Broken Love (Broken #4)(52)

My face softened. “I really love him.”

I knew she didn’t want to do it, but she smiled. “I am happy for you and I’d never admit this to Ryder, but I think he’s a great guy.”

“Who’s a great guy?” Ryder asked walking up to us with a beer in his hand. Jay took it from him and gulped it down in one drink. Ryder’s eyes opened wide in shock.

“The guy I was trying to set Ava up with, but she insists she loves you so there goes that plan for tonight.” She shrugged and handed him the empty beer bottle back.

Rolling my eyes, I reached up and kissed his lips. “Ignore her,” I whispered.

Ryder winked and said, “Oh, don’t worry. Ignoring Jay won’t take too much effort.”

Sighing, I turned and said, “I say we get the show on the road. Let me slip on my shoes and we are set.”

Jay stared at the black flats I had on. “You’re wearing … those?”

“Yes. I have to, Jay. I just got my cast off; I can’t walk around in heels. I can barely walk around now in my bare feet.”

She snarled her lip. Her eyes dropped back down to the flats. “You can’t salsa dance in flats. That’s not sexy.”

“I think she looks sexy as f*ck.”

“You would,” Jay bit back.

Lacing my fingers with Ryder’s, I smiled. “Let’s go before you two start at it again.”





RYDER AND I danced to a few slow songs. It felt so good to be back in his arms. Everything felt so right when we were together. I knew I needed to tell him about what I had read in Kate’s journal. When to tell him was the question though.

The song ended so we made our way back to our table. Ryder guided us through the crowd with his hand on my back. It was such a simple gesture, but one that always made my heart drop and my stomach dance in delight.

Jay had been dancing with one guy practically all night. The way they were grinding on each other was a bit unsettling. Jay hadn’t mentioned how things were with her husband, Phil. Her almost jet-black hair was pulled up in a slobby bun on the top of her head, but it still pulled out her blue eyes. She was the only person I knew who could get away with the brightest shade of red on her lips no matter if she was going out or going to the gym. She rocked it every single time.

Ryder leaned over and asked if I wanted another drink. “Yes! One more and then I’m done.”

With that drop me over gorgeous smile of his, he winked and quickly kissed me on the lips before heading over to the bar. I watched him walk away and I couldn’t seem to pull my eyes off of him. The way his ass looked in those jeans was almost sinful.

“God … is it getting hot in here?” I said to myself as I waved my hand in front of my face in an attempt to cool off.

Ryder walked up to the bar and waited in line to order our drinks. Smiling, I shook my head. He came for me. And he brought diamonds with him. He was a keeper.

When I glanced to the right, my heart stopped. I sat up straighter and blinked my eyes a few times. When he lifted his hand in a wave, I looked over my shoulder before snapping my head back to him.

“Holy shit balls!”

Dr. Russell started to make his way toward me. I quickly looked back at Ryder. He was now at the bar ordering.

“Oh lord. Shit!”

Quickly getting up, I forced my way through the crowd to get to Jay. When I saw her rubbing up against her new friend, I pushed my way over to her.

“Jay!” I yelled out.

She was so focused on the guy she didn’t hear me. Grabbing her arm, I pulled her. Turning to look at me, she grinned wide. “Did you come to join us? I’ve always wanted to try a threesome.”

I pinched my eyebrows together and stared at her. “Okay, first off … please tell me you’re kidding because … gross! No thank you. Second, Dr. Russell is here!”

Her smiled dropped. “What? Are you sure?”

I turned around and looked directly at him as he stood by the table waiting for me to come back. Ryder was now walking up and looking for me.

Turning back to Jay, I yelled in a panic sounding voice, “What do I do?”

“Um … well clearly he thought you were wanting him to meet you here so, I think you nip it in the bud.”

“What? That’s your advice?”

The guy Jay was dancing with yelled out. “I agree. If you try to ignore him it only makes it seem like you did something wrong.”

My eyes snapped over to him. “Who are you?”

“Jay’s massage therapist.”

I looked back at Jay. She wasn’t smiling and I knew by the look in her eyes I was going to have a conversation with her that I didn’t want to have.

Rolling my eyes, I turned back and walked straight up to Dr. Russell. He was standing practically next to Ryder.

“Hey!” he shouted as Ryder looked at him and then me confused. I smiled at Ryder and walked up to him.

Moving my lips to his ear I said, “That’s the doctor who took my cast off.”

Ryder pulled back and looked at Dr. Russell and then back to me. “What is he doing here? Did you invite him?”

“No!” I replied.

Turning to face Dr. Russell, I politely smiled. “What are you doing here?”

He tried to give a smile that probably worked on other girls, but did nothing for me. “Well, you mentioned this place and I thought I’d take a chance and see if you wanted to work out that leg.”