Page 66 of His Temptation

Once out of the road, we moved down the sidewalk on Garrison Avenue, a street that came alive at night with bar hoppers and partygoers. We weren’t old enough to get into the bars, but there was one bar and grill that we liked to go to on Saturday nights because their burgers were half price and they had endless baskets of fries.

“Can I be real with you about something?” Ryan asked, stopping outside the restaurant and facing me. Same blue eyes as Emery, but different too.

“Of course.”

“Okay, this is gonna make me sound like an asshole, but…” Ryan released a breath and skimmed a hand over his hair. “I cheated on her at the concert. Well, after it. It was with the girl she says I flirted with. I know I just lied to you about not remembering, but I was ashamed. Because I know you’d never do something sneaky and shitty like that. You’re the realest dude I know.”

Wow, what a way to makemefeel like the asshole. Ryan said I was so great, but if I was, I wouldn’t be going behind his back and fucking his dad.

“You cheated on her,” I said, making sure I heard him right amidst all the rambling.

“Yeah. Like not just flirting, but I kissed someone else.” Ryan tilted his head back and stared at the awning above us. “Lexi doesn’t know for sure, but she suspects. It’s why we’ve done nothing but fight for two damn weeks. I didn’t have sex with the other girl, but I still feel awful about it.”

Knowing Ryan, I was sure he was letting his guilt over it make him lash out at her.

“Why do this to yourself?” I asked, slapping his arm with the back of my hand to make him look at me. “Just break up with her if you aren’t happy.”

“I don’t wanna break her heart.”

“You’re already doing that.” Taps sounded above us as it started to rain. Rain hadn’t been in the forecast last I checked. “Come on, let’s go inside.”

Ryan nodded and went inside the restaurant. The hostess greeted us and showed us to a table near the window. The waiter then came over and took our drink orders before leaving. A bar was directly across from us, and Ryan sighed as he looked at the bartender slide a beer to a man sitting there.

“Wish I could have a beer instead. Or something stronger.”

“You’re such an alcoholic,” I said with a snort.

“Just wait ’til we turn twenty-one,” he responded with a smile. “We’ll hit up all the bars, pick up girls, and have the time of our lives.”

I doubted we’d do anything like that. Because I planned to come out eventually—sooner rather than later. Once I did, Ryan might not want to hang out with me anymore.

My eyes stung at the thought, and I cleared my throat as it started to tighten.

The waiter brought our drinks and took our food orders. Ryan stayed quiet for a while before he let loose a massive sigh and slouched in his chair.

“Fuck this,” he said, fishing his phone from his pocket.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m breaking up with her.”

“Through text?” I asked. “Dude, no. That’s crappy.”

“Well, I don’t wanna tell her to her face,” Ryan said. “She’ll freak the hell out on me.”

“You sure you want to break up with her?” I asked. “I know I suggested it, but only do it if that’s how you feel.”

“Yeah, man, I’m sure.” Ryan typed out a message and sent it. “I thought it could work with her because the sex was so good, but I can get sex from anywhere. If I’m in a relationship with someone, I gotta feel that connection, you know? And I don’t with her.”

Connection. Like the one I felt with Emery. But Emery and I were nothing serious. The connection would be broken once summer was over.

Right?

“Shit, she just responded,” he said, eyes big.

“Already? Good luck with that.”

“Oh, she’s pissed.” Ryan texted her back, and her response came not even a minute later. For the next fifteen minutes, he had a text battle with Lexi. When our food arrived, he turned his phone on silent and flipped it over so he couldn’t see the screen.