by M. S. Parker
A small smile played at the corner of his mouth. “Define or anything.”
My breathing hitched, but I managed a slow smile. “I don’t think we have time for that.”
“We could be late.”
He rose from the chair and prowled closer. I stayed where I was, locking my hands behind my back.
“We could,” I allowed. “But if we do, they’ll wonder why we were late and I…” I hesitated to say anything else.
He seemed to understand, giving me a small nod.
“I guess we’ll save the or anything for after.”
My heart started to race.
Would I be able to think about anything else now?
I had no idea.
“Come in!” Stella reached out and grabbed my hand, all but dragging me inside. “I’m so happy you both came.”
She took my coat, then Ryder’s and hung them in the hall closet before turning to beam at me. “How was your Christmas?”
“Chaotic. It’s never anything else when it comes to my family.”
“All two-hundred and twenty-two of them, right?”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t think it’s that many. But I’ve never done a headcount.”
“You’d run out of fingers,” Stella teased. Then she looked over at Ryder. “Did you have a good Christmas?”
He shrugged in lieu of a direct answer, but that seemed to satisfy Stella.
She hooked her arms through mine, then Ryder’s, walking us through the house.
“I’m still cooking, but I’ve got some munchies out for you all while I finish everything.”
Lukas was in the kitchen, and he glanced up at the sound of our entrance.
I couldn’t help the tension that settled at the base of my neck as he slid a look from Ryder to me, but he gave us both a quick smile. “I’m opening up some wine. Stella says a red would go nicely. Personally, I think scotch goes with anything, and that’s what I plan on having. What about you, Ryder?”
“I’ll take scotch over wine any day.”
I decided to go with wine and stood against the opposite counter as I sniffed, then took a slow sip. Wine was always hit or miss with me. Too many people liked the dryer stuff, and I’d never been able to adjust to it. But the wine Lukas had poured had a nice, light taste to it, and I tipped my glass in his direction. “I approve.”
“Thank Stella. She’s becoming the wine buyer in the household.”
“That’s because Lukas always goes with what they recommend at the store and those recommendations are always that dry crap.” She rolled her eyes. “I hate dry wines. They taste terrible, and I usually end up with a headache after only one glass.”
“My kind of woman,” I assured her, grinning at her over the rim of the wine glass before taking another swallow. “I need to know what this is. I want to buy a bottle for myself.”
Ryder and Lukas had briefly excused themselves, but reappeared just a few moments later, each with a rocks glass in hand.
We stood around the island, munching on cheese and crackers and fruit while Stella finished up dinner.
It smelled amazing.
I offered my help, but she brushed it off. “There’s not much to be done.”
It wasn’t long before she and Lukas urged us into the dining room. They brought out the dishes of food, and we settled in for lasagna and crusty garlic bread and a great salad.
The nerves that had tightened my shoulders slowly relaxed as the meal wore on. Lukas hadn’t so much as eyed me oddly, so I had to hope he wasn’t concerned about Ryder being a client.
Stella and I talked easily back and forth, and in lower tones, Ryder and Lukas talked about business.
Occasionally, Stella would toss a comment their way, and we’d branch off into a group conversation before Stella or I wandered off on a tangent.
Stella was relaxed, and that made it easier for me to relax. Part of me had expected the third degree over the meal, but when she kept the conversation light and easy, I relaxed even more.
Silence lapsed eventually, and we finished the meal. I offered to help Stella clean up, but she brushed me away, urging me into the sitting room with Ryder and Lukas.
They both stood at the window, staring outside and I moved to join them, nursing a fresh glass of wine.
Ryder glanced down at me as I took up the space next to his.
I smiled up at him and felt something warm settle in me as he smiled back.
“How are your sisters doing, Ryder?” Lukas asked into the silence.
I contented myself with listening and learning whatever small bits about Ryder I could.
He mentioned Ginny, and I perked up at that, listening more closely as Lukas asked whether his sister knew where she wanted to go to college.
Ryder shrugged. “She hasn’t said much to me about it.”
“She told me she wants to go to Northwestern,” I said.
Both Lukas and Ryder paused, eying me strangely.
I shrugged. “I ran into her at Ryder’s.” Looking back at him, I asked, “Didn’t she tell you?”
“Briefly,” he commented. “Although I didn’t realize the conversation ran toward her college choices.”
“It was just an offhand comment,” I said, shrugging. I gave him a small smile over the rim of my glass. “I imagine she’d tell you what her choices are if you asked.”
He rolled his eyes. “Usually, one doesn’t have to ask my baby sister what her plans were – she announces them to the entire world.”
I laughed because I could see that.
Conversation meandered away, and I settled in to listen until Stella appeared in the doorway.
I settled on the couch next to her and held up my wine glass to be refilled as she brandished the bottle.
“We’re going to kill a third bottle if we keep this up,” I told her.
“Well, I’m not going anywhere tonight,” she announced. “And Ryder drove, didn’t he?”
