The sincerity in his voice took me by surprise. He hadn’t complimented me to earn points; he believed what he said, and somehow, it seemed as if he wanted me to believe it too.
Yep, there was no way I was ever going to be able to walk away from this guy unscathed.
THE SOUND OF AN opening door startled me awake. Sitting up, I turned to see Wren entering her apartment.
“Hey,” I said, running a hand through my hair. “Sorry, we passed out while watching a movie.”
“That’s okay.”
Glancing at the clock on my phone, I saw that it was just after four in the morning. “You’re home early.”
“Another tech showed up at two, so after we got caught up, they sent me home since I was in overtime.”
“Oh.”
Ryan stirred at my feet, finally waking to join our conversation. “Hey, how was work?” he asked.
Even from across the room, I noticed Wren’s bottom lip quiver. She wouldn’t cry though. I knew it for a fact. The girl wasn’t one for waterworks. Even when we had watched the latest book-turned-movie from Nicholas Sparks, there had been no tears in sight. I could count on one hand the number of times I’d seen her cry, and one of those was on her birthday when she had discovered just how big of an asshole Liam was.
“Exhausting.”
“You want to sit down?” I questioned.
“I want to sit and scream and eat and sleep.” The heaviness lacing her voice was unmistakable.
“We can make some of those things happen,” Ryan announced, jumping to his feet. “Why don’t you go take a shower, and I’ll make you something to eat.”
“Okay.” Wren dumped her stuff by the door and headed in the direction of the bathroom.
“Pancakes and bacon?”
As if by magic, her face lit up at Ryan’s question. “That sounds like heaven.”
While Ryan went to the kitchen to start cooking, I began straightening up the apartment once more. The decorative pillows I’d arranged on the bed were now scattered all over the floor from Ryan’s attempt to construct himself a makeshift pallet in front of the television.
By the time I finished my task, and Ryan his, Wren emerged from the bathroom with damp hair and a fresh set of pajamas. Earlier in the evening, I’d decided to borrow a set for myself, so the two of us matched now. I was instantly reminded of all the sleepovers we’d had over the years.
“Thank you guys so much. The place looks amazing. And damn, Ryan, I didn’t know you could cook!”
Ryan and I both smiled as Wren stared lovingly at the golden stack of pancakes in front of her. “I know my way around the kitchen.”
“That’s good to hear, because we don’t let this one in there at all,” she countered, nodding in my direction.
“Hey!”
“And why is it that we don’t let Ter in the kitchen?”
“Because you’ll wind up calling the fire department and your insurance claims adjuster.”
Ryan’s husky laugh sounded from every corner of the apartment.
“So what? Cooking isn’t everything. That’s why humanity evolved and invented restaurants.”
Ryan inched closer so he could nudge my arm with his elbow. “Oh, is that so?”
“Yes, and I also have Wren to cook for me.”
“And now Ryan. These pancakes are to die for, by the way,” Wren added with a full mouth.
“I’m glad you like them.”
“So, you’re okay with all the decorations I picked out?” I questioned.
“Yeah. I love all of it. Thank you so much for going through all the trouble.”
“It’s nothing.”
Wren dropped her dirty dishes in the sink before coming to wrap her arms around my waist. “Babe, you’re the best.”
I sighed, returning her hug. “So are you.”
She pulled away from our embrace, covering her mouth as she yawned. “Bedtime?”
“Yeah.” Wren and I buried ourselves beneath the covers of her bed. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Ryan moving toward the tiny couch I’d passed out on earlier. “I know you’re not one for crying, but if you need to, you know we won’t judge.”
She released a heavy sigh, and from that soft sound, I could tell there was still so much she was holding in. I’d usually pry whatever information I wanted from her, but not with something like this. Wren would have to open up on her own. “I won’t shed another tear over him. The mess he’s left me in . . . Sometimes, I think it’s more than I can withstand. I feel lost and hurt and betrayed.”
“What do you need me to do?” I asked in a soft voice.
