Because of You Page 2

  “I didn’t want you to hate your mom, so it was easier for you to detest me. But I never realized she blamed you for our split. I’m sorry you had to go through that by yourself. ” Taking my arm he guides me back to the house. “I’ll show you to your room where you can freshen up before dinner. We can talk more about this at a later time. ”

  My bedroom’s freaking awesome—the walls are a light shade of lavender with a matching comforter and curtains. A desk sits in the corner with a brand new laptop and I have my own bathroom! But the best part’s the balcony that overlooks the ocean, where the sun is setting. It’s simply breathtaking.

  “If there’s anything that you want to change just let me know. ” He’s leaning on the doorframe watching me.

  “It’s more than I ever expected. Thank you. Would you mind if I skip dinner? I’m really tired. ” I can’t help yawning.

  “No that’s fine, I’ll have Rosie fix you a plate in case you’re hungry later. I’m going to the office tomorrow so feel free to do what you want. Just let Rosie know if you need anything. Night Riley. I’m glad you’re here. ” He strides over to kiss my cheek.

  There’s so much closet space that there’s no way I can fill it with my measly belongings. All my personal stuff is tucked away in Ashley’s basement. Dad said if I wanted anything he would have it sent to me but it’s full of old memories. I’d like to make some new ones.

  The minute I slide between the silky sheets I feel myself slipping into oblivion, down, down, down…

  Hunter

  I’m just getting out of the shower when I hear the slamming of car doors. Wrapping a towel around myself I go to stand by the window, pulling back the curtain very slowly so they won’t see me. I can’t help but stare at those perfectly shaped legs as Riley climbs out of the car. Her long brown hair’s blowing in the breeze, making me want to reach out and tuck it behind her ear.

  I’m in big trouble if just a glimpse of her is making my dick hard. Fuck, I need to go get laid. I can’t call Connor and ask him if he wants to go to The Sands because he has his own shit to deal with.

  Going into my room I throw on a pair of dark jeans and a blue Henley, my Nike’s and I’m good to go. It really doesn’t matter what I look like, all the girls will be shitfaced and won’t remember in the morning, just the way I like it.

  I’ve been at the bar for a couple of hours now and I’m disgusted. I definitely have to find a new place to hang out in. I don’t like slumming. Just as I’m walking out the door three potentials come walking in and they all look ripe for the picking.

  “Hey handsome, where do you think you’re going?” One of them grabs my arm pulling me back to the bar. She has shoulder-length hair the color of coal and the greenest cat eyes I’ve ever seen. Her shapely body’s definitely meant for pleasure—mine.

  I guess I’m staying here for a while longer. Smiling, I lean in closer, whispering in her ear. “Why, what do you have in mind?”

  “Well, I’m thinking really naughty thoughts right now. ” She smiles as she glides her tongue over her bottom lip.

  Instantly, my dick comes to life in my jeans. Saying a silent prayer, I hope she has her own place because I want my cock buried deep inside her wet folds. Before I left home I put three condoms in my wallet; I’m hoping that’s enough.

  “I would take you up on that in a heartbeat, but my roommate’s there with his girl and I don’t think he would appreciate the extra company. ” I’m thinking, please, please, please have your own place, my dick’s thinking the same thing.

  “No problem sugar, just let me tell my girls that you’re giving me a ride home. ” When she gets up from the bar she brushes her tits up against me, almost making me come in my pants.

  We climb into my Jeep as she gives me directions to her place; it’s only a couple of miles from the bar.

  “I don’t remember seeing you at The Sands before. Have you lived here long?” I ask out of curiosity.

  “I’m here just visiting for the summer, so I don’t want to know your name or your life history. ” She winks at me as she slides her hand over my thigh.

  Wow, talk about crushing my ego. Now I’m thinking she didn’t care who she picked up at the bar. Little does she know that this is how I roll, too?

  We no sooner get in the door when her clothes hit the floor and she’s turning and slowly peeling mine off of me.

