My So-Called Perfect Life

by K. A. Berg

  By the time I finally make it to the kitchen, Ryan has a plate with pancakes and bacon set on the table. His back is to me as he pulls the coffeepot out and fills a mug. He’s shirtless, and I lean on the doorframe, watching his muscles work as he pours my French vanilla creamer into the mug.

  He turns and spots me. The lips that can kiss better than any of the others I’ve had pressed against mine tip into a brilliant smile.

  “Good morning, sleeping beauty.” He walks forward, hands me the cup of coffee, and kisses me. A brief kiss but enough to curl my toes. “There’s no sugar in it. I didn’t know if you took any.”

  “No.” I smile back. “This is good. That looks delicious as well.” I nod toward the table.

  Ryan steps back and pulls out a chair for me. “Bon appétit.”

  The pancakes are a nice golden brown, and the bacon is crisped to perfection, making my mouth water. I sit, and he joins me.

  “This was very nice of you. You didn’t have to go through the trouble. I could’ve just grabbed a bagel on the corner on my way to work.”

  “It wasn’t any trouble at all,” he says with a laugh. “It was actually extremely easy. You have the most organized kitchen—entire place, actually—I’ve ever seen. ”

  A blush slithers up my chest. “I have a bit of an obsession. I like things in order and planned out. Everything has a place, and everything in its place.”

  “I like it.”

  I glance around the kitchen and see that he put everything away. The pans are drying on the counter in the dish drainer. The pancake mix is nowhere to be seen. The counters are wiped down. My heart flips in my chest at the thought of him respecting my things and cleaning up.

  “What time do you have to leave for work?” he asks as I dig into the plate in front of me. “Last night, I only asked what time you had to be up this morning.”

  I don’t remember him asking me anything last night past where I wanted him to touch me. “In fifteen minutes,” I answer before shoving a forkful of pancakes in my mouth. “These are so good,” I tell him, not even waiting until I finish what’s in my mouth.

  He winks. “My mom is big on breakfast. I’ve been making pancakes for years.”

  “You’re hot, you know how to make a woman really come, you have a pierced dick, and you can cook? How are you seriously still single?” I ask without thinking before speaking. “Wait, you are single, aren’t you? You don’t have some family out in the suburbs, right?”

  He throws his head back, and hearty laughter fills the room. “No, Danielle, I do not have a secret family. I might be a lot of things, but a cheating asshole is not one of them. But it’s very nice to know you think I’m hot and you like my cock.”

  The temperature in the room climbs about twenty degrees. I have no filter around this man. Just another thing to add to the list of things he does to my body.

  He must be able to sense my embarrassment because he quickly changes the subject. “So, I got you something.” The smirk on his face reeks of mischief.

  “I don’t know if I like the sound of that, to be honest.”

  Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out what looks like a small gray snowman. He tosses it to me, and I look down, confused. It’s a keychain. That much I can tell.

  “It’s cute,” I say before asking, “What is it?”

  His eyes fill with mirth, and he smiles big. “Gonorrhea.”

  “What?” I screech as the toy goes flying in the air.

  Ryan laughs harder and catches the toy before it winds up in my breakfast.

  “It’s only fair,” he says. “If this is going to work between us, you can’t be the only one giving out STDs. It has to be an equal partnership.”

  “Oh, dear God.” I groan and hide my face in my hands.

  We stop just outside the fence to the school.

  Ryan insisted on walking me to work. He claimed he had to head this way anyway. I think he was full of shit, but who was I to stop him from keeping me company on the subway?

  He discreetly runs his hand down my arm. “We should do this again sometime.”

  I think I’d really like that.

  “The date or the sex?” I whisper just in case any little ears wander up to camp early.

  He laughs. “Both. I don’t think I’ve had that much fun in a long time.”

  I’m quite certain Ryan has fun. A lot.

  “Oh, I think you have plenty of fun.”

  “I’m no angel,” he says. “But I don’t take women to baseball games and make them breakfast often. Never actually. You’re my first baseball date, and I’ve never made pancakes for a woman other than my mom and sister before.”

