She hugged me and pushed me back as she gave me a once over. “Holy shit. Look at you looking so hot.”
I raised my hand and tried to brush off her comment, but I accidentally hit her in the face.
“Ouch! What the hell, Ava!”
My hands slammed over my face as I started laughing. “I’m so s-sorry!” I busted out laughing as I tried to tell myself to stop. Literally.
“Stop it, Ava! It’s not nice to laugh at people!”
Dee looked at me like I was nuts. “What in the hell is wrong with you?”
I pointed to myself and dropped my mouth open as I stared at Dee. “Me? You’re asking what’s wrong with me?”
Narrowing her eyes at me, she nodded. “I’s tell you what’s wrong with me. I’s don’t like you, Dee. Nope.” I popped my p so loud it caused my lips to tingle. Dee’s mouth slowly dropped open as her eyes widened in horror. Something I’m sure I would do too if I was sober and realized what I had just said.
“You always thought you were so great in college. I’s knows better though.” Taking my pointer finger, I jammed her in the chest. “You are a drama-filled queen. No wait. You’re filled with drama. You’re a drama queen.”
“I beg your pardon?”
I rolled my eyes. “I know, it’s loud in here.” I placed my hands around my mouth like a cone and shouted, “You’re a bitch, Dee! A drama-loving, dick-humping … no wait … dick-sucking, bitch!”
Dee’s faced turned red and she looked like she was about to say something when someone ran right into me, knocking me over.
“What in the cookie hell kitten cracker!” I shouted as I landed right on my ass.
I was going to kill the asshole who knocked me down. I attempted to stand up, only to have the room spin on me again and my heels slide out from underneath me.
“Whoa, I got ya.”
I knew that voice. My body came to life as I tried to focus on the person helping me up.
“Ava? Shit, are you okay?”
I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head while I slowly opened them again. Only to find familiar hazel eyes staring down at me.
My head began to pound and I felt sick as I placed my hand over my mouth and said, “Holy shit. It’s you.”
I COULDN’T BELIEVE I had her in my arms. Again. The first time I ran into Ava I tried to ignore how her touch lit a fire in my body. Now, looking at her dressed in a tight short-ass dress with legs to die for … yeah … I was happy as hell to see her again.
Letting a smile play across my face, I nodded and said, “It’s me all right.”
Ava opened her mouth to talk but then slammed her hands over her mouth. I knew what was going to happen next. Taking her by the arm, I shouted, “Hold on, baby, let’s get you outside.”
Pushing through the crowd, I kicked the door open and quickly led Ava over to the side of the building where she promptly threw up.
All. Over. My. Shoes.
Closing my eyes briefly, I mumbled, “That’s fucking disgusting.”
“Oh God, I think I’m dying.”
Laughing, I pushed a strand of her loose blonde hair behind her head. “Nah, you’re just a beautiful woman standing on the side of a building puking her guts out … onto my shoes.”
The look of horror that passed over her face was the cutest damn thing I’d ever seen. “I’m so sorry, mystery man.”
I pulled my head back in surprise and was about to ask her why she called me mystery man when another girl ran up. “Ava! Are you okay?” When she turned and looked at me, she quickly forgot about Ava and smiled. “Well well well, hello there, handsome.”
I looked between her and Ava with a blank expression.
“Water,” Ava whispered.
The girl spun around and quickly took Ava in her arms. “Oh, sweetie. I told you not to drink those whiskey shots. You don’t do hard liquor well.”
Looking at me, the girl mouthed, she doesn’t drink much.
Nodding my head, I said, “Let me go get a bottle of water for her.”
Ava’s friend winked and then ran her tongue along her lips. “Hurry back.”
I wasn’t sure how to read the friend, but I could for sure read that Ava had drank way too much.
After returning back outside with a bottle of water, Ava was sitting on a bench while her girlfriend was talking to some guy.
Sitting down next to Ava, I placed my hand on her leg and she jumped. “Hey, um … you know … I’s don’t even know your name. I’s think if I’m gonna dream about you I should have a name with the face.”
