Destiny Revealed (There's Always Tomorrow Book 2) by M.D. Saperstein Page B

into her pants,” Ryder suggests.
    Dayne almost blurts out that he does, but he catches himself. Ryder knows what he had been on the verge of saying, though, as he gives him a knowing look.
    “Look, Dayne. I know you don't want to have feelings for her, but honestly, shit doesn't work like that. Your heart doesn't give a shit about what your brain wants, and vice versa. You know that the harder you fight it, the harder you’re gonna fall,” Ryder says.
    Dayne snorts. “Oh believe me, I’m not falling for her, and I never will.” Dayne hopes saying it out loud will make it more believable, but Ryder knows him too well. God dammit!
    “She's not your ex, Rachel, Dayne.” Ryder sighs.
    Dayne freezes then slowly turns to face Ryder, who is only a couple of feet away. None of his friends has spoken her name since the divorce was finalized. Ryder doesn't look at all sorry for what he said. Rachel. Fuck, that wound is still so raw, even after 5 years.
    “Harper is not Rachel,” Ryder repeats more firmly. 
    “Stop saying her name,” Dayne says hoarsely, his eyes burning with the threat of tears.
    Ryder looks at him with such sorrow and compassion that Dayne wants to sock him right in that pretty face of his. “You have to let it go, man. It's over, she's out of your life. You need to move on and find happiness with someone else.”
    “I have moved on,” Dayne snaps.
    Ryder snorts. “Please, save it. You haven't had one relationship in five years, and you treat women like shit. You have done anything but moved on.” Ouch.
    “I don't...I don't treat women like shit,” Dayne says, not completely convinced by his statement either.
    Ryder gives him a bored look and crosses his arms over his chest. “The only reason you're dating Harper is because you wanna fuck her, then what? You're gonna dump her because you got what you wanted? That's fucked up, Dayne, and you know it. That's no way to treat her; she doesn't deserve it. She isn't the one who hurt you; you shouldn't take it out on her.”
    Dayne rakes a hand through his hair. “Why the hell are you getting on me about this now? You've never said anything about all of the other women I've screwed.” Dayne sighs. He’s pretty sure he knows what Ryder's answer is going to be.
    “Because whether you want to admit it or not, you both care about each other, and I don’t want you to hurt her to the point that you won't be able to fix it,” Ryder tells him, even though he already knew what he was going to say.
    Dayne drops his chin to his chest and heaves out a breath. Goddamn Ryder. Why does he have to go and say shit like that, making his conscience wake up and agree? Dayne takes in a deep breath and lifts his head to look at Ryder.
    “Fine, I'm done with her then,” Dayne grinds out, his chest tightening. Why does he feel like his heart is being ripped out and stomped on? Oh God, he can't even think of the reasons why, he'd have a panic attack.
    “Or you can stay with her and see where things go,” Ryder says, giving him a pointed look.
    Dayne shakes his head. “No, I'll end it now before she gets attached.”
    Ryder shakes his head and sighs. “You're hopeless.”
    “Whatever,” Dayne mutters then heads back into the party with Ryder on his tail.
    Harper is gone when he and Ryder return to the guys. Dayne realizes that Melina is gone, too. They must have gone off somewhere together. Vance is still on the couch, and Mike has taken the spot next to him. Tripp is in an armchair adjacent to them. They all give him blank faces so he has no idea what they are thinking; cop faces from all three of them. Bastards. 
    “Where did Harper go?” Dayne asks.
    “Melina took her to the bathroom,” Vance replies blandly.
    Dayne frowns in confusion at Vance's phrasing. “Took her to the bathroom?”
    Dayne catches the flash of disgust in Vance's eyes. “Harper got a bit emotional, so Melina took her to the bathroom to…get herself together.”
    Dayne clenches his