Impacted (Conflicted Encounters #2)

by Alyne Roberts

  After a few songs, a felt strong hands wrap around my waist. "You know what your body does to me," Ryder breathed in my ear. He pressed into my back, proving his point. His hands burned through the fabric of my dress, and I instantly wanted to be back in our room.

  A switch in songs caused us to break. We headed to the bar that was lit up with candles and string lights. The bartender handed Scarlett two tall glasses of light green liquid. I smiled when I smelled the mint and as the sourness touched my lips. Ryder winked at me and handed the guys each a bottle of beer.

  A soft melody played through the speakers. It was Rascal Flatts’, I Won't Let Go. I included this song with dancing with Ryder in mind. It spoke volumes of how I felt for him at the time. I wasn't willing to walk away from what we had, no matter what. We had been through way too much to become nothing.

  We suffered in our way and healed each other at the same time. He comforted me and held me together when I felt like my whole world was caving in. He wasn't able to stop the walls from collapsing in on me. They did, they crashed and crumbled on top of me. I emerged a completely changed person. I stood up from the rumble of my destroyed world, someone better, because I was in love with Ryder Brooks.

  "Dance?" he asked, holding his hand out for me.

  I nodded as he led me out to the dance floor. Effortlessly, he spun me around, making my skirt spin out. He pulled me back into his body, and I wrapped my hand around the back of his neck. His dark eyes bored into mine and I couldn't look away as he lowered his lips to mine. My body tingled with the contact and I had an epiphany. I would never get used to him. I would always feel like this when he touched or kissed me. I wouldn't have it any other way.

  The sound of whistles and shouts broke our contact. Ryder growled as I laughed at our friends that cheered us on from the edge of the dance floor. The song ended and I leaned up on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

  'I love you," I whispered.

  "I love you, more," he said back.

  "Let's trash this dress!" Scarlett shouted.

  I laughed and a man in hotel uniform came out with the containers of paint I requested. Scarlett started skipping off to the beach while we all grabbed drinks and some paint. Even the random party crashers joined in, following us and we chased her down to the water. Scarlett grinned as I approached her with a container of red paint.

  "Do it," she teased. I did. I flung the cup and red paint splattered all over her dress and face.

  She laughed and grinned as she wiped the paint off her face so she could see. It was too soon, because streams of blue, green, and purple splashed over her. She looked like a kid's art project with the most breathtaking backdrop of the ocean behind her. We continued our attack, ruining the dress she thought she would walk down the aisle in.

  We completely destroyed the garment we spent hours trying to find. It was caked in paint and sand and ripped to shreds. Scarlett waded into the tide to escape the assault and tinted the ocean with a swirl of colors. In a way, it was fitting. She would never wear this if she found her forever. This was a memory; a nightmare that needed to be destroyed and erased.

  When all the ivory was covered, we started to shred at the fabric. The tulle fabric was delicate enough to rip off into a short skirt and her garter belt was exposed. Her hair was dripping and stuck to her face with paint. I was glad I kept the photographer to capture this moment.

  We danced into the early morning. Fruity and tropical drinks were consumed. Ryder's body stayed glued to mine as I became lost in the music and magical surroundings. Logan and Caleb had paint on them from Scarlett, and my face hurt from smiling. The old Scarlett was poking through, and I just hoped she decided to stick around.

  "As amazing as you look in that dress, I need you out of it," Ryder said in my ear. I nodded and dragged him off to our room.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Ryder

  I pushed Kallie into the door while I fumbled in my pockets for the room card. I pulled my lips from her to see the slot and she sucked on my earlobe. I was using every ounce of self-restraint I had in my body, and she was killing me. The door flung open and I grabbed her before she fell to the floor. I kicked the door closed and shoved her into the room.

  I spun her slowly around, taking in every inch of her body. I slowly undid the laces that were tied at her lower back. I loosened the back of the dress, careful not to rip it off of her like I wanted to. I let the fabric fall down her body and pool in a heap at her feet. I spun her around and looked down at her body. She was in a nude bra and thong. Simple but sexy.

