Don’t Forget to Remember Me (30 page)

It had to be Liza. Strawberry blonde hair,
pretty features, thin figure. “Oh.” My mouth formed the word, but
nothing came out.

“No shit. Well, we’re safe enough until Ryan
walks through that door.”

“Why?”

“That girl is like a bitch
in heat where he’s concerned. She’s made many pathetic attempts to
get him in the sack. She’s
sad
.” I
visibly stiffened and Jen noticed. “Julia, don’t worry. Ryan never
touched her, but you need to be thick-skinned. That bitch is
relentless. Can you handle it?”

“I think so, but that will depend on
Ryan.”

“Let’s have some fun with it. He’ll own you
when he gets here, trust me.”

“I hope he brings Aaron. This was supposed
to be for you, too.”

“Ryan will insist Aaron come along. He’d
never leave me here alone when he hauls your little ass out.”

“He won’t
haul
my
ass out,
” I mocked.

“Remember, Caveman Ryan is
hotter than hell, and have no doubt…
he
will.
Either that or Liza will finally get an
eyeful.”

“Surely he’s told her.”

“That bitch is deaf and dumb. Aaron said she
practically stalks him on campus,” Jen said, sarcasm lacing her
tone as her expression hardened.

I took another sip of my wine, thinking
maybe I should switch to something stronger. Liza’s gaze raked me
from head to toe. I resisted the urge to get up and pirouette. I
started to silently seethe. It was stupid. I didn’t even know this
woman; Ryan wasn’t even here, but I hated her on sight.

“Why is she staring?” I asked Jenna loudly.
I had to practically yell, the music was so loud.

“She knows who you are and there is that big
rock on your hand, Julia.” Jen mocked in false exasperation before
she smiled happily.

“Oh, the same one that you wished I didn’t
wear tonight?” I teased.

“Yeah. Let’s go dance!” A particularly
rhythmic song was pumping through the sound system as she tugged me
toward the dance floor.

“But…without guys?”

By the time we got on the floor, a new song
started. Several men were checking us out as I cocked an eyebrow at
Jenna. She was grinning and nodding, clearly aware. I had to admit,
it was flattering and fun. Girls being girls, I let myself start to
move to the music.

I was lost in the music, the alcohol haze
dimming my common sense and thoughts of any consequences of my
actions. The men at the far table whistled and sent cat calls our
way. I just laughed. Jen flirted with them a little until suddenly
Aaron appeared in between us and grabbed her by the arm. “Jenna!
This shit is not happening!” he yelled, his face angry.

My eyes searched for a set of burning blue
ones.

Ryan was standing at the table that Jen and
I had vacated, clued in by the purses and blazers on the chairs.
His face was hard as he stared at me.

“What the hell?” Jen said to Aaron behind
me. “Did you miss me or something?” The noise in the club muted her
words.

Jen and Aaron’s arguing dimmed when someone
grabbed my hand. One of the men from the table on the end was
standing in front of me.

“Want to dance? Looks like your friend is
busy.”

“Uh…thank you, no…” I’d barely begun when a
steel band wrapped around me from behind and my left wrist was
grasped in an iron vice. “Oof…” I grunted as the air was knocked
from my lungs. Ryan’s cologne engulfed me when I sucked in my next
breath.

“See this, dickhead?” Ryan growled. He
shoved the hand with my engagement ring up for the random man at
the same time as he turned me back toward the table. “Are you
fucking blind?” he spat out.

“Hardly. Dude, look at her. Any man would be
stupid not to try.” Ryan’s face flushed and he looked at the
shorter man sternly.

“Uh, no. Stupid would be
if you don’t back the hell off
and
fast
. This is over.”

The situation just struck me as funny and I
burst out laughing. Ryan continued to walk to the table, my feet
dangling off of the floor, finally setting me down.

“I’m glad you find this situation so fucking
amusing,” he ground out. “What in the hell do you think you’re
doing, Julia?”

I ran a finger down the
front of his dark green, long sleeved t-shirt. He let it hang over
the waistband of his jeans and I tugged at the hem. Looking up at
him through half-lidded eyes, desire flooded through me; I wanted
his arms around me.
Now.

