think you need to hear him out. He doesn't look like the man you told us about three years ago. I may have only known him for less than twenty-four hours, but my gut tells me to give him a chance.” Taylor has sympathy in her eyes, but I knew she meant well.
“He broke my heart, and you expect me to forget everything he did and go back to him? I don’t know if I can do that.” Looking back at Ryan, who was checking me out from the other side of the room, I contemplated trying again. Ryan nodded at whatever the old woman was saying, but he never took his eyes off me. Can I open my heart to him and not be afraid of it happening again?
Lost in my train of thought, I didn’t notice the group heading out towards the bus. Noticing I was the only one left in the main lobby, I raced to catch up with the group. I just ran out of the front door when I heard masculine laughter behind me that made my bones melt.
“Easy, beautiful. I want you in one piece when we get back home.”
I turned to see Ryan leaning against the door to the main lobby, and I realized I never noticed what he was wearing. He wore the shirt I gave him three years ago, when we hiked Rainbow Peak. I made a shirt special for him that said Take a Hike, I’m with Nerd, when I told him I loved him. Like I said, I am a nerd. I love to make weird shirts and just have fun. Life is too short to be so serious all the time, and I wanted to bring him into my world.
Ryan pushed himself off the door frame and headed my way. “I told you, I never give up on what I want. I always loved the girl who never ceased to amaze me. She would trip over air and break a bone, but she was mine.” Ryan grabbed my chin and pushed up slightly, so I could look into his eyes. “I will win you back. Come hell or high water; I will have my woman back.”
I gulped loudly and didn't know what to say. His woman? If this is how he felt, then why the hell did he leave?
“Let’s go lovebirds. Some of us would like to get a move on here.” Matt called out. John said something I couldn't catch, but I laughed when Ryan flipped him off.
Ryan planted a soft kiss on my lips, and I leaned in for more. “All in good time, baby.”
Ryan walked off, laughing to himself, while I stood there shell-shocked. Did he…? What the hell was going on? I ran to catch up with the group and looped my arms with Taylor and Leigh Ann.
“I hate to admit it, but you are so screwed. Are you sure things didn't happen differently three years ago?” Leigh Ann knew I was having an internal battle. I just shook my head and kept my mouth shut. I didn't trust myself not to say I wanted him back. I wasn't sure what I wanted.
“Hate to break it to you, but you are so fucked, chica. He has it bad.” Taylor chimed in and pointed at Ryan, who was looking over his shoulder from the front of the group.
“Don't worry. She wi
ll be!” He called out.
I groaned loudly and walked ahead of the girls, who started to laugh. Did he just hear that entire conversation? What, did he have supersonic hearing or something? I was so fucked, and not in a good way. This was going to be the longest three days of my life.
CHAPTER 4
“Would you look at that?” Taylor's face was pressed against her window, looking at the scenery around us. A massive mountain covered with trees and unknown treasures blocked the sun from reaching its destination. My body started to shake with anticipation for what’s to come. The mountain held mysteries that have yet to be seen by me, and I couldn’t wait to find them.
It took us about twenty minutes to reach the edge of Lake McDonald, where our hike would start. From what Ryan told the group on the bus, we would start our hike at the bottom of the lake where it connects to Middle Fork Flathead River and head towards the mountain. We would make several stops along the way and make camp at the top of the mountain. Then, the next morning, we would head back down and make camp at the edge of the river to prepare for our five-mile river rafting adventure, which would lead us back to the cabins.
“I think I have died and gone to heaven. Look at the baby raccoons!” Leigh Ann squealed, trying to take a picture as best she could. We encountered several animals along the way, including a few baby deer, but that was only the beginning. This area was home to the animals, and we were its trespassers.
The bus came to a stop right next to the Lake McDonald sign, and we all filed out of the bus, waiting for directions from Ryan. He helped everyone unload and made sure their packs were secured tight. I saw him come my way, so I threw my pack onto my back, securing the straps to avoid him coming closer. I knew how to pack for a hike and didn't need his assistance. He was the one, after all, who taught me everything I knew.
“You ready beautiful?” Ryan asked, grabbing my straps, double-checking my work. I tried to take a step back, but it only made him pull me back towards him. Knowing this was a losing battle, I put my pride aside and let him check my pack.
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