Ryder Mathis

In the first few days, we did our own thing while the girls did theirs.

On the second full day, it rained, but the Hunts had a ton of things to keep us entertained. Their boat, two jet skies, pool, hot tub, fire pit, and large open yard kept us busy while the weather was nice. Inside they had a pool table, pinball machines, a cinema room with movie theater seating, a small gym, and a decent size office with a library. Cole had mentioned that his dad was a bit of a work-a-holic, so even on vacation, he would lock himself away in the office to do business.

Blake and I were usually the first ones up in the morning. The first morning, she was just getting back from a run. If it weren't for the fact that she had made coffee before she left, I would have thought no one was up.

I'd been surprised if anyone was awake when I got up. The sun was just peeking over the horizon and the colors of the sky were playing across the water. I was usually the only one in the gym, at this time when I was still in school.

Conversations with Blake came easy, while conversations with Cole soured. Blake spoke her mind and didn't seem to care what people thought. Within the first three days, we had talked about school, hobbies, random facts, movies, and shows we liked and disliked, and a little about music. When silence sat between us, it didn't feel out of place. Compared to the chicks I'd gotten to know, she was refreshing.

When the weather had cleared, Cole wanted to show us around the lake. The guys and I spent most of the day out on the water before food was finally suggested. Cole and Scott raved about some seafood joint on the water so much that it became our plan for the evening.

The waters outside the restaurant were packed with other boaters who had decided that this was a good dinner option for them too. The live band probably helped draw in more business and the packed parking lot meant that they were a lot busier than we had originally thought.

Being that Cole's family had their home on the water for a long time, Cole had connections. The riverside restaurant didn't usually reserve or make call aheads, but for a Hunt, anything went.

As we approached the host's stand, a bubbly blond greeted us. Using her charm she gave our group a quick glance before recognizing Cole.

"Hey'ya stranger!" She rounded the podium and gave Cole an overly friendly hug, rubbing his back as she embraced him. "I heard you were coming in tonight. I'm so glad that I didn't miss you!"

"Yeah, me and a few of my buddies from school are out and I wanted to get them out here for some of the best seafood around."

"Aw, well you know we'll treat you right!" As she reached for menus she added, "just the four of you, right?"

"Just the four of us," Cole confirmed with a nod.

She gave him a wide smile and led us to a part of the deck that looked out over the water. A bonus was that the outer bar and the band were about the same distance from where we were sat.

Majority of the patrons were around our age, with a few groups of older patrons. It was late for dinner and most of the families had cleared out. It was more time for drinking than eating and we all knew it. Probably Cole's entire plan.

The Hostess left us and Cole scanned the outer deck.

There was a large group of girls sitting in the opposite corner of us who had already honed in on us. Cole gave them a nod and one of his flirtatious smiles as he sat down.

"Gentlemen, we have our pick of ladies tonight. You want to bring someone home? I won't stop you," Cole said before giving me a glare.

I wasn't about to have him kill the buzz, so I ignored him. All I wanted was food. The smells coming from the main part of the restaurant were making my mouth water. It had been a while since I had decent seafood. Lost in my own thoughts about what I wanted to order, I didn't notice that Cole had zeroed in on me.

"Dude, Ryder, did you even hear me?" Cole barked at me.

"Yeah, I heard you, but I want food and beer."

My comment amused Jamison and Scott, but Cole looked unimpressed with my priorities. I had never been overly ambitious about chasing skirts or putting notches in my belt. I didn't fault the guys for doing things their way, but it wasn't how I liked to roll.

"Are there any females that you know, are here tonight?" Scott asked Cole.

"Let me reword that for you. Are there any females I don't know? That is the better question," Cole replied as he belted out a laugh about it.

I could only imagine how many of the women there, that he had actually been with. He was a notorious player at school and I'm sure the summer vacation home was no different. Rolling my eyes at the comment as Jamison and Scott laughed with him, Cole saw.

"Something wrong, Mathis?"

"Nope."

"You sure? Because you've been acting like a little bitch since we got to the house."

Shrugging my shoulders I said, "I'm fine, Cole. I've never looked at women the same way you do. Why is that a problem now?"

"It's a problem because you've been looking at my sister."