“Just dancing.” My voice
lowered and my hand slid under his shirt to the defined muscles of
his bare abdomen and the trail of hair leading down toward the
waistband. His muscles contracted under my fingers as he sucked in
his breath. “Jen is right.” Confusion flashed as his features
softened slightly. “Caveman Ryan
is
hot. Soooo hot.” The corners of my mouth lifted in a soft,
teasing smile and he finally slid his arms around me.

“Quit it. Flattery won’t work.” His mouth
twitched with the effort of keeping his smile at bay and his eyes
twinkled. “At least, not yet.”

“Mmmm…” I sighed into him, burying my nose
into his neck and resting my forehead on the strong line of his
jaw. “You feel good. You smell good. Bet you taste good, too,” I
murmured happily.

“Julia, are you drunk?” he asked as he
pulled me in between his knees. He pushed my hair off of my face to
cup the side of my cheek and then slid his hand further around the
back of my neck. He looked intently into my eyes, his long fingers
stroking my skin.

“Only a little,” I said honestly. I couldn’t
look away from those blue depths. I was completely mesmerized.
“I’ve missed you.” I gravitated toward him, my nose brushed against
his, his warm breath rushing over my face as he exhaled.

He nodded and swallowed. “I miss you like
crazy, too.” His hands were roaming over my back and hips, pulling
me closer into his chest, his fingers kneading, probing. I couldn’t
resist, I let mine slide over his shoulders to the back of his head
and into the thick hair. “Ugh, Julia. Why do you do this to me? I
should be so mad right now, but I want nothing more than to kiss
you senseless.”

My fingers tugged on his hair, daring him to
bring his mouth to mine. “I want more than that,” I whispered
against his mouth. “But, if kisses are all you’ll give me, I’ll
take every single one.”

He resisted the kisses I was dying for, his
mouth hovering over mine. The music beat out a rhythm as his
fingers continued to knead my flesh. My pulse quickened. “Do you
enjoy tormenting me?”

“There’s no need for it, Ryan. All of this
stuff that has you in agony, you can have it. I’m right here in
front of you…and I want you.” My voice was filled with sex and I
meant every word as I continued to nuzzle into him. “Why won’t you
do it?” The moment was so intimate it felt like we were the only
two people that existed. I wanted to drown in him.

He groaned; the back of
his fingers floated along the swelling flesh above the neckline of
my top, his eyes following their path. “It’s not that simple. It
isn’t just about what I
want
.”

“Yes it is. Don’t you know
that?” His eyes rose from my breasts to my mouth and I closed my
eyes. He was going to kiss me, finally. I waited, and then opened
my eyes as he pulled away slightly and I moaned in protest.
Ugh!

Ryan must have ordered drinks while I was
still on the dance floor because the waitress walked over with four
beers, another chocolate martini and a glass of white wine. He
shifted me to one side, his arm still firmly clasped around my
waist, and dug in his front pocket for his money clip.

“Hold this honey?” he asked. I took the
money clip and he pulled thirty dollars out and handed it over
before shoving it back into his jeans. He tugged on my arm gently
and I fell to sit on his lap. I glanced back at the dance floor and
Aaron and Jenna were making out with relish.

“Hey…wasn’t Aaron supposed to propose to Jen
when you moved to Boston? I remember a conversation we had…you said
not to mention it because Aaron wanted it to be a surprise.”

“I much preferred the conversation that just
got interrupted,” he grumbled and picked up one of the beers taking
a long pull on it. I smiled and leaned down to place a wet kiss on
the sensitive place beneath his ear. I lingered slightly and
touched the tip of my tongue to his skin. Maybe the alcohol was
making me bolder than usual, but I didn’t care. He moaned and
turned toward me, finally finding my mouth with his own. The kiss
was soft, teasing and nowhere near long enough.

My fingers brushed his jaw when I spoke.
“Yes, but Jen has been sad. She wants to get married.”

“I agree he should marry her. She deserves
it. She’s put in her time.”

I studied his face. “Is that why you
proposed to me? Because I’d put in my time?”

His eyes settled and burned. “I proposed to
you because my life began when I met you. I can’t live without
you,” the words almost ripped from his chest and my heart swelled
to bursting.

