Because of You

by Lafortune, Connie

  Walking over to the fridge I grab myself a beer and when I turn around Scott’s standing in the middle of my living room. “I saw your Jeep parked outside. We need to talk. ” Is he fucking joking or what?

  My hands clenched at my sides, I take several deep breaths before striding over to him, nose to nose. “Last time I checked, it was appropriate to knock before you enter my house,” I say. The tension in my neck is evident as we glare at one another.

  He puts his hands up, taking a step back. “I knocked. I thought I heard you say come in. Look, I didn’t come here to fight with you. We’ve known each other a few years now and that’s why I’m here. ” He sits on the edge of the couch, his elbows resting on his knees while he scrubs his hands over his face.

  “Scott, just spit it out,” I say, sitting down in the recliner opposite him.

  “I walked out to the pool to get you for dinner. When I saw your hands all over her and her legs wrapped around you, I almost lost it. In that instant I could have killed you, so I walked away. ” He’s scowling at me.

  The worst part about it is I see the disappointment in his eyes. But I can’t worry about that now, when I can still taste her on my lips, feel her rocking against me. “I’m really sorry you had to witness that. You’ve treated me like a son since I’ve been here and maybe that’s why this situation makes you uncomfortable. ” Shrugging my shoulders I lean back in the chair.

  “You could have any girl you want, so why does it have to be Riley?” He holds up his hand to stop me. “You don’t have to answer me right now, just think about it. ” He stands up to head out the door.

  “You don’t have to wait for an answer, I can tell you now. ” He doesn’t turn around but he nods his head. “When I look into her eyes I see the boy I was three years ago staring back at me. ” Saying those words out loud terrifies me.

  Scott rests his head against the doorframe when I hear him whisper. “That’s the answer I was afraid of. ” With that he opens the door and leaves.

  When I arrived in Scott’s office three years ago, I was damaged beyond repair. But he must have seen something hidden behind my vacant eyes because he helped me focus on the present and not the past. That’s why this is so damn hard for me to understand. He had a beautiful daughter at home and he just walked away, yet he helped a stranger like me.

  Finishing my beer in a few long pulls I head over to the fridge and grab another one. Scott was my second visitor tonight. Rosie stopped by to bring some lasagna before heading over to see Riley.

  She told me I needed to slow it down with Riley… that I was moving too fast. She doesn’t understand that I need Riley like I need air to breathe. We have a connection unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. I used to laugh when someone would tell me they found their soul-mate. I’m not laughing anymore. It scares the shit out of me; it feels like I’ve known her all my life. When I saw her fall apart on the beach yesterday, I wanted to be the one to take away her pain. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to stay away from her; I don’t know if I want to.

  Chapter Eight

  Riley

  Hunter and I haven’t seen each other all week, and it’s breaking my heart. I thought he felt the same connection that I did but apparently not. Following Ashley’s advice, I did have a talk with my dad; he told me he apologized to Hunter and he was sorry that he embarrassed me.

  My days were spent down by the pool hoping to bump into him, but he’s wasn’t there. I’ve even been down to the Jacuzzi a few nights this week, and he’s not there either. I’m starting to go crazy thinking I did something wrong.

  My dad’s throwing a Fourth of July party this Sunday, so he’s inviting his friends and a few clients that he’s close to. It’s his way of introducing me to everyone. A week since the dinner disaster, hopefully the party will end better.

  I’m sitting on my bed when out of the corner of my eye I can see flames and smoke down by the shoreline. Throwing open my balcony doors I step outside and see a small bonfire on the beach with several people sitting around it. When I scan the crowd I immediately spot Hunter. His head’s tipped back and he’s laughing. This man takes my breath away; I know what I need to do now.

  After grabbing a sweatshirt I head down to the beach. As I approach, he smiles as he strides over and meets me halfway.

  “I don’t want to intrude; it’s just that I haven’t seen you all week. ” When the words roll off my tongue they sound needy.

