Compass (12 page)

Ryan brushed stray hairs from her face. “Not everything. You still have me.”

“He left us...alone. To go off with that woman,” she spat.

“I’ll never leave you,” Ryan whispered to her.

“But because of him, I have to leave you,” she cried.

“Never. You’re always here.” He pressed her hand to his chest. “Always.”

“Lex?”

She shook her head and smiled to fight the heartbreak of the memory. “Were you thinking this?” She stepped toward him, shoving him back. He landed on the pillow-top mattress with a bounce. Alexis covered her mouth, giggling.

“Oh, you’re gonna get it now,” he warned, his eyes wild with mischief. She tried to escape, but Ryan was too quick. He caught her hand, pulled her down to him, and started to tickle her ribcage. She bucked and laughed, fighting his advances, but he was relentless. He reached behind her kneecap, and pressed his fingers into the one spot that no one but him knew about. It sent her into a fit of laughter so high pitched it almost had no sound at all.

“Ry...Ryan!” she gasped for air. “Stop. Can’t...breathe...stop!”

She tried to push him off but instead found herself ensnared, his hand holding both of her wrists captive. He pushed them up, holding her arms over her head as his free hand slipped back along her side. She squeaked and squirmed, their bodies touching everywhere. As their eyes met, his tickling slowed to a stop. Heat filled the room, sizzling around them. The air grew dense, and their laughter died into breathless panting. She could feel each beat of his heart against her chest, matching the expedited rhythm of her own.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” he rasped, as he brushed her hair back from her face. “You don’t know how many times I’ve dreamt of you.”

Alexis licked her lips, drawing her bottom lip between her teeth. She could see the truth in his eyes. This whole day, being with him again, her own dream, it all seemed so surreal.

Closer they moved into each other, to the point she could feel his warm breath sweep over her face. She closed her eyes, waiting for the sweet press of his lips against hers, when something started to vibrate between them.

“What the…?” Ryan jumped back.

Her eyes fluttered opened. The loss of Ryan left her feeling cold and alone. She dropped her hands to her hips, shoved her hand in her pocket, and extracted her phone. Miles had text messaged her, almost frantic since she’d yet to reply to his last message. Aggravated, she rolled her eyes and typed out a quick response to her father. After she pressed send, she scooted to the end of the bed where Ryan sat with his head in his hands. A state of chagrin marred his expression.

“I’m sorry about that. It’s my dad.”

Ryan turned his head, his smile faint, but still present. “No worries. Your father just saved you from being tickled within an inch of your life. That’s all.”

The moment was gone. In its place was the return of Ryan and Lex, best friends forever. Alexis shoved her feelings back down into the pit of her stomach, a feat she’d perfected over the years and nudged him in the shoulder. “In your dreams, buddy boy. You’ve never been a match for me. You remember that time I had you pinned down in the backyard and Dad thought…” she trailed off.

When Ryan and Alexis were fourteen, their parents became concerned about them sharing the same bed. They kept their worries to themselves for the most part, but on that day, Alexis and Ryan had gotten into one of their usual tickle wars. Alexis had Ryan pinned to the ground, straddling his hips and holding his wrists above his head, much like he’d just done to her. Ryan had an apprehension for people blowing on his neck and so she took advantage of the opportunity to make him squirm. Her father walked outside and lost his mind at what he’d mistaken as two teenagers making out. He locked up the ladder Ryan had used to climb into her bedroom at night, claiming they were too old to sleep in the same room. It stayed locked up until after Cora’s death.

Ryan let out a little laugh. “I do. Miles was furious. I remember thinking he was going to have a stroke. That vein in his forehead pounded like a jackhammer.”

“If he’d only listened.”

“He’s a father. If I saw my little girl in that situation, I can’t say I wouldn’t react the same way.”

“You want kids?”

“Someday.”

Alexis reached over and took his hand. After all their years apart, this still felt right. Their friendship hadn’t died. It had simply been put on hiatus. “You’ll make a great dad one day.”

