FLY BOY - Completed

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

River felt the blood returning to her face in a flood. She could feel the anger starting at her toes and building as it made it's way to her lips. She wanted to scream and lose control, but before she would allow herself that luxury, she took a few seconds to really look at this Riley character who was leaning in too close and uttering such ridiculous statements. 

She could tell Riley was not as tall as Dayden, yet she thought he would still be considered taller than average. He wasn't as good looking as Dayden either, though that would be practically impossible River thought, knowing she was most definitely impartial to Dayden. Where Dayden was tall and dark and mouth-dropping gorgeous, Riley had a floppy mess of blonde curls, which were combined with eyes the color of ho hum blue - nothing like Dayden's beautiful caramel coloured eyes. Still River could not deny that in the very few words she had already exchanged with Riley, he definitely exuded an overwhelming confidence that he mixed often with an easy smile. River noticed too, that Riley seemed well liked by not only Shane, but by the other men who had come so quickly to speak to him once they had landed. 

It didn't matter. What mattered was the fact that he had kissed River and that was unacceptable. The nerve! Where did he get off thinking that he could do whatever he wanted, and whenever he wanted, she wondered? But, telling her that her father had given him her hand in matrimony as payment for returning her safe... was simply ridiculous! Her father would never do such a thing. Just thinking about it, had River's blood boiling. She wanted to punch Riley right in the face for saying something so stupid. First though, she needed to put some distance between them. 

"Get out of my way Riley. Right now," she ordered, pointing to the ground, indicating for him to get down from her Arcane Fighter. 

Seeing how angry she was, you would think that Riley would have had the sense to back off and let her cool down, but instead he just put his head back and laughed out loud. He literally belly laughed to the point that his eyes started watering.

River looked at him with narrowed eyes as steam practically spewed from her ears. "What is so funny," she demanded?

Riley was laughing so hard he could barely get his words out. "You should see your face," he sputtered as he pointed his finger at her. 

River's arms crossed in front of her chest as she thought of the many different names she would like to call the jerk who was presently finding such humor at her expense. She refused to play along though and remained silent while she waited for his laughter to subside. 

"Ease up River. I was only joking," Riley finally admitted as he continued to try and calm his laughter. "It was your father who taught me that trick. The best way to stop someone from going into shock is to ... well... literally shock them with something else."

River bowed her head as she remembered her father saying something similar to her, just shortly after her mother had died. River was experiencing one of the first of what would later become quite regular panic attacks. It finally dawned on River what exactly Riley had just done for her. Just how well did he know her father, she wondered?

"Your face had gone so pale," he explained. "You weren't really responding and well I just thought I would try and shock you back, before it could develop into something more."

River's eyes snapped back to Riley's as she heard his words: 'something more.' Obviously her father had told Riley about her panic attacks. Why would her father do such a thing? River knew that her father would never tell anyone something so personal about her, unless he trusted them completely. Still it really bothered River to know that Riley knew something so personal about her.