“Don't say anything to them about a divorce. Not until I get a chance to make it up to you. Seriously, you're the only girl I’ve ever loved.”
What he says makes me cry. That's all I've ever wanted. To be treated like I’m the only girl a boy loves. “I wish that were true. Goodbye, Collin.”
I hang up, knowing that once upon a time, there was a boy who treated me that way.
I glance at my watch. Two hours until dinner.
What if Riley is going to be there?
Wouldn’t Keatyn have mentioned him, if he was?
Either way, I need to look good, and all the clothes I brought with me are pretty East Coast professional. I need something cute and casual to wear.
Time to go shopping.
Keatyn & Aiden’s beach house - Malibu
RILEY
“Riley, look who I ran into today!” Keatyn says excitedly, the second I step through the front door.
A mane of brunette hair moves through the air as she turns around, and I come face to face with the only girl who broke my heart. The girl I waited fifty-four excruciatingly long days to sleep with. The girl who is the reason I will never fall in love again.
Ariela.
I grab Keatyn by the arm and drag her into the kitchen. “What the fuck? What the hell is she doing here?”
“Riley, shush. I ran into her today at the baby store.”
“Is she pregnant? Oh my god. That's even worse.” I walk straight to the built-in bar and rummage to the back where I know Aiden keeps the good stuff, grab a bottle of 25-year-old scotch, and take a slug straight out of the bottle. “Is she married? A girl as beautiful as her would have to be married. Does that mean her husband is here too?”
“Riley, calm down. She's getting a divorce and she doesn’t have any kids. I knew you and Dallas were coming for dinner, so I invited her.” Keatyn looks sincere and I feel bad for yelling at her. “Since you're between blondes and all.”
Okay, maybe I don’t feel that bad.
“Thanks,” I say sarcastically.
“Look. I’m sorry to just spring it on you both like that. I should have told you but, in my mind, I scripted it just like it happened. She turns around. Smiles at you. But then you were supposed to rush into each other’s arms. Long lost love reunited.”
“You and your damn scripts.”
“My damn scripts have made us both a lot of money, Mr. I Just Bought A Jet.”
I furrow my brow. “I needed that for business. It’s a write off.”
“Uh huh.”
“Shut up. Fine, I wanted it.” I shove my hands through my hair and hold my head. I can't fucking believe Ariela is here. I peek past the bar and see her standing by the window, the ocean spread out behind her, looking more beautiful than ever with her long eyelashes, luscious full lips and hips that always fit perfectly into my hands. “And that’s beside the point. I have no desire to see her ever again.”
I remember our last time. Her rising on top of me, hair flipped back.
“Riley, people change,” Keatyn says, still not giving up. “I’m sure she’s not the same girl who listened when her dad told her not to follow her boyfriend to California because he was going to make music videos.”
“She killed me.”
“I know she did, but she's here now. It's fate I ran into her today. We'd lost touch. She never went back for Homecoming.”
“Neither did I.”
“I know.”
I take another swig. Trying to calm both my nerves and my dick, which is a fucking traitor. The second I saw her, he sprung to attention in a way no other girl has ever accomplished.
I hear Aiden, Dallas, and RiAnne making small talk with her. Asking about where she's living.
“Riley, I’ll have her come talk to you. Maybe you can at least be friends again. You were always best friends.”
I hide behind the bar while Keatyn goes to get her.
Juvenile, I know.
Aiden’s probably going to pull my man card.
But I’m not hiding. I’m drinking.
Besides, I’m not the one who left. She owes me an explanation.
“Hey,” Ariela says, a shy smile on her face. She smiled like that right before I kissed her for the first time. “I’m sorry, Riley. I didn’t know you'd be here.”
“Why wouldn’t I be here?” I say coldly. “These are my friends.”
“I wanted to see you. I was just surprised to see you tonight.”
“Why are you here?”
“To find out how you are.”
“That’s why you came to California?”
“It’s complicated, Riley. Do you think I could have a drink?”
“I’ll give you something else.” I grab her and push her up against the bar. “This means nothing,” I say, forcing my lips onto hers.
I thought she would be repulsed. Hate me. Run away.
I want to disgust her and make her leave.
But she grabs the back of my neck with equal force and shoves her tongue in my mouth.
Heat rushes through my body, blood screaming, fire pushing through my veins.
Straight to my pants.
I lean toward the sexy skirt she's wearing, pushing it up, and shoving my massive hard on against her leg. I don't even care if she knows she's making me hard. The thought crosses my mind that I should rip her panties off and do her right here.