The Hurricane (8 page)

But part of me felt like I was stomping on the memory of Kyle. Because Ryker had always been in my heart, no matter how far I pushed it down and tried to deny it. It didn’t diminish the love I had for Kyle, but it did make me feel guilty. How could such a small encounter so long ago, make such a huge impact on someone?

It also seemed like Kyle was fading from me. It was harder to remember his voice, his laugh, the way he touched me. When he was killed, those things were burned into my memory. They would play over and over like a broken record. But as the years passed, they were harder to see, harder to remember. And when Ryker just appeared out of nowhere, I felt comfort. The guilt was still there, but I couldn’t deny the feelings that crept up when he wrapped his arms around me. I didn’t want to disrespect Kyle’s memory, but I was also tired of being alone. But in my heart, I knew that Kyle would want me to be happy. As a cop, we both knew there were risks. And we even had the conversation once. I cried and told him I didn’t want to talk about it, he would always be fine. But he reassured me that nevertheless, he wanted me to keep living and be happy. He knew first hand, because his mother never remarried after his father died when he was a toddler. She spent the last years of her life alone; when she was sick, she only had Kyle and that really bothered him. It was sad to watch. And it was the same conversation my dad had with my mom when they first got married. He had told me about it a year or so after Kyle’s death. My family tried to get me to move on, but I wasn’t ready. It was too raw. And I hadn’t been ready for the last four years. Being with another man had hardly even crossed my mind. A steamy romance novel and my vibe did the trick when I needed relief.

Until Ryker.

“You two don’t go out too far!” I yelled at the girls as they splashed each other. Josie came with us to the beach today. I wanted to return Christy’s favor.

“Momma, it’s not even up to our knees!” she giggled as she dumped a bucket of water on her own head followed with more incessant giggles.

“Hi Ryker!” she squealed when she opened her eyes, and started running out of the water.

I looked over my shoulder, confused, and saw Ryker walking towards us. I almost started to pant as I watched him get closer. He was wearing a white V-neck tee that hugged his amazing body with his tattoos winding their way from the sleeves all the way to his wrists. He also had on a pair of carpenter shorts and a faded baseball cap. Sweet baby Jesus, he looked delicious. He took his aviators off and smiled as he watched Brooklyn get closer.

“Hey there, Brooklyn!” he said when she reached him and wrapped her arms around his leg.

“Momma didn’t even tell me you were coming!” she said with a hand on her hip as she glanced my way.

“I’m surprised too,” I said with a laugh.

“Come on, Brooklyn!” Josie yelled from the water, waving her hand excitedly.

“That’s my friend, Josie!” Brookie yelled as she sprinted back into the water.

“Brookie!” I said.

“I know, I know, momma, not too far,” she said, and stopped next to Josie.

“Hey!” I said with a smile as I looked up at Ryker. He put his sunglasses back on as he glanced back at me.

“Hey,” he said with an almost shy tone. The next second he dropped down beside me and planted a quick kiss on my lips. Maybe I imagined the tone. As much as I loved his lips on me, I couldn’t help but look out at the water.

“She didn’t see,” he said as he gave me a side grin, and squeezed my thigh gently before dropping his hand next to my leg, his skin resting against mine.

“This is a nice surprise,” I said, trying to hide my beaming smile, but it wasn’t working.

“I’m glad” he said, with the shy tone that I definitely did not imagine.

“How did you know I was here?” I asked, not that I minded, but I was curious.

“Truth?” he asked, looking nervous.

“Yes, please,” I said with a giggle, and brushed his thigh with my knee, turning slightly to face him.

“I don’t know how to say this without sounding like a fucking stalker,” he said, and scratched his beard.

“How about you just say it,” I said playfully as I elbowed him gently. I was curious more than worried, even though he had just used the word stalker.

“Last Saturday wasn’t the first time I had seen you,” he said, and exhaled loudly.

“No?” I asked, confused, and now I was getting a little nervous.

“I saw you here a month ago. I couldn’t force myself to approach you. I didn’t think you would want to see me. I didn’t want to ruin the memory I had of you with a new one of you telling me to go to hell. So I left, but I found myself back here the next week, hoping. And there you were again. But I still didn’t have the balls. Plus, you had Brooklyn so I thought . . . Then last week, I realized I couldn’t stay away from you, so I had to give it a shot, hoping you didn’t tell me to fuck off.”

I didn’t speak. I just stared at him, trying to take it all in. Was I mad? No. Was I shocked? Absolutely. Did I want to kiss him for being shy and nervous? Hell, yes. I mean, an actual stalker wouldn’t admit to his stalker tendencies. Right?

“Are you about to tell me to fuck off now?” he said as he took off his aviators, and stared at me, waiting for an answer.

I shook my head.

“No?” he asked with a nervous laugh.

“No. I would have probably done the same thing, especially if you had a child with you,” I said honestly.

“I want to kiss you right now,” he said as he leaned his head forward, pressing his forehead to mine.

I glanced in the kids’ direction. They both had their backs to us, digging in the sand furiously.

I pressed my lips to his and then bit his bottom lip, giving it a gentle suck before pulling away.

“You might have just made it worse,” he said with a laugh as he straightened his leg out, facing forward. Did my kiss just give him a hard-on? I couldn’t help but smile to myself at the thought.

