Page 127 of What are the Risks
“Have you always been this perfect, Wheels?”
“Perfect?”
“Come on. Leaving out Advil, getting coffee for my friends, letting me choose all our food, not making me feel like a total idiot after I tried mauling you in a stairwell...”
He smiled softly. “Are you ready to talk about that?”
“No.”
“You brought it up.”
“My mistake.”
I’d been waiting all day for Ryker to mention last night, but he hadn’t yet. I knew I could be a mature adult and address it myself, but I didn’t have the nerve. The hangxiety was at an all-time high.
The waitress returned to take our orders.
“Anything to drink?” she asked after I listed off our mains.
“Just a Coke for me please.”
Ryker nodded. “Same for me, thanks.”
I didn’t want any haziness clouding my thoughts tonight. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen later, but I knew whatever did, I wanted to be level-headed. Sober Ruby had sounder judgement.
Ryker rested his elbows on the table and leaned in, a gentle smile on his face. “Mind if I clear the air?”
I let out a sigh. “Go ahead.”
“I don’t have expectations when it comes to sex, Rubz. I don’t pick girls based on their flexibility, or their ability to stand on their head, or even their preference about ass stuff.”
My cheeks were already on fire. Why did drunk Ruby have to voice every outrageous thought? And why did Ryker have to remember every single one of them?
“It starts with attraction and I go from there,” he continued. “And for the record, I am ridiculously attracted to you, Ruby.” He held my gaze with an easy confidence, like we were discussing the weather and not the idea of taking each other’s clothes off. “I don’t need wild, freaky, or super kinky. I just want you, Ruby – you’re all I want.”
Holy, hell. Where was the waitress with my drink? I could barely swallow.
“You always know the right thing to say, Wheels.”
He reached for my hand, moving his thumb in circles across my palm. “Maybe give me a chance to say it before you get in your own head. We learnt the hard way at the beginning what happens when we don’t communicate with each other, Rubz. I don’t want to mess this up again before it begins.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry,” I returned, interlacing my fingers with his.
Full hand holding in a restaurant was PDA overload for me, but based on the softness on Ryker’s face, he appreciated it.
“And about Noah being the only other guy...” I pushed through the discomfort of talking about something so intimate, wanting to reciprocate Ryker’s openness. “I’m glad the next guy is going to be you. I know we’re not dating or in love or anything like that, but we aresomething.And call me old fashioned, but I think I’ll always be the type of girl that needs a littlesomething.”
Ryker grinned so hard his dimple appeared. “I’m glad it’s me too, Rubz.”
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
It’s just you and me
Ryker
At least we’d gotten that conversation out of the way before our drinks arrived. Ruby had been her usual, relaxed self during dinner and the ride home. But the moment we entered her silent, empty house, she tensed up again.
Rather than turning on the hallway lights, she walked straight up the dimly lit stairs. I blindly followed her, hoping I didn’t roll an ankle in the darkness. Fuck knows how I’d explain that one to Coach.
