“This one,” she says, trying to mimic my expression. I crack up laughing. She looks more constipated than anything, so I hope I really don’t look like that.
“I do not make a face like that,” I tell her, speaking the words slowly.
“I don’t think you should follow us out. I think you should give her some space. Let her enjoy a girls’ night,” Summer says, looking thoughtful.
“Not liking that idea.”
“I know, but Taiya will have a better night. I don’t think she has many friends. She said she lost touch with everyone she used to know.”
“She has me. I’m her husband,” I add in, watching Summer for her reaction.
She gasps, then smiles, “Yay, you finally told me.”
Now it’s my turn to gasp. “You knew?”
She grins evilly. “I annoyed Reid until he caved and told me.”
I shake my head, kind of glad Reid explained so I didn’t have to. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”
“Don’t be. I knew you would tell me when you were ready. Didn’t think you would blurt it out like that, but you do like to surprise me.” She pauses, and stares straight into my eyes. “I’m always here for you, you know that, right?”
“I know that; you’re my pole. Here for me whenever I need to lean on someone.”
She smiles widely. “How about you use your pole once in a while then?”
“That sounded dirty,” I grumble, giving her a small smile.
She laughs. “It did, didn’t it.”
“Summer!” Reid calls out from the living room.
She instantly stands. “Time for me to make up for skipping the gym today.”
“Make up how?”
She wiggles her eyebrows so I understand.
“Oh. Ohhhh. And that’s my cue to leave.” I kiss her on the head. Just before I let myself out, I stop and turn. “What’s Taiya’s apartment number?” I call out.
I hope people dropping in unannounced still don’t annoy Taiya.
Chapter Four
Taiya
My roommate Isis walks into my room, a dazed look on her face.
“What?” I ask her, closing my drawer and sitting back down on my bed.
“You have a visitor,” she says, grinning. “And a sexy one at that.”
I blink twice, slowly. Since moving back to Perth, I hadn’t really made any new friends other than Isis and Summer. Isis and I met in one of my dance classes and hit it off straight away. She does the adult jazz/funk class that I teach once a week. When I mentioned that I was looking for a place, she asked me if I was also looking for a roomie. The rest is history. Isis is a bombshell, with a thick head of red hair and pale blue eyes. She has fair skin dusted in light freckles, and a slender yet shapely figure. To sum it up, my roomie is a stunner. I get up and walk around her, walking out of my room to see who could have dropped by. I seriously dislike uninvited guests. I come to a standstill when I see it’s Ryan standing in my living room, looking around and taking in every detail of my apartment. I told him we could try to be civil, friends even. However, him dropping by like this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind. Maybe a wave to each other in passing? Yep, that was more like what I’d had in mind.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, hating the fact that my heartbeat speeds up at just the sight of him. God, he is still so beautiful, maybe even more so then when I left. Blond, shaggy hair, falling charmingly over his forehead, blue eyes that can see into your soul and a full mouth made for kissing. Ryan Knox is one of the most attractive men I’ve ever laid my eyes on. I note that he is slightly more muscular than I remember. I can almost make out the outline of his sculptured abs from here.
“Was in the neighbourhood. Just thought I’d drop by and see if you needed anything,” he says, smiling faintly.
“How about a divorce?” I say sweetly, so sweet that I’m going to need a filling. I hear a gasp from behind me, and palm my face knowing that Isis heard that little comment.
Ryan smiles. It’s the smile that could make women worldwide swoon, and from what I’ve heard, they have. It seems while I exiled myself in South Africa to lick my wounds, Ryan was busy getting into the panties of any woman he could find. The thought makes me want to curl up in a ball and cry. It hurts. It hurts so f**king bad. Now, instead of letting me move on with my life, he does things like this. Like dropping by, talking with my mum. Hitting Scott, who is nothing more than a friend to me. He’s trying to insert himself back into my life, and while I feel the pull towards him more than ever, I can’t let myself be vulnerable around him again. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice… Ryan and I are over. It seems he is going to still be in my life, but this time around, I’m going to make sure I don’t lose myself in him along the way. I used to breathe Ryan. I gave him every inch of me, and in the end, he broke my heart. I won’t let him do it a second time, husband or not.
“Nice place,” he says, ignoring my comment. I sit down on the royal blue couch, gesturing for him to do the same.
“Is this going to become a regular thing?” I ask with a scowl. I don’t want him to feel like he is welcome to drop by anytime he feels like it. I’m trying to rebuild my life back here in Perth and I don’t need him messing with my head.
He grins, not phased one bit at the look I’m throwing his way. “Sure it is. A husband likes to spend time with his lovely wife.” He pauses, studying me for a moment. “I’ve noticed you don’t even wear your wedding ring anymore.”