Bittersweet Symphony (Bittersweet #4)(6)

“What will it be?” I ask again. This time Ryder’s eyes land on mine and our gazes hold one another’s. The tension is back in his body. His eyes are darker, if that’s even possible, as he removes the girl’s arm from his chest. I can see her well-manicured finger nails digging into the flesh of her hand. Yeah, the feeling’s mutual, sweetheart; I’m using all my self-restraint too.

“May I have a word with you Kennedy?” The way Ryder says my name makes it seem like it’s difficult for him to do. Good. I don’t want him saying my name anyway. Yeah, you do. You want him moaning your name instead.

“No. I’m working as you can see.” The girl’s face next to him lights up once she realizes I’m not going to pay him any attention.

“Well, you can quit working and talk to me.” It’s not a question, it’s a demand. He’s telling me what to do, and if that doesn’t piss me off enough to start swinging, I don’t know what would.

“Kennedy,” a voice I know all too well says. I turn around and see Mimi barreling toward the table, Corey in tow.

“I didn’t know you worked here, you snatch.” Mimi and I have a weird friendship; she’s the pain in the ass friend I never had and never realized I was missing. Jenna and I are alike in a lot of ways: we both think similarly, and knowing we both love Mimi is enough for us.

“Like I was telling these guys, I have to pay for school somehow.” Is it a crime to actually hold a job while attending college nowadays? You would think I have a sign on my forehead that says dumbass.

“A word. Now,” Ryder growls, his hand landing on the small of my back. If I am touched by another male today, I am going to scream. Mimi’s eyes shoot daggers at Ryder as she looks him up and down.

“Is there a problem?” she asks Ryder. I look between the two of them. They don’t look as if they hate each other, but they also don’t look like they particularly enjoy the other’s company.

“If she had a problem, Mimi, it wouldn’t be with me.” Anger is quite evident in his voice and facial features as his brow furrows. The hand on my back that was gentle at first is now urging me forward.

“I’ll… I’ll… be right back, guys,” I mumble, glaring over my shoulder at Ryder as he hurries me toward the bathroom. Once we’re alone, I whirl around, pointing my pen into his very chiseled and muscular chest. He smiles smugly at me.

“What do you have to ask me that is so important that it could very well cost me my job?” His eyes slide over my body from head to toe, not missing one single spot. He is totally checking me out. Pig. Total f*cking pig. Plus, he’s not even paying attention to what I asked him. Instead, he’s licking his lips, his white teeth biting down hard on his lower lip.

“You, Kennedy Clap, are a total f*cking tease.” I look at him, rather confused with where this conversation is going. What the hell is he talking about?

“A tease. You interrupted my work to tell me I’m a tease. You’re so dense, Ryder,” I grumble, clearly frustrated that he is causing me problems.

“Yes. You walk through the campus in shorts or skinny jeans, always making sure every piece of creamy skin is covered. Then I see you here, and it’s like you’re not the same girl.” Ryder’s words hit, and suddenly it occurs to me that he’s been watching me.

“You’ve been watching me. What are you? A stalker?” I’m slightly scared for a second. Ryder seem harmless, but so do most people who plan to murder other people. I have so much to live for; I cannot die a virgin. No.

A light blush forms on his cheeks, and I know I embarrassed him.

“I haven’t been watching you really, just seen you in passing. Besides, that’s not the point. I pulled you away because we need to talk, and I’m serious.” He is back to demanding, not asking. Does this man ask for anything?

“Excuse me, but how dare you treat me like you treat that girl you have in there next to you? I’m not a vagina plug in; you can’t just plug into me and walk away content. You can’t tell me to f*cking do something because I don’t listen to people who tell me what to do. I listen to me, and that’s it.”

“Why are you afraid of him?” Ryder asks as if he has the answers. Panic seizes me. He’s going to try and figure me out; He’s going to try and dig his claws into me. He wants to pull back the layers and look at me for who I am. No way.

“I’m afraid of no one.” I glare at him.

“You’re afraid of me,” he says, reaching out and clasping my jaw in his hand so I can’t look away. There’s a deep determination in his eyes. It’s consuming. It’s raw. It makes me want to give in to him.

“No, I’m…” Before I can finish my sentence, I’m turned around and pushed face first into the wall. The impact is gentle, but it still startles me. I gasp as his hands incase mine behind my back. My heart beats out of my chest, and for the first time ever, I’m afraid of what he’s capable of doing to me.

“Scared now?” he asks, his voice menacing.

“No,” I say between clenched teeth. I refuse to give him the satisfaction he wants.

Not a moment later, the breath leaves my chest and I’m pressed firmly into the wall as Ryder’s length pushes against my ass. I panic, letting out a whimper. It’s not the same… It’s not the same… I continue to tell myself.