Ryker (Steele Brothers #1) Read online

  “What the hell were you thinking, setting me up with that guy?”

  “What was wrong with him?”

  “Aside from the fact he was a mama’s boy with no manners, who clearly hates kids? Nothing, I guess.”

  “Your standards are too high,” she said, tipping her head toward the sun. “You’ve been out of the dating game too long. You think all guys are like Ryker: big, strong, handsome, rich—”

  “You hate Ryker,” I reminder her. “Why all the praise all of a sudden?”

  “I don’t hate him,” she said, adjusting her oversized sunglasses. “I just think he’s been taking you for granted for too long. He didn’t realize a good thing when he had it. Now that it’s too late, he wants another chance. Well screw him!”

  Molly was as opinionated and overbearing as she accused Ryker of being, but I put up with her because she’d been my best friend since the ninth grade. Besides, I had no problem telling her to back off when she’d crossed the line. Like now. “I’ll decide whether or not to give Ryker another chance, Molly. Not you.”

  “You would actually consider giving that man another chance after he practically ignored you while you were living together?”

  I appreciated the fact that Molly always had my back, but she was never willing to cut Ryker any slack and that was a problem, because I was determined to give him the benefit of the doubt moving forward.

  “People make mistakes,” I reminded her. She’d made plenty with her former husband, but she would never admit it. According to her, it was all Richard’s fault. He was impossible to live with. “I’m certainly not perfect.”

  She groaned. “Why do you do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “Excuse Ryker’s bad behavior by claiming responsibility.”

  “I don’t do that!” Did I? “I’m not saying Ryker was the perfect husband, but I wasn’t perfect either.”

  She reached for my hand. “Honey, name a single time you weren’t there for him when he needed you.” When I didn’t respond, she said, “Exactly! You were like Martha-freakin’-Stewart, and he was more concerned about maintaining his six pack than his marriage.”

  I regretted telling Molly that Ryker often retired to the basement gym in the evening to workout rather than spend time with me. “I could have gone downstairs to work out with him.”

  “You said you didn’t know how to use all that equipment at the time and he didn’t have the patience to show you.”

  Damn her for throwing that back in my face. Thank God I hadn’t told her about our problems in the bedroom. She would have viewed that as grounds for divorce, for sure. “Look, Mol, I know you care about me and you only want me to be happy, but I’m not ready to end my marriage. In fact, last night helped me realize I don’t want to date anyone else.”

  I knew I had to tell her that Ryker and I were going to try working on our marriage. If I didn’t, she would keep trying to set me up with her single friends from work, and I couldn’t risk that.

  “What do you mean you don’t want to date anyone else?” she asked, lowering her sunglasses to peer at me over the top of the frame.

  She reminded me of my mother when she did that. Mom was a seamstress who wore bifocals, and she was forever peering at me over the top of her lenses. Every time she looked at me like that, I wanted to squirm.

  “Ryker and I are going to work on our marriage, you know, start dating again.”

  Molly slapped the side of her head. “My ear must be plugged. I could have sworn I just heard you say you’re going to start dating your soon-to-be ex-husband.”

  I rolled my eyes while reaching for a fashion magazine on the table between us. “You know I’ve never seen a lawyer about divorcing Ryker. We’re not even legally separated.”

  “Which I think is ridiculous. Without a legally binding agreement, he could get pissed off at you and just stop sending those big checks every month. Then where would you be?”

  “Ryker would never do that. He’s committed to taking care of his family.”

  “Don’t be so naïve,” Molly said, slipping her sunglasses back in place. “Don’t you know how vindictive men can be during a divorce? You think you know them, but as soon as lawyers get involved, they become someone else. Suddenly, they’re fighting over your china collection, which they didn’t even know you had until they saw it listed among your assets.”

  “Another reason not to get lawyers involved,” I muttered.

  “A lawyer will protect your ass when Ryker decides he’s tired of paying for all this,” she said, waving her hand around the large treed backyard.

