What I Need

Riley slowly shifts down and settles against my side, swinging her leg over my hip and draping her arm over my waist as she lays her head on my chest. And I tuck her close, keeping one arm around her.

Yeah, I remember being pretty damn clear. And she seemed agreeable.

So, again, what the fuck?

My phone beeps with an incoming text. I grab it off the nightstand and swing my legs over the side of the bed, sitting there as I swipe my thumb across the screen.

Reed: Breakfast is at Parrot’s Bay in fifteen.

Right. This is why I’m awake. Everyone is meeting up for breakfast before all the wedding shit starts.

Everyone including Riley fuck me Tennyson.

I get out of bed and head for the shower, washing up quickly so I can get dressed and get going. I know I’m going to have to wait until after breakfast to get some answers out of Riley. Makes this breakfast something I’m not looking forward to. But maybe I can catch her before everyone else gets there. Once we all sit down and start eating, I’m screwed. No way will I be able to say shit to her about it.

Not unless I feel like making it awkward for everyone.

“Hey, Reed. I fucked the shit out of your sister last night and then she bailed on me while I was catching some shut eye. Can you believe that? Pass the juice, man.”

Yeah . . .

It’s the guy’s wedding day. I should probably spare him the details of his sister’s tight pussy and what all I did to it.

After toweling off, I get dressed in a pair of army green cargo shorts and a black tee. I grab my phone, my wallet, and my room key, tuck those into my pockets and head out, combing my wet hair with my fingers as I make my way toward the resort restaurant.

When I push through the glass doors and scan the room, I spot the guys sitting at a large round table near the back with their women, Nolan and Chase.

And no Riley.

Motherfucker.

Ben eyes me and motions for me to join, grabbing the attention of Reed who then notices me along with everyone else, destroying my plans of backing out of the room and knocking on every goddamned door until I see freckles and blue flames.

She better be on her fucking way over here.

“Mornin’,” I greet the group, pulling out the chair next to Tessa and sitting in it. I stare at the empty seat across from me, then lift my eyes when Ben starts talking.

“Where’d you end up last night? You stay at the bar?” he asks me.

Mia elbows him, careful of Chase who’s sitting in her lap.

He gives her a look. “What?”

She subtly shakes her head, briefly looks at me, then grabs the purple stuffed octopus sitting on the table and bounces it in front of Chase, making him laugh.

My brow furrows.

I don’t know what the fuck that’s about so I grab my glass and shoot him a vague, “For a while,” before taking a sip of my orange juice.

“You see my sister when you were over there?”

I cut my eyes to Reed.

Fuck.

Fuck.

“Yeah. She was taking shots,” I tell him, figuring I’m in the clear admitting my knowledge of that. I did say I was at the bar. I would’ve seen her.

No fucking way would I have missed Riley. Jesus.

Can’t believe I had the chance of meeting her a year ago at Sam’s Deli. What the fuck? That must’ve been one helluva call for me to not notice a girl looking the way Riley does.

Damn.

“Great. She’s probably too hungover to show up to this,” Reed guesses, shaking his head and tossing a napkin on his empty plate.

I can clear that up real fast but I don’t, because how the fuck would I know if Riley got drunk unless I was watching her or with her until she called it quits last night?

And considering how much watching I was doing and what all we did while I was with her, I keep my mouth shut.

“No. Look, there she is,” Beth announces, raising her finger to point.

I set my glass down and turn my head, watching as love-me-and-leave-me makes her way across the room wearing a white midriff tee with the word Rebel scrolled in red across her tits, showing off her tanned and cute stomach, jean cutoffs and black badass-looking combat boots on her feet. Her hair is down, falling past her shoulders in a mess of waves, and her face is free of makeup. She looks like she just rolled out of bed.

Her own fucking bed. Not mine.

I feel my jaw clench.

But holy fucking shit, she looks good. A little rough and sharp edged. Far from the pretty thing pounding back shots of tequila and asking me for secrets, that's for damn sure.

Riley Tennyson looks ready to hop in my truck, not ask questions, and just let me take her.

And I will fucking take her.

She locks eyes with me, blue flames burning me up but only for a second before she cuts away, smiles shyly at the group and lifts her hand in a wave.

“Hey. Sorry I'm a little late. I forgot to set my alarm,” she explains, rounding the table and moving across from me. She pulls out the vacant chair and sits in it, briefly catches my gaze, then leans over and nudges Beth’s shoulder. “Happy wedding day,” she says.

Beth’s entire face lights up with a smile.

It’s a smile that caught my attention last year and had me wanting to see more of it, but I’m over that now. Beth is Reed’s. Has been since before I ever laid eyes on her.

I’m happy for them.

“Thanks. I'm so excited,” Beth says, nudging Riley back.

Reed sits forward and plants his elbows on the table, linking his hands together. He sighs. “Look, Riley, I get why you’re pissed at me and all, but—”