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  RAY OF LIGHT

  (Ray Series #1)

  E. L. TODD

  This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this novel are fictitious or used fictitiously. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher or author, except in the case of a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.

  Fallen Publishing

  Ray of Light

  Editing Services provided by Final-Edits.com

  Copyright © 2017 by E. L. Todd All Rights Reserved

  Chapter One

  Rae

  “You’re such a piece of shit. Shut your ass and pick up after yourself.” I kicked his pile of clothes aside, hooking his boxers on the tip of my running shoes. An assortment of dirty clothes was all over the laundry room. I couldn’t even walk through it without tripping over something disgusting.

  Rex raised both of his hands in the air. “Dude, chill.”

  “I will not chill.” I stomped my feet just like a child. “And I’m not a dude.”

  “Really?” He cocked his head to the side the way he always did just before he said something smartass. “You fooled me.”

  I kicked his boxers at him. “Ugh.”

  “Is that supposed to gross me out?” he asked. “They’re mine.”

  “They should gross you out. They smell like ass.”

  “Your face smells like ass.”

  Safari stood in the hallway with his leash in his mouth. It dangled to the hardwood floor. He sat there patiently and waited for his afternoon run through the park. He was a German Shepherd and an excellent dog. The argument didn’t faze him at all. He just stood there.

  Rex was driving me up the wall. I wanted to murder him in cold blood and not even hide that knowledge from the police. I wanted all the glory for getting rid of this annoying bitch. “You’re lucky I’m letting you crash with me until your business picks up. The least you can do is not be a pig.”

  “How can I when you hold that over my head every other second?” Rex met my fury with his own. He was a formidable opponent when it came to arguing. He knew me well enough to combat anything I said and turn it around on me. He had dark hair that was almost black, and his tall stature dwarfed mine.

  “I only hold it over your head when you tear my home apart. Just clean up after yourself. Shit, are you five?”

  “I was gonna clean it up but I got caught up—”

  “Cut the crap. We both know you weren’t going to do it. Now start.” I walked around him because I was sick of this argument. I felt like I had a twenty-eight-year-old child living in my apartment.

  “You need to get laid, Rae.” Rex scooped up his dirty laundry and tossed it in the hamper. “Or you need to wait for your period to pass before you start screaming at everybody.”

  “Last time I checked, you were the only person I screamed at.”

  “Well, take me off your list.” He grabbed another pair of his boxers and threw them right at my face.

  “Ugh.” I yanked them off and threw them on the ground. “I hate you.”

  “Feeling is mutual.”

  “No, I actually hate you.”

  “What a coincidence.” He headed back to his room, his shoulders tense in rage.

  “Where the hell are you going?”

  “To my room, nimrod.”

  “Do your damn laundry! What did we just talk about?”

  “I’ll wait until you’re out.” He slammed the door behind him with his foot.

  I stared at the closed door and sighed, feeling a mix of emotions burn a hole right through me. Rex was the brother from hell. He was ungrateful for everything I did for him, and he made me a prisoner in my own home. Every day when I came home from work, the kitchen was massacred from all the protein shakes, food, and beer he inhaled all day. I was constantly cleaning up after him just so I would have a hospitable environment.

  Safari tilted his head as he looked up at me, the leash still in his mouth. His ears bent down and he released a quiet whine.

  “I know,” I whispered. “I hate him too.”

  ***

  My dog was my personal trainer.

  He yanked me down the path even when I wanted to go slow. He was so strong that he pulled me along. Sometimes I thought he was walking me and not the other way around.

  I jogged behind him and tried to keep up. “Safari, slow down.”

  He kept running at full speed.

  I kept my pace even though there was a stitch in my side. I was breathing through my mouth the entire time because I was desperate for air. My dog kept me in great shape and constantly reminded me how lazy I was at the same time.

  Other joggers passed us through the park, and Safari didn’t sniff their butts or interrupt them. He didn’t even bark because I trained him so well. He minded his own business and did what he was supposed to.

  Except slow the hell down.

  This was the only exercise he got all day, and he didn’t take that for granted. He cherished every single moment, using his powerful legs to give him enough speed to feel the wind move through his fur. He was running even faster now.

  And I was about to die.

  “Whoa, slow down.” I dug my heels into the concrete and pulled on the leash.

  Safari stopped, but instead of slowing down, he turned around and grabbed the leash with his mouth. Then he ripped it out of my hand violently.

  “Safari!”

  He sprinted at full speed, the leash still dangling in his mouth.

  Why was everyone screwing me over today?

  I chased after Safari, running as fast as I could, but since we’d already done a few miles, my legs were fatigued. “Safari, get back here now!”

  He ran far ahead and passed other joggers headed my way. Without sniffing at the other dogs he came across, he kept going. It wasn’t clear what he was so desperate to get to.

  “Safari!”

  He finally stopped running and switched to a brisk walk. He was headed right to a man running way ahead. With his leash still in his mouth, he ran right up to the man, almost like he knew him.

  The man stopped jogging and looked down at Safari. Instead of frowning, he smiled. “Hey, who are you?”

