Rush Into You (7 page)

Only a lifetime of recovery.

Jay knew I didn’t drink, get high, or go to any of the parties, but she’d begged me to come tonight, and I’d caved because I didn’t want to look like a bitch for not showing up to Brian’s birthday. Although the evening hadn’t turned out horrible, I’d rather be home. I wanted to throw some sweats on and curl up on my couch with a good book, but since Jay was my ride home, I’d have to wait it out…preferably down here by the water alone.

I loved walking along the beach and feeling the sand squish between my toes as I listened to the sound of the waves crashing on shore while watching new ones form in the distance. I tried to relax with another deep breath, but it sounded more like an annoyed sigh. I took my sneakers off and held them in my hand as I eased my feet into the frigid salt water. The iciness coating my toes was refreshing, temporarily taking my mind off of everything going on around me.

I walked towards the rocks for a couple of minutes, then turned and walked back. I traveled from point to point endlessly with no set goal in sight besides clearing my head and killing time.

“Bored?” a smooth voice asked from behind me.

I instantly stopped in my tracks. A few heartbeats later, I pushed down my anxiety and turned around, responding with a slight laugh. “What gave me…”

I dropped my sneakers in shock and couldn't finish my sentence. All I could do was stare with my eyes bugging and my mouth wide open.

A tall man leaned casually on the rocks with one foot propped against them. A Red Sox navy hat was pulled down low, hiding his eyes, and a cigarette hung loosely from his lips, smoke erupting from his nose and mouth in swirling clouds. His firm and lean muscles became my focus as his biceps flexed into hard bulges as he brought the cigarette away from his lips.

Memories from over a year ago assaulted me from every possible angle, their intensity almost enough to bring me to my knees. The good and the bad…everything that had happened in the space of that one night was now front and center in my mind instead of buried as they should be. I had tried to move on, to forget about the negative and start my life over in a healthier way, but this man before me…he had never left my thoughts. He lived in my dreams. A figment of my imagination brought on by the stress of a day that would forever haunt me. A dream created by my fucked up psyche because it starved for decent human interaction, normal conversation, and acceptance.

But this beautiful man standing just a foot away from me wasn’t a dream. The unique sapphire and gold eyes looking back at me proved it.

Ryker Rosse was real.

“HOLY SHIT,” HE muttered. “Gabby?”

My mouth was still hanging open as I stood frozen like a statue. It was almost impossible for me to wrap my head around the fact that Ryker was here. I had tried to keep a picture of him alive in my mind, but my memories hadn’t done him justice. He was even more gorgeous than I remembered.

“Gabby?” he repeated.

“Ryker,” I breathed.

His eyes were wide, and his eyebrows raised as his smile stretched his cheeks, showcasing every straight white tooth in his mouth. He looked genuinely happy to see me.

“You look amazing. I never thought I’d see you again.” He smiled, but then his eyes turned sad. “I was hoping that everything was good and that you were okay.”

“Thank you,” I said quietly. “So have you helped out at Max’s since that night?”

He shook his head, a hint of sadness in his blue eyes. “Nah, I’ve been working at my usual place. Chossy’s Pub? It’s just a fifteen minute drive from here.”

Knowing that he hadn’t been back to Max’s gave me some hope that he hadn’t heard about my overdose. I didn’t know what he’d think about me if he knew what had happened. I shuddered at the thought of Ryker seeing me in one of my lowest moments.

I shook my nervousness about the past away and focused on the present. “I’m sorry I’m being weird.” I laughed. “I’m just a bit caught off guard. I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

Ryker smiled, flicking his cigarette away. “I know, it’s a surprise. What are you doing out this way?”

“I live here now. About five minutes away.”

“No shit. Living in the same city as me now. Nice.” He winked.

“Yeah, I moved here pretty much right after we met actually.”

He stepped forward, closing the distance between us. “Can I hug you? I feel like I’ve missed you, but that’s weird, right?”

