Page 100 of The Rule Breaker
Nathan scoffs, rolling his eyes. “You think too much. Dad’s right, Izz. You’ll nail it.”
Ryan nods, lips curling into a smile. “I know you’ll kill it,” he adds.
I glance between the two of them. Their confidence is almost overwhelming. It feels nice to hear, but…
I bite my lip, the nerves gnawing at me. I’m not sure I’m as ready as they think. A part of me wants to rise to the challenge. Another part is terrified of failing and disappointing them.
“What if I mess it up?” I ask, the doubt creeping through.
Dad shrugs. “Hey, that’s part of the game. But I have a feeling you won’t. And if something goes wrong, it’s not just on you. We work together and try again.”
I let his words sink in, but my stomach churns.
“What do you say?” Dad asks again, raising his eyebrows. “Do you want to make us proud?”
I take a deep breath, trying to shake off the nerves. Maybe I can do this. I think I can. It’s a good chance to prove everyone wrong—especially the ones who still think women don’t belong in sports.
“I’m in,” I say, blowing out a breath.
Dad flashes me a proud smile. “You’re gonna do great, princess.” He pushes off the desk, standing. “C’mon, I need to grab the tablet anyway.”
He and Nathan leave, the door clicking shut behind them, leaving Ryan and me alone. The silence stretches between us, and for a few seconds, neither of us moves.
I’m not sure who makes the first move—maybe it’s me, stepping closer to him, or maybe it’s him, reaching for me—but before I know it, our lips meet.
It’s fast, a little messy, and exactly what we both need. When we finally pull apart, Ryan’s forehead rests against mine, his breath coming in short, ragged bursts. His eyes are half-lidded, and the sight makes my stomach flutter.
“Fuck, I missed you,” he murmurs, and I can’t stop the smile that tugs at my lips.
“You’re gonna get us caught,” I tease, though I’m not exactly complaining.
Ryan shrugs, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “Don’t even know if I care anymore.”
I laugh softly, letting my hands move up around his neck, pulling him in closer. “You say that now, but you won’t when you’re getting your ass kicked by my dad.”
Ryan groans, his hands sliding down to my hips, pulling me even closer. “Being with you is fucking dangerous.” His voice turns low, dark. “And so fucking hot.”
I don’t even bother trying to fight it. His lips find mine again, and I get lost in him. My fingers tangle in his hair, urging him closer, making sure he knows I’m not going anywhere.
When we finally pull apart, my heart’s still racing, and I’m still buzzing from the kiss. But there’s still that nagging doubt lingering in the back of my mind.
“You really think I can do it?” The words come out a little shakier than I’d like. “The Westbrook game?”
Ryan meets my eyes, and his expression softens. “I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t believe in you, Bels.” His grip tightens on my hips. “I’ve seen you at practice. Austin’s been playing a lot better than before. I am too, and that’s all because of you.”
I feel a little spark of pride, but it doesn’t totally quiet the voice in my head. The one that says this might all blow up in my face. “You guys are the only ones who think so,” I mutter, exhaling hard.
Ryan’s expression shifts. His jaw tightens, brows pulling together. “Did someone say something to you? Give me names. I’ll handle it.”
A scoff escapes me as I shake my head. “That isn’t necessary. I can handle them myself. I don’t need my fuck buddy fighting my battles for me.”
Ryan’s eyebrow quirks, and a smirk tugs at his lips. “Is that what I am?”
I hum, leaning in until our lips are inches away. “Would you prefer ‘booty call’?”
“Call me whatever you want,” he murmurs, his hand drifting down to my waist, pulling me a little closer. “Call me your fuck buddy. Call me your booty call. Call me in the middle of the night. Call me yours?—”
His mouth crashes into mine before he can finish, the word swallowed by the kiss. A moan slips from my lips, and he swallows it greedily, groaning as his tongue traces the seam of my mouth. I open for him, fingers digging into his shoulders.
