I got lost and found I wanted to stay lost.
I didn’t want to go back to reality for anything. That feeling right there made me realize just how much pressure I put on myself with everything, not just in the past week but in LA too.
In LA, everything seemed so crazy busy I didn’t know if I would make it from one day to the next with my mind in tact.
Being with Ryan took me to a place where I wanted to stay, but…someone was calling me.
A child?
No…wait.
I pulled back when I thought I heard a whimper and then my name again.
Ryan pulled back too and looked behind me.
“Brooke.” It was Aria. “Are you home?” She sounded like she was crying.
She was outside on the porch near the window. There were footsteps as she moved to the door and rang the bell.
“Brooke, if you can hear me, please, can I talk to you? I need you.”
I looked to Ryan and the state we were both in—my hand was still around his cock. I released him and grabbed my clothes. He fixed his shirt and moved to go but I stopped him.
“No,” I hissed, trying to keep my voice low.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. She just sounds really upset. I know when she’s crying.” He was back in dad mode, and I thought it was sweet. “She needs me.”
“I’m sorry too, but she needsme.”
He looked surprised by my answer. “You don’t have to.”
“She’s my friend—I kind of do have to, and it’s not going to be a good look if she finds you in my house.” I secured my bra back in place and rushed over to the sofa to grab one of my house shirts because the dress wouldn’t work.
“I can hang back.”
“No, go home. Slip out when I get her. Trust me, she’ll know what we were doing.” She absolutely would. That girl was far from stupid, and from the look of us, even with clothes on, I was certain anyone would know we were just about to have seriously wild sex. “I promise to take care of her,” I added for good measure.
The awed look on his face gripped me, but then the sexiness came back. “We’ll finish this, Brooke. I’m making the first move next time.”
“Okay.”
He leaned forward and kissed my forehead.
I moved away before I got lost again and rushed up to the door just as I heard Aria starting to cry.
I opened it and when she saw me, she threw herself into my arms.
“I’m so sorry. I was upstairs.” I felt bad lying but didn’t know what else to do.
“It’s okay,” she whimpered.
“What’s wrong, Aria?”
Of course I couldn’t help but feel alarmed.
“It’s Brad,” she answered between sobs.
I kept my arm around her and stroked her hair, ushering her inside the house.
Just like I’d known he would, Ryan must have heard and stuck his head out. I saw him over my shoulder and steered her away from the sitting room and toward the stairs.
“What’s up with Brad?” I asked.
“He wanted to take things to the next level, and I…”
Oh Jesus, this was not a conversation for Ryan to hear. I glanced back and saw the terrified look on his face. I shook my head at him, hoping to stave him off and hold him back.
Thankfully he did stay back, but the worried look on his face got to me.
I, too, found myself worrying about what she would tell me.
