Unexpected (15 page)

She rolls her eyes, then smiles sweetly.
“Ryan, my dearest, scoot a little bit closer.” I comply and she
says, “Okay, now put your arm around me.” I slip my arm around her,
my hand caressing her shoulder. She reaches over for my other hand,
holding it between both of hers. “Think they get the picture
now?”

Even if they aren't, I'm definitely feeling
something. “You're getting warmer,” I murmur. I lift her hands to
my lips, pressing a kiss on each of them. “That probably
helped.”

Her blue eyes peer up at me, her expression
unreadable. I'm unable to look away from her, not until I can
figure out where her mind is. She seems hypnotized by my gaze as
much as I am by hers. It feels like an eternity since our eyes
connected. It’s almost as though we’re unable to look away. Our
faces are so close. All I would have to do is lean forward just an
inch and she would meet me in the middle, then we...

“Whoa, hands where I can see them!”

Alina and I break eye contact to look up at
Phil and Brent. The spell is broken now, but I still keep my arm
slung across her shoulder. Alina shoots an annoyed look at Phil and
says, “It's entirely your fault for leaving him to fend the ladies
off by himself. I had to work my masterful powers of awesome to
save the lad from the advances of promiscuous women.”

I chuckle at what she said as Phil and Brent
sit across from us. Phil says, “Uh-huh, yeah, sure. Whatever you
say.” When he smirks at me, I lightly kick him in the shin. “Ow!”
He reaches down to rub where I kicked him. “Don't get all testy
because I'm playing around. That's a sign that maybe I was right
about my implication.”

I glare at him for a moment even though I
know it's not going to stop him from causing trouble. “She's right.
I'm always stuck with the swarms of girls wanting to buy me drinks
after our shows.”

Brent snorts. “I thought that was the dream
for straight men.”

“Not me.” At least, not so much anymore. I
didn't mind having girls approach me before. That's how I met
Victoria. Now that I have Alina? She's the only girl I want.

What will it take to convince her to give
in?

“So, Alina,” Phil says. “How long were you
together with your douche of an ex?”

“Six months, two weeks.”

“Could you narrow it down further?” Her
cheeks flush and Phil starts laughing. “I should've known better
than to ask. Why do you gals keep track?”

She shrugs. “I guess it's a girl thing.” She
makes a face and holds out a finger at him. “Wait, you guys are
celebrating your one year anniversary on the twenty-sixth.”

Phil reaches out and pushes her hand down.
“Normal people celebrate anniversaries by the year.”

“Then I guess I'm not normal.”

When she holds her head up high, I can't help
but chuckle. If it weren't for Victoria telling me we were about to
reach the one month mark, I may have forgotten unless I looked at a
calendar and did the math. “Stop picking on her for being sweet and
let's drink,” I say.

“Hear, hear,” she says, holding up her
glass.

Chapter Nineteen

–
Alina –

When we get home after the show, I flop down
face-first on the couch. Ryan comes over and sits on the floor. He
brushes my hair out of my face. “Are you okay? You seem a little
more tired than normal. Did I keep you out too late?”

I shake my head and prop myself up on my
elbows. “No, you didn't keep me out late.”

“Have you been getting enough sleep on this
couch? I know you say it's fine, but still.”

Should I tell him the truth?
“It's not
the couch. I haven't been sleeping well for...pretty much since I
left my apartment.”

“It has to be the couch.” He frowns. “Maybe
we can get your bed in here somehow—”

“No,” I say, cutting him off. I might as well
admit it to him. I breathe out a long sigh, then looking away from
him, I whisper, “It's not the couch, it's you.”

“What?” Ryan tucks a strand of hair behind my
ear, his fingers trailing down to cup my chin, turning my face to
his.

“I have trouble sleeping without you.”

He blinks a few times, probably in shock at
what I just admitted. Swallowing, he says, “What makes you say
that?”

“Well, aside from that first night where I
was exhausted, the only time I ever had a good night's rest was
when I slept with you.”

“Are you sure it wasn't because it was my
bed?”