I did my best not to scoff at his comment. My interactions with Blake had been civil and nothing unruly had happened since the first day. Try as she might, I intended to respect the fact that she was his sister and I didn't need to worry about him coming after me.

"Nothing is happening between me and your sister, Cole," as I spoke I realized how quiet Scott and Jamison had gotten.

"And you never will. She is not to be touched. Not by any of you. She is my sister."

"Does she feel the same way about you and Kayla?" I muttered under my breath. Jamison, next to me, caught what I said as he nearly spewed the water he was sipping.

"What did you say, Mathis?" Cole spat.

"Nothing, Cole," I said with a sign. "I don't know why you're acting like this. All I wanted was some chill time before heading out and figuring what is next for me. You know that. You know I wasn't even interested in hooking up with anyone during this trip, so why are you making such a big stink?"

"Because she is my sister!"

"And?"

"And I don't need you dipping your stick in my sister," Cole grumbled as he leaned towards me. Maybe he thought he was menacing, but I wasn't worried.

"Stop bullying your handsome friend, ass hole," a waitress with black hair slid onto the wooden bench next to me and rubbed my arm. "Oh and he works out! Damn, Cole! Where'd you find him?"

Her name tag said her name was 'Katie.' I didn't know her but by Cole's reaction, they did know each other, possibly better than most of the others that were there.

"Please don't tell me you're our server," Cole groaned.

"Sorry, Sugar, but I am." She gave my arm a squeeze before nodding hellos to the rest of our table. "I'm Katie. What are y'all having tonight?"

Cole ordered for us, Scott added an appetizer, and Katie disappeared into the crowd by the bar.

I was thankful when Jamison and Scott changed the subject and wanted to talk about something different. I didn't need the attention on me, nor did I want it.

Beer came quickly and it pushed Cole to be more brazzen. By the time our food was devoured, our table had been swarmed with some of the girls from the table across deck. Soon after, we were moving tables together to better be able to socialize.

I'm not sure what round we were on when my phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number, but I stepped away. Between Cole's side comments and him pushing women on me, I needed a breather.

Unknown:

Hey you

Me:

Who is this?

Unknown:

Guess...

Me:

Sorry, not up for playing games

Unknown:

Prude...

Me:

Blake?

Unknown:

Ding ding ding!

I should reward you for

getting it on the 1st guess

Any ideas?

Smirking to myself as I leaned against the rail of the pier. Saving her number as something other than 'Blake Hunt.'

Me:

How'd you get my number?

Trouble:

Cole forgot his phone and I got bored

Me:

Surprised you ladies aren't

out doing something fun

Trouble:

I'd rather be doing something

fun with you

Laughing to myself, I couldn't help but want to write something inappropriate back to her but was stopped when I heard my name.

"Ryder," they called. When I glanced in the direction of the voice I saw Scott walking out of the crowded patio area. "What are you doing, man? Trinity is all about you and was ready to come hunt you down. You coming back?"

"Yeah, sorry. Got a text and needed a break from Cole."

"Psh.. Don't worry about Cole. He gets protective over his sister and doesn't know when to give it up. He'll get over it."

"Yeah, doesn't mean his comments aren't annoying."

"Then shut him up. I've seen you get heated. You know you could put an end to his mouth."

"Not really wanting to fuck up my entire vacation because of a blow up."

"Or," he trailed on without finishing his thought.

"Or?"

"Just go for it. We've all thought about it. She is forbidden fruit, a temptation that may or may not be worth the risk. Could be fun."

"Fun for who? The way I see it, Cole is already digging my grave for the day that I slip up with his sister."

"Definitely fun for me. It would be fun for me to see Cole shut down and someone finally get with her."

I shook my head and looked out over the water. I knew the humor he was using was meant to cut through some of the tension, but I felt stuck. My phone buzzed again with another text.

"Figure your shit out, Ryder. Who knows? You may not ever see the Hunts again after this trip." He knocked me in the shoulder and I gave him a weary smile. "Get back in there soon, I don't want to be the only one not getting laid tonight!"

Again, I shook my head and chuckled to myself. Scott had no problem with women, but unlike Cole, he was a lot more classy about it. Scott believed in courtship and wooing, which put him in the friend zone more often than not.

