by Jennah Scott
Ryke climbed out of his truck and headed for Angel and Ray’s house. He straightened his shirt and ran his hands through his hair. It was a nervous habit. Not that it made sense for him to be nervous; it wasn’t like he and Angel didn’t know each other intimately. And yet, this felt more like a first date in high school than a simple dinner with a friend.
“Hey. She’s in her room getting ready,” Ray said as soon as she opened the door.
“That’s fine. I’m a few minutes early. How are you?” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek before stepping inside. Ray was a good friend to both of them. Ryke hoped since they had more of a history, Ray would side with him and help convince Angel to give him a shot.
“I’m good. Do you mind entertaining yourself? You and Angel aren’t the only ones going out tonight and I need to get ready.”
“Nope, don’t mind at all. Who are you going out with?” Ryke wondered if Ray and James had made contact with each other. He didn’t how their night ended last week, so he didn’t want to bring him up if it meant an awkward situation.
“Oh, I’m not going with anyone in particular. Just going to the bar to hang out for a while.”
“Well, have fun.”
“I plan on it. You two have a nice night too.”
Just as Ray disappeared down the hall Angel came out. Ryke had to pick his jaw up off the floor. She looked stunning. He’d seen her dressed up, dressed down, but this … this was perfect. Her outfit was simple and showed off every one of her luscious curves. The black sweater was tight against her ribs. Whatever she wore underneath accentuated her cleavage. Ryke wanted to run his tongue along the soft skin of her breasts. Angel had on jeans that looked like she’d painted them on. His hands ached to cover the curve of her ass, to secure her against his chest and take her mouth with his. They weren’t going to make it to dinner if they didn’t leave right then.
Angel cleared her throat. “So, I look okay?”
“Sweetheart, you look better than okay. In fact, I’m rethinking this whole dinner thing. You look delicious enough to eat. There’s a very good chance we can have appetizer, entrée, and dessert right here.” Ryke whipped his arms around her waist and yanked her off the ground before she had a chance to back away.
He kissed with an unexpected intensity. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her fingers twisted his hair. Ryke shifted his hands from her waist to the curve of her rear and Angel pulled her legs up around his waist, locking her ankles together. He swept his tongue across her lower lip, urging her to open for him. When she did, Ryke thrust inside, then retreated. He nibbled on her lip before their tongues met again. Angel rocked into him, his jeans already unbearably tight, but he didn’t care. Angel didn’t warm him, she lit him on fire. One touch and his cock responded with vigor.
“As much as I love the two of you, watching you get it on in my living room is not a turn-on for me.”
They broke apart at Ray’s voice. Angel began to loosen her grip, but Ryke squeezed her ass and held her tight. He whispered in her ear, “Probably not a good idea to move just yet. The bulge in my jeans is not something Ray wants to see, and I don’t think you’d be willing to let her either.”
Angel hissed. A grin spread across his lips. Oh yeah, this woman was his. Even if she wasn’t ready to admit it yet. Ryke looked over Angel’s shoulder at Ray.
“You look good, Ray. We should probably head out for dinner anyway. It’s hard to resist this one. Sorry about that.” Ray shook her head as she walked past them, still locked together. Ryke winked and she giggled.
“Be good, you two. Have fun and do not make me come home to another display, please.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Ryke chuckled. Angel slid down his front as soon as the door clicked behind Ray. They each straightened their clothes before Ryke took Angel’s hand in his and led her out to his truck.
Chapter 14
Angel wiped the corner of her mouth. Dinner was enjoyable. Ryke drove them into St. Louis and picked a restaurant that was nice, but not too nice. She appreciated that he liked good food, but not necessarily a fancy atmosphere. Their conversation flowed throughout the meal. She found that she enjoyed talking to him about her artwork. He didn’t push for details, but he did show a true interest in her process.
They had more in common than she originally thought. She guessed that he was an artist in his own right, but after listening to him talk about some of his designs Angel knew that he was the best at what he did because he had an affinity for the specifics of art. He understood color blending, shading, and the importance of lines and symmetry. The last man she found that she could talk to about art was …
Her thoughts trailed off. No. She wouldn’t think about that. A silly mistake and a deal with an asshole. That was that and she wasn’t going back to that part of her past ever again.
After the server brought the check, Angel and Ryke walked, hand-in-hand, outside. He wanted to walk around for a while and how could she complain if it meant more time spent with Ryke? Somehow this man figured out a way to get beyond her defenses. That thrilled and frightened Angel at the same time. Everything about their relationship—or whatever you wanted to call it—was new, uncharted territory, to her. Tomorrow she’d worry about what it all meant, but right then she wanted to enjoy.
