Selfish

by Shantel Tessier

  “Not when they are screwing.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  RYDER

  I hate to admit that the fact she turned me down for dinner stings. I thought we were getting past this bullshit. “What about Bradley?” She stands just staring at me. “Did you guys not eat dinner together?” I wanna ask her if they had sex while she was home for the week, but that may be pushing it. The thought of him touching her has my blood boiling. Mine!

  “Bradley and I are different,” she finally responds flatly.

  My jaw tightens. I don’t like the way she says are and not were. “How so?”

  “We don’t have to have rules. We just know where we both stand.”

  “And where do we stand?” I ask, pushing the subject.

  She places her hands on her hips. “Why are you making this a thing, Ryder?”

  “Because I wanna make sure we’re on the same page.” I throw her words back in her face from the first night we slept together.

  “And what is that?” she demands.

  “That you’re not out screwing other men.” I come out and say it.

  Her brows rise to her hairline. “Excuse me?” she snaps. “You can’t tell me what to do.”

  “If we are going to do this, then I’m gonna make some rules of my own. And one rule is that you do not sleep with other men.”

  Her mouth falls open as she lets out a puff of air. “Unbelievable,” she whispers.

  I step up to her. “What? Is that gonna be hard for you?” I challenge.

  Her eyes narrow on me. “Contrary to what you may believe, I’m not a whore.”

  “I never said that,” I say, shaking my head. “But if you were able to sleep with only Bradley, then you can sleep with only me.”

  “What?” she asks slowly and then shakes her head. “Bradley and I were never exclusive,” she says matter-of-factly. “We were friends who slept together. How is that hard for you to understand?”

  I frown. “So what you’re telling me is that you slept with him and he slept with you, but you both slept with other people?”

  “Yes,” she snaps.

  “God, he’s an idiot,” I whisper.

  “What?” she demands.

  I step up to her and place my hand on her soft face. I tilt her head back and look down into her blue eyes. “He’s an idiot.” Her eyes search mine as she frowns. “Anyone who is willing to share you is stupid.” I lean down, placing my lips on hers. “Now, is that a rule you can follow or not?” I question.

  “I don’t just jump every guy that I see,” she states.

  “It’s a yes or no, Ashlyn,” I growl.

  “Yes,” she snaps, “I can follow it.”

  I place my hands on her face and press my lips to hers. I kiss her deeply, and we’re both breathing heavy when I pull away. I run a hand through her hair. You’re losing your mind, Ryder. “New rule,” I decide to say. Rules are what she seems to understand. “No fighting.” It’s a stupid rule, but it’s all I can think of at the moment.

  She lets out a long breath, and after a few long seconds, she finally nods. “You can’t just kiss me every time we get into it. That’s not fair.”

  I smile but nod. “What are you doing this Friday night?”

  “Why?” she asks slowly. “Is your list so long that you need to schedule your time with me?”

  “List?”

  “Of women,” she clarifies.

  I chuckle. “You don’t sleep with anyone else. I don’t sleep with anyone else,” I say.

  “So does that mean no threesomes?” she asks, her face never changing. Is she joking?

  My dick instantly hardens. “You wanna have a threesome?” I ask, swallowing hard. She shrugs as if she couldn’t care less, and it makes me weak in the knees. “With a man or a woman?” I can’t help but ask.

  “I’m down for whatever.”

  I imagine her lying on my bed, her hands on a woman’s body as they kiss. Me standing back, watching as they play with one another, and my cock strains behind my zipper. Then I think of her on top of me, fucking me while another man stands behind her. My jaw tightens. I refuse to share. “No. Not even threesomes. Just you and me.”

  She smiles as if she’s satisfied with that answer, and I feel like I just passed some secret test. “So back to Friday.”

  “What about it?” she asks, letting out a puff of air.

  “It’s my birthday party.”

  “Oh,” she says truly surprised.

  “I want you to come. It’s not a date. Just friends.” My birthday was over a week ago, but this is the first chance I have to do anything for it.

