Unexpected Fight

by Kaylee Ryan

  Yes, I’ll take sex on the beach with you. “Nah, I’m going to just grab a beer.”

  “Tyler, this is my fiancé, Josh. Josh, this is Tyler. He and Reagan are… friends,” Carol introduces us.

  “Tyler.” I stretch my arm out across the table and offer him my hand. He takes it.

  “And my husband is on his way,” Brenda adds. “He got stuck at the office, but he’ll be here soon. His name is Tom.”

  I nod. “So,” I lean into Reagan, “everyone brings their significant others but you?”

  She turns her head to look at me. I’m still leaning close to her, keeping the conversation just between us. I’m close enough that it would take minimal movement on my part to press my lips to hers. “Usually. Sometimes, it’s just girls’ night.”

  “So, I’m yours for the night?” I ask her. She bites down on her bottom lip, and her chest rises and falls just a little faster than before.

  “Is that what you want, Ty? To be mine for tonight?” she asks. Her voice is soft and full of uncertainty.

  “No.” The sparkle in those hazel eyes dulls. She swallows hard, and I realize my mistake. “Not just tonight,” I immediately correct my blunder. “Never for just one night,” I whisper huskily. Her eyes widen. “Not with you.” I give her the confirmation she needs. The confirmation we’ve been dancing around for far too long.

  “Tyler.” She breathes my name as if she can’t believe what I’m saying.

  “Reagan,” I mimic her. Reaching up, I push her bangs out of her eyes. The sparkle is back and something more. Something I can’t really explain.

  “Tyler, this is Tom.” I hear, and force myself to look across the table.

  “Nice to meet you,” I say, holding my hand out for Tom to shake.

  “You too. How long have the two of you been dating? Usually, Reagan is here alone.”

  Reagan flinches beside me at the same time Brenda smacks Tom on the arm and has him flinching in pain. “Reagan and I have known each other for years.”

  “They’re not together.” Brenda smacks Tom’s arm again. “I told you that,” she whispers harshly.

  “It’s fine.” Reagan waves her hand in the air. “Ty and I go way back. He and my brother are best friends. They work together.” She rushes to explain our relationship, and I hate it. I hate that she feels like she needs to explain or defend whatever it is she’s doing. I hate it even more that I’m just her brother’s best friend.

  I hate it a whole hell of a lot.

  “Sorry about that,” Tom says. “What are you drinking?”

  “Nothing at the moment.”

  “Let me buy you a beer?” he offers. He waves for the bartender and holds up two fingers.

  “Sure,” I say, knowing I don’t have to leave this seat. If he’d asked me to go with him to the bar, I would have declined. I’m not giving up this seat or my time with her. Just as our beers are dropped off, I feel a strong hand grip my shoulder.

  “Fancy meeting you here.”

  I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Seth and Kent won’t call me out here, not in a crowd, but I know it’s coming. If they don’t get to me before work on Monday, they’ll ambush me then. “Hey,” I say, turning to face them. “What are you guys getting into?” I ask casually, as if me sitting as close as I can get to Reagan surrounded by her friends is a completely normal Friday night.

  “Just having a couple of beers. We tried to call you,” Kent says. His eyes dart between me and Reagan.

  “Really?” Reaching into my pocket, I pull out my phone to see a missed call from Kent and a message from Seth. “Sorry about that. It’s on vibrate, and I guess I didn’t feel it.”

  “Mind if we join you?” Seth asks, already grabbing one of the extra seats next to Reagan. A party of six with seating for eight. Just great.

  “Of course.” Reagan is quick to accept them into our little gathering of sorts.

  “So, what’s up?” Kent asks. He’s looking at me with questions in his eyes.

  “Drinks,” Reagan tells him. “Let me introduce you.” She points at each person around the table calling them by name. “This is Kent and Seth. They’re friends of my brothers and work with Tyler,” she explains.

  “Ah, the plot thickens,” Carol says with glee, sipping from her drink.

  “Special occasion?” Seth asks, taking a long pull from his beer.

  “No.” Reagan shakes her head. “Just something we try to do a couple of times a month. Get out of the salon and just hang out.”

  “Nice,” he says. Then he turns to look at me. “You working at the salon now?” He smirks.

