Resisting Ryder

Ryder Collins’ least favorite part of starting a new semester—the bookstore. The lines were always ridiculously long, but this year it was out of control. He’d intentionally waited three full days to get his textbooks in the hopes the crowd wouldn’t be so bad. Man, was he wrong. And he was going to be pissed if the bookstore closed before he even got inside. Wrapped around the side of the building, he waited in line for almost two hours before he even got to the front door. He really needed to start buying his textbooks online. Or at the off-campus bookstore, but then that meant fighting traffic through downtown.

“You’re still here?” Gavin laughed and slapped Ryder on the back.

Sighing, Ryder nodded at his friend. “Unfortunately.” He shifted on his feet, wishing he’d worn his other pair of sneakers. “Once I get in, it won’t take me long. We still meeting Liam and Brayden at the pizza place?”

“Yep. I’ll text Liam to let him know we’ll be late.” Gavin pulled out his phone when someone shoved him hard from the side.

“No cutting in line, asshole!” shouted a tall, muscular guy. He wore a college jersey and carried himself like a linebacker.

Gavin shoved his phone into Ryder’s hand and then took a swing at the jock. Shit. Ryder grabbed him before his fist could make contact with the other guy’s face. “Walk it off, man.” He positioned himself between the two guys. “He’s not cutting in line, all right? He’s just talking to me.”

The jock narrowed his eyes, then stepped back, his gaze lingering a moment longer than comfortable.

Flexing his fingers, Gavin took his phone back. “What a dick,” he said loud enough for the other guy to hear.

Ryder braced himself for the possibility of a fight. “Seriously, just let it go.”

That was the thing about Gavin—he was a hothead, and he never stopped to consider how big the other guy was. “He started it.”

Ryder rolled his eyes. “Be the bigger man for once.” He laughed when Gavin flipped the middle finger. The line moved forward. “I’m going to grab my books, drop them at the house, and then I’ll meet you guys at the pizza shop.”

Gavin nodded, shot a final dirty look at the football player, then walked away. Ryder let out a pent-up breath. He and Gavin became fast friends during their first semester when they were in the same study group. That’s also where he’d met Liam and Brayden. The four of them had pledged a fraternity, but Gavin didn’t get a bid because he’d gotten into a fight with a couple of the brothers. And Liam didn’t get a bid because he’d fucked the frat president’s girlfriend. So, instead of them becoming frat brothers, they became roommates.

The line moved forward again, and Ryder finally stepped inside the bookstore. It was just as crowded as the line outside. He fished his schedule from his back pocket and headed toward the Law section. He found books for his first two classes on the top shelf. The rest were on the very bottom shelf. Crouching, he scanned the book spines, looking for the titles he needed.

Someone stood behind him and reached over his head for a book on an upper shelf. Ryder froze, knowing if he moved even a fraction of an inch, he’d be face-to-face with the dude’s crotch. I really fucking hate the bookstore. After a few moments, the guy left, and Ryder blew out a breath. He only needed one more book, and then he could get the hell out of there. His stomach grumbled to remind him he hadn’t eaten yet today.

“There it is,” he mumbled, reaching for the textbook. Just as he grabbed it, there was a hard jab to the top of his head that had him falling back on his ass. And then there was the distinct thudding crash of books. “Fuck.” He rubbed his head. “Ouch.”

“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

He looked up to find a girl with long, black hair standing over him. Her hazel eyes were big, and her mouth hung open in shock. She had two books clutched to her chest and several more were scattered around her feet.

“Did you drop a book on my head?” he asked, rubbing the sore spot again and wincing at the tenderness.

She tucked her bottom lip between her teeth and nodded. “I am so, so sorry. I didn’t mean to. I was trying to restock the shelves, and I tripped on a book someone had left in the aisle. I’m really sorry. Are you okay?”

Slowly, Ryder got to his feet. He was definitely going to have a bump, but he wasn’t bleeding, and he didn’t feel dizzy. He wasn’t seeing stars. Still, it hurt like a son of a bitch.

“What’re you doing on the floor anyway?” Her tone had gone from apologetic to borderline snippy, and he gave her a dirty look. Was she seriously annoyed with him?