  I stopped running because my legs couldn’t carry me anymore. Besides, Safari seemed to finally be stationary. Since I was so focused on getting Safari back, I hadn’t noticed the man he approached. And now that I took a good look at him, I realized something.

  He was hooooot.

  Like, damn.

  He was over six feet tall. Since I was taller than the average woman, about five nine, tall men were my preference. He was at least three inches taller than me, which was perfect.

  On top of that, he was nicely built. He had large shoulders rounded with muscle. He wore a short-sleeve shirt, and the definition of his biceps and forearms was noticeable. I could even see the web of veins on his hands.

  Maybe Safari taking off wasn’t such a bad thing…

  His shirt fit snug against his chest, showing the outline of his pectoral muscles. It was loose around his waist, and the ratio between his waist and shoulders was perfect. His legs were muscular and toned as well.

  So pretty.

  And his face was the best part. He had short dark brown hair with green eyes. They sparkled under the sunlight, like emeralds that I wanted to hoard. His face was traditionally handsome with nice cheekbones and full lips. The scruff along his chin and jaw was a turn-on. I preferred a little facial hair over the clean look.

  Maybe today was about to get a lot better.

  He kneeled down and scratched Safari behind the ears. “You want me to ta
ke you on a walk?” he asked with a chuckle. His immediate affection toward a random dog told me he was an animal lover.

  Even better.

  I put my hands on my hips and breathed through the ache in my side. “I’m so sorry. Safari is a bit wild sometimes.”

  He looked up at me, and the second he did, his smile stretched from ear-to-ear. He had nice teeth, the kind you would see on a model. His eyes were the best part. They were pretty to look at, but they held a mysterious energy. They changed as they examined me, but I couldn’t figure out what the look meant. “Safari? The name suits him.”

  “A little too well, actually.”

  He patted Safari on the head before he rose to his full height. His earbuds were dangling from around his neck, and his t-shirt had the Seahawks logo on it. Judging by his lean build, he was an active runner. But judging by the nice size of his muscles, he was also a frequent visitor to the weight room. “There’s no need for an apology. Your dog is friendly.”

  “He is.” I gave Safari a look that said he was in trouble. “Too friendly.”

  His ears bent down.

  The man chuckled. “How can you be mad at this guy? He’s just an adventurer.”

  “You could have been a dognapper.”

  “A dognapper?” he asked. “Who would steal a dog?”

  “I don’t know…but it could happen.”

  He grabbed the leash from Safari’s mouth then handed it over. “Sorry, boy. Maybe I can give you a walk some other time.”

  I took the leash from him, and when our hands were in contact, I noticed the heat radiating from his body. It was nice. Waking up in his arms would be a great way to start a rainy morning. “Sorry again. We didn’t mean to interrupt your run.”

  “It’s okay,” he said. “I was pretty bored anyway.”

  When I realized I was fidgeting with Safari’s leash, I forced myself to stop. Handsome men didn’t make me uneasy very often. My confidence was always high no matter how hot they were. But this guy got under my skin a little bit.

  “I’m Ryker, by the way.”

  Even his name was hot. I’d never heard that one before. “Rae.”

  “Rae.” He repeated the name like he was trying to memorize it. “Ray of light?”

  “I think so.”

  “You don’t know?” he asked.

  Unfortunately, no. “Thanks for being so nice to my dog. I’ll let you get back to your jog.”

  He eyed me like I hadn’t said anything. “Want to walk to Pike Place Market? It’s just a block over.”

  Was this beautiful man asking me out? I hid my squeal and acted cool. “Sure. I have a feeling Safari will just run after you again if I try to walk away.”

  “I must smell.” He realized what he said when it was too late. “I mean, I must smell good.”

  I pressed my lips tightly together and tried not to laugh.

  Ryker shrugged and laughed all the same. “Okay…that came out wrong.”

  I couldn’t hold back my laughter. “Yeah…a little.”

  ***

  “How old is Safari?” Ryker stuffed his earbuds into his pocket and walked beside me through the market.

  “Five.”

  “He’s a good-looking dog.”

  “Thank you. He’s my best friend.”

  “Really?” he asked.

  “Well, I have two human best friends too. If they knew Safari was my best best friend, they would get jealous…so I don’t mention it.”

  Ryker smiled. It was the kind of look that turned all women into putty. My ovaries screamed from deep inside my body, needing his perfect genes to make the cutest baby in the world. “Your secret is safe with me.”

  “Thank you. Do you have a dog?”

  “No, not yet. Maybe soon.”

  “Start with a plant,” I said. “They’re easier to take care of.”

  “Safari doesn’t seem so bad…when he’s not running away from you.”

  I laughed at the memory. “He’s never done that before. It was really strange.”

  “Like I said, I smell.” He smiled again, his eyes glowing as he did.

  I chuckled. I loved his sense of humor. He was extremely good-looking but didn’t take himself seriously. Humility was another quality I liked in a man. “Seahawks fan?”

  “Their number one fan.”

  “Really?”

  “You aren’t?” he asked in surprise.

