Ryan was more than happy at how his day had ended. He had started it with the intent of a heated kiss with Skylar only to be rejected, spent the day alone, enjoyed a delayed but heated kiss with Skylar during the party and then got a hell of a lot more than that from Nikita after the party. Even if he did say so himself, he had done pretty well. So Skylar didn’t want him, he’d found someone better who wasn’t a little miss goody two shoes who would need constant attention and lots of loving care but someone who was willing to be a one night stand once in a while. Someone whose only interest was getting her rocks off. The minute she had gone up the stairs and he had dropped her folders, he knew what he wanted. And it wasn’t coffee. He made his way up to her room, distinguishing it from the others from the overhead light that was on, finding Nikita standing in her room half naked with only her panties left on and it was all too convenient for him. He switched off the light, hearing a shocked squeak from Nikita as it left her in darkness but when she turned to make her way across to the switch, all she found was Ryan standing in front of her. He wasted no time in kissing her heatedly, slipping off the last piece of her clothing when she responded to his kiss. Within a minute she was undressing him and he was backing her over to her bed, having navigated his moves in the unfamiliar room in his head before turning out the light. They stayed in bed for the next hour, trying anything and everything he wanted and when he found out in a shy admission that Nikita had a boyfriend, he couldn’t help but be happy and know that she would do anything he wanted from then on. All he had to do was turn on the sexual chemistry and get her panting until she would agree to anything he asked of her.
But Ryan still had no interest in a relationship. Fully exhausted from their hour of fun and the long day he’d had, he reluctantly let Nikita snuggle into him and took a nap, for no more than an hour, before he would decide to take his leave. He hoped that by that time she would be fast asleep and he could sneak out without causing a scene then if she questioned him in the morning or whenever he chose to get back in touch with her, he could just claim that her brother came home and he skipped out so he didn’t get her in trouble. For a naïve girl like Nikita, it was the perfect excuse, and it was his phone that woke him with a quiet beep that only he heard, saying he had a message. When he saw that he’d been out for just about an hour, he decided to get dressed first and make his escape before checking his text. He was still silently hoping that Skylar had changed her mind and wanted some action but as he snuck out the house, using the key Nikita had let them in with, locking the door behind him before mailing it back through the post box, he was disappointed to find it was only Devin, wondering where he’d disappeared to. The last person he was in the mood to talk to was his brother so he lied and said he’d gone for a walk and nipped off for a fish supper with a few of the boys he knew out with campus to catch up with them, which would keep him satisfied enough to not bother him again.
Ryan attempted to call Skylar, having got her phone number off Niles, rather sneakily, having insisted it was to keep in touch with her so that he could keep her safe…then again that was before he had kissed her, the first time, but still he gave it a shot. He doubted she would change her number at any point, just because of him and wasn’t surprised when her voice asked to take a message. He decided to leave her a cheeky little memento before pocketing his phone and sauntering back to the fraternity house, having to sneak in to avoid the partygoers as he made his way up to his room. He got himself into the shower and then into his bed ten minutes later, leaving his phone on in case Skylar got back to him and went off to sleep, dreaming of Skylar. He wasn’t sure why she was so much of an attraction for him, she was too sweet, too innocent and too needy for him to bother with but for some reason he couldn’t get her out of his head. Even as he dreamt, she took over his thoughts, his dreams…he imagined her sneaking into his room in a little silk negligee, crawling over the bed towards him and kissing him the way he longed to kiss her. With some real passion and heat. He imagined them making love and, worst of all, watching her sleep for hours, just adoring her.
