Unexpected Reality Page 2

  “Like you need to even ask,” Mark chimes in.

  “What I want to know is why haven’t you decided,” Tyler adds.

  I shrug. “Just not feeling it,” I say honestly.

  “Who are you and what have you done with Ridge?” Kent remarks.

  “You worry about your cock, and I’ll worry about mine.” I give him the look that says back off.

  “Little Ridge has to be feeling neglected. What’s it been—four, five months?” Seth asks.

  Fuck! That’s the downfall of being friends your entire lives; they hold nothing back, and they can read you like a book.

  “About that,” I say, grabbing the beer the cute little waitress just sat in front of me. I tip it back and drain half of it.

  “Not since what’s her name . . .” Tyler places his finger on his chin.

  “Shit. That’s right, the job we did out of town. Cute little thing. What was her name?” Mark says.

  “Melissa,” I mumble.

  “Yes!” all four of them say in unison.

  “Was it that good?” Kent asks.

  Yes. There was something about her, like she was desperate for the connection. She was definitely not like my usual hookups, but her sneaking off in the middle of the night? Well, that does something to a man. I’m used to the stage-five clingers, the ones who beg to get together again and plead for your number. The ones who frequent Bottom’s Up just to get the chance to come home with you again. The ones who will latch on to you and fake being asleep just so they can spend the night. That’s what I’m used to. Waking up alone in a hotel room? That doesn’t happen.

  At least not to me.

  No note, not even a trace of clothing for proof that she was there. It’s as though she were a figment of my imagination.

  “It’s all right, bud.” Seth places his hand on my shoulder. “We’ve all gone through a dry spell.” He’s trying hard not to laugh.

  “We got you,” Mark chimes in.

  “We’ll make sure our flavor of the night has a friend. And we’ll get her all liquored up so she wants to be with you,” Tyler says.

  “Surely, we can convince her,” Kent adds.

  “Fuck off.”

  “Ooh, I think we hit a nerve,” Seth taunts.

  “I don’t need help finding a willing female,” I grumble.

  “Really?” Kent questions.

  “Gentlemen, I think we have a challenge on our hands.” Tyler rubs his hands together in excitement.

  “Yep. We pick the girl.” Mark smirks.

  I grab my beer and bring it to my lips, just letting them talk. I’ve never had trouble with the ladies. It’s the dark hair and the tattoos. They all have a fantasy of being with the bad boy, the rebel who will make them feel dangerous and lively. The guy their mothers warned them about. Then, there are woman who simply see what they like and want to experience it. They think that’s me, but looks can be deceiving. Yeah, I have the dark, mysterious look—black hair, dark brown eyes, and the ink. Doesn’t mean I’m a bad guy. Sure, I’ve been with my fair share of women, but I’m a young, single guy. No harm no foul.

  “Any requests?” Seth asks.

  I look around the table at the four of them. “Nope,” I snap, tipping my beer to my lips.

  “Time to set the terms,” Marks says.

  “None needed. Pick the girl, and I’ll seal the deal,” I tell them with confidence.

  “Well now, cocky much?” Tyler accuses.

  “Fellas, I say we sweeten the pot. Mr. Cocky thinks he can seal the deal, so we just have to up the stakes.” Kent sits up in his chair, leaning his elbows on the table.

  I don’t say anything, just sit back and watch them. I can practically see the little wheels in their heads turning, deciding my fate. We’ve always been this way, never backing down from a dare.

  “I got it!” Mark exclaims. “Three months. We pick the girl and you keep her around for three months.” He sits back in his seat, grinning wildly.

  Fuck! Three months. That’s relationship material, and that equals feelings and a mess of drama when it ends. At times, the one-night stands are hard to get away from, even though they know the score. Three fucking months. What? Just so I can have bragging rights?

  “I’m digging it,” Seth agrees.

  A chorus of “Me, too” and “Hell yes” reaches my ears.

  “What are the stakes?” I ask. “Three months is relationship status. I’ll need more than bragging rights.”

  “Hundred bucks each,” Kent suggests. “And you can only be with her, no others.”

