Compass

by Jeanne McDonald

  “Nothing.” She backed away, shaking her head. “Nothing at all.”

  “That wasn’t nothing!” he called after her as she dashed up the stairs and dressed in her favorite blue t-shirt matched with a pair of comfy jeans. She glanced in the mirror, giving herself an approving nod before bounding back downstairs.

  Ryan had sat down on the couch and was playing a game on his phone. He looked up at her and his face lit up. “Oh, yes. Much better.” She dropped down on the sofa beside him. He twirled a lock of her hair around his finger, letting it spring back down to her shoulder. “Not that what you were wearing wasn’t amazing, but I’m afraid I might’ve spent the day beating up every man who looked at you instead of enjoying your company.”

  Words hung in her throat. She tried to look away, but the magnification of his gaze melted her in place. She cleared her throat and swallowed, forcing herself to speak. “Thanks,” she rasped.

  He turned off his game and shoved his phone in his pocket. Smooth and graceful, Ryan lifted from the couch and turned to Alexis, offering her his hand. “Now, let’s get out of here. I’m ready for a fried Twinkie.”

  Alexis wrinkled her nose, but accepted his hand. “That sounds like a heart attack waiting to happen.”

  Ryan tugged her from the sofa; the force of his pull landed her hard against his chest. He smirked, taking her hand and placing it over his firm stomach. Alexis could barely breathe. The closeness of their bodies, her palm resting over his tight abs, had turned her mind into mush. She blinked, trying to clear her head, but then his stomach rumbled against her palm, tickling her. She twisted her hand away, taking a step back, her eyes wide with laughter. The distance between them allowed her to think, but also left an ache in her chest she couldn’t define.

  “I’m not worried about a heart attack today, Gorgeous,” he stated, holding his hand out to her. “All I care about is getting some food in my belly.” He patted his stomach with his free hand. “And maybe checking out some new cars.”

  Hesitant, she extended her hand to him. “Well, all right then.” She forced a soft giggle, her mind whirling with a million and one thoughts, but all carrying the same connotation ─ don’t get hurt. Ryan linked their fingers together, drawing her to his side. She exhaled at his touch. “Lead the way.”

  “Doc!” Declan caterwauled as Ryan and Alexis approached him and Reagan. He rushed up to Alexis, pulling her into a hug. His eyes cut to Ryan at the same time, a facetious smirk pulled the corners of his mouth. “I thought you’d never arrive.”

  The sun was beating down on them, but there was already a nip to the early fall air. Mid-morning crowds, clad in burnt orange and crimson, were standing in line for the biggest day of the year at the Texas State Fair.

  Reagan sauntered over to them, her full lips pursing into a devilish grin. Since she was slated to cover the game, she had to choose her attire wisely. No orange or red for her, but instead a light green V-neck shirt and jeans, and her press pass dangling around her neck. Her hair was pulled up and her sunshades on. She really was a beautiful woman, but Ryan had never felt that spark, that unquenchable desire for her, like he did for Alexis.

  “Hey there, Flyboy.”

  Ryan greeted her with a one armed hug, but his eyes remained honed in on the idiot lavishing his girl with attention. “Hey, Ray.”

  “Go, Sooners!” a random person from the crowd yelled out!

  “Go back home. Texas rules!” another shouted in return.

  “You missed the fun in the locker room. Declan made an idiot out of himself.”

  “And that’s supposed to surprise me?” Ryan chuckled.

  Declan tucked Alexis’ hair behind her ear as he leaned in to whisper something to her. She took a step, shaking her head.

  Reagan leaned into Ryan. “Nope,” she chortled. “So, that’s Alexis?” She nudged him in the side. He pulled his eyes away from Declan long enough to catch a glimpse of Reagan’s expression. Her lips were flat, her nose wrinkled and flared on one side, and her eyes burned in Alexis’ direction. Ryan blinked, and the look on her face was gone. He shook his head, figuring Declan’s antics were messing with his head.

  “That’s her,” he replied.

  “Are you kidding me?” Alexis exclaimed, shoving him away.

  Ryan felt a surge of anger swell up inside him. His breath was shallow and ragged, his fists balled at his sides, ready to smash Declan’s face into the pavement.

