Page 40 of Unforgettable
Vicki and I were sitting by the pool in comfy lounge chairs at a ranch owned by Ryker’s parents. I crossed one ankle over the other, sipping a fruity drink that had way too much alcohol in it.
Lucas had texted me earlier to see if Vicki and I were interested in coming out for dinner and drinks. He also knew I’d been wanting to talk to Ryker. I hadn’t told Lucas why, only because I wanted to make sure Ryker got the message, and part of me wanted to see the man. Hell, I couldn’t get him out of my darn head.
The night before, my roomie and I had gone to the party hosted by Lucas and, at the time, I’d thought, Ryker. But when I’d arrived, Ryker had been AWOL. According to Lucas, his best bud was recharging his battery.
The quarterback hadn’t played in the game that day, which had raised a lot of eyebrows around my dorm. Women were speculating that Ryker was dropping out of school, giving up football, or that he’d gone into hiding.
I believed the latter, at least for a short time. After all, he had to be depressed. He had to be a zombie. Now that I was actually looking at him from across the pool, he appeared frozen. He hadn’t even moved since I’d walked in over an hour ago.
For all I knew, he was staring at me through his dark sunglasses. That thought did perk up my lady parts, even more so as I checked out his tanned upper torso through my own dark sunglasses.
As I envisioned my hands exploring his hills and valleys and, of course, his happy trail, I decided it had been a bad idea to come there.
For one, I didn’t trust myself. And two, if my father found out, he might go off the deep end. As long as I stayed out of the media, I was golden. But I was gambling with my freedom. Sure, my father had told me to stay away from Ryker, but I’d interpreted his law to mean that I shouldn’t date Ryker. A one-night stand wasn’t dating.
Ryker doesn’t want you.
If that were true, then I guessed I didn’t have anything to worry about.
Vicki leaned in from her lounge chair. “It’s not polite to stare.”
“Says the girl who can’t keep her eyes off of Lucas.” He was at the outdoor kitchen area, which included a bar, grill, small fridge, and an island on one end with barstools.
She snorted. “Touché.”
The night before, Vicki had been dying to talk to Lucas, but he had been preoccupied with a girl that Vicki had wanted to make disappear.
I wasn’t one of those girls who got jealous, maybe because I hadn’t had a steady boyfriend. Sure, I ogled boys. I went out on dates. I had sex. But I’d never found that boy who wowed me or one that stole my breath away. I chalked that up to the all-girl boarding school.
One of the guys over at the kitchen area laughed loudly.
“Ryker, dude, get your ass over here,” Ajax said. “We’re doing shots.”
The girl beside Ryker leaned over, her boobs practically falling out of her swim top as she rubbed his leg with her hand. “Come on. You can do a shot off my chest.”
Suddenly, a twinge of something rifled through me, and I wanted to throw Blondie in the pool.
“Yes,” Erik shouted. “Get over here, Tab. I’ll go first.” I’d met Erik the night before along with Ajax and a few of the other football players. Erik reminded me of Julian Edelman from the New England Patriots, only his brown hair hung below his ears.
Ajax twisted his ball cap so the bill was behind him. “I’m next.” Ajax sported a military haircut, and where Erik was wide in the chest, Ajax was leaner.
Ryker didn’t move as Tab tried to coax him by whispering something in his ear.
Kill the bitch.
I clutched the glass I was holding a little too tightly.
I want nothing to do with Ryker James. He wants nothing to do with you.
So why was I feeling like I wanted to send the blonde packing?
When Tab struck out and sauntered over to Erik and Ajax, I sighed.
The rest of the guests scattered around the pool, veranda, and kitchen area watched what was about to unfold.
Tab settled in front of Erik, squeezing her boobs together and at the same time lifting them up to create a way to capture the liquor. “Pour.”
“I would never do that,” Vicki mumbled as she sipped the fruity drink Lucas had made her.
