The Unexpected Series (Unexpected #1-3) (85 page)

I
throw open the glass door leading back into the restaurant looking for my so called best friend. I don’t know what she was doing here or why she told Ryder I aborted my baby. Never once did that thought even cross my mind and she knows how utterly devastated I was when I miscarried.

I had thought about calling Ryder numerous times after I found out I was pregnant. Despite Emie telling me he was being a manwhore, which I now, after our chat in the car, found out that wasn’t true at all, I still knew I owed it to Ryder to tell him about the baby. I drove to my parent’s house a week later. I knew I had to tell them too and after confessing to my mother that Friday night I went to sleep. Sometime in the middle of the night I woke up to blood all over me and the bed. My mom took me to the emergency room where they couldn’t find a heartbeat and that I was miscarrying. After they ran some tests they asked me to come back a few weeks later for a check up to make sure everything looked okay.

I was devastated. The idea of being a mother grew on me in the two weeks since I had found out and I knew that once I told Ryder he would have been there for me one hundred percent, even if at the time I thought he saw me as trash.

I never went to see him or Emie that weekend. I stayed in bed and on Sunday evening my mother drove me back to my aunt’s house. I tried to believe that it happened for a reason. That there was something wrong with the baby and God wanted to call them home before they even took their first breath. I did a lot of soul searching. I put my focus into my art, my school and getting my life back in order.

I never wanted to go through that again and so in college I avoided all the drunken one night stands that all my friends were having. That way I was protected both mentally and physically.

I look around the dining area and come up empty. She must have left when Ryder and I were in the car.

I walk back outside deciding on a drive thru since I didn’t have time to eat before I head back to the office.

“You know I did what was best for you,” I hear her voice from beside my car.

Anger rises and I feel my face heat up. I can’t even look at her right now. “You lead me to believe he had moved on when you knew how much I loved him. Don’t you think that I should decide what’s best for me or not.”

“Hadley.”

I finally glare her way. “No. You knew I needed him after I found out about the baby and yet you still decided to give me bullshit information. You’re supposed to be my best friend, Emie.”

“I am!” she yells throwing her hands up. “Don’t you think it hurt me to do that?”

I scoff. “Ha! Do what exactly? Try to seduce the guy I was in love with?”

She moves closer to me but I step away. I feel like I don’t know her anymore, like I never did.

“I was trying to keep you from the heartbreak that came at the end. It was never going to work out. You were both from opposite sides of the track.” She tries to reason.

“So, I was poor and he was rich. Who cares? You’re wealthy too, Em. You were still my best friend, unless that was a fucking lie too.”

She shakes her head. “Don’t say that.”

“Why did you tell him I got an abortion, Emie? We’re trying to work back to where we used to be and you tried to sabotage it. You’ve been doing that since the day you found out we had been together. Are you jealous?”

“Why would I be jealous of you?” she questions then slams her hand over her mouth.

“Well.” I open the door to my car. “I guess you don’t have any reason to be. But your little scheme didn’t work. We both know everything now and the only thing that has changed is now you are out of the equation. Might make for a better outcome.”

“You’re right,” she says stopping me in my tracks.

I glare at her. “About?”

She sighs. “I was jealous. I knew, Hadley. I caught you two a few times.” She shakes her head. “When you would ditch plans with me I would drive to your house and watch him climb in your window. I knew and I was jealous because I wanted him. So, when you left I used it to my advantage. I only have high school immaturity to blame.”

“And what excuse do you have for your lies today, Emie?” I climb in my car, blasting the heater, and slam the door. I try not to drive over her toes as I reverse out of the parking spot. I leave her there staring as I drive away.

~~

“I
don’t know if I can ever forgive her, Noe,” I explain as I shove a French fry in my mouth.

I’ve thought about my predicament with Emie and realize she is nothing but the same toxin I need to rid my life of.

“She’s a twat waffle.” She leans back in her chair. “She fed you bullshit lines about Ryder in high school and then she takes the most devastating part of your life and twists it to run him away from you.”

Sighing, I grab my phone. “I know but at least he believed me.”