“I was searching for a book. What else do people do in a bookstore?”

She sighed, her expression softening. “I think there might be an ice pack in the back. I can get it for you.”

“No. Thanks. I’ll be fine.” He gathered his books into a pile and then picked up the ones she’d dropped. “Would you like some help with these?”

She hesitated for a second as if she were waiting for him to laugh or otherwise indicate he was messing with her. “Um, yeah, they go all the way down at the end. Top shelf.”

Ryder put the books where they belonged, and when he returned, her arms were empty, too. He bent over, scooped up his books, and tucked them under his arm, more determined than ever to get out of there and meet his friends. Lack of food was making his hands shake, and he needed a beer. His temples throbbed. What a fantastic end to an already stressful day.

“Thank you,” she said.

He nodded, then took a moment to really look at her, letting his gaze rake down the length of her body. She had the most enticing curves in all the right places. And those breasts… Big. Round. Perky. They should come with a damn warning.

“Are you seriously staring at my chest right now?”

His gaze jerked back up to her face. Not a trace of humor. Shit. “Sorry.” He cleared his throat. “Really, I’m sorry. That was rude. I’m blaming it on the head trauma.” Pointing to his head, he forced a laugh. She didn’t so much as crack a smile. “You’re really very attractive, though.” He needed to shut the hell up because he was not going to win her over with his ridiculous compliments and Neanderthal behavior. Neither of them were making a very good first impression. “Let’s start over, huh? I’m Ryder.”

“Madison,” she said slowly, almost like she didn’t believe he was sincere. “Look, I’m really sorry about dropping a book on your head, but don’t mistake my guilt for interest.” She crossed her arms. “And here I thought you were a nice guy who really just wanted to help.”

“Whoa.” He held up his free hand in a show of surrender. “I helped you because you looked like you needed it. And I didn’t want anyone else to suffer a potential deadly injury. I have no ulterior motives. Promise.” He gave his best charming smile. He could take a hint—or a glaring neon sign that she rammed up his ass—either way, he knew a rejection when he heard one.

She covered her face with her hands and sighed heavily. “I’m sorry.” She looked up at him. “I’m exhausted and cranky. It’s been a hell of a day.”

Don’t I know it.

“Really, I didn’t mean to snap at you,” she said.

“It’s okay. Everyone has a bad day from time to time.”

“You’re too kind.” She smiled. “Again, I’m really sorry.”

“No harm done.” He motioned toward his books. “I’d better get in line to pay for these before it’s too late.”

“C’mon, I can cash you out.” She led him to a register near the back of the store that didn’t appear to be in use, which meant no line. He could’ve kissed her he was so grateful. After hearing a total that should be considered grand larceny, he handed over his credit card. She took it and flipped it over in her hand, her eyes narrowing.

“It’s good,” he said, studying her. Why was she acting like she’d never seen a platinum card before?

“Right.” She cleared her throat, swiped his card, then handed him the receipt to sign while she bagged his books. “There you go.”

“Thanks.”

“Have a good night.”

Ryder took his bag and headed toward the exit, but not before he looked back. She was leaning on the counter, head down, face buried in her hands. In all the years he’d been buying books here, he’d never once seen her before. Was she a new student? As much as he hated this place, he was tempted to come back so he could see her again. And he hated himself for even considering that.

With a reluctant sigh, he left the bookstore and headed toward his apartment. Each step intensified the ache in his head. He pulled out his cell phone and sent Gavin a quick text. gonna be a bit late. just leaving bookstore. And he needed to take a shower and pop some aspirin, but he wasn’t about to explain all of that in a text message.

An hour later, Ryder walked into the pizzeria. Liam, Gavin, and Brayden were seated at a table near a window. They’d already finished a basket of chicken wings and a pitcher of beer by the time he arrived. Not that he was surprised by that—pizza, wings, and beer was their Thursday night ritual.

“We were going to send out a search party, man.” Gavin laughed. “Thought maybe you got lost.”

Ryder shook his head and poured himself a glass of beer from what looked like a fresh pitcher. He took a long drink, savoring the cold, frothy liquid. That’s exactly what he needed. “The bookstore was a goddamned nightmare.”

