Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
RYDER
It was almost eleven when I pulled into the visitor’s car park of Thaddeus’s swanky apartment building. It sat over the harbour like a glittering pier. I switched off the engine and stared up at the scattered lights winking at me from the expensive address.
Naomi had been right. If Thaddeus owned one of these, he wasn’t short of a bit of coin.
But it also didn’t fit him either. Not the Thaddeus I knew.
Or if he did love it, then how in the hell would he cope with the kind of environment that I needed?
Because I sure as hell couldn’t live in something like this.
Jesus. Maybe I was making a mistake, after all.
He was wearing your sweatshirt.
That’s right. He was. I had to believe that meant something.
And there was only one way to find out.
I locked the car and headed for the entrance, the still-warm evening air glossing over my skin. In the foyer, I searched the list of intercom names and found Thaddeus’s next to Penthouse, Apartment 15.
Penthouse? Holy shit.
I pressed the buzzer and waited.
No one answered.
I tried a couple more times, my hope deflating by the second.
Was he watching me through the camera? Had he already decided we were done?
He was wearing your sweatshirt.
As I was giving it one last try, the elevator doors opened behind me, and a woman’s voice came over my shoulder.
“If you’re looking for Mr Grey, he moved out a few days ago.”
I spun to find the woman indicating a real estate sign pinned to the board with a SOLD sticker attached. She studied me with curious eyes. “Word is, he’s heading up to Auckland. I hope it wasn’t important.”
Only if breaking my heart into a million pieces could be considered important. I thanked her and headed back to my car, cursing myself for leaving things too long. For my pig-headed determination to keep my heart safe. For my cowardice.
Auckland, the woman had said, and I wondered if it had anything to do with the sale of his company.
Maybe Thaddeus was kicking the dust from his heels and starting afresh.
I couldn’t blame him for that. I left the car park and headed home, intent on devising a plan to track Thaddeus down the next day.
Delia Cumberland would be a great place to start.
That woman sure as hell knew more than she was letting on.
I turned into my driveway an hour later, almost running into the back of a strange car blocking my way. I switched off the engine and stared at the late-model Audi.
Who the hell was paying me a visit at almost one in the morning?
I didn’t know anyone who owned a fucking Audi.
And I was in no mood for conversation.
It occurred to me that it might be some council arsehole come to bust my balls after the meeting, but it was surely too late, even for them. Still, the idea made my blood boil, and since I was itching for a fight, bring it on.
I threw open my door and stormed toward the Audi. I peered in the driver’s window, ready to take names, but other than a few boxes on the back seat, the car was empty.
“Hey, Ryder.”
I spun at the sound of my name on the lips of the man I loved and had to stop myself from bridging those few remaining metres between us and scooping him into my arms. I had no idea why he’d come here, after all, so instead, I awkwardly folded my arms over my chest and tried not to look like I was about to shit my pants.
Maybe he’d only come here to say goodbye.
“Hey, Thaddeus.” I flicked a glance at the Audi. “Nice ride. At least you got this one here in one piece.”
A small smile broke over his lips. “Yeah, practice makes perfect, right?” He cast an eye over the mess the council had left and sighed. “Jesus Christ, Ryder. I can’t believe they did this to you. I’m so sorry.”
“They were going to make their point one way or another,” I assured him. “Delia told me about the campaign and what you did.”
He shrugged. “I guess I really pissed them off if they did this to you.”
“It wasn’t your fault. What you did was amazing.”
His expression relaxed a little, but he still seemed uneasy, and the night fell silent as we both struggled with what to say next. A ruru called from behind the cottage, and Thaddeus glanced in that direction.
“You’ve lost weight,” I observed, wondering what the fuck was wrong with me that I felt the need to point that out. But he looked tired as well. Dog tired.
Thaddeus’s mouth twitched. “Yeah, you too.”
I nodded. “I find I don’t like eating alone anymore.” Come on, Ryder. Get your shit together. You’re better than this.
Thaddeus gave another quick smile, there and gone in an instant, then replied, “Must be catching.”
I swallowed, glanced at his chest, and managed, “Cute sweatshirt.” Oh, yeah, I was on a roll, all right.