  There’s a heat in his eyes as he stares down at me, and I gulp. He makes me feel like he can see deep into my soul.

  “Well, I’m honored. What do you have in mind for next time?”

  Because let’s face it; there is definitely going to be a next time.

  He threads his fingers through mine, and he steps closer. “I know there’s some kind of rule about waiting a certain amount of days to call or whatever, but I think we’re past that point, don’t you?”

  My throat is suddenly dry as he invades all my senses, so I nod.

  “Roxy is hosting Trivia Night at the bar tonight. You should come. I’d say let’s do dinner privately, but last theme night Roxy did, the bar was pretty slammed, so I don’t want to leave her to handle it alone. But I also can’t stand the thought of not seeing you tonight.”

  I think I’m going to melt into a pile of goo right here on the sidewalk. Everything coming out of his mouth is like a play from the Romeo Handbook.

  “I’ll think about it.”

  The corner of his lips tip up, and his eyes hold a world of promise as he says, “You do that. You think about all the ways you can come tonight.”

  He steps back, leaving me a little shaken and very achy between my thighs—from both last night and his words.

  His smile splits his face as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out the gray toy, tossing it to me. “Don’t forget your gonorrhea. Have a nice day, Danielle. I’ll see you tonight.”

  I catch the stupid keychain just as he turns and heads down the sidewalk.

  “Was that Mr. Hottie Bartender?” Mercy asks as she comes up behind me, scaring the ever-loving shit out of me.

  “Jesus Christ, Mercy,” I curse as my chest heaves.

  “What’s this?” she asks, pulling Ryan’s joke from my hand.

  “It’s gonorrhea,” I whisper harshly, still staring at Ryan’s retreating form down the block.

  Mercy lets out a loud cackle. “No way.” She laughs. “He’s freaking awesome. Has a great sense of humor too. That’s some funny stuff right there.”

  She isn’t wrong. I doubt many men would’ve made the same joke. Most would probably still be pissed at me, not taking me to baseball games, ravaging the hell out of the same body that gave them a disease, cooking me breakfast, and then insisting on walking me to work.

  “I’m guessing last night went well,” she states while dragging me from the sidewalk toward the entrance of the school.

  “You could definitely say that.”

  “And you could definitely thank me for meddling in your business.”

  “I’m not going to thank you—” I glance around to see if anyone is near before continuing, “—you bitch! You think I don’t know you and Amelia had something to do with him getting my number?”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Danielle

  There’s a group of people waiting at the entrance of Cohen’s when we arrive.

  “This is even busier than last weekend,” Mercy comments as we approach the guy checking IDs at the door.

  I hand my license over and ask, “Last weekend?”

  Mercy and Amelia look at each other, share some kind of nonverbal conversation, and then laugh.

  “We came here last weekend to meddle in your life.” Mercy smirks. “You know the thing you refused to
thank me for this morning.”

  “Ugh,” I groan. “Why the hell do I keep you two around? I swear, all you do is complicate my life.”

  A hand slaps my ass as we walk through the door. I don’t know whether it was Amelia or Mercy, but I glare at both of them.

  “I’m sure we weren’t complicating your life last night.” Amelia waggles her eyebrows at me. “Thanks to us, you had a fantastic night. Probably will again tonight.”

  “Shut up,” I tell her as I scan the bar for Ryan.

  It doesn’t take me long to find him. His presence fills the room. The way he moves. The way he tosses his head back and laughs. His confidence. It’s hard to miss him.

  As if he can feel my presence the same way I can feel his, he glances toward the door. When his eyes land on me, his smile is instant and wide. He heads to the end of the bar, and I do the same.

  He drops the towel on his shoulder on the bar as he comes through the opening to greet me. “Hi.”

  “Hi,” I reply, looking up at him.

  We hold each other’s gaze until a throat clears behind me.

  “Is you two ripping each other’s clothes off part of Trivia Night?”

