Then it hit me. She wasn’t telling him she was hurt. Grinning from ear to ear, I made my way to the shower. Operation: Win Ryn Back had officially begun.

WHEN DODGE MENTIONED HEADING BACK to South Padre, I had to control myself. I about yelled out no in my panicked state. I definitely didn’t want him knowing I sprained my ankle. He would have dropped everything to come back down and that was the last thing I wanted. Not when I was sitting in the middle of Tristan’s living room and he was giving me one hundred percent of his attention.

Dodge was on the other end of the phone talking to someone at his club. “Just leave the delivery at the back door; I’ll take care of it.”

Closing my eyes, I did the one thing I wasn’t totally sure I should be doing. “Dodge, we’ll talk when I get back to Austin. Right now I just need some time to clear my head.”

“Ryn, baby, you know I care about you. If you want to take this relationship further, I’m totally in all the way.”

Letting out a breath, I whispered, “I know. I’m just not sure where I see us going.”

Silence. “Ryn, I’m falling for you. You have to see that.”

Dropping my head back against the sofa, I shook it slowly. Fuck me. Why do I have the wrong guy wanting to make a future together? “I do. I just don’t want to rush into something because I’m trying to forget someone else. I like being with you, Dodge, it’s fun and there are no expectations. Can we just keep it like that at least until after the holidays?” Hearing his frustration over the phone, he whispered, “Yeah, baby. I’ll talk to you when you get back.”

“Okay, talk to you soon.”

Hanging up I felt a bit of pressure removed. Dodge was just supposed to be my rebound fuck buddy. Then it changed to just my fuck buddy. I liked it that way. I had no expectations of him having to romance me. We were just having fun. I had to admit I enjoyed his company, but he didn’t make me feel alive like Tristan did. His touch didn’t cause my stomach to drop. His smile didn’t melt my insides completely.

Turning, I glanced toward the stairs. Tristan could be unbelievably sweet when he wanted to. I’d never let him know I heard him talking to me last night when he came in to check on me. Tristan whispered how he wished he could take the pain away and I almost called out to him when he began to leave.

Looking straight ahead, I admitted to myself what I had been so desperately trying to push away.

I was still in love with Tristan and I didn’t want to get over him.

Ugh. I wanted him so damn much. It was all I dreamt about.

Even after him admitting he had slept with Sierra, I still wanted him. I was beginning to think I would forever want Tristan Williams. Not only did I want him in my bed, but I also wanted him in my heart.

What in the hell is that smell?

Looking around, I lifted my shirt I had slipped back on this morning. Pulling my head back quickly, I gagged.

“Ohmygod . . . I stink like a bar!” I needed to take a shower. I not only smelled like a bar, but I never took a shower after I went for my run yesterday morning.

Instantly feeling yucky, I went to stand. The pain medicine they had me on was strong and I felt dizzy. Attempting to move, I made it nowhere.

Shit. Did the hospital give me crutches?

Then the doorbell rang. I remembered the tacos Tristan had ordered and my stomach growled. Running down the stairs in nothing but sleeping pants, Tristan called out, “Don’t move, Ryn! I’ve got it.”

Standing there with my mouth hanging open, I reached up to make sure I wasn’t drooling. Tristan stood at the door dressed in nothing but a pair of cotton pants that hung on his hips, so low I was sure one small move and I’d see his ass. His back muscles flexed as he moved and I let out a soft moan.

Holy crap. I had forgotten how freaking amazing his body was. He had just the right amount of muscles. Shutting the door, Tristan began talking about the food as he walked toward me.

His abs. Oh lord almighty, his six-pack abs were moving in my direction. Licking my lips, I wanted to lick every inch of his body.

Get it together Kathryn Webster. Get. It. Together.

Stopping in front of me, Tristan looked at me. “What’s wrong?”

His hair was wet and his emerald eyes pierced my baby blues. It should be a sin to be this good looking. I forgot how to talk.

“Ryn?”

My mouth fell open and I attempted to talk. The pressure between my hips was beginning to push the pain in my ankle way, far away. Or it was the pain meds I took. Either way, I was feeling like I was floating on a cloud of pure delight.