“Bottoms up,” I said in response. I took a healthy swallow of the wine and shifted my gaze over to the men.
I felt Stella’s gaze on me and looked over to find her watching me curiously.
“What?” I asked.
She shook her head. “It’s nothing. So…tell me, what did you get for Christmas?”
I almost pushed for more but decided whatever it was running through her head, I’d be better off waiting until we didn’t have an audience.
So, we chatted about Christmas and the upcoming New Year, and when Ryder settled into the seat next to me, I sank against his hard lines as if I’d been made to fit.
He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, toying with my hair.
I tried not to think about how…normal all of this felt. How…right.
13
Breanna
Christmas and the New Year’s holidays were both behind us now, and I sat at my desk, my daily schedule open next to my keyboard as I went through the tasks I had to get done that day.
I hadn’t heard from Ryder since the night we’d eaten with Stella and Lukas.
I tried not to think about it even as I tried to decide if I could get everything done by quitting time if he were to text or call me about getting together.
It was insane, but I was starting to measure my days based on whether I heard from him or not.
That’s more than you should be doing considering you two are only supposed to be in this for sex, I told myself.
In my own defense, the sex tended to make everything better. So why couldn’t I measure my days based on whether I’d get a rocking orgasm by the time I fell asleep?
I hadn’t heard much from him about the project he wanted me to tackle, but I had heard from his marketing people, and we were all working hard to revamp their upcoming catalog by the deadline. It was just a few weeks away, and I was determined to make this one of my best projects. It would prove to Stella and Lukas that I could handle this relationship with Ryder without it affecting my workload.
I wa
s equally determined to kick ass on it to prove to Ryder that he hadn’t made a mistake by coming to me.
It all added up to me stressing more about the job than I normally did.
With the proposed design for the revamped catalog open on my desktop, I made a few adjustments, noting in the comments what I’d like to see done a little differently, and asking for input on each occasion. I didn’t want his marketing people to regret him bringing me on.
“You have been so quiet,” Stella said, poking her head around my cubicle. “I don’t think I’ve seen you go for coffee more than once. What are you so wrapped up in?”
I glanced at the time before answering. I was vaguely surprised to see that it was just now coming up on lunchtime.
I’d gotten more done than I would have thought.
“We’re going out for lunch,” Stella announced as Tabitha appeared at her side, pulling her coat on. “And you’re coming with us.”
“I’m watching my money right now,” I reminded her.
“It’s just lunch – they have lunch specials. You won’t even spend ten dollars.”
“I’ll spend no dollars if I sit here and eat my salad,” I pointed out.
“Salad, schmalad. Wouldn’t you rather have Chinese?”
I shot her a dark look. “That was a dirty trick.”
All somebody had to do was hint at Chinese, and I was ready for wontons and crab rangoon.
“I know.” Stella wagged her brows at me and came inside my cubicle. She studied the project in front of me. “Are you done for the morning?”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I’m coming out with you two,” I said, shaking my head.
“Come on,” Stella insisted, grabbing my hand and pretending to tug me from my chair. “Your car didn’t die. You can splurge a little and eat some Chinese food with us.”
“Come with us,” Tabitha added softly from her position at the open end of my cubicle.
Both women already wore their coats and Stella had grabbed mine from the hook just inside my cubicle. “You aren’t staying here,” she announced, pushing the coat at me.
I took it but still stayed in my seat. “I’ve got a meeting at two–”
“You’ll be back by one and don’t go acting like you’re not ready for your meeting.” Stella wrinkled her nose at me. “You’re so organized, you were probably ready for the meeting last Tuesday at two.”
“Not hardly,” I said with a huff. “My client hadn’t gotten back to me with the final approval.”
“And that was the only reason.” Stella rolled her eyes and then crooked her finger at me. “Come on. We’re going out. That’s final.”
I could have argued, but to be honest, the salad I’d brought for my lunch didn’t sound particularly appetizing right then. Besides, I wouldn’t mind being out from behind my desk for a little.
“Fine.” I stood up, stretching just a little as the kinks in my back and neck made themselves known. I had horrible posture and was almost always a little sore for the first few minutes when I stood up.
Holding out my hand, I accepted the coat from Stella and pulled it on. I added my scarf, then grabbed my purse from the drawer where I kept it tucked away during work hours. “But back by one.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Stella gave me a smart salute.
Tabitha grinned a little, and I gave her an easy smile as we all started for the front of the office.
Our favorite Chinese place was right across the street, and if we hurried, we’d beat the worst of the lunch hour rush.
Once we were tucked away in a booth, I relaxed a little. My belly was already rumbling, and I opened the menu, wondering if my regular was going to satisfy me.
A server appeared, and we put in our drink order. Stella asked for some fried wontons, and my mouth just might have watered a little.
We picked out our selections, and when the server returned a few minutes later, we were all ready to order.
