“My father?” Hope laced the words, along with a swell in her chest. She’d never see her father again, and that was something she’d accepted years ago. Over the last few weeks, she’d even acknowledged that the guilt of leaving her father would always reside inside her—righting that wrong just wasn’t possible when so much had been left unsaid. She was okay with that now. But one thing that hadn’t occurred to her until those two words ricocheted into the night was that reminding someone else—Ryan—of the person he’d lost could be her redemption. The peace she’d been in search of.
Suddenly, the tightness in her body fell loose, and she felt herself leaning in Ryan’s direction just the slightest bit.
“Mostly, yes,” Ryan said. As if he’d sensed her movement, he leaned in, too. “But also of my mother.” Sailor pinched her face into a scowl. Because they were both addicts? Ryan held up his hand and explained, “Like I told you, she overdosed and was taken from me—something I’ve hated her for. For choosing drugs over me. For not caring. But after meeting you, I now know that maybe it wasn’t her fault. Maybe she just got caught up in the wrong crowd like you.” He leaned in closer, stealing her breath with his own. “That last night here, when I had you in my arms… That was when I knew I’d stopped resisting. Letting you fully into my life wasn’t an option anymore, because it had already happened. You were the only one I thought about. The only one I wanted to spend my time with. And I haven’t stopped thinking about you since.”
That last night…every detail of it had been seared into her mind, and with a simple mention of it, all of those feelings and sensations that had flooded through her came rushing back. Pressing and pulling, twisting and igniting. She’d felt the change between them that night, too, and without warning, the longing for it—that Ryan in that moment—dizzied her.
Ryan stepped closer, hands gently cradled around the tops of her arms. Skin on skin, a hot tingle as if his hands were hot wax. He pulled her closer and lowered his face to her level. “I know you didn’t steal from the safe.”
She swallowed and blinked. Close Ryan was much more difficult to concentrate on than A Few Feet Away Ryan. “You could’ve just asked me.” Scolding words, but there was no anger behind them. No resentment, either. How could there be when she now understood why he’d reacted that way?
“No,” he said, sliding over the threshold. “I should’ve asked you. Should’ve given you the chance to explain. And I’m an asshole because I didn’t.” He buried his hands into her hair, moved his lips only a sliver away from hers. Close enough he may as well have been kissing her. “Will you please accept my apology?”
Apology. That word in his low, throaty tone… What was it he’d said her father had told him?
Holding a grudge after accepting an apology isn’t really accepting the apology.
Was she ready to do that? Grudge free?
Standing there, with his feet flanking hers, the brush of his jeans on her bare legs, and the intoxicating cloud of that scent she’d missed so very much, there wasn’t any need to answer that question.
She tipped her chin up, purposely dragging her lips over his. “One question first.”
“Anything.”
She smiled, feeling like it was the first easy smile she’d managed in weeks. “Can I touch your stubble if I do?”
He chuckled. “I have no idea what my facial hair has to do with this, but you can spend every day for the rest of your life touching my face if that’s what you want.” Warm fingers clasped around her wrists and lifted her hands to his face.
With the feel of him at her fingertips, everything in her body settled, as if her insides had been flustering about in a storm that was finally passing. “How can I say no to that?”
“You don’t.” Closing the last bit of distance between them, eyes sparkling, he covered her mouth with his and kissed her like it was the only thing keeping him alive. “I love you, Sailor,” he growled against her lips, slowing his movement. “And I swear I will never ever hurt you again.”
She’d never believed a man like she believed him now. Every single word accompanied by every single touch. Still, something pulsed inside her, wanting the assurance of a real promise. So she wiggled her hand between them and raised her little finger. “Pinky swear?”
Grinning, he lifted her to his waist, leaving her no option but to fall or wrap her legs around him. The choice wasn’t really a choice at all. “Not this time, beautiful. A promise like this needs to be solidified in a more adult fashion.” He swept inside and pinned her back to the wall, nipping at her bottom lip.
She giggled, clasping her ankles tighter. “A between-the-sheets swear?”
“I may require more than one.”
Over his shoulder, the white sheet of paper abandoned on the top step of her porch caught her eye just as he was toeing the door closed. “Wait.” She pointed. “What did it say? Your last sign?”
Slowly, he lowered her, one arm secured around her waist. The lightness in his expression dulled but didn’t quite disappear, and his tone deepened. “It’s a business proposition.”
“Proposition?” The two of them didn’t have a great track record with those. The last time she’d had one, she’d tried to take the bar from him.
“Well,” he said, “it’s more of a one-sided business deal.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a thick, folded packet of paper. Some sort of contract from the look of it. “You now own fifty percent of the Alibi.”
50 percent? “What? How?” And more importantly, why?
“I sold it to you for a dollar.” He smiled. “Oh, you owe me a dollar. And nothing’s official until you sign the sales agreement.”
She shook her head, bracing her shoulders against the wall to keep her upright. “Ryan, you’ve worked so hard for that place. I don’t want to take it from you.”
“You’re not taking anything from me. The Alibi belongs to you just as much as it does me. Besides, I have a feeling we’ll be amazing partners. You and your marketing skills are just what the bar needs.” He tossed the papers to the small table under the window and scooped her up in his arms, pulling her face up to his. “Plus”—he softly kissed one corner of her mouth—“this way I’ll get to spend every day”—another kiss on the opposite side—“with you.”
Running her father’s prized possession…it was what she’d been wanting all along. But doing it with Ryan at her side? That would only make it that much sweeter.
Wiggling her body up against his, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’ll accept your deal on one condition. You teach me how to mix drinks.”
He buried his face into her neck, dragging his warm lips over her skin. “I would be happy to give a private lesson a day. As long as you save your Superwoman moves for the bedroom.” He grazed his teeth over the fleshy part of her ear, sending a brain-tingling shiver through her.
She sagged into his strong arms and managed to mumble out, “No guarantees,” before he crushed his mouth to hers.
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Acknowledgments
I’m so thankful to have readers who want more of my characters, and I can’t tell you how much it means when someone begs me to “Please write Ryan’s story!” Every email and tweet and comment is what keeps me going, so a huge thanks to all of my wonderful, enthusiastic readers. And if you are a new reader, I really hope you enjoyed this story.
This book wouldn’t be possible without the following Entangled peeps: my editor Heidi Shoham, who made the editorial process such a breeze; Heather Howland, who signed this three-book deal with me; my publicist Kaitlyn Osborn. You are amazing. Thank you! Also, Curtis Svehlak, Brenda Chin, and anyone else I’m forgetting that played a part in making this book so wonderful.
I also can’t forget my early read
ers: Jennifer Blackwood, Samanthe Beck, Lauren Hawkeye, April Mann, and Sarah Randolph. I am so lucky to have you all on my team! Your comments and encouragement is invaluable, and I appreciate every bit of it.
Lastly, thank you to my family for sticking with me. You are my rock.
About the Author
Brooklyn Skye grew up in a small town where she quickly realized writing was an escape from small-town life. Really, she’s just your average awkward girl who’s obsessed with words. She writes young adult, new adult, and romance fiction. You can follow her on Twitter as @brooklyn__skye, Instagram as @brooklynskyewrites, or visit her website for updates, teasers, giveaways, and more. www.brooklyn-skye.com.
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A Moment of Madness (Boston Alibi) Page 21