Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
“ I see,” Riley murmured, her mouth pulling down as she tapped the steering wheel.
“We need to get him back to Portland,” Mrs. Harrison said, her voice soft and vulnerable, even through the phone’s speaker. “They have programs. Options. Do you think we can get him to talk about it at the dinner?”
Riley pinched her lips between her teeth, her eyes straying to the house she was sitting in front of. “I don’t see why not,” she offered. “I…I haven’t spoken to him about coming yet, but I think it’ll be fine.”
Two big things in one day might be a lot for Antony, but after his text last night, Riley’s hope was starting to take on a life of its own. He had company. Most people would assume the question Riley should be asking was, who? Who came to see Antony?
But that wasn’t the question at all. Riley didn’t care who visited. She cared that Antony let them in and actually wanted to spend time with them, as evidenced by his telling her to stay home.
“I hope so.” Mrs. Harrison sighed. “I feel terrible that you’re the one taking all this on, Riley, but I want you to know that I’m so grateful for you. ”
Riley’s lips pulled into a small smile. “I don’t mind,” she responded honestly. “You’ve always been family to me. Family helps family.”
“Well, let’s hope you still feel that way after all this is over.” Mrs. Harrison laughed softly. “In other words, let’s hope that Antony doesn’t drive you away. I rather like the idea of you becoming my real daughter.”
Stupid blush. How many times was it going to sneak up Riley’s neck and face. Stretching her neck from side to side, she tried to figure out how to respond, but Mrs. Harrison moved on, as if she could sense the awkwardness.
“I’m sorry to have taken so much of your time,” the older woman said, her voice rushed. “I’ll let you go. I’m sure you have things to do.” A dog barked in the background. “Oh. Looks like it’s dinner time. Love you, Riley. Thank you, again!”
The line went dead, and Riley looked at the phone with wide eyes. “Well, that was awkward and odd.” Riley shook her head and stuffed her phone in her bag. She had several things to carry inside tonight, and she was going to need her hands.
Grabbing the cake box, her purse, and the bag of exercise equipment she’d bought, she barely managed to get through the gate and down to Antony’s door, where she knocked with her foot.
Sweating, she waited for Antony to come. The weather was definitely heating up. The run was going to be uncomfortable, to say the least.
“Why don’t you live somewhere more temperate?” she scolded herself.
“Riley!” Antony jerked the door wider. “Why didn’t you?—oh.” He scooted his chair forward and held out his arms. “Dang. What all did you bring?”
Riley huffed and dropped the bag in his lap. “Just a few things I thought would be useful.” She held up the box. “And the rest of a cake Aspen brought me. ”
“A whole cake?” Antony’s dark brows furrowed. “What did she want?”
Riley’s heart stuttered, knowing they’d been her own words just the day before. “My best friend can’t bring me a cake?” she shot over her shoulder.
“She can , but usually she brings slices,” Antony retorted. “If she brought you a whole cake, there was a reason.”
Riley set everything on the kitchen counter, then turned and tilted her head, raising an eyebrow as an answer. This wasn’t exactly how she wanted to start this conversation. Maybe if she played it off, she could bring it around another way that would help put him in a better mood to answer in the affirmative.
“Don’t tell me,” Antony drawled, rolling his eyes. “It was a commiseration cake because we’re dating.”
“What!” Riley gasped. “You take that back!”
Antony shook his head and pushed a hand through his hair. “Yeah, well, I wouldn’t put it past her to think that was funny.”
“Your family loves you,” Riley snapped, then stopped and forced a slow breath. Arguing wasn’t going to help. “Sorry.”
Antony’s chin hung to his chest. “No, I’m sorry. I started it.”
After a moment’s debate, Riley walked over, hesitating just in front of his chair. When Antony didn’t look up, she took the bag from his lap and set it aside, slowly easing herself into his lap.
Antony’s head snapped up, and his eyebrows nearly reached his hairline. “What are you doing?”
“Does it hurt?” Riley whispered.
Antony shook his head. “No.” His eyes darted back and forth between hers.
After easing herself down, Riley wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a quick kiss. “I missed you yesterday.”