“How do you know? I could’ve become a serial killer in the last fifteen years.”

Alexis turned her body, her knees pressed against his, slightly shaking. He placed their linked hands over his knee, keeping hers still. “Nah. You never could stand the sight of blood and if you were going to kill anyone, it would’ve been me for the lifetime of wedgies I gave you.”

“True,” he snickered and bounced off the bed. “You know what, let me help you make this bed real quick and then we’ll grab some food. I’m famished.”

Alexis stood up. “Sounds like a good plan to me.” She strolled into the bathroom and opened the linen closet. It was empty. She rushed to the bedroom closet. It too was empty. “Shit!”

“Now who’s got the potty mouth?” he hollered back.

Alexis dragged her feet back into the bedroom. “You’re not going to believe this, but there are no sheets or towels here.”

“And you didn’t pack any in your bags?”

Alexis shook her head. “I didn’t think about it. They’re all on the moving truck.” She plucked at her eyebrow, irritated. “I’ve never rented furnished. I guess I expected,” she pushed an exasperated breath through her gritted teeth, “I don’t know what I expected.”

“Well, shit,” he laughed. Alexis turned red in the face. “Not to worry. We can hit Target on our way to dinner and pick up a few essentials.”

“You don’t mind? I mean, I can call Dad.” She hated the thought, but it was her idiotic mistake. Ryan didn’t deserve to be stuck shopping due to her error.

“Stop it. There’s a Target just up the street. I’m happy to help. C’mon.” He motioned for her to follow him down the stairs.

With his back turned to her, she released a sigh. It was a stupid mistake but one that had won her some extra time with Ryan. At the top of the stairs, she took a final picture of her bedroom. Ryan stood in the center of her living room, watching her. She turned around and snapped a shot of him. “Welcome to my Facebook page, Ryan Fisher,” she chortled.

“You better have gotten my good side.”

All sides of you are good.

“If you think scratching your ass is a good side, then yep. I succeeded.”

Ryan gave her two thumbs up then pretended to pick his nose and flick it. Alexis snarled but laughed. She rushed down the stairs, grabbed her wallet from her messenger bag, and followed him out the door.

All the way to Target, Ryan reeled over what almost happened in her bedroom. He couldn’t believe he’d allowed himself to get lost in the moment like that. It wasn’t like him. He’d had his fair share of women, but he’d never let himself lose control like that. Had her phone not buzzed, he wasn’t sure what might’ve happened, but he was certain he would’ve kissed her.

He wanted to kiss her.

He needed to kiss her.

All of the emotions he had dammed up inside him for the last fifteen years broke free at the sight of her flushed cheeks and sweet lips. The sound of her laughter did things to him that had his stomach tied in knots. For the life of him, he couldn’t recall the last time he’d felt this way about a woman, but about a girl, the memories were clear and present. Alexis York was the only person to ever make his soul feel alive.

“Hell,” she said, getting out of the car, “I could’ve walked here.”

Ryan closed her door and cleared his throat. “Don’t you dare walk here. I’ll take you anywhere you need to go.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, drawing her into his side. Just like when they were kids, she fit him curve to curve.

“Thank you, but my car’ll be here Sunday. I’ll be good until then.”

The automatic doors slid open, allowing them to pass through into the store. “Still stubborn as ever.”

“You know me,” she chortled.

Ryan grabbed a shopping cart. “I’d like to think I do.” He gave her a little wink and began surveying the store. “Now, where to start. You need towels, bedding, and Cracker Jack.”

“Cracker Jack? Still? Do they even make that stuff anymore?”

Ryan released the buggy and clasped his hands over his heart. “A boy never forgets his first love.” That glorious blush he adored so much returned to her cheeks. He wondered if she understood the double meaning to his comment. He shrugged off his overthinking mind and gave her a quick wink. “And of course they still make it, silly woman. So you better always have it in stock when I come over.”

She placed her hands on her hips, glaring at him. “Is that a threat?”

“Nope. Just a fact.”

