Chapter 19
Ryker
“Mr. Ryker, did you like my poster?” Avery asked next Thursday, after we left the science fair.
“It was interesting,” I replied. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Heather was about to burst out laughing.
Interesting was a very generous way to describe the few volcano drawings and pics on the poster.
Honestly, some of the projects looked like they were an April Fool’s joke, which was appropriate since it was the first of April.
That prompting was all Avery needed to go into detail about formation of volcanoes and whatnot. Then she switched gears, talking about her upcoming trip to her grandparents’. She was leaving next week for her Easter vacation.
On the way home, we passed an ice-cream parlor.
“Want to go for ice cream?” I asked. Avery practically lit up. Heather narrowed her eyes. She saw right through my tactic. I wiggled my eyebrows, putting an arm around her shoulders, pulling her nearer.
“You’re cheating,” she whispered.
“I know,” I whispered back. But I didn’t know the rules yet, and I planned to play the clueless card for as long as possible.
The ice-cream parlor was full, so we stood in line. It was almost our turn when Heather’s phone rang.
“I’m going outside to take this,” she said.
“Sure.”
“What does your mom usually buy for you?” I asked Avery when we had to order.
“A cone with three scoops,” she answered in one breath.
“Okay. Let’s buy yours.”
Avery was so ecstatic that I couldn’t help grin. Was it really this easy to make kids happy? I’d always thought there was more to it.
Heather joined us just then. Her eyes bulged when she noticed Avery’s cone.
“How much ice cream is that?” she asked.
“Three scoops,” I said. “She said that’s what you usually buy her.”
“Kid-sized scoops.”
I glanced at Avery. “You didn’t tell me that.”
Avery shrugged. “You didn’t ask.”
“Fair enough.”
Heather laughed, pointing to a table. “Wait for us there, Avery. We’ll buy ours and join you.”
Avery practically ran away, as if afraid her ice cream might get confiscated. I took Heather’s hand, pulling her closer to the counter. “What about you?”
“Mango. You?”
“Not really in the mood for ice cream.”
“What do you want instead?”
I didn’t answer. Instead, I ran my fingers lazily up and down her palm, making my intention clear.
I wanted her . Heather cleared her throat, but her voice was slightly breathy when she ordered her mango ice cream.
Her cheeks were a little flushed. Fuck, I loved seeing her react like this to a simple touch and implication.
She was still blushing when we sat next to Avery.
She’d already finished hers, though by her appearance, she’d smeared half on it on her face, her hair, even on her jacket. She was already eyeing Heather’s cup.
“So, Avery, what are your plans with your grandparents?”
“I will play all the time. I have a big room at their house. And they have a huuuuge yard.”
“I think Avery would move there if she could,” Heather joked.
“I love Arizona. It’s warm, and I can always play outside.”
“See? She crushes my heart every time.” On a smile, she added, “We should get going. It’s late. And you need to get to the Northern Lights, right?”
I nodded. “Yeah. My set starts in an hour.”
“Mommy, the nice man at the counter said he’ll give me cookies before I leave. Can I go get them?”
“Sure.”
Heather kept an eye on Avery as she darted to the counter.
“By the way, I’m coming in for a second round of interviews next week, just before I drop off Avery at the airport. Danielle—my editor—just told me she spoke to Owen.”
“Perfect. Stop by my office when you have a break.”
“Why? I’m not interviewing you.”
I smiled, touching a hand to her cheek. “Interview isn’t what I had in mind.”
“Ryker….”
“Just come by my office,” I repeated. Her eyes flashed. She licked her lower lip. I dragged my thumb over the same spot. Fuck. I just wanted to pull her behind the store and kiss her until she begged for more.
“I’ll consider it.” Her tone was teasing, but by the light tremor in her body, I knew I’d already won the battle. I liked that every time we were together, she gave in to me more easily, that she was more open. “Go, before you’re too late.”
I was shocked to discover I wasn’t looking forward to performing as much as usual. In fact, I would’ve preferred to spend the evening right here. I’d never considered ditching a chance to perform for anyone except my family… until now.
The next week was brutal, full of ups and downs on the stock market. I kept my cool, as usual, which was one of the reasons I’d shot to the top as quickly as I did.
Whenever I had a spare moment, I messaged Heather, and even dropped by with dinner one evening on impulse.
I barely kept from inviting myself over more often.
I didn’t want to push too much, too soon.
