Unforgettable

by Alexander, S. B.

  “It’s for a good cause,” Haven had said.

  My phone danced on the wooden bar top next to the scotch I’d barely touched.

  I grinned when I saw Haven’s name.

  Haven: Is Vicki there yet?

  Me: No. Maybe you should switch places with her.

  Haven: I wish, but she paid for your handsome mug.

  Me: I still can’t believe you’re taking this in stride.

  At first, Haven had been a little miffed at Vicki for paying an exorbitant amount of money for a man Vicki knew Haven liked. Not only that, I’d learned that Vicki had a soft spot for Lucas.

  When I’d approached Lucas, he hadn’t thought it was a big deal that Vicki had obtained such a large amount of money to donate to charity.

  “But she likes you,” I’d said. “And I saw how you looked at her at the fundraiser. You like her.”

  He’d ignored my last comment and said, “Man, she bid on me but didn’t win.”

  “Dude, she had ten grand to use on you, but she saved it for me,” I’d argued.

  “Really, Ryker,” he’d said. “Are you really trying to figure out why women do what they do? Since when?”

  He had a point. So there I was, waiting to get the date with Vicki over with so I could go see my girl. My dick jumped in my suit pants just thinking about what I was going to do to Haven when I got her naked.

  But thoughts, erections, love, and anything else that was on mind completely evaporated when a blonde slid onto the stool next me, and it wasn’t just any blonde.

  “Ryker, how are you?” Beverly Sims asked.

  Where the fuck did she come from? “Are you following me?” My gaze darted around, hoping her sister wasn’t anywhere in the vicinity.

  Thank fuck I didn’t see her. She was crazier than Beverly.

  She pursed her red lips. “I’m here with a date.” She stabbed a red nail at a table near the long windows on the other side of the restaurant. A dark-haired man sitting by himself waved at us.

  I guess she wasn’t lying. “What do you want?” I asked.

  She toyed with a lone coaster. “I wanted to say I’m sorry.”

  “Shouldn’t you be saying that to Haven?”

  “I will.” I heard a hint of regret in her voice.

  But I wasn’t jumping on the “I believed her” train. When she actually apologized to Haven, then I would believe her.

  “Why force someone into liking you?” I asked. “You’re pretty. You seem to have it together. So why me?”

  She pushed out her shoulders. “I like you. My sister loves you. We thought one of us could snag you.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “You and your sister need help.”

  She slid off the chair. “You don’t have to worry about us. We’re moving to California when the semester is over. By the way, where is Haven? Oh, wait. You’re here on that fundraising date. Aren’t you?”

  “Is that the dude that paid for you?” I asked.

  “Yes. He’s a nice guy. Good luck.” Then she wound her way back to her date.

  I was about to gulp down my scotch when I spotted Vicki pointing me out to the hostess. She glided over, wearing shorts and a T-shirt—certainly not proper attire for the sixty-dollar-a-plate restaurant.

  “Hi,” she said. “Sorry I’m late.”

  I hadn’t been looking at the time. I’d been wallowing in sorrow that Haven wasn’t my date, but Vicki didn’t need to know that. Still, I blatantly swept my gaze over her. “Did you not realize this is a ritzy place?”

  She checked herself out. “Oh, yeah. Um…”

  The bartender came over. “Miss, would you like a drink?”

  Vicki regarded the gray-haired man. “I’m not staying.”

  I could feel my forehead wrinkling. “What?”

  She schooled her features. “Ryker James, I am one girl who is not interested in you. But I know someone who is.”

  My jaw bounced off the top of the bar when someone tapped me on the shoulder from behind.

  I spun in my chair and lost my fucking breath. The greenest eyes on the planet beamed at me. My heart thumped, thudded, and thrashed.

  Follow the yellow brick road.

  Haven awarded me with a smile that had my cock reacting, my mouth watering, and my heart beating out of my chest.