  Kallie's fingers worked my buttons and slid the shirt off my shoulders. I let her undo my shorts and tug them down my legs. When I was only in my boxers and she was standing in her bra and panties, I inched her back to the bed. I picked her up by the waist and pulled her against me. Her legs wrapped around my waist, and I crawled up the bed. Once I had her rested on her back, I stared down at her.

  Her breathing was fast, with her chest rising and falling quickly. Her lips were pink and wet. Blue eyes stared up into mine, confident and unyielding. I pulled the clip out of her blonde hair so it spread out on the red pillowcase. She was absolutely breath taking, and she was all mine. I could see the want, need, and love storming in her eyes.

  "Baby, you need to touch me," she whimpered. I smiled and tugged my boxers off.

  I slid my hand behind her and she arched her back, making her chest rub on mine. I unclasped her bra and threw it to the floor. Reaching down, I found the thin straps holding a tiny piece of lace over what I needed most. I wrapped the string around my finger and tugged, ripping the fabric off her.

  She gasped and I caught it with my mouth. I kissed her gently and tenderly. My tongue slowly licked her lips. At a tantalizingly slow pace, I tasted and teased her. She was squirming below me, and I pinned her down with my body. I would have taken her fast and hard, but I wanted to savor her like I didn't have to let go in the morning.

  "Patience, baby," I said in her ear.

  "I want you," she whined.

  "You have me. I promise."

  I tickled my fingers down her rib cage, stopping to trace the feather tattoo. A trail of goosebumps followed my touch, and I was fascinated by the effect of my hands. I tested them, running my touch back up her body and across her stomach. They followed, and I quickly changed direction to wipe over them.

  Kallie watched me tease the goosebumps in a game of follow the leader. Her crystal blue eyes turned a darker color, looking like sapphires. I kissed her jaw line and nibbled her collar bone. I was harder than I’d have ever been. I was never one to prolong the wait if I didn't have to. I pushed in between her legs, letting her wetness coat me.

  She gasped and tilted her hips up to meet me. I slowly pushed into her, filling her up and watching her eyes go wide at the intrusion. I watched her eyes fall back in her head as I pulled out and pushed in slowly once again.

  "Eyes open, love," I told her.

  They popped open and locked on to me. I felt captivated and connected to her, not just physically. I could see the love when I looked at her. It was the love I feared she didn't know that she felt. I could see it now, crystal clear. I held on to the high that I felt and slowly rocked into her.

  "I love you," I whispered.

  "I love you, too," she gasped. "So much."

  I never switched up my speed or position. I continued my slow assault while I told her everything I was feeling. I whispered about never letting go and wanting to see her face every morning. I told her how much I missed her any time we were apart. I felt her tighten around me with every word. She was getting close and it was from the words, not the motion of our love making.

  She was so tight around me, and I fought back my own release. When her insides clutched tightly, I knew she was hanging on by a thread.

  "You're mine. Forever," I growled before I pushed in hard, and her screams filled the room.

  I pumped and came inside her. Her walls clamped down and pulsed around
me, prolonging my own climax. Her nails dug into my shoulders as she clung to me. She shouted my name, and I held her as her body shook and trembled around me. I pressed my mouth to hers, swallowing her cries.

  I rested my forehead on her chest while I listened to her heart rate and breathing return to normal. I slowly pulled out of her and looked up at her satisfied smile. I pressed a quick kiss to her forehead before getting off the bed. Returning with a towel to clean her off, I crawled into the bed behind her. I pulled her tightly into my chest and quickly fell asleep.

  I felt the cool breeze brushing across my bare chest. Light filled the room and I blinked repeatedly to adjust to the brightness. The bed was cold and empty where it once was warm and occupied with a very sexy body. I rolled to my back and saw Kallie standing on the patio. She was wrapped in a long robe and the breeze blew it around her legs.

