Daddy’s Temptation by Kelly Myers
Hailey
The next day, I’m unpacking and wondering where I went wrong with Ryan. I messed up big-time and he ran out of here so fast, my head spun. Maybe I came on too strong? But, time is of the essence. If my Uncle Wayne shows up here…
I shiver even though it’s almost 90 degrees outside already.
As I’m organizing my coffee table books, there’s a knock on the door. I imagine it can only be Jasmine or Ryan since I don’t know anyone else here yet. I hope it’s Ryan and he’s ready to jump my bones. I open the door and two guys around my age stand there.
“Hey, neighbor,” the taller one says. “I’m Cody and this is Mason.” He nods to his buddy who stands beside him. “We live upstairs and wanted to welcome you to the complex.”
“Hi,” Mason says. He seems the shyer one of the two and they both are extremely tan with sun-streaked hair. Typical California boys.
“Hi, I’m Hailey,” I say and they shake my hand.
“So, how’s it going? Need any help with anything?” Cody asks and glances over my shoulder at the mess that I’m still trying to organize.
Yeah, if I need help, I’ll go to Ryan.“I’m good,” I say. “But, thanks.”
Just then, a very pretty girl with her dark red hair pulled back into a tight, low bun walks by. “Is the Dynamic Duo bothering you already?” she asks.
The boys just shake their head and the redhead hits Cody in the shoulder. “Stop harassing my new neighbor.” She turns to me and smiles. “I’m Taylor and live right there.” She points to the apartment on the opposite side of Jasmine’s place. She wears a leotard and a cute sheer pink skirt.
“I’m Hailey. Are you a ballerina?” I ask.
“Ballerina-in-the-making,” she says. “I take classes during the day and then dance at a nearby club at night. Gotta pay the bills til I make it as a prima ballerina.”
“That’s really cool. It takes a lot of work to do classical ballet.”
“Tell me about it.” She laughs.
“C’mon,” Cody teases. “She does a couple of fancy spins. No big deal.”
Taylor props a hand on her hip. “Says the bum who goes out on a surfboard and catches a few waves. I mean, how hard could that be?’
“Why don’t you come out some time and I’ll show you?”
“It’s not as easy as it looks,” Mason adds.
“Same with ballet, boys,” Taylor says.
“Ah, we’re just busting your balls,” Cody says. “But, if you two ever want a surfing lesson, let us know.”
I look at Taylor and she rolls her eyes. “I’d be scared of sharks,” I say.
The guys chuckle. “They don’t bother anybody,” Cody says.
“Well, usually they don’t,” Mason adds.
“We’re going to play pool tonight. You ladies wanna come?” Cody asks.
Taylor looks at me and lifts a brow. “I could play. You wanna come, Hailey?”
“Sure,” I say. I’m excited to make some more new friends and, after Ryan’s rejection, I could use some fun.
“Let me take a shower and change first,” Taylor says.
Mason looks down at his watch. “Cool. Why don’t we go over in an hour?”
“Sounds good,” Taylor says. “Hailey, come over to my place when you’re ready.”
I nod and wave goodbye. I spend the next half hour freshening up and then I head over to Taylor’s. My gaze is on Ryan’s place when she pulls the door open. “Hey, c’mon in.”
I look around and her place is decorated with all kinds of dancing things. Framed posters of famous ballerinas and really cool pictures of people dancing. I walk closer and study one of the images of a couple locked in a heated embrace. It looks like they're doing the tango and Taylor walks up beside me. “I love Fabian Perez. His artwork is just amazing. So full of passion and fire. Makes me almost want a man in my life.”
“Right?” I say, thinking of Ryan and what it would be like to be caught up in his embrace.
“So, what’s up with you? Did you leave your boyfriend back home?”
“Me?” I laugh. “No.”
“What’s so funny?”
I shake my head. “There wasn’t a very big selection of eligible men in Indiana. And, I don’t think the man I’m interested in is all that into me,” I admit.