Ryke kept their conversation going as they walked. Only when he pulled them to a stop did Angel realize she’d quit paying attention. “Angel, I lost you. What’s going on in your head?”
“Nothing. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to zone off.”
He caressed the side of her face with his fingers. “It’s okay. But if there’s something wrong, I want you to tell me. Please. This is new to both of us. Don’t hide from me.”
Ryke looked into her eyes. Involuntarily, her chin lowered. He didn’t need to see her past. That was over. She wouldn’t go back to it.
“It’s not a big deal, just memories from when I lived here.”
“You lived in St. Louis?”
Angel looked at him again. This she could do. They could talk about St. Louis without touching the bad parts.
“Yeah. Before I moved to Kimmswick, I lived here for—” Angel thought back on how many times she’d walked those same streets, lost in conversations and dreams, “—a couple of years, I guess.” She shook her head, removing the memories. “I moved to St. Louis from Chicago. And to Chicago from Seattle.”
“Where are you from? I mean you’re not that old, yet you’ve lived in more places than most can even dream of. Ray always said you moved around a lot, I guess I didn’t realize what that meant.”
She chuckled. It’d been eleven years since Angel had visited her birth state. Almost fifteen since her mom died and six since her dad passed away. To this day, she regretted not going home for his funeral. Not that it would have mattered. He didn’t care about her when he was alive, so it wouldn’t have bothered him that she didn’t go to his funeral. Hell, she found out about his death from a distant friend of the family. Neither her aunt nor uncle loved her enough to call with the news. Worst yet was that they’d had her number. Even though Angel moved a lot, she always made sure at least one family member knew how to get in touch with her.
“Sweetheart.” Ryke prompted her again.
“Portland. I was born in Portland, graduated high school early and moved to Seattle. Picked up a few college courses while I was there, decided college wasn’t for me and began focusing on my art.”
“You’ve lived in all of these big cities, how have you not found a place for your work? I mean I haven’t seen your stuff, but the way you describe it, it’s hard to imagine there’s not a gallery that would love to have it.”
“I don’t know. The things I sculpt aren’t that good. They lack originality, I guess.” Ryke raised an eyebrow at her. Angel knew it sounded stupid. Crazy or not, his words from the past never left her. Never the assessment offered when he revealed a twisted version of the truth to everyone in the studio.
Angelica mentally slapped herself. The pity party for one needed to end. Ryke brought her to dinner; the least she could do was pay him the attention he deserved rather than feel sorry for herself. Angel took pride in being strong and standing up for what she wanted when it came to men. If only that transferred to her art.
“Would you like to go inside? It looks like they’re open for a little while longer.” Ryke pulled them to a stop.
Angel looked at the building they stood in front of. An art studio. She read the name on the door even though she didn’t need to. The race of her pulse and the dread curling her toes told her she knew exactly where she was.
This was not just any art studio. It was the one where her world had been turned upside down—Muddy Banks Art Studio.
Chapter 15
“I … no. I’d rather not go inside.”
Angel stood next to him, a slight tremor running through her body. She pulled her hand from his and crossed her arms over her chest.
Ryke noticed her face had gone pale. He searched for any indication of what spooked her. She’d been quiet ever since they left the restaurant. Ryke tried to find a topic that she’d plunge into with him and keep their conversation going. Talking about where she’d lived over the years and why was as close as he’d managed. Then they stopped in front of the studio. It was meant to be a good thing, a surprise for her. But it seemed to be the exact opposite.
“Sweetheart.”
Ryke rubbed his hand up and down her arm, trying to warm her and make the goose bumps fade. She turned to him, her lower lip quivered, her eyes shone with unshed tears. This was not the Angel he knew. The way she looked at him now, defeat prevalent in her gaze, she’d been hurt. Ryke was falling hard for the determined, independent woman he knew Angel to be. But the protector in him reacted just as strongly to the vulnerable woman now standing in front of him.
“Will you please tell me what’s going on? Things were fine at dinner and now it’s as though a switch has flipped. I’ve never seen you like this. It’s worrying me. Where is my angel? The confident woman I brought out for a nice evening.”
“I’m sorry. This wasn’t my plan. To worry you, I mean. I haven’t told you why I left St. Louis, and I’m not sure I’m ready to. We aren’t even dating.”
“If we aren’t dating, then what do you call this?” Ryke didn’t mean for his voice to raise the way it did, but hell, Angel delivered a blow to the balls. Weren’t dating? That made no sense at all. Ryke did one-night stands or he dated. Considering they were together for dinner, in his book that meant a relationship. New … yes. But that didn’t change things in his mind.
