More Than Friends

Chapter One

After being in a relationship for the past four years, Ryan Edwards didn't know how to be a single adult. He had gotten together with Brooke when they were both seniors at Jefferson High and after three years of trying to juggle a long distance relationship, school and work, it just didn't work out.

She wanted him to drive up to visit her every weekend and he just couldn't justify the time or gas money to make the trip. He loved her... like a sister. But, he just wasn't in love with her the way he thought he should be. So, when she started bitching about her needs and his lack of motivation to be with her, he didn't argue. He agreed that she deserved better and let her go.

Four weeks later, Ryan was still moping around his apartment, waiting for Ms. Right to come knocking on his door. But he was pretty sure that she wasn't going to be delivering pizzas or his mail anytime soon so when his boss invited him to have a beer after work one night, he couldn't think of a decent reason not to.

"Dude, you need to get out of this funk. You're twenty-one and single. These are the best years of your life. Go out and sow your oats. You shouldn't be tied down to a girl right now anyway. You should be doing a different girl every night. God knows I was when I was your age," Paul said.

"Yeah, and you were my age... what, five years ago?" Ryan said with a smirk.

"Five years that feels like fifteen. Once you settle down and start talking about rings and babies, everything is different. Allie just moved in and she is already hinting about a wedding. You don't know how lucky you are to have choices. You can literally choose any person in this bar and just have a one night stand if you want to. Hell, you can choose five chicks in this bar if you want to."

Ryan wasn't much of a player but the idea of having choices was appealing. He'd never given much thought to what he really wanted in a girlfriend before. When he was with Brooke, he was content. But if he had to come up with a list of what he was attracted to, there were just a few things that were non-negotiable. Good sense of humor was definitely at the top of his list. He felt like he hadn't laughed in months and really missed it. He had a few friends that could always make him laugh and he needed that in a partner. An easy going personality was also pretty high up there. He wanted to be able to have fun whether he was eating breakfast or watching TV.

Brooke was self-centered and cared too much about what other people thought of her to ever really relax. She wore five-inch heels to baseball games, for God's sake. He would definitely be more picky with his next girlfriend.

"You're right. I should just walk up to that table of women and ask if they'd all like to come back to my apartment. I bet they'd totally dig that. Or, better yet, I'll just strip and lay across their table and tell them to sample the goods."

He knew Paul was just trying to encourage him but he was only on his second beer so there was no way in hell he was ready to even think about hitting on anyone.

"Be serious, dude. You can do this. What about those two girls over in the corner? The blonde has been watching you all night. You should at least buy her a drink. I'll chat up her friend while you feel her up... I mean out."

"Very funny. You know I'm not gonna do that. I'm not that desperate."

In truth, Ryan was horny as fuck and would have probably done just about anyone who was willing to spread their legs for him. But he didn't have the balls to just walk up to a chick and buy her a drink. If she said no, he'd probably die right on the spot of humiliation.

"Too late." Paul tilted his head in the direction of the girls and Ryan looked up just as they approached the table.

"Hey, my friend and I were wondering if you guys are here alone?" the redhead asked Ryan but kept glancing at Paul.

"We are but hopefully not for long. Can we buy you ladies a drink?" Paul answered. He kicked Ryan in the shin to force him to look up from his beer and at the two women. The blonde smiled at Ryan and waited for him to indicate he was okay with them staying.

"Um, yeah. Please, have a seat." Ryan scooted over in the booth and let the blonde slide in next to him. Her friend was already giggling at Paul and hanging on his arm.

"I'm Drea and this is my friend, Nicole." She held her hand out to Ryan. He shifted his back up against the wall so he could shake.

"I'm Ryan and that's Paul." He nodded across the table but Paul was too engrossed in Nicole's cleavage, which was spilling out of her dress, to even look up.

"So, do you go to school here?" She was obviously as uncomfortable striking up a conversation with a stranger as Ryan was so he tried to save her by being more social than the felt.

"Yeah, I'm a junior. You?" He'd never seen her before but he didn't pay much attention to the coeds. He told himself he didn't look because he had Brooke but in the four weeks of being single, he realized he still hadn't looked much.

"No, I'm visiting my cousin. He lives nearby and I've been thinking of moving to the area so I've been staying with him for awhile to look for a job." She seemed nice and wasn't as conceited as he was used to from pretty blondes.

"So, can I buy you a drink? You look like you're about ready for a refill."

"Sure. You can refill my refill."

She looked a little more confident as she let her eyes roam his body. His upper body was fully facing her so she could see he was well built. He appeared to work out a lot but wasn't flaunting it. He had large biceps under the sleeves of his t-shirt, but it fit loosely so he wasn't trying to impress her with his pecs.