Ricochet (14 page)

At the front door, he pressed the bell and took a deep breath to expand his tightening lungs. He stared at the handsome pair of heavily carved wooden entry doors while his mind played with possible ways Rachel could greet him tonight, but none came out in his favor. He’d done the right thing. But how could it have been right if he’d had to remind himself half a dozen times today?

A door swung open, revealing Troy—in swim trunks, a T-shirt, and bare feet.

Thank God.

One disaster averted.

“Dude. It’s about time.” Troy stepped aside and held the door wide. The edgy, sultry sound of My Darkest Days’s “Porn Star Dancin’” floated from the house’s interior. “We’re putting the steaks on the grill, and I’ve got a Firestone Walker 17 waiting for you.”

Troy’s mention of the brewer Ryker loved reminded him of the beer he’d brought, and he fished the six-pack from his duffle. “For the stash.”

“The guys are anxious to hear what you thought of the plans.” Troy took the beer and closed the door behind him. “Welcome.” The female voice drew their gazes. Ryker found himself looking at a live version of Barbie. No…scratch that. She was way more beautiful than the doll. Tall, built, gorgeous, the woman shocked Ryker stupid. She wore a long sarong-type hot-pink-and-white tie-dyed skirt knotted at one hip and a white halter-style bathing suit top. She held out her hand. “I’m Lexi. You must be the man who’s going to save the day.”

Save the day.
Hardly.

There had been a time when Ryker saw himself as badass. A time when he’d believed himself a hero. Age, maturity, and facing the reaper a few times brought him down to earth quickly. Now, he doubted he’d ever envision himself that way again.

Ryker stepped forward and took her hand. “I’m Ryker, but I’m no savior.

Her grin turned into a full smile, and her face brightened as if it were lit from the inside. She was truly stunning. But Ryker found himself glancing over her shoulder, searching out the woman he was dying to get his eyes on again. A woman equally as stunning in a whole different way.

“Well thank you for helping Renegades out of this pinch,” she said, releasing his hand and drawing Ryker’s gaze back. “If you’re looking for Rachel, she’s out by the pool on the phone. Can I get you something to drink?”

“Troy’s got something for me, thanks.”

“Make yourself at home,” she said turning back the way she’d come. “The guys are out by the grill.”

She swayed ahead of them and slipped into the kitchen beside another woman, just as gorgeous. Ryker wondered if he’d accidentally stepped into the Playboy mansion. This woman was dark skinned with long, straight black hair that shone around the crown of her head. She glanced up from slicing strawberries and set bright green eyes on Ryker. He experienced another shocked loss of brain cells.

“Welcome to the family, Army,” she said, then added, “think fast,” and threw a fat strawberry at him.

He caught it against his chest with a surprised laugh. “Uh, thanks?”

“I’m Rubi.”

“Ryker.”

“I’ll just call you Army.”

“Fine by me.” He popped the berry into his mouth, looking around the massive living area, all leather, granite, stainless steel, and glass. The strawberry’s sweet tang burst on his tongue as he surveyed the soaring ceilings, the warm wood flooring.

Nickelback’s “Burn It to the Ground” came on, and Lexi and Rubi started singing along, dancing at the counter as they continued to cut fruit.

Jax came in through wide sliding glass doors and joined the women in the kitchen. He slid his arms around Lexi’s waist and opened his mouth for the strawberry she offered him over her shoulder.

“Mmm,” he murmured as he chewed it, then kissed her. “Did you meet our new addition?”

“Sure did.” She offered Jax another strawberry.

A chorus of shouts rose outside along with a
whoosh
. Ryker recognized the distinct flare of rising flames.

“Troy,” Someone yelled from that direction. “Bring me the spray bottle on the counter.”

“Beer’s in the fridge.” Troy grabbed a bottle labeled water and headed out.

Rubi had already turned and opened the refrigerator door. “What kind do you want?” she asked. “We’ve got Guinness, Fat Tire, New Castle…”

“Troy said you had Firestone.”