They bounced aisle to aisle checking out the merchandise. Ryan suggested she buy Spongebob Squarepants bedding. When she turned her nose to it, he picked up a Hello Kitty sheet set. Once again she snubbed his idea, so he searched the aisle and found the perfect bedding. A burgundy set with soft cotton sheets and a matching comforter. She squealed and tossed it in the buggy. Next came navy terrycloth towels and washcloths, followed by two, fluffy pillows.

“Two?” she questioned.

“Well, I need something to sleep on,” he teased.

“In your dreams.”

If she only knew.

After she’d picked up a few wall prints, a new full-length mirror, and some little odds and ends, he led her to the grocery section where they tossed a few snacks into the basket. Ryan memorized each item she placed in the cart, noting how she didn’t count calories but seemed cognizant of what she ate. He respected that. Food was a major part of his IronMan training, so he paid close attention to everything that went into his body. But when it came to sugar, he permitted himself the occasional cheat ─ especially for Cracker Jack.

As they approached the front of the building, there was a long aisle, clear of customers. Ryan cut a glance at Alexis and started pushing the cart like he was riding a skateboard. He began to pick up speed, leaving Alexis behind.

“What are you doing?” she called out.

He jumped on the back of the cart, throwing his arms out wide, yelling, “I’m king of the world!”

Alexis buckled over, laughing. A little old lady appeared out of nowhere, forcing Ryan to jump off the back. He halted the cart to a stop but not before falling flat on his ass. This turned Alexis’ laughter into hysterics. The old woman didn’t stop to look at what the commotion was. She simply kept moving.

“You should’ve seen your face,” Alexis cackled, rushing up to him. She took his hand and helped him from the floor. Warmth poured from her skin, setting his veins on fire. It was the very reason he’d touched her as often as he could. She was addicting. The daring look in her deep brown eyes and the way her mouth twitched when she fought the urge to smile caused his gut to ache.

He brushed his knuckles along her jaw. She wrinkled her nose in a cute expression. “Yeah, but I flew, didn’t I?”

Alexis nodded. “That you did.”

Ryan pulled her into his side, directing the buggy to the checkout counter. As they started to unload her items on the conveyor, Ryan felt his phone vibrate. He pulled it out of his pocket to find Reagan’s picture blinking at him.

“You need to take that?” Alexis lifted the large plastic bag with her new bedding onto the counter, but her eyes were honed on the invading device in his hand.

Ryan gave her a quick nod, lifting the phone to his ear. “Hello,” his voice shook as he answered.

He looked over at Alexis and shrugged his shoulders. She waved him off with a vague smile.

“Well, hello to you, too.” Reagan chipped, a hint of playful sarcasm in her cadence. “Where the hell are you? I thought you were coming over tonight?”

His chest dropped. “Dammit, I forgot.”

“Well, unforget and get over here. I got Freebirds waiting on ya,” she sang.

His mouth salivated at the thought of his favorite burrito and his stomach growled. “While that sounds amazing, I can’t make it. I’m out with a friend.”

“What kind of friend? Someone I should be jealous of?” she teased. Ryan looked up at Alexis who tried to pretend she wasn’t listening, but it was obvious she hung on his every word. He gave her a wink and watched as her blush crept up her neck.

“An old friend,” he answered.

“That doesn’t sound appealing at all,” she feigned indifference. “Fine. Go have fun with your
old
friend and call me later.”

“Will do.”

“Later, Flyboy.”

The line went dead and Ryan slipped his phone back into his pocket. Alexis was handing the cashier her credit card, and he wanted to kick himself. He’d had full intentions of paying for everything, sort of as a housewarming gift, but thanks to Reagan, he’d lost his chance to spoil Alexis.

Instead of falling back into their little bubble, Alexis pushed the cart to the car, her head hanging slightly. Her beautiful smile had been replaced with a weary frown and a lined brow. Ryan popped the trunk when they reached the car and they began placing her purchases in the back. He closed the trunk when the last bag was stored and moved to open her car door. When she was secured inside, he strode to the driver’s side and got in.