“How’s this going to look for college?”

  “You don’t need to remind me, Nate. I’ve already had mom curse me out about it. I know exactly what I did, and honestly, after that bitch set the boat shed on fire, she deserved it. I don’t regret it.”

  “Really?”

  “Well… I regret getting caught. I should have taken her down off school grounds and let her have it. Besides, I don’t see you sticking to your vow of taking her down. One of us had to do something.”

  “Pulling out a chunk of her fake extensions is not what I had in mind.”

  “Then what do you have in mind?” I demand. “We found out nearly two months ago and that bitch is still walking around as though she’s Queen B.”

  “Just be patient,” he tells me. “I promised you that I would handle it and that’s exactly what I intend to do. Have I ever broken a promise before?”

  “Uh, yeah,” I scoff.

  “I meant have I ever broken a promise to you?”

  “No.”

  “Good, now let’s get out of here.”

  “Huh?” I grunt. “You have to go back to school.”

  “Says who?”

  Excitement starts to bubble up within me until I remember the damn list. My excitement deflates like a popped balloon. “I can’t,” I tell him. “Mom gave me a list of chores to do and she’ll be checking that each one is done. You may as well go. I’ll be stuck here for eternity.”

  He shakes his head as his hands come down on my waist. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  I lean forward and press my lips to his. “You know,” I tell him, grinding myself down onto him. “Watching you storm in here like that got me pretty hot.”

  I feel his smile against my lips as he begins to harden beneath me. “Really?”

  “Big time.”

  “Well, then what kind of gentleman would I be if I didn’t take care of my girl’s needs?”

  I kiss him deeply as his hand wraps more firmly around my waist. He lifts me off his lap before laying me down on the couch, not once letting his lips move from mine. He bunches the fabric of my shirt up and over my body, and I know I was only in his arms last night but having his hands on my body is something else entirely.

  Knowing this is going exactly where I need it to go is giving me all sorts of satisfaction. I’ve been craving this intimacy with him for way too long, and for him to pull back now would be torture.

  I grab his shirt between my fingers and slide it up his smooth skin. He helps me to rip it over his head and before I know it, the shirt is carelessly dropped behind the couch. His body comes down on mine and having his warm skin against mine is breathing life back into me.

  I need more. I need him to make me whole again.

  Nate reaches down between us and wastes no time sliding my sweat pants and underwear down my legs. I kick them off my feet while unbuckling his belt.

  His pants are gone a moment later and just before my patience completely runs out, he slides into me.

  One hand is securely laced through mine, the other is tangled in my hair. My leg is hooked over his hip while my other hand is curled around his back, feeling the strong muscles beneath his skin as he moves.

  This will never get old. Not with him.

  I’ve never felt anything so consuming.

  I’ve been screwed by Nate Ryder a million different ways and in a million different positions, all equally as incredible, but this is not one of those times. This is something more. This is Nate Ryder making love to the woman he can’t live without.

  This is life. This is love. This is why all the girls around the world read romance books. This is what they’re looking for. A love like this.

  As his fingers tighten around mine, he’s telling me he misses me.

  As his lips move against the sensitive skin on my neck, he’s showing me he’s sorry for hurting me.

  As his eyes bore down into mine, he’s bearing his soul to me.

  And as he gives me the most unbelievable pleasure known to man, he’s promising me a love worth waiting for.

  Chapter 7

  “Tora?” mom yells through the house. “I need coffee.”

  I groan and let out a low sigh. I guess I’ll be making a run to Carter’s Coffee House. My suspension is nearly over and mom has been milking it big time. Any tiny little thing she wants, she gets.

  “I’m taking your car,” I call back as I swipe a ten dollar bill off the counter, happy that she seems to have cooled down a bit. I mean, she had the shits for days. She finally started speaking to me as though I was an actual human being yesterday so while everything else is screwed up, at least I have my mom back.