  “Molly.”

  Molly’s head snapped back when she heard Ryker’s voice.

  “Oh, uh, hi,” she said, scrambling to sit up. “We didn’t hear you come in. What are you doing eavesdropping on us anyhow?”

  Ryker moved to the front of our loungers and pushed his sunglasses up on his head. He was wearing a fitted black T-shirt that showed off his colorful tattoos and bulging biceps, along with a pair of low-slung, faded jeans and motorcycle boots. He looked mad enough to spit nails, and I didn’t know about Molly, but I was breaking out in a sweat and his anger wasn’t even directed at me.

  “You need to mind your own goddamn business,” he said, his voice low and lethal. “And stop filling my wife’s head with garbage.”

  Molly reached for the cover-up at the bottom of the lounge chair, raising her chin in defiance. “Mac was my friend long before she was your wife, Ryker. Just remember that. And if you think I’m going to let you treat her like crap—”

  “Stop!” I held up my hands. “I’ve listened to you two argue enough to last a lifetime.” I looked at my friend. “You know I love you, but you need to respect my right to make my own decisions.”

  “But I’m just looking out for you,” Molly said, looking deflated.

  “By trying to convince her that I’d leave her high and dry?” Ryker asked, clenching his fist. “What kind of person do you think I am?”

  “It’s nothing personal,” Molly said, slipping her cover-up back on. “You’re a wealthy guy. It’s not like you guys had a prenup. You could stand to lose a lot if you divorced. Why wouldn’t you want to save your marriage if it meant saving you millions?”

  “I did not,” Ryker said, his jaw clenched, “just hear you imply the only reason that I want to save my marriage is because of money.”

  I knew this could go downhill. Fast. “Molly, I think it’s time for you to go. I need to talk to Ryker. Alone.”

  “Fine.” Molly reached for her sunscreen before slipping her feet into her flip-flops and tossing her towel over her shoulder. “I’ll call you later.”

  I waited for her to leave before I said to Ryker, “I’m sorry about that.”

  “It’s not your fault,” he said, sinking into the lounge chair next to me. “She’s always been a pain in the ass. Nothing’s changed.”

  “I know you don’t like her,” I said, the warning evident in my tone. “But she’s always been there when I needed her.”

  “Unlike me?” he asked, turning to face me. “That’s what you’re thinking, isn’t it?”

  “Do you really want to do this right now?” I was beginning to feel like we’d started losing instead of gaining ground this weekend.

  “No, I don’t.” He leaned forward, rubbing his eyes before replacing his sunglasses. “Sorry, I’m in a mood. I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”

  I wanted to ask if he’d lost sleep thinking about what had happened between us the night before, as I had. “That’s okay.” I pointed at the small pool house. “It’s pretty hot out here. I still have some of your swimsuits in there if you feel like taking a dip.”

  “Are you asking me to stay?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder.

  “If you want to.”

  “I want to.”

  I smiled, grateful his back was turned so he couldn’t see how pleased I was to be spending more time with him. “Where are the boys?�
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  “They went across the street.”

  “To the Andersons’?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I think Zane has a thing for their daughter, Brittany. Has he said anything to you about her?”

  He stood, peeling his T-shirt off and making my mouth water. “Nope.” He toed his boots off, losing the socks too. “Be right back.”

  I watched him walk away, wondering why he seemed so distant. I could understand why his argument with Molly might have put him on edge, especially if he hadn’t slept well, but I didn’t want our time together to feel strained.

  I padded over to the bar fridge and pulled out a longneck, his favorite brand. I wanted him to know that I hadn’t tried to eradicate all traces of him from the house we’d shared. I popped the top off, withdrawing a vodka cooler for myself. I wasn’t big on empty calories these days, but it was hot and I needed something to take the edge off.

  “I thought you might like one,” I said, holding up the bottle as he crossed the patio.

  “You read my mind.” He grinned as he held up my bottle. “When did you start drinking these?”

