Unfriending the Dr by Piper Sullivan

Persy

For the first time in a long time, I did something I almost never did. I jumped up and down, clapping and squealing with excitement. Ryan’s big blue eyes glittered with a blend of amusement and satisfaction at my childish reaction, and I wasn’t bothered at all. “Axe throwing? Seriously?”

Ryan gave one sharp nod, his smile unstoppable. “Yeah, seriously.”

I jumped again while he laughed. “This is great! I’ve always wanted to do this.” A few months back, I’d heard some of the guys at the hospital talking about the fun they had doing it and I wanted to try it myself.

“Really? Why didn’t you do it before now?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted with a shrug. “But I’m glad I get to do it now. Seriously, Ry, this is great.”

His smile softened when he looked at me this time, his expression full of affection. And a heat that I felt all the way down to the bottom of my feet. “Maybe we should get some axes before you declare the date a success?” His lips twitched with amusement and I knew he was thinking of our first official date last week.

“Hell yes!” My heart thumped like crazy when we got started—I mean, I was a doctor, for crying out loud, and I was throwing axes. On purpose.

“Dammit,” I growled when the third axe smacked the target and slid to the ground. “I suck.”

Ryan laughed and stepped behind me. “You don’t suck, not at this anyway.” His words sent heat throughout my body, or maybe it was his proximity, the feel of his hard body pressed against my back. “You’re just new to this, that’s all.”

“How do you know?” My words came out on a breathy stammer.

Ryan’s deep chuckle vibrated against my back and I felt my nipples bead instantly. “Let’s do a little scientific experiment. I’ll show you how to throw and if you still suck, then we’ll declare it official: Persephone Vanguard sucks at axe-throwing. Deal?”

My head fell back against his shoulder and I laughed, but it turned to a gasp when Ryan’s big hands gripped my waist. “Deal.”

“Okay, first, let’s start with your stance. Spread your feet hip-width apart.” His hands lowered to my hips, fingertips tapping out a beat that had my pulse racing.

I widened my stance and took a deep breath to push away the lust. “Okay. Done.”

“Now,” his hands slid up from my hips to sculpt over my waist, the sides of my breasts before landing on my shoulders, “stand tall and square your shoulders.”

“Ryan,” I growled.

He laughed. “I’m helping, I swear. I’m just enjoying it, too.”

I trusted him so I nodded. “Okay. Enjoy, Mr. Branson, but don’t forget to teach.”

“Mr. Branson?” He let out a low hum of pleasure. “I like the sound of that.”

“Ryan.”

“Okay,” he said around a laugh, “I’m going to put the axe in your hand. Hold it softly, like you would a golf club. I know it seems counterintuitive but trust me.”

“I do,” I answered honestly.

“Good.” He flashed a sexy smile that, I swear, lit my panties on fire, and took a step back. “Line yourself up so you’re center with the bullseye. Pull the axe back like you’re throwing a soccer ball. Remember how to do that?”

I glared at him. “You mean, from the time I had to stand in for you as Titus’ soccer coach? I can’t ever forget it.”

He barked out a loud laugh. “No one told you to wear heels and slacks to soccer practice.”

I rolled my eyes. “Focus, Ryan.”

He licked his lips and nodded. “All right. Keep a loose grip on the axe, aim, and release.”

I nodded and repeated Ryan’s words to myself, focused on the bullseye as I performed each seductive step he whispered in my ear until the axe flew toward the target. And landed. Not the bullseye, but I cheered like I’d just won the world axe-throwing championships, if that was even a thing.

“It landed! I did it, Ryan, I did it!” I jumped into his arms and he caught me, circling his arms around my waist and holding me tight as he spun us around.

“So, I guess you don’t suck?”

How a man could be hot and sexy and cute at the same time, I had no damn clue, but the mix of emotions on Ryan’s smiling face achieved just that. “No, I don’t. Not yet.”

I whispered the last part and pressed my lips to his because it had been too long since I’d had a taste of him. The kiss was chaste by any adult standards but still, it sent a spark of fire from where our lips touched all the way down my body.

“I love the taste of you,” he growled and set me on my feet.

“Ditto.” Heat flared in Ryan’s eyes and I fanned my face before taking another step back. “Axes.” I laughed and pointed at them. “Your turn.”

For the next hour we took turns throwing axes, and with every round I felt more comfortable. With every throw, my aim got a little better and with Ryan cheering me on, I felt like a superstar.

“It’s official, Persephone. You don’t suck.”

“Thanks to you.”

Moments like this gave me hope that maybe, just maybe, Ryan and I could do together what neither of us had been able to do in other relationships: make it work. He was my biggest supporter, my loudest cheerleader, and I was sure he would say the same about me. Add in lust and attraction, and we could be an unstoppable force.

“Thirsty?”

I nodded and licked my lips, feeling the zing of awareness at the dark look of appreciation in Ryan’s eyes. “Parched.”

His smile widened and he took my hand in his as we made our way to the bar. Ryan was so natural with his physical displays of affection and I wondered how he did it to easily while I felt self-conscious each time. “Let’s go quench your thirst, then.”

The bar was located on the other side of the room, far away from the flying axes, which seemed like a good idea since they served booze. Ryan sandwiched me between the bar and himself to avoid being jostled by the crowd. “I’m going to have that mudslide milkshake thing, sounds delicious.”