“Brooklyn is spending two weeks with my parents. They’re picking her up tomorrow,” I blurted out, knowing what we both needed, and more than ready for it.

“Are you ok with that?” he looked at me, genuinely concerned.

“Yeah, I think so. I’ve never been away from her that long. But she misses them, and they miss her. She will be starting school soon, so I think it will be good. I have work to keep me busy,” I stated; all of it true except for the last sentence.

Ryker glanced at the girls before putting his hands around the back of my neck and brushing his lips against mine, our breaths intertwining, wanting, and needing more.

“What time are they leaving?” he asked, running his tongue over his bottom lip, grazing it against mine.

“Three,” I mumbled, suddenly unable to form words out loud.

“Can I see you at four?” he asked, our unspoken needs electrifying between us.

I could only nod my head, the words wouldn’t come. My mouth unable to move. Our breaths were heavier just thinking about what was coming. The sexual chemistry between us was more than I had ever experienced in my life. It literally took my breath away.

“Ryker, can you help us with our sand castle?” A little voice yelled in the distance, pulling me from this trance he had me in. I felt Ryker’s body jump at the sound of his name. At least I wasn’t the only one.

“Sure!” Ryker yelled as he gave me a wink before standing up. I watched as he adjusted his shorts very discreetly as he stood. If I didn’t have my eyes on his crotch, I wouldn’t have even noticed.

Ryker took a few steps and then stopped, looking over his shoulder, staring into my eyes.

“I don’t think you even realize what you’re doing to me,” He said, and gave me that heart stopping smile that melted me every time. He was shaking his head as he walked through the sand towards the girls.

The feeling was definitely mutual.

Magic

“Hello,” I said into the receiver as I drove to Nat’s house. I felt like a school boy all day, ready to get laid for the first time. I hadn’t been with a woman in a few months, and the one’s I had fucked didn’t mean shit to me; it was for release purposes only. But Nat was different. Fuck me, she was so different.

“Brother.” That familiar rumble growled in my ear.

“What’s up?” I asked, wanting to wrap this conversation up before it started. I was a few blocks from Nat’s house and I didn’t want to wait a second longer to see her than I had to.

“Just working as usual,” he said casually. That seemed to be all my brother did, day and night.

“You should take some time off, relax some, bro,” I told him truthfully.

“I like working,” he chuckled quietly.

“You like money,” I corrected him.

“True. But Crave is opening next weekend, so there’s a lot to do. Maybe soon.”

“Fucking liar,” I laughed. Crave was my brother’s latest business venture. An upscale bar and grill in downtown Austin. It was one of several businesses he owned.

“You know me well,” he laughed.

“All work and no play, bro, it’s no wonder you’re so fucking uptight,” I joked with him.

“Trust me, brother, I make time to play,” he said with a rumbling laugh.

“I have no doubt.” My brother always had his fair share of women. They flocked to him like dogs in heat. It had been that way since we were teenagers.

“Anyway,” he said, changing the subject. “I was hoping you would come in for the opening. It’s been a while since you’ve been back.”

“Yeah, maybe.” I always tried to be there for my brother during these things. Our parents were much older and didn’t get out much anymore. We had a small family, so being there for each other was important.

“Feel free to bring someone; I’ll reserve a suite at the hotel if you’d like,” he offered.

“I’ll let you know soon. I gotta go, man,” I told him as I pulled into Nat’s driveway.

“One more thing, have you reconsidered the offer?” he asked, and my knuckles instantly gripped the steering wheel. I didn’t want to think about this now. Not now.

“I’m out bro, I told you.”

“Ok, you still have time to think about it.”

“Cain,” I warned.

“Talk to you soon, brother,” he said, and then there was silence. I forced his words from my mind as I rolled my neck, trying to relieve the tension that had immediately snuck up on me with a few words.

Every other thought left me as I watched her open the door before I even got out of my truck. She was going to kill me with those little fucking sundresses she always wore. This one was white, and a little shorter than usual. Her tits were popping out of the top, begging to be kissed. I hopped out of my truck, unable to take my eyes off of her, and practically ran to her. I slammed my lips into hers before we even made it into the front door. I grabbed her ass and lifted her into my arms, her legs wrapping around my waist, our kiss unbroken. I started walking inside, not wanting to give the neighbors a show, and she slammed the door behind me.

“I’ve been thinking about you all fucking day,” I confessed as I broke my lips away from her long enough to make my way to her neck. She smelled like fucking heaven, sweet but seductive, and drawing me in.

“Ryker,” she whispered, grabbing my face and staring into my eyes. “Take me to bed.”

I had never even seen her bedroom, but I knew exactly where to go. I made my way to her bed, with her legs still wrapped around me as I laid her down gently, hovering over her.

I rubbed my hand down her thigh and then squeezed her ass gently, kissing those soft lips once again.

“Do you think we’re rushing this?” she asked as I started kissing her neck again. I pulled away from her, begrudgingly, and ran my finger down her nose, examining those little freckles, and gave them a soft kiss.

“I think we’re adults and we don’t have to answer to anyone. I’ve been waiting for this for twelve years, so no, I don’t think we’re rushing,” I said as I brought my lips to her neck again. I wouldn’t push her if she wasn’t ready, but my cock was begging for her attention.

She didn’t respond with words, but her body told me everything I needed to know. She put her hands under my shirt and ran her nails down my back as she bucked into me.