Page 5 of Ruck Me Harder

“No. This is—” I gulp. “I have to⁠—”

She seems to read the panic on my face. “Can I get you some water?”

I shake my head. “Go. I have to go.” My hands start to shake and I shove them in my pocket so she won’t notice.

I can’t melt down. Not here. Not now.

Cari reaches out and squeezes my arm. “Take care of yourself, Viv.”

Turning to leave, I start my escape from the small living room. I’m out the door and making my way down the stairs when I run into a brick wall.

Fuck. That hurts.

Strong hands land on my biceps, steadying me.

“Are you okay?” a rough, gravelly voice asks.

I look up and recoil.

Because the wall I ran into? That’s Tony Gonzales.

The guy I hooked up with at the Olympics.

The worst mistake of my life.

three

. . .

Tony

It’s been three years since I last saw Vivienne Gallagher. She was asleep in her Olympic dorm room bed, naked and sated after an intense night together.

From the horror on her face, it’s clear she remembers me.

And when the horror fades and her face creases in a dark scowl, I have to wonder if she doesn’t have the same happy memories of our night together as I do.

“What are you doing here?” she sneers.

“I live here,” I say mildly. “Why are you here?”

She scowls. “I’m supposed to go on a date with your brother.”

My insides turn to ice. “What?”

I don’t like the idea of her going out with Al. I don’t know her, I don’t have any claim on her, we haven’t spoken in more than three years, but…

Vivienne scoffs. “Don’t worry. I’m canceling.”

“Why?”

“I can’t do this.” She shakes her head. “You need to fuck off.”

My eyebrows go up and I cross my arms over my chest. “You’re the one who ran into me. I live here.”

She rolls her eyes. “Whatever, princess. Get out of my way.”

She tries to push past me, and automatically, my hand darts out and grabs her arm.