by Adele Niles
I dropped into it, smiling.
Maddie, the main secretary, pushed a whiskey shot toward me. I knocked it back without hesitation, loving the burn down my throat.
The whole table erupted into cheers.
We started to chat at the table, people breaking into small conversations or slipping away from the table to get drinks. I ordered a beer for myself.
Was this how my life was going to be from now on?
I hoped not. I didn’t want to be alone, only going out for drinks with the same people I saw five days a week. I wanted romance, passion, and really good sex.
I wanted to find the right guy to lose my virginity to.
Because dammit, I refused to die a virgin.
I sighed and looked around the table. Somebody had bought a tray of shots, and I grabbed one, holding it in my hand. None of the guys I worked with were my type. Well, Fantasy Kyle was, but Real Kyle? Not so much.
Maybe one of the lawyers. Maybe I could have a heated affair with one of them.
Maybe I’d be alone for the rest of my life.
I turned my head, lifting the shot to my lips and looking out across the bar.
A familiar face looked back at me.
Kenzie Briggs was sitting in The Republic and smiling at me.
Shit.
I couldn’t put this off anymore. I knocked back the shot, then excused myself from the table.
Kenzie sat on a bar stool, but as I approached, she hopped up and opened her arms. “Sydney! What are you doing here? Why didn’t you let me know you were in town?”
“I, well…” I started, biting my lower lip. “I’m just, you know, visiting? For…”
I stopped talking and sighed. Kenzie was my closest friend and had been since we were in school. I couldn’t lie to her. I stepped into her hug, wrapping my arms around her in return.
“Surprise, I’m back in town.” My voice sounded flat and miserable.
“Since when? Where’s Mark, is he here?” Kenzie hadn’t caught on to the fact that this was not good yet.
I hesitated, then straightened up, looking at her. “Mark and I aren’t together anymore.”
Kenzie stopped, blinked a few times. “Wait, what?”
“Yeah.” I nodded slowly. “Um, it’s still kinda fresh, you know? I don’t really want to talk about it right now.”
Kenzie put her hands on my shoulders, squeezing. I gave her a half-smile.
“Sydney, you should have called! Are you okay? What happened? No, you said you didn’t want to talk about it. But when did it happen?”
“Right after I visited last time.” I shook my head. I’d gotten home early and, well, it hadn’t worked out well for me.
“Oh my god!” She pulled me in for another hug. “So, you moved back? Are you working?”
“Yeah, at Hills & Bridges. I’m living here in town. I don’t really want to talk about it tonight. But later. I’m here with a bunch of people from work. I shouldn’t stay away so long.” I couldn’t help rolling my eyes.
Kenzie laughed and shook her head. “I get it. But have a shot with me before you go back, okay? I’ll buy.”
She turned to the bartender and ordered two shots.
I couldn’t say no to that. I took my shot and smiled, tapping my glass against Kenzie’s. I lifted my shot to my lips, ready to knock it back…
And some asshole slammed into me from behind.
The shot glass knocked against my face. Whiskey spilled down my blouse.
I whipped around, spinning on my heel. “Hey, asshole—”
The guy looking back at me was tall, really tall. Kind of unkempt, with the most stunning green eyes. His tan skin was covered in ink, and he had strong, muscular arms.
Wow.
His mouth was moving, but I didn’t hear a thing.
I could only stare at him.
A guy like that… I could definitely hop into bed with him.
Kenzie’s voice cut through my thoughts, and I turned my head to look at her, tuning in to what she was saying.
“—my friend, Sydney. She just moved back to town. Sydney, this is Ryker. He works with my brother at No Regrets. He’s a pretty good artist.”
“Pretty good? That’s all I get?” Ryker raised his eyebrows. “C’mon, Kenzie, I’m damn good.”
Kenzie laughed, shaking her head. “Yeah, okay, he’s a really good artist. All the guys are.”
I nodded. I didn’t think I could talk right now.
Ryker held his hand out to me. “Nice to meet you, Sydney. You hanging out for a while?”
There was a change in Kenzie’s mood. It was subtle, but I could pick up on it. It felt like she was defensive. But that was weird.
“Sydney was just heading back to her work friends,” Kenzie explained, in a tone that left no room for argument. She turned to me, then, and smiled. Relaxed. “But maybe we can get together tomorrow night? Or over the weekend? Have a little girl time?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I could use some girl time. Call me? Or text?”
“I will.” Kenzie nodded. “Have a good night, okay? Don’t get too crazy with your lawyer friends.”
I laughed. “See you.” I turned, glancing up at Ryker. “Nice to meet you.”
“You, too.” I didn’t have to look to know that he was smiling at me.
No man had ever gotten under my skin like this. Not even Fantasy Kyle. I felt like I’d come if he touched me again, even just a hand on my arm.
God, I needed to get laid.
It was starting to get to the point where I didn’t care who it was with.
I took a deep breath and went back to the table where my coworkers sat. I grabbed another shot from the tray and knocked it back.
When I turned my head to look for Ryker again, he was gone.
Get I Did Before I Do Now
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