by Audrey Dacey
“First of all, you didn’t say goodbye, twice. I thought that we were friends. You saved my life, and you just took off. Who does that?”
Ryan didn’t know how to answer the question. He had thought that he was doing the right thing, but the fire that lit up her bright hazel eyes made him doubtful.
“I have to know something. It’s been driving me crazy, but you disappeared and I couldn’t ask you. Did you mean it? When you told Richard that you loved me, was it to rile him up?”
Ryan’s face grew red hot. It was the moment he had been dreading since he realized that he loved her, so he responded with, “I don’t know what you want me to say.”
Alexis held her hands together tightly, bit her lip, and then choked out, “I want you to be honest. I want to know if you love me because I have felt like a damned fool since you left. I have been resisting love since Frank left, but somehow it snuck up on me. I fell in love with you, Ryan. I wish I could say differently, but it would be a lie. So I need to know if you love me.”
Ryan rose from his chair and walked around the desk to sit next to Alexis. “No,” he said, and she looked down at the floor. “I wasn’t lying to Richard. I do love you. More than I ever realized was possible. I left because I didn’t think there was a chance that you would have me. I was trying to make it easier for the both of us. When I fell in love with you, it was the best and worst thing that had ever happened to me. I thought you wouldn’t feel the same way, and so I left. I’m sorry.”
Tears glistened in Alexis’s eyes. “I didn’t want you to leave. I don’t want you to be four hours away, but your job is here and Riley is staying with me permanently. I don’t know how to make this work with you leaving all the time, and I don’t think I can stand not having you around.”
Smiling, he leaned over, and gave Alexis a quick kiss on the mouth. “I do.”
Ryan held her hand and pulled her out of the chair as he stood. “What are you doing?” she asked in a low voice as they moved across the office, down the hall, and through Steve Lipenski’s door.
Before Steve could begin yelling, Ryan spoke, “Steve, this is Alexis. I’m in love with her, but she lives in Massachusetts. So, I quit. I’ll have someone pack up my office.” Then he pulled Alexis back out of the office.
“Why?” she asked.
“Because I want to spend every moment I can with you, and this job won’t allow that. Besides, I have another opportunity lined up.”
Alexis reached into her purse and handed him a card. “Is this what you’re talking about?”
He pushed his way out of the doors to Pontus Architects and into the elevator waiting area. He took the card, and after reading it, laughed. “It appears that this was meant to be.”
“Should you call him to let him know that you’re coming?”
Ryan smiled at her, “I think he already knows. Besides, I have more important things to do right now.” He pushed the button to summon the elevator.
“You do?”
Ryan slid one hand behind her neck and wrapped his other arm around her waist, pulling her against him, and he kissed her deep on the mouth. She softened into him and fell into the rhythm of his hard, wet kisses. He held her like this, memorizing her body, her mouth, her taste, her movement. Everything. The elevator dinged to signal that it was ready for them, and when he pulled away, he wasn’t quite ready to let her go, but he knew that he would always remember exactly how she felt in his arms in this moment.