Sharing Emma

9. Jolt of Electricity

|EMMA|

"Oh, come on!" I threw my hands in the air and glared at the screen of my laptop, frustration etched on my face. My laptop had gone black for the third time, and I had no clue what was wrong with it.

Yesterday, Carlos had left for his three-day trip, and I had taken the opportunity to work from home. But this was turning out to be a disaster. Every time I tried to enter my ID on the company website, the screen went black, and it took an eternity to get back to working. It was beyond ridiculous.

I needed to buy a new laptop. This was going into the trash.

I groaned and leaned back in my chair, rubbing my eyes. I had a deadline to meet, and this laptop was making it nearly impossible. I considered calling IT, but I knew they would just tell me to restart it and wait it out. I needed a solution, and I needed it fast.

Just then, my phone buzzed with a text from Ryker, and before I knew it, a grin had spread across my face. I couldn't help but feel a little giddy at the thought of hearing from him again. Yesterday had been more than just interesting—it had been exciting, and for once, I had felt like I had really clicked with someone.

He had sent me a tech joke.

As I read the message, my mind wandered back to our conversation the day before. I had been surprised by how much we had in common, and I found myself laughing at his jokes and hanging on to his every word. It wasn't just that he was easy to talk to—there was something about him that drew me in.

And, if I was being completely honest with myself, there was something else there too—a spark, a chemistry that was hard to ignore. Ryker wasn't just attractive—he was hot, in a rugged, scruffy kind of way that made my heart skip a beat. It was a feeling I hadn't experienced in a long time, and it left me feeling a little breathless.

I pondered on what Carlos would make of my newfound interest in someone else. The idea of me being attracted to another man while we were still in a casual arrangement made me feel guilty. However, Carlos had made it clear that I had the freedom to see other people, even encouraging me to explore my options in the past. He didn't want any kind of commitment, and I understood that. But deep down, I hoped that he would be happy for me and not feel jealous or possessive.

Then, another thought bloomed in my head.

I had a sudden idea that I knew was silly, but I couldn't resist. I wanted to see if Ryker felt the same way about me as I did about him. So, I nervously typed out a message to him on my phone.

"My laptop is being a nightmare. Someone needs to teach it a lesson," I wrote.

Almost immediately, Ryker replied. "What did it do this time?"

I giggled at his response. "I don't know, but it keeps freezing every time I try to work on it."

Without hesitation, he responded. "Send me your address. I'll come over and give it a good beating for you."

My heart skipped a beat as I read his text. Was this just friendly banter or was he actually interested in me? I couldn't wait to find out.

I hesitated for a moment before replying, but the excitement of seeing Ryker again got the best of me.

Me: Are you sure? It might be too much trouble.

Ryker: No trouble at all. Besides, I could use a break from work.

I texted him the address.

Me: Thank you so much!

Ryker: No problem, I'll be there in about 20 minutes.

As I waited for Ryker to arrive, my mind was racing with different scenarios of how the evening would go. Would he come in, fix my laptop, and leave? Or would we end up talking for hours and hours? The suspense was almost too much to handle.

In an attempt to distract myself, I went to the kitchen to prepare some snacks. I carefully sliced some fresh fruit, arranged them on a plate, and added a bowl of chips and dip. I wanted to make sure that I was a good host, even if this was just a simple task of fixing my laptop.

After picking up some stray clothes off the floor and fluffing the pillows on the couch, I glanced at myself in the mirror and decided to change my outfit. I had been wearing my comfortable pajamas all day, but now I wanted to look presentable for Ryker. I settled on a pair of denim shorts and a black tank top, hoping that it struck the right balance between casual and put-together.

The knock on the door startled me, and I took a deep breath before opening it. There he was, Ryker, with his usual smirk and piercing dark eyes. My heart skipped a beat, and I couldn't help but feel a little shy as I welcomed him inside.

I walked over to the door, taking a deep breath before opening it. And there he was, looking even hotter than I remembered in his leather jacket and tight jeans.

"Hey," he grinned, his dark eyes sparkling with amusement as he looked me up and down.

"Hey," I managed to reply, feeling my cheeks heat up at his obvious perusal. "Thanks for coming over."

"Anytime," he said, stepping inside and looking around. "So where's the culprit?"

I led him over to my laptop, feeling a little self-conscious as he leaned over it and began to inspect it. "Yeah, it looks like it's seen better days," he muttered, running his hand over the casing.

I watched him work, admiring the way his muscles rippled under his shirt as he prodded at the keyboard. And for a moment, I forgot all about my nerves and just enjoyed the view.

Finally, he straightened up and turned to me with a smirk. "I think I found the problem."

"Oh?" I asked, grateful for the distraction from my thoughts.

"Your computer is infected with a virus," he said, holding up a thumb drive. "I've got the tools to take care of it, but it's gonna take a while. Mind if I stick around?"

I smiled, feeling relieved and grateful. "Of course not. I've got coffee if you want it."

"Sounds perfect," he said, following me into the kitchen.

And as we settled in to work on my laptop together, I couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something more than friendship.

We worked in silence for a few minutes, but it wasn't awkward. I could feel the tension between us, but I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination or if Ryker was feeling it too.

Finally, Ryker broke the silence. "So, do you always wear hot pants when you work from home?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

I felt my face flush with embarrassment. "No, of course not," I stammered. "I just wanted to be comfortable."

Ryker chuckled. "Relax, I'm just teasing you. You look great," he said, giving me a reassuring smile.

I couldn't help but smile back at him. He had a way of making me feel at ease, even in the most awkward situations.

As Ryker continued to work on my laptop, I couldn't help but steal glances at him. I watched as he leaned in closer to the screen, his eyebrows furrowing in concentration, while his hands deftly moved over the keyboard. The soft sound of his fingers tapping on the keys mixed with the hum of the computer fan, creating a soothing melody. I noticed the smell of his cologne, a woody scent that made my senses reel. Every time he looked up at me, I could feel my heart skip a beat. The way his dark eyes locked onto mine, making me feel like the only person in the room, was almost overwhelming.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Ryker straightened up and turned to face me. "There you go, good as new," he said, holding up my laptop.

I let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much, Ryker. You're a lifesaver," I said, flashing him a grateful smile.

Ryker shrugged. "No problem. Anytime you need me to give your laptop a beating, just give me a call," he joked.

I laughed. "I'll remember that."

As Ryker gathered his things and prepared to leave, I couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. I had enjoyed his company more than I wanted to admit, and I didn't want the evening to end.

But before I could say anything, Ryker turned to me. "Hey, would you like to grab a drink sometime? You know, as a thank you for letting me beat up your laptop."

I felt my heart skip a beat. "I would love that," I said, trying to hide my excitement.

The corners of Ryker's mouth curled into a wicked grin, sending a jolt of electricity through me. "Great. How about Friday night?"

I nodded eagerly. "Friday sounds perfect."