Getting Lucky - Jennifer Lazaris Page 0,35

slid his fingertips underneath her shorts, tracing them along the edge of her underwear. She let out a small sigh. He wanted nothing more than to take her on this couch.

Right now.

Ryder reached for the button on her shorts, but she pushed her hands against his chest.

“Stop,” Zoe gasped, shifting beneath him.

He kissed her again, desire clouding his judgment.

“Ryder, stop.”

He pulled back, dazed as her soft pleas cut through his reverie. “What’s wrong?”

Zoe sat up. “We can’t do this. I can’t do this. I’m sorry.”

***

Zoe watched as Ryder jumped to his feet. He ran a hand through his hair, causing it to stand on end. Pacing a few steps, he stopped in front of her.

“Zoe, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you for the past week and a half.”

Despite how troubled he seemed, a tiny thrill of pleasure raced along her spine. She liked the sound of that. “Really?” she asked, hugging her knees to her chest.

“Yeah.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I haven’t been able to do much of anything. Sleep, play hockey or have sex.”

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I haven’t been interested in sex. That’s never happened to me before. This past week, no matter who I was with or what I tried, it didn’t happen.”

“But just now…” she trailed off, feeling confused. “You seemed extremely interested.”

Ryder sat next to her and took her hand, tracing lazy circles on her palm.

“I had to see you tonight and find out if things would be different with you. And, they were different with you. All I have to do is touch you and I get turned on. You drive me crazy, Strawberry.”

“That’s why you came here?” she asked, sitting back.

“I’m glad I did,” he said, running his finger along her arm.

“Those other women couldn’t turn you on?”

He frowned at her sudden icy tone. “No, they couldn’t.”

“Let me ask you something, Ryder. If you haven’t been able to stop thinking about me, why did you keep trying to sleep with those other women?”

***

Shit. A revelation for him had turned into a slap in the face for her.

“You blew me off the next morning, remember? You told me you couldn’t see me again after our night together. You did it again when you came to my house. And again, on the phone. What was I supposed to do?”

She uttered a harsh laugh. “You asked me to be one of your many mistresses, Ryder. What was I supposed to do?

“Now, you want me to be happy, because I’m the one—out of fifteen other women you attempted to screw—who helped you get your lost mojo back?”

“That’s not how I meant it, Zoe.”

“Isn’t it?”

“No,” he said, his temper rising. “I’m trying to show you that this happened because they don’t interest me anymore. You do. It’s a compliment.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “Oh, Ryder. No it’s not. You have to understand that.”

“Zoe,” he said, lowering his voice.

She walked to the door. “You should go.”

He grabbed his keys and shook his head. “I don’t know what I was thinking coming here.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “You knew exactly what you were thinking. I’m not a guinea pig you can test your sex drive on. I’m a person, with real feelings that can get hurt.”

She opened the door.

“Don’t worry, Zoe. You won’t ever hear from me again. Have a nice life.” He stormed out of the apartment, punching the corridor wall as he left.

Once back inside the SUV, he grabbed his iPhone and dialed Milla, one of his regular hook ups.

“You busy?” he asked brusquely. “Good. I’m coming over.”

CHAPTER 17

The next day, Ryder threw himself into practice like a man possessed. He gave one hundred percent to every drill with an intensity he hadn’t been able to muster in days.

His muscles burned, and by the end of practice a deep ache had settled into his arms and legs. Spent, he hauled his ass off the ice and into the locker room. He sat on the bench, breathing hard.

Fally tossed him a water bottle. “Nice job out there. You made us all look like a bunch of pussies. Thanks a lot.”

Ryder tipped back the bottle, took a long swallow and shot Fally the finger.

“I’m guessing your stellar performance out there is because you finally got laid?”

“Yep.”

Fally began unlacing his skates. “Zoe?”

“Nope.”

Fally raised an eyebrow. “What the hell happened?”

“Nothing. And, that’s exactly the way she wants it.”

“Well, something doesn’t add up.”

“Let it go, Fally.” Ryder headed for the showers, leaving his friend staring after

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