  Seriously?

  “I don’t need the money,” I say, signaling for the waitress to bring us another round.

  “No, but if you win, we would have to pay up. Unless of course you’re backing down already?” Seth goads me.

  Four hundred bucks and bragging rights. Is it worth it? Four sets of eyes full of mischief watch me, waiting for me to turn it down.

  What man would agree to keep some random woman, hand-picked by his friends from a smoky bar around for three months? That would be crazy, right?

  “Scared?” Mark heckles.

  “Make your pick, boys.” I smirk. Fuck it! It’s three months, and they didn’t say how much time I had to spend with her, just that she had to be around for three months. I’ve gone three months without sex, so that’s not an issue.

  Mark and Kent immediately begin searching the crowd for their suggestion. Seth looks confused, like he didn’t think I would agree. Tyler is smirking.

  Payback’s a bitch, boys.

  “Right, so we must consult. Ridge, my man, we’ll be right back,” Tyler says.

  I watch as the four of them stand and head to the bar.

  What the hell did I just get myself into?

  The cute little waitress brings another round, even though the guys are standing at the bar. I quickly grab mine and pound it back, slamming the empty bottle on the table.

  Game on.

  “Ridge, this is Stephanie,” Mark says as the rest of the guys take their seats. Turning to face the music, I see a blonde with long-ass legs and nice tits staring back at me. I prefer blondes.

  Maybe this isn’t going to be as bad as I thought.

  Standing from my seat, I reach for her hand and pull it to my lips. “Nice to meet you, Stephanie. Can I get you a drink?”

  “Hi.” She blushes. “My friends are actually at the bar.” She points over her shoulder.

  I don’t pull my eyes away from her, giving her all my attention. “You can sit by me.” I wink, pulling the chair out for her.

  “Thanks.” She grins.

  For the rest of the night, I focus on her. She seems . . . normal, not one of the crazies. Her friends are nice and otherwise occupied by mine. Everyone is having a good time, and I feel some of the dread slip away. Maybe, just maybe, I didn’t sign myself up for three months of hell.

  As the night carries on, my boys continue to drink, but I switch over to water. It’s go time, so I need to keep my wits about me, keep Miss Stephanie interested. As if she can read my thoughts, she yawns.

  “I’m so sorry.” She hides her mouth behind her hands. “I’ve been up since five this morning, and I’m worn out.”

  “What do you do?”

  “I work in interior design. I had a final staging today for a house we just completed.”

  Beautiful and holds down a job. “Let me take you home,” I whisper in her ear.

  “I-I . . . um, would love to, but I have to be up again early tomorrow,” she says while looking down at her clasped hands.

  “As much as I would love to share your bed with you tonight, that’s not what I meant. You’re tired and have been drinking. Let me drive you home, make sure you make it there safe.”

  She hesitates. I’m sure she’s trying to gauge if she can trust me. She looks around at our friends, who are obviously paired up.

  “Steph, Mark is coming home with me. You ready to go?” her friend asks. I didn’t bothe
r to try and learn their names.

  This could not have worked out better. I brought Mark, her friend brought her. She needs a ride.

  “Just a ride,” I whisper against her ear.

  She nods. “Ridge said he could take me,” she tells her friend, who is draped over Mark.

  Mark grins.

  I fight the urge to flip his ass off. Instead, I stand and offer Stephanie my hand. She takes it, any hesitation she may have had now gone. I wave to the table and lead her out to my truck.

  Helping her inside, I wait until her seatbelt is on to shut the door, and then stop at the rear of the truck and take a deep breath. She seems chill, but who knows what the next three months will hold. This may be the first bet I ever lose. Shaking my head to remove that thought, I pull up my boxer briefs and make my way to the driver’s side. “So, where are we headed?”

  “It’s not far from here, actually.”

  I listen as she gives me general directions before pulling out of the lot. “You lived here long?” I ask.

  “No. The girls and I just moved here about three months ago. Carla’s parents own the firm we work for. They’ve been planning to expand for a while, so when we all graduated, that’s what they did. The three of us had instant jobs right out of college.”