  I walk out the front door with mom’s car keys and an annoyance deep inside my chest that I still haven’t got my baby back yet, and it’s all Ashley’s fault. Hopefully, I’ll be getting it back in a few more days.

  I drop down into mom’s car and pull out of the driveway.

  As I park outside the coffee house, my phone starts ringing in my pocket. I wriggle around on the seat, fishing it out of my tight jeans to find Jesse’s name across the screen. “Hey, chickenshit,” I grin as I answer the call.

  “I am officially no longer a chickenshit,” he says proudly through the line as I push open the door and step out of mom’s car.

  “Bullshit,” I laugh. “Don’t tell me you finally did it?”

  “Damn straight, I did,” he tells me. “I dug my balls out of the bottom of Broken Hill lake and asked her out.”

  “About time,” I scoff. “I have to admit, I was worried for a moment. I didn’t think you’d be able to live up to your brother’s manly ways, but you proved me wrong.”

  “I know,” he groans. “Thanks for believing in me.”

  “No problem.”

  “What’s going on?” he asks. “Your mom still keeping you locked in your ivory tower?”

  “For now,” I tell him as I pull open the door to Carter’s Coffee house, hearing the familiar jingle of the bell above the door. “I’m still suspended tomorrow and then I’ll be back at school the day after.”

  “Alright,” he says. “Have you got your car back or do you want me to pick you up?”

  “Umm,” I say, walking forward towards the counter. “I’ll let you know.”

  “K,” he mumbles. “I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Yeah, bye,” I say, distractedly ending the call as I look up at the menu, wondering what the hell I want. I mean, I’ve had my caramel latte phase so I think I might start the whole iced chocolate with whipped cream phase. Yep, definitely.

  I slide my phone back into my pocket as I put in our order and hand over the cash. I walk down the counter to make room for the guy behind me to put in his order and wait for mine and mom’s drinks to be made.

  I lean against the counter and freeze on the spot as I notice a very familiar pair of dark eyes staring back at me. The corners of my mouth begin to lift when I notice he’s not alone.

  Out of all the people I’d expect to see Nate Ryder with, Ashley Samuels is not one of them. I take them in as they sit in the corner of the coffee house at a small table for two. If I didn’t know him so well, I’d say it looks like a date and from the cringe on his face, I’d dare say he knows exactly what I must be thinking.

  I haven’t seen him since the first day of my suspension and to be honest, I’ve been missing him more than I thought possible. Except for right now. Seeing him sitting there next to that girl infuriates me, especially as the smile on her face tells me that their conversation is not the one I want them to be having.

  A scowl fixes itself on my face as my eyes bore into his. He knows I’m not happy, but the question is; why the hell isn’t he doing anything about it?

  I stay leaning up against the counter. Maybe this has something to do with his big plan of getting her back for the fire, but nowhere in my wildest dreams did I ever picture payback as taking the skank out for coffee.

  Ashley looks up from the table and focuses her attention on Nate, but when she realizes his attention is no longer on whatever bullshit story she was in the middle of blabbing about, she searches it out.

  She follows his gaze to me. At first, she glares until she remembers her situation. She’s the one with him. Her glare quickly becomes triumphant and it’s almost as though she’s rubbing it in like she’s saying ‘I stole your man and got away with it’.

  Nope. Just no. I can’t let her get away with this. I don’t give a shit about Nate’s stupid plan. Whatever it is, he’s been given enough time to come through on it but now, time’s up.

  The barrista puts mine and mom’s drinks down on the table and I graciously take them while trying my hardest not to lose my shit. I walk forward with a scalding hot drink in one hand and a freezing cold one in the other.

  Nate’s eyes narrow as I begin heading their way and I see nothing but a clear message within them. He wants me to back off, but guess what? No way in hell.

  If he wants me to start respecting his wishes, then he should have thought about that before he broke up with me. I’m a free agent and right now, Ashley Samuels has pissed me off… again. I guess this is what you get when you leave me out of your big plan. Tora Roberts does not handle being left out of the loop, not one single bit.