“Gavin told us about the asshole who tried to pick a fight,” Liam said. “Good thing you were there to stop him from getting his ass kicked.”

Ryder laughed.

“More like stopped me from going to jail for killing the douche bag,” Gavin said.

“Did you order yet?” Ryder snatched the menu from the edge of the table and flipped it open.

“We were waiting for you.” Brayden refilled his glass. “Aren’t we getting the usual?”

Closing the menu, Ryder nodded. “Don’t care, but I’m starving.” The aspirin he’d taken barely touched his headache, so he was hoping some hot food would help. The beer probably wasn’t a good idea, though.

“Can I get you boys another basket of wings?”

“Yes,” Ryder said quickly. His stomach rumbled loudly. “And can I get a glass of ice water, too, please?”

“Sure thing.” The waitress left and then returned a moment later with his water. She set it in front of him and said, “My shift is ending, so Madison will be taking care of you for the rest of the evening.”

The other waitress stepped forward and smiled. “Hi, I’m Madison.”

Ryder’s eyes widened. It was the girl from the bookstore.

Madison froze like a deer in the crosshairs. What the hell was Ryder doing here? And what sort of messed up karma was the world dishing out that she had to wait on him? I hate my life. Not that she was complaining about having to look at him again, but he reminded her too much of her father and Will and the life they felt she needed to live—a life she’d been running from for three years. Ryder was everything she vowed to avoid: rich, handsome, charming. Too bad her lady parts didn’t get the memo, though. Her body was throbbing in a way it never had before, and she shifted uncomfortably on her feet.

“Um, do you guys know what you want?” she asked. Her voice was weak and hoarse. She cleared her throat, letting her gaze settle on anyone but Ryder. Seriously, what kind of name was Ryder anyway? A dead sexy one that would be fun to cry out during sex. Her face and neck flamed with warmth. She needed to get away from this table and Ryder as fast as possible. Maybe she could convince Erica to switch sections with her.

“We’ll have two large pizzas with extra cheese, mushrooms, and pepperoni,” said the guy to her right. “And another pitcher of beer.”

Madison jotted down their order on her notepad, then nodded. “Anything else?”

“I hope you’re more graceful with hot food than you are with books,” Ryder said, humor lacing his words.

Her head jerked toward him. He sat sideways in the chair, his arm draped over the back, completely relaxed with an easy smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. Despite her best efforts not to, her gaze lowered to his chest and torso, lingering much too long on his muscles. She swallowed hard, unsure how to respond in a way that wouldn’t cost her this job. Tucking her notepad into her apron, she gave him the sweetest smile she could muster.

“It’s not the food you have to worry about. But those pitchers of beer…they can get awful heavy.” She winked, then turned on her heel and walked away. Behind her, she heard the guys laughing and asking what that was all about.

Her heart was firmly lodged in her throat by the time she got back to the kitchen. She entered their order into the computer. Her damn hands were shaking. It wasn’t fair how a guy she’d only seen twice could have such an impact on her, especially a guy who was the epitome of everything she hated. Christ, his designer clothes cost more than she’d earn all semester working at both of her jobs.

“Hey, you okay?” Erica tilted her head. “Your face is red.”

“Yeah, I think I just need some air. Care if I take five?” Madison was already untying her apron. It was a Thursday night, and although all the college kids had returned, the pizzeria wasn’t busy.

“Sure. Are your tables waiting on anything?”

“Yeah, table six needs another basket of wings and a pitcher of beer.”

Erica rose up on her tiptoes to look through the small window that separated the kitchen and dining area. “Oh, that table full of hotties?”

“That’s the one.”

“I’ll take care of ‘em.” She laughed and patted Madison’s arm. “Go take a breather.”

“Thanks.” Madison took off her apron, tossing it under the counter, and rushed out the back door. She leaned against the building, taking several deep breaths until her heartrate slowed, and her face no longer felt like a furnace.

Pull it together, girl. She rubbed her hands over her face then down her hair, smoothing it back. She’d only had this job for two weeks, and she couldn’t afford to get fired because she was having a weird reaction to some guy she’d just met. Her cell phone vibrated in her back pocket, startling her from her thoughts. She’d rushed here from the bookstore and had forgotten to put her phone with her personal belongings in the back room. Good thing her boss hadn’t noticed.

