The Hurricane (2 page)

Beautiful

Deep breaths.

I opened the door and tried to hide my disappointment. He wasn’t there.

“Oh well, come on.” Emily shrugged as she looped her arm through mine, and led me to a small round table next to the bar. It was the only empty table in sight and I was thankful for it. I tried to look around the bar for tall, blonde and sexy, but I didn’t want to seem obvious. I didn’t see him. What I did see was two guys staring at our table and obviously plotting their next move. They were cute, and from the way they stared as they approached our table, they knew it.

“Oh damn,” Emily whispered as she flung her hair and sat up straighter.

“Hey ladies,” the guy with black hair said. Although his mouth pretended that he was talking to the both of us, his eyes were talking to Emily.

“Hey,” Emily said, in that seductive tone that got her way every time. I couldn’t help but giggle.

“Hey there, gorgeous,” the other one said as he moved a little too close to me. I sat up straighter and pressed my back against the bar stool. He reeked of liquor and his eyes were glassy. I was grossed out already.

“Hey,” I said and looked over at my best friend, who was completely wrapped up in conversation with his friend. I didn’t want to get stuck hanging out with some drunk guy. I tried to will her to look at me with my glare. It wasn’t working.

Damn it.

“What’s your name?” he slurred.

“Um, Natalie,” I said with a sigh.

“I’m Bret. Can I buy you a drink, Natalie?”

“Nope.” I heard a deep voice behind me. “She’s got one.” Mr. Tall, Blonde and Sexy appeared directly in front of me with two beers in his hand, sliding between me and the drunk one, taking a seat at the chair next to me.

“Maybe she wants another.” Oh no, drunk guy decided he wanted to get cocky.

“Maybe you should walk away,” Mr. Tall, Blonde and Sexy said as he stood up. He ran his hands through his hair and then gave his chin a little scratch. His voice was calm, but when I noticed his left hand ball into a fist, I knew he was anything but calm.

“Um, Em, maybe we should go,” I said nervously. I didn’t want to be in the middle of a bar fight. But when I looked over, Emily wasn’t there. My eyes drifted to the dance floor, where she was headed, hand in hand with the drunk guy’s friend.

“Don’t go,” he said as he glanced down at me with those beautiful eyes. “He’s leaving.”

“Take a walk bro,” he said as he backed up just enough so my knees brushed against his legs, keeping a protective stance in front of me.

“Fuck this,” the drunk guy mumbled, and walked toward the exit. I let out a loud exhale, relieved that things didn’t get out of hand.

“Sorry,” he said as he sat back down. “You seemed uncomfortable with him.”

“Thank you, he was a little pushy,” I said as I stared at him. He really was beautiful. That dimple alone gave me butterflies.

“I’m Ryker,” he said as he held out his hand for me to take.

“Natalie,” I said quietly, and put my hand in his. He rubbed his thumb against my hand before our hands fell apart. That little gesture caused my stomach to do flips. “But most people call me Nat.”

“Nat . . .” he said and paused. “That’s cute.”

Ugh. I hated being called cute. All my life, I was cute. I hated cute. I wanted to be sexy, seductive, like Emily. But no, I was destined to be cute Nat. He must have seen the look of disappointment on my face.

“Your name is cute,” he insisted. “You’re not just cute, you’re beautiful,” he said, and gave me a heart stopping stare. That was the first time in my life that a guy had ever called me beautiful. I love him. Shut up, Nat. God.

“Thank you,” I said quietly, trying to make myself sound sexy, but it came out all mousy and ridiculous. I took a long swig of the beer in front of me. I tried to hide the look on my face as the beer hit my throat. I wasn’t a beer drinker, at all. It made me nauseous. I could hide my distaste though, I had to.

“Do you want something else?” Ryker chuckled as he stared at me. Or maybe I couldn’t. Damn.

“No, this is good,” I said as I took a small sip, and managed to smile. Disgusting.

“So, do you live in Corpus, Nat?” Ryker asked as a grin spread across his perfect face. That dimple was going to be the death of me.

“No, I wish, I love the beach. But I live in Amarillo. We’re just here for Spring Break,” I said with a smile. “What about you?”

“I live in Austin; I got a week off work, so I came down with my brother and a few of his friends,” he said as he nodded towards a table across from us. I saw a dark haired guy there, in his early twenties, maybe. He was really cute, from what I could see of him. He had a blonde draped across his lap, trying to eat his neck.

I turned back around to face Ryker, who was shaking his head and smiling, scratching his chin.

“It’s like that everywhere we go,” he said nodding towards his brother, shaking his head again. I could see the attraction, but he didn’t compare to Ryker. He was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I was only eighteen and hadn’t been out of the panhandle much, but they didn’t make them like Ryker up there. He was perfection.

“So how long are you here for?” he asked.

“3 more days, what about you?”

“Same,” he replied simply and then grabbed my hand, gently pulling me to my feet.

“Wanna dance?” he asked, although he was already pulling me to the crowded dance floor.

“Sure,” I giggled, and followed behind him.