I giggled. “Yes, you can hug me. And I feel the same way, so if it’s weird…” I shrugged.

Ryker’s rich laughter flowed through me, and his strong arms wrapped tightly around me. I breathed in the smoky leather scent that I’d fallen in love with when we’d first met. When Ryker slowly pulled away, a chill crept through me as if all the warmth in my body left with him—I wanted his arms around me again.

I rubbed my hands up and down my arms. “What brings you here? You friends with Brian?”

“I don’t know him personally, but my buddy is friends with him. I got off work a bit early, so I figured I’d swing by and check it out.” He shrugged. “What about you?”

“He’s my best friend’s boyfriend. She begged me to come, so here I am.”

“You look like you’re having a blast.” He smirked.

“Says the boy who was hiding behind the rocks,” I countered.

“Touché.”

We were both silent a moment, then Ryker nodded as if answering a silent question. “You want to get out of here? Catch up?”

I looked over my shoulder and spotted Jay sitting on the sand near the bonfire with Brian. She was straddling his lap, her head thrown back in wild laughter. Jay wouldn’t mind if I left. I’d made my appearance, and I didn’t need to stay and be a third wheel all night.

I wanted this chance to get to know Ryker—
really
get to know him. I wanted him to get to know the real me, too. I was embarrassed with the way I acted when we met, and if I walked away, who knew if I’d see him again.

I nodded slowly. “Yeah.”

“Yeah? Really?” Ryker sounded hopeful.

I smiled, nodding confidently. “Yes, let’s go.”

We walked back to the party, away from the water. Jay jumped up from Brian’s lap and ran to meet me halfway. I caught her by the arms before she collided into me.

“There you are, chica!” she shrieked, her words slightly slurred.

“Hey, I’m going to head out, okay? You’re not driving home tonight, are you?”

“Brian’s driving,” Jay answered distractedly. Her eyes flicked to Ryker, her question obvious.

“Later,” I mouthed. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

Ryker nodded politely to Jay before she headed back to the bonfire with Brian. He placed his hand gently on my lower back, guiding me over the rocky sand leading to the street.

My skin sizzled, and my mind raced through all the possibilities I’d dreamed about experiencing with Ryker. He had been
exactly
what I’d needed at the
exact
time I’d needed it before, but now I could see if he was still what I needed.

What I wanted.

We were silent as we walked, the lingering sounds of the party the only noise between us. We stopped in front of a familiar black and chrome Harley Davidson. Every time I’d seen a motorcycle this past year, my mind had traveled to one place.

“Still riding I see.”

He nodded. “Have you been on a bike since you rode with me?”

“No, Ryker, my last bike ride belongs to you. I’ve thought about it a lot though.” I cringed, squeezing my eyes shut in embarrassment.
I couldn’t believe I’d just said that out loud!

His calloused fingers gripped my chin, making me face him. “Me too.” His eyes were locked on mine, his voice quiet. We stared at each other, the air thickening around us.

I cleared my throat and looked away. “How long have you been riding?”

Ryker sighed. “Ah…almost ten years now. I have this bike and a street bike.”

“What’s the difference? Why do you need two?”

“My Harley,” he stroked the bike lovingly, “is a cruiser. I ride it to and from places like anyone would with a car. My street bike is a Ducati. I race with that one.”

“What?” My eyes widened.”You race? Like…you actually race other motorcycles?” I was dumbstruck.

Ryker’s voice raised in pitch. “Yeah, I like, actually race, like, other motorcycles.” He chuckled.

“I definitely don’t sound like that.”

When Ryker’s laughter died down, he took his hat off and grabbed his helmet from the bike, securing it on his head. He flicked the visor up, then grabbed the same spare helmet that was attached to his bike the first time I’d rode with him. He gently placed it on my head, fastening the strap and making sure it fit snugly.

“What are we doing?”

“Well, I figured we’d head up the strip a little to this spot I go to sometimes. It’s on the water.”

