Page 68 of All The Happily Ever Afters

Once I’d dropped an entire box of decorations for my parents' anniversary. A few tissue paper pompoms I wanted to hang from the deck blew over into the neighbor’s yard, into his yard.

I was only fourteen at the time and he was a few years older, but I wanted him to notice me. My hormones were in full swing, as were the pimples on my face. And my mother wouldn’t let me wear makeup. I cringe, remembering that fact about my childhood. How could I not want him though? He had a motorcycle, and his right arm was covered with tattoos. He’d clean up the weeds in their front yard without his shirt on, and those lean muscles and deep “V” at his hips made him the star of my dreams at night.

He never looked my way though, not that I expected him to. Of course he wouldn’t have. I was the pimply, naïve girl next door. But that day he was out back with low-hung jeans and a tight white t-shirt that fit snugly over his broad shoulders. And my mom’s pink tissue pompom flew right over to him.

My heart stopped in my chest as he bent down with his muscles rippling and picked it up, raising one brow and looking at me with the corner of his lips kicked up into a smirk.

I apologized and nervously tucked my dirty blonde hair behind my ear. I’m sure I was blushing, for no good reason other than I was thinking naughty things I knew I shouldn’t have been.

He just chuckled and offered to help me decorate. 'Cause that’s the kind of guy he is.

I remember that day just like yesterday.

I wasn’t tall enough to reach the deck, so he helped me. I just sat on the concrete porch and watched the sweat glisten on his sun-kissed body. I felt like a pervert creeping on him, but he didn’t look at me like that. No matter how much I wanted him to.

And then my father came outside.

In an instant, Ryker’s features went sharp and dark as my dad bitched him out. He told him to get out, and stay out. I was mortified. He was only helping me. My heart tried to climb up my throat, and I didn’t say anything. I felt like a traitor. Like I’d betrayed him.

Ryker dropped the pompom and shrugged like he didn’t care. But I could see it in his eyes. It was wrong. I cried my eyes out and yelled at my dad after he’d left, but the damage was done.

I’ll never understand how my father could talk to him like that when he knew just as well as I did the shit his parents put him through. But then again, my dad yelled at me, too. He said I should know better. I wasn’t allowed to date boys, and especially not THAT boy. I knew what I’d done was wrong. But Ryker hadn’t done a damn thing wrong. That was years ago, and he’s definitely not a bad boy… he’s a bad man now. Or at least that’s how he looks.

I know he’s still the same at heart. Even if he doesn’t look the part.

“I do like rolling my eyes at you,” I say back in a flirty voice. Normally I’d be embarrassed by how apparent it is that I’m into him. But I’ve got a nice buzz going on now. It’s not like he’d ever make a move on me anyway. A waiter passes us with a fresh tray of champagne glasses, and I snag one off of it. I give him a small smile and clutch onto the drink for dear life.

I need liquid courage.

“I like to see you get all wound up,” I say in a lowered voice, looking up through my thick lashes. I’m going all in. I hope it came out as sexy as I think it did.

Ryker’s eyes heat and narrow as he tries to hold my gaze. I slowly lick my lips and bite down on the bottom one. It does exactly what I’d hoped it would. His eyes focus in on my mouth and I can practically see his dick jump in his pants.

Yeah, I’m not a pimply little girl anymore. Look at me now, Ryker.

“Careful what you’re doing, kitten. You’re gonna get in trouble.” He takes a step forward and part of me wants to instinctively step back. He’s trouble with a capital T. But that’s not happening tonight. I take a step forward, closing in a bit more. I could reach out and run my hands down his muscular chest if I wanted to. Well, I do want to. My pussy clenches around nothing.

“I told you, I’m a bunny, not a cat.” I shake my head and slowly bring my drink to my lips. I don’t even taste it as I take a swallow and keep my eyes on his the entire time. “You should listen to me sometime, Ryker.”

“That’s not why I’m calling you kitten. And you should watch that mouth. You’re really,” he says as his large body cages me in, “gonna get your ass in trouble talking to me like that.”

“By who? My dad’s not here, Ryker.” I surprise myself with how seductive my voice comes out. I must bereallybuzzed.

Ryker takes another step closer to me, and now we're so close we’re only a few inches apart. He lowers his head and drops his lips down to my ear. His breath is hot against my neck, sending shivers down my spine. I close my eyes and tilt my head slightly. This is a fucking dream come true.

My heartbeat slows, and my lungs fill with his masculine scent.

But before the words fall from his lips, I hear a voice and my eyes pop open.

“Get away from her!” Khloe shrieks.

RYKER

“What the fuck, Khloe?!” Catherine yells back at the bitch in the pearls. I take a step back as Khloe grips Catherine’s arm and yanks her away from me. Catherine’s drink spills and splashes on my jeans and the floor. She looks back at her friend with pure rage on her face.

My heart beats frantically, and I resist the urge to pull Catherine back to me.

She’smine.

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