Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
LYLA
I force myself to put one foot in front of the other, putting distance between us as I walk quickly down the hall and back to the kitchen. My chest is tight, and I will my body to remember it needs to breathe as I try to take in air that this man just stole from me.
Never in my life have I ever felt that alive…that wanted. I should have been afraid. He’s everything I said I would never have again. Dominance and control ooze off of him. You can feel it in the air when you are next to him. This unseen energy that snakes across your body, wanting you to give in to temptation.
But I wasn’t afraid. My body didn’t flinch when he touched my cheek. In fact, it was the opposite. I wanted to lean into his touch and feel it more. That’s when I knew I had to step back and break contact. Wanting things I can’t have will only result in someone getting hurt.
Pushing him out of my thoughts as best as I can, I walk through the door and grab another tray of desserts. All that matters now is getting these treats into the hands of the guests. The more people who taste what I can create, the more chances of getting that small break that I so desperately need.
Balancing another tray on one hand, I make my way to the reception, this time being more careful around closed doors. I breathe a sigh of relief when I see dinner plates just now being cleared. I’m not running behind like I thought I was.
The bride and groom wanted small desserts at each table right after dinner. They plan to cut the wedding cake later so guests can get another treat later this evening.
I get busy passing out the desserts to each table. Two other wait staff members join me on the other side of the room as I watch my sweets get handed to people. I can’t help the pride that washes over me when someone takes a bite, and you can see the bliss as the flavor hits their tastebuds.
Images of him sucking his finger clean enter my thoughts, and I quickly shove it back down. I’m handed another full tray as I pass the empty one to a helper.
“Lyla!” I turn to the table next to me and see the mother from the restroom earlier smiling at me. She’s surrounded by big, tatted men, and with their dark hair and grey eyes, there is no mistaking they are related.
“You guys know each other?” A deep voice fills the air, sending shivers down my body. I force myself to stay in place as I turn to look at him. I blink, surprised when I see him holding the little girl with auburn hair and big blue eyes on his lap.
“We met in the bathroom earlier. Lyla, this is my husband, Ryder.” She beams over at the guy sitting next to her. His big tatted arms are holding a sleeping newborn. He smiles over at me, and I can’t help but smile back.
“Hi, Lyla. If those desserts taste half as good as they look, then we are in for a treat,” he says, eyeing the tray in my hand.
“Thanks.” I feel the heat creep up my cheeks when I feel everyone’s eyes on me, especially the one I’m avoiding looking at. I don’t need to look at him to know he’s watching my every move. I can feel it deep in my soul. I quickly start passing out the desserts to keep myself busy, so I don’t have to think about how he’s making me feel.
“Don’t keep her all to yourself, Eve. I didn’t get my introduction.” I hand him his dessert, and he gives me the most award-winning grin that has probably earned him a lot of panty drops. “I’m Miles, Ryder’s brother and clearly the better-looking one at the table.” I bite back my grin at his playfulness. There’s something about him that you just can’t help but want to smile.
“Oh please,” the dark-haired girl says beside him, rolling her eyes. “Do those pickup lines actually work for you?”
“Yeah, they do,” he laughs. “Every time.” He takes a bite of the dessert, and his eyes get wide. “Holy shit, that’s good. You’ve got to marry me so I can enjoy this whenever I want. You being gorgeous is just icing on the cake,” he grins up at me, and a small laugh escapes.
“For fucks sake, Miles, leave the girl alone.” I look over at him, and he’s got his big hands over Ryland’s ears so she doesn’t hear him cuss. I can’t stop the way my heart flutters at how unbelievably cute that is. He’s glaring at Miles, which is only making his brother grin wider.
“I’m Savi, the sister who has had to put up with all of them my entire life.” She takes the dessert from my hand. She is beautiful with her raven hair and big blue eyes. I can’t imagine what it’s been like to be surrounded by all this testosterone her whole life.
“You deserve two,” I say, giving her an extra as a small smile plays on my lips.
“Yes, I do,” she laughs. “I love you already, Lyla, and I haven’t even tried your amazing dessert.”
“And last but not least is Jake. He’s the one brooding in the corner over there, and for the life of me, I can’t figure out why,” Eve studies him from across the table.
“I’m not brooding,” he mumbles. “I just don’t want Miles to scare her off before I get my piece.”
“You may not make it out alive once Jake tastes it. He’s been known to fight me over the last piece of chocolate cake in the fridge. Maybe you should give me your number just in case you go missing, and I need to rescue you if he kidnaps you.” He watches Jake for a reaction and laughs when he gets daggers thrown his way.
“Trust me, if I were to kidnap someone, the only thing they would be begging for is to stay.” His eyes land on me, and for a brief second, I find myself wanting to know how it would feel to be at his mercy. Something flashes in his eyes that causes my legs to go weak. I have a feeling he’s thinking the exact same thing.
Miles throws back his head and laughs as he gets another eye-roll from Savi. “I’m going to have to steal that one from you.”
I reach out and set the chocolate next to Jake, making sure it’s out of reach of the little girl on his lap. She looks up and hands me the paper she had been drawing on. I glance down, and the princess is covered in stickers, and crayon marks are scribbled all over it.
“Pwincess,” she says, giving me another one of her toothy grins.
“It’s beautiful, Ryland. You did such a good job on this drawing.” I swallow down the lump in my throat and hand it back to her.
“I think she wants you to have it,” Jake says, studying me. It’s unnerving when he looks at me like that. He has a way of seeing things that can’t be seen.
