Ocean eyes sweep up my body, taking me in as if he’s double checking that I really am okay. I am, it just scared me a little. Finally, his eyes glide to mine and a soft smile graces his lips, those sweet dimples concaving into his cheeks.
“I like having you sitting so close.”
I laugh. “Ryan, I just caused you to get a technical foul.”
Connor makes both of his free throws.
“Worth it.”
The game continues, everyone’s attention back to the court.
Leaning over to Stevie, I speak quietly. “Daily update—I hope your brother wears his jersey when he fucks me.” I pop my shoulders. “Or I could wear it.”
Ryan’s teammate, Ethan, hit two back-to-back threes in the final minute, and the Devils pulled out the victory by one. It was thrilling to watch, seeing my roommate excel at the thing he’s best at. I knew he was good, even from my minimal knowledge of the sport, but talented and gifted don’t suffice.
He was magic.
There’s an odd sense of pride flowing through me as Zanders, Stevie, and I wait for Ryan outside the players’ parking lot. Some admirers have found their way down here, but the game ended long enough ago that most of the crowd has gone home, leaving only a handful of fans hopeful for a glimpse of Chicago’s basketball team.
Zanders is once again asked for photos and autographs to which he obliges, pulling Stevie along with him as well.
“Indy?”
The voice stops me in my tracks because I know it. I’ve memorized the way my name rolls off his lips, but I’m not ready for this. No part of me is prepared. There’s a wedding date on the calendar that I need to be ready by, and that day is not today.
“Indy,” Alex repeats when I don’t turn around the first time.
Unfortunately, there’s no out for me so I turn on my red heels and face him. “Alex,” I exhale in disbelief.
Kevin and two more guys from our friend group stand a few feet behind him, but they’re not who I’m looking at.
Blonde hair, brown eyes, the boy I loved my entire life stands in front of me. I haven’t seen him since the night I fled our apartment, so why does he look so goddamn good? Shouldn’t he be profusely apologizing or something other than smiling that fucking megawatt smile like he’s running into an old friend? As if I’m not the woman he’s known for twenty-two years and dated for the last six?
He shakes his head, still smiling. “What are you doing here? You’ve never been a basketball fan.”
“I um…” I swallow, words stuck in my throat as I throw a thumb over my shoulder to where Stevie and Zanders are entertaining fans, entirely unaware of the way my life has turned upside down in the last thirty seconds.
“That’s right. Your old coworker is Ryan Shay’s little sister.”
“They’re twins.”
Really? The first words I say to him after all this time are to correct him on my best friend’s birth time?
“Right.” He nods, hands in his pockets, looking me up and down. I’ve still got a wet spot on my T-shirt from my spilled drink, and I’m frozen in shock. Not exactly the impression I wanted to make the first time I saw him again. “So, what’s new with you?”
Is this really happening? How is he so casual right now? Am I the only one in this situation who feels completely thrown off-balance?
He always hated when I wore my heels because we’d be the same height, or in his opinion worse than that, I’d be taller. He’s six feet on his best day, but we all know that means somewhere around five-ten. And right now, he’s standing on a curb to give himself the added inches to be able to stand over me.
Metaphorically I feel about two feet tall, as it is.
“Indy, what’s new with you?” he repeats.
“Flying.”
He nods again. “Always on the road.” The insinuation is heavy in the air, and there’s something about the inflection in the way he says it that speaks volumes. I cheated because you were always on the road. It’s your fault there was someone else in our bed. “Will you be at Kevin and Maggie’s wedding or are you flying during that too?”
What the hell? It was Alex’s suggestion for me to become a flight attendant. The financial firm he’s a part of offered me a job right out of college with a much higher salary than his. Even though I went to school for business, the kind of work he does wasn’t for me, so I detoured to a completely different route. One that would allow me to travel and socialize. He was stoked for me when I got on with the hockey team last year, or so I thought.
“I’ll…um…yeah, I’ll be there.” This is going horribly. I’m a fumbling mess. “Will you…will you be there too?”
“Of course. I’m with the group almost every day. I can’t wait.” He looks down for a moment, kicking the cement with his shoe. “Maggie said she’s giving you a plus-one. I have one too. I’m planning to use it, so I thought it’d be the right thing to give you a heads-up.”
I wasn’t aware I was so forgettable. It’s a humbling and humiliating revelation. Alex has etched his way onto my heart, and I assumed that sentiment was mutual. I’d rather he regret our relationship or maybe even wish that we had never crossed paths. But to look at me as if I’m the most forgettable woman in the world hurts more than the rest ever could.
“Are you bringing someone?” he continues.
“Blue.”
Somehow the name pulls me into focus to find Ryan standing outside of the players’ entrance. Gym bag slung over his shoulder, hands in his pockets. His eyes bounce to Alex then back to me, as if he were studying the situation.
“Holy shit,” Kevin whispers. “Ryan Shay.”
In my periphery, I can see Kevin, Alex, and two of my old friends, lightly smacking each other to ensure everyone sees who just walked out of the arena.
Ryan’s eyes dart between Alex and me again, and maybe it’s the fact that I’m about two seconds away from crying or that he can physically see that I’m living out my worst nightmare, but he drops his gym bag and in a few quick strides, charges towards me.
Before I can think any further, his palms cup my face, long fingers threading into my ponytail, and his lips are on mine.
Soft lips, warm to the touch. Commanding yet measured, as I’d expect any kiss from Ryan Shay to be. My mouth yields to his, parting to take him deeper and his tongue ever so slightly sweeps across mine in an electrifying slide. One of his hands drops, curving around my throat to bracket the back of my neck as the other pulls my hips to his.
His imposing touch makes me feel small and the deliciously domineering way in which he kisses me makes me feel entirely out of control.
I knew I’d like it. I knew it would be good, but what I didn’t expect was to feel light as a feather from my fingers to my toes. To fall completely under a spell just from feeling his mouth, especially when he told me I’d never have it.
My palms find his shoulders, sliding over his broad frame to hook around the back of his neck. A small, unpermitted moan creeps up my throat and I feel Ryan’s lips curve up against mine before pulling away.
Moving his hand to my lower back, he presses my body into his. His lips dot a map of soft kisses along my jaw, until his mouth ghosts my ear, whispering. “Are you okay?”