We made our way to the corner of the dance floor, and Ryker pulled me into his arms. I don’t know what song was playing, it didn’t even matter. As soon as his arms were against me, everything else faded. We swayed to the music and I fell into his chest. He rubbed his fingers gently against my back as I wrapped my arms around his neck, touching the bottom of his hairline gently with my nails. I felt his sigh as he hugged me closer. How is it possible to feel so comfortable with someone you met twenty minutes ago? But I couldn’t think, I could only feel. Feel him.

“Hey, bro.” I heard a voice over my shoulder, pulling me out of my trance. My Ryker induced trance.

“What’s up?” Ryker said, clearly annoyed that we were interrupted.

“We’re heading over to Mulligan’s. I have to meet Dalton; he wants to talk to you,” his brother said as he hovered close to us.

“Cain, dude, can’t I talk to him another time?” Ryker said as he rubbed his hand down my side gently.

“He’s heading out in the morning. It won’t take long. Bring your friend,” he said as he gave me a quick nod. His blonde appeared next to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She was practically humping his leg; it’s like she couldn’t get close enough to him.

“Wait for me by the door,” Cain mumbled to the girl as he nudged her in that direction. I looked at her and realized she was at least thirty. Don’t get me wrong, she was stunning, but she was clearly older than Cain. She was also completely infatuated with him and would do whatever he said. She proved that with a sexy pout as she walked towards the door.

“I’ll meet you in the car,” Cain said, and walked away.

“I need to go, do you want to come?” he asked. “I know you don’t really know me, but I’d like it if you came. Free drinks and I swear I’m not a psycho,” he said with a laugh as he touched my cheek.

I knew better. I had just met him. My dad was a police officer, and had spent my entire life giving me horror stories about stranger danger. Ryker was right, I didn’t know him. I didn’t know his brother. I shouldn’t do this. I knew better.

“My friend has to come with us,” I said. What the hell.

“Of course,” Ryker said as he ran his index finger down my nose gently, with that damn dimple begging to be kissed.

The Virgin Shake

Three Days Later

“Will I ever see you again?” I asked, trying not to sound like a needy girl.

But the truth was, this was the most amazing three days and I was feeling a little needy. We had spent almost every second together. I didn’t want this to end. But I knew I had to go home. I had to get back to school and Ryker had work. We had lives waiting at home, no matter how much I didn’t want to think about it.

“Absolutely,” he whispered as he hovered over me. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks was soothing. The sun had set and we were on a secluded part of the beach, on a blanket in the sand. It was perfect and romantic, like something out of a movie. This was too good to be true.

“I’m not ready to leave you,” Ryker whispered as his lips brushed across my ear.

A deep sigh escaped my throat as his hot breath caused goose bumps to cover my neck. He started to shower my neck with light kisses and I wrapped my fingers in his hair.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said as he moved his lips against mine. My mouth opened for him as his tongue danced with mine. This was nice. Ryker adjusted his body as he positioned himself on top of me. I felt his hard bulge settle against me. I tried to stay calm and not let my nerves show. But my body had other plans. I continued to kiss him, but my body started to tremble. I couldn’t stop it. Sure, I was nervous, but I wanted this. I was ready to do this. I tried to move against him but the shaking was almost out of control.

“Are you ok?” Ryker pulled his lips away from mine and stared at me. I could see his beautiful grey eyes in the moonlight. The look of concern on his face was a buzz kill. I didn’t want him to worry about me. I was fine. I think, anyway.

“I’m ok,” I said, trying to sound confident, but it sounded anything but that. My voice was squeaky and actually cracked.

“We can stop,” he said as he rubbed his finger down my nose.

“I’m ok,” I repeated as I rubbed my hand against his bare back, but my damn fingers were shaking so bad.

“Nat?” he said as he rubbed his nose against mine.

“Yeah?” I mouthed in a whisper.

“Um . . . have you ever . . . are you um . . .” he stammered.

“Yes,” I whispered and closed my eyes, putting my forehead against his shoulder.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize, Natalie,” Ryker said, and then gave me a soft peck on the temple. “Look at me.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” he said as he kissed my lips, but the passion from moments earlier was gone. Stupid virgin shake.

“But I want to do this,” I said quietly, and then bit my lower lip to keep it from trembling. My words weren’t very convincing. Great, just what he wanted to see, a crying virgin.

“We will, just not tonight,” he said as he kissed me gently, and lifted his body off of me. I wanted to cry. But I wouldn’t.

DO. NOT. CRY.

“But I’m leaving in the morning.” I wanted to do this, but I wasn’t going to beg him to have sex with me. This was getting embarrassing.

“I promise you, this isn’t our last night together. But I would feel like an asshole if I took your virginity tonight and had to leave in the morning. Just trust me, ok?” he said.

“Ok, you’re not mad?” I asked, worried. I was only two years younger than Ryker, but in this moment, I worried that he saw me as a naïve little girl.

“Of course not, just gives me something else to look forward to,” he said as he lay on his back and pulled me against his chest.

“Promise?” I asked as I propped my chin on his chest, and looked up at him.

“I promise. I also promise that this isn’t the last of us being together,” he said as he pulled me on top of him and kissed me.

“And I never break my promises, got it?” he whispered as a smile spread across his face. That dimple alone made my stomach do a little flip.

“Got it,” I said, and kissed his cheek.

I’m a fucking stalker

12 years later