“Just hold on to me.”
“Okay.” Sliding my arms around her shoulders, I held her body close to mine. A gleam of silver caught my attention—the bracelet I’d given Wren at our high school graduation fit snug around her wrist. The bent metal was so much more than a piece of jewelry. It was a promise that I would be there for her no matter what, like she was there for me when I lost Mom. Wren wasn’t just my friend, she was family.
“You can lay down too, Ryan,” Wren whispered.
“I don’t want to make the two of you uncomfortable.”
“You won’t,” I countered.
“Alright.” Ryan stepped over to the opposite side of the bed before pulling back the comforter. Tossing a few pillows to the carpet, he paused. “Umm, do you care if I take my jeans off? These aren’t the most comfortable things to sleep in.”
“As long as you’ve got something on under those jeans,” I stated.
“Boxers?”
“Come on, Ter, it’s not like someone in this bed has never seen a penis before.”
“Fine, boxer boy. Get your ass in the bed.”
Ryan slid beneath the covers and shifted until he faced me. The two of us formed a cocoon around Wren, as if we sought to protect her from both sides. “I don’t know the whole story, but I’m sorry about whatever your ex did to you,” he breathed.
“Thanks.”
“And if there is anything I can do, just let me know.”
“I will.”
Within minutes, Wren was fast asleep. All the hours she’d been clocking at her job had pushed her past the point of exhaustion. This entire situation had taken its toll on her. As my mind counted all the torturous things I’d love to do to Liam if given the chance, I noticed Ryan’s gaze. That periwinkle blue called out to me in the darkness like a long-lost lover.
I was becoming way too familiar with those eyes.
“Thank you for being here,” I whispered.
“Anytime.”
Thanks to Wren’s blackout curtains, the three of us didn’t rouse until later that afternoon. I couldn’t imagine working nights, but she’d always been a night owl and it accommodated her school schedule better.
I yawned and stretched my arms, watching as Wren brushed a few strands of hair out of her eyes.
“I think I slept like the dead,” she stated.
“Same here,” I countered. “What about you?”
“I slept in a bed with two women. How do you think it was for me?” Ryan asked with a grin.
I grabbed a pillow and flung it at him. “I swear you could turn anything into some kind of freaky ass sexual innuendo.”
“Some of us are blessed,” he countered stoically.
Wren’s laughter distracted the two of us from the staring contest we’d been engaged in. “You guys are the best.”
“I’m awesome, not so sure about the weirdo over there,” I huffed.
“Don’t let her fool you, Wren. She’s infatuated with me. She just has a hard time expressing her emotions.”
My cheeks burned from the inside out. I’ll be damned if he didn’t hit the metaphorical nail on the head. In the depths of my soul, I knew his statement about me was true, but like hell I’d ever tell him that. “Oh, whatever!” I grabbed another pillow and smacked it against Ryan’s head, leaning over Wren in the process.
“Deny it all you w
ant, but I know the truth,” he teased, picking up a pillow and launching it in my direction.
“It’s on now!” I stood on the bed and prepared myself to engage in a pillow fight of epic proportions, because I was nothing if not a child at heart.
“So you want a pillow fight? I’ll be happy to give you exactly what you want, Ter.”
His teasing tone was as irritating as someone chewing with their mouth wide open. “Come on, Wren, let’s show him how it’s done.”
“I am not getting involved in this! Consider me Switzerland!”
“Betrayed at the last minute!” Ryan shouted.
“You are so dead!” Just as I was about to strike, Ryan flung another pillow at my face. Watching plenty of kung fu movies had apparently rubbed off on me, because I dodged the attack like a martial arts expert. Lunging forward, I hurled a pillow at his face.
I must’ve flung it harder than I had intended, because Ryan sat there for a moment in stunned silence. “This is a serious matter,” he finally said, his voice devoid of humor.