“He was probably staring at your tits when you told him what really happened,” she says trying to lighten the mood. I laugh. “Men will believe anything you say if they can stare at your rack.”

What makes Noelle so funny is that she can say all this with a straight face and be dead serious about it. Like she truly believes if she pulls her shirt up that any guy will agree with her.

Well, maybe she’s right.

I laugh again. “I just hate that I spent all these years feeling heartbroken about something he said about his ex girlfriend.”

“You believe him?” she sincerely asks.

I think for a second. “I do.”

She points one of her pretty French tipped manicured nails at me. “That’s how you know, Had. That’s how you know you will last. You can be in love, you can find him sexy as well but until you can believe what they say without question then you know it’s for real.”

“Huh,” is all I say.

“You can’t have a healthy relationship without trust. I could leave Trent in a room with a hundred naked woman and trust that he won’t mess with any of them and believe he would tell me if they tried anything.”

“Trent would never cheat on you.” I point out.

“Oh, I know.” She smiles. “Why would he go for hamburger when he’s got steak waiting at home.”

I chuckle at her confidence. But she’s right. Besides her OCD tendencies, she really is the whole package.

“You know,” she says tapping her pen to her lips. “You should invite Ryder over for dinner and make him some steak.”

“I can’t cook.” I deadpan. “You know this. I burn water.”

She stands up and leans over her desk. “Let me be clearer. Get Ryder some steak. Dress it up in some sexy lingerie, spread it on the bed and let him feast, Hadley. Steak!”

Realization hits and a slow smile creeps up on my face as an image of Ryder ravaging me on my bed passes through my thoughts.

Then I start thinking of all the things that would be involved. “I don’t have lingerie, and I haven’t shaved my legs. Plus, how do you initiate? I have never been the initiator.”

My nerves start to take over and I panic. I don’t know how to be confident like Noelle.

“Go! Leave. Take the rest of the day off.” She sits back down, picking up her desk phone. “Soon because Trent will be here in twenty minutes and no one is due back in the office for another hour.”

“Are you pushing me out the door so you can have sex with Trent...again?” I laugh as I collect my stuff. I might not be leaving to go prepare the steak but I sure as hell am not going to hang around for another show.

“I’d say no but then I would be lying. Plus this gets us both laid.”

If I thought they were bad now I can’t imagine how it’s going to be when they get married. I’m not sure I want to be around for that.

I leave her to her business call and pull my cell phone from my purse dialing up Ryder.

He answers on the first ring and I can hear commotion in the background.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. You sound busy. Just give me a call when you get a minute.” I say ready to hit the end button.

“Had, I wouldn’t have answered if I couldn’t talk. Plus, I’d always make time for you. It’s nice to hear your voice.”

I’m sure he can hear my smile in my response. “You just saw me a few hours ago.”

“I know.” He sighs. “But we were working through something and it’s nice to hear the pep in your step.”

“Pep in my step? You sound like an old lady.”

“I’m not old and I’m not a lady.” His voice rumbling from his chest. “I’m all man, baby.”

I laugh. He never calls me baby. “Well, I was thinking that since we had kind of a tense afternoon that we could meet again tonight.”

“Wow!” he exclaims. “Two times in one day, Hads? You might wear me out.”

I blush. His playful flirting is turning me on. Well anything he has been doing lately is turning me on.

“You would think with all that working out you do that you could handle it.” I flirt back. “I guess not. Maybe I should date someone else with better endurance.”

Silence comes from the other end of the phone and I wonder if maybe he took it as an insult.

“So, we’re dating then?” Ryder asks sounding optimistic yet nervous.

I look out my windshield at the flurries falling from the sky and think once again about being a snowflake. A few months ago, I felt like the ones that fell to the ground conformed to the others, but Ryder makes me feel like the ones that float in the sky never touch the ground. He makes me feel like I’ll always be unique, and that I can be myself.

I smile as I answer. “Yes. I think we are.”

