Lucky in Love (Southern Bride 4)

“No! Heel! Stop!” I whisper-shouted as I took off running after him. Before I knew it, I was jumping a hedge, running through the garden and chasing Rus, who was still chasing the cat, all through Saryn’s front yard. Dressed in her robe, in my bare feet.

Finally, the cat ran up a tree and Rus stopped in front of it and decided to start barking. When I reached him and was about to grab onto his collar, he heard a noise to his left and took off running, pulling me with him, which caused me to lose my balance and fall. The moment I felt something in my knee tear, I cursed. I clutched my knee and let out a moan. I looked up and saw Ryan standing in front of me and instantly I knew I was fucked.

“Oh, hey there, Ryan,” I said, attempting to stand and groaning in pain as a burning sensation ripped through my knee.

“Hey, Truitt.”

He looked me up and down, and then slowly shook his head.

“I can explain,” I said, trying to push away the pain in my knee. It was then I noticed Rus sitting next to Ryan, looking as innocent as could be.

Ryan folded his arms over his chest and smirked. “Oh, I cannot wait to hear this.”

“Well, you’re probably wondering why I’m dressed in your sister’s robe,” I said, attempting to laugh, only to stop when he raised one brow.

“That would be a good place to start.”

“Well, I needed to wear something because Liliana woke up from a bad dream and…”

The moon was full and I could see Ryan almost perfectly, so when the muscle in his neck twitched, I stopped talking and took a few steps back, as best I could with the pain in my right knee.

“Um, Saryn was passed out sleeping and didn’t hear Liliana, so I had to walk her back up to her room, and I couldn’t very well let her see me naked.”

“Naked.”

My hand rubbed the back of my neck. “Yeah. Um.”

I swallowed hard and glanced over my shoulder, willing Saryn to wake up. Damn me and my ability to make a woman pass out from sheer pleasure.

“I spilled something on myself.”

He tilted his head and regarded me. “Want to try again?”

“I needed to do my laundry?”

Ryan shook his head.

“Your sister seduced me into a night of utter pleasure and I accidentally might have fallen asleep in her bed instead of getting up and getting dressed and going home.”

“My sister seduced you?” he asked, a touch of anger in his voice.

“It’s possible, you know. Have you seen your sister!”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m going to pretend you’re not standing out in front of my sister’s house, dressed in her robe, in the middle of the night. I’m going to turn around and walk away and pray like hell the memory of you goes away quickly. I’m not going to think about why you’re naked, and why my niece found you in her mother’s bed. You’re my best friend, so I’m going to assume you’re just simply out for a stroll, naked.”

“I am. Dude, I am your very best friend and you know I’d never…”

“Shut up, Truitt.”

I pretended to lock my lips and throw away the key. “Not talking.”

He sighed. “I’m fucking happy for y’all. I am.”

I grinned, but then he held up his hand.

“If you hurt her, I will give you pain like you have never experienced before in your life.”

“Understood.”

“Now, I’m going home. I was watching a marathon of Yellowstone with my father. You’re lucky he didn’t hear you out here chasing the damn dog.”

Ryan turned to leave when I cleared my throat. “Hey, Ryan, you wouldn’t happen to want to maybe drive me to the ER, would you?”

He slowly turned and looked at me. “Why?” he asked cautiously.

“I think I might have torn something in my knee when I was chasing the dog.”

When he let his eyes wander down my robe-clad body, I knew I was in serious trouble.

“Sure, Truitt. I’ll take you to the ER. No problem at all.”

Truitt

WHEN RYAN INSISTED we not go back into the house and wake up Saryn or Liliana, I knew I was about to get my payback. This is what happens when your best friend catches you wearing his sister’s robe after you’ve had your wicked way with her for nearly half the night.

Karma is a bitch.

When Ryan pulled up to the ER and the doors opened to reveal my brother, I knew my perfect night had taken a turn for the worse.

“You called Roger?” I asked, shooting a dirty look at my ex-best friend.

“Fuck yeah, I did. He was my first call.”

“Your first call?”

He smiled. I closed my eyes and prayed it wasn’t as bad as I thought.

The door to Ryan’s truck opened and I heard my brother.