  Asshole. “No, but I was there earlier to get a cut. You should look into it as well,” I tell him, referring to his long locks.

  “No thanks,” he’s quick to reply.

  “The more, the merrier,” Brenda chimes in. “We invited him.”

  Seth and Kent both nod, but I can tell they’re not buying it. Josh, Carol’s fiancé, asks about adding on to his garage when he finds out our profession, and the conversation shifts. Thankfully.

  The waitress drops off another round of those fruity drinks for the girls, and I wave her off when she asks if I want another beer. I need to keep my shit in check tonight. The last thing I need is to get liquored up and start hanging all over her or worse, confessing that I want her. With Kent and Seth having a front row seat, that could only end in disaster. Not to mention the way Reagan is tossing them back. I’ll need to make sure she gets home safely.

  Drink after drink, the girls throw them back. Josh and Tom both stopped drinking as well. Seth and Kent have each had a couple, but nothing like the ladies.

  “You about ready?” Tom asks Brenda. “You work tomorrow, right?” he asks her.

  “You.” Brenda points across the table at Reagan. “You won’t fire me if I’m a little late, right?” she slurs.

  “Your clients might,” Reagan replies.

  “Right.” Brenda nods and downs the remainder of her drink. “It’s been fun, but I need some sleep.”

  “Babe, it’s just a little after ten.” Tom laughs at her. “You’ll be fine. Let me grab you a bottle of water to start on the way home.” He kisses the top of her head as he stands and makes his way to the bar.

  “He’s so sweet,” Reagan gushes.

  “You need one,” Brenda tells her.

  “One day.” Reagan nods like it’s the best plan she’s heard all day.

  “What about you?” Carol points at me.

  “Honey.” Josh gives her a “shut the hell up” look.

  “What? They’re obviously into one another,” she defends.

  “Really?” Seth chimes in. “How so?”

  “Look at them.” Carol points across the table at Reagan and me. “They’re perfect for each other.”

  “All right, you. I think it’s time to call it a night.” Josh stands and tosses some money on the table. He offers her his hand, and Carol stands on wobbly feet as well. “You got her?” Josh nods toward Reagan.

  “Yes.”

  He nods his approval and guides his girlfriend through the throng of people and disappears to the parking lot.

  “Party poopers,” Brenda mumbles, just as Tom appears at her side.

  “Tab’s taken care of. You guys will make sure Reagan gets home?” he asks the three of us.

  “I’ve got her,” I rush to say before the others can take responsibility for her.

  Tom nods. “It was nice to meet you.” He waves and wraps his arm around Brenda as they make their way to the exit.

  “You have to work tomorrow, Reagan?” Kent asks.

  “Nope. And my projects are all done. Ty took care of that for me.” She leans her head on my shoulder.

  “Oh, he did, did he?” Kent grins. “What kind of projects are we talking?”

  “My shelves in the shop, and in my apartment.” She smiles brightly. “Oh, and the door. The door was hanging and he fixed it.”

  My friends raise their eyebrows
in question. “What? I was there and she needed a few things done. Is that a crime?”

  “Nope,” they say in unison.

  “Ty,” Reagan whispers, and I turn to her, giving her my full attention.

  “Yeah?” My voice is soft.

  “I’m tired. Will you take me home?”

  I fight the urge to kiss her forehead. “Yeah, let’s go.” She sits up, and I stand, helping her to her feet. “We’re heading out. Call me if you need a ride,” I tell my friends.

  “You good?” Seth asks.

  “Yeah, we’re good.” Reagan stumbles, so I wrap my arm around her waist and guide her to my truck.

  “Where did you park?” I ask, scanning the lot for her car.

  “I walked.”

  My jaw tightens. She has no business walking home late at night alone, especially after she’s been drinking. Sure, we live in a relatively safe town, but you never know when someone crazy is going to show. I don’t lecture her, not right now anyway. I doubt she would even remember. Instead, I lead her to my truck, and lift her into the passenger seat. “Let’s get you buckled in.”

  She rests her head back against the seat and lets me pull the seat belt around her, and lock it into place. “You smell good,” she says, running her fingers across my hair before I can duck out of the truck.