  “Riley, you’re not intruding, I see them every day. ” He chuckles as he threads his fingers through mine. “Let me introduce you to everyone before we take a walk. ”

  “Hey guys, this is Riley. ” They all wave and say hi. I can feel my cheeks burning. He lets go of my hand as he points to each one. “This is Emma, Zoe, Alex, Connor and Grayson. ”

  “It’s nice to meet all of you; I’m sorry for interrupting. ” They’re all inviting me to join them when Hunter walks over to grab a blanket and a couple of waters from the cooler.

  “We’re going for a walk; clean up if you all decide to leave before we get back. ” We both wave as we head down the beach. “I’m sorry we haven’t seen each other since Sunday but I’ve been filling in for vacations and it’s been a crazy week. ”

  “I thought maybe I did something wrong so you were avoiding me. ” My eyes sting with the threat of tears. Dammit.

  Hunter stops walking as he turns to look at me. “Why do you always assume that you did something wrong?” He puts his warm hands around my waist, pulling me against him. Laying my cheek against his broad chest I feel his strong hands stroking my back. That’s when I lose it and feel the tears sliding down my cheeks. I feel so damn safe when I’m with him that I never want to let him go.

  He spreads out the blanket on the sand before sitting down and pulling me into his lap. His arms circle around me as he gently tucks my head under his chin. I feel the rapid beating of his heart under my cheek as I tuck my cold hands in my lap. If I could freeze one moment in time, this would be it.

  “I don’t know much about your past, Riley. But I do know that your dad left when you were young and that must have been devastating for you. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last few years it’s that we can’t blame ourselves for every bad thing that happens."

  “Did something happen in your past that you blame yourself for?” The minute it spills out of my mouth I feel his body stiffen underneath mine. I regret it immediately. “You don’t have to answer that. I’m sorry. ”

  “I blame myself because I’m still alive, and my family, everyone I love, is dead. They were killed in a car accident coming home from a wedding. A tour bus hit them head on when the driver had a heart attack. ” His body’s trembling and I know it’s not from the cold.

  “You can’t blame yourself for something you had no control over. You should never feel guilty because you’re alive and they’re not. ” Turning around I straddle his hips when our eyes lock. When I place my hands on his face I see the tears glistening in his eyes. Remembering his tattoo of the beautiful laughing boy, my heart breaks for him. “Was Brady your brother?”

  He nods. “He was only ten; he had his whole life ahead of him and in one second it was snatched from him. ” Hunter grabs my waist, setting me on the blanket before standing up and heading towards the water. He’s looking up at the stars as he shoves his hands in his pockets, I can’t even imagine what he must be feeling. When I walk slowly around him I see the tears spilling down his cheeks. As I wrap my arms around his waist, his strong arms circle around me, burying his face in my neck.

  He’s the first to walk away as he bends down to pick up the blanket. When it’s tucked under his arm he grabs my hand as we head back in silence. We’re almost home when he turns to me. “I was so happy that you came out to see me tonight and I had to spoil it by getting all emotional. I’m sorry. ”

  “You don’t ever have to apologize to me for being emotional; I’m the queen of it. ” He smiles down at me, dissolving m
e at his feet. I’m falling hard for this guy and I hope I can keep my heart from getting broken, again.

  Hunter

  It wasn’t my intention to tell her about my family on Friday night. I hadn’t seen her all week so I was hoping to spend more time kissing and touching her than talking and crying like a damn pussy. After I had my meltdown I was too depressed to be around Riley, so I thought it best to go home and call it a night.

  Saturday was a bust; I spent the day with Connor and it wasn’t pretty. It’s hard to be around him now with all his excess baggage, namely Beth. He’s my best friend, so I told him I would support him no matter what his decision is. After all, he’s been there for me since day one.

  Riley invited me to the Fourth of July party today, but Scott never did. Was that intentional on his part or did my invitation get lost in the mail? Yeah right. Fuck it; if he doesn’t want me there he can ask me to leave. It won’t be the first time.