  Ashley’s eyes grow wearier the closer I get. A week ago, she would have looked smug, but after I kicked her ass, she seems cautious. She doesn’t want me to go apeshit on her in public. Damn, I should have been raised in Haven Falls maybe then I’d know how to throw a half decent punch.

  “What the hell do you want?” Ashley says when I reach their table.

  I can’t help but grin as I purposefully avoid looking at Nate. “Oh, I was just coming to let you know your new bald spot it showing,” I tell her. “I’m sure I have your chunks of hair somewhere.”

  Her cheeks flame bright and I grin at the way she adjusts her hair. “I’m going to get you for that.”

  “Ha,” I bark out “I’d like to see you try.”

  Ashley flies up out of her chair and rocks her table in the process. Nate’s hand flies out, catching his open bottle of water, but Ashley isn’t that lucky. Her coffee mug tips straight over, instantly drenching her phone and splashing right up all over her outfit.

  “Fuck,” Nate grunts as he pushes back from the table, trying not to get covered.

  Coffee rushes off the table and soaks through Ashley’s white top and skinny jeans. She shrieks as she hastily grabs things and I can’t help but laugh. “Damn,” I chuckle. “That drowned rat look suits you.” With that, I ignore her screams and Nate’s furious glare and take me and my drinks back home.

  As I push my way back through the door of my home, I don’t know what to feel. Anger? Betrayal? Hurt? Happy that bitch just embarrassed herself in public? I don’t know. None of it seems right because no matter what, Nate didn’t have my back and all I know is that feeling cuts me down to the bone.

  He should have come to me the second he saw me walk through the door. He should have left her side. He should have stuck up for me, for us and our relationship. It was clear as day she was gloating about them being together and nothing hurt worse than Nate not correcting her.

  I let out a heavy sigh and walk around this big house until I find mom in the study. I walk forward and she graciously takes her coffee out of my hands. “Thanks, sweetie.”

  I can’t help but look at the computer screen and see house listings. “What are you doing?” I question, looking over her shoulder as she continues to scroll.

  “Looking at places for your father to stay.” The second the words ‘you father’ comes out of her mouth, I practically shut off. After all, he’s the one who planted the seed that Nate and I shouldn’t be together. To me, this is all on him and that’s something I’ll never be able to forgive him for. He truly believes he was doing the right thing, but how could he know what was right for me when he’s never here?

  “Why?” I grunt, hating that the topic has managed to draw my attention.

  “He’s not fond of the hotel his work has put him in. He wants to rent a place to stay for the remainder of his time there.”

  “But, isn’t it only a few months?”

  “Maybe,” she says. “But remember that letter said a minimum of six months. It could be longer.”

  A door slamming within the house has us both jumping and looking at one another in confusion until I hear his voice. “Tora?” Nate demands throughout the house. “Where the hell are you?”

  Mom sighs. “Do those Ryder boys not know how to knock?”

  “Nope,” I grunt. “It’s not wired into their DNA.”

  “Clearly,” she scoffs. “Why does he sound so pissed off?”

  “Tora?” Nate yells again.

  “Doesn’t he always?”

  Mom grins as I decide it’s time to go face the music. I walk out of the study and start heading for the stairs. My guess would be that he’s probably searching my room or the den. I get halfway up the stairs when I watch him emerge from my room.

  He pauses in the hallway and for the first time ever, he freezes. He looks unsure but I can’t even begin to process that, as all I can think about was the way he was happily sitting in the dark corner of a coffee shop with the one girl who nearly took him away from this world, looking as cozy as ever.

  Hurt seeps into my heart as a deep regret appears in his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he murmurs into the quiet hallway. I continue walking up the stairs and pass him to walk into my room, somehow managing not to reach out and touch him. He follows behind me and gently closes the door to give us a bit of privacy from my mother, who no doubt is trying her hardest to hear our conversation from downstairs. “I didn’t know you were going to be there.”

