Chapter 12 #4
“That bastard hurt Ziggy.” I dragged the back of my hand over my bloody mouth, then grabbed hold of Ryder’s bicep to pull myself up.
“Keep this safe.” I shoved the broken dental crown into his hand, then launched myself at the driver, ramming him backwards into the side of his truck.
“Fixing that is going to cost me a fortune, you motherfucker!”
“Get off me.” The driver pushed back, looking furious enough to throw a punch, especially after Ziggy started tugging on his boot again.
But I could tell he didn’t like his odds, not with Ryder standing at my back, so he raised his hands and inched toward the truck’s cab.
“Fine, I’m leaving. Call your fucking dog off. ”
Ryder called Ziggy to his side while I stalked after the man, my temper boiling over.
“Yeah, you do that,” I sneered, wondering where in the hell this Thaddeus had been hiding all these years.
“But if you leave even one tyre print on Ryder’s land, I’m going to make sure that video goes viral with your name all over it, Eric.
I can see the headlines now. Council worker kicks dog in brutal infringement of property owner’s rights.
You were on our property when you did that, arsehole.
” Our? I didn’t dare look at Ryder, whose eyes were burning two holes between my shoulder blades.
“I can guarantee it won’t look good for you. ”
The man gave an ugly snort. “Whatever. No one gives a shit.” But he sounded a lot less cocky than he had done. “You’re fucking nuts, both of you.” He dismissed us with a wave of his hand and climbed into his truck.
I shouted through his open window as he started the engine, “Why don’t you tell your boss how you beat up a tiny dog and a guy half your size.
See how much sympathy you get.” As the truck began to creep back in reverse, I walked alongside, still yelling.
“And be sure to tell him I’ll be sending the council my dental bill along with the footage I filmed.
I expect to be reim—” My rant was cut short when Ryder’s arms circled my waist and lifted me off the ground.
“Easy there, tiger.” He carried me backwards, my legs still pumping.
I struggled for all of two seconds before my adrenaline began to crash and I crumpled in Ryder’s arms. His arms locked around my waist, the heat of his body fanning flames across my back, his warm breath grazing my neck, that earthy, workday scent popping goosebumps over my skin and making it hard to breathe.
He kept me like that until the truck was gone, and then his hold loosened. I turned slowly to face him, surprised to find him grinning from ear to ear.
“Don’t know what you’re so happy about,” I grumbled, using the hem of my T-shirt to dab at the split on my lower lip. “And where’s my tooth?”
Ryder patted the pocket of his jeans. “It’s safe. I’m more worried about whether you’re okay.”
Now, there was a question. I thought about how to answer.
My hands were still shaking, my heart felt ready to jump out of my chest, and a ball of fear and anger was still lodged deep in my throat, but— “I think so,” I finally replied.
“A bit shook up, sure. But apart from losing my crown and a split lip, yeah, I think I’m okay. ”
Ryder pinched my chin in his fingers and turned my face from side to side. “Are you sure? Open up.”
I rolled my eyes. “Does that line usually work for you?”
He snorted. “I’m serious. I want to see if he did any more damage.”
I sighed and did as I was told. Ryder tilted my head back and took a good look inside my mouth. He nodded, seemingly satisfied, then dug in his pocket for my broken crown and handed it over. “Should I drive you to a dentist?”
I studied the broken crown and let out a heavy sigh. “Nah. I’ll call my Wellington guy, but I don’t think it’s an emergency.” I ran my tongue over the nub of what was left of the original tooth. “There’s no pain. It just feels . . . odd.”
Ryder eyed me with a soft look in his eyes. “You’ve had a busy day.”
I shrugged. “I got that ventilation program working this morning as well.”
“You did?” Ryder beamed. “On top of going toe to toe with the evil council worker? Damn, Thaddeus. I don’t know what to say, except thank you, thank you.
That’s fantastic. It’ll save me a ton of stress this summer.
You’re a fucking miracle worker.” His hands opened and closed at his thighs like he was holding himself back.
My cheeks burned with his approval. “It was nothing. A way to say thank you, I suppose.”
Ryder held my gaze for a long moment like he wanted to say more. Then he swallowed and flicked his head toward the pile of rocks blocking access to the paper road. “I take it that was you as well?”
I gave the rocks a guilty sideways look but couldn’t stop from smirking. “Potentially, depending on whether you think it was a good idea or not.”
Ryder’s hand cupped my cheek and turned me back around to face him.
“I think it was a bloody brilliant idea.” His blue eyes softened and he leaned forward, his lips pressing ever-so-gently to mine.
It was barely a brush. A whisper. Testing.
Tasting. Like he was trying me on for size.
The tip of his tongue teased along the crease of my lips, grazing lightly over the stinging split.
He was a question looking for an answer.
So, I gave him the only answer I had. The only one that made sense.
The answer I’d been wanting to give him for four days.
My lips parted, inviting him in, desperate to know how he tasted, how he felt in my arms. My hands slid around his neck.
my fingertips delving deep into his sweat-damp hair, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss, wanting everything he had to give.
“Jesus, Thaddeus.” My name issued forth in a rumbling growl from deep in Ryder’s throat.
“You taste so fucking good.” His arms encircled my waist, his hard-muscled body wrapping around mine until all I could feel was him, Ryder, the world beginning and ending with his flesh burning against mine, every nerve in my body bursting into flame.