  Closing my eyes, I relish the feel of her hands on my hair. I count backward from ten before slowly opening my eyes and taking in the woman before me. She too has her eyes closed, her head resting against the seat. She looks peaceful and beautiful. “Let’s get you home.” Her hands drop from my hair, and I’m able to pull away and softly close the door.

  The drive to her place is short. I park behind the shop and kill the engine. Turning, I take her in. I can’t help but think about how good she looks sitting here in my truck. She’s sleeping peacefully, her long lashes brushing her cheeks. My heart squeezes in my chest, and I recognize it for what it is.

  Longing.

  Shaking out of my thoughts, I pull the keys from the ignition and climb out of the truck. “Reagan,” I say softly. I trace my index finger down her cheek and she doesn’t even stir. Reaching over her, I unbuckle her belt and lift her into my arms. Immediately, her arms wrap around my neck, and she burrows into me. I manage to kick the door shut, and then realize I don’t have her key. “Reagan, babe, can you wake up for me?” She mumbles. “Where’s your key?” I ask her. Again, more mumbling.

  Shit.

  “Reagan.” I try again with no reply. Looking back at the truck, I groan. How am I going to get the door open, to get her back inside? Stepping to the door, I lean her against the truck, keeping my hold on her with one arm, her legs pressed against my chest. Quickly, I slide my arm out, pull open the door, and slide my arm back under her legs. She doesn’t move. Sitting her back on the passenger seat, I shake her shoulder, trying to wake her. More mumbling, but otherwise nothing. Her eyes are closed. With no other choice, I strap her back in and head to my place.

  I manage to get her out of the truck and into my condo without dropping her. Not that she’s heavy, but the logistics of holding her and unlocking and opening the door presented as a challenge. I don’t bother with the lights, choosing to blindly make my way down the hall to my room. Not that they would have woken her up. She’s out. If it were not for her hot breath on my neck, I’d be worried.

  Carefully, I lower her to my bed. She immediately curls up in a ball, tucking her hands under her cheek. With nothing but the moonlight shining through the blinds, she looks like an angel. Turning to grab a bottle of water and some aspirin, I startle when she reaches out and grips my hand.

  “Ty,” she says, her voice husky from sleep. “Stay.”

  My pulse races and my mind immediately comes up with an image of me holding her in my arms all night. “Hey, I’m just going to go lock up and grab you some water and something for your headache.”

  “I don’t have one,” she mumbles.

  I chuckle. “Not yet, sweetheart, but you will in the morning. I’ll be right back.” Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, I rush out of the room. I make sure the front door is locked, and then I grab two bottles of water and a bottle of aspirin. “Hey,” I say, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. “Can you wake up and take these?” I brush the hair that’s fallen out of her ponytail out of her eyes.

  “No,” she grumbles.

  “Come on. You’ll thank me in the morning. I promise.” With some groaning, she lets me pull her up to a sitting position as she forces her eyes open.

  “Where am I?” she asks, blinking and taking in her surroundings.

  “My place. I didn’t know where your key was, and you wouldn’t wake up to tell me.”

  “It’s keyless entry,” she tells me. “You just enter the code.”

  “Well, that’s hard to do if you don’t have the code,” I tell her.

  She gives me a subtle nod, takes the aspirin I shook out into the palm of my hand, and downs half of her bottle of water. “Am I staying here?”

  “Yeah, unless you want me to take you home?” I don’t really want to take her back to her place, but I will if that’s what she wants. I’d much rather know she’s sleeping in my bed, even if I’m not in it with her.

  “No,” she mumbles, lying back down. “This is good. So soft.” She closes her eyes again.

  I can’t help but chuckle. I watch her for a few minutes before leaning in and placing a kiss on the top of her head.

  “Ty?”

  Her eyes are still closed. “Yeah?” I answer softly.

  “Will you lie with me?”

  I want to. Fuck me, but do I want to. This is, however, crossing that invisible line we’ve been dangerously walking next to. Not just that, it’s the fact that one night with her in my arms, will ignite a longing that would put my current want for her to shame. I know that to be the truth as sure as my next breath. She’s drunk. She doesn’t know what she’s asking of me.

  Slowly, her eyes flutter open. “Please?”