“Just say the word and I’ll get one to go and lick it off you.”

I shivered at his words. “You’re trouble tonight.”

“Must be watching you throw that axe, like a warrior princess in skintight denim.”

I wiggled my ass against his grown erection and laughed. “Like them, do ya?”

“Been dreaming of getting you out of them since you opened the door.”

I let out another laugh and turned in his arms after we placed our order. “This is so much fun, I’m glad I wore them just for you.” The growl of appreciation he let out hit me right between the thighs. “What made you think of axe throwing for our second date?”

“I wanted to do something different but fun. We do pretty much everything together. We go to football games, the movies, we have dinner together most nights, festivals, carnivals, and everything else together. Under those circumstances, romance is hard to maintain. So I wanted to go for fun. Adventurous. Memorable.”

I wrapped my arms around him and smiled. “I certainly won’t ever forget this date. You’re the only guy who’s ever taken me to throw around axes.”

He shrugged but instead of cocky, the move was sweet and endearing. “Gotta find a way to stand out, don’t I?”

“Don’t you know, Ryan? You’re already a standout in my eyes.”

Mischief sparkled in his eyes. “Now you’re just trying to get in my pants.”

“Is it working?”

He nodded and grabbed our drinks. “All damn day. Every damn day.”

His words sent another wave of desire through me and my feet paused where they stood. How was it that I was so turned on by him, and all the time? This was Ryan, my best friend, the one man I’d seen close to naked millions of times over the years.

“Something wrong?”

“No. Yes.” I shrugged and joined him at one of the tall tables. “Isn’t it weird to be so turned on all the time? To want to ravish each other so much when this is all so new?”

“Not to me. I’ve lived with wanting you for a while, Persephone.”

“How long?”

He shrugged. “Does it matter?”

“It does to me.”

“Don’t even think it,” he growled, his gaze narrowed to slits. “Don’t even think that shit for one second, Persephone.”

“What?” I blinked, taken aback at the fierceness of his tone.

“That I’ve been playing the long game or pretending to be your friend just so I could get close to you. We’re friends. We always have been, and we always will be the very best of friends. Somewhere along the way, my feelings for you grew. A lot.”

“You never said anything.”

“Because, like you, I was worried that if you didn’t feel the same way, it would change things between us and I didn’t want to lose you.”

“And now you don’t mind losing me?”

He barked out another laugh and finished his soda. “Hardly. Now the want is just too great to deny myself the chance to make you mine. I’m old enough and wise enough to find a way to keep you forever, even if we go back to being just friends.” Ryan stood and nodded toward my drink. “And now that I know how much you want me, too, I figure we’ve got a damn good chance of taking this all the way.”

I laughed and shook my head. “We’ve already gone all the way, Ryan.”

“You’re cute when you cover nerves with dirty humor.”

“Cute? What am I, a puppy?” No woman wanted to be called cute, not even the ones who were cute, dammit.

“Nope. Puppies are all exuberant in their cuteness, you’re adorable when you don’t know what to do with your emotions. I love it.” At my shocked expression, Ryan kissed my cheek and grabbed my hand. “Let’s get some photos and video of you throwing the axes. Titus will love it.”

My heart clenched once again in desire—not because Ryan was big and sexy and ripped, but because he was so damn sweet when it came to Titus. This man who wanted to be mine always thought of my little boy as if he were his own flesh and blood. More than his father ever thought of him, anyway. It was even more intoxicating when combined with all the other things I loved about him.

He was slowly, but surely, finding his way into the little romance compartment I’d locked and sealed up years ago. “You’re pretty great, Ryan. As a man, and a date.”

“Yeah? Coming from you, that means a lot.” He kissed my other cheek. “Now, give me a pouty smile.”

“For Titus?”

Ryan laughed. “Sure, for Titus. Let’s go with that.”

We shared another laugh because what else was a girl supposed to do when she got to spend a fun night out, feeling like a woman, while being with her best friend in the whole world? I never knew it could be like this and I had to pump the brakes on my intensifying emotions. It was still early days, this time next week things could be totally different.

“You don’t have to walk me to my door,” I told him with a laugh. “We’re neighbors.”

“I’m a gentleman, dammit,” he growled and took my hand. “And I’m trying to show you how precious you are to me, Persephone.”

“I already know, but it’s nice to hear it once in a while.” I brushed a soft kiss to his lips at the bottom of the steps and pulled back with a sigh. “Thank you.”

“Thank you.” He pulled my body flush against his with a smile. “For saying yes. For wearing those jeans tonight.”

I laughed, desperate for another kiss. I raised my mouth to his and the kiss went on and on until my body was so overheated with desire that I shook with it. “I wish I could invite you in tonight.”

“Me too.” He pressed another hard, hot kiss to my lips before he took a step back. “Feel free to make a middle-of-the-night booty call if the desire gets too strong.”

“Yeah?”

Ryan nodded. “Hell yeah, as long as you can stay quiet. Very quiet.”

My body shivered at the look in his eyes and I took a step back. “I might take you up on that, Ryan. Soon.”

He kissed my cheek and jogged down the stairs. “The sooner the better,” he called out and walked across my small yard to his.

I sighed and stepped inside the house with a wide smile, wondering how quiet I’d have to be. Exactly.