  “That’s a pretty sweet deal.”

  “We were lucky, that’s for sure.”

  The cab of the truck grows silent. I’m pre-occupied with what I just agreed to and Stephanie . . . well, I’m not sure what’s going through her head right now.

  “Second house on the right,” she instructs, breaking the silence.

  Pulling into the drive, I put the truck in park but don’t kill the engine.

  “Thank you.” She reaches for the door.

  Shit! I need to get with the fucking program here.

  “Stephanie.” I reach out and grab her arm. “Can I see you again?” My voice is soft; I don’t want to make her think I’m some kind of fucking creeper.

  “Yeah, uh, sure.”

  “Hand me your phone, darlin.”

  She hesitates before pulling it out of her purse and handing it to me. I quickly type in my number and send a text to myself. This act alone is against every rule I’ve ever had. I don’t get involved—too much drama, too much . . . of the same.

  I hand her phone back and smirk when mine sounds, alerting me to the message I just sent. Stephanie nods, then opens the truck door and hops out. I quickly do the same and follow her up to the door. I should be trying to seal the deal here, but fuck me, I can’t not tonight. I need to wrap my fucking head around what I just agreed to. This has to be my stupidest agreement to one of our bets yet.

  As she clears the final step to the front porch, I know time is running out. I have to say something, but she beats me to the punch.

  “You want to come in?”

  Do I? Of course I do. She’s a looker. In my mind, I quickly try to play out the next three months. Maybe if I keep her as a casual hookup, I can pull this off. No strings. Fuck, worst-case scenario, I’m out four hundred bucks. That’s not the part that bothers me, though. It’s the bragging rights, and to not have to hear the ribbing of my boys over the next twenty years—or at least until another bet, better than this one comes along.

  “Lead the way, darlin.’”

  Chapter 2

  Ridge

  Turns out, Stephanie was good with the ‘friends with benefits’ plan. She claims that her job keeps her busy and she doesn’t have time for anything more serious, so we agreed to hook up when we both had the urge and the time, no expectations. She also insisted that we not sleep with anyone else during that time. I’m good with that.

  It’s been two months today that we met. We hook up about once a week, and so far it’s working out great. I see my pocket being four hundred dollars richer very soon. The guys could not have chosen a better girl; she’s just as detached as I am. Plus, the sex is good, so it’s a win-win.

  “You in for cards tonight?” Kent asks.

  “Tonight’s my night with Steph,” I tell him.

  “Oh, yeah, your girlfriend. She got you on a leash, brother?” Tyler chimes in.

  “Fuck off. No leash, we’ve both been busy this week. This is our only night to get together.” I need some relief, but I don’t tell them that. Why fuel the fire?

  “Bring her with you,” Mark suggests.

  “Maybe,” I say, not committing. I’m running through my mind how to make it work. We need to grab dinner, spend a few hours with the guys, and still find time to rumple the sheets.

  “What’s it been—five, six weeks? She’s already got you by the balls.” Seth laughs.

  “Eight. Laugh it up, boys, but I know my night is ending with getting my dick wet. Can you say the same?” I smirk.

  “Ridge, come on, man. It’s card night. Just bring her,” Kent says, exasperated.

  Card night has been our tradition for the last few years. We take turns having it at each other’s house, bring snacks and beer and just chill. Missing is not something any of us has ever done without a family emergency, and certainly not for a hookup/bet.

  “Fine, we’ll be there. Now get back to work.”

  * * *

  I pull into Stephanie’s driveway right at six o’clock. I rushed home from work, grabbed a quick shower, and headed straight here.

  “Hey,” she says, opening the door.

  “Darlin.’” I lean in and kiss her. “You all set?”

  “Yep.” She grabs her purse and keys and we’re out the door. “How’s your week been?”

  “Busy, as usual. Finishing up the Allen job tomorrow, I hope. Just tying up some loose ends. Yours?”

  She goes on to tell me about her day, and I listen as I drive us to the store.

  “Uh, what are we doing here?”

