Reaching for Rebecca

Chapter 83

RYAN'S POV

Warm, soft lips repeatedly pecked at my neck and jaw line until I finally opened my eyes – not a bad way to get up I'd say.

"You're up," I said huskily. "Is it late? I don't know what time the girls are coming over." Since Kate's overbearing parents are home, the girls thought it would be a good idea to prep for the dance elsewhere. Bentley couldn't really have them over so I offered for them to do it here.

"They're coming at three," said the voice of the sweet girl next to me.

"What time is it?" I turned to face her and my lips gently brushed against her when I spoke.

"A little after noon... we were out too late last night." Nodding in agreement, I snuggle in closer to her and sigh.

"I don't want to get up yet."

"We still haven't cooked anything together and I'm hungry." Becca's stomach growled unbelievably loud just seconds after she mentioned food.

"Alright baby," I said through a deep chuckle. Becca whipped the covers off us in excitement and leapt out of bed. I'm not sure how long she has been up but I need more than twenty seconds to be fully awake. Tearing myself from the comfortable mattress, I trudge down the stairs and find her already mixing stuff in a bowl. "I thought we were going to cook together..." She smiled widely and motioned me over her head.

"Here," she playfully shoved the bowl to me and retrieved a frying pan. "Pancakes! You can cook them and I'll tell you what to do." I needed coffee so bad but I didn't want to ruin her chipper mood.

"Can we put chocolate chips in them?"

"Duh!" She stood between my arms and helped me pour exactly the right amount of batter before sprinkling some chocolate on top. I caught her popping a few extra chocolate chips in her mouth but she held some up for me too and then I couldn't say anything.

"Does this take a while to cook? Do I have some time to make coffee?"

"I started your coffee, it's just not done yet." Good God did I love this girl. I pulled her in for a tight hug and didn't let go until she was laughing and practically gasping for breath. "Alright! Ryan!"

We joked around and made a ton of pancakes until the batter ran out. I learned that you can't flip them until they're all bubbly otherwise you're screwed – I'd tried to flip one too early and burnt a few after that because it can't just be bubbly, the bubbles should pop and leave little holes in the pancake... it's magical stuff I tell you. The ones that Becca flipped were delicious and gone within minutes of leaving the hot pan but at least I tried.

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"I'm here! I'm here!" Kate barged into my house like she owned the place and caused Becca to jump about two feet off the ground when the alarm system went off. I quick ran to enter the pass code and came back to find Bentley and Kate staring at an unmoving Becca.

"Uh, why don't you guys head up to Becca's room? She'll be up in a minute..." I slowly walked towards Becca but her blue eyes were looking through me. "Becs? Are you ok?" She still didn't acknowledge me so I gently laid a hand on her shoulder to comfort her but she pulled away and curled up before starting to shake violently. "Hey," I struggled to keep my voice calm, "Becs it's Ryan. You're okay just look at me hun. That's right, look at me baby." Recognition slowly took hold over her features and she flung herself in my waiting arms. "It's okay, you're okay." She stopped shaking and pulled back slightly.

"Thank you." Her quiet voice made me so sad and angry; I wish she never had a reason to sound like that.

"Don't be silly, I love you. Are you okay now?" She hadn't been crying before but a few little tears leaked from the corner of her eye. "Baby," I pulled her into my lap and smoothed some hair from her face.