  “Absolutely.”

  I place my hands on her face and lean in to kiss her lips, gently this time. Just our lips touching. “Now, I get to ask a question.”

  “What is it with you and these questions?”

  This is my way to get to know her better. “Red wine or white wine?”

  “White,” she answers without hesitation.

  “White it is, then.”

  “What …?”

  I press my lips to hers and part my lips, letting her know I wanna take it further. She doesn’t disappoint as she opens up for me.

  Have you ever kissed someone and just feel ... something that you’ve never felt before? The only way I can explain it is like a shock to my insides. Like she’s set me on fire with just one match.

  I pull away and whisper against her lips. “I wanna take you back to bed,” I admit.

  “You’ll be late.”

  “It’ll be worth it.” At this point, I may just call in sick.

  ASHLYN

  I left Ryder’s apartment and went down to ours as he left for work. An hour late. He told me he wanted to stay in bed with me all day, but his phone kept blowing up. I knew it wasn’t an option, even if I wanted it to be.

  I went straight to my room and fell face first onto my bed, letting out a long breath. This is a horrible mistake. I keep telling myself that, but for some reason, I don’t stop it. My tight muscles remind me why I haven’t stopped.

  He’s like an addiction, and like most addictions, he may be my downfall. I roll over onto my back when I hear my phone ring. It’s Bradley, and I answer with a smile.

  “Hey, princess,” he says in greeting. “How are things going in the Big Apple?”

  “Great so far,” I say with a laugh. “I got the job.”

  “See. I told you not to worry,” he says, and I can hear the smile in his voice. “I knew you would rock that interview. We will celebrate when I come visit this weekend.”

  I smile at the thought of getting to see him. “I miss you,” I say with a frown. I wasn’t lying when I told Ryder that Bradley and I are different because we are.

  “I miss you too, princess, and so does Harry. I went over to your mother’s yesterday, and he sat at the front door as if he was waiting for you to come in after me. Although he looked funny with the cone around his head.”

  “I miss my little man too.”

  “Well, we will both be there this Saturday.” Harry had to stay behind because he had an appointment to be neutered. Bradley was with me when I called the vet and made the appointment over a month ago. He said he would bring him with him when he came to visit. It was my only option for Harry.

  “What time do you come in again? I’ll pick you up at the airport.”

  “You don’t have a car,” he reminds me.

  I snort. “I can take a cab.”

  “No, don’t do that. Harry and I will catch a cab and meet you at the apartment. I know what New York traffic is like, and I know you have no patience.”

  I laugh. Bradley had lived here when he was younger. He moved to Seattle when he lost both his parents and had to move in with his grandparents in Seattle. “You could have warned me about the cabs. I swear they wanna kill me.”

  “You get used to it.”

  “Everyone keeps saying that, but I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to my life being in dang
er.”

  He laughs some more. “Well, I won’t keep you, princess. I just wanted to see how it was going. Congratulations on your new job and I will see you this weekend. Love you.”

  I smile. “Love you too.” I hang up and hear our doorbell ring. I hear voices and then Becca’s laugh. I get out of bed and make my way into the living room and to the kitchen. Becca is setting two large bouquets of what looks like fresh fruits on the counter.

  “What is that?” I ask.

  She points at the one closest to me on the counter. “That one’s for you.”

  “What?” She doesn’t respond as she reads a card, so I go over to it and open it up.

  This is your New York welcome package.

  Ryder.

  There’s a gift certificate in it for a place called Rosie’s. No price listed. “Becca? What is this?” I ask, throwing it down onto the countertop. I pluck one of the fruits off the stick and stick a pineapple in my mouth. Mmmmm. So good.

  “Ryder got us spa days at Rosie’s,” she declares with a big smile on her face. “God, I haven’t been there in forever.”

  I sigh. Gifts? I hate gifts. “I see that. What is Rosie’s?”

  “It’s a spa. A very upscale salon and spa. Jaycent’s sister owns it.” She’s overly excited, and I get a sick feeling about it.