  I sweep her bangs out of her eyes. “I’m not sure that’s the best idea,” I confess.

  “It is,” she assures me with a soft smile. “If this is the only time I’m ever going to be in your bed, I at least want to know what it’s like for you to hold me.”

  My heart rate kicks up, and my palms sweat. “That’s the alcohol talking.” My voice is gravelly.

  “No.” She reaches for my hand and tries to tug me down with her. “I’m drunk, but I know what I’m saying. The alcohol might be my courage, but it’s not my voice.” Her glassy hazel eyes hold my stare in the dim light of the room. “Ty, please hold me,” she says softly, and the final thread of my resolve breaks.

  Kicking off my shoes, I pull my hand from hers and walk around the other side of the bed. Fully clothed, I slide in next to her and pull her back into my chest. She has other ideas, though. She turns and buries her face in my neck. Her hot breath does all kinds of wicked things to my body. My cock is hard as stone, but my body melts into her.

  “I’ve thought about this.” Her words are a whispered confession.

  “Yeah?”

  “So many times. I never thought we’d be here.”

  I don’t know what to say to that. Tell her that I’ve thought of this exact moment hundreds if not thousands of times? How far is too far? How will she feel when she wakes up in the morning with me wrapped around her? Her breathing evens out, and I keep my mouth shut. No point in muddying the waters, especially if she’s already fallen back to sleep. Closing my eyes, I breathe her in and enjoy the moment.

  I’m trying to fall asleep when her lips connect with my neck. That simple touch of her soft lips to my skin ignites a fire inside me. My cock presses painfully against my zipper, my heart rate kicks up its rhythm, and my neck tingles as if her lips are an electric shock to my system. I tighten my hold on her. There is barely room for air to pass between us. I take slow, deep breaths, trying to calm down my libido. When I finally have myself under control, I
close my eyes once again and drift off to sleep with the love of my life in my arms. It’s the best and worst night.

  I don’t know how I go back from here.

  Chapter 5

  Reagan

  * * *

  The morning sun shining into my eyes pulls me from sleep. Slowly, I blink my eyes open and flinch when I’m blinded by its rays. My eyes slam shut, and I inwardly curse the sun. That’s when it hits me. I don’t have a window in my bedroom. My small apartment only has a couple of windows, and there are none in my bedroom. Before I can panic, I register the muscled tattooed arm that’s wrapped around me. I’d recognize that arm anywhere.

  Tyler.

  Memories from last night flood my mind. I’d begged him to stay with me. Now here we are, in his bed, snuggled close with the damn sun blinding me. I’ll have to close the blind so next time I can sleep in. I freeze. Will there be a next time? What does this mean for us? Nothing happened. We’re both fully clothed, and I can’t help but feel a little disappointed in that.

  “What’s wrong, baby?” his thick sleep-laced voice asks.

  “N-Nothing,” I reply.

  “Your body just went all stiff on me.”

  “The sun,” I say lamely. That’s believable, right?

  “Roll over.”

  I take a deep breath and do as he asks. “Mornin’,” he says, leaning in and pressing his lips to my forehead.

  Can he feel my heart racing? Hell, can he hear it? “Morning.”

  “You ready for me to feed you or you want to get some more sleep?”

  No way in hell can I get back to sleep, but I don’t want to leave his bed either. There is also my need to use the restroom. “I have to use the restroom,” I blurt.

  “Through that door.” He points to the wall at the end of the bed. “Breakfast or sleep?”

  “Sleep,” I say automatically.

  “That’s my girl.” He gives me a boyish grin. Well, as boyish as a sexy, muscled, inked, bearded man can give.

  “I-I’ll be right back.” Hating that nature is calling and glad for a minute to get myself under control at the same time, I slide out from underneath the covers and pad my way to the bathroom. After taking care of business, I take in my reflection, and I’m a hot fucking mess. My makeup is smeared under my eyes, and my hair looks as if birds have been trying to nest in it. Grabbing a washcloth from under the sink, I wash my face and take my hair out of my ponytail and wrap it in a knot. At least now it looks as though it’s messy on purpose. I eye a tube of toothpaste and decide to go ahead and brush my teeth. Placing a generous amount on my finger, I do the best I can with what I have.