She pulled her phone out and dialed her voicemail. “Hey, Maddie. It’s me, Heather.” Madison’s stomach clenched. Growing up, she and Heather had been closer than sisters, but she hadn’t heard from her cousin in months. “I have something super important to tell you. Please call me as soon as you get this.”

The second message began to play… “Madison, it’s your mother. It’s imperative that we speak.”

You’re not my mother. The unbidden words whispered through her thoughts. Madison draped her free arm across her stomach and doubled over. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on edge, and her heart raced even faster. First Heather and now her stepmother? What was going on? She hadn’t spoken to her stepmother since the day she walked out of her father’s house, and the very sound of her voice now made Madison’s insides burn.

Straightening, she glanced toward the back door. She’d already been out here for three minutes, and she didn’t have much time left, but there was no way she’d be able to concentrate on work without knowing what was up. But talking to her stepmother would be worse than not knowing. She dialed Heather’s number, and she answered on the first ring.

“Thank you so much for calling me back. I was worried you wouldn’t.” Heather laughed nervously.

“You said you had something important to tell me. What’s going on?” She didn’t have time for idle chitchat, and she really didn’t want to risk getting sucked into the last argument they’d had. She glanced toward the back door again, expecting to find Erica standing there, tapping her foot impatiently, demanding Madison get back inside.

“I’m getting married!”

Her eyes widened. “What? When?” Madison sighed heavily. Well, that would explain why her stepmother had called, too. Although, she hadn’t realized Heather was dating anyone seriously. Then again, Madison hadn’t exactly stayed in touch, either. “I’m sorry.” She shook her head. “That’s great news, Heather. Congratulations!”

“Thanks. I know we’re not as close as we used to be, but I’d really like you to be my maid of honor.”

She rubbed her forehead, praying the ache she felt wouldn’t turn into a migraine. It was on the tip of her tongue to say, “thanks but no thanks,” because being maid of honor came with a laundry list of responsibilities, and how could Madison fulfill those duties when she was in a completely different state? “I don’t know, Heather…” She chewed on her bottom lip. “I mean, I’m flattered you asked, I really am, but—”

“The wedding is in three weeks.”

“Three weeks?” she shouted, her voice cutting through the quiet air, momentarily startling herself. “And you’re just now calling me?”

“I know. I’m sorry. It all sorta happened so fast… Please, Madison? It would mean a lot to me.”

Yeah. Right. Madison snorted, then cupped her hand over her mouth. The last time they’d spoken, she recalled Heather telling her to “fuck off” and “stop acting like she was a big shot for getting out of town and going to a fancy college.” Maybe this was Heather’s way of making amends without having to actually apologize.

“You can stay with me, if you want, and you don’t have to stay that long. The bachelorette party will be Friday, and the wedding is Saturday. Besides, I know your parents will be happy to see you.”

She doubted that. The day she’d walked out of her parents’ house neither of them had made any effort to stop her. In fact, it was her dad who’d shouted that if Madison left, she’d be disowned. As far as she was concerned, she no longer had any family.

“Are you still there?” Heather asked.

“Yeah, I’m here.”

“I miss you,” she said softly. “We used to be best friends.”

Madison missed Heather, too, but she did not want to go home. Or rather, she didn’t want to face her parents, but she couldn’t, in good conscience, miss Heather’s wedding. “Okay. Let me talk to my boss and see if I can get a few days off, but I’ll only be able to stay the weekend. I can’t miss classes.” Getting home to Vegas was a completely different problem, but she’d deal with that later.

Heather let out an excited squeal. “Thank you!”

“Look, I gotta get back to work. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay. Mad love, Maddie.”

She laughed at their childhood endearment. “And you’ll always be my special feather, Heather.” Ending the call, she forced all thoughts of her parents and returning home to the back of her mind. Shit. She never did find out who Heather was marrying. That would have to wait until she called her back.

Taking a deep breath, she went inside. The place was loud and packed. She groaned, knowing it was going to be a long night.

“Table six’s order is up,” Erica said as she rushed by with a tray full of food.