  “Is this place expensive?” I ask stupidly. Of course, it is. She bites her bottom lip as she looks away from me. “Dammit, Ryder.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  RYDER

  I’m sitting at my desk going over some emails when my phone goes off. I lean back in my seat and smile when I see it’s Ashlyn. “Hello, sweetheart. Miss me already?”

  “Why did you send me a gift?” she demands in greeting.

  My smile widens. “Most women would just say thank you.”

  “I’m not like most women,” she barks.

  I know! “You’re welcome.” She huffs. “How about you thank me properly tonight?” I offer.

  “Ryder,” she growls. “I’m serious. This is not a joke.”

  “Good because I’m not joking,” I tell her.

  “No.”

  “Why are you making things so difficult?” I ask.

  “Why are you trying to break every rule we have?” she counters.

  I snort. “There were no rules about how many days a week I could see you.” I can hear her growl, and I refrain from laughing. “Now, let me take you out tonight.”

  “No. I said no dates.”

  “It’s not a date,” I promise her. “Me, you, Becca, and Jaycent can go out. Show you the nightlife of New York. It’ll be fun,” I add.

  “I don’t know,” she mumbles as if her mouth is full.

  “Are you enjoying the fruit bouquet?” I ask with laughter.

  “Yes,” she admits with a sigh as if that was hard for her.

  I laugh harder. “Good. But about tonight. You might as well just say yes. Because if you don’t, then I’ll message Becca about going out, and she will bug you until you break.”

  “Fine!” she says reluctantly, and I fist pump the empty air.

  “Okay. I’ll come down to get you girls around eight.” Before she can change her mind, I hang up.

  I hear a knock on the door and holler, “Come in.”

  My father walks in with a file in his hand. “I have the Anderson file,” he says, tossing it onto my desk.

  I nod. “I’ll look over it later,” I say, ignoring the file that I am now regretting. It’s a grenade that can go off at any moment.

  “What’s wrong with you?” he asks.

  “Nothing.”

  “You’re lying,” he states. “You were late this morning.” I don’t respond to that statement. He sits down in the chair across from my desk. I sigh, wishing he would just leave. “Spill.”

  “Nothing is wrong, and I’m not in the mood to have the talk,” I say flatly.

  “The talk?” he asks arching a brow.

  “Yeah, the talk where you tell me not to fuck this Anderson deal up.” I hate that it ever got thrown my way.

  He tilts his head to the side as if confused by my attitude, but he does as I say by standing and then walking out the door. I look down at the file and sigh. This is gonna fuck me over in the worst way.

  ***

  It’s eight o’clock on the dot when I knock on their apartment door. My sister answers the door with a smile on her face, and I frown at what she is wearing. “That’s what you’re wearing out?” Somehow, over the last four years, my sister has become a woman. I don’t like it!

  She frowns. “What’s wrong with it?” she asks, looking down at the blue dress that barely reaches her thighs and hangs low in the front to show off her cleavage. I may have to burn my eyes.

  “There’s not enough to it,” I say, and she hits me in the arm.

  She laughs and rolls her eyes. “Get inside.”

  I look down at my watch. “Are you ladies ready?” I ask, looking around the apartment.

  “I am. Ashlyn is still getting ready.”

  I start to walk off to her room as I hear the doorbell ring. I ignore it and let Becca get it, knowing that it’s Jaycent. I turn the corner and walk down the hallway. I walk into her bedroom after seeing her door is open.

  “Ashlyn?” I call out when I don’t see her.

  “One second,” she calls back from the bathroom behind the shut door.

  I sit down at the end of her bed as I fix my white tie. I’m debating on taking the thing off when the bathroom door opens. I look over just as she exits. “I didn’t know how to dress. Is this okay?” she asks turning towards me.

