by R. Linda
“He didn’t?” I gasped. I was angry at Chace for stooping that low, but I guessed he knew he wouldn’t have had a chance against Ryder if it was a fair fight.
“He did, but it’s fine. He’s a lot worse off than me anyway.” Ryder grinned, and I nodded. I was surprisingly glad that Chace was hurt more than Ryder. I’d never been one to condone violence, but Chace needed his arse kicked. How could I have ever loved him?
Loved? Not love. Loved? I don’t even like him anymore. In fact, I thoroughly despised him. Oh my God! I am over him. When did this happen?
“Bailey? Hey, are you listening?” Ryder was saying something, but I hadn’t heard him. My mind was focused on the fact that not only did I despise Chace, but I no longer loved him. I felt free. Like a weight had been lifted. It’s funny, I always thought that expression was stupid, but it was true. I felt lighter, happier, and no longer cared. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Oh, uhm, nothing, I just…I’m…I…I never mind,” I stuttered. I didn’t want to tell Ryder what I had just realised. I think I was worried that if I told him, he would want to pull the plug on this whole fake relationship, but I wasn’t ready for that. Even though I didn’t love Chace anymore, it still hurt knowing he chose Christina over me, but that pain disappeared when Ryder was around. Besides, I’d gotten so used to him being in my life, I didn’t want to lose him yet. I knew that when we would eventually break up, we would have to keep our distance. You couldn’t remain friends with an ex, even if he was a fake ex. I didn’t want to lose Ryder as a friend. When did this whole thing get so complicated and messy?
“Hey, we’re here. Damn it, Bailey. What’s wrong? You’ve been silent since I told you what happened. I’m sorry I punched him if that’s what’s got you upset.” He reached over and grabbed my hand.
Upset? No, I wasn’t upset. Well, I was but not about him punching Chace again. Chace deserved it.
“No, it’s not that. He deserves it anyway. Uhm, I just, I…” I started to tell him I realised I was over Chace, but I chickened out. “Are you sure you’re okay? Wanna come in and let me patch that up?” I asked hopefully. He gave me a confused look before shaking his head.
“Nah. It’s fine. Nothing I can’t fix myself.” He smiled that half smile of his when something amused him.
“Oh, okay. Well, I’ll see you tomorrow? And tomorrow night, yeah?” I asked nervously. My stomach fluttered at the idea of a date with Ryder, and even though it was fake, I was looking forward to it. Only, I wasn’t sure he was anymore. Not after Chace’s jump.
“Of course. I really want to piss him off now.” Ryder’s voice had dropped to a low growl. “If you still want to go?” he asked, releasing my hand and putting both of his on the steering wheel.
He looked…I didn’t know how he looked. Not angry or sad. Defeated, maybe. Like he was losing a game. I didn’t like that look. I liked the happy Ryder. The fun Ryder. The confident Ryder.
“Yes,” I whispered before leaning over and turning his face to mine. “I want to go still.”
I crushed my mouth to his, catching us both off guard, but it only took a second before one of his hands found its way around my neck, and he was winding his fingers into my hair. His other hand was digging into my hips, pulling me closer. I realised that I was kissing him outside of my house, where we no longer needed to pretend. I tried to pull away, but Ryder held me closer. I had no choice but to just enjoy the moment and hope it didn’t ruin things.
Ryder released his grip, and I pulled back, leaving us both panting for breath. I opened the door and climbed out of the car before he could see my embarrassment or question why I’d kissed him just then. I couldn’t answer him if he did. I didn’t know why I’d done it.
I didn’t turn around until I was inside and closing the front door, but Ryder was still parked in my driveway, and I could see him tracing his fingers over his lips while they curled into a small smile. Just as I was about close the door completely, he stuck his head out the window with a big grin on his face.
“See you in the a.m., love.”
Chapter Thirteen
It was six o’clock, and I was nervously pacing up and down by the front door. Where was Ryder? He was never late, well, except for class. And yesterday when Chace jumped him. I hoped nothing was wrong, and I hoped he didn’t think that the kiss yesterday was real. He seemed fine at school. In fact, he seemed happier and like he wanted nothing more than to hang around with me. He was a little more hands-on today, a little sweeter, and more attentive. It was weird. He’d always been attentive and kind and the perfect boyfriend, but it was different today, and I had no clue why.