  “Ah, that’s not what you said the other night. ‘Best sex you ever had,’ if I recall correctly,” he announced, proud and sardonic.

  Alexis crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes wide and a twisted grin lighting her face. “I’m afraid you’re mistaken. That’s not what I said.”

  “Bullshit!” Declan protested. “You said…”

  “I said you’re the worst I ever had.” Her hands bounced up and down in an apologetic manner. “I realize a man with your ego size could never understand, but it’s not like you could help it. After all, you do have a penis the size of a twelve-year-old.”

  “Ohhh!” Reagan yelled, laughing and clapping. “She so busted your ass!” She turned to Ryan whose jaw was locked, seething at the man he called a friend and roommate. Reagan rammed her elbow into Ryan’s bicep. “I like her. She’s got spunk.”

  A sense of pride swelled up inside him. Alexis looked back at him with her eyes bouncing and her beautiful smile that melted him right to the very core. Drawn to her, his feet started to move. Before he knew what he was doing, he was at her side, pulling her close to him.

  Reagan smacked her hand on her jutted hipbone. “Well, do you plan on introducing us or what?”

  Ryan tilted his head to Alexis, the feel of her against him caused his chest to ache and his body to tingle. The heat of her skin against his electrified him, her softness tantalized him. He wanted her. No, needed her.

  Ryan lowered his hand to Alexis’, linking their fingers together. He cocked his head to Reagan and smiled. “Reagan Summers, this is Doctor Alexis York.” He extended his hand out to Reagan. “Alexis, this is Reagan.”

  Alexis smiled, stepping away from Ryan. She extended her hand to Reagan. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  Reagan took her hand but instead of shaking it, she pulled Alexis into a hug. “It’s great to finally meet you, too. Fishmouth, over there, has told me so much about you.”

  Ryan snapped his mouth shut and hung back to give the two women space. All this time he’d kept them apart, not for them, he realized, but for himself. They each represented a different side of him, both equally as important. It scared him to have them together, but now that they were, he couldn’t understand what had frightened him in the first place.

  Declan slipped in beside Ryan, draping his arm over his shoulder. “Lighten up, man.” He jerked Ryan back and forth. “The woman you fucked and the one you want to fuck seem to be hitting it off. It can’t get any better than that, unless they agree to a threesome.”

  Ryan shrugged out of Declan’s embrace giving him an evil eye. “You’re a dick. You know that?”

  Declan lifted his shoulder in a half shrug. “That’s all you got?” He leaned into Ryan, both men watching the women as they chatted. “Because I’m telling you now, if you don’t get your shit together, I’m going to take her off your hands.” Ryan stiffened, his fists balled tight at his sides. “I don’t hear any objections. I guess that means free game.” He patted Ryan on the shoulder and started to step away.

  Ryan grabbed him by the back of his burnt orange Longhorns t-shirt, a curse rumbling from his chest. Declan laughed, not taking his eyes off the two women as Ryan held him steady. “Listen here, Buddy,” Ryan growled, “You lay one finger on her, and I swear to God, I’ll skewer your nuts and give them to a vendor to fry up as a new Texas delicacy. You got it?” He released Declan’s shirt with a swift downward tug, forcing the collar to tighten around Declan’s throat.

  “Now there’s my best friend,” he wheezed, trying not to choke. “‘
Bout time you decided to fight for her.” Declan fixed his shirt and walked away, joining Reagan and Alexis.

  Declan clapped his hands together, rubbing them together. “You ladies ready to go in? I’m starved. I need me some Fletchers,” Declan stated, wrapping his arms over each woman’s shoulders.

  Reagan and Alexis wiggled free from his grip. “You’ve already had two corndogs,” Reagan whined in protest.

  “Then I need to make it an uneven three,” he countered. He cut a glance over his shoulder to Ryan, nodding his head. Ryan returned the nod, an unspoken acknowledgement between the two men. Alexis was his. One way or another, she was his, and Declan would keep his bear-mitts off her.

  “Everything okay?” Alexis purred so low that the sound rumbled deep in his belly. He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her to his side. “I didn’t do anything to upset you, did I?”

