The Difference a Day Makes (Perfect, Indiana: Book Two)

by Longley, Barbara

  “Ahhhhh, you’re going to be the death of me.” Ryan threw his head back and thrust his hips against her. He ripped the wrapper off the condom. “I need to be inside you. Now.”

  She let him go, looked up into his sexed-up face, and licked her lips.

  “Shoot. I’m going to come just lookin’ at you.” He rolled the condom on and drew her into his arms.

  His kiss was fierce, his hold on her tight enough to bring on a rush of emotion so strong her eyes stung. She positioned herself so that she straddled his lap, and guided him home while his tongue continued to make love to her mouth. Lowering herself, she absorbed his shudders and groans. She moved over him, finding a rhythm he answered. Throwing her arms around his neck, she rode her cowboy until he shouted her name and jerked helplessly against her as he came. A few more good thrusts, and she followed.

  She collapsed against him and tried to catch her breath, while he ran his hands up and down her back and held her.

  He purred into her ear, “I’m never going to look at this backseat the same way again.”

  Smiling, she closed her eyes and loved him with all her heart. “Me either.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  RYAN CRADLED PAIGE AGAINST HIS chest as she nuzzled his neck and tangled herself in his heart. Taking a breath, he brought her scent deep into his lungs. “Paige…” Are we a couple? Do you love me like I love you? Can we find a place to be—somewhere between what you want and what I need? He couldn’t say the words. She was his for today, and that was way more than he deserved.

  “Hmmm?”

  “My hip is starting to bother me, babe. The one that was shattered in Iraq.” Not the words he yearned to whisper, but they’d have to do. She sighed into his ear, sending shivers cascading down his spine.

  “OK.” She climbed off of him. “I suppose we should eat and get going.”

  “Bring our lunch to the cab. We’ll eat on the fly.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” She worked her way out of his truck and bent over to grab their clothes off the ground.

  Lord, she had a fine backside. Closing his eyes, he shook his head to free himself from the haze of lust clouding his brain. He wanted her again, but they had a long stretch of road ahead of them, and he had a bed to look forward to at the end of the trail—with her in it.

  The sound of her laughter brought him back. He opened his eyes to find her studying him as she pulled on her panties. He had a front-row seat for that show. Sweet.

  “You do that a lot.” She grinned and handed him his briefs and jeans.

  “Do what a lot?”

  “You were shaking your head again, no doubt carrying on a conversation with yourself. I’d pay money to see what goes on inside that brain of yours.”

  “I was talking myself out of dragging you into the backseat again.” He set his clothes on the seat and slipped his feet into his shoes. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Nice butt, Malloy,” she called after him. He shook his head again, and her giggles followed him into the brush. By the time he returned, she had their lunch stuff in the cab and everything ready to go. Ryan scanned the small park as he pulled his clothes back on. They’d made a memory here today, one he’d never forget. “I should buy a camera.”

  “You have one on your phone.”

  “Oh, yeah. I forgot about that.” He slipped his phone out of his pocket and scrolled for the camera icon. “Smile pretty for me, darlin’.” Raising the screen until he framed Paige leaning against his truck, he took the shot. “How do I save this?”

  She walked over and showed him, and he captured her to get a shot of the two of them. They bent their heads together to check it out.

  “Not bad.” Paige took the phone from him and set it up so their image became the background picture. “Let’s go. We need to hit a gas station soon.”

  Pleased that she wanted the picture of them as a couple to be his camera’s wallpaper, he took another look at their surroundings and shot a picture of the park before sliding the phone into his pocket. “You can go in the woods, you know.”

  “Not going to happen.”

  “I guess backpacking and camping in a tent are out of the question?”

  “Not even on the radar.” She climbed back into her spot. “Hiking in the wilderness would be great, but there’d have to be a nice bed in a cabin or a lodge afterward.”

  “Spoiled little rich girl.”

  “Hick in a cowboy hat.”

  Deep contentment filled him as he got back into the truck and headed for the road. “I don’t suppose you’ll want to have another picnic at suppertime.” He winked at her and accepted the half sandwich she handed him. She laid a couple of paper towels in his lap.

