Free Breathless Awakening (The Breathless Series) by K Aybara Page B

weeks…” She shook her head, took a deep breath, and refocused her energy. “Those guys out there are so full of shit. They think that because Ryan is sensitive, and cares about helping the women, that they can just berate him and shit.”
    “The guys are just being guys. They lost Luke to Cailyn, and now Ryan is going off to hang with us and help. They are insecure and they are lashing out at the fact that they don’t have anyone. That’s just how guys’ are–self‐centered assholes who tear each other down, instead of building them up and being supportive.”
    Ryan finally decided to look up and chose to try to stare me down. “You know, Rhylie, I am standing right here. I appreciate you not talking about me behind my back and all, but come on. Is it really that necessary to bash me or the guys?”
    “Ryan, I don’t really know any of you guys yet. We all met less than twenty‐four hours ago. If you think this is me bashing you, let me give you a small bit of advice. Don’t ever piss me off. Right now, I am stating facts. I respect you for coming in here and helping us clean the house. Only a real man would be comfortable doing the ‘woman’s work’ while the guys are out there showing off for each other and seeing who can carry the most stuff.
    “At the same time, you are being a baby. They may be out there being childish, making fun of you because they are jealous, but you can’t let them get to you. You went home with not one, but two beautiful, sexy women.”
    I turned and looked at Celeste as I pointed my finger at her. “Don’t you go getting any ideas. I may be able to acknowledge that you are both hot, but that doesn’t mean I swing that way. And don’t you even pretend as if you’re innocent. I saw you looking me up and down last summer at the beach. You looked like a diabetic in a candy store the way you were salivating.”
    Turning back to Ryan with his mouth agape, I said, “And back to you, mister, you went home with those two women. What may or may not have happened once that you got there I’m not going to speculate. I will ask you this though. Whom did those guys go home with? Where did they wake up this morning?”
    Ryan started to stand a little taller, his lips started to turn up a little, and he walked over to Celeste. “You know, she’s right. Those assholes out there can go jump off a cliff for all I care. Let them strain their backs and hurt tomorrow. I’m going to save my energy for you.”
    It happened too quickly for Ryan to pick up on it, but there was a hunger in Celeste’s eyes for a split second before she kissed him. “You just keep telling yourself that. I’m going to make sure you work your ass off here today before I even think about letting you have another piece of my ass tonight.”
    “Alright you two, that’s enough. Don’t make me break you up. We know how the guys are treating Ryan, so that means I would have to send you out there with them, Celeste. I don’t think that would be very productive at all.
    “Ryan, make yourself useful. Take that bucket and start scrubbing baseboards. Celeste, you can start vacuuming the other room. Let’s try and get the main floor done before Amber gets here and we take a break.”
    “Wait, why does she get to vacuum and I have to scrub baseboards?”
    “Well, to be quite honest with you, I don’t trust her on her knees with you in the room.”
    The other room broke out into a hysterical fit of laughter. Megan walked into the room, paint roller in her hand, and looked at me with a smile across her face. “Rhylie, my dear, you remind me so much of myself in my youth. I miss having that spunk and life.”
    “Aww, thanks, Megan. Do you need some help with the trim work in there? Ryan isn’t very comfortable on his knees, so maybe he could help you around the corners.”
    Megan looked over at Ryan, paint roller pointing at him, “Have you been a bad boy? Is Rhylie trying to tell me I need to stick you in the