  Ryan chuckles. “I see you brought the gang.”

  “Not willingly.”

  “We weren’t missing Trivia Night.” Amelia sidles up next to us. “I’m Amelia. It’s nice to officially meet you.”

  I roll my eyes. “You’ve met before.”

  “Not officially.”

  “You were here last weekend, talking to him,” I remind her.

  “Last weekend, we were in badass mode.” She waves me off. “No names were exchanged.”

  Ryan takes it all in stride, laughing as he takes Amelia’s extended hand. “Ryan. Nice to meet you officially, Amelia.” He turns toward Mercy next and offers his hand. “And you are?”

  Mercy eyes his hand and then grins. “Mercy.”

  “So good to see you again, Mercy.”

  Ryan grabs some barstools lined along the wall and places them at the end of the bar.

  “Did you do that just so Dani would be close to you?” Amelia asks.

  Why is she always so embarrassing?

  “God, why did I bring you two?” I mumble to myself under my breath.

  Mercy takes it upon herself to answer my question as she sits in the middle stool. “So we could win Trivia Night.”

  Ryan shakes his head with a laugh. “I have a feeling this is going to be a very interesting night. Just please, no vomit.”

  My cheeks heat and then full-on blaze when Mercy adds, “And the STD exchange already took place this morning, so we’re good on that front.”

  “Oh Lord,” I groan.

  “There’re still some left to exchange,” Ryan adds with his smooth grin.

  “God, help me,” I groan again.

  “Here,” Roxy says as she saunters over with a glass in her hand. “Jack and ginger should help. I’ve got your back tonight, girl.” She winks and walks away.

  “Brian, Nick, AJ, Howie, and Kevin.”

  “That is correct!” the host announces. “One point for Team Trouble.”

  We all high-five just as Ryan makes his way back down the bar.

  “I knew that name would fit you girls well.”

  Ryan suggested that we name our trivia team “Team Trouble” since every time we come in, there’s always trouble.

  He quirks an eyebrow. “Although, I’ve never seen someone answer a question with that much gusto. You really like the Backstreet Boys, huh?”

  Amelia and Mercy giggle like drunk schoolgirls.

  “Dani loves her boy bands, and I mean, looooves.” Amelia confirms.

  “You’ve got some competition with them,” Mercy adds but tilts and then shakes her head. “Actually, probably not. You look like you could be in a boy band. Or maybe have a solo album. You’re more like a Bieber or that guy from One Direction with the hair. What’s his name? Zack? No, Zane. Yeah, you could totally play the bad-boy role well.”

  Ryan looks at me, and his eyes sparkle with mischief. “Hmm … some tight jeans, a leather jacket, and some lip-syncing could be in the future if you play your cards right, Dani Girl.”

  Dani Girl.

  The sound of such a juvenile nickname slipping past his perfect lips makes my tipsy heart flutter. The thought of him in tight jeans while lip-syncing “I Want It That Way” has my lady bits fluttering, too, but in a different way.

  “Oh my God,” Amelia interrupts my fantasy. “You’re totally picturing it right now, aren’t you? You look like you’re about to come.”

  Jesus, she has no filter.

  “Like you know what I look like when I’m about to come,” I scoff.

  “No, but he does.” She juts her chin in Ryan’s direction. “And with the smoldering look in his eyes, I’m guessing that’s your I’m seriously turned on face.”

  I could probably warm the building with the heat blasting my face. “You guys are so embarrassing.”

  Roxy saves the day with another drink. “You guys are killing it.”

  Amelia and Mercy chat with Roxy, giving me a moment of reprieve.

  Ryan steps closer to the bar and leans in toward me. “Oh, you were definitely enjoying that little fantasy, Dani Girl. I bet I could just stroke your clit and have you singing a tune of your own.”

  He struts away from me, down to the other end of the bar, and the throbbing between my legs intensifies.

  Damn this incredible, sexy barman.

  Ryan and I have been having a silent conversation with our eyes most of the night. As he finishes up in the back, the tension mounts.