  The sky was pink with the rising sun. I tossed the covers off my body, pulled on my boxers, and walked up behind her. She flinched when my hands wrapped around her waist and rested on her stomach. I brushed her hair off her shoulder with my nose and placed a kiss to the side of neck. Her body relaxed and she leaned back into me.

  "What you doing out here?" I asked.

  "Just enjoying the view," she told me. We stood quietly, watching the sunrise over the ocean.

  "What's on your mind?" I finally asked. I could almost hear her mind working.

  "Everything is so beautiful," she sighed.

  I laughed. "And that's a problem?"

  "No," she shook her head. "What happens when all this disappears? When the paradise around us is gone and we're back in Ohio?"

  I spun her quickly around to look at her face. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she looked down at her feet. Using my finger, I tilted her chin up so she made eye contact with me.

  "Nothing will change," I urged.

  "Change from what? From now? Or from when we left?"

  Maybe she's not as smart as I thought she was. "From now. I want you and I'm not letting you go again. What, you think that I'm just caught up in the moment and I'll change my mind once reality crashes down on me?"

  She shrugged. "I just don't want to hurt like that ever again."

  I kissed her. Hard and with all the passion I could give her. "I never wanted to push you away. I was afraid of letting you leave again and having it destroy me all over again. But, I solved that problem. I just won't ever let you go."

  She smiled and threw her arms around my neck, almost knocking me over. I put my hand on the back of her head and held her close to me. I felt complete. I felt good enough, even though I never could be.

  "Move in with me," I said into her hair.

  She pulled back and looked at me shocked. "Really?"

  "Yes," I laughed, honestly reconsidering her brilliance. "I always want to be with you. I want to fall asleep with you in my arms every night. I want to wake up and make you coffee every morning. I don't ever want to feel like I do when you are gone."

  I watched her eyes water over, and I wanted to kick myself. I hated it when she cried and I never wanted to see tears on her face ever again.

  "Okay," she whispered. I smiled and lifted her off the ground. I spun her in a circle and kissed her tenderly. I would never need to rush with her again. I could have this over and over again.

  After a shower together, Kallie convinced me to leave the room. I tried to argue that we should get the most bang for our buck with the room and stay in it all day. She wasn't buying it and made me meet with the rest of our group for breakfast. I glared at her when we walked up and no one even noticed. They were all so hungover; we could have stayed in and no one would’ve even know.

  The day was spent lounging by the pool. We took turns chatting with my sister to keep her mind busy. The girls tanned in the sun and the wait staff kept us supplied with water all day. We ate a lunch poolside, and I was teased with Kallie's half naked and wet body for far too long. By dinner, the hangovers wore off and we had dinner at a beachside restaurant outside of the resort. Logan's mood improved, while Scarlett's plummeted.

  "Go talk to her," Kallie whispered as we walked from the cab into the lobby.

  "What am I supposed to say?"

  "I don't know, but you guys have a bond that I've never seen before. Maybe you can help," she said, shoving me forward to catch up with my sister.

  I sighed and knew I couldn't tell her no. I grabbed Scarlett's hand and led her the opposite direction that the group as they headed toward the resort bar. She didn't argue as I pulled her up the stairs to the deck that spanned over the ocean and pool. Once outside, we rested our arms on the railing and watched the waves.

  "I'm happy for you," she said, breaking the silence. "I hated seeing you two so unhappy."

  "Thank you. I'm mad for you," I admitted. I had to distract myself countless times when I thought about the dickhead that lied to her.

  "Don't be. Every thing happens for a reason."

  Was that true? What was the point of her getting her heart broken? Why was she abandoned a day before the wedding? Why did Kallie leave me and fall into her old ways. "What's the point of this?" I had to ask.

  "Not sure yet," she admitted. I put my arm around her shoulders and pulled her into me.

  "You know I'm always here for you," I told her.

  "I know," she nodded. "So, is she staying with us?"

