3. Mila #2
“So, why aren’t you riding in his sports car, as well?” Ryker asked in that matter-of-fact way that let me know he wasn’t buying in a million years that there was a Troy or that he had a Mercedes-Benz sports car.
“Because…” I stammered, trying to think of a reason.
My mind went blank, and I tried not to glare at Ryker.
He was hot, but sometimes he was just so annoying.
It was as if he deliberately tried to taunt me and make me feel like a loser.
I wondered if he had any idea of the plans I had for him and the weekend.
He wouldn’t be looking so cocky and self-assured then.
He had no idea that “little Mila” had grown up.
I wasn’t some little innocent girl that he could put down and make fun of.
I was going to show him exactly how grown up I was now.
I was going to show him that I was all adult.
That would wipe that smug smile off his face.
“Because he doesn’t have a Benz?” He smirked. “What does he have? A Honda? Hyundai?”
“What’s wrong with a Honda? I have a Honda.”
“Yeah, you do,” he said, smirk still on his face, and I wanted to punch him. Or kiss him. But I didn’t even want to admit that to myself right now. The man was obnoxious as hell.
“We can’t all afford Range Rovers,” I said, and then smiled sweetly. “We don’t all have rich parents.”
“Nice try, Mila. You know I bought this car with my own money.”
“Whatever,” I said, feeling very much like a little girl again, or at least a petulant teenager.
“So, what’s going on? Is RoboTron coming? Where’s Lara?” Ryker looked at his watch and then back at me. “I don’t have all day.”
“His name is Troy, and I already told you that no, he is not coming. Let me call Lara and see where she is.” I grabbed my phone and tried to keep my cool.
“Yeah, that would be good. I’d like to get out of here sometime this year.”
“Cry me a river,” I sang, and he laughed. The way he looked at me made my heart race because it was so intense. Kill me now. This man is going to be the death of me.
“Call Lara, dork.”
“Hold on.” I unlocked my phone, punched in Lara’s digits, and listened to the phone ring.
“Wassup,” she said happily as she answered the phone.
“I’m here with King Ryker, and he’s wondering where you are,” I said and gave Ryker a look. His smirk tells me exactly what he thought about my nickname.
“I’m on the way. I had to make a pit stop.”
“Pit stop?”
“Lingerie.” She giggled.
“What?” I kept a straight face, but my face was burning. “You too?”
“Yeah, you gave me the idea,” she said. “It’s going to be game-on this weekend. I’m going to be on Parker like a tornado hitting the Midwest.”
“Lara,” I groaned, but I couldn’t stop myself from laughing.
Ryker was looking at me with a weird look, and I couldn’t stop the sly smile from crossing my face.
He had absolutely no idea what was going to happen this weekend.
I stared into his eyes and wondered what his face would look like when I sauntered into his room in my silky negligee and asked him what he thought of the look.
He’d be drooling. I could almost picture the saliva falling from his mouth, like a dog that had seen a big, juicy bone.
“You okay, Mila?” Ryker frowned at me.
“Yeah, why?” I blinked at him, feeling like an idiot. I’d totally spaced out.
“Why?” He raised an eyebrow. “You’re standing there with a dumb look on your face, and I still haven’t heard when Lara will be here.”
“Ryker’s in a good mood, isn’t he?” Lara said in my ear and laughed.
“Yeah, you know him,” I said in a snide tone. “Life of the party.”
“Well, we both know that you can change that.”
“True.” I giggled. “Oh, by the way,” I spoke conspiratorially, looking at Ryker, “Troy said he might be able to make it up there this weekend.”
“Who?” Lara said loudly, and I quickly lowered the speaker volume using the buttons on the side.
“He’s just getting his Mercedes-Benz out of the garage.”
“Who’s getting their Mercedes out of the garage?” Lara sounded confused. “And who the hell is Troy?”
“Yes, they said it was an engine issue. Apparently, he was driving too fast when he went racing the other day,” I continued on with a small smile on my face. Ryker was staring at me with a concentrated expression, and I kept up the act, talking like some fool.
“Earth to Mila,” Lara said, “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”
“I told Troy that he can sleep in my bed tonight,” I said. “I told him to make sure that he?—”
“Oh, is Troy your fake boyfriend?” Lara asked, laughing.
“Why, yes, I think that is true,” I said, trying not to give anything away to Ryker.
“You’re trying to make Ryker jealous? Am I right?” Lara said, acting like Sherlock Holmes. Lara was a district manager for a local cable company and was applying to get her MBA, so she liked to act like she was super intelligent, which she was.
“Yeah, I think that is right,” I said and pressed the phone closer to my ear to make sure that Ryker really didn’t hear anything.
“You’re so bad, Mila.” She giggled. “Only you would think of a Troy.”
“Yeah, so I think it could get serious with Troy and me,” I said with a smile, and I saw Ryker’s eyes narrow. “I think he is going to ask me to move in with him this weekend.”
“No way.” Lara screeched, and I laughed. She was really playing her role well. “Oh, wait,” she said sheepishly. “I forgot Troy was made up for a second. I thought you really were going to be moving in with your boyfriend.”
“Lara.” I tried not to roll my eyes. “So, we’ll see you soon?”
“I’ll be there in about ten minutes,” she said. “See you then.”
“See ya,” I said, and then hung up. “She’ll be here in ten minutes,” I said to Ryker, and he nodded. He then pulled out his phone and made a call.
“Hey, sweet lips,” he purred into the phone, and this time I did roll my eyes.
“My best friend’s sister is waiting on her best friend, so we’re running a little late.
Yeah, Parker’s sister.” He turned around and looked at me as he listened to whatever Barbie was saying.
“She’s not dressed up, so don’t worry about it.
” He gave me a once-over, and my body shivered as his eyes stayed on my breasts for a bit longer than was necessary.
“No, Barbie. We’ve never hooked up.” He spoke into the phone, but his eyes gazed into mine.
“She’s my best friend’s kid sister, and she still acts like she’s a teenager. You have nothing to worry about.”
I glared at him as he spoke, then pushed past him and headed toward the bathroom, my face bright red.
Kid sister, my ass. And how dare he say I act like a teenager?
Who the hell did he think he was? Father Brown or something?
I was furious as I slammed the bathroom door and splashed my face with some water.
I took a couple of deep breaths and finally calmed myself down.
I wasn’t sure whether I was so angry because he was essentially calling me immature, or because he made it seem as if he would never be physically interested in someone like me.
Like I was some sort of slob or something.
I’d show him—and Barbie—that I, Mila Antonia Brookstone, was not someone to be taken lightly.