The eyes I’d found myself admiring on more than one occasion filled with mischief. Whatever he was about to do, it was apparent I needed to put as much distance between the two of us as possible. Jumping to my feet, I hurled myself toward the far side of the apartment in search of refuge. Wren—now as neutral as Switzerland—sat on the bed, her body shaking from laughter. It’d been too long since I’d seen a genuine smile on her face, and if engaging in this ridiculous display kept it there, then I was more than happy to comply.
Ryan sprang from the bed, his entire countenance the epitome of seriousness.
“What’s wrong?” I asked in a teasing tone. “Realizing you can’t win this?”
“Hardly.”
“You know, if you can’t take the heat, you should get out of the kitchen.”
At my reply, his lips split into a wide grin. “And here I was led to believe that you were the one banned from the kitchen.”
“Oh, you’ve done it now!”
Before I could lunge for the numerous cushions on the couch, Ryan swept Wren off the bed and tossed her over his shoulder. “No standing on the sidelines, Switzerland. This is a war among all nations,” he declared.
“Put me down!” she cried, her voice overflowing with laughter.
“Nope. You’re a part of this now, and you and I are teaming up against Ter over there.”
“I refuse!”
“I’ll cook for you if you take my side,” he offered.
Wren didn’t hesitate for a moment before calling out the word “done!”
“Wren!” I shouted.
“What? You can’t feed me, and he can make breakfast!”
“Years of friendship, and I’m betrayed for a meal?”
“I’m really hungry,” she said softly.
Just as I was about to scream at the injustice of this world, Ryan’s hands snagged my waist. Within seconds, my feet kicked air as he threw me over the opposite shoulder as Wren.
“Admit defeat, Ter.”
“Go to hell!”
“Can’t we just play nice?” he questioned.
I didn’t think it would be possible for him to hold on to both of us without any difficulty, but to my surprise, Ryan hopped around the apartment, spinning in circles like a joyous kid on Christmas morning. Wren’s laughter seemed to drown out every other sound, and before long, I was joining in her amusement.
Part of being an artist meant I was able to observe people in a detailed manner. In order to depict someone, you must familiarize yourself with not only their features, but also their nature and personality. This is what makes the Mona Lisa so enrapturing. Da Vinci captured her enigmatic smile flawlessly, and when you study his work, you can see that he understood this woman’s nature on an intimate level. In the last few days, I’d watched Ryan. I’d been studying him closely, even more so when I was drawing him. He had a good soul. I could sense that about him. And all his concern for Wren and I proved it.
There had always been two of us. It was always Wren and me, but now, I had a feeling there would be an addition to our duo. And as hesitant as I was at the prospect of being around someone who I was growing more and more fond of, part of me . . . a part I thought would never resurface . . . was elated.
As a woman, I’d been educated on the dangers lurking in this world. Don’t get in the car with strangers. Don’t go home with a guy you don’t know. But the most dangerous experiences are the ones which can rock the foundations of your being. It’s the situations which can totally change us that we should fear more than any others.
Because those are the ones that leave the most damage in their wake.
WHEN OUR PILLOW FIGHT ended and Ryan and I called a truce, the three of us feasted on a delicious breakfast—cooked by Ryan, of course. Wren hadn’t been lying when she said the man was skilled in the kitchen. Every time we hung out, I would find another thing to like about him. Seriously, the guy seemed damn near perfect. He must have a flaw, right? I enjoyed spending time with him, and I knew Wren did too, but that nagging voice in the back of my mind demanded I proceed with caution.
Wren flung a giant blanket over my legs and snuggled next to me. I was now smack dab in the middle of her and Ryan as we watched a movie together. Three bodies nestled under a purple comforter meant I was up close and personal with the blue eyes I couldn’t seem to stop staring at. And I needed to do something, anything, to keep my hormones distracted.
“This movie reminds me that we need to discuss something very important,” I announced as the opening credits for Pet Sematary began to roll. Thank God Wren wasn’t one of those people who was opposed to talking during a movie. She understood it was damn near impossible for me to keep myself from shouting out spoilers or discussing my favorite nail polish, and like a true bestie, she rolled with it. I was also glad to discover Ryan was the same way. When he wasn’t shouting at the television in my dorm room, we talked about anything and everything.