  Never in my life had I felt so emotional over one person before. Her presence did crazy things to my head, my body, and my soul. I wasn’t a dramatic guy, but fuck. She was the moon, the stars, the sun, and the whole damn planet.

  My hands shook as I reached out to touch her just to be sure she was there. “I didn’t see you come in.”

  “We had her come in through the kitchen,” Lucas said.

  Lucas?

  I whipped my head to the right to find Lucas standing beside Vicki.

  “Close your mouth, dude. You’re drooling.”

  I had every right to drool at my girl as I shaped her waist then brought her closer to me. “Hey, dollface.”

  She drank me in, sucked me in, and pulled me in with her aura. “Hey, big guy.”

  I had no idea what was happening, but I wasn’t complaining. “Are you crashing my date? You know I have to do this for charity.”

  Haven’s tongue darted out to wet her lips. “I am your date.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  Vicki snickered. “I bid on you to make sure Tabitha didn’t win.”

  Hell yeah.

  “My father asked Vicki to make sure she could win whatever the cost,” Haven said.

  I checked on my best bud. “You knew about this?”

  Lucas gave me a cheeky grin. “I was all in.”

  “So let me get this straight,” I said. “The man who hates me asked Vicki to win the bid for me so that Tabitha wouldn’t win?”

  “That’s about right,” Lucas replied, keeping the damn smirk front and center. “It was a perfect plan. And here we are.”

  “Senator Hale paid the ten grand?” I was still trying to shake off the shock. I mean, he’d set up his plan even before I had declared my love for Haven.

  “Technically, you should be on a date with my dad,” Haven teased.

  Teasing or not, Eugene Hale and I would probably kill each other. Still, I had a little more respect for the man now.

  “In total, we blew out our goal of twenty grand,” Lucas said. “Sandra is pleased. She wants to do the event next season. Not you, of course.” He was quick to add that last sentence.

  Who knew what next year would bring, though? Sure, I was off the market, and Haven was the only girl for me. But Lucas could be tied at the hip to some woman, and so could the others on the football team. But it was premature to think that far ahead.

  I leaned in to give Haven a kiss when Vicki gasped.

  “What is she doing here?” Vicki asked in disgust.

  Haven visibly tensed when she saw Beverly.

  Beverly raised her hands. “Don’t make a scene.”

  It wasn’t Haven she had to worry about but a feisty Vicki, who slid in between her friend and Beverly. “I suggest you leave.”

  “I wanted to say something. Then you’ll never see me again,” Beverly said.

  Haven nudged Vicki, who moved out of the way.

  Beverly addressed Haven. “I just wanted to apologize for everything. I can’t help what my mom has done, but my intentions were never to bring you into our mess. My sister was the one who took the picture that night of you on Ryker’s lap. She sent it to my mom, who decided to use the pic to squeeze a little more out of your father and to make sure you didn’t ruin our plan to get Ryker. It was either Tabitha or me. We didn’t care which one of us succeeded in snaring Ryker, but when I started to see how he looked at you, I knew we didn’t stand a chance. I can’t say the same for Tabitha. She was going to do whatever she could to get you out of the picture.” Beverly sighed. “Tabitha went to the press about the affair.”

  “Pathetic,” Vicki said under her breath.

  “And t
he bribery charge?” Haven asked.

  The senator had been doing his best to clean up the shit storm. He’d come clean about the affair, and the head of the Texas Water Conservation Board had stepped up and made a statement confirming what Haven’s father had told us—there had been no bribery on the senator’s part.

  Beverly puffed out her cheeks. “My mom twisted the truth. She was angry with your father and wanted to make him pay.”

  Beverly’s date sidled up to her, wrapping his arm around her waist. “We should go.” The man, who I would guess to be in his late twenties, flashed a perfectly white smile at us.

  Meanwhile, Vicki and Haven were ready to attack Beverly.

  “You should go,” I parroted.

  We didn’t need to rehash what had happened.

  Beverly sighed as her date quickly guided her toward the exit.

  Smart man.