I didn’t know what I was thinking when I kissed him. I just panicked at the thought of him finding out I was no longer in love with Chace and that he wouldn’t want to continue being my fake boyfriend and wouldn’t want to get back at Chace for whatever it was he had done. I needed to ask him about that, too. I’d never really questioned why he wanted payback.
“You look lovely, sweetheart. Going out?” My mother’s voice interrupted my thoughts. I turned to see her standing in the hallway smiling at me and eyeing my outfit. I had decided on a pair of black stiletto ankle boots, black leggings, and a tight black lace dress that sat just off one shoulder.
“Uh, yeah. I left a note on the kitchen table. Didn’t want to interrupt you while you were working.”
“A date?”
“What? No. Just hanging out with a friend.” I couldn’t tell her I had a fake boyfriend who I was using to get payback on Chace. She was pretty relaxed about everything, but I was sure she would kill me for that. She raised her eyebrow at me, clearly not believing me.
“With that boy who’s been driving you to and from school every day?”
“Yes, I’m hanging out with Ryder.” I rolled my eyes. I thought I’d been stealthy. Clearly a career as a ninja was not in my future.
“Where are you going?”
“Uh, there’s a new chick flick at the drive-in,” I said, peering out of the window because I could hear a car rumbling out the front. He had finally arrived.
“Oh, honey, that’s a date. No boy who is just a friend will ever sit through a chick flick, particularly at the drive-in, unless they are trying to impress the girl. Not ever.” She laughed and started walking toward the door.
“What are you doing?” I asked when she reached for the doorknob.
“Well, I think I should meet the boy who has helped my daughter move on. The boy who is taking my daughter on a date.” She smiled.
“No, please. Not yet, it’s—” I was cut off by a knock at the door. I shoved her out of my way and opened it slowly to see Ryder standing there with a black eye, nervously chewing on his lip ring and wearing black skinny jeans and a plain white holey t-shirt showing off the scattered tattoos on his arms. Why was that so freaking sexy?
“Hi.” I tried not to open the door too wide so my mother couldn’t embarrass me.
“Hi. Ready?”
“Hi, you must be Ryder.” My mum pushed me aside and greeted him, smiling warmly, which surprised me for some reason.
“Ah, yes. Hi, Mrs. Mitchell.” He put his hand out to shake my mother’s. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Polite. I like that. So you’re taking my daughter on a date?” I groaned and rolled my eyes at her attempt at being a concerned mother. Pushing past her, I grabbed Ryder by the shirt and tried to drag him away, but he just chuckled and nodded.
“Yes, I am. We’re going to watch a movie. It won’t be a late night.” He smiled at her.
“Okay, well have fun but not too much.” She narrowed her eyes at him. I just shook my head in disbelief. “Bailey knows her curfew.” Ryder acknowledged her with a tilt of his head and turned away, but just as I made to follow him, my mother grabbed me. Oh no, here we go.
“I know my curfew, Mum? Really? I don’t have one.”
“Yes, and you know that. Just trying the protective parenting thing out. What do you thin
k?” I sighed and waited for her to continue. “Holey t-shirts, facial piercings, tattoos, Bailey.” She raised her eyebrow at me then smiled. “Have never looked so good. Have fun.” She winked and closed the door in my face. What? I thought for sure she was going to say something about them. Guess I was wrong.
Shaking my head and laughing, I made my way to the car. No, not car. It was a truck. A truck with big spotlights on the roof. It was huge. I pulled open the door and climbed into it, almost needing to jump. “I thought we were going to the drive-in, not hunting,” I joked.
Ryder just rolled his eyes.
“You want to be comfortable when we’re watching this trash, don’t you?”
“Yeah, but how does this help?” I gestured to the truck.
“You’ll see.” He smiled that dimple-flashing smile that I was beginning to love as he pulled out of my driveway. “You look hot by the way.” I found myself blushing at that comment for some reason.