“What might that be?”
“Halloween,” Wren said, answering Ryan’s question. “Ter is a fiend about the holiday, and I have no doubts she will want to take the reins on costume planning for the three of us.”
“So, wait . . . Do you mean to tell me that I’m being roped into spending Halloween with the two of you?”
“As if you weren’t secretly hoping for that.”
“Just go with the flow, dude. Your life will be so much easier that way,” Wren said, leveling him with a pointed look. “Trust me on this.”
Ry’s features practically radiated with amusement. “And what if I already have my own costume?”
“Do you want to ruin my life?” I questioned.
“You know how Jack Skellington is obsessed with Christmas to the point where it’s almost nauseating?”
Ryan tore his eyes away from the television screen to face Wren. “Yeah.”
“That’s how Ter feels about Halloween. Also, she’s an artist, so we always have killer costumes.”
He considered her statement for a second before exhaling in a heavy sigh. “I’m smart enough to know when I’m outnumbered. Ter, feel free to dress us as you see fit.”
I squealed with delight, much to their dismay.
“Jesus, woman, must you always express your happiness at that decibel?”
“Babe, you know I know no other way,” I countered, nudging Wren with my shoulder.
“So, do I dare ask what the three of us will be dressing up as?”
I gasped ever so slightly as I felt Ryan’s breath warm my ear. I silently cursed the existence of female hormones before answering. “Hugh Hefner and two Playboy Bunnies, of course.”
“I’ve always wanted to dress up as a Playboy Bunny,” Ryan mused.
“Wait . . . what?”
Beside me, Wren giggled. “Oh my God! That so needs to happen!”
“Let’s face it, I belong in women’s lingerie and bunny ears.”
“You’re supposed to be Hugh
Hefner,” I countered.
“How dare you force strict gender stereotypes on me!” Ryan feigned shock as he placed his hand over his heart in a dramatic display of defiance.
“I mean if you really want to dress up as that, you can—”
“I’ll be Hef!” Wren shouted. As soon as the words left her mouth, Ryan gave her a high five over my head.
“See, she gets me. I don’t understand why you can’t jump on the bandwagon.”
I shrugged in a nonchalant manner. “I guess we will both be in lingerie then.”
Ryan’s laughter dissipated at my reply. “I didn’t consider that.”
“Well, we can’t have two people dressed up as Hef. That wouldn’t make sense.” Combing my fingers through my hair, I stared up at him through my lashes. “Unless you have a problem with seeing me in lingerie, that is.”
“Nothing I haven’t seen before.” Ryan’s grin widened as he gave me a once-over.
“Hold the fuck up for one second.” Wren was on her feet, ready to pounce. To be honest, I wasn’t sure which one of us would be her first victim. “What the hell do you mean by nothing you haven’t seen before?”
I groaned inwardly. With Wren’s breakneck pace at the hospital the past couple of weeks, I hadn’t had a chance to tell her about the plan Ryan and I hatched to deal with Brooklyn. “There is a reason for that.”
“Are y’all going to start dating? Did the two of you sleep together?” The pure glee dripping from her voice was unmistakable.
“No!” I shouted. “What on earth would make you think that?”
“Ryan’s comment about your damn lingerie. Also, the fact that the two of you have ridiculous chemistry.”
“We do not!”
“Denial,” Wren intoned.
Ugh. This conversation was sinking faster than Jack’s body at the end of Titanic. Wren knew I was attracted to and intrigued by Ryan. And that was dangerous information in the hands of a feisty redhead. “You see, we made this plan to . . .” Now that I was on the verge of relaying our devious scheme, the entire thing almost sounded too unbelievable. Was there any chance she would actually believe me?
“Well, Ter, I’m all ears!”
Not Without You Page 7