Ryan dreamt of how he would never leave her or sneak out on her as he had done with Nikita. He dreamt of how hurt she would be if she knew about his little indiscretion that night, how she would cry, how much she would hate him and never let him touch her again. He remembered their kiss at the party and how, whether she had done it to get rid of a headache or not, she had enjoyed every second of their kiss. Every brush of his tongue against hers, every tender touch of his fingertips on her waist, pulling her into his arms. It wasn’t until he was deep in his dreams that Ryan realised just how gentle and careful he had always been with her…at the ice rink he had avoided looking at her because she was so beautiful and he saw how possessive Niles was of her, he didn’t want to confuse her or hurt her by giving her any attention…when he had first kissed her he had done it purely because he was worried that she wasn’t feeling well, because he was jealous of all the attention Niles gave her that he couldn’t and when she had asked him for the truth he just had to kiss her…even when he’d warned her off him and told her to be with Niles it was because he knew how consumed by her he was already, if they dated it would only get worse and the thought that someone had hurt her, that she’d been in an abusive relationship…it killed him. He knew how Pepper still suffered from it: he’d been afraid of being so afraid someone else would hurt her that he’d be the jealous, possessive type Zeke had been and he’d end up hurting her at some point…now he’d done that, he’d gone and slept with Nikita, a complete stranger. If Skylar ever knew… But he wasn’t going to let her find out. His sleeping mind was a lot smarter than he was and it decided he wasn’t going to let her escape him any longer. He wanted her, he would have her. It was as simple as that.
*****
Neither Julius nor Paige knew what to say to each other as they watched Angelo take his bottle of beer from Jacob, tipping it to Paige with a smile, a tear falling from her eye as he did so. But she couldn’t believe that with the pain he was feeling, the pain everyone could tell he was feeling, he was able to be so sweet and understanding about it, keeping it inside so that she didn’t see him so upset. And she couldn’t help but smile and blow him a kiss. “I don’t understand…” Julius sighed finally, interrupting the silence as he looked down at his hand, with Paige’s. He knew the significance of it, most fathers did, but he still didn’t understand. They weren’t going to get married. Angelo was giving her back. None of it made any sense. “But…that means…” He stuttered, glancing at Paige as she wiped away another tear from her cheek, unable to do anything other than stand there. “I thought…it looked like…and then…” He was so confused it was unreal. And it only got worse as he saw Danag walking over, looking guilty and hurt as he buried his hands in his pockets, staring at Paige.
“Paige, can I talk to you?” He asked quietly, not sure of what to say now that he knew she was now engaged to another man. Angelo of all people. But he couldn’t help but notice the smile she had as she held her hand out to him, gently kissing her fathers cheek before walking into the room and leading him over to a quiet corner. “Paige I…” Danny began nervously, all too aware that Angelo was watching them from the other side of the room as he spoke to Jacob and his girlfriend.
“Do you love me Danny?” Paige asked suddenly, confusing him as he thought about what he knew. He was a little angry to find her asking him such a thing when she’d just disappeared into the garden to accept Angelo’s marriage proposal. But the look she had then, it was a little dreamy and he knew he couldn’t lie to her, thinking that he might still have a chance if she’d asked Angelo if she could think it over for a day or two before giving him a definitely answer.
“Of course I do.” He answered honestly, hoping against all hope.
“Then why don’t you kiss me?” She asked, even though she knew fine well that she’d asked him not to kiss her in public, just so that her father wouldn’t know that they were, or even, had been together. And he couldn’t do anything other than stare at her blankly, wondering what kind of game she was playing, especially when she stepped up close to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, a gentle understanding in her eyes, mixed with sadness. If Danny hadn’t known better, he would almost have thought she was going to let him have one last kiss goodbye. “If you really love me, then why don’t you kiss me?” She smiled then, in such an adoring way that he couldn’t help but smile back. She really was an astounding, complicated girl. And he couldn’t help but reach out and gently caress her face with a soft smile.
“What are you doing to me Paige?” He sighed, not sure what else to say.
“Doing? Nothing, except trying to get a kiss from my boyfriend.” Paige smiled softly, slowly running a fingernail down the base of his neck like she usually did when she was deep in thought.
“I don’t understand…what’re you trying to tell me?”
“I’m trying to tell you that I am now officially a free woman.” She giggled knowing that he was still confused as she tapped his chest playfully. But really he was a funny, funny man. She couldn’t believe that he really thought she’d marry Angelo when it was him she was in love with. Or at least, she thought he was the one she was in love with. It was still a little hazy after the way he’d treated her in front of his friends. “Angelo says he can’t marry me because I wouldn’t be happy.”