He takes the paper and folds it before sliding it into the pocket of my pants since my hands are full. His fingers briefly linger on my thigh, leaving a burning on my skin that I know I’ ll feel for days after. His eyes darken to a cloudy storm before he places his hand back on the table.
“Thank you.” I don’t know how I manage to get the words out when he always seems to steal the oxygen from my lungs. I slide another dessert next to him, and his lip turns up at the extra piece I gave him. “For Ryland,” I say, not wanting him to get any ideas but knowing damn well I’m lying to myself and him. I secretly love the way he enjoys my desserts and want him to have more.
“I wouldn’t dream of thinking anything else,” he chuckles. I quickly glance around the table and push down the emotions this family has a way of making me feel. Things I don’t want to feel…things I’m afraid to feel.
“It was nice meeting you guys. I better get back to the kitchen and help clean up.” I don’t give anyone a chance to say anything because I’m passing my tray to the first available staff I see, then I’m out the balcony doors and running down the steps to the beach on my next breath.
I don’t stop until my legs are on fire and I feel some of my control come back to me. Running is the only thing that has saved me. When I run, I can let go of all my fears, making me feel…free.
“Jesus, you're fast,” he pants out behind me.
I whip my head around at the sound of his voice. “You followed me?”
“Not one of my greatest ideas since I had no clue you were an Olympic runner.” He has his hands on his knees and tries to catch his breath.
“You seem fit to me,” I angle my head and look at him. “I’m surprised you couldn’t keep up.”
“I’m wearing dress shoes in the sand and have been eating and drinking all night. I think I kept up pretty well, considering.” He stands up and runs a hand through his dark hair .
I noticed when I came back to his table that he didn’t bother with a jacket this time. His white sleeves are rolled up now, fitting tight against the black ink. I pull my gaze away and focus on the ocean, hoping it will bring me a sense of peace.
“Why did you follow me?” I ask quietly.
“Truthfully, I have no fucking idea. I’m not used to doing the chasing,” he chuckles. “Ever since I saw you at the wedding, I can’t get you out of my head, and I don’t know what to do about it.”
He steps closer, and every part of me wants to run in the other direction, but I can’t. My feet feel like they are cemented into the sand.
“You confuse the hell out of me,” he says, studying me. “One minute, you’re looking at me with such longing in your eyes that all I want to do is take you in my arms and never let you go.” He takes another step closer, and my heart and mind rage a battle inside me. “Then, in the next minute, you are running in the opposite direction like you can’t get away from me fast enough.”
He takes the final step toward me, and the air around us becomes thick as our energies blend together. Watching me carefully, he slowly lifts his hand and brushes back the hair that escaped my ponytail.
“I followed you because every part of my being wants to run toward you.”
“This can’t happen,” I whisper. “Whatever this is between us can’t happen.”
His thumb brushes across my bottom lip, and I resist the urge to taste him. He leans closer and cups my neck with his hand. “Your body is telling me otherwise,” he breathes against my ear. His warm breath caresses me like a second skin. “If you’re going to run from me after tonight, at least leave your taste on me so I have something to remember you by. ”
One kiss wouldn’t hurt, would it?
He’s right because, after tonight, our paths are very unlikely to cross. We live in entirely different worlds. I find myself parting my lips, and a deep growl vibrates from him when he realizes what it means.
“Just one kiss,” I whisper. His hands capture the sides of my face, and I allow myself to lean into his touch.
Just this once, I pretend I’m someone else, and the reality waiting for me when I return to my tiny apartment doesn’t belong to me. I’m going to allow myself to feel something that no other man has been able to pull out of me. The one tiny part of me, still hidden in shadows, fighting to find the light.
His lips finally touch mine, and it’s like an ember that finally takes a flame. He’s soft at first, but I know he’s holding back because I can feel his muscles straining against me, fighting to stay in control. This should scare the hell out of me, but all I feel is him. My tongue hesitates before swiping it across his bottom lip.
A deep moan escapes his body as his tongue invades mine. I feel everything in this kiss. Everything I always wanted but knew I could never have. My hands find his back as I hold him tight, wanting to crawl inside him where it feels safe and warm. He presses further into me, and a moan escapes when I feel him hard against my stomach.
His mouth devours me like I’m the one thing he’s craving and can’t get enough of. When he pulls on my lip with his teeth and finally breaks away, we both are panting hard. His hands stay locked around my face, his fingers digging into the back of my head.
Reality slams back into me just like I knew it would as panic starts to swell inside me. I try to pull back from his grasp, but he holds me tight.
“Don’t go.” The plea in his voice is like a knife to the heart. “ Just stay the night with me. We don’t have to do anything. We can just talk. I’m just…I’m not ready to let you go. Whatever it is that you are scared of, we can figure it out. You can trust me.”
Fear creeps in so suddenly that I feel myself start to shake in his arms. “I can’t. I’ve got to go.” I push out of his grasp and stumble backward. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you. I was selfish, and I wasn’t thinking of your feelings.”
“I don’t give a fuck about my feelings, and I sure as hell don’t regret that kiss. I just…I want to make things better for you.” He sighs and rubs the back of his neck. “I know that makes no sense since we just met, but I can’t shake the feeling that my whole life has led me here, to this moment…to be standing in front of you.”
“I’m not the girl you need,” I say sadly, wishing it were another lifetime and things were different. “If you want to make things better, then you need to let me go,” I manage to whisper the words between my lips when all they want to do is ask him to make it better…to take it all away.
I soak him in one last time and watch the battle in his greys as he fights with the emotions swirling in them. I try to commit him to memory so I can always keep him close, then I turn and walk away.