Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
Ryan
W hen I wake to the beeping of my alarm, I roll over in my luxurious penthouse bed and fumble for my phone, my eyes opening just enough to see that it’s six am. Groaning, I turn off the alarm, wishing there was time to hit the snooze button.
The last thing I remember was watching The Notebook with Knox on the couch. I throw back the covers and discover I’m still fully dressed.
Holy shit.
Knox carried me to bed, covered me up and plugged my phone in for me.
Memories of us laughing and learning about one another play like a rom com in my mind and giddiness erupts inside me. I roll to the middle of the enormous bed, kicking my feet while I scream into the plush pillow .
Everything about last night felt different.
When I opened the door to his smile, all I wanted was for him to kiss me again. But what we shared wasn’t about romance. Last night was about getting to know each other, and much to my happy surprise, becoming friends.
The evening had been fun.
Easy.
Perfect.
As much as I’d love to lie in bed and relive the memories, I drag myself to the shower and get ready.
Rushing out of my suite, my heart races and my stomach flutters to find Knox leaning against the wall with a paper cup in each hand.
He hands me the one with Horse Girl written on the side, and the sweet-smelling spices of a chai latte warm my heart.
“Hi,” I say, beaming.
“Morning.” A smile tugs at the corners of his mouth.
I take a sip of my tea. “Thanks for this.”
“My pleasure.”
“How long have you been standing out here?”
“Just got here. I sent you a text.”
Pulling my phone out of my bag there it is. His text from eight minutes ago saying he was in the hall with my chai.
He’s been standing in the hall for eight minutes.
Waiting for me.
We enter the elevator, and smile at each other like idiots the entire ride down to the lobby.
The urge to hold his hand is so intense I force myself to scoot to the opposite side of the elevator to stop myself from reaching for him.
A car is waiting curbside to take us to Rockefeller Center, where the band is appearing on one of America’s biggest morning shows.
We climb into the back, and he sits so close that our thighs touch.
When we walk into Studio 1A, he guides me through the hallways with his hand on my lower back, his attention fixed on me.
Never leaving my side until he’s pulled away for the band’s interview segment.
He’s happy. Relaxed. Playful with everyone he encounters. He even winks at me during the commercial break, when he’s whisked outside where the band prepares to perform.
After this appearance, the band has a full schedule of press before dinner with a Make-A-Wish recipient at a charity gala.
Even Trevor would agree, there is no need for me to hang around all day.
So, while the band is performing and their manager is distracted, I sneak away to my apartment.
I need to do more laundry, go through my mail, pay some bills, and get my head on straight.
Being around Knox and his flirtatious mood is like a hypnotic form of torturous foreplay that if I’m reading him correctly, won’t be anything more than that until my assignment is over.
Knox
Where are you?
The name on my phone elicits the reaction of a boy-crazed teen. I’d tell my heart to settle, but it would be futile. At this rate, I’ll need to dust off my vibrator before heading back to the hotel tonight.
Ryan
Went home to do some laundry.
A second later, my phone rings.
“Mr. McKinnon,” I answer, not bothering to hide the smile in my voice.
“I wanna see you.” His voice is low, purposefully seductive.
“Uh, you’re a little busy today.”
“We have a three-hour break. Drop me a pin. I wanna see you and your place.”
“You don’t have time for pit stops.”
“Pin. Now.”
My cheeks burn from grinning at how much I love his bossy tone. “Why do you want to see where I live?”
“I want to know everything about you, Ry.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“This is stupid. You know that, right?”
“Agree to disagree.”
“Knox—”
“Your assignment is over in a few weeks. We won’t be working together forever.”
“Okay. Then what?”
“I have no fucking clue, but I’d like to find out.”
Don’t you dare! My brain screams as I lift my finger and send him my location. My heart whispers, be careful. My libido growls, get it, girl.
“On my way.”
Knock. Knock. Knock.
I called ahead to my doorman to tell him to buzz Knox in when he got here, but he must have been waiting around the corner, because he’s already here. Shit! When I open the door, I’m out of breath from making my bed and tidying up myself and the apartment.
Like a damn God, he looms large in my doorway.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” I repeat, taking in his dark hair and golden eyes before letting my gaze drift to his straight nose, delicious lips, and that damn superman dimple of his. It’s summer in the city but the rock guy that he is still wears black boots with his jeans and black T-shirt.
“You gonna let me in?”
Busted checking him out, I step aside, and he invades my space. He’s a mammoth-sized presence in my small home.
Without hesitation, he begins his inspection of every picture on the walls and knickknack on my shelves.
He points to a picture of me as a kid with my favorite mare. “Cute.”
“Thanks. That’s my sweet Sugar. She passed away last year.”
“Sorry to hear that.”
“Thanks.”
Walking around the kitchen island, he pulls out a stool and takes a seat. “This is the second time you’ve snuck off. Do you not want to stay at the hotel?”
“I wasn’t sneaking off. I just wanted to do some laundry and check the mail. I was so busy with work the other night, I got little else done. Besides, the penthouse expense is unnecessary. It makes me feel guilty.”
“It’s very necessary,” he answers matter-of-factly.
“Why?”
“I like knowing you’re close. It eases my mind,” he says, standing to take a step in my direction as he eyes my legs on display below the hem of my short T-shirt dress.
“Oh.”
“Oh?” He moves closer.
“I don’t really know what to say. Thank you?” He’s near enough to touch. And oh, how I want to touch him.
He chuckles. “Ryan, can I kiss you?”
My heart races and my core aches for him.
I nod my reply.
His hands cup my face, his lips are soft against mine. The smell of his shampoo envelops us as our gentle kiss lingers, as though we have all the time in the world and there isn’t a car waiting on the street below to take him away to his next scheduled event.
“I’m not sure how much longer I would have survived without tasting you again.”
“Can’t lie. I’ve been waiting not so patiently for you to make your move,” I admit.
He drags his teeth over his bottom lip before leaning in for another kiss.
His hands tangle in my hair as mine fist his T-shirt.
I whimper when he pulls away but love the way he rests his forehead against mine.
While he sits in the moment, I wonder if he knows he’s knocking another brick off my wall.
“What took you so long?” I whisper.
“You deserve better than me, Ry.”
“Don’t you think that should be up to me? ”
“I ruin people’s lives.”
Stepping back to look him in the eyes, I question his reasoning. “Is that so? Can you name one life you’ve ruined?”
“Mia’s. Sawyer’s. Angus’s. I would say that’s a good enough place to start.”
He reaches for me, but I lean against the kitchen table, putting distance between us. He doesn’t get to distract his way out of this conversation.
“Mia’s life seems pretty great, and I think that even though Sawyer was unplanned, he’s the best thing that ever happened to her. And I have a feeling he’ll be the same to you very soon.”
“And my brother?”
“Yes, the situation is awkward. Even so, I’m sure he can’t imagine his life without Sawyer.
From what I overheard on that call, the man is in love not only with Mia, but with that little boy.
And let’s not forget. He’s the one who never told Mia or anyone else how he felt.
If you had known he had feelings for her, you never would have gone there.
And if you hadn’t, none of us would have Sawyer. ”
He studies me, his expression thoughtful. “Who the hell are you, Ryan Jameson?”
“Just a girl from Goose Hollow about to shoot her shot.”