Crave


Thanks to all that are following and those that have reviewed. I appreciate it, I hope the sex scenes aren't too bad lol.

I just wanted to remind you all that this is in the angst/hurt/comfort category and as I said in the first chapter I already have written a lot from a point in the story later on… it's tempting to just carry on and them be the fun couple that you'll see in this chapter, but then I would waste all that I have written for later on…

Anyway… On to the story…


After their 'shower', Ryan and Summer jumped into Summer's car and found a small diner. They both ordered burgers and ate them hungrily, following that they ordered a large ice cream to share.

Ryan was pleased to see Summer didn't have the issue some girls had with their food, he was reminded most recently of Lindsay who only picked at her food.

"Here you go, my darlings," the waitress said, placing a huge ice cream sundae in the middle of the table. She placed a spoon in front of each of them and smiled thoughtfully, "you two make a sweet couple, I remember the days I used to share ice cream with my husband," she rubbed her large belly, "can't be doing that anymore," she moved away from them. "Enjoy, darlings!"

Summer smiled and picked up a spoon, "awww, she's nice, but why is she assuming we are a couple?"

Ryan gave her a look, "maybe because you keep playing footsie with me under the table?"

Summer grinned, "oh yeah." She picked the cherry off the top, "want my cherry, Ryan?" Her eyes glistened with subtext.

Ryan smirked, leaned across the table and took the cherry in his mouth from her fingers as she stretched to reach him.


It was after 1am by the time Summer had driven them to wherever it was she was taking him.

She found a parking spot and jumped happily from the car, he followed her down a street and was half worried half excited at the animated glances she kept throwing his way, unable to contain her enthusiasm.

Other than that she hadn't given anything away about where they were going.

"We're going to a club?" Ryan asked in surprise as they rounded a corner and Summer gestured happily at the neon lights stating "The Beach" above a queue of people.

Summer nodded, taking his hand and pulling him past the queue to the front.

To Ryan's surprise the bouncer grinned when he saw her, "hey, Summer, long time no see –",

Summer grinned, "Hi Trev," she let go of Ryan's hand as 'Trev' reached down and gave her a hug.

Trev was a huge muscular guy with a crooked smile and shaved head. Totally not the type of person he'd imagined Summer to be on first name basis with. She was full of surprises.

Trev noticed Ryan as he released Summer and she reached for his hand. It was Trev's turn to look surprised, "well, I've never known you bring anyone here before."

Summer shrugged, "first time for everything."

Trev stepped to one side to let them in, "have a good time you two…" he gestured to the guy at the counter taking money and nodded to Summer to go in.

She winked at him, "thank you," and dragged a shocked Ryan through the doors.

The guy taking money gave them a thumbs up sign and waved them past without them having to pay.

Ryan was still frowning, as she led him towards some steps to take them down a level, he could hear thumping music coming from below, he pulled her arm back slightly, "Summer – what –"

She turned and smiled broadly at him, "as Trev said, I've never brought anyone with me before – but this is where I come to relieve tension and have a good time… I haven't been since we made our arrangement due to relieving tension in other… ways, but you're stressed about Trey so I thought it might help you too –"

What was she talking about Ryan wondered, "getting drunk?" he asked.

Summer shook her head, "no silly – I'm driving!"

"You want me to get drunk?" He didn't think that would be the best idea –

Summer was rolling her eyes, "no! Dancing, silly!" She turned back to the stairs.

Terror swept through Ryan, he didn't like dancing.

"Don't worry," Summer glanced back at him and must have seen he was internally freaking out, "it's late, that's the reason I come here at this time."

Ryan sent her a confused look, they reached the bottom of the stairs and Ryan scanned the room.

It was a typical dark club with flashing lights, thumping music and gyrating bodies.

Summer had to shout so he could hear her, "it's late," she repeated, the nodded to the dance floor, "everyone's already wasted."

She laughed seeing his look, he wasn't getting it.

She leaned closer, "it means, you can dance like no one's watching!" She nodded back at the dance floor, "they're all too pissed to care what you're doing…"

He realised she was already slightly moving her body to the beat from where they stood.

Summer laughed at his face. She pointed out the bar, "go get drinks then, Atwood." She smirked at him, "and watch…" and she blew him a kiss and she backed onto the dance floor.

She soon disappeared into the crowd and Ryan did as he was told, going to the bar and ordering two cokes.

After he walked back to the side of the dance floor drinks in hand. He couldn't see Summer and he felt uneasy as he took in the older guys in the room. Did she really think coming here on her own had ever been a good idea? At least she had said she stayed sober, in other words.

Ryan noticed some more steps to the side, where there was a tiered area and seating. He headed over and up the stairs and found a seat overlooking the dance floor.

Everyone was drunk, she had been right about that. They obviously all thought they looked the bomb, but it was just arms and legs and people tripping up over each other, out of time dancing and shouting the words to the song.

It took him a few minutes longer to locate Summer in the gyrating crowd.

He had to grin when he saw her.

Summer was pretty much in the middle of the dance floor, ignoring everyone around her and dancing like… well, like no one was watching.

But Ryan was.

He laughed to himself as he saw she was singing along to the song, "let's do this one more time!" The whole crowd shouted along to the song.

If he hadn't known better he'd have thought she was drunk. She moved far more gracefully than the crowd around her though.

Ryan glared as a guy tried to start dancing with her, putting his arms on her hips and grinding, he was angry for a split second, but had to laugh as Summer made an "eeew" type face, removed the guy's hands and danced her way to another part of the dance floor.

Summer seemed to be aware of eyes on her and he watched as she struggled to scan the edge of the dance floor where they had previously been due to her height in the masses.