  When I get downstairs the party’s in full swing. They have a bar set up by the pool and the catering station is off to the side, under a tent. If I had to guess on the head count I’d say there were at least one hundred and fifty people. Some of the guests have even wandered down by the beach. I can see their blankets, chairs and umbrellas set up.

  Scanning the crowd I try to catch a glimpse of Riley. This has got to be a bit overwhelming for her; it’s impossible to introduce her to all these people. Then I see her, she’s breathtaking in a white strapless sundress, which looks amazing against her lightly tanned skin. She has her hair pulled to the side with a yellow ribbon and lacy sandals to match.

  When I get closer to her I see some dude with his arm draped casually over her shoulder. Now he’s rubbing his hand up and down her arm. He looks like some rich preppy dude with khaki pants and a blue polo shirt.

  What the Fuck!

  Immediately I turn around and head for the bar. I’m on my second beer when I get the feeling that someone’s watching me. When I turn around I catch Riley staring at me, a sad smile playing on her lips. I tip the beer bottle at her as I finish it in two long pulls, slamming it on the bar as I walk away.

  Walking around the house I take the stairs two at a time. I just need the keys to my Jeep and then I’m getting the fuck out. That must have been why Scott didn’t invite me. He wants her to mingle with the rich guys her own age.

  When I turn around, Riley’s standing in the doorway…

  “You’re not going anywhere until I explain. ” She puts her little hands on my chest, shoving me back into the room, slamming the door behind her. “The guy’s name is Parker Montgomery and my dad’s trying to fix me up with him, but I invited you because I want you, not Parker. ” She’s standing there with her hands on her hips, she’s so damn sexy.

  Montgomery… why does that name sound so familiar?

  Grabbing her by the waist I pull her to me. We’re nose to nose and it takes everything in me not to assault her mouth with mine. “Your dad obviously doesn’t want us together, Riley. So he’s picked out some preppy dude to occupy your time for the summer. ”

  She wraps her arms around my neck, tugging on my hair. Standing on her tiptoes she licks my bottom lip then nips it with her teeth, causing a reaction inside my shorts. “I want you to occupy me for the summer, not Parker or anyone else my dad wants to fix me up with. ”

  Crushing her body against mine I explore her mouth with my tongue. When her tongue flicks across my bottom lip I suck it into my mouth. She tastes so fucking good, like berries and lemons. A moan escapes the back of her throat, sending me over the edge. “Riley, we need to stop or I’m going to throw you on my bed right now. ”

  She looks at me with her lust filled eyes. “What’s wrong with that?” She grabs my hand trying to pull me down the hallway.

  “We can’t do this now; there’s a party going on because of you! Scott’s probably looking for you right this second and believe me it won’t be pretty if he finds you here with me. We’ll talk later, I promise. ” She needs to go, now!

  “Can I come back up here later when the guests leave?” She looks at me with those huge eyes and my heart skips a beat.

  “Why don’t you meet me down at the beach after everyone’s gone. Here, I’ll write my number down and you can text me. ” Grabbing a sheet of paper I jot down my number and fold it into her palm.

  “I’m still learning how to text. Can I call you?” Her cheeks turn pink. Funny how they were flushed moments ago.

  “Do whatever is easiest for you. ” Kissing her lightly on the lips I fix her hair before sending her out the door.

  I’m a dead man walking.

  Chapter Nine

  Riley

  The party’s finally over, and I’m exhausted. My face hurts from wearing a fake smile for the past twelve hours. All I want to do is crawl under the sheets and sleep for days but I told Hunter I would call him. I’m thinking it’s too late to meet him at the beach so I’ll just go knock on his door and if he doesn’t answer, I’ll leave.

  Changing into a pair of yoga pants I throw on my USC shirt before heading out. Peeking up and down the hall I make sure no one’s there before sneaking out the side door. As I climb the stairs I’m thinking of the way his mouth tasted my tongue earlier and my body starts to tremble.

  I knock on his door once, twice. I’m ready to flee when suddenly the door opens.

  Oh. My. God!