Madison quickly retied her apron around her waist, grabbed the two pizzas, and headed toward her customers. She set the steaming hot food in the middle of the table and noticed Ryder wasn’t there. A brief moment of relief settled over her, but then she was hit with a wave of disappointment. Had he left?

“How’re you doing on drinks? Can I get you something else?” She reached for the empty beer pitcher. The pizzeria had a strict three-limit rule for alcohol, and she couldn’t serve them another. Hopefully, they wouldn’t make a big deal out of it like some of the other college kids did.

“We’ll take a round of soda. Whatever you have,” said the guy sitting near the window.

“Coming right up.” She turned to leave. With how busy the place now was, she was going to have to move fast. At least the tips would be decent. Not that college kids tipped very well, but there were a lot of families here tonight, and they always left larger tips. And with a trip to Vegas in her very near future, she needed every spare dime she could get.

“Tables ten and eleven are yours if you want them,” Erica said as she made another pass by the front counter. “They just came in, so they need menus and drinks.”

“I’ll take them.” Madison grabbed four glasses and filled them to the top with ice and soda. Collecting a stack of napkins, she placed everything on the tray, prepared to deliver them to the table.

“Guess who got a phone number tonight?” Erica pulled a folded piece of paper from her bra and grinned.

Madison shook her head. “Who’s the lucky guy?”

Erica titled her head in the direction of Ryder’s table. “The uber hot one with the dark hair sitting by the window.”

Ryder had dark hair. And was sitting by the window. Madison’s chest seized, and she had a hard time breathing, forming words, swallowing. Was the room spinning?

“His name’s Liam.” Erica sighed. “Sounds so boy-next-door, doesn’t it? But one look at him and you know he knows how to please a woman.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Liam. Not Ryder. That knowledge loosened the pain in her chest, and she sucked in a lungful of air. Madison laughed. “I’m sure you’ll be able to show him a thing or two yourself.”

“Either way, we’re going to have a lot of fun together.” She walked away to greet a group of customers, a noticeable bounce in her step.

That girl was boy crazy unlike anyone Madison had ever known. At least she had a social life outside of work—unlike Madison, who had two jobs and a full class schedule. She barely found time to sleep let alone socialize. Or date. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. She surveyed the items on her tray, worried she was forgetting something.

“Excuse me?”

That voice stopped her cold. Her ears rang, and everything around her dulled to white noise. Slowly, she turned to face Ryder. “Sorry it’s taking so long to get your drinks. I have them right here.” She pointed toward the tray.

He smiled, and she instinctively clutched the counter to steady herself. He’d smiled at her in the bookstore, but she’d been so mortified about dropping a book on his head she hadn’t noticed how sexy he really was. Strong, angular jaw. Dark, brooding eyes. Naturally wavy dark brown hair. Dimples. Her knees threatened to buckle under her weight. She had a serious weakness for a guy with dimples. But that smile? That was a deadly weapon.

“Actually, I was hoping you could help me with something else.” He eased onto one of the stools and rested his arms on the counter.

“What can I do for you?” Her voice sounded like a squeaky mouse, and she wanted to kick herself for how ridiculous she was acting. He was just a guy. A very physically attractive guy that she wanted to do some really nasty things with.

“Give me your phone number.”

She let out a surprised laugh. “No.”

He raised a brow, that damn smile firmly in place. “No?”

“Yeah, no.” She shook her head. She really did want to give him her number, but she didn’t trust herself not to fall victim to his charms. It had been a long time since she’d been with a man, and she wasn’t going to break her dry spell with a guy like him. He was too dangerous to her sensibilities. Not to mention, being with him would go against every single promise and boundary she’d put in place for herself.

“Okay, then how about your Facebook profile? Twitter handle? Instagram name?”

Madison stepped closer and mimicked the way he leaned on the counter. “You’re more likely to win Miss America than you are to get my number.” She straightened, satisfied with her firm resolve.

“Hmm.” He pursed his lips thoughtfully, and she had to fight not to stare at his mouth. But damn, those lips. So full and tempting. “Guess it’s a good thing I know where you work then.” He stood.

She picked up the tray. As much as she’d love to stand there and banter with him, she had a job to do. “Stalker doesn’t look good on you.”