  I wanted to go slow so I could lose myself for a couple of hours. But I see that’s not going to happen because she wants it rough and fast. Taking my condom out of my wallet I rip it open with my teeth and slide it down my length in record time. Grabbing her ass I lift her up so she can wrap her legs around me as I lean her against the wall, thrusting inside of her. It feels amazing. But I’m a greedy bastard and I want it deep—the deeper the better.

  Walking down the hallway with her legs still wrapped around my waist, I ask, “Which bedroom’s yours?”

  “Second on the left,” she moans in my ear.

  Throwing her on the edge of the bed without separating our bodies, my mouth seeks her warm and tender flesh. As I flick my tongue over her very erect nipples she grabs a fistful of my hair. I’m banging into her so hard the bed’s hitting the wall when I hear her cry out. “Baby I’m coming. ” Her legs tighten around my waist as I feel her body shudder underneath me.

  That’s all I need to hear before my own release. But in that instant, I’m thinking of Riley’s legs wrapped tightly around me and that’s when I come harder than I ever did before.

  What the Fuck…

  Chapter Four

  Riley

  When I wake up the next morning my stomach’s complaining about skipping dinner last night. To say I’m starving would be an understatement. Jumping out of bed I throw on a pair of shorts with a tank top before heading downstairs in search of food.

  There’s a woman in the kitchen singing softly as she pulls something out of the oven that smells heavenly. She can’t be more than five feet tall and her dark curly hair’s pulled back with a headband. She’s wearing a pair of black pants with a white shirt rolled up at the elbows. This must be Rosie. A smile tugs at my lips as I picture her husband Paul. He’s a good head taller than her and as thin as a rail. Turning around, she smiles when she hears my stomach rumble.

  “Riley it’s so nice to meet you. ” She walks over and envelopes me in her arms. Awkward.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t come down for supper last night. I was exhausted. ” Giving her an apologetic smile I feel my ears heat up.

  “That’s quite all right; you don’t have to apologize. What would you like for breakfast?”

  “A cup of coffee and whatever came out of the oven. It smells delicious. ”

  “It’s banana chocolate chip muffins, my own secret recipe,” she says, handing me a mug full of steaming coffee. She plucks a muffin from the tin putting it on a fancy plate before placing it on the table before me.

  As I take a bite I can’t help rolling my eyes as it melts in my mouth. This causes Rosie to chuckle. “This is the best muffin I’ve ever tasted,” I say. “I’m going to gain a ton of weight while I’m here. ” I thank Rosie for breakfast as she heads into the laundry room to start a batch of clothes.

  Once I’ve placed my dishes in the sink I decide to go soak up some sun by the pool. After changing into my bikini I bought at one of the big retail stores, I throw my lotion, towel, Kindle and sun glasses in a tote before heading down.

  Plopping down on one of the comfy lounge chairs I slather some lotion all over. I’m fair skinned and the last thing I need is a sunburn. I’ll have to take pictures of this place so I can send them to Ashley later. She’s going to freak out!

  Leaning back I close my eyes, letting the sun ease the tension from my body. When I feel a spray of cool water hit my feet I yank off my sunglasses to see what the hell’s going on.

  There’s a man swimming in the pool! He pulls himself through the water with such speed and fluidity that I see every ripped muscle in his
back and arms. He goes under, flips, kicks off the wall starting another. I lose count after thirty. He slowly turns around, dives underwater, then ambles up the stairs. I have to remember to breathe. In all his glistening glory he’s by far the most gorgeous man I’ve ever laid eyes on. He has honey-colored hair with piercing blue eyes and HOLY SHIT he notices me as he makes his way over.

  “Hi, my name’s Hunter Davis. ” He saunters over with a cocky smile on his sexy lips. “You must be Riley. Your dad’s told me so much about you. ”

  What I want to say is, “Really? He doesn’t even know me,” but I refrain. “Well, that’s nice but I’m sorry—he didn’t mention you at all. ” I give him my best sarcastic smile, but I don’t think I pulled it off because he’s chuckling.