  Ryan leaned in, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Not at all. You’re amazing.” A light blush colored her cheeks. He reached out and tenderly stroked her heated skin. “Something tells me today’s going to be a great day.”

  She peered up at him through her eyelashes. “Me too. I like Reagan. She’s a bit…”

  “Mouthy, obnoxious, endearing,” Ryan rattled off.

  “Yes,” Alexis chuckled. They lapsed into a comfortable silence, coming up behind Reagan and Declan. Reagan handed the ticket agent her press pass along with another card. “Are you okay with us getting along?” Alexis whispered.

  Ryan tilted his head down to meet her gaze. He cupped the side of her face, brushing his thumb along the edge of her lower lip. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  Alexis closed her eyes, her breathing heavy. “I don’t know…”

  His lips came down, meeting the tip of her nose. “I couldn’t be happier.”

  She opened her eyelids, to reveal her eyes filled with worry and confusion. Ryan couldn’t resist the urge within him. Declan was right. It was now or never, and he wanted her now. He leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. A kiss so powerful, so strong, that his whole body ignited into flames. Soft, smooth, sweet lips captured by his, craving, longing, aching to be kissed. Her hand slipped into his hair, fusing them together in deep passion unlike anything he’d ever felt before. He wanted to breathe but feared losing the intensity. His body craved to have everything she was willing to give him. When they finally pulled apart, she gasped but the confusion was gone. All that remained was desire. She moved her hands to his chest, and left him to wonder if her heart was pounding as fast as his.

  A tiny smile pulled her lips. She was so beautiful with freshly kissed lips that he wanted to do it again and again. Ryan opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the sounds of Declan wolf whistling.

  They turned to see Reagan and Declan staring at them. Declan was all smiles, clapping as if he’d just witnessed the greatest performance of his life. Reagan, on the other hand, smiled, but it was cold, fake, and almost pained. She nodded to Ryan and turned her back to them. Ryan struggled to understand her expression. Just the other morning, she was encouraging him to take the next step with Alexis. It didn’t make sense for her to seem upset now that he did.

  “Let’s go, you two love birds. I’m starving,” Declan called out, waving for them to enter the park.

  Alexis buried her face in Ryan’s chest as he led her through the gates. This was the lightest he’d felt in ages. He couldn’t explain it, but kissing her, actually kissing her, made things clear in his head. He knew what he wanted and by the end of the night, Alexis York would be more than a friend. She would be his ─ always and forever.

  “Oh my God!” Alexis bellowed.

  Ryan covered his face with his hand, wheezing in laughter.

  Reagan stood there, mouth gaped open, as Declan shoved an entire Fletcher’s corn dog in his mouth. The man seemed to be a bottomless pit, having attacked three more corn dogs since they entered the Fair.

  “Are you sure you’re not gay?” Alexis snickered.

  Ryan tugged Alexis closer to his side, pressing his face into the curve between her neck and shoulder. “He sure can deep throat like a porn star,” Ryan added.

  Alexis wrapped her arm around his waist, loving the way he felt next to her. This was easy, right, perfect, but most of all, scary as hell. That kiss outside the park had left her breathless and wanton. Her heart raced at the mere thought of him kissing her like that again, and she ached for it, which frightened her. With Ryan, things were different than they’d been with any other man she’d ever been with. He knew her thoughts and innermost secrets. She trusted him, which scared her more than anything. Trusting someone with her heart was her greatest fear.

  Ryan pressed a kiss to her neck, sending sweet tremors over her skin.

  “I got skills!” Declan bolstered, his mouth so full his words came out muffled. He punched the air, holding the clean skewer in his hand like a trophy.

  “Oh, hell,” Reagan balked. “Those aren’t skills.” She wiggled her brows. “You haven’t seen skills until you’ve seen me in action. Right, Flyboy?” She nudged Ryan in the arm, laughing.

  Ryan’s head shot up, his eyes narrowed, glowering at Reagan. In the last few hours, Reagan had made comments─some obvious, some subjective─in reference to hers and Ryan’s relationship. Alexis almost felt sorry for Reagan. Much like her, Reagan came into this situation thinking they were on even footing─both friends of Ryan’s. But Ryan changed the rules of the game the instant he kissed Alexis. They all felt the shift. For the most part, Alexis had been able to overlook some of the things Reagan had said, understanding her and Ryan shared a past. What she struggled with was when Reagan insinuated to their extended relationship.

