Chapter 21
Heather
On Tuesday, I’d decided to go into the newspaper’s headquarters only because I was meeting Ryker later at the Northern Lights.
I spent the day cooped up in one of our multifunctional offices—a fancy name for a room with multiple bean bags. Reporters didn’t have designated offices, since we were either in the field or working from home.
I also asked my editor when the article on Pearman would be published—I was almost done editing it.
“Honestly, it’s up to the bosses. You know how these things are.”
Well, that was no help. Articles weren’t published in the order I wrote them, but the clock on my lease was ticking.
I pulled up my account on my phone and paid in advance one more month of rent… and that was the last of my savings. If I didn’t get the bonus paid out within a month, I’d have to move us to a cheaper apartment.
I didn’t want to seriously consider that possibility, though—not yet.
At six o’clock, I sprinted out of the building.
It was a gorgeous mid-April evening, so I planned to walk the few blocks to the Northern Lights.
With kids being on Easter vacation, one would think that the city would be emptier—it had been like that in my hometown growing up, but it wasn’t the case with New York.
When I arrived, the bar wasn’t as busy as usual.
Happy hour hadn’t started yet, but I was just on time, because Ryker was up on the stage.
I took a moment to admire him before I made my presence known.
God, he was just perfect. Everything from the way he moved to those sculpted muscles.
He hadn’t changed out of his suit, but honestly, that just made him more alluring.
Our gazes crossed while he took his seat on the stage.
He lifted a brow. I flashed back a sassy smile. Why not own up to checking him out?
Cole was there, with a man who seemed vaguely familiar.
“Hi, Cole!”
“Hi, Heather. This is Hunter.” Ah, that’s why he looked familiar. I’d seen him in magazines. Ryker jumped down from the stage, greeting me with a kiss.
Cole wiggled his eyebrows at us both.
“Hunter, why don’t you keep an eye on Cole? Don’t know if he can behave,” Ryker said.
Hunter grinned. “And you want to impress, I get it.”
Ryker groaned before focusing on me. “Heather, stay as far away as you can from these two buffoons.”
“Why? Your sisters sang your praises. Maybe one of them will actually tell me the truth.”
Cole held his hand up. “I’m your man.”
Hunter held his fingers to his throat. “Abort mission man, or we won’t be allowed here again.”
Cole winked. “I’ll take my chances.”
“Here’s a brave man,” I said.
“I know, right? Where should we sit?”
“Unfortunately, Cole and I actually have to go. We’re having a late night at the office and just came for a break,” Hunter said.
“And to annoy Ryker, who didn’t mention you’d be here,” Cole said with yet another eyebrow wiggle. I laughed, bidding them goodbye as they left. Ryker jumped back on stage, and I took a seat right in front of it.
One of their waitresses brought over a cocktail on the house. I had no idea what it was—something orange that tasted a lot like sherry. It was delicious.
The place started to fill soon after the guys sang the first notes. I wasn’t really paying attention to the music though. I was too lost in him . God, the way he looked at me… as if there was no one else in the room. As if he sang just for me. My heart was beating wildly.
Sighing, I tore my gaze from the stage, because I needed to calm my racing pulse, and it was obvious I couldn’t do that while holding eye contact with this sexy man. To my dismay, when I went to the bar to get a second drink, I realized two women sitting there were shamelessly eye-fucking him.
“God, he’s hot,” one of them murmured. “I’m bagging him tonight.”
“Is he single?”
“Ryker? Please, he’s perpetually single. Why would he tie himself down? I mean, look at him. He can probably get a different woman every night.”
I forced myself to go back to my seat after getting my drink and focused on the music.
A ball of unease lodged in my chest. Ryker’s personal life was so easy and free.
He was under constant pressure at his job, so he liked to let off steam in his down time.
My life was different—planned to the minute.
I loved it, and spending time with Avery was my favorite thing to do…
but I couldn’t imagine Ryker wanting the same thing.
These few days were different, because it was just the two of us, but what would happen at the end of the week, when my baby was back home? Ugh, why did I have to get negative? Geez, Heather, enjoy the moment.
I stared into my orange cocktail, playing with the tiny umbrella that came with it, making myself a promise.
I’d just enjoy this week, without any what-ifs . After all, I kept telling myself I didn’t want to jump in with both feet again, so why even consider what would happen at the end of the week?