  He places his hand over his heart as he shakes his head. “I’m crushed he didn’t mention me; I live in the apartment above the garage. I have access to the pool area and Rosie’s amazing culinary skills. ”

  “I didn’t even know there was an apartment up there. ” I look around and for the life of me I don’t see any garages.

  “It’s on the left side. The house is L-shaped; I even have my own entrance by the gate. ” He runs his long fingers through his wet hair.

  “You’re a great swimmer. ” I can feel my cheeks burning as I stare at him like I’ve never seen the male species before.

  “Thanks. During the summer I’m a lifeguard so I like to do laps on my days off to keep in shape. ”

  A lifeguard, Holy Shit…

  I’m watching as his eyes scrutinize every inch of me from the top of my head to the tips of my polished pink toes. When his eyes lock on mine the corners of his mouth curl up into a mischievous grin. “You better put some of that sunblock on. You’re burning already. ”

  “I was getting ready to go inside to get something to drink, could I get you anything?” That damn smile has my belly quivering.

  “Maybe some other time. I’m meeting some friends in an hour for lunch. ” He walks over, extending his hand out to me. When I put mine in his, he pulls me up from my chair, placing me in front of him. His hands glide up and down my arms as his tongue skims over his bottom lip. “You better go get that drink; it’s really hot out here today,” he whispers as he walks around the corner with his towel slung over his broad shoulders.

  I’m still standing there five minutes later because my knees feel weak. Did he know I was out here and put that little show on just for me? I don’t know if I feel flushed from the sun, from Hunter, or from both.

  He was right about one thing—my throat’s dry like the desert and I desperately need a cold glass of something.

  Hunter

  When I walked through the gate and saw her sitting by the pool in that skimpy blue bikini, I had to do extra laps just to get my shit together. Her breasts were spilling out over the top of her suit and her long dark hair was secured in a ponytail atop her head. All I wanted to do was lick my way down her throat to the silky flesh bursting out of her top.

  She didn’t notice me as I was walking through the gate because her eyes were closed like she had fallen asleep. But when I dove in, I could feel her staring at me with every stroke I made as I pulled myself through the water. I won’t lie, it felt exhilarating.

  When I stepped out of the pool to introduce myself, I was mesmerized by her eyes. They are the same stormy shade of blue as her bikini and they were scrutinizing every inch of me. Her long, shapely legs are even more amazing up close and personal.

  I hated leaving her just standing there, but when she asked me if she could get me anything my dick responded instantly. That’s when I remembered I had fantasized about Riley’s legs wrapped around me last night and it had been the most explosive orgasm I’ve ever had.

  How was I going to have dinner with them on Sunday night if she has that kind of effect on me? When I held her small hand in mine there was this connection that I hadn’t felt in so long. I have to keep this on friendly terms no matter what her touch does to me. Riley’s way too young and innocent for the likes of me.

  After I shower, I jump into my Jeep so I can head down to Jake’s. They have the best burgers in town. I’m meeting Connor and a few friends for lunch and I’m hoping he didn’t ask Beth to tag along. That would definitely put a damper on my perfect day so far.

  As I walk in I see everyone sitting at a corner table so I head over. Beth is here, fuck. She’s sitting so close to Connor she’s practically in his lap.

  “Hunter it’s so nice of you to show up. What took you so long?” Emma asks as she tries to suppress a smile. Every time I’m late they assume I’m getting laid.

  “I did a few more laps in the pool than I normally do, and it put me behind. You didn’t have to wait for me to order. ” I feel like an ass once again.

  “You could be a bit more considerate, Hunter. I’m eating for two now and I try to keep on a schedule. ” Beth rubs her belly as everyone’s eyes widen. I’m guessing Connor didn’t tell anyone but me.

  Connor puts his hand on Beth’s leg; he might be pinching it for all I know because she’s giving him a look that could kill.

  Connor clears his throat. “I was going to wait until after we had lunch to tell you guys the news, but I think Beth just did. ”

  I look at all their faces, Emma, Zoe and Grayson look like they’re about to cry. And Alex—the only other male at the table besides me and Connor—looks pissed.