“We’ll see about that.” He winked, then sauntered back to his table.

She refused to admit, even to herself, that she was excited about the thought of him showing up again during one of her shifts. And now, there was a bounce in her step, too. Unfortunately, by the end of her shift, that bounce had turned into a shuffle. Every step was like walking on tacks. Even her toes ached. She stretched her arms over her head and twisted side to side, but the stiffness in her back didn’t subside.

“Tonight was crazy.” Erica plopped down on a stool and groaned. “But I made some killer tips.”

“Me, too.” Madison moved to sit beside Erica, then stopped. Once she sat, she wouldn’t want to get back up, and she still needed to walk home. “I hope it’s slower than this tomorrow night.”

“You and me both.” Erica yawned.

Justin, the cook, came out from the kitchen. “Everything’s cleaned up. We’re good to go.” He flicked off the lights and pulled his keys from his pocket.

“Thank God,” Madison said. She gathered her bag and put the strap over her shoulder. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” She headed for the door.

“Wait, are you walking home?” Erica hopped off the stool.

“Yeah, why?”

“It’s late. And super dark. How far do you live?”

Madison shrugged. “A couple of blocks.”

“You shouldn’t be walking. It’s not safe,” Justin said. He ushered them outside, then closed and locked the door.

“Yeah, I agree. I can give you a ride,” Erica offered.

“It’s really okay. I walk everywhere.” She grew up in Vegas, and she would walk the strip all the time. Walking two blocks home was no big deal.

“No.” Erica shook her head. “I’m not letting you walk.” She took Madison’s arm and turned her toward the parking lot, then waved over her head. “See you later, Justin.”

Any other night and she would’ve declined Erica’s offer, but it was late, and exhaustion hung heavy on her limbs. The drive took all of two minutes; walking would have taken ten or fifteen. “Thanks, Erica. See you tomorrow,” she said with a wave as she got out of the car.

“No problem. Good night.” Erica smiled.

Madison dragged herself up the front steps and into the house. Her roommate, Lilian, was on the couch, textbooks sprawled out around her and on the coffee table. “Oh, hey, Madison.”

“It’s almost midnight. Why are you studying?” She dropped her bag to the floor and kicked off her sneakers.

“Oh, I’m not. I’m organizing my notebooks and binders.”

Madison laughed. She swore Lil was obsessed with organization. Not that she was complaining—living with her was a dream, and she could always find what she needed. She flopped down in the chair and let out a long sigh as she wiggled her toes.

“Busy night at work?” Lil snapped a binder shut and set it aside before grabbing the next one.

“Today has been one of the longest days of my life. I was late for my shift at the bookstore, and my boss chewed my ass for a good twenty minutes, lecturing me about how it’s the start of the semester and the busiest time for them and if I can’t be on top of things, he’d find someone who could.” She paused to take a deep breath. “He made me stock shelves.” She scrunched up her face in disgust. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to stock shelves when the place is so damn full you can’t sneeze without spraying someone?”

Lil laughed.

“I dropped a book on this guy’s head.”

At that, Lil looked up, eyes wide. “For real?”

Madison nodded. “And to make it worse, he was gorgeous. On a scale of one to ten, this guy was a perfect one hundred.” A shiver wiggled up her spine at the thought of Ryder.

“Oh, no!” She cupped her hand over her mouth and shook her head. “What did he do?”

“He checked me out. Full on staring at the girls.” Madison stuck out her chest and gave a little shimmy.

“Shut up!” Lil giggled so hard her face turned beet red.

“I swear. It was the craziest thing. He was super nice about the whole thing, which was great. If he’d complained, I’m sure I would’ve been fired on the spot.” She fell back in the chair and sighed. “Then, of course, he and his friends show up at the pizzeria.”

“Wow.” Lil filled a binder with loose-leaf paper. “So, did you get his number?”

“No.” She yawned, then stood. “I’m so tired.”

Lil eyed her suspiciously. “Tired? Or avoiding this conversation because you know I’m going to tell you to stop working so much and actually go have some fun?”

It was way too late to have that conversation again. Madison stuck out her tongue, then turned to head to her room. “Good night, Lil!”