Looking up, I had my answer right there, on the stage, the second our gazes connected. I always felt so immensely happy when I was around Ryker, as if I was more aware of myself. He magnified every sensation. I hadn’t even known it was possible to feel this way.
When the set finished, he jumped from the stage right in front of my table. I rose to my feet, grinning.
“Well, if it’s not the most handsome performer tonight. And the most talented one too.”
“I did my best. Wanted to impress my beautiful date.”
“Oh, me?” I feigned surprise. He laughed, tugging at my hand, then kissing me right there in front of everyone.
I gave in to him completely, and holy hell, in seconds my underwear felt on fire.
Ryker didn’t know how to kiss any other way than smoking hot.
“Do you want another drink?” he asked when we pulled apart.
The two women I’d overheard earlier looked at us in shock.
I tried not to look too smug but failed utterly and completely.
“No, I’m good. What do you want?”
“To kiss you some more.” His voice was a little gruff. I loved it.
“Want to get out of here?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a familiar face. Hank Dawson—he was one of the best reporters in town and had left the competition to build his own news website. What was he doing here? He approached us when he noticed I was watching him.
“Heather! Haven’t seen each other in a long time.”
“Hank, hi. Ryker, this is Hank. A brilliant reporter.”
“Ryker, you’re just the Wall Street man I was hoping to run into. I was wondering if we could chat a bit about the whole Pearman debacle?” Hank took out his phone, no doubt preparing to record. I stilled. Wait, what? He wanted to interview Ryker?
“That won’t be necessary. Heather’s already got everything covered.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“How?” I asked.
“Word gets around.” Hank placed his phone back in his pocket. What was going on? He’d come here just for that?
“Ryker, if you change your mind, here is my card.”
He stretched out his hand.
“I won’t,” Ryker said in a clipped tone. “Heather, are you ready to go?”
“Yes.” Draping an arm around my waist, he turned me in the general direction of the door, and we started to make our way through the crowd.
“Hank just showing up here isn’t good,” I said.
“It’s a hot topic, Heather.”
“Hank came here specifically to interview you. He knew you were performing, and that means he’s already put solid work hours into this.”
I shivered when we stepped outside. The temperature had dropped by a few degrees since I arrived two hours ago.
“Don’t stress about it, Heather. Not right now, anyway.” He cupped the sides of my neck with his palms, splaying his fingers wide.
“I don’t think I can stop.”
He flashed me one of those panty-melting smiles. “Then I need to take your mind off it, don’t I?”
“I guess you do.” I leaned into him, needing the heat of his body.
“Are you cold, babe?”
“A bit. It was warmer when I came.”
“Here, take this.”
He shrugged off his jacket, draping it around me. I was already wearing one, but his was so huge that I could just wrap it around me on top of everything I had on. But now he was only wearing a thin shirt.
“Ryker, you’ll get sick.”
“Nah, I never get sick. Besides, we’ll get in a car in a few minutes.”
I cocked a brow, attempting to shrug out of his jacket. Ryker kept his arm firmly around my shoulders. His gaze was unrelenting.
“You’re so stubborn,” I murmured. “Fine, I’m keeping the jacket.”
“Right answer.”
I was melting at his determination to keep me warm, but I didn’t share his confidence about being immune to sickness.
We bought hot dogs from a stand near the bar and wolfed them down while we waited for our Uber. The second I slid inside the car, it hit me that I was going to Ryker’s place, and I became jittery. I had no idea why I was nervous. After all, he’d been to mine.
Ryker lived in a gorgeous two-story apartment on the fifty-fourth floor of a Manhattan skyscraper. The master bedroom was on the second floor, the living room and a guest bedroom on the first level. It was exactly what I’d imagined his bachelor pad to look like.
Modern art paintings were hanging on the pristine white walls. The furniture was in shades of black and dark brown. And the view… oh, the view.
“Ryker this is beautiful,” I murmured. The city looked so different from up here, magical somehow. It was dark already, but I could imagine that this place was flooded with light during the day.
I felt him come up behind me, touching my arm, resting his chin in the crook of my neck.
“I’m glad you like it. I don’t plan to let you out very soon.”
“Oh, and what do you have in mind to make that happen?”
“I have a few ideas.” He moved his mouth up my neck, teasing the sensitive skin with his lips. When I felt the tip of his tongue, I shuddered. If there was a better feeling than being wrapped in this man, I didn’t want to know it.
“Do you want a drink?” he asked.