Thaddeus glanced down at his—my old sweatshirt, and finally, a grin that actually met his eyes. “What can I say? It holds good memories.” He switched his attention to my T-shirt. “I could say the same about what you’re wearing.”
I looked down and shrugged. “Just goes to prove we’re a couple of arses, right?”
A much longer silence this time, then—
“Thaddeus—”
“Ryder—”
We spoke at the same time and then laughed.
I swept a hand in front of me. “Please. You first.”
Thaddeus nodded. “I didn’t see your texts until I’d left the meeting.
When I did, I decided to take a chance and come straight here.
I didn’t want to talk with everyone around.
I hope that’s okay.” He winced. “The truth is, I didn’t want to reply and risk you saying no or not tonight.
When you took longer than I thought to get back, I decided to sit on the front deck and wait. ”
“I drove to your old apartment,” I blurted. “After the meeting.”
Thaddeus’s brows hit his hairline. “You did?”
I nodded. “I wanted to talk too, and I wanted to thank you for tonight. Some woman in your building told me you’d sold and that she thought you were moving to Auckland.”
Thaddeus was watching me closely as he said, “It’s certainly an option.
I have an interview up there next week with a company working on green hydrogen as a renewable fuel.
Their software engineer had to return to the UK due to a family issue.
They need someone with skills in the electrolysis component. ”
I bypassed the complicated reasoning and skipped straight to the important part. “If moving to Auckland is only one option, then that means you have others, right?”
He bit his lip and studied me intently. “I don’t need boots on the ground to do what I do. The majority of my work can be done with a reliable and fast internet connection and regular trips to Auckland.”
I took a small step forward. “But you sold your apartment.”
The corner of his mouth quirked up, and he mirrored my step forward. “I hated that apartment.”
I fought the hope growing in my heart as I took another step forward. “Where will you live?”
He took a lot longer to answer this time, finally settling on, “That depends.”
I took another step. “On?”
There was a glimpse of light in his golden eyes. “Well . . . I was kind of hoping you might help me figure that out.”
My heart thundered against my ribs. “I’d like that. I’d like it very much.”
Thaddeus’s shoulders dropped, and he took a sudden gulp of air.
“That’s . . . good, cos I was thinking maybe I could look for somewhere close.
An easy drive from the cottage?” His turn to take a step.
“That is, if you can forgive the past mistakes of a man who is falling head over heels for you, who very much regrets hurting you, and who wishes with all he has that he could go back and change everything.” He frowned.
“Except for the liking you part. And the Ziggy part. And, of course, the whole swimming hole incident, and the glow worm thing. Oh, and the sleeping with you part as well, cos the sex was kind of hot.” He bit back a smile.
“I wouldn’t change any of that in a million years.
But I would change the fact that I wasn’t upfront with you.
And I’d change how ignorant I was about some of the work I’ve done.
And I’d promise that would never happen again. ”
I closed the distance between us and scooped him into my arms, burying my face in his hair and drinking in his scent until it flooded my heart.
“And I’d tell you that I should’ve listened and not been so quick to judge.
I’d tell you that I hated it when you left, and that all I’ve done since is think of you and wish I’d done things differently.
I’d tell you that I ran too. That I was scared of letting you in and then losing you like James.
And I’d tell you that I realised all of this and sent that first text before I even heard your speech. ”
Thaddeus leaned back, his eyes wide in disbelief. “You did?”
I nodded. “It was during the break.”
Thaddeus beamed from ear to ear. “Thank you. That means so fucking much. Thank you for believing in me.”
“Shut the fuck up and let me kiss you.” I pressed my mouth to his, slow and gentle, just a brush of lips between hot breaths, a cautious coming home.
His hands grasped my hips and drew me closer, the contact firing a low thrum of heat in my groin—a need I’d spent three weeks pretending I didn’t have to meet.
He arched his back, our cocks brushed, and his fingertips dug into my flesh, demanding more.
Our tongues collided, and all decency was set aside.
We devoured each other, hungry and desperate and aching to connect.
I fisted the back of his sweatshirt, my sweatshirt, and the world narrowed to a small bubble of blissful sensations—the brush of his moustache over my beard, the familiar scent of him crashing through my brain, his greedy tongue, his delicious taste, and those golden eyes locked on mine.
Everything in its place.