  “We’ll see.” She turned on the radio and settled into her lunch.

  Ryan drove and ate. “Good sandwich.” He took another bite.

  “Thanks.” She held the opened end of a bag toward him. “I bought the smoked turkey at Offermeyer’s in town. Chips?”

  He couldn’t keep the smile off his face. How many years had it been since he’d felt this relaxed and happy, this normal? Too many. He grabbed a handful of potato chips and set them on the paper towels Paige had so thoughtfully placed on his lap.

  She poured him a cup of steaming coffee from one of the thermos containers and handed it to him. He melted inside, loving the way she took care of him. A new truck, a great job, and a beautiful woman by his side. It couldn’t last, but he’d take hold of it with both hands while he could.

  Ryan’s eyes burned with fatigue, and he needed to get out and move around by the time he started seeing exit signs for Philadelphia. Paige snored softly beside him, with her seat reclined as far back as it would go. He reached over to nudge her. “Paige.”

  She stretched and brought her seat up. “Where are we?”

  “On the outskirts of Philly. I need you to direct me.” He smirked. “By the way, you snore.”

  “No, I don’t.” Peering out of the windshield, she yawned and stretched again. She glanced at the clock on his dashboard and sighed. “We would’ve made a lot better time if we hadn’t stopped for so many picnics.”

  “True.” He chuckled. “But they were well worth the delay.”

  “No argument here.” Finger-combing her hair, she glanced around at their surroundings. “Not this exit, but the next, you’ll want to get off and head east.”

  A few miles and a bunch of turns later, Ryan pulled into a parking space under her building. He climbed out and grabbed their bags from the floor behind his seat. It was well past one in the morning, and he was dead tired. “Lead the way, darlin’. I’m about to drop.”

  “Me too.” Paige slung her purse over her shoulder and grabbed her backpack. She led him to a heavy metal door. Opening it for him, she moved aside so he could enter. “My mom is taking us to lunch tomorrow.”

  His brow rose, and his heart tapped with anxiety. “Is your dad joining us?”

  “I don’t know. She didn’t say.” Down a short hallway, they came to an elevator. “You’ll like my mom, Ryan. Everybody does.” The double doors slid open as soon as she pushed the up button, and they stepped in.

  He was too tired to worry about tomorrow. “Right now, all I want to do is fall into bed.”

  “Ditto.”

  The elevator opened again, and he followed her down a well-lit hall and waited while she unlocked her door. Once they were inside, she flipped a light switch and led him to the bedroom. He dropped the bags on the floor and started to undress. “I’ll take care of this stuff tomorrow.”

  “Fine by me.” She pulled the covers down on the queen-size mattress and tossed the shams to the floor. “This is my side.” She got undressed and put on a T-shirt. “I’m not even going to brush my teeth.”

  Ryan slid into bed beside her and gathered her close. “Me either. Night, Paige.”

  “Good night, Ryan. If the ghosts bother you, give me a nudge.”

  Smiling, he let sleep take him, confident tha
t his superhero would keep the demons at bay.

  The sound of drawers opening and closing and Paige talking softly into her cell phone woke him. Ryan cracked an eyelid and peered at her. Already dressed with her hair still damp from her shower, she piled clothing on the corner of the bed. Her phone was wedged between her shoulder and ear.

  A rush of longing shot through him. Not sexual, although he couldn’t ignore the physical reactions seeing her produced. This was something deeper, elemental. Permanent. He waited until she ended the call. “Good morning.”

  She smiled his way. “Good morning. I made coffee.”

  “What time is it?” Throwing off the blankets, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat up.

  “It’s after ten. We’re meeting my parents for lunch at eleven thirty, so you’d better get up and shower. I’m almost finished putting together what I want to bring back to Perfect.”

  Dang. Parents. As in Mr. as well as Mrs. Langford. He looked around the master bedroom. “Where’s the bathroom?”

  “Middle of the hall on your left.”

