Chapter Nineteen Willow
Chapter Nineteen
Willow
Ryker James, my man, the one who makes me laugh and sigh and turns me on with just a look, had a dress delivered to the penthouse. For me. It was waiting on the bed in the primary suite when I got home after the scrimmage.
He bought me a dress. And shoes. The kind with red soles.
How in the hell did he manage to do that? We’ve been on the go, pretty much nonstop, since we got to Seattle just yesterday morning.
Is he some sort of magician?
The man himself walks into the bedroom, and his eyes immediately find me. His lips tip up in the cocky smile I love so much.
“Did you have fun today?” he asks me.
“Of course I did. The question is, did you have a good day?”
Ry nods, watching me. “Being on the ice with the guys was great, and Aiden’s a fucking natural. The fact that you didn’t force him to play junior hockey is mind boggling.”
“You try to force a teenager to do pretty much anything he doesn’t want to do.” I shift on my feet and bite my lower lip.
“What’s wrong, Trouble?”
“Nothing’s wrong. It’s been really good to see Aiden relax and laugh. To be comfortable around your friends. Thank you for including him.”
For referring to him as your kid. I’m shocked I didn’t lose it and crumple into a blubbering mess as soon as Ry said that.
He narrows his eyes on me.
“Aiden belongs wherever we are, sweetheart.”
Swoon.
I chuckle and tuck my hair behind my ear. “I always had a crush on you, but if I’d known just how dreamy you can be, I would have embarrassed myself years ago.”
He slowly walks to me and ghosts his knuckles down my cheek.
“Always?” He tips his head to the side as his eyes roam my face.
“Pretty much.”
“Fuck, was I just blind? Or stupid.”
I smirk. “I think things worked out the way they were supposed to. Now, I have another question for you.”
He kisses my forehead, sending little sizzles of electricity down my body. “Ask, baby.”
“How did you do this?” I point to the dress and shoebox on the bed.
“I made some calls,” he replies with a shrug, as if it’s nothing at all.
“I could have brought something from home if you’d given me a heads-up.”
He shakes his head. “I wanted you to have something new. And I wanted it to come from me.”
“Thank you.”
He brushes my hair back over my shoulder, and there are more sizzles.
“You’re so fucking beautiful, you take my breath away.”
Hello, butterflies. Welcome to the party.
“I haven’t even gotten ready yet.” My hands glide up his T-shirt-covered chest and then into the thick dark hair at the nape of his neck.
“Doesn’t matter.” He presses his lips to my forehead again and then moves them down to my lips for a soft kiss.
“When are we leaving?”
He checks his watch. “In about an hour.”
I feel my eyes widen as I gape up at him. “An hour? Ryker, I need more than that to get ready.”
“No, you don’t. Just put the dress on, and you’re good to go. I told you, you’re fucking gorgeous just like this.”
I blink at him. “I need a shower. A full hair-and-makeup situation. I don’t know where we’re going, but if I’m wearing that LBD, I need to get ready.”
His eyebrows climb. “LBD?”
“Little black dress.” I boost up on my toes so I can kiss his chin. “Now, get out of here so I can get sexified.”
“Baby, I’ll take you against that wall right now to prove how goddamn sexified you already are.”
I laugh and bat at him to make him move. “Don’t distract me. I’m in a time crunch. It’s a good thing I brought all my makeup with me. What are you wearing?”
He smirks at me. “A suit.”
“See? I need to get ready. Go away.”
“I have to get ready too.”
I roll my eyes and start stripping out of the Blizzard sweatshirt and jeans that I wore to the rink earlier. “It takes you twenty minutes to get ready.”
He’s watching me intently, those dark eyes molten as they journey down my body.
“I don’t have time to give you a show, Ry.”
He doesn’t walk away, and I can’t help but roll my eyes as I step out of my jeans and then saunter into the bathroom so I can get the shower started.
“Need help in there?” he asks.
“No. Seriously, I don’t have time to waste here.”
“Being inside you is never a waste, sweetheart.”
Jesus, the things he says should be inside naughty greeting cards.
Exactly fifty-eight minutes later, I finish zipping up the back of the dress and turn to look in the mirror.
I still don’t know what kind of sorcery this man had to work, but the dress and shoes fit perfectly.
The dress is off the shoulder and form fitting through the bodice, with a loose skirt that hits me right at the knee. Add in the heels, and the pop of red on my lips, and I’m feeling damn pleased with myself.
With the black clutch that he also got me in my hands, I stride out of the bedroom and find Aiden, Mac, and Ryker standing in the kitchen, talking.
“Whoa,” Aiden says when he sees me.
Mac grins.
Ryker turns around, and his jaw fucking drops.
Mission accomplished.
He’s so damn handsome in an all-black suit, with a black shirt and tie, with his hair styled. He looks like he belongs on the cover of a freaking magazine.