  “Mike suggested them. Fewer calories than most cocktails.”

  His eyes scanned my black bikini as though he were seeing it for the first time. “You definitely do not have to worry about counting calories.”

  I felt a flush move over my body. God, I loved it when he looked at me like he couldn’t wait to get me naked. “Thank you.” I held up my bottle. “What shall we drink to?”

  “How about making up for lost time?”

  I smiled, curling one arm around his neck to bring his head down to meet mine. “I like the sound of that,” I whispered just before our lips collided.

  After we finally broke apart, he took both of our drinks, setting them down on the outdoor kitchen counter before leaning over. Before I realized what he had in mind, he’d tossed me over his shoulder and was heading toward the pool. I was screaming like a little girl, slapping his back and vowing to get even.

  Unfazed, he tossed me in the pool with a chuckle before diving in after me.

  By the time I finished swearing and sputtering, I started splashing him relentlessly, forcing him to capture my arms behind my back. Mmmm. I’d forgotten how much I liked being at his mercy.

  “Behave yourself,” he whispered in my ear before his hot tongue traced the shell while his thick shaft found its way between my legs. “The neighbors are going to think I’m trying to abduct you.”

  “I thought you didn’t care what people think,” I teased. Whenever I’d warned the boys to keep it down in the backyard or turn their music down so as not to disturb the neighbors, he reminded me that life was for the living and the neighbors could wear earplugs if they didn’t like it.

  “I don’t care, but I thought you might.”

  “I care a lot less than I used to.”

  When Ryker moved out, everyone had an opinion and I heard about it, whether I wanted to or not. That forced me to develop a thick skin. To smile politely and tell people that Ryker and I were getting along fine, but I appreciated their concern.

  “I always admired that about you,” I said, balancing on my toes while looping my arms around his neck.

  “What’s that?”

  He backed us against the pool wall, encouraging me to wrap my legs around his waist. It was a highly inappropriate position for two people who’d sworn off sex until the time was right, but I had to admit I was more excited and aroused than I’d been in a long time.

  “You’re not afraid to take risks, and you don’t care what people think. I think that was the main reason I fell in love with you.” I smiled when his lips swept over my neck. “That, and this.” I squeezed his butt, which seemed as hard now as it had then. It wasn’t fair that he’d gotten even sexier with age, while I’d started to resent every passing year.

  He quirked an eyebrow, his lips twitching. “Are you saying you just wanted me for my body?”

  “Among other things.” I rocked my hips forward while nipping his lower lip. I knew I was being naughty, starting something we couldn’t finish, but it felt good to flirt with him again, feeling the weight of arousal and knowing if he could, he wouldn’t hesitate to take me to bed.

  “Is it because I rocked your world?” he whispered, his voice husky. “Made you forget that loser you were dating?”

  It was true he couldn’t have been more different from my high school boyfriend. Jared was sweet and kind while Ryker was tough and dangerous. I’d always been the girl who played by the rules, but Ryker barrelled into my life and taught me how much fun it could be to live dangerously once in a while.

  “Do you remember our first time?” I asked, letting that night play out like a movie on the big screen. I still remembered every detail, from the smells to the sounds to the clothes we were both wearing.

  “Like it was yesterday.” His lips floated over my cheek, across my jaw, to my ear.

  “Really?” I set my elbows on the stone surround behind me, trusting him to support me. “I thought only women held on to sentimental memories like that.”

  “How could I not remember the night that changed my life?”

  His words made me shiver, reminding me how defenseless I was when he turned on the charm.

  “You told me you loved me that night. That’s when I knew I could never let you go.” I’d known weeks before that Ryker was the man for me, but I tried fighting it, knowing my future with him would be anything but safe and sedate. “That night resulted in a pregnancy scare, remember?”

  “I wasn’t scared.” He looked into my eyes. “Would you be mad if I admitted I was kind of hoping you were pregnant?”

  I licked my lips, drawing a soft moan from him as he tilted his hips forward. “Why?”