  Ryan snatched his duffel off the floor and headed for the shower. Shaved, bathed, and brushed, he got dressed in the bathroom and stuffed everything back in his bag. Drawn by the pleasant sound of Paige’s humming, he headed back to the bedroom to find her. “You’re doing it again, sweetheart.” He dropped his bag on the floor next to his boots.

  Shy Paige smiled his way. “I guess I am.”

  He drew her in for a kiss, marveling at the sweet way she molded her curves against him. Did they have time to make love before they had to leave for lunch? Probably not. “You want coffee? I’ll go get some for you.”

  “That’s OK. I’ll join you. I’m done here for now.” She nipped at his lower lip and turned to leave.

  He watched her sweet little butt as she left. He’d better find something else to look at, or they’d be late for sure. Surveying her condo, he noticed that a second bedroom faced hers across the hall. The kitchen and living room consisted of one large blended space, with the end of the carpet and the beginning of ceramic tile forming the delineation. An L-shaped sectional with an oversize ottoman and an entertainment center took up most of the living room.

  Paige stood in the dining area holding a mug of coffee and staring out a set of sliding glass doors leading to a balcony.

  “You have a nice little place here.” He helped himself to coffee and joined her. “With a great view.”

  She turned to him with a wistful expression. “This condo originally belonged to my half brother. He died a few years ago. Now it belongs to my mom. I rent it from her.”

  “I’m sorry about your brother. I remember hearing about his passing while Noah and I were in the VA hospital.”

  “Thanks. Matt is the reason Noah headed to Indiana in the first place. I’m so glad things worked out for Noah the way they did.” She checked her watch. “We’d better get moving. I’m going to go make the bed and grab my purse.”

  Left on his own, Ryan stared out the glass doors at the skyline and sipped his coffee. Paige had been born and raised in this city. Did she miss it? She probably had a posse of friends she’d grown up with here, unless they’d scattered across the country in pursuit of the American dream. For the most part, his family and childhood friends had all stuck pretty close to home. His brothers were helping his folks run the ranch, last he’d heard, and his sister and her family lived nearby in town.

  Thinking of home reminded him of his recent visit with his uncle and cousin. They’d invited Paige to join them on the Fourth of July. He hadn’t brought it up again, because he wasn’t sure he was ready to make the trip home. His mind steered away from thinking about Paige being long gone by then.

  “Let’s go, cowboy.” Paige handed him his denim jacket.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Draping his jacket over his arm, he took her coffee cup from her and moved to the sink to empty and rinse both their mugs. “Where are we going?” He followed her into the hallway and waited while she locked up.

  “Dalessandro’s Steaks.” She reached for his hand. “You’re going to love it. I highly recommend the pepper cheesesteak or the cheesesteak hoagie.”

  They climbed into his truck, and he started out of the spot. “You’re on duty, copilot. Where to?”

  She directed him through several neighborhoods, and a half hour later, she pointed. “There it is at the intersection ahead. The parking lot is on the other side.”

  Ryan pulled into a small parking lot next to an unassuming three-story brick building with a sign hanging off the side over the sidewalk that read DALESSANDRO’S STEAKS & HOAGIES. He parked, climbed out, and scanned the surrounding rooftops.

  “The food is so good here you won’t believe it, but you wouldn’t know it was anything special judging by the building.” Paige joined him. “It’s super casual. They serve their sandwiches on paper plates, and the fries…Wait till you try their fries.” She gestured toward a silver BMW SUV with “LPS 2” on the license plate. “My parents are already here.”

  Ryan had to smile at her enthusiasm. Taking her hand again, he let her lead him inside. The place was crowded, noisy, and stuffy, and he fought the urge to back himself up against a wall. His pulse surged, and he went into fight-or-flight mode. It took several seconds for his vision to adjust to the dim interior. “I need the chair against the wall,” he whispered in her ear.

  She studied his face, her eyes filled with concern. “Are you going to be all right? Can you handle the crowd in here?”

  “I’ll be fine.” He swiped his forehead with his shirtsleeve.