The tension in Antony’s forehead eased, and his arms came around her hips. “I missed you too.”
She kissed his cheek. “This isn’t so bad, is it?”
Antony grunted .
Riley pulled back and smiled at him. “Can’t you just see us rolling around the neighborhood like this? What other guy gets to hold his girlfriend while taking a stroll?”
Antony chuckled and shook his head. “How do you always find the silver lining?”
She tapped his nose. “Practice.”
Those eyebrows went up again. “You sure you weren’t just born this way? You were always a happy kid.”
“You know,” Riley mused, narrowing her eyes. “It always cracks me up when you talk about when I was a kid. One…it sounds like you’re saying you were never a kid. And two…you never paid me a bit of attention when I was little.” She smirked. “You were always so much older …”
Antony scowled. “I’m not that much older.”
Riley put a hand to her forehead. “We’re not even in the same decade,” she said breathlessly. “I don’t know that my parents would approve.”
Antony pinched her side, causing Riley to squeal. “Are you sure you want to go that route?” he asked. “I might be old, but I’m not someone you can walk over, sweetheart.”
“Thank heavens for that.” Riley began to play with his hair. “Have you given any more thought to a man bun?”
Antony scowled.
“Just sayin’,” she teased, not bothering to hide her grin. “So…”
“So?”
“Who came over last night?” Riley brought their noses together. “Do I need to be jealous?”
Antony chuckled, and one of his hands came up to the back of her neck. “If Gavin putting handicap bars in my bathroom and building my bed frame makes you jealous, then by all means, be jealous.”
Riley closed her eyes as he massaged the nape of her neck. “I guess that’s a good cause,” she whispered, that hope flaring brighter. “As long as you didn’t kiss him.”
Antony muttered under his breath. “Gavin’s pretty, but I’m pretty sure we both have other people in mind when it comes to kissing.”
Riley opened her eyes and smiled. “Oh? Anyone I know?”
He tugged her toward his mouth. “Give me a sec, and I’ll introduce you,” he rasped right before taking Riley’s breath away.
If Antony wasn’t so busy convincing Riley that he wanted to kiss her, he’d head over and smack Aspen upside the head.
Meddling sisters were the worst, and Aspen had a penchant for sticking her nose where it didn’t belong. Riley had done a good job distracting him, but Antony knew more was still coming.
That cake wasn’t free. He just needed to figure out what it was before Aspen ruined his newfound relationship.
Riley pulled back first, gasping for breath, but leaving her hands in his hair. “Forget the man bun,” she panted. “I like it long like this.” She ran her hands through to the ends, sending tingling sensations through Antony’s scalp.
He closed his eyes. “Yeah? You don’t want me to pull it up like a girl?”
“Do you think that would make you as pretty as Gavin?”
His eyes popped open to see Riley grinning like a loon. A cute loon, but a loon nonetheless. “You’re ridiculous.”
She scrunched her nose and rubbed it against his. “And yet you keep me around.”
Letting go of her, he rolled them toward the kitchen. Okay, yeah…he could see the benefits of having a wheelchair. At least for this one thing. The list of cons was too long to consider.
“If I’m going to be manipulated into doing something I don’t want to do, I at least want the cake,” he muttered.
Riley sighed and went to get off his lap, but Antony immediately held her back. She looked at him with raised eyebrows .
“I, uh…” He let go of her hip and rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry. Nevermind.” What was he thinking? She couldn’t just sit on his lap all the time. Of course she would need to get up and take care of things. It’s not like he could do it.
“Antony,” Riley whispered, cupping his scarred cheek.
The sensations always seemed so much stronger when she touched his burned skin. Did she know she was doing that? Was it a conscious choice to touch him there, or did she simply not notice?
“Hey, soldier,” she said in a flirty tone once their eyes had met. “Mind saving my seat for a minute? I’d like it back when I’m done.”
It was like looking at the sun, only instead of it burning his eyes, Antony found he couldn’t look away. She was so full of sweetness, and somehow she knew exactly what to say to ease the situation. “I’ll do my best,” he croaked, then cleared his throat, wishing he didn’t sound like such a pansy all the time. Riley had to think he was a total wimp.
