My gaze catches on the couple in the corner, their messy hair and unique style, and I think how they probably write poetry.
"Nope. Not even then. I wasn't one of those brooding teens who wore all black and shopped at thrift stores," she replies with a grin, and I wonder if she can read my mind.
"I imagine you were too busy breaking all the guys' hearts," I tease, taking a large gulp of my coffee.
"How'd you know?"
I angle my body forward, resting my elbows on the table. "You're not going to break my heart, are you, Lola?"
"Don't give me a reason to, and I won't," she deadpans, and I realize we aren't joking anymore.
I sit up straighter. "I won't ever do anything to hurt you, Lola."
"Sometimes people can't help it, Ryker. Sometimes even with the best of intentions people hurt each other." She pauses, searching my eyes as if she's trying to read something in them. "That's the thing that scares me about relationships. I don't know if you've noticed this about me, but I kinda like being in control."
I chuckle, running my fingers over the rim of my cup. "No, I hadn't noticed that. Not at all."
"Shut up." She swats away my words with a short giggle. " That's why I've never fallen in love. The idea of relinquishing control to another person scares the shit out of me. I never want someone to have that kind of power over me."
I know I'm falling for this girl , and the idea that she will never let herself fall for me pierces my heart. Maybe Beckett’s right. Perhaps she will end up hurting me just like Fiona did. Pushing my coffee cup out of the way, I take both of her hands in mine. "But what if you meet the right person; the person worthy of your heart; the person who will guard you heart like it's more precious than anything else in the world?"
She swallows hard, her neck swelling with the effort. "People are flawed. It's a fact. No one's perfect. Therefore, no one can promise to never hurt me, no matter how well intentioned."
" You know what I think?" I say softly, bending forward. "I think that love is a risk, and I think that before you met me, you hadn't met anyone worth the risk."
"Are you saying that you're worth the risk, Ryker?"
I nod . "I am, and I'll prove it to you if you'll let me."
She rests her back against the chair, assessing me for a moment. I can hear my heart hammering in my ears. My palms moisten , but I don't dare release her hands. In fact, I squeeze even harder. Finally a slow smile spreads across her face. "I've never been one to step down from a challenge. You're on."
I smile.
"Don't disappoint me," she answers sternly.
"Hey, I'm the one with the most to lose here. If I screw up, who's going to feed my addiction?"
This causes a laugh to bubble from her throat, and my heart soars. I will never tire from making her laugh. I have a feeling I'll never tire from anything about her. In my entire life, I've never wanted anyone like I want Lola Vega. Proving to her that she can trust me with her heart is something I have to do, because losing her just isn't an option.
9
Lola
"How are things going with you and Ryker?" Star tosses her clothes into the hamper near her bed. Of course, she misses, and her jeans land on the ground a few feet away. Without bothering to pick it up, she thrusts her pajama clad body onto her bed, the springs creaking beneath her weight.
My gaze stays glued to the offending jeans, my fingers itching to pick them up. Agitated, I look away. I'm too tired to get out of my bed anyway. It's late and I have class early in the morning. "It's going well. How about you and Beckett?"
"There's nothing going on with me and Beckett." Star props her pillow up behind her head.
"Yeah, right," I snort. "It's clear that you like him. I mean, you haven't even looked at another guy since you met him. Hell, Ryker even set you up with one of his friends and you weren't interested at all." Wind howls outside the window.
Star gives me a dumbfounded look. "Forrest?
"Nope. Not even then. I wasn't one of those brooding teens who wore all black and shopped at thrift stores," she replies with a grin, and I wonder if she can read my mind.
"I imagine you were too busy breaking all the guys' hearts," I tease, taking a large gulp of my coffee.
"How'd you know?"
I angle my body forward, resting my elbows on the table. "You're not going to break my heart, are you, Lola?"
"Don't give me a reason to, and I won't," she deadpans, and I realize we aren't joking anymore.
I sit up straighter. "I won't ever do anything to hurt you, Lola."
"Sometimes people can't help it, Ryker. Sometimes even with the best of intentions people hurt each other." She pauses, searching my eyes as if she's trying to read something in them. "That's the thing that scares me about relationships. I don't know if you've noticed this about me, but I kinda like being in control."
I chuckle, running my fingers over the rim of my cup. "No, I hadn't noticed that. Not at all."
"Shut up." She swats away my words with a short giggle. " That's why I've never fallen in love. The idea of relinquishing control to another person scares the shit out of me. I never want someone to have that kind of power over me."
I know I'm falling for this girl , and the idea that she will never let herself fall for me pierces my heart. Maybe Beckett’s right. Perhaps she will end up hurting me just like Fiona did. Pushing my coffee cup out of the way, I take both of her hands in mine. "But what if you meet the right person; the person worthy of your heart; the person who will guard you heart like it's more precious than anything else in the world?"
She swallows hard, her neck swelling with the effort. "People are flawed. It's a fact. No one's perfect. Therefore, no one can promise to never hurt me, no matter how well intentioned."
" You know what I think?" I say softly, bending forward. "I think that love is a risk, and I think that before you met me, you hadn't met anyone worth the risk."
"Are you saying that you're worth the risk, Ryker?"
I nod . "I am, and I'll prove it to you if you'll let me."
She rests her back against the chair, assessing me for a moment. I can hear my heart hammering in my ears. My palms moisten , but I don't dare release her hands. In fact, I squeeze even harder. Finally a slow smile spreads across her face. "I've never been one to step down from a challenge. You're on."
I smile.
"Don't disappoint me," she answers sternly.
"Hey, I'm the one with the most to lose here. If I screw up, who's going to feed my addiction?"
This causes a laugh to bubble from her throat, and my heart soars. I will never tire from making her laugh. I have a feeling I'll never tire from anything about her. In my entire life, I've never wanted anyone like I want Lola Vega. Proving to her that she can trust me with her heart is something I have to do, because losing her just isn't an option.
9
Lola
"How are things going with you and Ryker?" Star tosses her clothes into the hamper near her bed. Of course, she misses, and her jeans land on the ground a few feet away. Without bothering to pick it up, she thrusts her pajama clad body onto her bed, the springs creaking beneath her weight.
My gaze stays glued to the offending jeans, my fingers itching to pick them up. Agitated, I look away. I'm too tired to get out of my bed anyway. It's late and I have class early in the morning. "It's going well. How about you and Beckett?"
"There's nothing going on with me and Beckett." Star props her pillow up behind her head.
"Yeah, right," I snort. "It's clear that you like him. I mean, you haven't even looked at another guy since you met him. Hell, Ryker even set you up with one of his friends and you weren't interested at all." Wind howls outside the window.
Star gives me a dumbfounded look. "Forrest?
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