move.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, my tone hard.
She leans against the counter, biting her lip. “I came by to say I’m sorry, okay?”
I narrow my eyes and move my shoulders up and down. “For what?”
“For whatever I said that pissed you off.”
I chuckle bitterly and push past her. She still doesn’t get it. Taking a swig of my beer, I nod in the direction a few guys as they stumble inside.
“ Ryker,” Lola says chasing after me.
I lean against the wall of the family room, holding the cup close to my chest. More people file inside, some carrying cartons of beer or bottles of alcohol. I wave in their direction.
“Hey guys,” I call out. A couple of girls walk inside, one of them carries a large bottle of vodka. “Excuse me,” I say, pushing past Lola. I can practically feel her openmouthed stare as I head toward the girl. Let her stare. She should know that if she doesn’t want to be with me, I can meet someone else who will.
As I relieve the glass bottle from the girl I don’t know, I feel like an ass. I know I’m just doing this to make Lola upset, but I don’t care. I’m tired of letting her push me around. Been there, done that, with Fiona, and I’m not looking for a repeat of that doomed relationship.
“Hey .” Lola comes up behind me, her hand falling on my shoulder.
I shake it off, and head into the kitchen to put the vodka in the freezer.
Pierce chats with the girls loudly, and they giggle.
“I said I was sorry,” Lola says after I close the freezer door. She stands with her legs apart, making it impossible for me to get out of the kitchen. “What more do you want from me?”
“That night at the pub you asked me if I’m complicated, and I told you I wasn’t. That’s the truth, Lola. I’m not complicated, and I don’t play games. I laid it all out for you. I haven’t been secretive about my intentions. But if you don’t feel the same way, that’s fine. We can cut our losses right now.”
Her face pales. “I don’t want to do that.”
“Why not? If you’re so sure we don’t have a future together then what the hell are we doing here, Lola?”
“I didn’t say that I was sure we don’t have a future together. It’s just that we’ve only been dating a short time. I’m not ready to make a commitment of undying love to you just yet.”
“Just yet, huh?” I tease, my anger dissipating a bit. “But soon you plan to do that? Declare your undying love for me? Well, that changes things.”
Lola giggles, swatting my arm. “You wish.”
“I just want you to keep an open mind. Is that too much to ask?”
Lola nods. “No, it’s not. And yes, I can do that.”
"I like you a lot, Lola." I sweep my fingers up her cheek and rest them at her ear. "I'm not ready to let you go. I just wish you felt the same way.”
“I’m here, aren’t I?”
“ Right now you are,” I say, using the same words she used earlier.
She crosses her arms over her chest. The apartment swells with chatting and noise behind us. “I shouldn’t have said what I did earlier. Sometimes I just get scared. But I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be with you. I don’t want to lose you, Ryker.”
I smile in a teasing way. “You’re in luck , because I don’t want to lose this.” I reach my hand up, running my fingertips over her lips.
“The red lipstick?” Lola raises a brow.
Without answering, I smother her lips with mine. When we part, I cock an eyebrow. She smiles, and I feel my nerves settling. "You ready to party, beautiful?"
She nods, narrowing her eyes at me as if she doesn't know what to make of me. The look gives me a sense of satisfaction. I'm starting to understand Lola better and better all the time, and I plan to use my knowledge to reel her in. There's no way I'm letting Lola get away. I’m not going to let her slip away the same way Fiona did.
Lola's on her phone again. I think she's talking to Star. And she looks pissed. I'm irritated with
“What are you doing here?” I ask, my tone hard.
She leans against the counter, biting her lip. “I came by to say I’m sorry, okay?”
I narrow my eyes and move my shoulders up and down. “For what?”
“For whatever I said that pissed you off.”
I chuckle bitterly and push past her. She still doesn’t get it. Taking a swig of my beer, I nod in the direction a few guys as they stumble inside.
“ Ryker,” Lola says chasing after me.
I lean against the wall of the family room, holding the cup close to my chest. More people file inside, some carrying cartons of beer or bottles of alcohol. I wave in their direction.
“Hey guys,” I call out. A couple of girls walk inside, one of them carries a large bottle of vodka. “Excuse me,” I say, pushing past Lola. I can practically feel her openmouthed stare as I head toward the girl. Let her stare. She should know that if she doesn’t want to be with me, I can meet someone else who will.
As I relieve the glass bottle from the girl I don’t know, I feel like an ass. I know I’m just doing this to make Lola upset, but I don’t care. I’m tired of letting her push me around. Been there, done that, with Fiona, and I’m not looking for a repeat of that doomed relationship.
“Hey .” Lola comes up behind me, her hand falling on my shoulder.
I shake it off, and head into the kitchen to put the vodka in the freezer.
Pierce chats with the girls loudly, and they giggle.
“I said I was sorry,” Lola says after I close the freezer door. She stands with her legs apart, making it impossible for me to get out of the kitchen. “What more do you want from me?”
“That night at the pub you asked me if I’m complicated, and I told you I wasn’t. That’s the truth, Lola. I’m not complicated, and I don’t play games. I laid it all out for you. I haven’t been secretive about my intentions. But if you don’t feel the same way, that’s fine. We can cut our losses right now.”
Her face pales. “I don’t want to do that.”
“Why not? If you’re so sure we don’t have a future together then what the hell are we doing here, Lola?”
“I didn’t say that I was sure we don’t have a future together. It’s just that we’ve only been dating a short time. I’m not ready to make a commitment of undying love to you just yet.”
“Just yet, huh?” I tease, my anger dissipating a bit. “But soon you plan to do that? Declare your undying love for me? Well, that changes things.”
Lola giggles, swatting my arm. “You wish.”
“I just want you to keep an open mind. Is that too much to ask?”
Lola nods. “No, it’s not. And yes, I can do that.”
"I like you a lot, Lola." I sweep my fingers up her cheek and rest them at her ear. "I'm not ready to let you go. I just wish you felt the same way.”
“I’m here, aren’t I?”
“ Right now you are,” I say, using the same words she used earlier.
She crosses her arms over her chest. The apartment swells with chatting and noise behind us. “I shouldn’t have said what I did earlier. Sometimes I just get scared. But I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be with you. I don’t want to lose you, Ryker.”
I smile in a teasing way. “You’re in luck , because I don’t want to lose this.” I reach my hand up, running my fingertips over her lips.
“The red lipstick?” Lola raises a brow.
Without answering, I smother her lips with mine. When we part, I cock an eyebrow. She smiles, and I feel my nerves settling. "You ready to party, beautiful?"
She nods, narrowing her eyes at me as if she doesn't know what to make of me. The look gives me a sense of satisfaction. I'm starting to understand Lola better and better all the time, and I plan to use my knowledge to reel her in. There's no way I'm letting Lola get away. I’m not going to let her slip away the same way Fiona did.
Lola's on her phone again. I think she's talking to Star. And she looks pissed. I'm irritated with
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