Reckless Play | ✓

23. Unfamiliar Cravings

The following Tuesday I was walking down the hallway with Hannah, trying to keep up with her banter instead of letting my mind drift away with thoughts of Ryan and Friday night.  It was almost embarrassing how many times I caught myself losing the thread of whatever I was saying or zooming out of a conversation in favor of reminiscing those short moments in the car where we confessed our feelings.

Nothing much happened after that. He just let me go with a sweet kiss on my cheek and a promise to pick me up on Monday morning. Just thinking about how his lips had grazed my cheek had my skin tingling.

He had picked me up Yesterday and today too. It hadn't taken my mom long to realize there was something blooming between us. The smile she sent my way when I grabbed my pack and made a dash for the door said it all.

I knew I probably looked like an idiot but I couldn't help it. I was happy. 

We stopped by our lockers to change books. I had calculus today and just thinking about carrying the heavy book for longer than was necessary made my arms throb. I sighed in relief as I dropped it inside the locker along with a few papers.

"So," Hannah started, leaning against the lockers by my side. "What's going on between you and Ryan?"

I chanced a glance at her to find  her eyes bright and a smile curving her lips. Somehow that wasn't the reaction I'd pictured she'd give me when she found out. Hadn't she warned me to stay away from him?

"Oh, came on." She urged. "Don't look at me like that. I know I said some things, but I really like you two. I mean, Ryan is a nice guy."

I gave her an incredulous look.

"Ok. Fine. I said he was a troublemaker and I'm not retracting. Just telling you that he is my friend too and I like seeing him happy..."

Ryan was happy?

The thought made my heart leap inside my chest.

"Seriously?" Hannah replied, reading my mind. "Don't you see he's smiling all the time? It's so cute."

I shook my head.

I hadn't noticed that. Ryan was always smiling, that wasn't a strange thing.

"I want details." Came Hannah's eager voice.

I looked at her, "Nothing happened. He took me home that day after the movies and we talked."

She clapped her hands excitedly, "And..." She prodded.

A smile curved my lips, "He picked me up for school Yesterday and again today."

With a shriek Hannah threw her arms around me in a hug that squeezed the daylights out of me.

"Oh my god Kalley. That's so nice. Did you kiss?" She whispered the last past in my ear.

A shiver went through me at the thought of Ryan's lips grazing mine. His musky scent wrapping around me. How would that feel?

"No." My voice sounded disappointed. 

Hannah squeezed my arms again, "Don't worry, he will. I'm sure he won't be able to contain himself much longer."

Taking a step back she smiled at me. I smiled back at her.

"I can't wait till we can double date!" She gushed.

I looked around so make sure no one had heard her. It wasn't like I wanted the whole school to know. So we'd confessed our feelings, big deal. But we hadn't said anything about a relationship yet.

"I have the feeling that you'll have to wait for that."

She pouted. I laughed.

I'd turned back to pick my books, and close my locker when I heard Hannah's whisper. "Here he comes."

My heart fluttered. It was Ryan. I knew it. I could feel it in the air. It was like my body was attuned to his. With a deep breath I turned, leaning my back against the lockers and looked up.

Ryan was making his way over, his green gaze fixed on me and a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Seriously, he couldn't look sexier if he tried.

My eyes drank him in as he approached, that confident swagger I'd always admired present in his every step. The sea of people parted to make way for him much like that first day of class. Only this time he was making his way to me.

I barely heard Hannah say, "Uh... I think J is waiting for me. I'll catch up with you later Kalley." Just as Ryan reached us and I snapped out of my reverie. His head tilted towards Hannah who was already walking away and he gave her a chin jerk, "Hannah."

"Hey," He turned to me, voice warm.

"Hi." I swallowed. 

He reached into his back pocket and handed me a paper tissue. "Here."

I frowned, staring at the tissue in my hand wondering if he'd written something on it. "What's this?" I asked when I came up empty.

"So that you can wipe the drool on your face." He winked at me.

I actually snorted.

"Seriously? What happened? Did your smartass comeback notebook run out of pages?"

His smile widened.

He reached out a hand to twirl a strand of my chocolate hair around his finger. His eyes looked mesmerized as he stared at his hand. "Actually, I bought a new one."

"Do you have a return address?" I asked as I tried not to hyperventilate due to his closeness.

One of his forearms rested on the lockers behind me, making a loud clank that had my heart skipping a beat, and he leaned forward another inch. Our breaths mingled. 

"I don't believe in return addresses. Once you buy something there's no going back." He whispered.

His gaze was intense as he looked into my eyes. Why did I have the impression that we weren't talking about notebooks anymore?

I casted a glance around and noticed a few girls had stopped to stare. Further from us some guys were peering at us as they talked. I could imagine what we looked like. Me trapped against the lockers and Ryan bent over me, our bodies inches apart.

 I cleared my throat. My voice was low when I noted, "People are staring." 

He didn't move.

"Let them."

I squirmed uncomfortably, not used to the attention. Before I could protest though Ryan straightened. I felt his loss immediately. My body begged me to reach for him, but I reined the impulse in. 

Then, suddenly, he bent again and planted a kiss on my cheek. "See you after class." He whispered in my ear.

And his nearness left my earlobe tingling even as I watched him make his way towards his class.