Chapter 14 I Don't Want To Talk About It
Gracie
“Come on, Gracie, give me a hug.” Ryland laughs.
He is out of the pool. Most people are still in. He has been trying to hug me for the last few minutes. I rejected them because he would make my clothes all wet.
I back away from him, laughing. “No, go away.”
The distance between us doesn’t last long because he comes straight for me again. I glance around, trying to see if I have anywhere to go, but there isn’t. There is only a wall behind me. A smug look takes over his face as he works out. I can’t go any further.
“What are you going to do now?”
I dart my eyes around, trying to find an escape route, but before I can, he grabs my hoodie and pulls me into him. His arms come firmly around me. I can’t get out of his hold, he is too strong.
I try to wriggle out of his arms. “Oh my god, get off me,” I whine, feeling the water from him transfer onto my clothes.
He doesn’t let go. “Nope.”
I give up trying and start laughing. The longer he holds me, the more I relax. He finally lets go of me after a moment.
I cross my arms over my chest and glare at him. “Asshole!”
“Don’t pretend like you never enjoyed it, sweetness. You loved having my half-naked body against you. Don’t even try to annoy it.”
He can be so cocky at times. It is rather annoying.
I raise my brow at him. “Do you want to walk back home?”
“Hmm, you have a point. I apologise.”
“That is what I thought.”
I soon became distracted by him again. Why does he need to be so sexy? Wow, he is sexy now. I have gone from handsome to gorgeous to sexy. I shouldn’t be thinking any of these things about Ryland. He is not my type. I don’t have a type. I know he is trouble. I have enough trouble in my life, I don’t need anymore.
Ryland offers his hand to me. “I need to find towels. Do you want to come and search with me?”
I furrow my brows. Why does he need me to go with him? He laughs at me, sensing I am wondering why. Ryland takes my hand in his, leading us inside, our fingers tightly linked together as we go to search for towels in the big house. There are so many rooms. Some of which are occupied with horny teenagers. It takes some time, but we finally find some and head into a free room.
“It is a shame you couldn’t come swimming with us, brown eyes.”
“Next time, maybe. It looks like you were having a lot of fun.” I smile.
I drop Ryland’s hand and stroll over to the bed, sitting at the bottom and letting him try off.
“It was fun. It would have been more fun if you were in there with me.”
My cheeks heat when he says it. I hate how easily he can make me blush. Ryland wraps a towel around his waist and reaches underneath it, taking his boxers off. I turn away, wanting to give him the privacy to change.
Ryland chuckles. “Why are you turning away? I am not naked.”
“Just in case.” I giggle.
“I honestly don’t mind if you see me naked if my towel accidentally falls.”
A smirk curls on his lips. I don’t like that look. He wouldn’t? He wouldn’t let his towel fall “accidentally,” would he? I don’t know with him.
With a roll of my eyes, I shake my head. “I do not need to see all of you, thank you.”
Ryland shrugs and laughs loudly before he dries himself off and puts his clothes back on, minus his boxers. He strolls towards me and sits down to me on the bed.
He places his hand on my knee. “Gracie, is everything okay at him?”
Where did that question come from? I haven’t mentioned my home life. Why would he bring it up?
“Yes, everything is fine. We should join everyone else.” I reply quickly and jump to my feet.
I rush out of the bedroom before he has a chance to ask any further questions. I head back outside, and mostly everyone is out of the pool. I stroll over to talk to Lola and Ben. If I am in conversation with them, then when Ryland joins us, he won’t be able to say much. He soon appears, and from the second I am in view of him, his eyes are burning into me. I ignore him, continuing to talk. Arriving at my side a second later, he rests his hand on the small of my back.
His lips fall against my ear. “We aren’t done talking, Gracie. You and I will talk later.”
I don’t want to talk about it anymore! I won’t be able to keep lying if he keeps pushing me. I silently pray that he will end up wasted or find someone to hook up with, so he is distracted from the plan to talk. Hopefully, he won’t need a ride home after all. I wish he would stop taking an interest in me. I am not worth it. He will realise it soon enough.