Page 66 of Unbreak Me
I can tell she’s putting on a brave face, and part of her is still thinking about her mom. I scan the grocery store one more time, feeling an uneasy feeling in my stomach. I need to talk to my brothers later. We need to find out exactly where her mom is, and if I find out, she’s back in town…her new son-in-law is going to be paying her a visit.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
EVE
“Have you ever seen a more gorgeous sight in your entire life? It’s like that volleyball scene in Top Gun, except it’s football, and we get to take them home.” Bella takes another sip of her wine as she watches her fiance, Maverick, throw the ball down the beach. Her long blonde hair is held back by a cute rolled-up red bandana that ties at the nape of her neck as her blue eyes follow his every move. They are a beautiful couple and very much in love as I watch him wink at her from across the beach. Maverick looks like he just stepped out of a surf magazine with his piercing green eyes and golden streaks in his wavy hair.
Everyone arrived this morning, and I immediately knew we were all going to get along. Sophia filled me in yesterday on who was coming this weekend. Bella is Sophia’s best friend, who also happens to be getting married to Sophia’s older brother, Maverick. They all grew up together, so it was a shock when Maverick shut down his playboy ways and fell hard for her. I think Bella’s older brother Noah was the most shocked, though, considering it was Maverick, his best friend, who was the one to fall in love with his younger sister.
“It definitely is a gorgeous sight,” Emma murmurs next to me as she watches her husband Noah high-five a grinning Miles for scoring a point. She turns her beautiful green eyes on me and grins. “I’m so glad I’m not the only one not drinking this weekend. You may regret telling me to call you with any questions. I have no clue what I’m doing.” She rests her hand on her barely there baby bump. She’s further along than me at three months and due at the end of January. Ryder and I went to our first doctor’s appointment last week and found out I’m five weeks along. We think it happened the first time we were together in the shower after his date.
“Are you kidding me? I love having someone to compare notes with. I may be the one bugging you,” I laugh.
Her long brunette hair is swept up into a high ponytail with a red tie to match her bikini. It blows in the breeze as she shakes her head, grinning. I immediately felt connected to Emma. She lost her parents a couple of years ago in a car accident, and even though they were nothing like mine, I still understand that feeling of loss not to have any.
My gaze goes back to Ryder. Bella is right. This sight couldn’t get any more gorgeous. All the men are shirtless in board shorts, with their broad, tanned chests glistening under the Florida heat. Tattoos cover muscles on every single one of them to some extent. I notice Noah, Emma’s husband grin at her before bending down in the quarterback position. You can tell from the look in his blue eyes that his wife is his whole world.
They do another play, and I watch Ryder go long before catching a throw from Jake and scoring a point. I can’t help but cheer as he grins over at me and winks. He runs a hand through his sweaty hair before replacing his ballcap, and I feel the heat rise up in my body. I don’t know if it’s pregnancy hormones or not, but I can’t seem to get enough of him. I’m turned on all thedamn time when I’m around him, and when I’m not, I’m turned on just thinking about him.
I watch him talk to his team for the last play before they break. Maverick, Ryder, and Travis line up against Noah, Miles, Jake, and Cole. Ryder’s team assured everyone they didn’t need that fourth player to kick their ass which got the guys even more competitive.
When Maverick spirals the ball down the beach toward Ryder for the win, I hold my breath as he dodges Cole. Travis blocks Jake, leaving Ryder open as he catches the football to his chest for the win. Bella, Sophia, and I immediately jump and cheer. The guys get a few playful digs in at one another as they rub in the win. They’re all smiles, though, as they tease one another and head back over to us.
Jake and Miles dive into the ocean to cool off, and I watch the others swoop their girls up before running into the ocean for a swim. Travis and Sophia take Max to the water to throw the football as Savi picks up Ryland next to me where she was playing in the sand.
“I’ve got my little niece,” she grins at me before walking her to the water.
Ryder is all smiles as he reaches me and bends down for a kiss.
“You did so good out there,” I breathe against his lips.
“I don’t know how. I had a hard time concentrating between wanting to keep looking at you in this swimsuit and feeling you eye fuck me when I wasn’t,” he fingers the straps of my white bikini.
“I wasn’t eye fucking you.” He arches his eyebrow at me, and I laugh. “Okay, maybe I was a little. It’s not my fault my husband is hot, and I can’t keep my eyes off of him.”
“Trust me, the feeling is mutual.” His hands skim down my body before resting on my bottom. “And this ass,” he says,palming my behind and squeezing. “I could happily stare at this ass for the rest of my life.”
“Well, luckily, we have the rest of our lives to stare at each other.”
“Very lucky. I need to rinse off,” he says, scooping me up in his arms as I giggle. His chest is covered in sweat, and all I want to do is feel our bodies slide against each other. I run my tongue along my special tattoo, tasting the saltiness on my lips. When my eyes meet his, the greys scorch me to the core. “Change of plans,” he says roughly. He glances behind us and sees everyone in the water.
He spots Savi and Ryland and yells out to her, “We’ll be right back. You good to watch her for a sec?”
“I’ve got her.” She laughs as Ryland kicks her feet in the water.
“We can’t just leave everybody.” He carries us back across the beach toward the house.
“Yes, we can. And we are.” Reaching the stairs, we make it up to the deck in record time. He bypasses the pool and stops at the outdoor shower on the side. Stepping in, we are hidden by bamboo walls connecting to the house. Instead of the blue plank walls that match the rest of the beach house, this part is covered in smooth rock, giving it a waterfall feel. “We can go back down there if you want to,oryou give me ten minutes to satisfy the ache you’ve been feeling all morning watching me play football.”
His eyes burn into mine, and I watch a drop of sweat slide down his neck before running over his chest. I swallow hard and glance back up at him as his greys brand me with their heat. Wetting my lips, I try and find my voice. “I think our friends will be okay a few minutes without us,” I whisper.
“Right fucking answer,” he growls, capturing me in a searing kiss. His hand reaches out to turn on the water as the big showerhead rains down on us from above. It’s like we are kissingin the rain as our bodies fuse together. Lifting me, I wrap my legs around him tightly as I’m pressed against the smooth rock that covers the house.
I moan into his breath as our tongues tangle together in a wild need that I feel deep inside. My fingernails claw at his back as muscles strain underneath my palms. A deep growl vibrates through his chest that’s pressed against mine.
“I need you in me, Ryder…please,” I pant against his lips as my throbbing increases with each touch he gives me.
“Fuck, Eve,” he breathes against me. “When you beg me like that, there’s not a thing in this world that I wouldn’t give you.” Supporting me with his strong arm, he reaches down between us and frees himself before moving my suit to the side and plunging deep.