“I guess we’re staying home,” he says as he walks toward me.
“Why?”
His hands slide around my waist and down to my ass.
“Because men are going to be checking out what’s mine all goddamn night, and I’ll get arrested for homicide.”
“Easy, killer.” I run my hand down his tie and breathe him in. He smells amazing. “You’re so handsome, Ry.”
“They’re gross,” I hear Aiden say to Mac, and I chuckle.
“You’re still taking me out, because I buffed and polished myself within an inch of my life, within the allotted time frame, and now I’m excited to go.”
“It was worth every minute, but there’s something missing.”
“Did I forget mascara again?”
Ry laughs and shakes his head.
“What is it?”
He kisses my forehead and pulls something out of his pocket, and my breath catches.
It’s a blue box. The kind that comes with a white bow and has Tiffany written on the top.
“Ry, you don’t have to buy me things.”
“I like buying you things.” He nudges the box toward me. “Open it, Trouble.”
I tug on the bow and then open the box and feel my heart pound at the sight of the gorgeous diamond earrings tucked inside.
“Okay, these are too beautiful to pass up. I’m keeping them.”
He chuckles and takes one out of the box so he can affix it to my ear. “They’re perfect for you.”
They’re pear-shaped diamonds, easily a couple of carats each, and as he fastens the second earring, I can’t help but think that they’d be perfect for anyone.
“Thank you.”
He kisses me, careful not to smear my lipstick, and then I hear Mac say, “Turn and smile at the camera. You guys got all gussied up—we need a picture.”
After posing for a few quick pictures, Ry leads me to the elevator.
“Come on, I have to show my girl off tonight.”
“Where are we going, anyway?” I stop short and hold up a finger. “Hold that thought. Aiden?”
I walk back into the common area and see Aiden poke his head up over the couch.
“Yeah?”
“Be good.” I smile at him. “It’s my job to say that, you know.”
“I think I need to say that to you,” he retorts, making Mac laugh his ass off.
“I raised a smart-ass,” I say to Ry as I walk back to the elevator. “Okay, now where are we going?”
“I should probably warn you,” Ryker replies as he presses the button for the parking garage. “About six months ago, I bought tickets to this charity dinner thing.”
“And that’s where we’re going?”
He nods.
“What’s the charity?”
“I forget the exact organization, but it’s for kids.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “I don’t buy that. What’s it for, Ry?”
“It benefits foster kids.”
My heart softens even more.
My God, I’m in love with this man.
“Then I’m so glad we’re in town for it. Is it one of those silent auction, fancy-dinner situations?”
“No auction.” He clears his throat. “It’s a mini concert.”
The doors open, and he leads me to his sporty little Porsche, opens the door for me, and helps me into it before rounding the hood to the driver’s side.
“It’s a benefit concert? Why are we all dressed up, Ry? Concerts are casual.”
His lips tip up into a smile.
“This one is different. It’s held at someone’s home.”
I blink at him.
“Okay, start talking, James. What in the hell is going on?”
It’s a beautiful summer night in Seattle as Ry pulls out of the parking garage and merges onto the freeway.
“So you know who Will Montgomery is?”
I blink at him. “The Super Bowl–winning football player? Of course.”
“He’s a good guy. Anyway, his family runs this charity. Apparently, it’s close to their hearts, and you know that if it’s for foster kids, I’ll jump on board. Will’s nephew is married to Sidney Sterling.”
My mouth goes dry. “Sidney Sterling, the megastar who sells out arenas all over the world.”
“That’s the one.” He reaches over and slides his hand up my thigh, under the hem of my dress, caressing my skin. “Christ, you look gorgeous tonight. I’m tempted to pull over and fuck you here in my car.”
“Ry, there’s no room for sex in this car. Now, focus. Are you telling me that we’re going to a Sidney Sterling concert? Not only are her shows sold out, but the resale tickets go for thousands.”
He smirks over at me. “You’re cute.”
“Ryker.”
“First of all, I could pull you over onto my lap and fuck you just fine, sweetheart. I’ll prove it to you before the night is over. Second, we’re going to a private residence on the cliffs for dinner and a private Sidney Sterling concert.”
My mouth is hanging open, but I don’t really care. “How many tickets were sold?”
“One hundred.”
“How much were the tickets?”
He flicks his gaze over to me and then back to the road.
“How much were they, Captain?”
His jaw flexes. “A hundred grand.”
“A hundred fucking grand? Each?”
“Each, Wills.”
My heart is going to simply bounce right out of my chest.
“Do I want to know whose house we’re going to? If you say Oprah, I will have a heart attack, Ryker. I’m not kidding.”
“Not Oprah.” He’s laughing now, and I want to sock him in the nose. “Leo Nash.”