RileyThe air was so damn hard to breathe as we worked our way through the rest of dinner. We moved the conversation back to my time at UCLA and talked a little about Liam too. I tried to stay away from anything that might give him the ability to flirt too much. I was already raw from reading his bio, then getting the flower and now having him watch me like an animal might its favorite prey.My body was heated, my pulse spiked to the point of discomfort, but like any good actress, I put on a mask and made it through dinner."You ready?" He smiled and got up, moving around to help me out of my chair."Absolutely. That was fantastic." I took his hand and moved behind him out of the restaurant. It was comical how many times I heard his name whispered as we moved out the back door and back into the sand."We should practice your kissing scene with Mr. Less-than-Confident. That way when you go to do it, you can close your eyes and see me instead." He kept my hand tightly in his.Indecision
Riley"Let me in," he murmured against my mouth and slid his hands around my hips to grip my ass tight as he squeezed and licked at the soft skin under my ear. "I want deep inside of you, Riley. Don't deny me. You don't want to."And I didn't. Not in the slightest.I cried out as his fingers slipped into the bottom of my panties and brushed by my sex. I knew how sloppy wet I was, but embarrassment wouldn't come."So wet. I knew you wanted me too." He sucked my earlobe into his mouth and petted me softly as he grunted and rocked into me.I would never have believed in a million years that I'd be on a beach pressed beneath Ethan Lewis had someone told me that was the future. Never. It was a dream come true, and yet nightmares played behind my eyes."Ethan." I panted against the salty skin of his neck. "Not here.""No?" He moved back and pushed against the sand to sit up on his knees. "Come to my room then.""You know this isn't going to end well."He stood and pulled me up before pickin
RileyShe didn't make it. The truth of my reality played through my mind over and over as I sat in a coach seat on the quickest flight I could get back to Los Angeles. My fingers were sore from my picking at them, my fidgeting having quickly gotten out of control.I'd barely had time to change into something more appropriate for being seen in public before racing off to find Frank with Ethan trailing behind me. He wanted to come with me, but they wouldn't let him. It was better this way. I didn't need to try and hold myself together in the face of yet another loss in my life. I would have tried with him there, but that wasn't fair to me, or my mother. No matter how many battles we had fought between the two of us, to lose her was devastating."Coffee miss?" A flight attendant leaned down and gave me a warm smile.I nodded, unable to muster more than a soft murmur, "Please.""You're shivering. Should I get you a blanket as well?" She stood back up and waited on my reply, but I wasn't
Riley"About what?" I glanced between her and Jace as my stomach started to turn. Panic raced up the center of my chest and left me a little lightheaded as we finally made it to Charlotte's car. She got in the front and after muscling my suitcase into the trunk, Jace helped me into the backseat and moved in beside me."About your mom, baby." Jace pulled me toward him and snuggled me like he used to when we were kids - when we thought we might actually be in love.I snorted. What a fucking joke that was. We were nothing but sex buddies, but I had no complaints. He was Channing Tatum's body double, only a little taller and a whole hell of a lot more cocky. His blue eyes held no hint of the playfulness that they usually did as I turned my head to glance up at him."What's going on with my mom, Jace? Stop dicking around and someone help me fill in the gaps. I don't remember anything." I curled up against his chest, but kept my eyes fully on him."I will. When we get to the apartment, okay
EthanI couldn't get her out of my mind. Like she'd poisoned me the first time we met and now I was slowly being consumed by the idea of us together. Where was she? Back in L.A. yet? How was she? The drama from the night before left a million questions running through my mind.Frank had basically pushed me back as he and Deza got Riley out the door and into one of their cars. I understood why I couldn't go with her, but seeing her fucked up, pale as a ghost and shivering uncontrollably broke something inside of me open. I'd spent my whole life not giving two shits about anyone but myself and now... She'd messed that up. My selfishness was at stake."That and my sanity." I moved my arms to position my clasped hands below my chin as I laid on my stomach in the darkness of my room. It was near lunchtime, but there was no reason for me to get up and moving just yet.I'd want to check in with Riley, but the last thing she needed was to hear from me, no doubt. By the sound of things, her mo
Ethan"Yeah. Unfortunately. We talked to one of our sources this morning, and found out that she was in a head-on collision last night. She didn't die until they got her into the ER, but it was soon after. Brain trauma from the impact." Frank shook his head and let out a shaky sigh. "I feel so bad for Riley. I'm pretty sure her mom was all she had left.""What? No brothers or sisters?" My voice was a little more emotionally charged than I would have liked it to be."Nope. Not that we know of." Frank glanced over at Deza. "Was her mom married?""No clue, but I know her father wasn't in the picture anymore either." She wrapped her arms around her middle and shook her head. "It could have been anyone in our families. We need to make sure we give her all the love and warmth we have to give when we get back, okay?""What kind of love and warmth are we talking about here? Define it?" I slipped my hands into the pockets of my shorts and gave her a boyish smile. I was being stupid, but it was
Two Days LaterRileyThe last two days had been a fog, a haze that I had to continuously push my way through. Losing track of time, or trying to understand that my mother really was gone had become part of the norm. I couldn't help but think it was my mind's way of coping with such a fucked up tragedy. The funeral was two days away, but the thought of standing over her casket left me empty, hallow, barren."Hey. I'm going to make myself some eggs. You want something?" Char stopped beside me as I sat at the kitchen table. Her soft grip on my shoulders felt good, like she were capable of infusing warmth into my cold soul with enough pressure."Sure. That would be nice." I glanced over my shoulder at her and offered a sad smile. "Thanks for taking off this week to be around me. I've needed it. Needed you."I put my hands on hers and squeezed them softly."I'd do anything for you. You're like a sister to me." She leaned over and kissed the top of my head. Her long blond hair cascaded down
Riley"Hi Riley. It's no problem at all. I just wanted you to know that we were thinking of you and praying for you. You've been heavy on our hearts." She cleared her throat. "It's funny how you just joined us, but we already feel your absence.""Thank you for that." I took a sip of my coffee. "How is everyone? Is filming still going on? Did you get an understudy to take my place?""Whoa. One question at a time." She chuckled.I smiled, unable to help myself. "How is everyone?""We're good, just missing you. We left super early this morning and are waiting for a connecting flight. It's going to be a long day, but hopefully everyone will head home for a few days when we get back in town. I know Ethan will be working in the studio on a few things this week, but that's just to keep us on schedule.""Is he-""He's good. Don't worry about him. He's just concerned about you losing your mother. Would you mind giving me the information for the funeral? We're hoping to send flowers, and I know