Smiling, I handed her the water. “Here, drink all of this.”
Doing as I said, Ava began downing the water. “Slowly, baby, you’ll get sick again.”
Ava turned to me with her mouth dropped open as she let her hand fall to her lap, sloshing the water. “My God, I’ve gots to tell you … that makes me all kinds of hot when you call me baby.”
“My name is Ryder.”
Ava closed her eyes and mumbled something incoherently before saying, “Even his name is hot.”
I looked away until I was sure the flush from my cheeks was gone. “Ava, I think you’ve had enough for one night. How are you getting home?”
Ava pointed her finger to the other side of her as I looked to see no one standing there. Her friend must have taken off back into the bar.
“There’s no one there.”
Ava jerked her head too fast and called out, “Whoa, Ryder seriously you don’t have to make the whole world spin, okay. Just put me back down.”
I tried to hold my laughter back as I leaned in and whispered against her neck, just under her ear. “Trust me, Ava. If you were in my arms, you’d experience a lot more than just being dizzy.”
Ava swallowed hard as her body shuddered. “I think I need to lie down.”
Standing up, I held my hand out for Ava and led her back into the club. I had to wrap my arm around her waist to keep her walking straight. After fifteen minutes of looking for this so-called friend, I made my way over to my brother, Nate.
“Nate, I ran into a—” Glancing down at Ava, I tried to figure out what I wanted to say. “Um, a friend.”
“Uh-huh. She sure is pretty,” Nate said as he looked at Ava.
Ava hit Nate in the chest … hard. “Awe … you’s is so sneaks.”
Nate’s eyebrows rose. “Sneaks?”
“She’s had a bit too much to drink. I’m going to take her home since I can’t find her friend anywhere.”
Nate gave me a wink and said, “Right. Well, you have yourself one hell of a good time tonight, you lucky son-of-a-bitch.”
Anger began to build in my blood as I shook my head. “It isn’t anything like that.”
Lifting the glass full of vodka to his lips, he smiled and drank.
Fuck this. I’m getting Ava out of here now.
“See ya tomorrow,” I said as I turned to head out of the club.
“Don’t be fucking late, Ryder.”
By the time I got Ava back to my car, she had thrown up two more times and told me how she had dreamed about me. One dream was graphic and I had to adjust my dick in my pants.
I slipped Ava into the front seat and ran around to the driver’s side. Jumping in, I looked at Ava and said, “Where do you … live … fuck.”
Ava was passed out with her sweet little mouth hanging open and what appeared to be a small amount of drool starting to form in the corner. It was the cutest damn thing I’d ever seen.
I wasn’t sure what to do. Glancing down at her clutch, I felt like a dick for even thinking of opening it, but I had no choice.
“Please don't be like tampons or something in there.” My body shook in fear as I took a deep breath and looked into her purse. Living with three older sisters I saw things that could never be un-seen.
The only things she had in there was a tube of lipstick, her phone, and her wallet. Taking her wallet out, I glanced back over to her. She was now snoring and in a deep slumber.<
br />
I pulled out her license and typed the address into my GPS. She only lived ten minutes away.
Ava’s phone began buzzing so I pulled it out of her purse only to hear Maroon 5’s “Animals” playing and the name Jay flashing across the screen. Jealousy raced over my body as I quickly decided to answer it.
“Hello?”
“Um … wait … so no … okay who the fuck is this?”
I instantly recognized the voice. “A friend who cared enough to make sure Ava got home safe.”
“What did you just say, homeslice?”
“Did you just call me homeslice?”
“Yes. Yes, I did, motherfucker.”
Smiling, I nodded my head. “That seems like more of a normal reaction to a strange man who answered your friend’s phone.”
I heard a loud bang and then it was quiet. She must have stepped outside. “Listen here, prick eater, you better turn your ass around and bring my best friend back or I’ll hurt you. And by hurt you, I mean I’ll cut your dick off and make you eat it.”
My upper lip snarled as I pulled the phone away from my ear and looked at the sweet girl’s picture on the screen. “You’ll what?” I asked in utter shock.