Eventually she seemed to give up and go back to full on dancing like she didn't care.

It was beyond cute.

He kept his eyes locked on her as he smiled to himself watching her dance and let go for a few more songs. He saw a few more guys checking her out, but no one else made a move to dance with her.

Ryan took a few sips of his drink and when he looked back down at the dance floor, Summer's brown eyes found his. She smiled widely and waved to him.

He gave her a grin and waved back.

Summer raised her eyebrows and beckoned to him to join her on the dance floor. Ryan laughed and shook his head. Then he picked up her drink and pointed to it.

A new song merged into the last beats of the one before and Ryan could just make out a club version of an older song he knew.

She nodded in understanding, but held up a finger indicating she wanted to dance to the song he recognised. He nodded back and continued to watch her amused.

Summer kept her gaze on Ryan as she got back into the rhythm of dancing, she would break their stare to do a turn in her dance or to move and find more room from the drunks around her, but she would keep catching his eye as she sang long.

As the beats of a new song started, Summer pointed at the sign by the exit for the toilet mouthed "I need to pee," Ryan nodded giving her a thumbs up to show he understood.

He settled further back into his chair now not having something to watch downstairs, and suddenly was aware of a presence behind him.

He turned a bit more to see who was right behind him and found a tipsy looking blonde girl, she was looking behind her back at some girls who seemed to be gesturing her forwards.

When she turned to face him she gasped to find he was looking directly at her, she smiled nervously, "hi," she shouted over the music.

Ryan did his best to muster a smile, not wanting to be a compete jerk, "hi," he shouted back.

"Can I get you a drink?" She asked.

Ryan grimaced, "er, no… thanks… I'm kinda here with someone…"

She looked disappointed, "are you sure?" she shouted. "You've been sat on your own ages, maybe she's gone home with someone –"

"She's been dancing – she'll be up in a minute," he gave her a sad smile and half turned his back on her hoping she'd take the hint.

Ryan turned towards the stairs in time to see Summer bound towards him, he grinned at her and passed her a drink.

Summer looked hot and sweaty and she grabbed the glass from him thankfully, drinking half of it quickly to help cool her down.

She popped it back on the table behind him and gave him a shy smile, "I'm a freak, right?"

Ryan laughed, "totally."

Summer eyed up the girl over his shoulder who was watching them with interest, "who's your friend?"

Ryan shrugged, looking sideways over his shoulder, "some drunk."

"Umph," Summer made a noise and moved towards him gripping the back of his neck and pulling him into a hungry kiss, marking her territory.

She pulled away, "so, if you're not going to dance, we should go?"

Ryan shook his head, "I'm actually enjoying myself." He gave her a sexy grin, "you're putting on quite a show Roberts."

"Well, as much as I love dancing, I'm only going back out there if you come –" she glanced back at the girl who hit on Ryan, "I'm not leaving you here with these vultures."

Ryan rolled his eyes, "one girl has spoken to me – in comparison, pretty much all the guys have checked you out."

Summer stepped away from him, but took his hand, "well you'll have to dance with me then, huh?"

"Sum, I don't dance when I'm drunk. You've got no chance when I'm sober."

Summer sighed and pulled him to his feet anyway, she casually wrapped her arms around his neck and brought their noses together. "Then let's go get a room."

"We've got a room," Ryan deadpanned.

It earned him a glare and a smack to his arm, "I know, dumbass," and then she kissed him again.


Ryan arrived home Saturday late afternoon, after an interesting yet enjoyable evening at Summer's club, they two had returned to the motel room and not had much sleep.

Ryan had ended up ringing the front desk in the morning and paying extra to keep the room until the afternoon just so they could actually sleep.

He'd enjoyed the outing to the diner and club and the snuggling to late afternoon with Summer just as much as the sex.

After dumping his bag into the pool house, he went to greet Seth Sandy and Kirsten in the main house.

"Hey," Seth said, hardly looking up from the video game he was playing from his position on the floor

"Hey man," Ryan went into the kitchen and pulled out a can of pop and took it back into the other room, he slumped down onto the sofa. Tired and pleased to be home to rest, but missing Summer already.

"How was Chino?" Seth asked, stealing a look at Ryan from his game.

Ryan thought about his time in "Chino", he didn't realise he was sitting there with a goofy grin on his face, "good."

Seth picked up on Ryan's grin after a few glances and paused his game.

Seth smirked at Ryan, "well you obviously got some last night," Seth waggled his eyebrows for emphasis.

Ryan nearly choked his drink, "what – how did you?"

"I'm picking off a range of signals from what I call my laydar," Seth grinned at his brother widely, "-you seem in a better mood than when you left yesterday. Case in point, that big grin on your face. So, tell me, who was she?"

Seth pulled himself from his gaming position on the floor to the sofa, and beamed wickedly at Ryan.

Ryan groaned, "I'm not giving you details of my sex life, Seth. You don't go into details about you and Anna –"

Seth shrugged, and incher closer, "well –" he began.

Ryan groaned louder cutting him off, "- I don't wanna hear it man, some stuff should be private y'know."

Seth was pouting, "well was it just a one night stand or you got yourself a girlfriend?"

Ryan pulled himself up and started towards the back door, "bye, Seth." He called over his shoulder.

Seth shrugged to himself and slid back down to the floor, picking up the controller he un-paused the game and started clicking away again.


A/N: The song Summer is dancing to when Ryan first sees her on the dance floor is Starships, Nicki Minaj (in my mind anyway!)

Then the song where their eyes meet and Summer sings along to him, is a club version of "Because the Night" (original version is by Patti Smith that Ryan knows, and there is a clubland version too)