“I took a nap on your bed twice.” I fold my
fingers together, staring down at them. “It's a comfortable bed,
but, no. I think...I think it's because I don't like sleeping
alone.”

He sighs, his breath coming out in a whoosh.
“I know the feeling.” He places a hand over mine and I look up at
him. “If you want to sleep in my bed again, by all means please do
so. I'm not going to stop you. I don't like the idea of you not
getting enough sleep just because you're trying to be careful with
us. I think we've established our friendship in a way that defies
that.”

I chuckle. “Yeah, you're right.”

“Remember: I promised I wouldn't kiss you
unless you asked me to, so you don't have to worry about that.”

“I know.”

“Okay then. I'm going to go to bed.” He leans
in and presses a kiss to my forehead. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” I turn to watch him leave the
room. When he's gone, I sit up on the couch and debate whether to
get my blankets and pillows together or to follow him into his
room. I clench a fist, trying to will myself to stay where I am.
He's right about our friendship, but there's still the inherent
danger of desire taking over, even if we don't mean it to. He may
say he won't kiss me again, but the temptation must be strong if
he's dreaming about kissing me. It must be on his mind.

As if it's not on my mind, too.

I jump up and quickly change into my pajamas,
then grab my pillow. It's no use. Why sacrifice sleep when there's
a better option?

I knock on Ryan's door and step inside when
he tells me to come in. He's already under the covers. The only
light left in the room is coming from his bedside lamp. When he
sees me, pillow in hand, his eyebrows rise ever so slightly. I walk
over, climbing into bed with him. I catch a smirk playing at the
corner of his mouth, but he hides it a second later. Once I situate
myself under the sheets, he turns off the light and lies back.

Fifteen seconds later, he says, “I knew you
wouldn't be able to resist.”

Smug little
... I flare my nostrils.
“Shut up.”

He reaches for my hand in the dark, lacing
our fingers together. “Alina?”

“
Yeah?” I ask
breathlessly.

“
Sweet
dreams.”

~*~

I wake up when Ryan disentangles me from his
body. He gets out of bed and presses a kiss to my forehead. I
smile, eyes still closed. “'Morning.”

“'Morning to you, too. Keep sleeping. I'll be
home before you know it.” His fingers brush my hair back, and I
feel another kiss, this time on my cheek.

I must fall back asleep because the next
thing I know, sunlight is pouring in the room through the blinds. I
get out of bed and go about my day, distracting myself with some
cleaning and finishing one of my romance novels.

Sometime in the afternoon, my mom sends me a
text message and asks if Ryan and I would be interested in coming
out for a bonfire. Apparently my mom is having some neighbors over
and wanted to have the family join as well. It's sweet of her to
consider Ryan family, but I understand why. After double-checking
with Ryan, I tell her we'll be there.

A few hours later, Ryan and I arrive at my
parents' house. The first thing my mom does is hug us both, then
she steps back and tilts her head. “Alina, you look so beautiful
today. Isn't she beautiful, Ryan?”

I give her a look, but Ryan responds, “She is
more than just beautiful, Lorraine.” There's no hesitation, no
wavering in his voice. To the untrained observer, they may think
Ryan's being polite, but I know he's being completely honest. Not
because he told me so the other day, but because it's in his eyes
almost every time he looks at me. It intrigues me, but scares me
just the same. Not to mention fills me up with a feeling I've never
felt before.

My dad cooks hot dogs and hamburgers on the
grill with my brother and Ryan while I entertain Sasha and Toby.
It's been way too long since I went to a cookout. Being here right
now makes me nostalgic for the good old days when I was a teenager.
We used to do this nearly every weekend. I wonder why we don't do
this as much anymore. Maybe it's because Nick and I grew up and our
mom and dad didn't want to do it without us.

It doesn't take long before the rest of the
guests arrive. Mom invited their two closest neighbors—the Wallaces
and the Lindbergs. Richard and Linda Wallace own the horse farm
north of them. They're the reason I know how to ride a horse.
George and Yvonne Lindberg have a conventional farm like my
parents, except they have chickens, cows, and pigs to go along with
the fields and garden.

