Page 22 of No Rhyme or Roughing
Suit clutched in my hand, I kicked after her and followed, my toes no longer brushing the sandy bottom.
“Still cold?” she asked.
I shook my head. The water wasn’t warm, but the adrenaline from breaking the rules was intoxicating.
“Feel made new?” she asked softly, her shoulders rising and falling with the waves.
“Not sure I’d say that.”
“Good.” Her smile wasn’t sly or teasing this time. It was soft. “You don’t need to be somebody else for this, Ryder. We just have to pull out a side of you that’s already there.”
She went quiet, her gaze shifting downward. “I’m sorry I called you boring. Sometimes words just… tumble out. It got me in trouble as a kid before I learned to lock it all up.”
“I want to hear it.”
Her lips parted, her voice dropping to a whisper. “My mom always said, ‘Keep it locked up, girl, or no one will want to play with you.’ She was right. My sisters hate me, my dad whatevers me, and I can’t keep a rela?—”
I didn’t let her finish. I slammed my lips into hers, unable to hold back any longer.
Her mouth was hot and inviting. Our legs tangled, her chest brushing mine, and I sprang back, swimming away.
She touched her lips, her wide eyes meeting mine.
Clearing my throat, I tried to joke. “That loosened up enough for you?”
Her voice was hoarse. “Uh, yeah. I’d say so. Way to go, buddy.”
We exchanged a high five, feeling like awkward teenagers.
Walking back to the shore, we dressed quickly, realizing we weren’t as alone as we thought.
“Sydy,” I called, needing to remind myself who she was.
She barked out a laugh. “Don’t worry, the last person I’d tell about this is Teddy. It was just a mistake.”
A mistake. Shit.
“Can’t happen again,” I said.
“Right.” She poked my chest. “But don’t think this gets you out of saving the team.”
“No awkward turtles,” I teased.
“Good. Because I think I kind of hate you.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Good.”
“Right.”
Shit.
CHAPTER NINE
SYDNEY
Did I really think Ryder would follow through?