Glancing at my phone, it was Blake with more teasing innuendos.

I had tried to occupy the last bit of the evening with a sweet, shy brunette. I picked her because she looked like she was having about as much of a good time as I was. Keeping each other company, we struck up a friendly conversation until Cole barreled into us.

"Aw shit! You taking this one home to bone, Mathis?" Cole belted out.

I felt her stiffen as I shifted to stand in front of her.

"Move along, Cole, don't worry about what we're doing."

"She isn't hot, but she's cute. Better fuck her than my sister!"

"Cole..." I dropped my tone and stepped towards him. "Leave it alone."

"Just looking out for you, Ryder. Makin' sure you get you some." He was drunk and pushing boundaries he usually didn't. At school he never pushed this hard.

He wasn't backing down and he was making the woman I was with uncomfortable. Reaching back, I took her hand in mine and tried to lead her away before Cole stepped between us.

Strong arms gripped me around my thighs and lifted me up and away from my company.

"THIS MOTHER FUCKER'S GETTING LAID TONIGHT!" Cole yelled. The entire patio erupted in cheers and cat-calls.

Trying to turn to see where the girl was, she was gone. Pulling Cole's finger's back, he lost his hold and dropped me the two feet he had lifted me from the ground.

With her gone, I apologized to her friend who had been sitting close to us and headed for the boat. Scott was close behind me.

Within 10 minutes, we were all cruising back to the house. With Scott at the wheel, Jamison and Cole were bullshitting. Before we were fully docked, I was off the boat and on my way into the house.

I didn't realize how hard I'd closed the door behind me until Blake jumped up from her seat on the couch.

"What the fuck, Ryder? Scared the shit out of me!" she said.

Making a B-line to the fridge, I didn't acknowledge her. As the door of the refrigerator closed, I came face to face with Blake.

Twisting the top off of my beer as she spoke, holding her gaze, "What's with the mood, Ryder?"

Tilting the beer back and only looking away when I needed to down the last bit, I came back with, "Nothing."

"Bull shit," she responded calm and low.

Smiling to myself as I grabbed another cold one, I didn't need her to make things worse. I could hear the guys stumbling up the stairs to the back deck and didn't want to be caught in another situation with Blake.

"Believe it or not, I'm fine," I said as I pushed past her and up the stairs. I knew she wasn't going to buy it because I knew she knew I was lying.

As soon as I'd entered my room, I closed the door and locked it. Laying my back against it as I opened the new beer in my hand. Listening to the guys banter and a door close down the hall as I sipped the cold, bitter contents.

"I don't believe it and you're a moron, you know that, right?" Blake's voice was low and soothing as the emerged from the shared bathroom.

I should have been surprised, but I wasn't. She was persistent and I had a feeling she wasn't satisfied with the half-ass answers I'd tried to push on her.

"Why's that?" I asked as I closed my eyes and leaned against the door.

My beer was gently removed from my hands as she sighed. "You may have locked your door, but the bathroom we share was wide open."

"You don't quit, do you?" It wasn't meant to be harsh, but with my mounting frustration from Cole's shit all day, I knew there was more bite than I meant.

"Not when it is something that intrigues me or that I want, no."

She was close, but I wasn't ready for her. With everything, I knew that I wouldn't have much control. Without opening my eyes, I knew the look she was giving me. Chomping down on my lower lip, I needed to stay quiet. I need to keep the boundaries.

"You need to look at me, Ryder," her tone was soft and silken like honeyed whisky and it worked. Looking down at her, she was there, pure acceptance of whatever I was about to do. "What did he do to get you this pissed?"

"I'm not..."

"Pissed? Upset? Frustrated? Yeah, you are and you aren't the first I've seen been affected by my brother and his shit causing comments."

"Fine, yes, I'm fucking pissed at him. I'll get over it."

"I'm sure you will, but that doesn't get you out of the mood you're in currently. How can I help?" With her hands running up my arms and slowly pushing her fingers into the muscles at my shoulders.

"Blake, don't..."

"Don't what, Ryder?"

My body was burning and I couldn't tell if it was from the booze or Blake, but either way, I was slowly losing control.

Scott's words played over again in my head: 'Just go for it. We've all thought about it.'

"Fuck it..." I'd made my decision.