Bad Choices and Heartaches: A New Adult Sports Romance (Alpen Springs Book 2)

by Casey Diam

  What? she mouthed.

  I want to kiss you, I mouthed back.

  She smiled. What?

  Kiss. You, I mouthed again.

  “What?”

  “I want to kiss you,” I said as the noise from the blender came to a complete stop, which caused everyone to look at me.

  I covered my face with a hand and shook my head.

  “Aww, that is so cute,” Averie said, but I kept my head down as my hand moved up my forehead to my hairline.

  “He’s blushing,” Averie cooed, and I shook my head again.

  Unbelievable.

  “Lover boy,” Ash teased around a chuckle.

  “Shut up, I still hate you,” I told him.

  Chapter 40

  Gabby

  The phone rang until I thought Ryker wasn’t going to pick up. “Hey, sorry, I was in class.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t know, but you said to call.”

  I just left my appointment at the clinic and was strolling along the storefronts on Main Street.

  “I know, it’s no problem, I stepped out,” he said. “So? Are we a hundred percent pregnant?”

  I nodded as if he could see me. “Yes.”

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah. I’m just not having any luck with the job thing.”

  Alpen Springs was small, and it was cheaper to live there than in Aspen or Breckenridge, so a lot of people stayed here for the winter, and those same people ended up taking all the seasonal jobs. I knew some spots would open up in a month or two, but I needed a job like yesterday.

  “You’ll get one,” Ryker encouraged. “Besides, I’m starting that part-time job I told you about next week, and I’m kind of revamping and branding my art stuff online too. Ash is going to help me reach more people and potential clients on his Instagram, and we have a plan to triple our followers in the coming weeks, so I don’t want you to worry, okay?”

  I inhaled. “I’m trying not to.”

  “I’ll call you when I’m at the dorms, and if you need anything at all—co-pays for your appointments or whatever—don’t be afraid to ask, Bunny. Once I save some money, I’ll set up an account so you have it to get the things you need.”

  Except I didn’t want to be a burden to him or anyone. And while I didn’t have to pay anything out of pocket today, I knew I would be maxing out the only credit card I had in the coming months because there was no way I was asking Mom or Dad for help. They’d helped me enough already, and Ryker, he was on his own at college.

  I walked into the next store, picking up on where I’d left off yesterday.

  I smiled at the woman in the flower shop, who was tending to a bouquet on display.

  “Hi,” I said.

  “Hey, there! How are you doing today?”

  “Good, I’m just, uh, I’m looking for a job and was wondering if you’re hiring?”

  “Not right now. I’m sorry.”

  “That’s okay, thank you! Have a good day.”

  The day continued like this, one rejection after another. Stressed and tired of all the letdowns, I pulled out my phone and sent a message to Averie.

  Me: Hey, how’s school?

  Her response a minute later caused me to smile.

  Averie: Blah, although, I found out they want me on the prom committee so I’m sort of excited for that, although it’s going to cut into our hangout time (frowny face)

  Averie: How’d your appointment go?

  Me: Good. I’m about to go pick up my prenatals at the pharmacy.

  Averie: Yay! Is it weird that I’m super excited about you being pregnant?

  Me: Yes, but it’s also comforting.

  Averie: He or she is going to be so freaking adorable. I can’t wait!

  I grinned, accepting her energy and letting it flow through me. It was crazy how quickly and easily she’d become my best friend, but she was just so open, and kind, and adorable.

  Me: Thank you, crazy.

  Averie: How’s your job hunting?

  Me: Not good.

  Averie: Oh no. I’m sure the perfect job is just waiting on you. You’ll find it one of these days.

  Me: I hope so.

  Averie: I’m throwing you the BEST baby shower ever in a few months, so prepare yourself. And when I start buying Little Gabby or Little Ryker stuff, you better just let me.

  Me: Seriously, what would I do without you (heart emoji)

  I stopped at the pharmacy and picked up my prescription, stuffing it into my backpack before continuing the search down the road at the Mountain Wear shop.

  One of my brother’s friends was at the front checkout register, but a customer was there, so I perused a rack of winter coats while I waited.

  “Gabby T! What you looking for?” Trevor asked. A burgundy beanie covered the top of blond dreads that reached below his shoulders, and his long-sleeved flannel shirt was open, revealing a black shirt beneath.

  “A job,” I said, strolling over to the counter. “Do you know if they’re hiring?”

  “Job? You’re staying in town? I thought you had a few more events for the season.”

  “Yeah, but something came up and I need to stay.”

  “Hm. Rick hadn’t said he was looking for anyone, and he’s out on lunch right now, but I’ll see what I can find out and let you know when he gets back.”

  “Thanks.” I bit my lip.

  “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, I just—it’s been a long day.”

  “I feel you. I’ll let you know. Have you tried the snowboarding schools? I’m sure all you’d have to do is say the word, and they would be scrambling to find you a spot. Shit, they’d probably create a position for you.”

