Page 16 of Swimming for Seduction

Ricki

I wake in a bed that feels familiar, but not since I woke up alone the few nights I stayed here last month. Now, I’m waking with my head on Tyler’s bare chest. I should be mad that he got into bed with me without asking, but honestly, I’m glad I’m not waking up alone on Christmas morning. Especially after everything that happened last night.

I lift myself up on my elbow to look at him as he sleeps peacefully with one arm wrapped around me and his other hand tucked under his pillow, leaving his smooth muscled pecks on display. I lift my hand to run my fingertips over a faint purple spot just above his nipple before realizing it’s a bruise.DidIdothat to him?Guilt rushes through me as I remember the way I treated him last night.

“It doesn’t hurt.” Tyler’s groggy voice startles me and I snatch my hand back. “But feel free to kiss it better anyway.”

“I’m so sorry,” I say, knowing he deserves more than that for an apology, but it’s all I can manage before a lump forms in my throat.

“I’m not.” His hand comes up to cup my cheek. “It was a relief to see you let out what you were feeling instead of keeping it all bottled up, and I was happy to be the one you felt safe enough to let it out with.”

“But I hit you,” I say incredulously as I sit up and look down at him. “You should be as upset with me as I am with myself.” Before he can reply, I say, “You should be using my assault on a law enforcement officer to demand whatever you want from me.”

I watch as Tyler pushes himself up to sit against his headboard, waiting for him to realize what I just said. As much as I’ve claimed to hate him using my indiscretions to get close to me, I’m thankful for it now. I never would have willingly let myself get close to him without that push, and I can’t imagine facing my brother’s rejection alone. Now, I’m practically begging him to keep it going so I don’t have to admit that I may be falling for him.

“Icoulddo that,” he says with a grin. “But I won’t.” His face turns serious when I demand to know why. “Because what I want from you can’t be coerced.” I don’t need to hear his next words to know what he means, but he says them anyway. “I want you to always feel as safe with me as you did last night. I want you to letallof your feelings out with me. I want you to give in to what’s been building between us since we met. I wantyou.”

I search for my ability to put up a wall with a snarky response, but it won’t come. It was easy when I thought he was on a powertrip and I’d convinced myself I hated him for it. But now I know that’s not true. He’s just been using whatever he can to get me to see the real him. Even when all I did was hurt him with my words. Even after I hit him out of misplaced anger last night.

I can’t make myself hurt him again when he’s just opened himself up to me in a way that no one else ever has. I may not be ready to give himeverythinghe asked for, but I can let myself show what I’m really feeling. His eyes widen in surprise when I straddle his outstretched thighs and lean forward to place a kiss on the bruise I’d spotted earlier before lifting my head to meet his gaze.

“Merry Christmas, Tyler,” I say before kissing his lips.

Tyler

As much as I’d wanted to stay in bed with Ricki this morning, I couldn’t since I’d volunteered to work the morning shift so that the deputies with kids could be home. So, I pulled her into my kitchen and made us coffee before begging her to stay at my apartment until my shift was over. I couldn’t hide my smile when she shrugged as she said that she didn’t have anywhere else to be.

I’d left a few minutes early and took the elevator up to Tracey’s top-floor apartment. I was hoping to talk to Devon and put the plans I’d made last night into motion. Unfortunately, I was stonewalled when it was my cousin’s other boyfriend who opened the door before refusing to let me inside. Joey said that he understood my impulse to help Ricki, but insisted that it wasn’t Devon’s problem to fix, even though Devon would try.I’d relented with a hasty, “Merry Christmas” before leaving, but I’m not giving up. I’ll just have to get to Devon when Joey isn’t around to stop me.

My day is uneventful with most of the college students gone and the locals all tucked away at home, celebrating the holiday with their families. I make a point to drive by Sheppard Hall a few times like I’ve done every shift since the break-in last month. Even though it was determined that it was just an ill-advised frat hazing activity, I’m not taking any chances with Ricki’s safety. After one last patrol, my shift is over.

On my way home, my phone chimes, letting me know that my front door is open and I’m afraid that it means Ricki has decided to leave before I get home. But when I open the app, I’m happy to see Devon following her into my living room instead. Which means he must have received my messages earlier

My finger hovers over the little speaker icon on my security app as I try to decide if it’s crossing a line to eavesdrop on their conversation just as Ricki looks into the camera and nods. It’s like she could feel my eyes on her and she’s giving me permission to listen in. Or that’s what I’m choosing to believe as she turns her attention back to Devon.

I see her lips moving as I tap the icon to hear her words. “…should be on his way home if you want to wait.”

I set my phone in the dock on my dash as I drive home.

“I’ll stick around.” Devon’s head cocks to the side as he looks at Ricki before he shakes it slightly when she straightens her shoulders. “Sorry. I just can’t get over how much you look like Brady. I can’t believe he has a sister.”

“Sharing our father’s DNA hardly makes us siblings,” she scoffs. “Especially if he hates the idea of me so much, he has a panic attack just from me introducing myself.”

“Are you serious, right now?” Devon balks. “He didn’t even know you existed before last night. You could have found a wayto introduce yourself that didn’t involve blindsiding him in front of everyone he knows.” I park my truck and look at the phone screen just in time to see Devon’s hand slap his thigh as his eyes flash to the camera before turning back to Ricki. “But I’m guessing that wasn’t you’re idea.”

I wince at the implication in his words as I step into the elevator and push the button for the second floor. I knew about Ricki’s connection to Brady and I never told anyone. I took her to my aunt’s house last night and forced her to out herself, knowing that it would cause a scene. While I don’t regret her finally facing her brother, I do regret that my plan hurt the people I care about…especially Ricki.

Chapter 15

Ricki

As much as I’d like to put the blame on Tyler for the drama I caused last night, I can’t. He offered to arrange a private meeting with Brady several times and I always refused, letting my fear of rejection overrule my desire to meet my brother. So, he used his tried-and-true tactic of coercion to get me and Brady in the same place at the same time.

“It doesn’t matter who’s idea it was,” I tell Devon. “There was never going to be arightway to tell Brady about me.”

I don’t tell him that I hate our father nearly as much as Brady does. I don’t tell him how I’d hoped to have a relationship with my brother only to have my worst fear come true when herejected me. I don’t know Devon, and I certainly don’t owe him an explanation about my life.

I sigh when the front door opens and Tyler walks in, ignoring Devon completely as he strides across the room until he’s standing in front of me. My walls are up because of my conversation with Devon, but I don’t want that barrier between Tyler and me anymore. So, I ignore the impulse to push him away when he wraps his arms around me and instead lean into him, soaking up the comfort that I’ve only ever felt with him. We stay like that until Devon clears his throat loudly.

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