“Uhm, thanks, you look good too. Didn’t have a new t-shirt without holes?” Reaching over, I poked my finger in one of the holes on his chest and gasped. His chest was hard and smooth. He grabbed my hand and twisted his fingers through mine before resting them on his knee. I felt a strange thrumming in my heart and couldn’t hide the smile forming on my face.
“This is new. I bought it like this. Why do you think I was late? I had to shop for new clothes and trade cars with Jayden,” he told me seriously.
“You paid good money for that shirt?” I joked. I was kind of surprised he’d gone to so much trouble for a fake date.
“You don’t like it?” He glanced at me and squeezed my hand on his knee.
“I do. Only you can make a holey t-shirt look good. Kind of like your plaid shirts and skinny jeans. No one should look like you do in them,” I admitted, feeling his hand squeeze mine tighter and watching the smile spread across his face.
“So you think I look good?” He smirked.
“You know you do.” I was not admitting that I thought he was hot as hell. He’d have too much fun with that.
When we pulled up to the ticket booth at the drive-in, I got out my purse to pay for myself, but Ryder refused to let me. “The guy always pays for his date. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I let you pay for yourself?” he said, pushing my hand away when I tried to give him money.
“Uhm, a fake one?” I laughed.
“Just shut up,” he said, accepting his change. “How close do you want to get to them?” he asked, talking about Chace and Christina.
“Whatever.” I shrugged as he drove around looking for where Chace had parked his car. I had almost forgotten that we were going there for them and that it wasn’t a real date.
He found them in the middle row. There was an empty spot in the row in front of them a couple of spaces down, so Ryder reversed the monster truck into place between the two much smaller cars.
“Uhm, we’re facing the wrong way,” I said when I realised we were looking at the back of the drive-in almost directly at Chace’s car and not at the screen.
“No, we’re not. Here, you wanna go buy snacks and drinks and I’ll get everything ready here?” He handed me some money. I climbed out of the truck, wondering what he needed to set up, but didn’t question him on it. He clearly had a plan.
The queue for the candy bar was huge and seemed to be moving at a snail’s pace. If it took too much longer, I’d miss the start of the movie. I suddenly felt a warm body press up against me and arms wrap around my waist. I immediately tensed and was about shove away whoever was behind me when I saw the simple leather cuff on his wrist and heard his gravelly voice in my ear.
“Relax, love.” Ryder pressed his face into the crook of my neck, and I instantly relaxed back into his chest. “Just seeing what was taking so long. I was getting bored by myself.”
“The line is taking forever. We’re going to miss the movie. Sorry.” I placed my arms over his, acutely aware that we probably didn’t need to be acting so coupley right then when there was no one we knew watching.
“That’s okay. I’m not here to look at the movie.” His arms tightened around my waist as he placed a kiss on the top of my shoulder.
“I know. We’re here because of Chace.” I sighed, knowing that was why we were there and feeling a little disappointed that if it wasn’t for that, I knew we wouldn’t be hanging out. And I liked hanging out with Ryder.
Ryder took a deep breath and mumbled, “Yeah. Chace.”
He went quiet after that, not saying anything. Just tracing patterns on my stomach through my dress and occasionally pressing kisses to my shoulder. We finally reached the front of the line and ordered our drinks, popcorn, and some mixed lollies before heading back to where we were parked.
Who would have thought a month ago that I would be this comfortable in Ryder’s presence, enjoying holding his hand, touching him, and even kissing him? What would happen when this ended? Would we stay friends or go back to never talking?
We got to the truck, and Ryder walked over to open the tailgate. “C’mon.”
He held his hand out for me and pulled me toward him.
“Up you get.” He smiled as I turned to look at the back of the truck.
“Wow.” I looked back at him, impressed. The back of the truck was filled with pillows and blankets, creating a soft, fluffy bed for us to relax in while watching the movie.
“Told you I knew what I was doing.” He suddenly lifted me by the hips and sat me on the tailgate. “Now get comfy.” He climbed in behind me as I shuffled further back to the pillows and leant against the back window of the truck.