  Except that the one thing I was extremely experienced in wasn’t something I would be able to do, or could I? I had seen pregnant women on the slopes before, plus it wasn’t as if I’d be doing backflips off jumps or anything. It would just be regular snowboarding or skiing at the ski school for kids or adults.

  As a woman walked up with a few items in hand, I stepped aside. “I’m sorry, I’m not in line. See you, Trev.”

  “We aren’t twelve or thirteen anymore,” Ryker said that night while we were on the phone.

  “Or six or seven,” I added.

  “Yeah, you were so sweet back then with your long pigtails, and all about your little snowboard, I can’t remember, but I bet it was all you talked about.”

  I laughed because I was pretty sure it was. “And there you were with your fiery red hair.” My knight in shining armor.

  He turned over on his bed so that he was on his stomach. “Now it looks like I’m on top of you like this, and it looks like you’re beneath me.”

  My body heated at his implication as I peered at the screen from where I lay on my back.

  I placed my index finger to my mouth and nibbled on it.

  He groaned, his eyes darkening. “I know that look.”

  He sighed. “Fuck, Bunny.”

  It’d been almost three weeks since he’d returned to Oklahoma, and I knew he needed to be there, but the words slipped out anyway as my finger skimmed over my lip. “I wish you were here. I miss you.”

  “I miss you too,” he returned. “You have no idea just how much. I might be on the brink of insanity here. Everything just feels different when you’re around. I just—I don’t know how to explain it.”

  I tucked myself deeper under my comforter. “I know what you mean.”

  “We haven’t talked about when we’re going to see each other again.”

  “I know, but we need to save money for the baby.”

  “Spring break? I won’t have training then. We’ll figure something out.”

  It was the end of February.

  I placed a hand over my face and peeked at him through one eye. “That’s a whole month away.”

  “I know, pretty girl. Trust me I know, and so does my dick.” He shook his head. “I’m going to fuck you so good, so long. I won’t even want to come up for air.
I miss eating your pussy.”

  “Please tell me your roommate isn’t there,” I whispered, my cheeks burning.

  “But I want to tell the world how much I love my girlfriend’s pussy.”

  “Hush.”

  “He isn’t here.” He grinned.

  “Oh.”

  “So, how’d your day turn out?”

  Funny how those worries seemed to dissipate while I was on the phone with him.

  “No luck yet.”

  “What else did you get into?”

  “Nothing, really, besides looking for a job. My life has always been focused around that one thing and now I feel like I have to change, and . . . I don’t know if I’m ready, or if I’ll like the person I have to become.”

  “Why do you think you have to change?”

  “Because I can’t picture myself being that adrenaline junkie anymore.”

  “But she’s my weakness.”

  “That isn’t helping.”

  He chewed on lips that I wanted to kiss as he seemed to think about something. “I just don’t want you to forget who you are because it would mean that you’re giving up, and just like you’re pushing me to go after my dream, I can’t let you give up yours.”

  “But I don’t have a choice right now, and it’s going to make me sad if we keep talking about it.”

  “But you might have a choice.”

  “What do you mean? Are you changing your mind about wanting—”

  “No. No. Never that. I’ve just been thinking. What if you still try to attain your number one goal? The Olympics is still about a year away, right?”

  “Yeah, so?” And then I realized where he was going with this. “I couldn’t still try to do that, Ryker.”

  “But it’s possible, especially with your talent, Gabby. Think about it.”

  “Ryker, if I have our baby in September, I can’t just jump right back on the slopes. I’m going to need time to recover. Two of the qualifying events is in December. That’s like two months after I give birth. My trainer alone costs thousands, and most of my sponsors have already dropped me. I won’t be able to afford that, much less get on a training schedule with a newborn.”

  “I know Ash, Averie, and Will would help out with the baby if I asked, but I wasn’t thinking about the rest. I just—I want you to have everything. I want you to be happy.”

  “I am happy. I just need something else to put my passion into.”

  “Like sex?”

  “No.” I chuckled when I realized he was teasing me.

  He smiled. “How about that story you said you were writing; do you still write?”

  “It’s usually something I do when the mood strikes, but . . .” A fire ran through my veins, and sparks went off inside my head.

  He grinned. “That’s it.”

  Chapter 41

  Ryker

  One month later . . .

  I reached the last few boxes of merchandise in my row at the grocery store and ripped the plastic open, tossing it behind me into a cart.

  It was almost midnight, and the last half hour of my shift was dragging. I’d gotten used to working late and getting up early for practice, but this week, I decided to take on a few extra shifts, and with my digital artwork getting more attention, anything more than five hours of sleep a night was no longer an option.

  Pulling the previous V8 juices on the shelf forward, I lined up new ones from back to front. Once I was done, I tossed the box into the cart as well and walked down the aisles I had tonight, making sure everything was facing front and good. Satisfied, I pushed the cart to the back and into the receiving area to toss the plastics and the boxes into the compactor.

  I spent the last few minutes stacking up the empty pallets for the guys coming in after me. I yawned, pulling my cap over my head as I was walking toward my truck in the parking lot. It was at least eighty degrees outside, and I couldn’t wait to shower and fall into bed.

