Everyone in the shop seems to be breathing just fine, and none of them seem to realize that I’m struggling. I must be better at hiding my reaction to him than I thought.
CHAPTER 2
Hudson
Pushing open the door to the salon, I pull in a gulp of fresh air as I stride outside and down the street to my truck, with confidence that I don’t feel. In fact, the only things I feel right now are the pain from my cock pressing against the zipper of my worn-out jeans and the tingling in my hands from touching her.
Riley.
I was fifteen when I realized my best friend’s twin wasn’t just an extension of Raven. It was my birthday party, and since my birthday is in August, we had it out by the pond. I invited all my friends, which included my best friend, Raven, and her twin sister, Riley. While Raven and I were the closest, Riley was always there. I never minded. She was her sister, and she was cool. And I’d always seen them as a package deal kind of thing, well, until that day.
Opening the door of my truck, I slide behind the wheel and quickly start the engine and pull away from the curb. I don’t go far, just around the block before I pull over into the parking lot of the local grocery store. My windows are tinted, and no one can see me. I just need a minute to breathe as I rest my forehead against the steering wheel. It’s getting harder and harder to hide that I want her.
I want Riley Burke more than I’ve ever wanted anything.
My mind drifts back to the day I realized Riley was more. The girls were late to the party. I can’t remember why, but by the time they got there, everyone was already swimming in the pond. Most of our class showed up. Small-town living doesn’t leave many options, and who doesn’t want to spend the day at the pond with all their friends with cake?
Anyway, there were close to fifteen, hell, maybe twenty of us already swimming. We all called out to the girls to hurry up and join us. My other best friend, Clayton, and I had already planned to play a game of chicken. He was crushing hard on Raven. I agreed that when they got there, we would make sure they came to us, and he could take his shot. So that’s what we did.
I can still remember their matching smiles when we called out to them. Although not identical, they still have many of the same features. Clayton and I watched impatiently as they stripped out of their shorts and tank tops. That’s when I about swallowed my tongue.
I couldn’t see anyone or anything but Riley Burke.
She was wearing a plain black swimsuit. Nothing overly revealing or sexy, but at the time, it was to me. Maybe it was the way it left so much to the imagination. Maybe it was the way her honey-brown hair fell over her shoulders in waves. I remember watching her with bated breath as she pulled a hair tie from her wrist and wrapped her locks in a knot on the top of her head. I’d see the twins and every other girl in my class do the same thing hundreds of times, but this time was different. This time I was truly seeing her, and my heart about leaped out of my chest.
Over the years, I’ve flirted a few times, but she always brushes it off as me joking around. I’ve never presented her with a serious inquiry about dating me. I guess somewhere inside me is still that teenage boy who was intimidated by her beauty. She is beautiful. Yes, they have similarities, but Riley, she’s about half an inch shorter than her sister. Her hair is lighter, which I know is from her own choosing. Her eyes are this crazy shade of green, and although they have the same eyes, Riley’s seem to shine brighter to me. I could go on for days, but the fact still remains.
I want her.
I’ve always wanted her.
I know I need to either man up and ask her out or let this crush that I’ve been harboring for far too long go. Neither seems appealing to me. You see, Raven and I are best friends, and that’s never going to change. Riley, like I said, is an extension of that. Right now, I have both women in my life, and I get to see Riley as much as I want. What if things didn’t work out between us? Then what? Would I have to go out of my way to avoid her? I’d lose my best friend, because for as close as we’ve always been, I know she would hands down choose her sister over me. As she should. I’m not begrudging that, but then I’d lose them both, and the mere thought causes panic to rise in my chest.
Is the risk worth the reward?
That is the million-dollar question.
I know that if she were mine, I’d never let her go. However, we don’t always get what we want. Which means that just because I’d be all in, she could change her mind, and not only would I lose them both, but I’d lose my damn mind. No way in hell could I have her and then walk away. I know myself and I know it would kill me.
So here I am. Twenty-three years old and still pining after the girl I fell hard and fast for as a teenager. Usually I can keep my desire for Riley in check, but today, I don’t know… something in the atmosphere, I guess. Maybe it was the way her breath hitched when she got close. When she dropped that damn comb and fell into my arms, I wanted to pull her the rest of the way onto my lap and kiss the hell out of her. Telling her she was beautiful wasn’t something I could stop.
Sure, I’ve told them both before but always in a teasing manner, but today there was nothing playful about my confession. Then when it was time to go, on its own accord, my hand slid across the expanse of her lower back, and it took every ounce of willpower to keep moving and let my hand fall at my side.
With a heavy sigh, I put the truck in drive and head toward my parents’ place, which also happens to be where I work. The Fleming Family Farm and Feed Mill have been in my family for four generations. I love what I do. There was never any question about whether I would work for the family business. Everyone who knows me knows that I love it.
One day my dad is going to step down, and I’ll take over the reins. In the meantime, we’re running it together, and I couldn’t be happier about it. I opened the feed mill early this morning to make sure everyone showed up for work. We also have a fifty-acre apple orchard and over eight hundred acres of soybeans and corn. We have three full-time hands who work for us at the farm and a mix of full and part-time people at the feed mill. As soon as I graduated high school, Dad started teaching me the ins and outs of both sectors of the business. It’s going to be a lot to take on when he retires, but we have good people in place, and it’s not like he won’t be around to help.
As soon as I turn down the old gravel road that leads me toward my parents’ place, my cell phone rings. Mom’s name flashes on the dash, and I hit accept. “Hey, Mom.”
“Are you hungry? I’ve got lunch ready.”
“Starving.”
She laughs. “I figured as much. How did it go in town? How were things at the mill this morning?”
“Busy like it always is the first thing. I stopped by the salon and had them give me a trim.”
“Both of them?” she asks. There’s humor in her voice.
I clear my throat. “Riley this time. Raven was busy.”
“You know you should make an appointment. Those girls are too nice to turn you away.”
“She had time. I got lucky.”
“Still. You should make an appointment.”
“The sign on the door even says walk-ins welcome when the schedule allows.”