Page 42 of Reckless Abandon

Me- Butterfly- I’ve seen the news. Do not shut me out. Can we please talk tonight?

I went into the poker room and did my best to concentrate on my game. As much I wanted to go be with Ryann and be her support, I couldn’t blow a half-million dollar online poker deal. By lunch break, I was anxious to check to see if she'd gotten back to me. Pulling out my phone, my shoulders slumped when there was nothing from Ryann, but there was a message from Damon.

Damon- Ryann came by to get her purse and car. She’s a mess dude. I gave her a couple days off.

Me- Thanks man.

The rest of the day went by smoothly. I continued to do well in the tournament even though it was the last place I wanted to be. By the time the night was over, I was tied for second with some actor I'd never heard of. I pulled my phone out to call and say goodnight to Ella and noticed a text message.

Ryann- K

Oh, thank fuck. At least I knew I wouldn’t get the door slammed in my face. I Facetimed Ella and told her I couldn’t wait to get her back to my house tomorrow so she'd better enjoy her last night with Aunt Cristina and Jackson. I jumped on my Harley and raced to Ryann’s as quickly as I could ride.

Thirty minutes later, I pulled into Ryann’s driveway. When she opened the door I could see her eyes were red and puffy, a dead giveaway that she'd been crying. As soon as she saw me, she threw her arms around my neck and held on for dear life. As I carefully lifted her up, she threw her legs around my waist and I carried her into the living room.

“I’m so sorry, Nathan,” she whispered into my neck. She sniffled and started to cry again.

“Shhhh…its okay, butterfly. We'll work this out.” But as I said that, I started to wonder what are we were working out. Were we working out the fact that she couldn’t tell me about her job, or that she broke up with me over text, or that she spent the night with G? Could I forgive her if she had sex with G?

I held her in my arms for a few minutes as she continued to cry. As much as I wanted to know everything, Ryann would tell me when she was ready. The coconut from her hair began to invade my senses. Her scent was so damn intoxicating. I was addicted to this woman. Was it too early to say I was falling in love with her?

“Ryann, we need to talk. Too much has happened in the last few weeks to just sit here and brush things under the rug,” I told her.

“I know,” she said quietly. “I’m not even sure what to say or where to begin.”

“Okay. Well, how about at the beginning.” She nodded in agreement.

Over the next hour, Ryann explained to me that she and Lucas were both teachers with almost equal income, so there was no extra support from the divorce. As a result, she found herself struggling financially over the past year, and the only solution was moving home. Until Rose suggested she start dancing.

“I still don’t understand why you didn’t think you could trust me with this, Ryann,” I said bluntly.

“Embarrassment mainly. But also fear. If anyone found out who I was, I’d lose everything. And we're still so new. When I met you, you were the poker player in the background who had a private booth at a strip club. I mean c’mon, Nathan,” she said coming off slightly judgmental.

“Touché,” I responded.

“And then when I found out that you were Jackson’s amazing Uncle Nate and Cristina was your sister, I felt like someone ripped the rug out from underneath me. Everything came crashing down around me. I think your sister is an amazing woman, I do, but that lady can gossip,” she continued.

“So why end things with a text? We could have talked about it. Tried to figure it out together.” I asked.

“Because I was humiliated. What am I supposed to say when I meet your parents? Why yes I was Jackson’s teacher and your son’s stripper girlfriend,” she blurted out.

I couldn’t help but burst out laughing at her. She was so cute when she was frustrated. “Ryann, really?” She just shrugged. “Okay. I don’t like it, but I guess I understand. Rose told me what happened with Lucas. Are you alright?”

“No. But I will be I guess. Now that was mortifying. I went running out of the club, ran straight into G and he got me out of there. Nathan, I know you saw me. I got your text and Damon told me. I’m so sorry.”

“Ryann, I’m only going to ask you this once, so please tell me the fucking truth. Did you have sex with Richard Grovanski?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Why?”

“You Nathan. Us. We're the reason I didn’t sleep with Rich.”

That was all I needed to hear. My lips landed exactly where they had been dying to be since the moment I walked through her door. That pouting bottom lip had been begging to be kissed. Her mouth opened to mine without hesitation. Our tongues greedily reached out for one another like we were fighting for the last drop of water. Our teeth crashed together as we fought to deepen the kiss that we'd both been craving so deeply.

Reluctantly, I pulled away from her mouth. “Ryann, I need you to promise that you won’t run from me…from us…again. Shit’s about to get worse before it gets better, but, butterfly, I will be your rock. I want to be the arms you find when you’re scared or upset,” I told her gently.

Ryann put her head back on my shoulder. “It’s bad isn’t it? What the hell was I thinking going to the Bellagio with G?”