Sweet Cheeks. Rucas. GMW CHOICE AWARD WINNER!

Chapter.86.Being Without Riley Is Hard.<3

Once we landed it was pretty much hell. I fell asleep on the plane, and of course because even my own subconscious state enjoys torturing me, I dreamt of Riley. It was a wonderful dream, and had we been together I would be smiling and texting her, 'I love you'. But, when I woke up and saw I was on the plane, with Zay sitting across from me, I was devastated all over again. I mean, how could my brain be so damn cruel? Playing tricks and games with me, using the one woman who basically owns me. That's my own personal hell.

When I took the plane from Vail, Colorado I had completely forgotten that we were all supposed to take it home. Deciding to pay the pilot over time, I sent him back and paid for a hotel room for the night – again. I wasn't going to make things even more difficult for them. As soon as my feet touched ground, I was moving full speed ahead. Calling the head accountant, George, and the clients to meet me at the office, I wanted to get this deal straightened out and I needed details... fast.

I was lucky actually, for the next 4 hours I had buried myself into my job. Not once did Riley's face flash through my mind, and I actively avoided my office knowing that Riley and I had a moment in there... no matter how fleeting. I couldn't bring myself to go there... not yet. As soon as we had gotten a major kink with the clients worked out, I dismissed everyone and, Zay was waiting outside the conference room for me. He still had my phone and now that I was done working... for now at least, the urge to dial her number was beginning to become overwhelming. "You ain't getting it back man."

He'd said that to me several times on the drive home, as if he knew what I was thinking. Which sounds about right. He's always had a way of doing that and I was never able to figure out how. Whenever we made it home... home, no this isn't my home. Riley is my home, hell I'd consider my childhood house my home over this place. It's haunted with thoughts of us together and that is the last thing that I need right now... want, yes. I want to remember how it felt to caress her skin, or taste her lips, but I didn't need that. I didn't want Charlotte to bombard me with questions, and since I hadn't cried in a little bit – because of my distraction – my eyes weren't as swollen, though they were slightly pink and my face no longer had tear tracks on them. "Now or never." Zay had done his best to reassure me that Riley would come back and I should be grateful for that and he's right, I should be. This, what Riley and I have – note the present tense – isn't over, what Riley and I have is one in a million. So, walking into this place that I live, I tried to focus on that, on the fact I would have her again one day.

But when my aunt came skipping down the stairs, a bright smile on her face, I got slightly resentful. Why the hell is she smiling? She's always smiling, like my mom. And then I get a little angry, why is she almost 40 and still has both of her parents and the love of her life? I'm not sure what it is she saw, but her skipping steps down the spiraling stairs came to an abrupt halt. "Lucas?"

"Charlotte." I ground out. This isn't her fault, she didn't implement this idea into Riley's head. Did she? Oh hell no, "DID YOU DO THIS?!"

My aunt takes a step back up the steps, seemingly caught off guard by my blunt behavior. I've never been mean or hateful, not when my parents died because it wasn't her fault, it was no one's aside from the drunk driver. But the fact that she possibly could have spoken to Riley behind my back... I literally feel like I'm about to go into a fit of rage. "Lucas, what happened? What is it that you think I did?" Her voice remains calm and neutral, but the hand that Zay originally placed on my chest doesn't fall.

Inhaling deeply, my fists unclench. I would never actually hurt my aunt, but the wall could use a pretty little hole. "Did you or did you not talk to Riley?" Charlotte frowns, her emerald like orbs narrowing slightly in confusion. "Did you tell her to break up with me?" My voice is broken up and I'm surprised she actually understood what I was saying. She gasps, her hand moves to cup her mouth and her eyes fill with tears before she vehemently shakes her head and sprints towards me.