Page 153 of What are the Risks
Any second now, Ruby...
“We’ve been friends since we were kids, Wheels.”
“Maybe that’s why we’re so great,” he easily countered. “Usually people are trying to add friendship to sex, but we’ve done it the other way. And if you ask me, we’ve done it fucking brilliantly.”
I agreed. We’d passed that testverywell. Top marks to Ryker and Ruby. But sex was only one part of a relationship.
“I don’t know if this is I want, Wheels.”
“You don’t know if you want to be with me?” Ryker checked, arching a brow with scepticism.
Now I was the one struggling to articulate my thoughts. I took a deep breath and tried again.
“Being a couple isn’t as simple as you’re making it sound. You’re days away from being drafted to the NFL, Ryker. Your whole life is about to change.Mywhole life would change if I agreed to date you. I’m not sure if this is worth it.”
Ryker’s forehead creased. “You’re not sure if we’re worth it?”
Whether it was the gravity of what he was proposing, a lack of sleep clouding my thoughts, or simply not having had enough time to process what he was saying, I fell silent rather than correct him.
Of course we were worth it. On some level, this relationship had always meant everything to me. But until recently, I’d only ever seen it as friendship. I hadn’t imagined it could become what he was proposing – I hadn’t even considered that was something he wanted.
“You agreed to be my rebound, Ryker.”
His body tensed. “Is that what you still see me as?”
“No. But the point is, that’s how this started. We never said it would be anything more, so you can’t be mad at me for not automatically agreeing to date you.”
“Yes, I fucking can, Ruby.” Ryker shook his head in frustration. “God, you drive me crazy sometimes.”
I forcefully crossed my arms over my chest. “Yet you’re telling me you want to date me?”
“Yes. Because despite that, I still fucking love you!”
Holy fuck. L-bomb dropped.
“And not in the way I always have. I mean that I’minlove with you, Ruby. Like, cut-my-heart-out-of-my-chest type of love. I know you don’t wear extensions, or spend hours at a solarium, or plan on getting breast implants anytime soon.”
“Ever,” I hurriedly clarified.
“But none of that has ever mattered to me because you’remytype, Ruby –myperfect girl, exactly as you are.” His voice was gentle but certain, and as his expression met mine, it felt like the world had narrowed to just us. “I love you, Rubz. I think some part of me always has... and I know every part always will.”
Countless emotions hit me, too many to sort out how that admission truly had me feeling. It was clear Ryker had played out this entire conversation in his head – perhaps repeatedly over the eight hour drive. I wished he’d warned me beforehand, that way I’d have had plenty of time to figure out what I wanted.
“What if we go all in and then break up, Ryker?” I choked. “We couldn’t be friends after that.”
“We can’t be friends after this either, Ruby.”
“You promised me we wouldn’t lose our friendship.”
A flicker of regret washed across Ryker’s face. “That was before I fell in love with you. Now, it’s all or nothing for me.”
A thick bubble blocked my throat. “Please don’t give me an ultimatum, Wheels. I don’t want to lose you. Ican’tlose you.”
“It’s not an ultimatum, Rubz. You either want to be together or you don’t.”
I swallowed, forcing back tears. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to be having this conversation. I was tired, hungover, and entirely caught off guard. I needed time.
Slipping off my glasses, I rubbed at my temples. “I hardly saw you Friday night, and that was barely a taste of what’s to come. The NFL is going to take over your life, Ryker. Not to mention I’ve barely been single. Jumping straight into something else–”