Her smile, however, never shifted as she slowly uncurled from his lap and began rummaging in the cupboards. His eyes couldn’t seem to look away. That ponytail swayed against her back as she worked and Antony had the fleeting thought that he hadn’t seen her with her hair down since he got back. Not even at Estelle’s wedding. Riley always, always , had her hair pulled up.
An urge to see it fully loose and run his fingers through sent a jolt through him, and Antony clenched his fingers into fists so tight his knuckles ached. “Something to look forward to,” he muttered to himself.
Riley paused and looked over her shoulder, causing panic to hit Antony in the gut, concerned that she’d heard his personal pep talk. “Where’s Griffin?”
Antony did his best to be discreet about blowing out his tense breath. “Um…the owners upstairs have taken a liking to him. Mrs. Cummings asked if she could spoil him for the evening.”
Riley made a face, then began laughing. “Seriously?”
Antony shrugged. “I think her husband won’t let her get a pet and this way she gets time with one, but doesn’t have all the responsibility for it.” He chuckled. “Besides, Griffin tends to come back drowsy and happy. I have no idea what she feeds him, but he doesn’t seem to mind it.”
Riley shook her head and went back to cutting slices of cake. “If she’s not dealing with the responsibilities, it means you’re the one handling the consequences too.” Turning, she held out a plate with a thick slice of cake on it.
He’d never eat the whole thing, but Antony reached for it anyway, only to have RIley pull it back.
She tilted her chin in the air, giving him an arch look. “Uh, uh…girlfriend privileges first.”
Tilting his head and hoping he was conveying amused tolerance, Antony patted his good thigh.
Practically dancing on her tiptoes, Riley stepped forward and eased back into his lap. “Now,” she said, twisting just a little so her shoulder was against his chest. “Say, ah.”
Was she going to—? Like a dumb baby bird, Antony obediently opened his mouth and let Riley feed him a bite of cake. Then he watched, entranced, as she took a bite for herself, closing her eyes and humming with contentment.
This woman was going to kill him before all was said and done.
But at least it would be an amazing way to go.
Several bites shared later, Antony broke the building tension before it drowned him. “What was Aspen buying with this?” he asked. He could have cursed himself when the light in Riley’s face dimmed.
Her lips pursed and pushed to the side while her eyes settled on the cake.
Antony let his head drop back. “That bad, huh?”
“No, I just…” Riley blew out a breath. “I was just having fun, and now I’m afraid you’re going to be upset.”
Could a person spend their entire life kissing another person? If not, why did Antony have the insane desire to do just that? Maybe his head really did get messed up in the accident. Nothing in the world sounded better to him than keeping Riley right where she was and staying in their little bubble forever. No weird family requests or interfering sisters.
The thought was so ludicrous that he couldn’t stop the snort of laughter that escaped. His attempts to stop it were far too slow and so were the second…and the third.
Scowling, Riley slapped his chest and moved to get off his lap.
“No, no,” he said, continuing to laugh. It was stupid, really. But for some reason, now that he’d let it loose, he couldn't seem to pull it back. It was as if months and months of laughter had built up in his chest, and there was no stopping it before it was over. “I’m not laughing at you,” he managed between chuckles.
“Right,” Riley snapped. Shaking her head, her lips tilted down, and she made to move again.
“I’m serious,” Antony said, finally getting himself under control. “I was laughing at myself.” He took a deep breath, though a wide smile still split his face. “You looked so cute, and I was thinking how I wanted to hold you here and kiss you forever. Then I realized how stupid that was because normal people don’t do that, and maybe my head really was messed up from the accident and—” He cut off as Riley’s eyes widened, only to let loose more laughter. “Sorry,” he said. “I’m a mess.”
Riley’s shoulder dropped, and she huffed. “Yeah, well…I suppose I can forgive you. Just this once.”
“You’re an angel.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Better ask me Aspen’s question quick before we lose all of this.”
Riley’s face immediately turned pink, and she slumped against him. “Your whole family wants me to convince you of something.”
“And that is?” Antony braced himself.
Her green eyes slowly came up to meet his. “They’d like you to come home for a family dinner after the race.”