When it gets dark, we all gather around the
bonfire. Ryan grabs a blanket and wraps us both in it, holding me
close. My mom's eyes light up at the sight of us, probably thinking
there's something happening when it's not. Sasha comes over to us
and tells Ryan a couple new jokes while the rest of them chit chat
about the summer. After about an hour, everyone starts to head back
home.

Just as we're about to leave, Nick pulls Ryan
aside into the garage. I don't think anything of it as I help my
mom clean everything up. The next thing I know, Ryan is emerging
from the garage holding two water guns. My brother and his best
friend Jay used to play with them every summer. What is he...

He holds one out to
me and I take it in my hands. He pumps his once. “First to shoot
the other wins. You've got ten seconds to hide.”

“What?” I squeak, eyes widening. He can't be
serious.

He covers his eyes
with one hand. “Nine, eight, seven...”

He's serious.
“Shit,” I mutter under my breath as I sprint in the direction of
the barn while he continues the countdown, getting louder with each
number. I make it around the corner right before he finishes.

When he reaches
one, he yells, “Okay, Alina! I'm coming to get you!”

Holding the water
gun straight up, I stand with my back to the wall. Where can I go
that he's not going to ambush me? I'm already breathing heavily;
he's going to find me by that sound alone. I need to make my way
somewhere I can really hide but have a good vantage point for
getting him before he gets me. But which way should I go?

I creep along
the edge of the barn carefully to keep my flip-
flops
from clacking against my
feet.
I make my way past the barn where my parents' cars
are.
Ducking down between them, I
pump the water gun a few times. I slow my breathing and lie in
wait.

After what feels
like an eternity but is probably only five minutes, I hear a
crackle in the stones of the driveway. Poised to shoot, I wait for
him to come into view. As soon as he does, I fire, hitting him
square in the chest.

He jumps back in
surprise. The expression that comes across his face sends me into a
fit of giggles. “Oh my God, Ryan...your face.”

When I hear the
pumping of his water gun, I immediately get up and run behind the
cars in the opposite direction. He sprays me across the back in my
escape and I squeal. He chases me around the barn, continuing to
squirt me with water. When I round the corner, I spin around and
spray him up and down, soaking him.

He holds up both
hands and says, “Jesus, Alina. I give.”

When I drop the
water gun to my side, he takes advantage of the moment and gives me
one last blast. “Ryan!”

“
Sorry,
couldn't help it.” Dropping the water gun on the ground, he steps
closer to me. “So, you won.”

“
I did? What
did I win?”

He shrugs.
“Whatever you want.”

Staring into his
eyes under the moonlight, I can only think of one thing I want. I
toss my water gun on his. “I want a kiss.”

Chapter Twenty

–
Ryan –

What Alina says to
me is music to my fucking ears.

Granted, I
purposely told her she won something with the faint hope that she
might finally cave in and ask for what I promised I wouldn't do
without her permission. I wasn't sure if she would, knowing how
terrified she seems at the idea of us stepping into this territory.
We may have kissed before, but it would be different now. She knows
it.
I know it. Yet
, I don't
fucking care.

I back her against
the wall of the barn and reply, “I can do that.” With my arms
pinning her in, my head dips and I capture her lips with mine. Time
stops for a moment. Right here, with my lips wrapped around hers,
under the moon and stars.

Alina responds
immediately to my kiss, her lips hot against mine. I suck on her
upper lip, causing her to gasp. I take that opportunity to slip my
tongue in her mouth, reveling in the sweet taste of her. Her hands
grip my biceps and instinctively I move closer, barely leaving any
air between our bodies.

I don't think
either of us anticipated the reaction we would both have. Maybe we
thought we could keep this under control.
That the kiss
wouldn’t last longer than a few seconds.
That we could walk away right after in a straight line.
Neither of us was prepared for the scorching heat that seeped
through, burning inside of us like a fire that had long been
extinguished when it came to anyone else.