Broken Love (11 page)

THE SUN WAS shining in through the window casting a beautiful glow on Ava’s face. I hadn’t slept this good in a long time, and I knew it was because I held the woman of my dreams in my arms all night.

Her warm breath softly hit my body as I felt it come to life. “I feel your heart beating.”

With a smile, I kissed the top of her head. “It beats only for you.”

Lifting her chin and resting it on my chest, her eyes were enticing me to kiss those soft full lips. “Have you been talking to, Jennifer?”

With a chuckle, I pulled her on top of me and looked into her eyes. “How did you sleep, buttercup?”

“I slept amazingly, all thanks to you,” she beamed. “I also feel so at peace here in this house. It’s strange.”

My fingers lazily moved over her back as my eyes fleeted around the room. “Yeah, this place is rather special.”

“Ryder?”

Turning to look back at her, I pushed a piece of blonde hair away from her eyes. “Yeah?”

“We never went back up to main house!”

I’m dead. I’m so fucking dead.

I pushed Ava off of me as I headed back down the stairs. “Where are you going?” she called out.

“Getting dressed!” I exclaimed over my shoulder. Quickly finding my clothes, I got dressed as fast as I could.

Ava walked around as if she didn’t have a care in the world.

Motioning over to her, I asked, “What are you doing?”

She stopped and gave me a deadpan look. “What do you mean?”

“Ava! Your dad is going to figure out that we spent the night together and then he is going to kill me. Do you realize the severity of the situation?”

With a chortle, she waved me off with her hand and got dressed. We both headed downstairs with me practically pulling her arm out of her socket.

“Hurry, Ava.”

With a huff, she replied, “I’m a grown woman. My father has no say in what I can and can’t do. If I want to sneak out and have hot sex with the most handsome and romantic man I’ve ever met … then I’ll do it.”

My hands dropped to my sides. “You think I’m romantic?”

Her eyes lit up like fire as she ran her tongue over her teeth. “Oh yeah. And handsome, don’t forget I said handsome.”

My chest heaved as my breathing grew heavier. “You wouldn’t think I was very romantic if you knew what I was thinking right now.”

“Really?” Ava asked as she walked up to me and placed her hands on my chest. “Try me.”

“I want to bend you over that sofa and fuck you from behind.”

When her eyes widened and her body trembled, I knew she wanted the same thing. “Now see, I think that is very romantic and hot as hell.”

I lifted my brow. “Oh yeah?”

“Yep. But I’m confused as to why we’re talking about fucking when we could actually be doing it.”

All sense left my brain at that point as my hands cupped her face and I kissed her. Ava quickly began trying to get my pants back off when the door to the house flew open.

“What in the hell are you two doing?”

I pushed Ava back so hard she stumbled and landed on the sofa. “We’re not doing anything!” I shouted as I turned, expecting to see Reed, but instead I was looking at my brother.

“You son-of-a-bitch. Talk about scaring the living piss out of someone!” I shouted at him.

I quickly made my way over to Ava. “I’m so sorry I pushed you. I thought it was your dad.”

Ava pushed my hand away and stood as she glared at me before glancing over to Nate. “You better have a damn good excuse for interrupting what you just interrupted.”

Nate pulled his head back in a disgusted manner before shaking it off and pointing to me. “Reed is looking for both of you, but especially you, bro. When I realized where you both probably were, I came to warn you.”

I swallowed hard as Ava laughed as she slipped on her shoes and pushed passed Nate while heading out the door. “Puh-lease. I’m not afraid of my dad.”

My eyes widened as I looked at Nate. He smiled slowly and said, “Dude … you are so dead. I get your truck and the condo in Austin when Reed kills you.”

I pulled my boots on and walked up to Nate. With a quick push, Nate stumbled backwards. “Fuck you, Nate.”

“This is how you’re going to treat me after I came looking for the two of you? I see how you are, bro. I’ll remember this.”

I rolled my eyes and jogged to catch up to Ava. My fingers laced with hers as she peeked up and smiled her beautiful smile. Her blue eyes sparkled as her hair practically glowed from the sun hitting it.

God how I loved this girl.

Wait. What?

Instantly I stopped walking. “What’s wrong?” Ava asked as she gave me a concerned look.

Nate chuckled as he walked by. “He probably just realized this is his walk of death.”

Ava slapped Nate on the arm and focused back on me. My heart was pounding and I was positive my face had drained of all color.

“Ryder? Is everything okay? You don’t look so good. Do you feel all right?”

I searched her face before looking into her eyes. She looked so content even though there was a hint of worry in there. Her face had a glow to it and I knew it was because of the night we shared together. I felt the same way, and I’d give anything to go back to the little stone house and make love to her all day.

Suddenly becoming acutely aware of my heart pounding in my chest and every breath I took, I let what I thought sink in.

I love her.

Those three words had never made an appearance in my head before like this.

My stomach fluttered like the pansy ass I was, but I didn’t care. Everything about this felt right. I’d never experienced this feeling before and it had to be love.

Shouldn’t I be scared shitless? Running away would seem like the normal reaction I would think, but all I wanted to do was pull Ava into my arms and tell her how I felt.

Unfortunately, my mouth agreed to do just that before my brain caught up to what my heart was telling my body to do.

“I love you.”

Her eyes widened in shock before pooling with tears. She looked confused, yet she smiled the most breathtaking smile ever.

“What did you say?” she whispered.