She moved a few bottles around. “17?”

“Yesssssss.” He drew out the hiss in relief. He set his duffle on the floor and the rolled plans on the counter. “Thank you.”

She pried off the top and handed it to him. “Guess I’ll have to try that one.”

“Nectar of the gods.” Ryker tipped the beer back and let it flow over his tongue and down his throat, then sighed. “So…Rachel?”

“By the pool.” Rubi picked up two handfuls of strawberries and added them to the colorful fruit salad. “She could probably use a little mood improvement right about now.”

“Hmm. Might be better if I stayed away, then. I haven’t been a mood enhancer for her today.”

Rubi glanced outside and slipped a piece of strawberry into her mouth. “She’s got a lot of stress right now—work, personal stuff. When it rains…and all that.” She pointed to his beer. “Bring her one of those, and you’ll make points.”

“Mmm,” he said around another mouthful of his own drink, glancing at the label. “That’s right. I’ve got just the thing. He pulled a bottle from the six-pack he’d brought sitting on the counter, and tilted it toward Rubi. “Pop that for me?”

She grinned. “I’d whip out a nasty comment, but you’re still pretty new. I don’t want to harass you too much. Yet.”

Ryker relaxed a little more. This was easier than he’d expected. Troy had a great group of friends. “Appreciated.”

He headed outside and found Rachel immediately. She sat on the pool deck in the distance, wearing a tank and shorts, her legs hanging over the side, feet swirling in the water, a phone at her ear. The sight of her relieved the need gnawing at him since he’d walked out of the trailer earlier that day, but it also ramped up residual desire still simmering from the night before.

To his left, Wes, Troy, Duke, and Keaton stood around one of the fanciest barbecue setups Ryker had ever seen. Built in a U shape, a granite counter surrounded three different grill configurations and a six-burner cooktop. Beneath, several stainless steel doors appeared to house ovens, refrigerators, even an icemaker.

“Whoa,” he said, taking it all in.

“Hey,” Wes greeted. “What’d you think of the plans?”

Ryker offered a round of hellos to the other guys. “I’ve been looking at them so long I think they’re imprinted on my brain. I’ve got a lot of questions.”

“Bring ’em on.”

“Little later. I need to decompress”—he lifted his beer toward Rachel—“and I have a couple things to talk to Rachel about.”

He veered toward the pool down another stone walkway, through lawn as plush as carpet with flowering borders. An open iron fence separated the property from the beach, and ocean waves lapped a short distance away. He wasn’t sure how far in the darkness, but the sound, the warm air, the dim lighting all smoothed another layer of tension from his muscles.

“You know I’d come see you if I could, but I can’t manage it right now.” Rachel’s voice was soft, filled with affection and apology. “I know it’s been a longer stretch than usual, but I’m in the middle of a big project. You of all people should understand how important my job is to me.”

Discomfort niggled at the back of Ryker’s neck.

She’s got a lot of stress right now—work, personal stuff.

If Rubi didn’t know about his night with Rachel, then the reference to her personal life… Well, hell. She must have another guy on the hook. That would explain her desire to cut ties so completely this morning after such an amazing night, and her urgent need to get him out of the picture after he’d shown up at Renegades.

“I know,” she said, “I miss you too. I always find myself turning to tell you something before I realize you’re not there.”

The obvious intimacy between them made irritation creep down his spine. He was annoyed that he cared. He shouldn’t give a shit. She was another chick he’d tapped on leave. Nothing new. The only difference was now he had to work with her. No big.

Keep telling yourself that, loser.

“I’m sorry, but I’ve gotta go,” she said. “I promise I’ll call you tomorrow, okay? I love you too.”

Rachel disconnected and set her cell down. Her sigh rocked her shoulders, and her gaze remained lowered toward her feet moving in the water.

This building irritation was not a great way to be feeling when he faced her. They already had enough tension between them. But they were both here, and they were both going to have to get over this rough spot.