  I checked my email, seeing that one of my clients had gotten back to me for a slight color adjustment on a piece I did, and a new email inquiring about a T-shirt design. I was about to type a response when my phone vibrated, and I smiled at the face on the screen. One of the many selfies she’d sent to me.

  I placed an earbud in my ears and clicked answer.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey, are you off work?” she asked, her voice soft and soothing.

  “I just got done.” I clicked the remote to unlock my truck and climbed inside. When I started the engine, the music blasted, and I pushed the off button. “Are you in bed?”

  “No, I’m out dancing and drinking. Pretty wild stuff going on over here.”

  I chuckled. “I told you that you don’t have to stay up for me.” Still, I fucking loved that she did.

  “I know, but I want to, and it’s only eleven here. Besides, I was writing.”

  I was glad that she’d stuck with writing even though she’d started working full-time as a ski instructor on Lu Mountain last week.

  “How far are you in the story?” I asked as I headed to the dorms.

  “Halfway-ish. I can’t decide if good will succumb to evil or if the darkness in Puma will conquer.”

  “Damn, now I have to know.”

  She’d been mentioning bits and pieces of her work, and I never would have guessed this amount of crazy shit could be in her pretty little head, which I guess made it even more fascinating to me. Artistic and purposeful.

  “Maybe, if you’re good.” Her voice grew raspy. “Really good.”

  She was horny.

  “I thought about touching you this morning in the shower.”

  Our plans to meet up this month had gone to shit, and I fucking missed her so much.

  “Ryker,” she groaned, and I could hear the need in her voice.

  “I know.” I let out a breath. “Since we’ll have a quick break after finals, I’ll definitely be coming there, then we can do all those birthing classes and—I get to sex you again. Ah, it’s going to be so good, so fucking good, Bunny.”

  “I’m going to be huge then.”

  I laughed. “You aren’t going to be huge. You’re going to be beautiful, perfect, and fuckable. Just one more month.”

  “One more,” she sighed before whispering, “I miss feeling you inside me.”

  “Ah, fuck. You can’t say that to me.” I gripped my aching cock as I turned the steering wheel to the right to head toward the dorms. “Are you trying to drive me insane?”

  “It’s true. I miss how it feels, how good it feels. How good you feel on top of me. I never thought I would need sex like this. I was fine before, I didn’t crave it. Now, I feel like an addict. It’s your fault.”

  I chuckled. “How’s it my fault?”

  “You introduced me to it. I don’t know.” She let out a small giggle.

  Damn. She’s so perfect.

  “You’re going to make me play with myself again tonight, aren’t you?”

  “Maybe, and I’m hoping your roommate isn’t there so I can watch.”

  “Oh my God, babe.”

  I’d been tired before, but I was wide awake as I pulled into an open parking spot in front of my dorm.

  Chapter 42

  Ryker

  “So, still no morning sickness?” I asked, adjusting my phone against my ear as I walked through the Aspen Country Airport.

  “No, not really, just a little fatigue here and there. I don’t know, my mom says I’m lucky, and my grandma said it’s probably going to be a boy.”

  “Really? Interesting.”

  I’d finally gotten through finals and got some time off work and football practice. It’d been two and a half months since I’d last seen her in person, and I was so fucking ready.

  “Are you almost here? You’re killing me with the suspense. Did you bring luggage or something?”

  I only had my duffel strapped to my back.

  “No, I’m coming. All out of patience?”

  “Yes.”

&n
bsp; The double doors slid open, and I walked outside onto the pavement. A dry, warm breeze whipped around me, and I drew in a deep breath, missing this place more than I had the last time I was here.

  I walked around a group of trees and plants and saw Gabby’s vehicle parked in the waiting area on the road. I smiled.

  “Oh my God. Oh my God, it’s you,” she said through the phone at the same time as the driver’s side door flew open.

  “Careful,” I said before realizing I was talking to myself because she was rounding the bumper and heading toward me, her long, wavy black hair flowing over her shoulders. She was in leggings and a loose white tank that the wind flattened against her small bump. It was so small, but I knew it was there.

  Holy shit.

  I stuffed my phone into my pocket as I headed for her.

  My hand settled on the back of her neck, and my lips pressed against her soft, sexy mouth. My other hand moved to her waist, pulling her closer. The urge to devour her right there overwhelmed me, and as our tongues met, a sigh escaped us both. My thumb moved up her throat as the animal in me roared to life.

  Using my entire willpower, I broke our kiss and looked down at her. “I forgot how delicious you look and taste.”

  “I forgot how tall you are, did you get bigger?”

  “A little bit.” I gained about fifteen pounds in muscle mass since I’d last seen her.

  “I like it.”

  I grinned and leaned down, kissing her again before crushing her to my chest in a tight embrace.

  “I miss you,” she mumbled into my chest.

  “Me too.” I groaned. “All right, come on. Let’s go get some food. I’ll drive.”

  “Okay.”

  I tossed my bag in the backseat and spent the next hour with her in downtown Alpen Springs, grabbing a bite with her at Johnny Joe’s after the half hour drive.