Among the Echoes (Wrecked and Ruined #2.5)(31)

"I’ve been waiting up for hours for you to kiss and tell. You know…girl talk," he says with a shrug, and I burst out laughing. "Don’t keep me waiting, Riley. I read an entire Cosmo in preparation for this moment. My manhood is in serious jeopardy right now. I think I can pull off the BFF role if you hurry up and start talking before I remember I have a dick." His face is so completely serious that I can’t help but double over in a fit of laughter. "Less laughing, more sharing!" he shouts, but he joins me.

When I’m able to stand back up, I walk over and throw my arms around his neck. "Thank you."

He returns the hug. "I’m assuming it went well."

"Yeah. It went really well."

"I’ll buy more wine." He squeezes me painfully tight.

"Nah, I think I’m good from now on." I let him go and take a step away. "Is it okay if I go back over there tomorrow night?"

"You don’t have to ask me, babe. I’m not your daddy. You can do whatever you want. Just let me know when and where so I won’t worry."

"Okay. We’re just going to be at his place. Why don’t you…ya know…go out tomorrow night too?"

"Nah, not quite yet. Only one of us can get laid at a time. Besides, I don’t do that kind of stuff." He feigns innocence that forces me to give him a knowing look.

"Oh please. For a man who never gets laid, you sure do run through quite a few condoms. You forget I was with you when you bought not one but two ginormous boxes last month."

"I told you those were for a friend!" he yells, but his eyes are laughing.

"Of course. You really are a thoughtful friend."

"I know. I scored a ninety-three on Cosmo’s BFF quiz."

"You did not take a quiz!"

"I totally did, and it just further proved how awesome I am."

"You are ridiculous is what you are." I head for my bedroom. "Wait. Where the hell did you get a Cosmo?"

He looks down, pretending to be shy and somehow managing to keep a straight face. "I hid it under the condoms at checkout."

"Oh my God! You are such a loser!" I call over my shoulder as he continues to laugh behind me.

"Night, Riley."

"Night, Dave."





One week later…





Time has been flying by with Riley in my life. We can’t seem to get enough of each other. Our relationship isn’t rushing ahead at light speed; it’s more crawling at a junior high pace. That’s okay though, because there isn’t a day that passes where she isn’t knocking on my door. That makes it all right with me.

Since that first night, we’ve been inseparable, but I still don’t feel like I’m getting the whole picture of who Riley really is. We talk for hours, but some of her stories just don’t add up. There’s always a blur on the lens when I look at her. I feel like I am missing just the slightest detail that would bring her completely into focus. However, I don’t push it because I still haven’t even told her my real f*cking name.

It’s an * move, but I just wanted to get to know her a little better before screwing it all to Hell and back. She seems like a quiet, low-key girl who isn’t going to want to be thrown into the spotlight that unfortunately is my life. But the fact of the matter is that I can only stay here in Ohio as Adam Andrews for so long.

I’ve been trying to work out as much as possible to buy myself a few more weeks before I have to go home and get back on my training schedule. I could hang around here for a bit longer if I found a way to keep on track. Maybe see if there is a boxing gym nearby that would allow me to come in at night. It’s not ideal, but it might buy me just a little more time with her. I could sleep during the days while Riley is at work, spend my nights with her, and train while she’s sleeping.

I bought all new bedding the very next day after we were together in hopes that she would spend the night. But around midnight every single night, she kisses me at the door and goes back to her apartment. I hate it, but I can probably make it work for a while longer.

At six p.m. sharp, Riley and her brown contacts are knocking at my door.

"It’s open!" I shout from the kitchen.

"What if I were an ax murderer?" she asks the minute she walks inside.

I drop the knife on the counter and head over to wrap her in my arms. "Well then, I guess I’d have to fight the ax from your hands before kissing you." I lean forward to press a gentle kiss to her mouth. "Hey."

"Hey," she responds as her cheeks heat to pink.

"How was work?" I ask, still holding her.

Her hands trace up my forearms and under the sleeves of my T-shirt to my biceps. "I hate my job."

"Well okay then." I laugh.

"I would rather be unemployed than spend another day in that file room. But a girl’s gotta eat, right?" She shrugs and moves out of my arms. "Whatcha cooking?"

"Lasagna."

She breathes in deeply, sniffing the aromas. "Homemade?" she questions with shock.

"Yep."

"Wow. All because I showed you my boobs last night?"

"No. Well, kind of no. It’s one of the few things I know how to cook. But the boobs definitely didn’t hurt."