“Just do it already,” he muttered under his breath, and pushed his feet forward.

Rachel disconnected with tears in her eyes and set her phone down on the pool deck. Bracing her hands on the tile edge, she stared down into the light aqua water and took a deep, slow breath. Held it. Then released it in a slow, steady stream. That always took the edge off.

She felt bad for her parents, their only children estranged like this. But Rachel had spent her entire life taking care of them. Of Nicole. Putting everyone else first. And look where that had gotten her. Putting her own needs first now was the right thing to do.

Some days she needed to remind herself of that fact more often than others.

“Hey.”

The deep voice startled her, and she jumped and glanced over her shoulder. Nathan stood in the shadows, a beer bottle in each hand, wearing long white swim trunks with a big red hibiscus pattern and a matching red tank that clung to every luscious muscle underneath and exposed the others across his shoulders and down his arms where his gorgeous flag tattoo blended perfectly.

A ball chain around his neck drew her gaze. The silver disappeared into his tank, but she could see the outline of his military dog tags beneath the fitted fabric, reminding her of his lies. Of how naïve she’d been to think learning as little about him as possible would make jumping a stranger less complicated. And of how she was making it all worse than it had to be.

“Hey,” she said. “Guess the bridge plans didn’t compel you to book an early flight back to the Middle East.”

“You were hoping, huh?”

She huffed a laugh but couldn’t manage a smile. “I’d be lying if I said it hadn’t crossed my mind.”

“Ouch.” He winced. “But I guess I can’t blame you.”

“And I can’t blame this situation all on you, either. Sit.” She patted the tile beside her. “We should talk.”

He lowered to the pool ledge, and his familiar scent touched her nose. Musky, a hint of spice, an edge of citrus, and so very male. Her mind flashed with wicked memories from their wild night, and the desire to straddle his lap, bury her face in his neck, and breathe him in swelled low in her belly like a craving. But that would never happen again. And she needed to clear the air between them so they could work together.

But she couldn’t seem to pull her gaze from the outline of the tags beneath his tank. She lifted her hand and tapped the metal with her knuckles. “Where were those last night?”

He glanced down, then back with the same guilty look she’d seen so often in the eyes of the other men here tonight. “Uh...in my pocket.”

“Did you put them in your pocket before or after you met me?”

His mouth slid into a sideways purse and his gaze lowered.

“You’re ridiculously transparent.” Not to mention insanely adorable when he was caught in a lie. But, she realized, only to transparent to those without a sex-crazed brain. It was a little late for the no-regrets plan she’d made, but she didn’t have to dwell on them. Rubbing her hands along her thighs, she curved her hands around her knees, and propped her feet on the pool’s gutter. “I’m, um…I’m really sorry for how I acted earlier today. I’m…” She exhaled, pressed her lips together. God, she sucked at apologizing. “I was totally blindsided and reacted. I’m not letting you off the hook for throwing me that curve. You knew it was unfair, knew we had friends in common, knew we could eventually meet up, and you still purposely held back. But I shouldn’t have told you not to take the job.”

Nathan’s feet swung in the water. “I did hold back. And it was shitty. I should have thought it through, should have tried harder to tell you.” His voice took on a light sarcastic edge. “Definitely should have snuffed that killer night of delirious sex—one I’ll remember for the rest of my life—and told you I was Ryker.”

She wasn’t naïve enough to believe that admission, but—true or not—a bubble of pleasure grew beneath her breastbone. She squashed it and huffed a laugh, turning a
really?
expression on him, but he only grinned. He was exactly what she expected of a player—charming, unruffled, cunning, and slick. But last night, that’s all she’d expected.

Now...shit, now everything was different.

“Then,” he said, lightening his tone, “you could have dropped me off, and we could have both gone to bed frustrated and alone. Definitely a better answer.”

“You’re missing the point.”

“Just sayin’.” He shrugged and offered her one of the beer bottles. “Can we call a truce?”