  “Card night. I need to pick up some snacks. I hadn’t planned on going, but the guys guilted me into it. I’ll be right back.” I quickly hop out of my truck and make my way inside. I grab some chips, salsa, and one of those meat and crackers trays before heading to the checkout counter. Total of five minutes and I’m back in the truck.

  “Card night?” she asks, once we’re back on the road.

  Her arms are crossed over her chest, so I can tell she’s not impressed. I should feel bad or something, right? So why is it that I don’t? “Yeah, it’s something we do once a month. Have been for years,” I explain.

  “And you picked tonight of all nights for us to get together?”

  “I told you, I wasn’t going to go, but they convinced me today. What’s the big deal? We’ll stop at Kent’s, play a few hands, eat some pizza and snacks, and then be on our way.” I reach over and grab her hand. “Then we’ll see what we can do to relieve the stress of your week.” I wink.

  She’s not impressed. “Ridge,” she whines.

  What the hell? This is new. I’ve not seen this side of her. Of course, it’s usually just the two of us grabbing dinner and burning up the sheets. I’ve been able to avoid being out with her friends or mine until now. This is a not her normal behavior.

  “Do you want me to take you back home?” I’m not dealing with the whining. If she wants to fuck, she has to endure card night. Simple as that.

  “Ugh! Fine, but I don’t want to stay long.”

  I grip the steering wheel tightly. I’ve never had a chick tell me what to do. Of course, I’m never around long enough for that to happen either. She’s delusional if she thinks that just because she’s the only one I’m fucking right now she can dictate what I do.

  Not happening, darlin.’

  Pulling into Kent’s driveway, I grab the bag of snacks and wait at the front of my truck for Stephanie. I’m not a total dick. Knocking once on the door, I walk in since it’s an open invitation at all of our places. We’re family.

  “Hey, hey!” I call out. A chorus of the same greets us as we walk into the kitchen.

  “Stephanie, right?” Mark asks.

  She looks surp
rised that he remembers. “Yeah.”

  “Welcome. You play poker?” Kent greets.

  Fucker, he knows she doesn’t. I bite my lip to keep from laughing.

  “No.”

  The look on her face is priceless. She looks as though we just asked her to sleep with all five of us or something. That’s something else that I’ve begun to notice about her. She’s Miss Prim and Proper, never taking time to just relax—that is, of course, unless we are in the bedroom. All other times, she’s so uptight. She needs to learn to let loose every now and then; life is too damn short to be so serious all the time.

  “Don’t worry, sweetheart. We can show you,” Seth says, throwing his arm over her shoulder.

  She looks to me—for what, I don’t know. “I’m good,” she says, shrugging off his arm.

  “Suit yourself. We all set?” I ask.

  “Yep,” Tyler confirms, grabbing a bowl of chips and setting it on the table.

  “Pull up a chair, or the living room is through there if you want to watch TV,” I tell her. Her mouth falls open. What did she expect? I’m not going to coddle her. She’s not my girlfriend, and frankly, I don’t like this side of her.

  She rolls her eyes and stomps off toward the living room.

  “Whose deal?” I take my seat at the table.

  “Trouble in paradise?” Mark asks.

  “Paradise? You know the score, brother. Deal em.’” We spend the next two hours playing cards, eating, and shooting the shit. It’s not until I hear Stephanie clear her throat that I remember I brought her. Shit!

  “Are you ready?” she asks. Her arms are crossed over her chest and she’s tapping her foot, a scowl on her face.

  So it was a dick move to forget she was here, but come on. She chose to separate herself from us. Looking at the time, I see it’s going on nine. “Yeah. This is the last hand.”

  She looks irritated that I don’t just stand and leave, but we’re in the middle of a hand. It plays out quickly, with Seth raking in the winnings.

  “We’re out,” I say, standing and stretching. “See you ladies in the morning.” I look over at Stephanie. “Ready?”

  She doesn’t reply, just turns and walks out the front door. The guys chuckle, and I can’t help but laugh with them. She’s being a diva. I wave over my shoulder as I follow her out to my truck.