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Covering my mouth with my hand, I felt sick. Tristan saw Dodge fucking me. That was probably one of the rawest moments we had been together and I had loved every minute of it. Except for when I would close my eyes and wish it was Tristan I was with.
Oh God. Tristan saw us.
“Ryn, looking in from the outside, a stranger would think that Dodge hung the moon for you and you feel the same.”
Shaking my head, I felt the threat of tears. “No,” I whispered. “I mean I care about him, but we were just . . .”
Looking away, I inhaled a deep breath. This is why I needed time on my own. No men, no meaningless fucking, no nothing.
Turning back to Sierra, I gave her a fake smile. “Thank you for telling me, Sierra. It helps to connect a few of the missing dots.”
“Ryn, there are more missing dots. Talk to Tristan and decide once and for all if Dodge is more than what you say he is.”
Nodding my head, I gave her a quick hug good-bye. “Have a good day at work, Sierra. I’ll plan that spa weekend.”
Turning, I walked away as fast as I could back toward my house. I tried to make sense out of the week and a half I spent with Tristan. Was that why he was pulling back every time he attempted to get close to me? Was it because he saw Dodge and I together? What did Sierra mean when she said Tristan got spooked last Christmas? Shit! She was about to tell me when Dodge walked up. Double damn it.
Walking into my house, I looked around. I felt like I was in a cage and had no idea how to get out. My heart hurt, my head was confused and I was scared to death that Tristan would end up hurting me again if I was to let him back in.
My cell phone pinged and I pulled it out.
Dodge: Was great seeing you. Maybe we can do lunch soon?
Ugh! Why is Dodge not giving me the space I asked for? Why isn’t it Tristan pursuing me like this? Maybe Sierra was wrong.
Looking back down at Dodge’s message, I deleted it.
“Damn it! I hate you, Tristan! I hate you for making me fall in love with you.” My mind was still racing and I had no idea how to make it stop.
Walking into my bedroom, I pulled out a suitcase and packed it up. I needed to get away for a few days.
I needed a few days away from anything that reminded me of Tristan and Dodge.
SITTING AT MY DESK, I pulled in a deep frustrated breath. I stared at the report on my computer and willed myself to finish it. I worked for a semiconductor company as an engineer, and the amount of stress I had with this job was unreal. I hated my job before I was promoted, and now I hated it even more.
Scrubbing my hands down my face, I picked up my cell phone and scrolled down until I found the number I was looking for.
Me: I need something to relieve stress.
It wasn’t even thirty seconds and she was texting me back.
Sierra: Sorry dude. Been there and done that. You’re on your own with this one.
Laughing, I shook my head and hit call.
Glancing up through the window in my office, I could see everyone working. Rolling my eyes, I turned my chair away.
“No matter how much you sweet talk me, Williams, the answer is still no.”
“Why does everything to you mean sex, Sierra?”
“Um . . . because you’re a guy. Everything to a guy revolves around sex.”
The knock on my office door caused me to spin around and look. Tim, my boss was standing there mouthing, lunch?
Shaking my head, I pointed to the monitor and mouthed, report running. Talking into my cellphone I said, “Not true.”
“Yeah it is.”
Tim gave me a head nod, and turned away. Standing up, I walked and shut my office door.
“What if I said I just wanted to go get dinner and have a couple of drinks? Would that be so bad? Besides, we already did the sex thing, Sierra. I thought we were good with that?”
“Oh we are, but when you text me saying you’re stressed and need relief, what in the hell am I suppose to say to that?”
Letting out a small chuckle, I shook my head.
“Point taken. All future text messages will be better thought out. Now can we get dinner and a drink?”
Silence.
“Sierra?”
“Oh sorry. Yeah, dinner and a drink sounds good. Where?”
“I’ll let you pick. Text me around six, I should be out of this hell hole by then.”
Giggling, Sierra said, “Sounds good. Talk to you soon.”
“Later, Sierra.”
I spent the rest of the afternoon in one meeting after another. I hated this. I was a hands-on kind of guy. I loved taking shit apart and trying to figure out what was wrong with it. This sitting behind a desk shit was for the birds. Maybe I’ll take a few extra days off and head down to Mom and Dad’s early for Christmas.
My cell phone buzzed during the meeting. Looking down, I saw Sierra’s message scrolling across my phone.
Sierra: Bess Bistro at six thirty.
Groaning, I rolled my eyes. The upper-level manager of the company I worked for glanced in my direction. Smiling, I held up my phone and he gave me a head nod. He probably thought it was a problem in the fab with one of the tools.
Hitting reply, I typed out my message.
Me: Fuck no. I am not going to that restaurant.
Sierra: You said it was my pick! I pick Bess Bistro.
Me: After our Sandra Bullock marathon the other night I know why you are picking it. No. It’s a chick restaurant.
Sierra: There is no such thing as a “chick restaurant” you pussy.
Me: I hate you.
Sierra: Now now. No sweet-talking me, Mr. Williams. I’m just happy with you paying for dinner tonight. Kisses!
How in the hell did she do that? Dropping my phone back down on to the table, I tried to keep my anger in check. Damn Sierra. Looking over at my boss, he mouthed everything okay? Nodding my head, I gave him my fake smile, letting him know all was well.
This is why you don’t have chicks for friends.
Sierra was standing on the rooftop terrace looking out over the city when I walked out there. Making my way over to her, I stopped in my tracks when I heard my name being called out. Turning, I saw Dodge. I quickly began looking for Ryn. Dodge stood up and smiled and he made his way over to me as he reached out his hand to mine. “Don’t panic, Tristan. She isn’t with me. Ryn ended things between us a few weeks back.”
My heart soared and I tried like hell not to seem happy. “I um, I’m sorry to hear that.”
Dodge laughed. “No, no you aren’t. What brings you here? Somehow I don’t see you as a Bess Bistro kind of guy.”
Chuckling, I turned and pointed to Sierra. “I left it up to her to pick.”
Dodge’s smile faded for one quick second. “Sierra? Are y’all? I mean are you two?”
“Fuck no! Sierra is just a friend.”
“Really? Y’all seemed to be pretty close in South Padre and Ryn told me she saw . . .” Holding up his hands he said, “You know what, it’s none of my business and I have no right even asking.”
Looking back at Dodge, I had a brief moment of actually liking him. He seemed like a stand-up kind of guy and I appreciated him not talking shit. “Sierra and I hooked up once while we were at the beach, but it was more of a fuckfest, for lack of better words.”
Dodge turned and looked at Sierra again. “She sure is beautiful, I’m not going to lie.”
“Inside and out. She’s going through a pretty rough time right now. Her ex-husband cheated on her and now he is being a dick about their divorce. I think the asshole is dragging it out because he is pissed she actually left him.”
“Why in the hell would he cheat?” Turning, I watched closely as Dodge continued to stare at Sierra.
