“Ry, wait!” He yelled after me.
I turned back to tell him goodnight but he was on the front porch, right next to me. He must’ve run after me.
It was to late for that though.
“Tell me this isn’t goodbye, Ry.” He demanded; his voice thick with an emotional side to him that I wasn't used to.
I stared up at him as he eyed me intensely, considering my answer. “We’ll have lunch tomorrow, the two of us. I'll decide from there.”
Tyler grinned. Damn that smile.
“I’ll pick you up.” He offered.
“No.”
That wouldn’t work. I didn’t want anyone knowing. Then I'd have to hear everyone's opinion about it.
“Okay, then where do you want to meet up?” He asked.
I reached out my hand, palm up. “Give me your phone.”
He eyed me cautiously but pulled his phone out of his pocket anyway and set it in my hand.
“Now what?” He asked as I entered my number and saved it under Ryder.
“There, text me your address. I’ll get a ride there.”
He looked at me protectively. “From whom?”
I laughed. “None of your business.”
He grinned, silence falling between us for a moment. “It is my business.” He finally argued, taking a step closer to me.
I felt the warm of his breath, as he closed the space between us, each of our exhales mixing with the cold night air
“I haven’t been a concern of yours in years,” I muttered.
My eyes shifting away from his gaze, towards the door behind me that offered an escape.
“Never did a moment pass, when I stopped concerning myself over you.” He admitted.
The confession caused my entire body to flush, with childlike excitement. Tyler was suddenly consuming me in the same way he always did. With sweet words, and sexual tension that could suffocate.
I turned to say something to him but was caught off guard when I felt his lips pressed against mine.
He was kissing me.
I should’ve pulled away but the second his lips brushed across mine, all I could do was whimper. Way to stay strong, Ryder! I thought to myself, as my own whimper betrayed me.
We both jumped back, as headlights hit us from the driveway. Tyler's dad was pulling in, breaking us from our reckless moment.
Run, Ryder. I yelled at myself, as my head cleared from the clouds, and I was thinking straight again.
“Night, Ty.” I whispered, before I darted into my house, closing the door behind me.
I leaned back against the door once it was shut, moving my fingers to my lips, and touching them in disbelief.
God, I’d forgotten how great it felt to kiss him. Even if it left me longing for someone who wasn’t mine to have. In fact, for so long part of me thrived off that delusional idea that he felt something for me.
Part of me still did…
Chapter 12
Tyler
“Hey, dad.” I waved as he pulled in, only turning back to watch the door close behind Ryder as she said goodnight.
What’d I just do?
In the past, we were always able to push the boundaries of our friendship without consequence. I knew it was a selfish, but years ago I used it as a way for me to indulge in my temptations without leading her to believe I felt anything.
It was easier for me to convince myself it was normal, normal to feel things for your best friend. I told myself it wasn’t worth sacrificing our friendship over. So, I buried my feelings as deep as I possibly could.
That night she offered me her virginity; I wasn’t strong enough to turn her away. I’d never wanted anything more in my life and she was offering it to me, no strings attached. Or, so she said.
The reality is, it cost me Ryder.
I couldn't go through another five years without her. I told myself I’d never allow it to happen again.
So, why did I just kiss her?
I offered a smile to my dad, following him into the house. “Let me grab some of those bags, Dad.”
He made small talk with me for a few minutes, but I didn’t catch most of it. I was still focused on Ryder.
“Was that Ryder you were talking to?” He asked, and I only heard him because her name broke into my thoughts.
“Yeah.” I hesitated, suddenly unable to concentrate on anything. “Listen dad, I’m going to head home. Tell mom I’ll come by tomorrow morning.”
He eyed me, but nodded. “Okay, drive safe.”
“I will, love you.” I called back to him as I made my way to my car.
“Love you too.” I heard him yell back.
I made my way home in a fog. Thinking about Ryder and what I’d say to her tomorrow. After all, the only way I knew how to handle my slip ups in the past, was to never acknowledge them again.
Chapter 13
Ryder
I texted Kirk the next morning and told him he could head home, but he still said no. Probably, because I told him all about how my night went with Tyler. The kiss, and all.
I tried to convince him I had control of the situation, but he refused to leave. Micah was in town anyway, so he said he felt better about sticking it out.
He did agree to take me to Tyler's place that afternoon. However, he gave me one stipulation; before we left town he wanted to meet Tyler, as my friend, not my boyfriend.
I agreed.
When we pulled up to Tyler's place, I hugged him.
“What was that for?” Kirk eyed me, with a smirk. “We aren’t still putting on a show, are we?”
I laughed and shook my head. “No, I'm just realizing how lucky I am. I wasn’t an easy friend to make
