Page 21 of The Downside of Love
Finished with my primping, I make my way down the hallway, past my parents’ bedroom where I catch a glimpse of my mom curled up on the bed, back toward me, her shoulders slender and deflated. The TV is on, so I can’t hear if she’s upset, but knowing my mom, she is. She will be for the next few days before she puts on a good face and acts like nothing happened.
I wonder who it was this time?
Who was the woman worth hurting his wife over?
He’s such a prick.
Wishing I could give my mom a hug, I mentally tell her it’s going to be okay as I make my way down the stairs. My dad eyes me from the bottom, assessing my appearance. He must be pleased because he says, “Grab a notebook from the office and a pen. You will be required to take notes during this meeting and then present them to me once the ALO leaves. Be vigilant about details.”
Inwardly, I envision stabbing my eyes with an ice pick, because that would be a hell of a lot more fun than sitting through this meeting with my cheating, asshole father.
Chapter Six
STRYDER
“You really don’t mind?” I ask, setting my bag in Ryan’s living room.
She shakes her head and goes to the fridge where she pulls out two orange sodas. “No, I don’t mind. As long as you don’t mind bouncing between apartments. I like you, Stryder, but I don’t plan on putting my dating life on hold because of you.”
She eyes me up and down over her soda, testing me.
Her dating life.
I know she’s wanted me to be a part of that life for a while, but I haven’t been able to make a move. Every time I convince myself to go for it, to ask her out or pin her against a wall and give her everything she’s begging for, my mind goes directly to Rory and her sweet eyes and smile, clogging my brain, halting any forward progress with Ryan.
I can’t be with Ryan, not when she’s Rory’s best friend. I know Rory enough to understand she would never give me a chance if she knew there had ever anything between Ryan and me.There is a code and all.And even if I never get a chance to be with Rory, I don’t ever want the reason to be because I fucked her best friend.
Ryan is off limits.
“Wouldn’t want to get in the way of that.” I sip on my orange soda just as the front door opens and Rory strolls in.
I guess we don’t knock around here.
“Hey roomies,” she jokes but then scrunches her nose. “That seems weird to say.”
“Not as weird as you making it weird,” Ryan points out and eyes Rory up and down. “I thought I told you to bring pancakes.”
“They’re in the car.”
“What the hell are they doing in the car?”
Pancakes? It’s dinnertime.
Oh hell, are they the kind of girls who like breakfast for dinner? From the ravenous look in Ryan’s eyes, I’m going to guess they are.
Fuck. I hate breakfast for dinner. Why eat breakfast for dinner when you can have pizza and beer?
Speaking of beer, I’m itching to down one right about now, especially with Rory standing in front of me wearing tiny spandex shorts and a tank top that seems to be painted on her skin, stretched across her breasts, both of her nipples hard and poking against the fabric. Shit, I want to know what it feels like to roll those little pebbles between my fingers. I want to know what the expression on her face would be like if I took her nipples into my mouth, sucking and licking until she couldn’t take it anymore.
Staying at my dad’s house seems like a good idea right about now.
“I was on the phone and forgot to grab them. Do you mind going to get them? I want to ask Stryder something.”
“Fine, but don’t talk about anything important until I get back. Got it?” Ryan brushes past me, her blonde hair brushing against my arm.
When the door shuts, Rory turns toward me and eyes me in my ABUs, her brow pinching together before she looks away and sits on the couch. Do I remind her of Colby when I’m in my uniform? I know he wore it around her a few times. Does she think he looks better in the uniform, or does she notice how I fill mine out more?
Fidgeting, she looks up at me and nods toward the couch. “Don’t be awkward; sit next to me.”
