Getting Lucky - Jennifer Lazaris Page 0,17

her, it seemed as far from normal as a person could get.

The problem was, she really liked him. He’d gone out of his way to help her, and hadn’t expected anything in return. They’d had a spark and connection she believed could be something other than just a sexual relationship.

Staring at the laptop screen, she navigated to Google and typed in Ryder’s name.

Zoe was curious about the type of women he found attractive. Clicking over to Google Images, she found photos of him with different women.

In a handful of pictures he wore a tux or a suit, and had his arm around a variety of tall, gorgeous blondes.

Biting her lip, she quickly scrolled through a few more photos. He had a type, and it definitely wasn’t her. She closed the browser window and slammed the lid down on her aging laptop.

She’d seen enough. Those photos were all the proof she needed. She didn’t fit into his glamorous, blonde world.

No matter how much she wanted a repeat of what they’d shared, she couldn’t subject herself to what would only end in inevitable heartbreak.

The worst part was, she couldn’t imagine having sex with another guy after being with Ryder. She feared everything would be a massive disappointment. It had been until she met him. Why would it be any different afterward?

Opening her laptop once more, she clicked on another job site. Making the decision to not see him again had been gut wrenching, but it was time to focus on attainable things.

As far as she could tell, that didn’t include Ryder O’Bryan.

Leah popped her head into Zoe’s room. “Hey, any luck?”

Zoe shook her head. “Nope.”

“You’ll get something soon. Don’t stress. Hey, where’s your “Z” necklace?”

Zoe put her hands on her neck, searching for the silver chain. The necklace her sister had given her for her 18th birthday was gone. “Oh, no.”

It had to be at Ryder’s. She’d either lost it in the SUV or took it off in the guest room. The clasp had been wonky lately, and she’d been meaning to get it fixed.

“Do you want me to help you find it?”

Zoe shook her head. “No. I think I know where it might be. Listen, is Eric picking you up tonight?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Can I borrow your car for an hour or so?”

“Sure.” Leah tossed Zoe the keys. “Good luck finding the necklace.”

Zoe turned back to the computer and tried to remember the name of Ryder’s street. His house was in a rich, gated community south of the Vegas Strip. She clicked a button to launch her map program and wrote down the directions to his neighborhood.

Next, she checked the Kingsnakes hockey schedule. They didn’t have a game tonight, but played at the Nevada Arena tomorrow. Odds were he had the night off, but she didn’t have his phone number to call and check if he was home.

Damn.

The idea of seeing him again made her both anxious and excited. Even if things had been tense between them at the end, she couldn’t leave her necklace behind. It was too special.

Hopefully, he didn’t have one of his many women over tonight.

Taking a deep breath, she grabbed Leah’s keys and headed for the door.

CHAPTER 9

“I thought this was supposed to be a guy’s night,” Fally said, watching as Brandon Lear, second line center for the Kingsnakes, tried to catch Briar, his two-year-old daughter, as she rounded Ryder’s living room for the third time.

She held a naked blonde baby doll by the hair in one hand, and a stuffed pink pony in the other.

“It was,” Ryder said. “Stacey is supposed to pick up Briar soon. She’s getting her hair done or something. Didn’t you say Nic was meeting her at the hair place?”

Fally shrugged. “Nic mentioned something, but as soon as she started going on about her hair, I tuned out.”

Briar dropped her pony and Brandon tripped over it, going down on one knee. She squealed and ran down the hall as Brandon cursed a blue streak and took off after her again.

“Jesus,” said Fally. “She’s fast.”

Ryder grinned. “Faster than her daddy. Maybe we should put her at center.”

“Couldn’t hurt. At least one person in the family has some talent¸” said West Keller, the Kingsnakes goalie. He took a swig of beer and grabbed a video game controller. “Are we going to play or what?” He tossed another controller to Shaw Castle, the Kingsnakes first line center.

“Maybe when Brandon’s wife picks up Briar,” said Ryder.

“This is why you don’t invite players with kids to guy’s