Jacob couldn’t believe it when he saw Angelo walking up to the French doors, holding Paige’s hand. For a moment he thought he’d actually gone through with it and either Paige had had the time to realise that she loved him, just like everyone secretly knew she did, or she had come to terms with the fact that Julius was never going to let her marry anyone else. But when he saw the look in his best friends eyes as he laid Paige’s hand on Julius’s and walked inside with a forced and heartbroken smile, putting on a brave face for show, he knew that something bad had happened. Either Angelo had chickened out of it for the last time, hoping to save himself the heartache of going through it again, or of hearing her rejecting him again, or else he’d had to go through that awful rejection and simply didn’t want to let Paige see how badly it hurt him. Either way it didn’t matter. Jacob knew that whatever had happened, the only important thing was that Angelo wasn’t going to get to marry the girl of his dreams. Not now and maybe not ever. “Hey.” He smiled, handing Angelo a fresh bottle of beer which he immediately took a good long drink from, silently cursing himself as he shook his head.
“Well?” Sasha asked softly, but Jacob knew that it was in no way a good time to ask what had happened and nudged him girlfriend softly to keep her quiet.
“I let her go.” Angelo shrugged, forcing a smile when he noticed Julius and Paige staring at him and as much as he would really have loved being able to walk out of the house and go home, he knew he couldn’t. Tipping his bottle to Paige in a fake friendly gesture, he cursed the fact that he couldn‘t leave. It would break everyone’s heart to see him so hurt, even if it was what he was feeling. No. He was a big boy now, he couldn’t hold himself together…he’d always been good at that. “I did the right thing.” He sighed, unable to take his eyes off Paige as he watched the way Danny approached her, looking guilty and sad. And it only took a minute of talking, having to see Paige flirting with him, before Danny hugged her tightly, lifted her in his arms and twirled her happily.
“Yeah…the best thing for who?” Jacob grumbled.
“What’re you so upset about?” Sasha asked, scolding him for being so dismissive of the fact that Angelo was doing what was best for everyone and what would make Paige happy.
“We’re brothers honey, I’m allowed to want to see him happy.” He complained, taking a drink of his beer as he watched the smile on his friends lips, in a silent ‘thank you’ for standing by him and wanting what was best for him. But Sasha just laughed.
“You’re not brothers, so shush.” She giggled, curious as to the way Angelo held his hand out to Jacob, as though he wanted to arm wrestle him and she was confused as to why, with where they were, it would seem like a good idea. Not to mention what they were talking about. Then again, it was something they did all the time, at work when they were bored, in the café during their lunch hour, or just whenever they got bored. But, they were both smiling as Jacob took his hand, sliding their hands back from each other before pressing their fists together. It all confused Sasha, though not as much as it would for them to arm wrestle, but they seemed happy with it and so for once she was willing to let it rest. After all, there wasn’t one thing about either of them that she really ever completely understood, so she shouldn’t have been surprised. “I don’t know why I even bother to try.” She sighed with a soft smile, her gorgeous boyfriend smiling down at her adoringly before kissing the side of her head.
“I was going to be best man, you know.” He tutted in complaint, glancing up at his best friend as if he should have known better than to deprive him of such an honour.
“Who says?” Angelo laughed, shaking his head, glad that he could at least pretend to take his mind off things for a while. “Anyway…where’s Raya?” He wondered, looking around for her, half expecting to see her dancing with Joey, or at least huddled up in a quiet corner talking and getting to know him in private, without his idiot friends there to interrupt. But there was no sign of her. And Jacob just shrugged.
“Haven’t seen her since you sent her outside.”