“Uh-huh, and how many girls have you done this for?” I teased. I didn’t actually want to know the answer. In fact, I was dreading the answer. I hoped that I was the only one he’d done this for—that I was special.
“Only you, love.” He smiled and stared into my eyes for a moment before shaking his head as if to clear it.
“Good,” I whispered, hoping he didn’t hear. If he did, he ignored it.
“Chace saw me before.” Ryder frowned while getting comfortable beside me.
“What? Why didn’t you tell me? What happened? You didn’t fight again, did you?” I sat up straight and turned to look at him.
“Nothing happened. He tried to start something when I told him I was here with you, but I know you don’t like me fighting him, so I walked away. I didn’t hit him, I swear.” He clenched his jaw when he said that and held his hands up in defence.
“Why not?” I asked. He raised his eyebrows at me, giving me a look as if I was stupid. I wasn’t stupid, was I?
“Because I know what he means to you still, and I know you don’t want to see him hurt. As much as I want to beat the living daylights out of him for what he did to you and to…” He trailed off, closing his eyes, his jaw still clenched tightly. I reached out and wrapped my hands around his.
“You’re an idiot,” I said, twisting my fingers through his, ignoring the look of surprise on his face. How could he still think I was worried or gave a damn about Chace? Oh right, I hadn’t told him.
“It’s not him I don’t want to see hurt. It’s you.” I let go of one of his hands and reached up to trace my fingers from the cut above his eyebrow, over the bruise on his cheek, and down to the split in his lip. “I don’t want you to get hurt because of me.”
“I’d let him hit me every day in a jealous fit of rage if it meant you were getting back at him for hurting you. If it meant he was feeling just a sliver of what he made you feel.”
My heart stammered, and my mouth dropped. He’d do that for me? Insert swoon here.
“I honestly couldn’t care less about Chace anymore. It’s not about getting payback for me anymore. I don’t care. It’s about getting back at him for whatever he did to you and—” I stopped talking when I saw the smile on his lips. Suddenly those lips were on mine with such force that I fell backwards into the bed of soft pillows with Ryder half on top of me.
“Well
, that was rather enthusiastic of you.” I laughed when he removed his mouth from mine.
“Sorry, I got a bit carried away.” His fingers brushed the hair off my forehead. His green eyes stared into mine as he hovered above me. “Did you mean it?”
“What?” I asked, unable to look away from his eyes, which were darkening dramatically every second.
“That you don’t care about Chace anymore?” Oh, that. I didn’t mean to say that because I didn’t want Ryder to leave me yet. He had helped me so much, and I was afraid I would go backwards if he were gone.
“I’m still pissed at him, and it still hurts that he treated me like that, but yes, I meant it. I don’t care about him anymore because of you. And now I want to help you get your revenge. He deserves everything he gets.” I smiled, admitting the truth and hoping like hell he didn’t want to end our fake relationship.
“You have no idea how glad I am to hear that,” he whispered, dipping his head and bringing his lips to mine again. I instantly curled my hands into his hair how he liked it, tugging gently. I opened my mouth for him. I felt his tongue pressing against my lips. It was warm and smooth in my mouth, and I had this sudden need to have him closer. Desire flooded my body. I brought my leg up and hooked it over his hips, causing him to lower all of his weight on top of me. What was he doing to me?
“Bailey.” He groaned against my lips before trailing soft kisses down my neck and along my collarbone, forcing an involuntary moan from my mouth. “You need to stop doing that. I’m barely in control right now.”
“Doing what?” I moaned when I felt his hand grip my thigh closer to his waist while his teeth grazed across my shoulder.
“Stop wiggling beneath me. I can feel every inch of your body,” he hissed between kisses. “And stop pulling on my hair. I like it too much.” He kissed back up my neck, his teeth skimming my ear, making me moan again. “And please stop making those noises. They’re turning me on.” He brought his mouth back to mine, roughly pushing his tongue through my parted lips before I could even comprehend what he’d said. Was I turning him on? Oh!