Tabitha excused herself go to the bathroom. The second we were alone, Stella pinned bright eyes on me. “I have no idea what you’re doing to Ryder, but he’s a lot more relaxed when you’re around.”
I flushed and waved my hand like an idiot. “I doubt I have much to do with it.”
“I doubt your doubt,” Stella retorted. “We’ve had Ryder over for dinner probably a half-dozen times since Lukas introduced us and that’s the closest to relaxed I’ve ever seen him.”
I played with my napkin. “Maybe he’s just getting used to you.”
“I don’t think that’s it.”
I squirmed in the chair and finally shot Stella a look. “There’s not anything going on between us other than sex, Stella. Who knows…maybe he just needed a good orgasm.”
Stella broke out into a bright laugh but shook her head. “I don’t think that’s it.”
Tabitha appeared over her shoulder, and I focused on our other friend, thankful for her reappearance. She slid into the booth next to me, and I nudged her shoulder with mine. “You’re quieter than normal,” I said.
“Am I?” She sipped at her soft drink before looking over at me.
“Yes. You are,” Stella said.
“Did you have a good Christmas?” I asked when Tabitha didn’t respond back.
The other woman hitched up a shoulder, her gaze sliding away. “I don’t really do much for Christmas.”
“You didn’t go visit your family?” Stella asked.
“I don’t have any.” Tabitha shrugged and reached for the drink she’d just put down.
“Please don’t tell me you spent Christmas alone,” I said, feeling a pinch of guilt as I studied Tabitha’s averted face.
She shot me a quick look. I couldn’t understand the look in her eyes.
With a negative shake of her head, she told us, “I did, but it’s not a big deal. I don’t really celebrate it.”
But there was something…sad in her eyes.
Instinctively, I reached out and covered her hand with mine. “Still no reason to spend the day alone. I wish I would have known. I would have dragged you off to meet my brood.”
Tabitha laughed, the sound quiet and nervous. “It’s not a big deal, really.”
But the sad look in her eyes left me questioning her words.
There was no way to ask her outright without coming off as rude, though. I thought back to the conversations we’d had and realized that Tabitha hadn’t ever really talked about her family. Or about herself much at all.
“How long have you lived in Denver?” I asked her, wondering why I’d never thought to ask before.
She shrugged restlessly. “For a little while. I grew up out east.”
“Brothers or sisters?” Stella pressed.
Tabitha reached for her soft drink and tossed it back like it was moonshine. “No,” she said finally. “It’s just me.”
“And both of your parents are gone?”
She gave a short nod, then offered a brittle smile. “I don’t really like to talk about it, if it’s all the same to you.”
Translation: please stop.
“No problem. You can listen to all the drama that happened with my family instead.”
Tabitha relaxed slowly as I started to talk about my family, my older sister and her husband, then my brothers.
Stella joined in on the conversation, and before long, we were sharing anecdotes from childhood.
I would have thought I’d never be able to relate to Stella on that level. She came from money and privilege, and I was just part of the middle class, three siblings, and parents who worked way too hard.
But Stella and I had more in common than I would have initially guessed.
The meal wound down, and we all pulled out cards or cash to pay. Tabitha always paid with cash, so we ended up having to wait for both mine and Stella’s cards to be returned.
As we headed back to the office, I breathed in the chilly air. Shooting a look up at the near-cloudless blue sky, I frowned. “It’s going to snow again soon. You c
an smell it.”
“I love the snow,” Tabitha offered.
“I do too, when I don’t have to drive in it or be around others who are driving in it.” Living in Colorado, one became accustomed to snow. But being accustomed wasn’t the same thing as not minding…or worse, enjoying it.
I was back in my cubicle and pulling out my notes for my upcoming meeting when Stella texted me. I frowned at the text and eyed the partition that separated my cubicle from hers.
Thumbing the message open, I read it, then rolled my eyes.
You can’t avoid talking about this forever, you know.
I huffed out a breath and debated on whether to respond. Finally, I sent back a short message because I knew my friend. She’d keep nagging me until I gave her something.
I’m not avoiding anything. I’m just being honest about what’s going on between Ryder and me. It’s all about the S-E-X.
Not a minute passed before Stella’s reply came.
You got to start somewhere.
There was a little smiley face next to the comment.
I rolled my eyes and dropped my phone down on the desk.
When another text came a couple minutes later, I got up and walked around the partition and glared into her cubicle at her. She gave me a look of mock innocence.
“I’ve got work,” I said.
“So do I. Funny, huh?” She put her hands on her keyboard and eyed me expectantly.
I eyed her for just a moment before shaking my head and turning on my heel, striding back to my cubicle.
I didn’t want to think that maybe Ryder was different with me.
I was already thinking about him more than I should, considering the parameters of our relationship.
Part of me remembered my hesitation when he’d approached this idea initially, and try as I might, I couldn’t fully vanquish those nerves.
I’d worried I might be in over my head, and the more time that went by, the more certain I became that I was indeed getting in over my head.