  “I knew a child would connect us for life.”

  “And our kids have done that, haven’t they?”

  He shifted, setting me on a built-in bench in the shallow end. “Let me ask you something.”

  “Sure.” The pensive expression coupled with his slight grimace made me hold my breath in anticipation. “What is it?”

  “Would you have filed for divorce by now if not for the boys?”

  Wow. Didn’t see that question coming. “It’s difficult to say. Would you be as determined to work through our problems if we didn’t have kids?”

  “Yes.”

  I set my palm against his chest, a slow smile spreading across my lips. “You sound pretty sure of yourself.”

  “I don’t love you because you’re the mother of my kids, Mac. I love you because you’re you.”

  When he said things like that, I wondered how we’d ever lost our way in the first place. This was the man I loved. My best friend. My soul mate.

  We broke apart when we heard Cole and Zane traipsing through the kitchen, calling for us.

  “Out here!” Ryker shouted. “In the pool!”

  “Oh, hey.” Zane grinned when he spotted us. “What are you guys doing?”

  I could feel the heat sear my cheeks at the sight of Cole’s knowing smile. They weren’t little kids anymore. They knew exactly what we’d been doing. “Just going for a dip,” I said. “It’s hot out here. You guys want to join?” I figured the invitation would make it seem innocent enough.

  “No,” Cole said. “We’re hungry. What’s for dinner?”

  Ryker laughed. “You guys are always hungry.”

  “That’s one of the perils of having two teenage boys in the house, isn’t it?” I asked, smiling at him. “Frequent trips to the grocery store.”

  “You know it,” he replied. “Hey, Cole, grab us a couple of towels from the pool house, would you?”

  “Sure.”

  “Um, I was planning on grilling steaks,” I said, daring a sidelong glance at Ryker. “You’re welcome to stay if you don’t have any plans.”

  “You have to stay,” Zane said, folding his hands under his chin. “Please, Dad. Mom chars everything.”

&n
bsp; “I do not,” I said, stepping out of the pool when Cole returned with the towels. “Tell him, Cole.”

  “Uh, Mom, no offense, but steak isn’t supposed to have that black crust on it.”

  I tried flicking my son with the towel he’d brought for Ryker, but he grabbed it and got me good, prompting me to squeal and run in the opposite direction.

  “No running around the pool,” Ryker said, grabbing the towel from Cole before he could zing me with it again. “You two know the rules.” He chuckled while wrapping the towel around his waist. “I guess I’ll have to stay to save you all from another grilling disaster.”

  I glared at him, hands on my hips. “That’s not fair! You haven’t even tasted my steaks.”

  “And with any luck, I won’t have to,” he said, grinning.

  I grabbed the bottles we’d abandoned earlier and handed the beer to him, but not before I pretended to consider throwing it at him. “You suck, Ryk.”

  His lips twitched, letting me know the only thing saving me from a naughty response was the presence of our sons.

  “Call us when dinner’s ready,” Zane said. “We’re gonna shoot some hoops.”

  I knew that was their not-so-subtle way of giving us some time alone. As much as I loved our family time, I was happy to have Ryker all to myself for a while. “Shall we go inside?” I asked. “I’ll prep the salad while you season the steaks.”

  “Just like old times,” he said, reaching for a lock of my wet hair. He curled it around his finger while drawing me closer. “God, I missed just hanging out with you and the kids like this.”

  “We’ve missed it too,” I said, slipping my arms around his waist.

  Chapter Eight

  Ryker

  The laughter and teasing floated around me, making me smile. It wasn’t until I realized I’d have to leave soon, that I wouldn’t be curling up on the couch to watch some chick flick with Mac or pulling her close in the middle of the night while we slept, that my mood took a nosedive. I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to stay here, with my family, in my home, where I belonged.

  “You’re quiet all of a sudden,” Mac said softly while the boys argued about some girl who’d just started dating the quarterback at their private school. “Something wrong?”