4. Catherine
CATHERINE
I get only two steps out of the bathroom when my heart stops at a voice behind me.
“Did you really come here as a kitten?” I recognize Ryker’s voice instantly, and it does things to my lower regions I'm ashamed to admit.
I turn with my clutch held tightly in my hand. My heart swells in my chest. I give him a small smile, and feel a blush rise to my cheeks. It’s almost like time hasn’t passed. He’s leaning against the wall and kicks off it, shoving his hands in his pockets before he walks over to me.
I try to remember what he asked and when I do, I roll my eyes and say, “I’m a bunny.” I point to the ears. They’re long and look nothing like cat ears. I love how it feels like we’re just picking up where we left off though. It feels so natural talking to him. A stupid little voice that gives me false hope is screaming, It’s a sign! It’s a sign! I’m trying to shut it down, but I can’t.
He huffs a small laugh. “I’m a hunter. I think you’re in dangerous territory.”
I scoff at him. “A cameo jacket makes you a hunter?” I involuntarily roll my eyes. Men hate this holiday.
He cocks a brow. “You do like to roll your eyes at me, don’t you?” he asks in a low, threatening voice. It’s a voice that would send shivers of fear through most people, but not to me. I know who he really is.
When we were younger and in his backyard, I saw his true colors. I saw him change into the bad boy everyone thinks he is at a moment's notice. Like he was putting on a facade.
Once I’d dropped an entire box of decorations for my parents' anniversary. A few tissue paper pompoms I wanted to hang from the deck blew over into the neighbor’s yard, into his yard.
I was only fourteen at the time and he was a few years older, but I wanted him to notice me. My hormones were in full swing, as were the pimples on my face. And my mother wouldn’t let me wear makeup. I cringe, remembering that fact about my childhood. How could I not want him though? He had a motorcycle, and his right arm was covered with tattoos. He’d clean up the weeds in their front yard without his shirt on, and those lean muscles and deep “V” at his hips made him the star of my dreams at night.
He never looked my way though, not that I expected him to. Of course he wouldn’t have. I was the pimply, na?ve girl next door. But that day he was out back with low-hung jeans and a tight white t-shirt that fit snugly over his broad shoulders. And my mom’s pink tissue pompom flew right over to him.
My heart stopped in my chest as he bent down with his muscles rippling and picked it up, raising one brow and looking at me with the corner of his lips kicked up into a smirk.
I apologized and nervously tucked my dirty blonde hair behind my ear. I’m sure I was blushing, for no good reason other than I was thinking naughty things I knew I shouldn’t have been.
He just chuckled and offered to help me decorate. 'Cause that’s the kind of guy he is.
I remember that day just like yesterday.
I wasn’t tall enough to reach the deck, so he helped me. I just sat on the concrete porch and watched the sweat glisten on his sun-kissed body. I felt like a pervert creeping on him, but he didn’t look at me like that. No matter how much I wanted him to.
And then my father came outside.
In an instant, Ryker’s features went sharp and dark as my dad bitched him out. He told him to get out, and stay out. I was mortified. He was only helping me. My heart tried to climb up my throat, and I didn’t say anything. I felt like a traitor. Like I’d betrayed him.
Ryker dropped the pompom and shrugged like he didn’t care. But I could see it in his eyes. It was wrong. I cried my eyes out and yelled at my dad after he’d left, but the damage was done.
I’ll never understand how my father could talk to him like that when he knew just as well as I did the shit his parents put him through. But then again, my dad yelled at me, too. He said I should know better. I wasn’t allowed to date boys, and especially not THAT boy. I knew what I’d done was wrong. But Ryker hadn’t done a damn thing wrong. That was years ago, and he’s definitely not a bad boy… he’s a bad man now. Or at least that’s how he looks.
I know he’s still the same at heart. Even if he doesn’t look the part.
“I do like rolling my eyes at you,” I say back in a flirty voice. Normally I’d be embarrassed by how apparent it is that I’m into him. But I’ve got a nice buzz going on now. It’s not like he’d ever make a move on me anyway. A waiter passes us with a fresh tray of champagne glasses, and I snag one off of it. I give him a small smile and clutch onto the drink for dear life.
I need liquid courage.
“I like to see you get all wound up,” I say in a lowered voice, looking up through my thick lashes. I’m going all in. I hope it came out as sexy as I think it did.
Ryker’s eyes heat and narrow as he tries to hold my gaze. I slowly lick my lips and bite down on the bottom one. It does exactly what I’d hoped it would. His eyes focus in on my mouth and I can practically see his dick jump in his pants.
Yeah, I’m not a pimply little girl anymore. Look at me now, Ryker.
“Careful what you’re doing, kitten. You’re gonna get in trouble.” He takes a step forward and part of me wants to instinctively step back. He’s trouble with a capital T. But that’s not happening tonight. I take a step forward, closing in a bit more. I could reach out and run my hands down his muscular chest if I wanted to. Well, I do want to. My pussy clenches around nothing.
“I told you, I’m a bunny, not a cat.” I shake my head and slowly bring my drink to my lips. I don’t even taste it as I take a swallow and keep my eyes on his the entire time. “You should listen to me sometime, Ryker.”
“That’s not why I’m calling you kitten. And you should watch that mouth. You’re really,” he says as his large body cages me in, “gonna get your ass in trouble talking to me like that.”
“By who? My dad’s not here, Ryker.” I surprise myself with how seductive my voice comes out. I must be really buzzed.
Ryker takes another step closer to me, and now we're so close we’re only a few inches apart. He lowers his head and drops his lips down to my ear. His breath is hot against my neck, sending shivers down my spine. I close my eyes and tilt my head slightly. This is a fucking dream come true.
My heartbeat slows, and my lungs fill with his masculine scent.
But before the words fall from his lips, I hear a voice and my eyes pop open.
“Get away from her!” Khloe shrieks.