  Alex speaks up. “Beth, have you ever heard of birth control? In this day and age no one gets pregnant unless they want to, so I’m guessing you wanted to. ”

  Beth stands up so fast she bumps the table as everyone’s drinks spill over. We hurry to grab our napkins so we can try to clean up the mess before we wear it. Shit; too late. “I should have known this would be the reaction I would get from all of you. Bro’s before ho’s, right Alex?”

  Beth grabs Connor’s hand, pulling him out of his chair. But he follows her right out the door like a little puppy dog, without as much as a goodbye.

  The waitress walks over, helping to clean up the mess. We apologize a hundred times as she waves her hand telling us not to worry about it. She sets down more napkins just in case, as she takes our orders.

  “What the hell just happened?” Grayson asks, she’s pale, her bottom lip trembling.

  Customers are still staring at us as I decide to tell them what I know. “Connor just told me she was pregnant last night. He needed to let it sink in before telling everyone, but he should have known bringing Beth here would fuck that all up. ”

  “Well let’s talk about something else. If Connor needs us, he knows where we are. This is between him and Beth. ” Emma has always been the voice of reason.

  So we talk about work which was what brought us all together to begin with. This is our third summer working together, and we’ve been friends ever since. I’ve had to console Emma and Zoe through some major break-ups. Grayson had a death in the family, which was the hardest for me to deal with and the only thing I had to do for Alex was cover for him a few times with his girlfriend, who is now an ex. But I had no idea how I was going to deal with Connor’s problem. Nothing I can say or do could fix this.

  Chapter Five

  Riley

  Picking up a cold bottle of water from the fridge before I head upstairs, I decide to call Ashley to tell her about the eye candy I had the privilege of gawking at this morning.

  The phone rings for a bit and I think for sure it will go to voicemail. “I miss you like crazy already,” I hear Ashley yell in the phone as she catches her breath.

  “Where were you?” I had a vision of something naughty and prayed I didn’t interrupt anything. `

  “Just getting out of the shower. Me and Mom are going shopping in a bit; hold on while I put my clothes on. ” I hear her giggle. “How are things going with your dad?” she asks.

  “Oh Ash, we had a talk last night and it was my mom’s fault, not mine. He told me she had cheated on him and that’s why he left. All
these years he never knew that she blamed me for his leaving. He feels terrible about it. ” I can feel the tears streaming down my face.

  “He should feel bad; this went on for twelve years! You were just a kid and had to deal with this shit all by yourself. ” Ashley sounds pissed.

  “I know it was you and your mom that have been there for me and I’ll always be grateful. But it would be wonderful to have the love of a parent. I have to give my dad a chance. ” I’m sobbing uncontrollably.

  “Riley, I’m so sorry; I didn’t mean to make you cry. You deserve to be happy more than anyone else I know.”

  “I’ll let you go, Ash; I have to shower and get my shit together before Dad gets home. ” I’m trying so hard not to sound angry.

  “Please don’t be mad at me Riley. ” When she ends the call I feel let down.

  After talking with Ashley I’m so annoyed that I decide to go for a run. Changing into a pair of shorts, tank top, and running shoes, I twist my hair up into a ponytail as I head downstairs. Since I’ve never run on the beach before I opt out of taking my iPod, hoping the sounds of the ocean will calm me down.

  Standing by the back gate I do a few stretches before I take off running down the beach. The salty air licks at my face as my feet find a rhythm with the crashing of the surf. My lungs expand with each breath I take and it feels exhilarating.

  As I slow down I can see the lifeguard towers up ahead letting me know I’ve gone too far. When I bend over to catch my breath that’s when I realize I’d forgotten to take a water bottle with me. I’m sure I must be well past the private beach so I decide to head home anyway. I’m dying of thirst.

  But by the time I get home my tank top’s soaked with sweat, so taking off my socks and shoes I dive into the cool ocean. As I ride the waves, a feeling of déjà vu causes me to giggle one minute and burst into tears the next. A feeling of such loneliness consumes me that I can’t catch my breath so I start to hyperventilate as a wave crashes over me.