I’m having Ryder pick up takeout while I ready the “steak.” I forgo the lingerie and settle for a cute lavender bra and panty set over my newly waxed and shaved body. I’m not expecting anything but if it does happen I want to be prepared. I take another look in the mirror and adjust my ponytail before smoothing my makeup over my face. Reaching into my closet I pull out a pair of skinny jeans and a purple V-neck sweater.

I walk out into the living room just in time for a knock at the door. Like a teenage girl I skip down the hallway and open it before he has the chance to knock again. His smile seems to brighten the room as he holds up two plastic bags of Chinese.

“What? You didn’t want to use your key?” I joke and step aside so he can come in.

He kisses me on the lips quickly before setting the food on the table. When he turns around to take off his coat I have to contain my drool. This is the first time I’ve been able to look at him since I found the words he said under the bleachers weren’t meant for me. I would let that nasty misunderstanding fester but not tonight. Tonight I am enjoying his freshly showered body, and how his hair looks like he tugged on it just before he got here. The way his arms stretch out after taking off his jacket, his black thermal shirt and his jeans fit his hips and thighs but are loose down to the bottom where they lie on top of black boots. He’s raw, primal sexiness and I don’t think I’ll have a problem initiating. When I meet his eyes, I can feel the carnal lust behind them. They strike me where I stand.

“Don’t stare at me like that, Spark. I just might have to show you how much endurance I really have,” he warns.

I intentionally bite my lip knowing how crazy he can get. I wrap my arms around his torso. “That’s not what I remember from when we were teenagers. I was pushing it getting you to go for anything past round one.”

He grabs my arms from around his waist and pulls them around his neck. Reaching down he pulls me up by my thighs bringing his mouth over mine. “I’m not a teenager anymore, Hadley.” He growls. “I’m all man and as soon as you stop denying me I’ll show you just how much man I am.”

I run my tongue across my lips and let my words come out clear. “I’m not denying you anymore, Ryder.”

His lips collide with mine, and he carries me to my bedroom, stopping at the foot of my bed and dropping me to my feet. His palms cup my face, and he leans in nipping at my bottom lip.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispers moving his lips along my jawbone and up to my ear.

My head falls back granting him the access he is asking for. I drag my hands up his body and slowly glide the tips of my fingers up along the sides of his abdomen, not hesitating to lift his shirt over his head. Taking my earlobe between his teeth, goose bumps prickle my skin all the way down to my toes. I’m so turned on I can barely think straight.

So I don’t.

He pulls my sweater up and over my head, and I reach back and unclasp my bra, letting the soft material fall to the floor.

“I want to worship you, Hadley.” He breathes his words onto my skin. “I want to take my time with you. Show each and every part of your body how much I missed it.”

My knees feel weak with his words. Just the few touches he’s given have shown me how much my body misses his. How comfortable I am with him. I trust him with my body.

Bending down on his knees he reaches for the button on my jeans and carefully unclasps them. He pushes the denim down leaving them bundled up around my ankles. Just as slowly, he lowers my panties that I put on only a half hour earlier. He lifts one foot and then the other untangling me of my clothes. When I think he’s going to lay his mouth between my legs he stands.

Looking down at my body he draws a finger from my neck all the way down to my belly button, stopping just above where I was hoping he would go. “Perfect.” He compliments. “Lay down.”

I do as I’m told and scoot myself all the way to the headboard, my body flat on my back, my knees bent. Ryder leans down and takes his boots off then teasingly lowers his jeans never breaking eye contact. It’s erotic to watch him undress.

Leaning on the bed he grabs my left foot and kisses the top of it, his other hand caresses my leg. He peppers kisses up my ankle, to my calf and then bites my thigh. I jump.

“I’m a little rougher now, Spark, but you’ll like it. I promise,” he speaks, the tone is menacing.

He turns and gives the same attention to my other leg but this time I’m waiting for the bite. When it doesn’t come I relax and he pulls my pussy to his face.

“Do you know how fucking sexy this is down here?” he asks blowing hot breath across before pushing his tongue out and lazily licking up through my folds. I jerk but his arms are now wrapped around my thighs and are holding me down. “Don’t move, Hadley,” he commands kissing my inner thigh and taking little pieces of skin between his teeth.