Can you believe there’s just three weeks until my YA contemporary suspense novel, Stuck On Vacation With Ryan Rupert re-releases? I’m super excited for everyone to be able to read the updated, second edition and finally get a glimpse of book two as well!
Today I’m sharing an excerpt from Chapter Nine, which is hands down my favourite chapter from the book and was so much fun to write. Let me know if you love it too!
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Aubany Winters’ life soon becomes a nightmare when her Mom gets cancer and has to leave for California with her Dad. Left with her neighbours, the Ruperts, and to her displeasure, their son Ryan, she finds herself forced to tag along on their family vacation to Nula Island. There’s just a few problems, like her fear of the ocean, her and Ryan’s mutual hatred for each other, and the psycho girl who is trying to kill them.
Will Aubany overcome her fears? Will she and Ryan ever stop hating each other? Or will their flaws and disagreements lead them right into the enemy’s hands?
“Two different people somehow managed to love each other’s differences and used it to help one another to be a better person.”
Annarea
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Chapter Nine
Tango Teasing
(Excerpt #2)
I took a few moments to compose myself before heading back inside. I found Ryan flipping through one of my books.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you with a book in your hands,” I said.
“Do you actually read this stuff?” he asked, handing it back.
“Don’t judge me on my book taste. At least I have taste,” I replied, putting the book back with the others.
“So what’s this dance thingy I heard you talking about on the phone?” Ryan asked, changing the subject.
“It’s a thing at the beach,” I replied. “Apparently there’s going to be a bonfire.”
“Are you going to go?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Can I come?” he asked.
I raised an eyebrow.
“Why are you asking me? It’s not my bonfire dance thingy,” I said.
“I meant it as in, would you be annoyed if I went?” he said.
I frowned. “I wouldn’t really care,” I said finally. I crossed over to the dresser to find something suitable to wear. The only thing I’d brought that was remotely worthy of a “dance thingy” was the same white dress I’d worn to Josh’s fortieth birthday party. The same one I was wearing when Ryan had pushed me into the pool.
I deliberated whether to wear it or not, then decided that I had nothing else, so I’d have to. I went to the bathroom to change. The dress had a lace trim bottom, and pearl buttons up the front. It floated around my knees lightly as a feather.
I pulled the sides of my bangs back so my hair was half up, half down, and I secured it with a white flower clip. I debated putting on makeup, then decided just a little bit would be okay. When I was done, I emerged from the bathroom.
Ryan was watching TV, but he looked up when I came out. He stared.
“You’re wearing that dress again,” he said, not taking his eyes off me.
“Yes, and it’s a miracle it wasn’t ruined the first time,” I replied, before turning away from him.
“I’m sorry about that,” he said quietly. “I didn’t mean to . . . well, I didn’t know and . . . I shouldn’t have done it.”
“It’s in the past,” I said. “No use going on about it.”
“Right,” he said. He cleared his throat, then went over to his side of the dresser and found some clothes. He went to the bathroom to change.
I occupied myself by reading while he was in there. I heard the shower running. A good half hour later he came out, dressed in a simple white button down shirt that looked pretty damn good on him, and black pants. His hair still glistened with a few droplets of water from the shower.
Now I was staring.
I quickly snapped out of it and returned to my book, refusing to look at him again. But I couldn’t deny the fact that I wanted to.
He was a jerk, but that didn’t change the fact that he was hot. And he was wearing something that kept tempting me to sneak glances.
I eventually gave in and took another peek.
He was sitting across from me on his bed, drying his hair with a towel. When he looked up, our eyes met.
I quickly snapped my gaze back down to my book and pretended to read.
I could feel him smirking at me.
“Is that blush on your cheeks I see, Aubany? And not the makeup kind?” he asked smugly.
I looked up again. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You are so blushing,” he stated. “I told you. Girls can’t keep their eyes off me. And you are no exception.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “All hot guys are jerks. And you are no exception either.”
“So you admit that I’m hot,” he said.
I rolled my eyes. “Yes. But don’t get too excited.”
“Why would I get excited?” he asked, crossing over to me. “If anything, it looks like you’re the one getting a bit excited.”
I snapped my book shut.
“You wish,” I taunted. I left the book on my bed and crossed over to the mini fridge to get myself a bottle of water.
“Well. . . seeing as you’re being honest, I’ll be honest with you, too,” he said, crossing over to me. He leaned in so his breath tickled my ear.
“You should wear that dress more often. It looks good on you,” he said.
I stared at him, shocked. Coming from him, I couldn’t tell if it was a compliment or another rude remark about the one time when it hadn’t suited me all that well.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked finally.
“It means, as far as girls go, you’re pretty hot, too,” he said casually, leaning against the counter. “But don’t go telling all the other girls I said that. They might get jealous.” He winked.
I tried to come up with something to say, but I couldn’t think of anything.
He smirked, completely aware that he’d left me speechless. “Ah, not used to compliments now, are we?” he teased softly. “It’s easy enough to fight fire with fire, but when fire meets water, it just fizzles out, doesn’t it?”
He hadn’t moved away yet. His proximity was making it hard for me to think straight. I was backed against the counter, and he seemed to have all the words in the world to keep me there without even touching me.
“Y-you . . .” I stammered, finally remembering how words worked. “You’re not serious.”
“I’m very serious,” he said, his eyes on mine. “Do you want to know the reason I even pushed you into that pool in the first place?”
Now I was curious. “Why?”
He reached out and ran the soft fabric trim of my dress through his hand. “It’s because this dress looked so good on you, I figured I’d be able to see even more of you if you were soaking wet, if you know what I mean . . .”
Okay, that was sort of disturbing. I mean, flattering, but disturbing all the same. Finally, the effect of his good looks was starting to wear off and logical thinking was once again returning to me. Here I was, victim to years of his teasing and trickery, and he thought he could pull a few smooth moves and expect me to believe that he might be interested in me?
I pushed him away, embracing my newfound strength to defend myself against Ryan’s hotness. “Nice try,” I said.
I headed for the door, refusing to believe his words.
Before I left, I turned to him and added, “Stuff like that might work on most girls, but it’ll take a lot more than a cheesy pick-up line to fool me.”
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Hope you enjoyed reading this excerpt!
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