  “Come on. I see my folks.” She waved their way. “They have a table in the corner.” Paige took his hand and led him through the packed restaurant. “Dad, would you mind moving? Ryan has PTSD like Noah, and he needs to sit by the wall.”

  “Should we maybe announce that to the entire restaurant?” He scowled at Paige. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.

  “Sorry.” She squeezed his hand. “Mom, this is Ryan Malloy. Ryan, this is my mom, Allison.” Paige shifted out of the way so he could move to the corner seat. “You’ve already met my dad.”

  Mrs. Langford’s eyes widened. “When you said you had a friend with you, Paige, I thought—”

  Mr. Langford grunted. “Told you, Allie.” He shifted into the place to the left of his wife and sent Ryan a sharp look. “I wondered if you might be the friend, Malloy.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Langford.” Wonderful. A crowded restaurant and a father’s disdain. He clenched his jaw and focused on his breathing.

  “Please call me Allison. If you’d like, we can get our food to go and eat at our house.” Mrs. Langford’s expression matched her daughter’s look of concern. “It is awfully noisy and close in here. I know how Noah would react.”

  “No, this is fine. Paige has been bragging the place up all morning.” He slid into the chair in the corner and surveyed the crowd. His heart started the slow descent from battle-ready to lunch-ready. “No need to change the venue on my account, and it does smell mighty good in here.”

  “Where are you from, Ryan?” Ed fixed him with an inscrutable gaze.

  “Oklahoma, sir. My folks own a ranch near the Texas border on the Canadian River. In fact, most of my relatives are ranchers.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “But not you.”

  “Not me. I have an MFA from the University of Texas College of Visual Arts and Design.”

  “Noah says you’re designing an entire new line of furniture for L&L.” Allison smiled at him. “He mentioned something about quilts?”

  He nodded. “Paige and I were in Evansville one day, and we went into this quilt store in a little strip mall where we stopped to get our lunch. I was so impressed with the patterns and colors that it got me thinking about ways to incorporate them into wood.” His heart rate slowed to normal, and his muscles relaxed. “I drew up some plans, and now we’re working on the prototypes.”

  “H
e’s a genius at design, and his drawings are incredible,” Paige added. “You’ll have to come see what he’s done.”

  “It is about time I visited my grandbabies again.” Allison’s smile held genuine warmth. “I’d love to see the new line.”

  A server came by and placed menus and napkin-wrapped silverware in the center of their table and asked if they wanted ice water or anything to drink right away. Paige ordered a fountain soft drink, and Ryan asked for the same.

  “So, Paige”—Allison unwrapped her silverware and placed the napkin in her lap—“when is your big interview with John Deere?”

  Ryan’s heart went right back to pounding, and he turned to her. “You have an interview with John Deere?”

  She nodded, but wouldn’t look at him. “It’s this coming Wednesday.”

  When had this happened, and why hadn’t she told him? The conversation buzzed on, while anger churned and roiled through him. His reaction was unreasonable. She’d made it clear from the start L&L was temporary, but the hurt and betrayal clogging his throat didn’t see things rationally. “When were you going to tell me?”

  Paige kept her eyes on the menu, but he caught the rapid pulse at her throat.

  “I was going to tell you on the drive here, but we agreed not to talk about the subject.” She glanced at him. “It’s no big deal, a first interview via Skype. More than likely, I’ll have a lot of those before I land a second interview.”

  “No. You’ll get the job.” His jaw clenched, and his head throbbed.

  “Noah made you VP of marketing for L&L. Do you plan to get things started there and bail on your brother without a backward glance? That’s irresponsible, Paige. You’re going to leave him with loose ends he won’t be able to tie up.” Ed put his elbows on the table and scowled at his daughter. “That’s not how Langfords conduct business.”

  “Langford & Lovejoy was doing fine before I got there, and they’ll continue to prosper once I leave.” She slumped in her chair. “Come on, Dad. I’m Noah’s baby sister. I was unemployed when I landed on his doorstep. What else could he do but hire me?” Her mouth turned down at the corners. “You did the same thing once you found out I’d been fired. You said you’d let me work at Langford Plumbing Supplies, remember? I’m a charity case.”