  Mercy and Amelia took off about an hour ago. When Ryan invited me to hang out and come back to his place with him, there was no way I was going to say no.

  I’ve spent all day analyzing everything about us.

  My feelings about him really shifted after last night. That game was hands down the best date of my life. It was even better than the date Scott had taken me on when he proposed. Granted, it was just a dinner at a fancy restaurant, so I guess there wasn’t much competition there.

  Ryan was patient and calm when I asked questions during the game. He made sure I got the most out of the experience. We laughed and simply enjoyed each other’s company. I feel as though I know so much more about him. I have a better picture of him as a whole. The night was perfect. The morning too.

  The awkwardness didn’t exist. It melted away, and we were able to move past it.

  I’d been concerned that maybe our first night together was a fluke. That maybe it was so great because I was expecting nothing at all. Or it was the adventure of having a one-night stand. But last night blew all those doubts away. Jesus, it was amazing.

  I’m secretly hoping for another bang-up night tonight.

  Ryan and I have an easy chemistry, and I like it.

  “You ready?” Ryan asks as he exits the back office I don’t think I’ll ever be able to face again.

  “Yep.”

  He links his hand with mine, and we head out the front door. Ryan locks the door and steps to the curb to grab a cab.

  I’m kind of excited to see Ryan’s place. He’s hard to read in some respects. I mean, based on his appearance, he looks like he would be a gorgeous asshole. The love ’em and leave ’em kind of man. Not the man who stays and makes you breakfast in the morning. That’s totally snobby and judgmental of me, but I can’t help remembering that I thought I’d need to be scraped up off the floor after him. I just didn’t expect him to stick around to be the one to do the scraping up.

  The yellow cab stops at the curb, and Ryan opens the door for me.

  We slide in, and he gives the driver his address. “State and Third, please.” As the driver pulls away, Ryan asks me, “Did you have fun tonight?”

  “I did.” I smile and then look out the window, realizing his place is uptown, not downtown. “I thought you said my school was on your way home this morning. It’s the opposite
direction.”

  He graces me with his boyish grin. The one where his lips tip up only on the left side. “I might have lied to get a few extra minutes with you.”

  The girl in me preens at his words.

  “What else have you been fibbing about?”

  “Hmm.” He taps his chin. “Well, definitely not how happy I am that you came by tonight. Definitely not about how much I can’t wait to get you home. And definitely not about all the naughty things I’ve wanted to do to you since I met you.”

  His words ignite the throbbing between my thighs.

  I can’t resist the urge to tease him. I love the way he enjoys it and the way it fuels him. “I’m just glad you were able to find my clit. Let’s hope you can find it again.”

  “Keep it up, Dani Girl.” His voice is thick and full of promise. “We’re only three blocks from my place.”

  His hand finds the back of my neck, and the pads of his fingers graze the sensitive spot just under my hairline. Goosebumps break out across my skin, and a little shiver dances down my spine. The barest touch on my neck has my nipples hardening.

  “Thank God.”

  I can feel his chuckle deep in my womb.

  Christ, it’s like he has a direct line to everything that turns me on.

  The cab stops on a corner in front of a tall high-rise. Ryan pays the fare, and we get out. The anticipation grows as we cross the small lobby to the elevators.

  My heart hammers in my chest as the car stops, and the doors slide open on Ryan’s floor.

  “Relax, Danielle,” Ryan says, grabbing my hand and guiding me down the hall. “I can feel the anxiousness rolling off you, but I promise, in less than ten minutes, all you’ll be able to think about is screaming my name.”

  Yeah, that only makes my heart beat faster. In a good way. The things that Ryan can do to me are unparalleled to the way anyone else has made me feel. Not that there were many. This whole sexual-tension thing is new to me. While it excites me, it also terrifies me, which makes me anxious.

  Ryan’s place is similar to how I pictured it. Kind of bachelor pad-ish but neat enough. He’s definitely a minimalist. Not much hangs on the walls. There’re a few family photos and a muted piece of abstract art.