Her blue eyes go wide. “You like someone here?”
Oops.I probably shouldn’t have said anything.
“C’mon, spill it.”
“No, there’s nobody.”
She eyes me then, thankfully, drops it when Mason and Cody show up. The four of us walk down to a neighborhood bar that’s pretty quiet. We order a round of beers and gather around one of the pool tables.
“You a pool shark, Indiana?” Mason asks and bumps me with his elbow.
“How did you know I was from Indiana?” I ask.
“Word gets around pretty fast at Sunset Terrace.”
I look up into his blue eyes and, for a moment, consider him as a solution to my current cirmcumstance. He’s young, nice and definitely cute. I don’t think it would be too hard to get him to hook up with me. But, then I picture Ryan’s green eyes and know that’s who I really want.
I just need to figure out a way to convince him.
“So, why did you move to L.A.?” Cody asks and racks the balls.
“To be a singer.”
“Very cool. I think you’re the only singer in the building. It’s mostly a bunch of actors.”
“Is that what you guys want to do?”
“Oh, hell no,” Cody says.
“We’re pro-surfers,” Mason adds.
“Oh! I didn’t realize you were professionals. You must get to travel all over, huh?”
“Sure do. We leave next week for a competition in Hawaii.”
“So, if you want that surf lesson,” Mason says with a wink, “it’ll have to be when we get back.”
“She’s scared of sharks, dummy,” Taylor says and lifts her pool stick. She takes aim and breaks the balls apart. They roll everywhere and Mason steps up to go next. He shoots a ball straight into the side pocket.
“Watch out,” Cody warns. “My buddy here is pretty good.”
“Damn straight,” he says and takes another turn, sinking another ball.
Taylor leans a hip against the table. “This may take awhile,” she says. “So, what do you think of Cali and Sunset Terrace so far?”
“I love it,” I say, my voice full of enthusiasm.
“I’m so glad you moved into Savannah’s old place and not some boring old accountant or something.”
“Jasmine said Savannah moved in with her boyfriend?”
Taylor gives a little sigh. “Nick Knight. He’s dreamy.”
“Isn’t he like 40-something?” Cody asks.
“Really?” I ask. “And, how old is Savannah?”
“Savvy is our age. So, yeah, they’ve got the older man/younger woman thing going on and it’s hot.” Taylor fans herself.
“Your turn,” Mason tells me.
I step up and hit the ball, but it really doesn’t go anywhere because I’m too busy thinking about what Taylor just said. “And, it’s not weird?” I ask.
“What do you mean?” Taylor chalks the end of her stick.
“The age difference?”
“No. They’re adorable together and so in love. It’s kinda sickening,” she adds with a grin.
Hmm. Then, maybe I’m not completely crazy to think I can catch Ryan’s interest.
“Babe, go get us another round,” Cody says and taps Taylor’s bum with his stick.
“Get it yourself, babe.” She rolls her eyes. I’ve noticed that Taylor is the epitome of a feisty redhead with lots of sass and fire.
“I’ll get it,” I offer and head over to the bar. I place the order and lean forward, glancing at all the bottles on the shelves. I’m not a big drinker, but I do like a beer or girly drink when I’m out with friends. All that hard liquor, though, would probably make me sick.
“Hi.”
I look over my shoulder and see a cute guy who looks around 25 with dirty blond hair. “Hi,” I say.
“One of those guys your boyfriend?” he asks and nods to Mason and Cody.
I shake my head and he gives me a bright, white smile. “So, it’s okay if I talk to you?”
“Sure.”
“I’m Alex.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Hailey.”
I end up talking to Alex for another 10 minutes. He’s funny in a sarcastic sort of way and definitely friendly enough the way he keeps touching my arm. I glance down at the sweating beers on the bar and nod to the pool table. “I should get back to my friends,” I say.