  I turn on him. “And that makes it ok?”

  “No,” he says. “Of course not, but if I knew you were going to be there, I would have done it somewhere else. I know what it looked like and I’m sure it wasn’t easy to see.”

  I scoff as I watch him. “Are you kidding me? Your big plan is to make her think she’s got you back? Let me guess, you’re going to dump her again? Make her hurt like she did to us.”

  “No,” he scoffs. “My plan is to destroy her like she nearly did to us.”

  “And how the hell are you going to do that?”

  Nate shakes his head, not prepared to tell me his big plan. He walks into me and wraps his arms around me, pulling me into his hard chest. “I’m sorry,” he murmurs. “I stopped by the shop to find your Ben & Jerry’s, but they didn’t have the kind you liked, so I got the guy to write me a note.”

  “You’re an idiot,” I murmur into his chest.

  He lets out a deep breath and rubs his fingers down the length of my hair and back. “Just know that for this plan to work, Ashley needs to think she’s on top.” I curl my head in under his chin as I think over his words, only it’s not sitting right with me. “If there was another way, I’d be doing it. It killed me not going to you at Carters but if she saw us, she’d know I was planning something.”

  I pull back out of his arms and study his face. “You mean, this plan is the reason we’re not together?” I ask in confusion. “For her to think she’s on top, she has to be with you. The girl you're with has always been the girl on top. That’s the way it’s always been.”

  “I’m not going to date her, babe,” he says. “I could hardly stand being near her today. I just need people to see us together a few times. Trust me, she’ll do the rest herself and when she does, I’m going to destroy her.”

  “So… I’ll just continue looking like your pathetic ex-girlfriend through all this?”

  “Tora,” he sighs as guilt seeps over his beautiful features.

  He steps towards me again and I hold my hand out stopping him. “No, don’t,” I demand as the anger overtakes me. “You lied to me. You told me the reason we can’t be together is because of my bullshit future that you’re trying to protect. You said nothing about Ashley Samuels being the reason you refuse to be with me.”

  “I didn’t lie to you,” he demands. “I am trying to protect your future.”

  “No, you’re trying to get your stupid payback by using my heart in your twisted games. I don’t accept it, Nate. Find another way to get back at her. She tried to keep us apart by burning us alive and you’re giving her exactly what she wants by not being with me now. How is that fair to me? To us?”

  “It’s not like that,” he says. “You’re not-”

  I cut him off as I shake my head. “You’re Nate Ryder. Revenge is your thing. Either find another way or we’re through. I only just accepted that we’re not together because you want what’s best for me, even though I still think that’s bullshit, but telling me it’s because of her, that’s not ok, Nate. Find another way.”

  I walk over to the door and pull it open before standing back out of the way, indicating for him to go. “Tora,” he says, begging me not to do this. “Just trust me.”

  “I can’t. You’ve already hurt me and I’m not going to sit back and watch you give her the world when that’s what you promised me. Find another way, Nate. Be the man I know you are.”

  His eyes search mine as he walks forward. I’ve never seen him look so confused and torn. I know he wants this. He wants to follow through on his plan. After all, he’s already set it up, but at the same time, he understands where I’m coming from and the last thing he wants is to see me get hurt.

  He walks up to me and leans his head in before pressing a feather soft kiss to my cheek and walking out. I catch his wrist and pull him back, giving it one last attempt. “Please,” I beg him as I stretch up onto my tippy toes and kiss his lips. “Do this for me.”

  His eyes continue searching mine. “I’ll think about it,” he tells me, and just like that, he’s gone.

  I close the door behind him before turning around and leaning against it. I find myself sliding down to the ground and burying my head into my knees. How did my afternoon turn out like this?

  I was supposed to be enjoying my afternoon after I finished my huge pile of school work that Brooke has been dropping off each day. I was supposed to be sipping my iced chocolate which I’m sure by now is ruined. I was supposed to be lost in my Kindle.