“Why are you trying to, then?”

“I’m not. I’m only trying to protect you and
let you remember when you’re ready.”

I nodded. He was telling the truth and
really thought he was doing the right thing.

“So does that mean you won’t make love to me
tonight?” I smiled sweetly.

His eyes didn’t move from
my face as I waited for the answer. “Julia, don’t torture us both.
It will happen when the time is right.” My eyes stung and my throat
tightened so much I had to look away. “I
l
ove
you. You are the most
beautiful, desirable woman I have
ever
laid eyes on. There can be no one else for me. Not in this or
a hundred lifetimes.” His thumb nudged my chin up. “Hey, look at
me. You know you’re it for me.” His lips lifted in a small smile.
“I mean, I chased all over town looking for you and I’ve got the
worst case of blue balls I’ve ever had. You make me want you much.
You tease the shit out of me.”

I smiled despite myself.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing.
The little outfits, the little touches…why do you think I live at
the hospital? You’re killing me…I’m dying with wanting.”

“Hey Ryan, who’s your little friend?” a
snarky voice broke into our Ryan and Julia bubble.

I didn’t wait for him to
introduce us, my eyes meeting Liza’s without flinching. “I’m Julia.
And you must be…
Lola
, right?” I widened my eyes and asked in mock innocence.
Ryan’s head fell forward, his shoulders shaking. He was laughing
his ass off.

I was still on his lap and his arm tightened
around me, communicating he wanted me to stay where I was.

“Guhh,” she grunted.
“
Liza
.”

“Oh, sorry.” I extended my right hand to
shake hers, silently wishing that this one time I could be left
handed. “You go to school with Ryan. He told me.”

“Did he?” She pulled out a chair and pushed
Jen’s drink forward, replacing it with hers.

“He tells me everything. What are you
drinking? It looks good.”

“Amaretto sour. You should try it. And yes,
I attend Harvard with Ryan. We’ve had a lot of classes
together.”

My inner bitch reared its head. “Yes, I
know,” I answered sweetly. Ryan sat in silence looking between the
two of us and doing his damnedest not to smile. “Baby, that looks
really good. Will you get one for me?”

I stood so Ryan could go to the bar. “Ummmm,
sure,” he answered uncertainly. The look on his face said he didn’t
think leaving me with this woman was a good idea, but he went to do
my bidding anyway.

“So, are you the Sunday coffee girl?” the
other woman asked. I let my eyes roam over her slowly. She was
pretty, in a brash sort of way and her hair was wavy and frizzy.
She had big tits, which most men would find attractive, and light
blue eyes.

The Sunday coffee girl? Ah…she’s the voice
in the background. I remembered.

I smiled brightly, trying to hide my
irritation. “Yep! That’s me.”

“I was there the night they brought you in
from your accident. It’s good to see you’re better. You are all
better, right?”

Ryan came back carrying the drink and set it
down in front of me before resuming his place next to me. He draped
his arm over the back of my chair as I leaned forward on the table
toward the other girl.

“Much better. How nice of you to ask. So,
what classes did you have with Ryan?”

I spoke with Liza and Ryan checked out. She
regaled his expertise in organic chemistry, pharmacy, gross anatomy
and a laundry list of other subjects, making sure I understood how
extensive her contact with him had been. It was amusing and
slightly sad that she was trying to get into a pissing match with
me.

My fingers toyed with the drink and finally
I took a sip. Ugh! It was so cloyingly sweet it almost made me gag.
I tried not to make a face, pulled the cherry out of the glass and
started fiddling with it. Ryan’s hand closed over my knee under the
table in silent plea for me to end this charade.

“Believe me; I know how brilliant Ryan is.”
I pulled the fruit off the stem with my teeth and chewed.

Her eyes flashed in silent
challenge. “So um…what is it that
you
do, Julia? I don’t think Ryan has ever mentioned
it.”

Okay, honey, if that’s how you want to play
it.

“That’s not true. I talk about Julia all the
time,” Ryan’s irritation seeped through the words. I laced my hand
through his under the table. His fingers were warm around mine and
he squeezed gently.