Turn Up The Heat

Chapter 25 -Riley

My hands are shaking. I wanted to hit him, scream at him, but worse I wanted to break down. Blake made me weak and strong at the same time. After all these years and I still missed him.

Blake has been a constant in my life for so long, and I'm not ready to let that go. Even if that means we can only be friends, then I'll do what I can to rebuild that. I need him and I just realized how much when he walked back into my life. The past fifteen minutes I have felt more alive then I have in the past four years.

Because you still love him.

I try to shake the truth out of my head. I can't go down that road right now. I go to open my door and I see Blake standing there looking like he was ready to knock on my door.

"Blake!"

"Oh hey wild..." Please say it. He shakes his head. "Hey Ry." He drops his head and sighs. I just want to pull him into me and hope everything would be okay.

"I'm sorry Blake."

Puzzled by my apology, Blake shakes his head and runs his hand through his hair. I wish it was my fingers feeling his soft hair that I have missed so much.

"You have nothing to be sorry about." He says lifting his head up until our eyes connect. I wish I could read his emotions like I thought I use to.

"Yes I do Blake I shouldn't have teased you. I was just trying to sort out everything, and things are so strange you know."

"Yeah I get it Ry."

"I think we should talk Blake." I grab his hand and feel the same feeling I use to get when we touched. I can't think like that, so I try to lighten the mood and give my best puppy dog eyes.

"Please." I bat my eyelashes and pout like I use to around him when we were younger. He gives me that charming smile that always makes my legs go weak and laughs.

"Alright, how can I say no to that."

Yes it still worked!

"Because you love me." I blurt out. Shit! This is not good. Why did I say that?

He gives me another smile, and I swear the look in his eyes can penetrate my soul. "That I do Ry."

No! He can't mean it...can he?

I mean we never said that when we were together. This is silly he means it as a friend. That has to be it right?

That is something to worry about another time.

I pull him towards me to my room. But the damn handsome idiot is so strong. I see the smirk on his face as I fail at my attempt. My hand slips and I almost trip over my own feet, until I feel two strong arms steady.

"Whoa I got ya."

I look up into his eyes and I feel like I'm in a trance. I get lost in those eyes everytime. I realize that my hand is on his hard chest and I feel myself shiver. He feels so solid. What does his body look like now?

Damn it Riley stop thinking like this

I shake my head, but I feel his body tense as I let my hand slide down as I steady myself. I stand up straight and step out of his hold because it's too much to be this close to him and not be able to do more.

How the hell am I going to be able to be just friends with him?

Suck it up buttercup, if you still want him in your life.

"Thank you." I look up at him under my lashes. I hate that I don't know how to act around him anymore.

"Anytime Ry. Can we take a raincheck on the talk? I'm beat and I would like to lay down for a bit before tonight."