  Haven let out a soft growl. “Unbelievable. I hope I never see her or her sister or her mother again.”

  I explained to them the conversation I’d had with Beverly before they’d shown up and that the family was moving to California. The Sims sisters, politics, and Haven’s old man were quickly forgotten, especially when Lucas and Vicki finally left us alone.

  I buried my nose in Haven’s neck, inhaling her lilac scent that drove me batshit crazy. “So what would you like to do on our date?”

  She placed her lips on my ear. “Taste you.”

  Fuck.

  I didn’t hesitate to pay my bar tab.

  38

  Haven

  The pool water was tepid but refreshing, especially after hearing Beverly’s admission at the restaurant earlier that night. I prayed I didn’t see her or anyone in her family ever again.

  My father had the same wish, as did Arlene. He had been battling the press day in and day out. But no matter how much he explained himself, I didn’t think he was going to get reelected. His low standings in the polls had more to do with his opponent’s policies than my father’s indiscretions.

  I ducked under then came up, swiping my hand over my face and hair.

  Ryker strutted out of his parents’ house with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, carrying a shoebox.

  I angled my head as I rested my arms on the edge of the pool and my chin on my hands, admiring the man I loved. His abs were chiseled, that V of his was mouthwatering, and every part of him was perfect. And he was all mine.

  “What’s that?” I vaguely remembered a shoebox in his bedroom at his campus house the night we’d had sex for the first time.

  He sat down on the edge of a lounge chair across from me. “This is Leigh’s, her things that Principal Holland gave me.” He sighed. “I’ve been meaning to look at one thing that’s inside. Truth be told, I’ve been afraid to.”

  “Wasn’t that box at your other house?”

  He took off the cover. “After Tabitha dove into it then her sister got nosy, I decided to bring it here. It belongs in Leigh’s room anyway.” He removed an envelope and stared at it.

  I climbed out of the pool, squeezing the water out of my hair. Then I grabbed a towel from a chair, wrapped it around my naked body, and went over to him.

  He handed me what felt like a card. “You open it.”

  I gave it back to him. “This is something you have to do. It’s addressed to you.”

  With shaky fingers, he pulled out the card then read silently.

  I stood over him, waiting for him to react or say something, but all he did was set the card down, throw off his towel, and dive into the pool. He stayed under the water a little too long in my book.

  Whatever was on that card had to be heavy. I couldn’t help but read it.

  Happy Birthday to the hero in my life. You’ve always been there for me, and I want you to know I’m always here for you. My wish is for you to find that special girl by your next birthday. With all my love, Leigh.

  Ryker finally surfaced, shaking the water off his head, then strutted out of the pool, naked, determined, and somewhat angered.

  He swaggered up, his dick semi-hard, plucked the card from me, placed it on the table, then lifted me in his arms.

  “When was your birthday?” My boobs bounced freely as he carried me into the house.

  I thought we were going to his bedroom. Instead, I found myself on the cool leather couch in the family room. Once Ryker was seated beside me, I straddled him.

  His hands cupped my breasts as his erection grew between us. His eyes brewed with love, lust, and something else I couldn’t quite figure out.

  His chest was rising and falling, but his concentration was far away.

  I started to probe him again, but I decided to let him work through whatever was bothering him. So I let him have his way with me as he brushed a thumb over my lip then dragged a finger down my neck until he was pinching one nipple then the other.

  I sucked in a breath as I rocked my hips, wanting that blissful friction of his dick against my clit.

  He tunneled his fingers into my wet hair, pulling me in until our lips were locked. His kiss was possessive, brutal in his delivery, yet soft in his execution. He tasted, took, moaned, and groaned like he needed me more than he needed anything ever in his life.

  Emotion clogged my throat. I was so in love, I swore it was hard to breathe at times. I rocked faster against him, lust twisting low in my belly, love swirling around my heart. The mixture was explosive as I gripped the velvet flesh of his dick and guided him inside me.

