Prologue
"You're going to The Imperial with me tomorrow morning, Riv. Be ready by 8 o'clock," said Russell Wilson, who was seven years older than twenty-two year old River Ann Wilson.
"Yes bro. I'll be ready. Good night," she said, going to her room to retire for the night. Her family owned The Imperial hotel in Las Vegas which was a four star property currently managed by her two brothers Russell and Rowland who were the oldest children in the entire Wilson family.
Her family lived in Fordsville, Great Falls, Montana where they were the largest dairy producers in the region. They were renowned and a trusted name in the horse rearing and selling business too in the Great Falls area but River had no interest in those fields.
She had always been attached to Las Vegas where she used to live with her parents till the age of thirteen. So when her parents had decided to return to Fordsville, she was devastated. The main reason being Tyler Jed Parker.
He was the older brother of her best friend Carmella and seven years older than both of them. Still, River was hopelessly in love with him. She still remembered the day she met him. It was etched in her mind permanently.
Flashback
Nine years ago
"It's just a night's stay at my house. I'm sure your parents wouldn't mind. Please Riv," pleaded River's best friend Carmella. Carmella wanted River to spend the night with her at her house after her birthday party.
"I'll try to coax my parents to give me permission. It's still two days away, Carmel," said a thirteen year old River.
Both friends were too excited for Carmella's birthday party that her parents were hosting at their huge mansion. River had already bought a new dress to wear to the party. All she needed now was permission to spend the night with Carmella after the party was over and everyone went home.
After a lot of coaxing and pleading, River finally got her permission. She packed a small backpack with her essentials and her dad dropped her off at Carmella's house.
She rang the bell and an excited Carmella opened the door and ushered her inside the luxuriously decorated mansion. The expensive paintings, the huge crystal chandeliers, the expensive leather upholstered sofas, the rich velvet curtains and the exquisitely handcrafted carpets all added a regal charm to the entire house. It looked more like a tastefully decorated palace than a home. River was too hesitant to touch anything lest she dirtied the meticulously neat and clean house.
Carmella just laughed at her,"Chill, mom doesn't mind at all. There are people to clean everything. Just relax. Ok?" She said and River felt a little more at ease than before. She led her to a small banquet hall which was decorated in a rockstar theme. There was a buffet laid out in one corner and a drinks bar in another serving mocktails and fruit juices. There was a nail painting station and a tattoo station too, but what caught her interest was the hair styling station.
She led Carmella towards it," Let's get our hair done Carmel," she suggested excitedly.
"You get yours done before the crowd comes in, I'll go get my nails painted," said Carmella.
After ten minutes, River's short blonde hair was styled in waves which bounced as she walked. A beautiful hair accessory was fixed to her hair to accentuate her dress. Carmella squealed with delight."You're looking fab, girl," she said and River couldn't wipe the grin off her face.
"Car, your party starts in 15 minutes, hope you're ready? Where's the cake?" asked a husky male voice that made River's hair at the nape of her neck stand up. Who could own such a delicious voice? A deliciously hot male maybe?
She whirled around and came face to face with a hot, sexy, tanned guy not more than twenty years of age, staring down into her eyes. His piercing green eyes made a hole on her face as he looked into hers. River couldn't look away, she was hypnotised to the spot. He was wearing a black tee shirt, with its sleeves rolled up showing his bulging biceps. The tee shirt clung to him like a second skin and he looked like a specimen from a fashion magazine.
"Hey, when did you come home, bro? Yes yes, we're ready. The cake will be brought in just before cutting, " said Carmella, excitedly.
"Oh, bro meet my best friend, River Ann Wilson. Riv, this is my brother, Tyler. He's in college, " she introduced.
River held out her hand for a shake but he simply held hers and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. She blushed at the gesture and lowered her eyes, still feeling Tyler's gaze upon her.
"Isn't she gorgeous, bro?" Said Carmella, with a wink at her brother.
"Yes, very," he said in his deep, husky voice. River was more embarrassed than she'd ever been and she glared at Carmella who only laughed at her.
Tyler chuckled and left them to enjoy as all the other friends rushed inside. The party was a huge hit yet River's eyes searched for Tyler. She had a crush on him already at first sight.
Carmella cut the cake and they all fed her a piece. Then her friends smeared the cake on Carmella as she shrieked with horror, running away from them. They chased her with pieces of cake in their hands. River turned around to go after them when she collided with Tyler's chest.
"I I'm sorry, I didn't see you," she said, looking at the cake, she had smeared accidentally on his leather jacket. She wiped her hands on a paper napkin and picked up another to clean the mess she made.
Although she was very engrossed in cleaning up the mess on his jacket, yet she could feel his hot stare upon herself. The closeness and the smell of his cologne and aftershave filled her senses. His hot breath fanned her face as she tried to concentrate on what she was doing. Her cheeks coloured when his hands clasped hers and took the napkin from her hands.
"Thank you, River," he said in his same husky tone and River looked up into his green eyes, feeling lost again.
He hadn't left her hand and she was too lost in his eyes to pull it away. The sound of giggles brought her back to reality and she jumped away from Tyler and hurried towards her friends. Tyler stood watching her, transfixed to the spot.
The party was over and everyone left for their home. Carmella and River went up to her room to change for bed. Carmella wanted a shower so she used the ensuite in the adjacent bedroom while River used Carmella's ensuite.
River wrapped a towel around herself and came out of the en-suite to get her pajama shorts and tank top.
"Car, do you have a spare charger? I've misplaced mm," Tyler's husky voice stopped mid sentence as he came into his sister's room.
River froze at the sight of him inside the room. She saw his jaw drop as his eyes took in her whole body, clad only in a towel.
She came to her senses and turned around to run back into the en-suite and hide but her foot slipped on the bath mat. To her utter shock, she felt herself falling. She tried to hold onto something but failed as she closed her eyes, bracing herself for the worst possible outcome.
Two strong arms, held her and pulled her onto a hard chest. "You should be careful River," said Tyler as he held her close, saving her from falling.
He had discarded his jacket and she could feel his rippling muscles under her palms through his thin tee shirt. Feelings alien to her filled her mind and body and she ached to be closer to Tyler. His warm arms around her towel clad body made her tremble like a leaf. His deep gaze didn't leave her eyes for a second as he held her close, his eyes lowering to take in her entire body minutely.
He abruptly left her and walked away towards the door, leaving the room and closing the door after him. River was confused, she couldn't forget the blissful feeling of being in his arms. She missed his embrace already.
She was in love and she knew it. She went towards her backpack and pulled out her clothes. Going back to the en-suite, she wore them like an automaton, her mind and body only thought about one person, Tyler.
The whole night she couldn't sleep as thoughts of Tyler filled her with a yearning to be with him, to see him to be in his arms.
The next morning, Tyler had already left for college when she went downstairs. Her dad had come to pick her up.
She decided then and there that she would again come here to see Tyler. She would get to know him and make him realise how she felt about him.
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Featured picture: Channing Tatum as Tyler Jed Parker