I bit my lip, nervous butterflies suddenly fluttering in my belly, but he smiled softly. “Come on, it’ll be fun.”

He got on his bike as smooth as ever, then reached his hand out, waiting for me to take it. There was no hesitation—I grabbed his hand and hopped on the bike.

“Look at you. You’re like a pro now.” He laughed.

My hands rested on his trim waist, and his stomach muscles tightened beneath my fingers. I was trying to keep my cool, but I felt giddy. Thunder exploded from the Harley pipes, and I clung to Ryker with a smile on my face. The engine’s strong vibrations shook my body, and I pressed my thighs tighter.

Ryker rolled the bike back from his parking spot, his toes touching the pavement and guiding the bike. “You ready?” he yelled.

“Yep!”

Ryker rode through the lot slowly before pulling onto the street and picking up speed. The wind hit my face and tangled my long hair.

I felt more alive now than I had in a long time.

MY CAREFREE ATTITUDE vanished the moment he pulled his bike over onto the side of the road. A heavily wooded area loomed before us, its darkness sucking any light the night had left.

I nervously looked around, swallowing the huge lump suddenly stuck in my throat. I never saw this area near the beach before. He said we were going to a spot on the water, but it looked as if we were heading into a forest.

Holy shit, he really was too good to be true.
What the hell had I got myself into?
My heart thundered in my chest, the excitement from earlier replaced with the need to fight or flight.

I eyed Ryker as he cheerfully hopped off his bike and removed his helmet. He put his hat back on and looked at me with an excited smile, offering his hand. I stared at it warily while mentally plotting my escape.

“You coming or what?” He was still smiling.

I didn’t know if I should jump off the bike and start running and screaming in the opposite direction, or if I should play along and find a better option.

Ryker slowly pulled his hand back. “You’re looking at me like I’m going to kill you or something. What’s the matter?”

“Aren’t you?” My voice was shaky.

“Aren’t I what?” He looked confused. “Going to kill you?” He stared at me for several seconds, then burst out laughing.

He really did have a nice laugh. Too bad he might be a sociopath.

“Ah shit, Gabby. You really had me there. You’re good. Come on, let’s go.”

I still didn’t say anything. He caught me looking over my shoulder again, and stopped laughing completely.

“Damn, Gabby. I’m sorry. I really didn’t think you were serious. I thought you were just fucking with me. I’m not going to kill you. There’s some water through there with a cliff and some rope…”

He stopped talking when my eyes widened at the mention of the cliff and rope. “Wow, I’m really not helping my case, am I? People jump off the cliff into the water for fun, and there’s a rope to swing on. Obviously you don’t have to do that tonight, but it’s a really nice spot. I thought we could just chill and talk a bit, but we don’t have to go. We can go somewhere else.”

I looked at Ryker, focusing on the tension in his face. His eyebrows were lowered, trouble written all over his features. Even though the location freaked me out, I really did think I could have a good time with him. He came back into my life for a reason, and I wasn’t ready for him to be out of it just yet. I needed to give this night a chance to see what happened.

I nodded my head.

The most beautiful smile stretched across Ryker’s face. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” I smiled.

Still seated on the motorcycle, I planted my hand on my hip and arched my eyebrow. “So are you going to help me off this thing, or are you just going to leave me here?” I teased.

“As you wish, my lady.” Ryker bowed.

“Damn right,” I joked.

Ryker narrowed his eyes at me, and a playful growl erupted from deep within his chest as he sprung forward and lifted me off the bike with his hands under my arms. He held me up high with his arms fully extended.

“Not so tough now, eh?” He spun me around.

“Put me down!” I shrieked, laughing hysterically as I kicked my legs around wildly, and my thrashing foot connected with his body—hard. Ryker crumbled to the floor, and I fell down with him. I landed straddled on his chest, which in any other situation, would have been considered intimate, but Ryker didn’t notice that right now. He whimpered, trying to reach around me to cup himself and somehow ease the pain as his groans echoed around us.