  I groaned loudly, as did he, not moving but watching him watch me. The look on his face was intense, raw, powerful, and blissfully painful. I’d never experienced such emotion before, not with anyone ever.

  Tears filled his eyes. “I’ve found love.” His voice was raspy. “Leigh and my mom would be so fucking happy right now. But Leigh was wrong about one thing. Love doesn’t tame the beast inside me. It only makes him wild and hungry.”

  I didn’t know if I should be scared or not, but his next move was all beast. He picked me up, and before I could process anything, we were on the floor in front of the fireplace, rolling around, me on top of him, him on top of me, kissing, nipping, sucking, and ending in our original position from the very first time.

  “That’s it, baby. Suck me hard.”

  “I love it when you talk dirty,” I barely said as I licked the tip of his cock before taking in all of him.

  He flattened his tongue against my clit and licked and lapped until I was writhing. My body splintered as the orgasm surged, swirled, and consumed me until I was screaming his name.

  He sucked hard one last time before adjusting himself and driving into me before I had a chance to take a breath.

  He pumped hard and fast, making my breasts bounce. He crashed his mouth against mine. “I love you, Haven Hale. I fucking love you.”

  I wrapped my legs around his waist as he grabbed my ass with one hand and anchored the other on the floor. He thrust into me once then twice before his eyes were rolling back in his head.

  “You feel so fucking good.”

  I squeezed around him, holding him in my grasp as I watched him ride out his release.

  Beautiful was the only way to describe him. Under all that cocksure bravado and coolness lay a man who had more compassion and love in his heart than any other man I knew, and he was mine.

  Epilogue

  Ryker

  Seven weeks had passed since I’d read that card from Leigh. I’d been ready to bawl my eyes out that night, but instead, I’d turned my attention to Haven and made love to her at least five times that night. Since then, we’d been inseparable. In fact, we were now living together at my parents’ house.

  At first, her old man hadn’t been stoked about the idea, but Haven had convinced him that by living off campus, she would have more privacy and hence less media around or gossipy women in the dorm. Vicki was bummed, but she understood.

  I sauntered into the kitchen to find Lucas popping a bottle of champagne. “The house
is packed.”

  The party was in full swing.

  Coach Chapman was talking to Haven’s father. Yep, the man had accepted our invitation to join our celebration. We’d won our bowl game the week before. The season had been tense, but the team had given two hundred percent to get us into the bowl game. Senator Hale was just as stoked as Coach was. After all, Eugene Hale had donated quite a bit of money to the university. More than that, he and I had warmed up to each other. We weren’t close or anything, but it was nice that Haven and her dad weren’t fighting and that he and I weren’t tearing off each other’s heads.

  Speaking of the senator, he’d lost the election back in November. The preliminary polls had attested to the senator’s decline with voters long before his indiscretions became public, but election day had ended with the senator and his opponent in a close race. The fresh ideas and policies that his opponent had campaigned on had won out in the end. Although I would guess the senator’s mistakes had played a role as well.

  Lucas poured champagne in those fancy flute glasses. “We’ve come a long way since…” He stopped pouring. “Never mind.”

  I stood across the island from him. “Say it. I’m not going to go apeshit.”

  He regarded me with sad brown eyes. “That’s okay. You don’t need to be reminded.”

  “Dude, I think about them every day, and it hurts like hell. But one of the reasons I moved back home was so I could feel close to them. Living here with all the memories is helping.” The house I’d grown up in gave me peace and comfort, and it also helped that Haven was by my side.

  “I know they’re looking down and are proud,” Lucas said.

  Haven sashayed into the kitchen, wearing a tight dress that hugged and accentuated her fantastic bod, which I was sad to see covered.

  She kissed me on the cheek. “There’s the birthday boy.”

  That gave me another reason to party. Haven had wanted to do something special long before now, but I’d said no. I’d felt weird since my family wasn’t around anymore. Mom had always made a big deal about birthdays, and honestly, after reading Leigh’s card, I just couldn’t bring myself to be happy about turning twenty-two.