We both look up when my father calls us. “Girls. Get over here and eat.”
We both grumble to each other before getting up and joining everyone else at the table. I take a spot next to Cale as Aspen takes her place beside Slade.
Dinner passes quickly as my parents talk to Cale about what he’s been up to over the years. Leaving out the male stripper part, Cale tells them stories from his bartending experience. Now I’m just hoping they don’t look up Walk Of Shame and decide to drop in for a quick drink sometime. They are supportive like that and it might be a little awkward to explain.
After all conversation with my parents is done and everything is cleaned up, we decide to head inside for a few drinks and a game of darts. The boys talked shit to each other the whole time during dinner, betting money on who would win. Everyone was pretty surprised when my mother jumped up and threw in some money on Cale. That definitely gave him an extra confidence boost, not that he needed one.
There’s fifty bucks on the line, so the boys are getting into a serious mode, trying to intimidate each other while us girls sit back and watch.
My parents are sitting in the next room watching a movie, just enjoying the fact that we’re all still here. It’s not very often that they have both of their girls home, and they’re definitely working to keep us here as long as they can.
I have to admit that we’re all having fun, a lot more fun than I expected. It sort of feels like old times, back when Aspen and I lived at home. I like this carefree feeling right now, and I’m not ready for it to end anytime soon.
“You lucky, shit,” Slade spits out while yanking the darts out of the board. “That was luck not skill, so stop that smiling bullshit.”
Cale tilts back his bottle of beer and grins even bigger, clearly enjoying this. “Oh trust me, that was all skill, bro.” He holds up his free hand, showing it off. “My hand is talented as fuck, Slade.”
“Nah . . .” Slade throws his first dart, hitting the bull’s eye. “That’s skill. Might as well give me your dick shaking tips now.”
Ignoring Slade, Cale walks over to me and wraps his hands into the back of my hair, pulling me in for a kiss. His lips are soft and sweet, tasting of the chocolate dessert that he recently ate. “I can’t wait to get you alone. As soon as I win this asshole’s money, I’m taking you to the nearest bed and letting you have your way with me.” He smiles against my lips when I grab his ass and squeeze.
“Oh, is that right?” I run my hands up his strong back and dig my nails into his shoulders. “So I can do anything that I want?”
He pulls my bottom lip into his mouth and nibbles it. “Anything,” he breathes. “You’re the only one with that power, so I would abuse it if I were you.”
Cale clenches his jaw when one of Slade’s darts comes flying at his head. “Seriously?”
Aspen wraps her arm around Slade’s neck and pulls him down to her level so that she can kiss him and whisper something to him.
“You both want to play now, huh?” I grab one of Cale’s darts and throw it at them. “I think us girls should get in on this game. Double it.”
We’re all standing here bickering, trying to decide on what to do when the doorbell rings.
A few minutes later, my mom walks in and takes one look at me in Cale’s arms, before clearing her throat and looking around awkwardly. “Riley . . . Tyler is at the door. He said he’s here to talk to you.”
I just about pass out when Tyler steps into the room, looking at me as if he’s waited forever to see me again.
His blonde hair is cut short and slightly messy, and he’s dressed in a pair of old jeans and a white shirt. I almost forgot just how cute he is, and seeing him standing here . . . for me . . . makes my heart sink.
Holy. Fucking. Shit.
FUCK ME. . . . MY EYES MEET Riley’s and I can see her being emotionally pulled in different directions, about to lose her composure. This is not good. Not good for me at all.
Knowing that he’s here to win Riley back makes me fucking sick. Now that I know what he looks like, it’s easier to picture him putting his hands all over her and I don’t like it. Not one bit. In fact . . . it makes me hate him.
“Tyler . . .” Riley places her hand over her mouth in shock, looking him up and down as if she doesn’t know whether to slap him or run to him. “What are you doing here?”
Tyler swallows and looks around the room. Riley is standing close enough to me that I’m sure there’s reason for him to question our intentions. “I miss you.” He looks at me as he says the next part. “I need to talk to you, Riley. Can we talk in private?”