  “I admire their fan base and think it’s great so many people get involved, but no, they aren’t my favorite team.”

  He took an exaggerated step off to the side. “This is awkward…”

  I kept my hand on Safari’s leash and tried not to smile. “We can still be friends, right?”

  He kept his distance. “I don’t know…”

  “Come on, let’s put our differences aside.”

  “They’re pretty big differences.”

  “People have overcome worse.”

  He nodded in agreement. “Okay…I guess that’s true.” He came back to my side and kept walking. “I’ll be your friend.”

  “Thanks.”

  He put his hands in his pockets and came closer to me, his arm brushing against my shoulder every few seconds. “Live here your whole life?”

  “Yep. You?”

  “I just moved here a few weeks ago.”

  “Oh, really?” I asked. “From where?”

  “Manhattan.”

  “That’s a far move.”

  “And an annoying one.”

  “What brings you here?”

  “I’m starting a new job.” He didn’t sound too enthused by the prospect. He was more passionate about the Seahawks a second ago.

  “What line of work are you in?”

  “I’m taking over the family business.” He brushed over it quickly like he didn’t want to talk about it too much. “Nothing too interesting. But I wish I’d become a dog trainer instead. Apparently, I have a knack for it.”

  “Safari may like you, but that doesn’t mean you could train him. He’s stubborn sometimes.”

  “I find that hard to believe.”

  “He takes up the whole bed every night. And he’s a blanket hogger.”

  Ryker grinned from ear-to-ear. “You sleep with him every night?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Hmm…that must mean you don’t have a boyfriend.”

  I kept my eyes on Safari and tried not to react visibly. The schoolgirl inside me wanted to smile and giggle. My cheeks wanted to blush beet red. Somehow, I managed to come off pleased but not obsessive. “No, I don’t.”

  “Interesting.”

  “I dumped my last boyfriend because he became a Seahawk fan though.”

  “Oh no,” he said with a cringe. “Looks like I don’t stand a chance then.”

  I couldn’t disagree more.

  My phone vibrated in my pocket, so I discreetly checked it. It was a text message from Cameron.

  I’ll pick you up at seven? Is that okay? I can’t wait to see you. I’ve been thinking about this date all week.

  My eyes widened to orbs, and I quickly shoved my phone back into my pocket. Goddammit, I forgot about that date. Jessie arranged it for me even though I didn’t want to go on it to begin with.

  “Everything alright?” Ryker asked.

  “Yeah, groovy.” Was I a hippie now?

  We continued walking through the market and making small talk. I learned Ryker was a big sports fan. Anything that involved a ball or a puck had his attention. He seemed like a sports guy so I wasn’t surprised.

  He checked the watch on his wrist. “It’s getting late, and I’m done with my cardio for the day.”

  “Yeah.” I had to get ready for a stupid date.

  “My apartment is just a block over.” He stopped walking and faced me head-on. His emerald eyes bore into mine, having that cutting edge again. They were full of mystery but also a lot more. It would be so easy to fall into those eyes and never come back up for air. “Why don’t
the two of you come over?”

  That didn’t sound like a date. It sounded like an invitation to sex. One-night stands weren’t new to me, but I didn’t do them very often. Judging by Ryker’s looks and moves, he had no problem landing a fuck buddy in thirty minutes. He probably did it all the time.

  I was really into him, and sharing a bed with a hunky man like him for the night sounded like a treat I desperately needed. We hadn’t kissed, but I could tell it would be pretty damn fantastic.

  Just when I was about to say yes, I realized something. “Actually, I can’t.” I sighed in irritation because I was missing out on sex with a hot guy because of Jessie.

  “Oh.” He kept the displeasure off his face, but he couldn’t keep it out of his eyes. “Have plans?”

  “Uh, I have a date.” Cameron was a nice guy and good-looking, but he was so forward that it drove me crazy. He was always telling me how pretty I was, and he laughed at every joke even if it wasn’t funny. There was just no mystery there. But I couldn’t blow off a date at the last minute just because I met someone better. And I definitely couldn’t have sex with one guy then go on a date with another guy two hours later. One-night stands were fine, but if I did that, I’d be a straight-up slut.

  “Bad timing, I guess.”

  I waited for him to ask me out for another time, perhaps tomorrow or this weekend.

  But he didn’t. “It was nice meeting you, Rae.”

  That was it? We couldn’t go out for a drink some other time? “You too, Ryker. Maybe we can go out some other time.” Even though I wanted to see him again, I kept my eagerness back. Being too forward was a turnoff. I quickly learned that from Cameron.

  “Maybe.” He patted Safari on the head. “See you around, boy.” He gave me a final look before he walked off and headed into the crowd.

  I stood there with the leash in my hand, totally bummed out that I missed out on something great. He seemed to like me, so why didn’t he ask me out? It was either now or never?

  But if he wasn’t willing to see me some other time, then he probably wasn’t worth my time anyway. I was okay with being single, unlike most women, but I was tired of falling for all the selfish jerks and not caring about the sweet, good ones.

  What was up with that?