  I smiled. "Yeah. I asked her to move in. Is that okay?" I asked. I really should have talked to her before I asked Kallie.

  "Of course. I want you to be happy, and I love her. She is amazing and she's like a sister to me."

  I hugged her tightly. My sister may have a hard exterior, but she was always thinking of everyone else before herself. We stood in silence for a while longer. We didn't need words. We rarely did. I felt her pain the moment the cuffs where clicked on his wrists. I felt like my own heart was being torn from my chest. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that she didn't know that. I was always there for her, no matter what. I would love her unconditionally like no one else could.

  As I walked her back down to the bar, I contemplated her theory of how everything happens for a reason. I cold see the reasoning behind some of things we have been through in the past few years. Why couldn't have Adam proved us wrong and been the guy for her? Why was Carter in that car the same time Logan and I were driving down the road? Why did it rain that night?

  I fingered the wire harness bracelet that Kallie made me. It seemed like her nervous habit rubbed off on me. I caught sight of Kallie as soon as I stepped foot on the sand surrounding the tiki bar. She was sitting between Caleb and Logan. She was laughing at something Logan was telling her with wild arm gestures. She was glowing and my two best friends were smitten. It was impossible not to be.

  I watched her as she talked to my friends. Her smile was wide and her eyes sparkled, even in the darkness. Maybe she needed to go home when she did. Maybe she needed to dive back into her old life and realize what she really wanted. As I looked at her now, I knew without a doubt that she would stay with me. I knew she would stay because she wanted to and not because she was lost and I was the one she was clinging to in order to stay afloat.

  We approached our friends and spent the night laughing and goofing off. Caleb flirted with a local girl, and Logan kept Scarlett in conversation. My mom turned in early, claiming she was too old to keep up with us. Brent and his date shut down the bar with us. I helped Kallie stumble back to our room and tucked her in before she passed out.

  The next day was our last day in Hawaii. Kallie booked us up with activities. She said it was because she wanted to experience everything, but I think it was too keep Scarlett busy. We enjoyed another breakfast at the hotel and then hustled out to a boat. Before we boarded the boat for a tour of the island, my mom pulled me aside.

  "You will take care of her, right?" she asked.

  "Yes. Which one? It doesn't matter, I got them both," I told her.

  "I just worry about her," she sighed. "I worry
about both of you, you know?"

  I nodded. "I know."

  "Will you come for lunches on Sundays?" she asked me.

  I sighed. "I don't know," I said honestly. I wanted to forgive her and move on from the anger I had, but I wasn't sure if it was that easy.

  "You have every reason to be angry with me. I was a terrible mother. I never should have taken out my hurt on you. You didn't deserve it and not a day goes by that I don't regret it. Please, forgive me?"

  I turned and looked down into her eyes that were so much like mine and my sister's. They were pleading and full of hurt and guilt. "I'll try, momma," I said. "I can't say that everything will be perfect overnight, but I will try."

  She let out a breath and wrapped her arms around me. I stood frozen, not used to the motherly gesture. I gave in and wrapped my arms around her, letting some of the anger go. When I pulled away, my gaze was drawn to my girlfriend. A soft smile graced her face as she watched the exchange.

  "I like her," my mom said when she followed my line of sight to Kallie.

  "I do, too," I said before helping my mom step onto the rocking boat.

  We spent the day cruising the open water. The tour guide took us around the island, pointing out places they filmed movies and spewing out fun facts. The island was beautiful with waterfalls, cliffs, and clear water. None of the sights compared to seeing my girl in a see-through cover up and straw sun hat. My eyes were glued to her more than the island sights.

  The boat docked us in a small town of the coast. The streets were filled with people for a music festival. I held Kallie's hand as we weaved through the crowd, listening to the unique string sound you can only find in Hawaii. We tried the local food, and I bought Kallie a shell bracelet handmade by a local from a booth. I knew it was never something she would find in her father's store, so I knew she would love it.