Nate came rushing up to me and grabbed me by the shoulders, bumping Ava out of the way. “What in the hell did you just say?” He shook his head as he looked at me with dazed look. “You uttered the three words. You. Uttered. The. Three. Words! Take it back! Take it back before it’s too late!”

Spinning to Ava, Nate pointed to her. “What did you do to my brother?”

“Me?” she said as she looked between us.

Much to my regret, I stood there still in a state of shock that I had blurted out how I felt about Ava. That wasn’t going to give me any swooning points, that’s for sure.

“What makes you think I did something?” Ava asked.

Nate turned back to me and slapped me across the face, breaking me out of the trance I was in.

Ava gasped as I yelled, “What in the fuck, dude? You hit me!”

“Snap out of it, Ryder! You can’t be in love for fucks sake. You just slept with her. You hardly know each other.”

Ava pushed Nate out of the way and stood in front of me. “Ryder,” she choked out. “Did you … um … did you mean what you said?”

My mouth opened to speak, but nothing would come out. “I … um … I … ahh …”

“It’s the magical pussy effect. That’s what this is. I’ve seen plenty of good men go down because of it.”

Snapping my head over to Nate, I narrowed my eyes at him as Ava continued to wait for my answer. Pinning him with a glare, I said, “You’re such an asshole, Nate.”

“Tell me I’m lying. You can’t even answer her right now. It’s the classic symptom.”

Closing my eyes, I tried to get my thoughts together as Nate continued to run his mouth. When I opened my eyes, I looked back to Ava only to see her eyes filling with doubt.

Oh shit.

“Ava, I—”

“There y’all are!” Liza called out as she walked hand in hand with Walker up to us. Lifting my head, my eyes caught Walker’s and I could see the big brother protectiveness coming out loud and clear.

“Ava, dad is looking everywhere for you. When you and Ryder didn’t show up for breakfast, the steam was practically coming from his head,” Walker said as he shot daggers at me.

“Thanks,” Ava said as she turned and started walking away from me.

“Wait, Ava!” I called out as she grabbed Liza and began walking quickly back toward the house.

Walker walked up to me and put his hand on my chest as Nate said, “Oh hell. Here we go. First comes the brother, then it will be the best friend Jase, and the grand finale … the dad.”

If Nate were a few feet closer, I would have punched him just to shut him up.

Walker’s jaw tensed as he asked, “What did you do to my sister?”

“I didn’t do anything!”

Nate laughed. “Bull shit he didn’t. He told her he loved her! Can you believe that shit?”

Walker’s eyes softened as he searched my face. “You love my sister?”

“No!” I shouted.

Walker pulled his head back in surprise. “I mean, yes! I mean … fuck I don’t know what I mean! I just blurted it out. I … I don’t know why I said it.” My hands pushed through my hair as I let out a frustrated sigh. “No, I do know why I said it. It’s just … I was so overcome with these stupid emotions and I didn’t want to say it like that.”

Before I knew it, Walker was laughing his ass off. Laughing so much he had tears. Nate and I stood there and stared at him.

“Why is he laughing?” Nate asked in a whispered voice.

With a shrug of my shoulders, I replied, “I have no idea, but I’d much rather him be laughing than looking at me like he wants to kill me.”

Lifting his hand, Walker said, “Wait … oh man. Give me a second.”

“I’m glad you find this funny,” I responded as I made my way to the house.

Walker wiped his tears away as he walked next to me. “Sorry, dude. It’s just the look on your face. It was priceless. You have been bitten by the love bug for sure.”

There was that word again. “I need to talk to Ava. She thinks I didn’t mean to say I loved her, but I did mean to say it. I just didn’t want to say it like that and then when she asked if I meant it I couldn’t say it again! I need to tell her I can say it and mean it.”

After letting out a long dramatic sigh, Walker slowly shook his head. “I should be really concerned that I understood all of that.”

Nate guffawed. “I’m glad you understood it, ‘cause I didn’t.”

“Everyone is waiting up at the house to go for a hike, so unless you want to declare your love for my sister in front of everyone, it will have to wait until after.”

Reed was standing outside the house glaring at me as we walked up.

“Yeah, I think I’ll wait,” I said as I fought the urge to bolt in the opposite direction of where Reed was standing with his arms crossed.

“Just keep walking like you don’t see him,” Walker said as I snapped my head to look at him.

“W-what?”

Nate laughed as he called out. “Hey, Reed! Look who we found … Ryder!”

Reed made his way over to us as Walker said, “Good luck, dude.”

“Wait. Where are you going?” I demanded as Walker nodded toward his father and made a beeline to the door.

Stopping, I grabbed Nate’s arm. “You will never get my truck or condo, you traitor!”

“Ryder, how was your evening?” Reed asked as he stopped in front of me. I was still focused on my brother when he shot me a smirk.

“You’re dead to me,” I whispered before turning to look at Reed.

“Morning, Reed. It was um … it was … nice?”

Tilting his head, his eyes narrowed as he waited for me to change my response.

“It was … um … fun.”

Reed’s mouth dropped open as I held up my hands.

“No, no, that’s not the word I was looking for.”

Ava’s father cleared his throat and stated, “Walk with me, Ryder. I think it’s time you and I got to know each other a little better.”

My eyes widened in horror as I slowly turned and began following Reed toward the barn.
Why the barn? Nothing good could come from going to the barn!

Glancing over my shoulder, I shot my good-for-nothing brother a pleading look.

With a smile he called out, “You still keep your spare key under that potted plant, right?”

My hand lifted as I gave him the finger while he threw his head back and cackled.