“I’ll bet you’re really good at that, Em. Especially with the kids.”
I shrug modestly but my heart warms at his words. “I don’t know how good I am, but I really like it. I work with some amazing children.”
“How long have you lived here?” he asks, changing the topic again.
“Almost four years.”
“I have to admit, I was surprised to find out you lived on your own.”
I tilt my head in question. “Really? Why?”
“Didn’t think it would be parent approved.” His tone is light, but something dark passes over his expression at the mention of my parents. It instantly has my own questions rising to the surface. Ones I am not sure I want to know the answers to.
“I’m twenty-four-years-old, did you really expect me to live at my parents’ house my entire life?”
He shrugs as if the thought is possible, which jacks up my annoyance. “Considering how controlling they were when it came to you, I figured it wasn’t a far off assumption.”
“It’s been six years, things change.” Okay, not really, but I’m feeling a little pissed at his know-it-all attitude right now to admit to it.
“Are you trying to tell me your parents were okay with you moving out from under their control?” he asks doubtfully.
What the hell is his problem? “I’m telling you I’m not a child, Ryder. I make my own decisions.” He grunts and it makes me want to slap his sexy face. “What do you care anyway?”
We both glare off with one another, the room thick with angry tension. I hate thinking about how accurate his assumption is. It makes me remember the stipulation that was enforced on me – having to live in this upper class high-rise that’s owned by a friend of my fathers.
Ryder releases a deep breath and shakes his head. “Look, I’m sorry, Emily, I’m being an asshole. This is not what I came here for.”
“Why did you come here?” I ask, a little nervous to hear the answer.
“I wanted to see you. I thought maybe we could grab some dinner and catch up.”
I rear back in surprise. “That was your way of extending a dinner invitation?”
“Yeah. Charming, aren’t I?”
I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from smiling and turn my face away, not ready to forgive him for being so rude. Even if his assumption was correct.
I feel him move closer before his warm, rough hand cups my cheek, the simple, long forgotten touch sending a jolt of electricity through my body. He turns my face toward his. “I came here because you were the first person I thought of when I knew I was coming back, and I wanted to see you.”
His intense, dark green eyes shine with sincerity, and have me desperately wanting to say yes. I want to spend time with him; I have thought about him so much these past six years, more than I care to admit. But the other part of me, the one that still holds scars from when I was seventeen, is too afraid. Just seeing him again has proven he still has some hold on me, if the way my body reacts to him is any indication.
“I’m sorry, I can’t.”
“You can’t?” I shake my head, my heart heavy with disappointment. “Why? Are you seeing someone?” His expression tightens, seeming bothered by the thought, which I find odd.
Why would he care?
I think about lying, the thought of him feeling jealous brings a small level of satisfaction, but I don’t want to be petty, and I’ve never been a good liar. “No. I’m not seeing anyone. At least not anymore,” I add, wanting him to know I haven’t just sat here pining for him all these years. Which isn’t a complete lie, I did have a relationship with Richard, but he doesn’t need to know it ended over a year ago. I briefly think of Kyle, and how my parents have been so pushy the last few weeks. Especially since my sight has returned. I quickly shove the thought away since it only upsets me more.
“Then why?” he asks, clearly wanting a reason.
“I’m busy.”
He shrugs easily. “That’s fine, we can do it tomorrow night.”
“Sorry, I’m busy again.” Damn, I’m a terrible liar.
“Doing what?” he asks suspiciously.
“Uh…” Come on, Emily, think. “I’m going out with Cece.” That’s actually happening tonight, but if I get him to leave soon he will never know any different.
He smirks seeing right through me. “That’s fine. I’ll be here for a few weeks so there are plenty of other nights.”
Weeks?
His gaze moves to my coffee table where my cellphone is and I’m just about to grab it but he ends up snatching it first. “Hey, what are you doing?” I try to swipe it from him but he holds it up over his head where I have no way in hell of reaching it. Seriously, who is this tall?
I watch him tap the screen then hear a ding come from his pocket a moment later. He hands me back my phone with a cocky grin. “Thanks. Now that I have your number I’ll call you soon and we will set up a time when you aren’t busy.”
I glare at him and rip my phone out of his hand. “It seems you are even more arrogant and bossy than you were in high school, Ryder Jameson.” I throw his whole name into the equation, not bothering to hide my annoyance.
He doesn’t seem the least bit offended, if anything his cocky smirk only spreads. He steps closer, and before I can register what he’s about to do, he wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me flush against him. I suck in a sharp breath at the feel of his erection against my stomach. My heart thumps wildly and heat shoots through every part of my body, including the spot between my legs.
He bends down, bringing his lips to my ear. “And you are a terrible liar, Emily Michaels.” His voice is husky and smooth as he throws back my full name at me. “You seem to have forgotten that when I want something, Em, I don’t quit until I get it.”
What is it he wants? Me? Just dinner? Me for dinner? Oh lord, the last thought has heat exploding through me. I try to think of a witty response but my brain is short-circuiting from the feel of him against me, and boy does he feel good, and he smells really darn good too.
He leans back slightly and cups the side of my cheek in a gentle gesture. The tender and familiar action from so long ago has my eyes falling closed. And for the first time since seeing him, I remember him the only way I have ever known him, through feeling. It’s my comfort zone and it brings me back to a time when this man completely owned me – heart and soul.
I feel his forehead drop on mine. “I’ve missed you, Em.”
His words have my eyes snapping open and I stare back into his dark green ones. The one question I have wanted to know for six long years, the one that left my heart pained, rises to the surface. I dig deep for courage and I’m just about to ask it when a loud bang on my door startles me.
I jump back from him with a yelp. My heart pounds a million miles a minute as we stare back at one another, the air thick with tension. When there is another knock I quickly move forward, and try to compose myself before answering it, which is really hard to do when I can feel Ryder’s eyes on me. I open it to see Cece on the other side. Well shit!
“Hey, babes, you almost ready for our big night out?” she asks as she steps in. “Gah, I can’t wait for some Channing Tatum, that man is one fine piece of aaaa…” She comes to an abrupt halt at seeing Ryder standing not far behind me. Her eyes bug out of her head and her mouth drops open. “What. The. Fuckburger!” she blurts as she gapes at him in shock. I would find the entire situation funny if I weren’t still shaken up myself.
“Cece…” Ryder greets easily. “I see you still like carrying your big purses around,” he muses before turning to me and quirking an eyebrow. “Plans with Cece two nights in a row?”
I glare at him silently, not having anything to say now that I’ve been busted. He chuckles arrogantly as he strides toward me and I’m taken by surprise again when he pulls me against him. “I’ll be seeing you, Em.” His words hold promise, and after pressing a quick, hard kiss to my forehead, he struts his sexy, arrogant ass out my door as if he didn’t just tilt my world on it’s axis.