I had no idea how my life could change so drastically in just six weeks, since I’d first noticed Heather at the Northern Lights, but I liked being with them—both of them.
Friday had always been my favorite day. This one even more so, because Heather was inside the building for another round of interviews.
But right now, I had one of the city’s heavy hitters sitting on the other side of my desk.
He wanted reassurance. I was confident in my predictions, the advice I gave to clients.
“You know I’m right.”
“You always are. You made me a lot of money.”
“Then trust me on this one. The stock value will recover within a month. All indicators are in line with that prediction.”
I got to my feet, signaling that this meeting was over. Usually, I didn’t hurry clients, but I needed him out in the next few minutes. Heather had been here for a few hours. She was finishing the interviews in about ten minutes, and I didn’t want to miss the window of opportunity to see her.
“Okay. Okay. Let’s keep in touch next week.”
“Of course. My door is always open.”
Except now.
I showed him out, using the pretext to check where Heather was.
Still in the meeting room. She had her back to me, but her interview partner, Melissa, waved when she saw me.
That prompted Heather to look over her shoulder.
Her eyes widened slightly. I didn’t do anything to give us away, just walked back to my office and texted her.
I was craving her nearness. I’d thought it was hard to behave around her the first time she was here for interviews…
but now, after I’d touched her, after I’d had a taste of her, I couldn’t be around her and not want to be near her.
I paced the office, smiling when I heard a knock. I went to open it right away. Heather stood there, looking sexy as hell in her little black suit.
I pulled her inside, locking the door.
“Did you just lock the door?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Don’t want anyone walking in on us.”
“And a locked door wouldn’t give them any reason to question what’s happening in here?”
She made a good point, only I didn’t particularly care. I walked her backward to the wall, cupping her head as I pushed my hips against hers, and kissed her the next second.
She tasted like coffee and chocolate, and I fucking loved it. She moaned when I coaxed her tongue, pushed her hips into me when I skimmed my hands down the sides of her body. I tugged at her shirt before remembering where we were. Damn. I was hard. I pushed myself into her, wanting her to know.
She moaned again, rubbing against me. I planted both hands on the wall to keep from just yanking away her clothes.
“Wow, that’s a hell of a greeting,” she murmured, but then wiggled out of my grasp.
I noticed my right sleeve was loose. Heather had dislodged one of my cuff links.
We both saw it on the floor. She blushed when I wiggled my eyebrows at her.
“Don’t go. Stay just for a little while. We can make up a reason,” I said.
“I wish I could… but I need to drop Avery off at JFK. Mom is arriving from Phoenix at four o’clock to pick her up. Then their plane leaves for Phoenix one hour later.”
I wanted her to stay a while longer. What had I been thinking, imagining that a few minutes would be enough? Honestly, this was so new to me that anything I imagined was probably incorrect.
I stalked toward her, but she held up a finger. “No, no. I can already feel that my lips are swollen. Probably a bit red too. You can’t kiss me again.”
“Want to bet?”
She laughed, rubbing her neck with one hand. “When do you finish work?”
“Probably around seven.”
“Want to have dinner together? At my place?”
“Fuck, yes.”
“Okay. We’ve got a plan. Aaand I’m off before you try to kiss me again.”
“Hey, you’re the dangerous one.” I pointed to the cuff link on the floor.
She laughed, but she scurried out the door the next second, closing it behind her as if afraid I might go after her if she didn’t.
Well, there was a real risk I would. I couldn’t believe that I felt euphoric just because she wanted to catch up later.
It meant that she couldn’t wait to be with me any more than I could wait to be with her.
Heather
The rest of the day was a marathon in the true sense of the word. Mom waited for Avery and me in front of the check-in counter, as usual.
“Hey!” I kissed her cheek, pulling her into a hug.
“My girls, I’ve missed you.” She hugged us both before pulling back and giving me what I liked to call the Mom-check.
I was still wearing the black suit I’d conducted my interviews in, but my hair was in complete disarray.
My mother never left the house looking anything short of perfect: coiffed hair, flawless makeup.
“Hon, why don’t you take some time off and join us?” Mom asked.
“I have a lot of deadlines coming up. I’ll visit soon, though. I promise.” I turned to Avery. “Be good, okay? And listen to Gran and Pops.”
“Yes, Mommy.”
“Okay, check-in all done. Say goodbye, girls, we need to go through security,” Mom said.