Reckless Play | ✓

14. You're safe with me

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"Why?" I asked curious.

His green eyes looked dark when they met mine, "How far did you made it into the house before you found yourself standing alone in the foyer?"

The intensity of his stare made me blurt the truth. "Uhm...three steps?"

The hand at my waist flexed.

"Do you need further explanation than that?" He asked, his nose slightly flaring.

My brow furrowed in confusion. What was so wrong about me being by myself? Maybe I wasn't the most sociable person out there, but I'd made some friends at school during this few weeks. I'd talked to Taylor after all, haven't I? Hannah had a boyfriend, it was obvious she'd spend time with him. Plus, half an hour after we arrived Ryan showed up. "Uhm, yes?"

I tipped my chin up to take a good look at his face. He looked tense. "She promised to stay by your side for the duration of the party. So either she discovered the formula to become invisible or she forgot---which by the way wouldn't be an oddity coming from her---"

My body rocked to a stop,"What do you mean she was supposed to stay by my side?"

Ryan's gaze met mine and for a moment it seemed like he had no words. He opened his mouth then he closed it, then he opened it again. "I called her before she picked you girls up."

"What?" I asked incredulous.

He had called Hannah and ordered her to keep an eye on me during the party. Seriously? Part of me wanted to melt, the other part though...

"She's not my babysitter." I muttered.

"I didn't say that."

"It sounded like it."

"I didn't mean for it to sound that way."

"Fine. Did you tell her to keep an eye on Layla too?" I challenged him, already knowing what his answer would be.

"No."

Of course, nobody babysat tough Layla, fragile Kalley on the other side...

"Wait...Is that why you are here?"

He gave me one of those twisted smiles, "I needed to make sure someone was watching your back."

Yep. That did it.

I was melting.

Like an ice-cube under the California sun.

Why? Why did he have that effect on me?

Why did he have to be so damn nice and irritating and hot at the same time?

"Now I'm glad I came, considering Hannah left you as soon as you stepped foot into the house." He continued.

I shook my head not quite believing what he had said. He had come to the party for me. It has been a long time since he'd been to one, but now he was doing it. For me. It was hard not to appreciate his actions, not when I knew how big this was. He didn't need to tell me for me to know how much it cost him to show up at a party that gave him so many bad memories.

But he did it anyways.

"As I said before I'm not much on the party scene, but I thought maybe I could come and check everything out. Then I caught sight on you on this outfit and I might have changed my previous plan a little bit." He smiled, looking down at my bare shoulders appreciatively.

I couldn't help it, I flushed and looked away.

Compliments weren't something I got on a daily basis.

Luckily he didn't press on it.

We swayed for a few seconds before I broke the silence.

"Well...in that case, thank you." I made sure to meet his gaze so he knew I understood how much this meant.

His eyes flashed and then he was pulling me into his hard chest, his arms circling around my shoulders. And I let him.

Resting my head against him, I let my nose graze his collarbone and took a breath of his calming musky scent. He exhaled loudly, squeezing me in the circle of his arms, his chin on top of my head. "You're welcome Twiggie."

I let him savour his win for a second and then said, "but just so you know it's completely unnecessary."

His low chuckle reverberated through his chest. I was tempted to pull away to stare at his face, but I felt too warm and comfortable were I was. "Though I'm not complaining."

"Sure you aren't." I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Shut up."

That made him chuckle again and If someone asked I wouldn't admit it, but my lips tipped slightly up at the corners.

His hand traveled up and down my arm, leaving a trail of goose bumps in its wake. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

I snorted.

"You're kinda luring me into sleep with all that tickling you know." As yawn escaped my mouth as soon as the word 'know' was out of my lips emphasizing my point.

"Do you want to leave?" He asked.

I shrugged. "Do you?"

"I asked first." He pointed out.

"And I asked second." I replied sleepy.

His body shifted as he shook his head. "Yeah, I'm sure you're in need of a bed. How much did you have to drink?"

"Just one." I replied, lifting my index finger.

A laugh escaped him, "Such a lightweight."

I punched his shoulder with as much force as I could muster which, considering he didn't even flinch, wasn't that much. "Hey! I'm not about to spend the night with my head in the toilet, I'm just sleepy." I lifted a hand to cover another yawn.

"Ok. Sleepy head, I'm taking you home." He said, and before I knew he had linked his fingers through mine and was leading me across the yard, dodging the other couples and people walking around. I followed him, not really caring where he took me as long as it promised a deep sleep and fluffy pillows.