  I look over her body as if in awe. She wears a black lace halter dress. It looks sexy yet covers her body at the same time. “You look … amazing,”

  “Really?” She turns and looks at herself in the floor-length mirror. “I feel it’s too …”

  “No!” I say standing. I walk up behind her and pull her blond hair off her shoulder as I lean down and place my lips on her neck. I gently kiss it, and the smell of vanilla almost knocks me off my feet. “It’s perfect,” I whisper.

  She turns around in my arms and looks up at me. “You have to stop doing that,” she whispers.

  “Why?” I ask, reaching up and cupping her face. “Am I affecting you the same way you’re affecting me?” I ask.

  She swallows as those blue eyes search mine. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “You’re a horrible liar,” I say with a smile.

  Just then a knock comes at the door. “Let’s go, guys,” I hear Jaycent call out.

  “Coming,” I say loudly, making her jump. I give her one last smile, grabbing her hand and pull her out of the room.

  We pile into the back of my Cadillac, and Milton climbs into the driver’s seat. I instruct him on our destination, and he pulls into traffic. My sister and Jaycent talk among themselves, but I don’t hear a single word they say. My eyes are on Ashlyn as she sits beside me. She has her legs crossed over one another, and her hands rest on her lap as they hold her little purse.

  My eyes start at her black heels and move up her thin, smooth legs to the hem of her dress. It stops on her upper thighs in the position she sits in. She has her long blond hair pulled over her right shoulder. She licks her plump red lips, and my cock hardens.

  I readjust myself unabashed, and her eyes fall to my lap. She looks away quickly as her cheeks turn the same shade of her lips. I smile and pull my cell out of my pocket.

  Me: That’s what you do to me.

  She digs into her purse and pulls out her phone. She bites her bottom lip before she starts to type.

  Ashlyn: Seems like a personal problem to me.

  I laugh.

  Me: Thankfully, you can fix it.

  Ashlyn: You sound so sure of yourself.

  Me: I’m very confident that, by the end of this night, you will be naked in my bed. Just like you were last night.

  She reads it and rolls her eyes as
she places her phone back in her purse without answering. I just laugh.

  Twenty minutes later, we pull up to the Mainor Hotel. We exit the car and make our way inside. “This is a hotel,” she says as she looks at the people walking around and the bellhop carrying their luggage. People line up at the desk to check in.

  “Yes,” I agree.

  She remains quiet as we make our way to the rooftop. The elevator is packed, and I hold her back tightly to my front. She wiggles her ass on purpose, and my cock hardens. I lean down and whisper in her ear. “You’re gonna pay for that later.”

  She laughs softly. “Promises. Promises.”

  “If I keep one thing, it’s my promises.”

  The doors open and people usher their way out onto the rooftop. We come to a line where a bouncer wearing a black tie, black button-down, and black dress slacks stands on the other side of a red rope with a clipboard.

  “Come on,” I say, pulling on her hand and walking around the line.

  “Ry, man,” he says as he looks up and sees me. “Jaycent. What brings you guys out this evening?” he asks.

  I let go of her hand to give him a one-handed bro-hug. “Thought we would come out for the night,” I say as he does the same with Jaycent.

  “It’s been a long time,” he says to Jaycent.

  I reach back and grab Ashlyn’s hand again. “It has,” Jaycent says before he drapes his arm over Becca’s shoulder.

  I open my mouth to ask him what the hell but close it when I see our old friend eyeing her up and down. He’s just trying to make her look taken, and I’m fine with that.

  He lifts the red rope and gestures behind him. “Go ahead, guys. I’ll come and find you later.”

  “Thanks, man,” I say.

  “Wow,” Ashlyn says with her mouth hanging open when we step onto the black concrete. “This is a bar?” she asks in amazement.

  “Yep,” I answer. “Do you like it?”

  She looks over at the far right where six bushes line the glass rail. In front of the bushes is a water fountain. To the left is the bar with high-top tables set up along the glass rail. She looks up at me with a big smile on her face. “I love it.” She doesn’t let go of my hand as she makes her way through the crowd. We leave Jaycent and Becca as I allow her to pull me straight ahead to the glass railing.