  He’s standing in the doorway with no shirt, and a pair of old pajama bottoms that sit low on his hips. When he runs his hands through his hair and licks his lips, I see those blue eyes burn with passion. Hunter’s the most gorgeous man I’ve ever had the privilege to lay my eyes on.

  He scoops me up in his arms as he uses his foot to slam the door. He walks over to the couch, and sitting down he settles me in his lap. “I thought you were going to call me so I could meet you at the beach?” He whispers in my ear, his breath warm against my skin.

  “It was late and I thought it would be easier to come to you. ” I gaze into his eyes and he looks mad. “If you don’t want me, I’ll go!” I try to get up before I start to cry.

  “Oh, I want you. ” He tightly wraps his arms around me so I don’t run off. “I have never wanted anyone so badly in all my life. But it won’t happen tonight, Riley. As much as I want to throw you on my bed, tasting every inch of you, it’s too soon. ” He brushes a kiss across my cheek.

  He wants to taste every inch of me? Oh why did he have to tell me that? “Are you worried what my father would do?” I have to ask.

  “Scott doesn’t worry me, but I have a lot of respect for the both of you. I would never treat you like a bar girl who’s only good for a hook up. You mean so much more to me; I’d like to get to know you first. ” He brushes his thumb over my bottom lip.

  I want to pinch myself, because I must be dreaming. This man says he wants me and I know it’s true. I see it in his eyes. I’m the happiest girl in the world right now—until I remember the date that my dad set me up with—Parker.

  “I want to tell you more about the guy you saw me with today. ” I feel his body go rigid beneath me, so I bury my face in his neck, placing small kisses there.

  “If you keep doing that we won’t get a chance to talk about Parker. ” He groans when I nip at his earlobe.

  “He’s only around till the end of July and my dad’s determined we go out on a few dates while he’s here. I also explained to my dad that I want to see you and I told him there’s nothing he can do to stop me. ” It comes out so fast I’m hoping he heard me.

  “I must admit when I saw his arm around you today, I wanted to tear him apart. I’m not crazy about the idea but I can’t stop you from seeing him. ” He traces my jaw with his fingertips. When I gaze into his eyes I can see his desire before he crushes his mouth to mine. This time my tongue dances over his as I graze my teeth against his bottom lip. He growls as he flips me onto the couch, his hardness pressing against my thigh.

  He jumps up quickly as he wipes his hands
down the front of his pajamas. “I need to go take a cold shower,” he says as he looks down at me with a sexy grin.

  Standing up I circle my arms around his waist. “We can satisfy each other without having sex. ” I’ve never been this bold before, but I need him to know how badly I want him.

  “This is the reason I asked you to meet me at the beach; it’s too dangerous for us to be alone at my place.” Leaning his forehead against mine he takes a deep breath. “I want to lock you in my room and keep you naked for days, exploring every inch of you with my hands, fingers, mouth, and tongue. ” Every time he would name a part of his anatomy he would lick my neck. I’m beginning to think he’s just a tease!

  “I’m going to take a cold shower first, unless you want to take it together?” I wiggle my eyebrows as he shakes his head, chuckling. Grabbing my hand he pulls me to the bathroom, placing a kiss on my cheek. He then pushes me in, alone.

  After we’ve both showered, separately, we relax on the couch all cuddled up. I must admit this is nice because we’re talking and spending time getting to know each other. He was right and I was wrong. I’m glad he put on the brakes tonight but I would never admit it to him.

  Hunter

  I’m still groggy when I hear someone banging on the door. Trying to sit up I see Riley with her head pressed against my chest. I get up very quietly so I don’t wake her, placing her head gently on the pillow before walking to the door. When I open the door Scott storms past me. He sees a very tousled Riley curled up on the couch and immediately jumps to the wrong conclusion.

  “It’s not what you think, Scott. ” He looks at me, takes in my appearance, then strides over and punches me.

  Fuck that hurt!

  I run my tongue over my teeth to see if there all intact. “That’s the only shot you get, because I didn’t see it coming. If you try again, YOU will be picking yourself up off the floor. ” Riley leaps off the couch.