  “I don’t know,” Ryan popped back. “I’m sure we’d have to ask Gabe about that. As if any of us really care about your extracurricular skills.”

  “Gabe?” Alexis questioned.

  “My worst mistake,” Reagan retorted.

  “Her ex,” Ryan clarified.

  Declan managed to swallow everything in his mouth. “Yeah, that guy was a douche.” He tossed the stick in the trash, dusting his hands off. “Okay, I’m bored. What do we do next?”

  “We’ve yet to do anything fun ─” Declan raised his hand, about to interrupt Alexis, but she forged on, “─aside from watching Deck stuff his face.” Declan took a bow. Alexis laughed, shaking her head at him.

  “Looking at cars wasn’t fun?” Ryan teased.

  Alexis patted his arm, chuckling. “I’m not even going to warrant that question with a response.”

  “You just did,” Reagan muttered.

  “What do you all say to us checking out the Midway?” Alexis suggested, ignoring Reagan’s little comment. “I really want to see that chicken game you were telling me about.” She kissed Ryan on the edge of his jaw, savoring the taste of his skin on her lips and the scent of his musky cologne in her nostrils. “I mean, what girl can turn down a game that includes a flying rubber chicken?”

  Declan gave her two thumbs up, grinning. “Sounds like a plan.”

  As they made their way through the crowds toward the Midway, Alexis snuggled into the crook of Ryan’s side, his hand flattened against the small of her back. His pinkie brushed along the waist of her jeans, barely dipping down beneath the fabric, setting her skin aflame.

  Declan led the way, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to the others, but content to be the lone man, checking out every woman he could find along the way. Reagan traveled along beside them. Every so often, she’d reach out to touch Ryan’s arm, or grab him to look at something, pulling him away from Alexis. But Ryan always returned back to Alexis, drawing her in closer than she had been.

  Alexis glanced around his chest, meeting the other woman’s gaze. “So, you excited about the game today?”

  Reagan shrugged. “I’ve covered this game every year for the last three years. I always enjoy it.” She pulled at Ryan’s elbow. “Last year, Ryan joined me in the press box. Remember that night,
Flyboy? We got so wasted afterward.”

  “Yeah. I remember,” he intoned.

  “We can do that again tonight, if you want,” she suggested.

  “Tonight?” he queried, his brow furrowed.

  Reagan lifted an eyebrow, taken aback by his forgetfulness. “Um, yeah. I thought you were going to the game with me?”

  Ryan scratched his jaw. He rolled his head, popping his neck. “I’m sorry, Ray, but I can’t.” He glanced down at Alexis, smiling. “I have plans for later.”

  “Make sure to take that shit back to her apartment.” Declan turned around and started to walk backward. “I don’t want to be listening to ‘Oh, Ryan. Oh, Ryan. OH, RYAN!’ all night.” He squirmed and wiggled, making the world’s worst mid-climatic faces imaginable, as he insinuated what she and Ryan would be doing later. With a wink, he turned back around, continuing his strut down the Midway.

  The thought burned deep inside her. Their bare skin touching, hands caressing, tongues tasting, limbs tangled. Alexis blinked back the mental images that flooded her mind.

  “Oh, I just thought…” Reagan trailed off, her mouth turned down. She pushed a few stray hairs back from her face, turning away from them. “You know what, never mind what I thought.”

  Ryan took in a heavy breath that only Alexis had noticed, but gave no other reaction. Tense silence surrounded them for a moment. Alexis struggled with what to say to fix things between Ryan and his friend. She felt as if she’d intruded on something sacred between them, causing a riff.

  “Oh, Lexi, look!” Declan grabbed her hand, pulling her away from Ryan. “There it is.” They rushed up to the vendor stand where a row of rubber mallets attached to small catapults faced a rotating vat of water with six cooking pots bobbing inside. Hanging at the back of the stand were hundreds of stuffed animals waiting to be won. Ryan stepped up behind her, wrapping his hands around her waist. “See something you want?”