“You heard me.”
My GPS alerted me that Ava’s place was on the right just a half a mile up the road.
“Listen, GI Jane, I’m almost to Ava’s house to take her home. If you’re that concerned, why don't you head on over here and take care of her.”
“Fine, make sure she texts me when she gets into her condo.”
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
“I already said that.”
“Dick.”
“Night, Jay.”
Hitting End, I pulled up and parked then got out of the car and walked up to the valet guy.
“You visiting someone?”
Opening the door, I reached in and picked up Ava. “Yep. She had a little too much to drink.”
“Damn, Ava.”
The way this guy was looking at her had me all kinds of pissed off. “Um, I’m not sure if I should allow you into the building, sir.”
Laughing, I shook my head and began bouncing Ava. “I’m up! I’m awakes.”
Ava looked around and smiled when she saw she was in my arms. “I’m dreaming again. Yes.” Fist pumping, she turned and looked at the valet guy. “Oh, Ryan you’ve never graced a dream before.”
Clearing my throat, I said, “Ava baby, you’re not dreaming and Ryan here won’t let me bring you up to your place.”
Ava slowly turned and looked at me. “Just because I’m drunk, Ryder, doesn’t mean I’m going to have sex with you. I mean, I want to have sex with you.”
My eyebrows shot up as I pulled my head back while Ava kept digging herself in deeper. “I think sex with you would be curl toeing. I can only imagine all the ways you’d make me—”
“Okay! Ryan, you going to open the door, dude, or are we both going to have to listen to Ava graphically describe her dreams?”
Ryan frowned as he looked at Ava. When he turned to look at me, he shot me a dirty look.
As he took a step forward, he said, “Enjoy your evening, Ms. Moore, sir.”
I knew it was a dick move, but I lifted the left corner of my mouth as I said, “Oh I intend to.”
I PULLED THE pillow over my head as I moaned.
Jesus, even my internal moan hurt my head.
Dropping the pillow to my side, I slowly sat up and swung my legs over the bed. I glanced down to see I was wearing a T-shirt. Closing my eyes, I buried my face in my hands. “I don’t remember anything last night.”
Slowly standing, I pushed my feet into my slippers and made my way to the kitchen, shuffling my slippers across the wood floor.
I lifted my arms above my head and stretched as I tried to think of where in the hell my Motrin was. I’d never had such a terrible headache. I couldn’t believe I wasn’t sick to my stomach.
Opening a cabinet, I pulled the Motrin out and grabbed three. Opening the refrigerator, I grabbed the orange juice. After pouring myself a glass, I turned and leaned against the counter as I popped all three pills into my mouth. The coffee machine was on and there was a fresh pot of coffee going.
I pushed off the counter as I frantically looked around. “Holy shit,” I whispered. Had I brought someone home?
“Hello?”
Taking a few steps around the kitchen island, I looked into the living room.
“Hello? Is anyone here?”
Silence.
I closed my eyes and willed myself to remember last night.
“Coffee. What I need is coffee.”
It was probably Jay who brought me home and made the coffee. Oh damn, she’s gonna be pissed and say I ruined her night.
I grabbed a coffee mug out of my dishwasher and headed over to the coffee pot. I poured a cup and brought it up to my mouth. I would have inhaled it, but I was pretty sure my head would have exploded. The mug was about to reach my lips when I saw a note.
Taking a sip, I picked up the note and focused my hungover eyes on it.
“No. Oh please, God, no.”
“No!” I screamed and then stopped when the pain pierced my head.
“Oh my God. Oh my God.” I spun around and headed to the sofa where I sat down and began rocking back and forth. “Oh shit. It’s all coming back. Ryder ran into me. Then I threw up. What happened next?”
I quickly stood up as I placed my hand on my stomach. “I’m going to be sick!” I yelled as I ran through my condo to my bathroom. Dropping to the floor, I wiped my tears away. I always cried when I threw up. Ever since I was little.
