Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 88841 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88841 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
“Are you serious?” he says, stepping closer to me. I’m sitting on the edge of the sofa, so he kneels in front of me, his eyes locking with mine. “You might work for me, but I’d like to think there’s more to us than just that.”
“Like what?” I breathe, the air surrounding us suddenly thick with tension.
“Like … more.”
The word is simple yet confusing at the same time. Because more can mean so many things.
“More … like friends?” I throw out, then hold my breath, waiting for his response, unsure if I want him to agree or tell me what’s happening between us is more than that.
Ryder stares at me for several seconds before he nods once.
“Yeah,” he agrees. “Like friends.”
My stomach sinks, and I realize in this moment that I was hoping for a different answer from him. But it doesn’t matter because despite his flirting, he only sees me as a friend. Which is for the best because the last thing I need is anything more anyway.
“Friends,” I parrot, plastering on a smile.
“Friends,” he repeats.
“Well, now that we’ve established we’re all friends,” Paige says, reminding me that Ryder and I were having this entire conversation in front of an audience, “can you watch Kira’s daughter so we can have a girls’ night?”
“Of course,” Ryder says, standing.
“Awesome. What about the weekend after next?” Paige suggests, looking at her phone. “Next weekend, I’m attempting to pry John away from his job to go to a bed and breakfast, just the two of us.” She looks up and rolls her eyes, but I can hear it in her tone that she’s worried about their relationship, and my heart goes out to her. There’s nothing harder than being the only person in the relationship fighting for it.
“I’m down,” Ana says.
I glance at Ryder, who’s looking at me with an unreadable expression.
“Can you watch Violet?” I ask.
“Absolutely,” he says with a small smile.
“Yay!” Paige exclaims. “Girls’ night!”
Ryder shakes his head and chuckles, and it’s then that it hits me—he’s in here with me without our daughters.
“Are the girls okay?” I ask him.
“Yeah.” He nods. “Julian is keeping an eye on them. I came in here to make sure it’s okay for Violet to have ice cream before lunch.”
“Sure,” I tell him. “If she gets to be too much …”
“We’re good,” he says. “Enjoy your girl time.”
With those words, he heads back out, leaving me staring at the cords of muscle that make up his back.
Once he’s gone, Paige says, “Ho-ly shit. What was that?”
“What was what?” I ask, turning to her in confusion.
“That,” Ana says with a smirk, “was two people living in denial.”
Paige laughs. “It is the longest river in Egypt.”
“What are you talking about?” I question.
“You and Ryder,” Ana says.
“Totally having the hots for each other,” Paige finishes.
“Did you not hear him?” I ask. “We’re just friends.”
Paige and Ana both snort out a laugh.
“Okay, keep telling yourself that,” Paige says. “But the heat in his eyes when he looked at you was hot enough to damn near set this room on fire.” She fans herself.
“I think you’re seeing things,” I mutter.
“Sorry, girl,” Paige says with a laugh. “My eyesight is twenty/twenty, and I know exactly what I saw.”
“And what’s that?” I ask, too curious not to take the bait.
“A man,” Paige says with a smirk, “who is falling hard.”
“And what a sight it is,” Ana adds with a smile. “I’ve been worried about Ryder.” She glances at me. “But it seems I no longer have to be.”
“I can’t wait for our girls’ night,” Paige says with a glimmer in her eye. “I’ll bet you’re going to have a lot to share.”
I lift my glass of wine to my lips and down it in one shot as I wonder if what they’re saying could be true. Does Ryder want more with me? And if so, am I capable of giving him that?
chapter thirteen
RYDER
Friends.
I’ve never despised the word until it slipped past Kira’s pouty lips. Now, I wish it didn’t fucking exist.
Friends.
It’s not that I don’t want to be friends with her. In the short time I’ve known her, I’d like to think we’ve forged a friendship that goes beyond employer and employee. And I’m not ignorant enough to believe that every relationship shouldn’t be based on friendship. Hell, it’s what Nora and I were lacking.
No, what makes me despise the word is the thought that it’s the most we could ever be. That what we have right now is all I’ll ever be lucky enough to have with her. When the truth is, I want more. I want her laughter, her smiles. I want to be the reason that sexy fucking dimple pops out of her right cheek. I want to be the reason she turns an adorable shade of pink when she gets caught eye-fucking me. I want to be the man she turns to when she’s had a good day or bad. I want to be the person she reaches for when she’s had a nightmare. Hell, I want to be the reason she never has another nightmare again.