“Sure,” he says and I start to gather the beers up. “Any chance you aren’t busy tomorrow night?” he asks.
“Maybe,” I say with a little smile.
“Well, maybe I’d like to take you out.”
Wow, guys here are pretty forward, I think. “Um, sure.”
“Cool.” He pulls out his phone and asks for my number. A minute later, I head back over to the pool table and hand everyone a beer.
“Did you just give that guy your number?” Taylor asks.
I smile. “Yeah.”
We both burst into giggles. “He’s really cute.”
“Uh, excuse me,” Cody says. “But, what about us? We are way better looking than that dude.”
Taylor punches his arm. “But, we love you like a brother.”
“Speak for yourself, Tay, and let Hailey decide who she has the hots for.”
I know exactly who I have the hots for, but I can’t tell them. Instead, I just smile and sip my beer.
My date with Alex is here before I know it. I spend some extra time getting ready and wear a cute, little sundress and sandals. I let my long brown hair hang loose even though it’s warm out and spray myself with my favorite vanilla perfume.
I can’t say that I have high hopes or anything, but if Ryan isn’t interested in me then I’m going to have to pursue other avenues.
Alex takes me out to a hip sushi place here in Hollywood and I feel bad, but I don’t like seafood. At all. Just the smell makes me nauseous and when we walk into the restaurant, my stomach turns.
I end up eating some ramen noodles and white rice while he orders a lot of smelly, fishy things. Ugh. The thought of him kissing me goodnight makes me want to run for the hills. He seems like a nice guy, I guess, but within 20 minutes, I know he’s not the one for me.
Problem is, I keep comparing him to Ryan and Alex is no Ryan Fox. Ryan is taller, better looking and such a gentleman. Alex may be more my age, but he seems a little immature. All he talks about is getting drunk and partying with celebrities. He also really likes the Dodgers because he talks about them. A lot.
I’ve barely said more than a few sentences all night and he hasn’t asked me much of anything. But, he likes to talk about himself and I know more about Alex Petty than I could ever want to know. Especially since I decide I will not be going on a second date with him.
After dinner, he asks if I want to go get a drink, but all I want to do is go home. When I tell him I’m tired, he looks annoyed. But, why prolong the evening when I know that I’m not interested? I hate wasting people’s time.
When we pull up to Sunset Terrace, Alex hops out and, to my dismay, seems intent on walking me up to my door. All I can think about is his fishy breath and I even offered him a mint earlier, but he declined.
At my door, I turn to say goodnight, hoping to make it quick, when he catches me completely by surprise and yanks me against him. I gasp right before his mouth covers mine in a rough kiss. He forces his tongue into my mouth and I push against his chest.
But, he’s stronger. I try to twist away and finally manage to break my lips free. “Let me go,” I say and shove. He ignores me, though, dips his head and begins kissing my neck.
“C’mon, baby. Aren’t you going to invite me in?”
When I feel his hand slide up my thigh and under my skirt, I try to squirm away. “No!”
All of a sudden, Alex flies back through the air and drops to the ground. I blink in surprise when Ryan steps out of the shadows and, in a low growl, says, “She said no, asshole.”
My heart thunders in my chest at the dark, ferocious look on his face. It’s a little scary and I never imagined this dark side of him. I just assumed that Ryan was the nice guy, a little on the shy side and definitely not the physical type. Not this dominant, intimidating, half-feral man that looks like he’s ready to beat the ever-living crap out of Alex.
But, I suddenly feel safe and I watch Alex scramble up.
“Screw you,” he says.
Ryan fakes a lurch in his direction and Alex takes off, running back to his car. Then, Ryan turns those intense green eyes on me. “Are you okay?”
He looks like a wild animal and I let out a breath and press a hand to my chest. “Yeah, I think so. Thanks to you.”
“Who the hell was that guy?”
“My date.”
Green lightning strikes in his eyes and I know he is not happy.