Lightly placing my head on the wall behind me, I wondered what all I had said to Ryder. My body slumped as I let out an overly-dramatic sigh. When I finally decided that sitting on the bathroom floor wasn’t going to do a damn thing, I stood up and headed into the kitchen.
“Food. Once I eat, I’ll feel better and everything will be okay. It’s not like I’m ever going to see him again.”
“You always talk to yourself?”
I screamed as I spun around to see Jay standing in my doorway. “You! You left me alone.”
Jay smiled as she tossed her purse onto the table I had at my front entrance. “Oh trust me, you were not alone. Mr. Hotty McHot Pants was with you. Sounds like you had one hell of a night.”
My eyes widened in horror as my heart dropped to my stomach. “W-what? How do you know?”
“Ryder called me from your phone. Said something about having to leave for a meeting or something and he couldn’t bear the thought of you waking up all alone. Guess he thought you might be feeling the aftereffects of last night. So tell me, Ava, did Ryder ride her last night?”
“What?” I asked confused.
My mouth dropped open as I let her words sink in. Ryder brought me home last night? Yes, I remember that. Don’t I?
“Are you sore?” Jay asked as she poured herself a cup of coffee.
Frowning, I said, “Yes, my head is killing me.”
“No, I mean between your legs.”
“Why in the hell would I be sore between—” Then her words hit me like a brick wall.
Jay smiled but attempted to hide it behind her coffee mug. My eyes darted from side to side as I tried to focus in on my body. “We couldn’t have. He wouldn’t. What kind of man has sex with a woman who’s drunk?”
“Hot guys?”
I shook my head the best I could considering it was pounding in my ears now. “Nope. I’d know if I had sex. I haven’t had sex.”
“Maybe his dick was small and you can’t tell.”
I rolled my eyes at Jay. “Do you hear what comes out of your mouth?”
My phone rang and for a moment I panicked it might be Ryder. Seeing Mom flash across the screen, I let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Lord Jesus,” I whispered.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Morning, sweetheart. Are you on your way?”
I
glanced up at the clock on my wall. Shit! I’m late!
“Yep! I left not too long ago. I’ll be there soon.”
Jay raised her eyebrow up at me and shook her head.
“Okay, sweetheart. Don’t be late; you know how important this is to your father.”
“Right! I’m not going to let Daddy down, I swear.”
Taking another sip of coffee, I rushed past Jay and headed into my bedroom.
“See you soon!”
“Bye, Mom.”
I hit End and turned to Jay. “Help me!”
“I’m on it. First things first. Brush your damn teeth and take a quick shower. You smell like a damn bar.”
I PULLED DOWN the driveway to my parents’ house and floored it.
I’m late. Oh shit, I’m late.
Liza was sitting on the front porch holding my precious little nephew, Nickolas.
I put the car in park and practically ran over to them.
“Let me have him!”
Liza laughed and handed Nickolas to me.
“Hello to you too.”
I glanced up and smiled at Liza. “We totally need to do a girls’ night. I have so much to tell you about Paris and Italy. Maurice got on Jase’s nerves when he spent a couple days with us. I loved it! Of course ever since France, Jase really hasn’t been the same.”
“I know. He spent some time with a girl there and things didn’t end the way he wanted them to. I’ve tried talking to him about it but he keeps pushing me away.”
The front door screen made a small noise when it opened, causing us both to turn and look. My mother placed her hand on her hip and starred at me. “Ava? How long have you been here?”
“Gosh, for a while now.”
Liza turned and looked at me with a smirk. “Yep, she’s been sitting out here loving on her nephew.”
My mother’s smile warmed as she walked over and kissed me on the forehead. “Okay, well your father and Layton are with the boys and the gentlemen who are going to help the ranch become certified organic. They’re headed back up to Layton and Whit’s place and they want us to meet them there.”
Walker and Jase were the ones to convince our fathers that it was time to go organic. It was something we all talked about as a family. My father and Layton had been business partners for years, and I loved how involved we all were as a family when it came to the cattle ranch, including me. I’d been known to throw on a pair of jeans and boots and get in there when it came time to doing the dirty stuff.