*****
Joey couldn’t figure out what that extra something special was about Raya, he just knew that she had it. They had spent almost an hour talking together about anything and everything they wanted to share with each other and there was an intense feeling of belonging that came with being with her, just being around her. He could see that her friends were curious as to who he was and how he’d suddenly appeared out of nowhere and how it was that he’d only appeared an hour ago, not even saying a word before Raya left with him only to come back with her after that hour and dance with him the way she was, but he didn’t even know how to explain it to himself, never mind anyone else. But Joey did know one thing and that was that if he did get Raya to be his girlfriend, a serious girlfriend, then he’d have to make sure that the only dancing she ever did was with him and in private because she was one hot little thing. Sensuous didn’t even begin to describe the way she looked when she let herself go and enjoyed the sexy tunes that kept getting played. If it wasn’t Beyoncè or The Pussycat Dolls, it was a hundred different dance beats that had her smiling and singing to herself. Even the skater stuff had her up dancing and he was completely taken aback by the extensity of her musical preference as well as the fact that she could dance to any kind of music and still be as tempting and as teasing as the first minute he’d met her. The thing was, that all she did was lose herself to the music. Raya didn’t care if anyone looked at her, even though Joey could see a certain sparkle in her eyes, always combined with a seductive smile, every time he whispered in her ear or their eyes met as they danced together. He wasn’t even being that flirtatious. “Oh by the way, Raya…” One of her friend piped up again, against Joey’s best efforts to block out the fake Paris Hilton wannabe teenager Marissa. “Did you tell Nick you’d go to that party with him tomorrow night?” She mentioned quietly, sending Joey a flirtatious smile which he only ignored as he took a drink from his bottle, the mixture of cool Jack Daniels and diet coke a much more welcome taste than the lukewarm beer sitting inside the house.
“No. I already told you, I can’t go.” Raya sighed, all too able to see that Marissa was interested in Joey, but he didn’t really seem to be paying much attention to her, thankfully. Instead he just held his arm over her shoulders, gently playing with her hair as he listened to the music. And what she noticed was that, at the mention of the party he seemed to tense up for a moment and then relax once she told them she couldn’t go. But no-one could understand why she wasn’t going to go to a party where every guy would be fighting to get close to her. Ever since Julius and Silvia had adopted her, she’d had something to smile about and having Angelo around her only made her shine, as well as making every girl drool in jealousy at how gorgeous he was. Nevertheless, having him around only brought her even more attention, and ever since she’d opened up and showed everyone that she could be a really happy person, every guy they knew was drooling over her. And yet, she didn’t want them, or even seem to notice and so now she had a majorly hot, older guy with his arm around her, dancing with her all night and sneaking her off to god knows where to do god knows what. It was so unfair. Marissa couldn’t help being so jealous.
“Wait…why?” Robin asked, curiously, having already heard Nick talking about how he was going to ask Raya an important question at the party and how she’d already agreed to go. Everyone knew that he wanted to ask her out, except maybe Raya who seemed clueless as to why she was the only girl he ever flirted with. And they could all tell that he was a little pissed off at her leaving him earlier to go away with Joey, only to come back and dance with him so sensually, making it obvious that they were more than just friends and that whatever their relationship, it was anything but innocent.
“Because…” Raya began, taking a deep breath to make sure that she got everything out right so that they would understand and stop nagging her about it. It was such a simple explanation she couldn‘t believe they‘d forgotten already. It was hardly rocket science. “I already told you, Angelo’s going out of town for a week, maybe longer and his flight leaves tomorrow afternoon.”
“Am I going to have to fight Angelo for you princess?” Joey asked cheekily, a playful smile on his lips as he took his arm from around her shoulders and brushed the hair from her left shoulder, to the other side of her neck. And she couldn’t hide the smile that reached her lips as he gently kissed her cheek. “Is that what it’s going to take?” He enquired softly.
“You know if you did, all you’d get is your ass kicked, so don’t even bother.” She smiled back, loving how familiar it sounded to hear him laugh. She was having such a great time with him it was almost unreal. He’d told her, rather cheekily, how he’d have to thank Angelo for ‘giving’ her to him and she couldn’t help but think how right he was. She knew that if Angelo hadn’t sent Joey after her, before his little brother could freak her out any more than he already had, then she’d either have been too upset by having him see her cry to talk to him, or she wouldn’t have been able to gather up the courage to go over and talk to him like he’d initially suggested.
“No matter how innocent you pretend to be with your friends gorgeous…you’ll always be my feisty little princess.” He promised in a hushed whisper, leaving another, tender kiss on her cheek, unable to help but wish that he could stay with her forever. He felt so comfortable, so content and relaxed with her, as though he’d already been with her his entire life and he couldn’t help but ask her what he’d been dying to ask her all night. “Will you be mine Raya…my girl and no-one else’s? I’d give you everything you ever wanted…do anything you ever wanted me to do if you would…”