“Do we have to call it anything? Seriously, Ryke. We’ve fucked and had one dinner.” And there was Angel. Her chin rose and she shifted to a defiant stance, placing more distance between them. Fine, if he had to piss her off to bring her out of whatever hole she’d fallen in, then so be it.
“No. But if you are interested in anything more with me then we eventually have to open up and share our dirty secrets. I didn’t ask you to open your soul to me. But that doesn’t mean I like seeing you upset. Is it so wrong that I want to take care of you, worry about you if you aren’t happy?”
“Fine. You want my skeletons. This is the last place I tried to show my work. I made some mistakes, ended up owing this guy Eric a favor. I did a piece as a sort of repayment and he humiliated me. He made me feel like I wasn’t good enough to get into a show without his name. Said he was the only reason I landed the invitation.
“Is that what you want to hear? This reminds me of just how much I suck. That I’m never going to be a real artist. That everything I’m doing is a waste of time because no matter what, it’s not good enough. Does that make you feel better?”
“Ahh, hell. No, it doesn’t make anything better. But you can’t let one asshole get you down like that. You haven’t been here for three years. You have to know that he was full of shit, and your work is amazing. No one would give you a shot because of someone else’s name.”
“Yeah, if he’d been some random guy, then I’d agree. If he hadn’t … I mean, he didn’t just … Forget about it.” She shook her head and looked away. “Never mind. It’s not important. Can we get out of here?”
Angel had held part of the story from him and he knew it. He wouldn’t push now, but one day they’d talk about it. Whoever this bastard was, he’d hurt Angel. Ryke wouldn’t settle for half-truths. She wanted to go, so they headed back to his truck. The night wasn’t over, though. He wasn’t about to take her home just yet.
Chapter 16
Angel stared out the window as they drove back from St. Louis. Since they left the restaurant parking lot she’d spoken a total of four words to him. Her reaction to the studio frustrated him. Ryke wanted to explore so many possibilities with the woman next to him, but shutting down the way she had kept him too far away for that. It seemed Angel was determined and stubborn whether vulnerable or not. She was a force he didn’t know how to handle, that was for sure.
“I’m not ready to leave you for the night, Angel.” Ryke watched the dark highway as he spoke. “Whatever spooked you back there, I want to know more. Not tonight, but soon.”
“There are things I can’t tell you. I’m not the angel you think I am. That’s why we should keep this friendly, nothing too serious.”
He reached across the bench seat and placed his hand on the top of Angel’s thigh. “It’s too late to keep it friendly. You know that. Friendly would have been a quick romp tonight, not dinner. At least not for me.”
Angel’s gasp filled the truck. As soon as he finished the sentence, Ryke wished he could take back his words. That made him sound like a player, and fulfilled the rumors of their small town. He wasn’t really a ladies’ man, but it kept the serious players away. While he may not have slept with everyone who sauntered through Kimmswick, he wasn’t ready to settle down either. Or he hadn’t been until Angel came into the picture. Of course, she refused to entertain any possibility of that. For now, Ryke was okay with her hesitation just as long as she didn’t run.
“I’m sorry I ruined everything.” Angel stared at her hands in her lap.
Ryke couldn’t stand to not touch her, hold her. He had to bring back her spunk. There was a park not too far up the road off the highway. Less than five minutes later, he backed into a tree-lined area and parked.
He turned to face Angel, his knee on the bench seat so he could look her in the eye. Ryke lifted her chin with two fingers.
“Don’t apologize for how you feel. I’m glad I am the one here with you, not some other guy. You haven’t ruined anything. We all have our secrets.”
“I doubt yours are anywhere close to mine.”
“You grew up in Seattle. Well, I grew up in Indiana.”
“Why did you leave?”
His breath rushed out when she responded. Ryke hadn’t been sure Angel would listen or care to know his story, but he had to tell her something about his not-so-clean past. Then maybe she’d see she wasn’t alone.
“It wasn’t my choice. Either I left or the other guy left and since he had a wife and kids, it was me that packed up and moved out of the state. We both agreed that it was better.”
“What happened?”
“The simple answer? I was inexperienced and dumb. I got into business deals with the wrong people and screwed my own partner out of lots of money.”
“What kind of deals?”
“The kinds where I ended up owing them twice as much as I borrowed because I didn’t follow through on a promise. My partner tried to tell me that any deal involving a handshake rather than a signed contract was bad. I didn’t listen and ran our dreams into the ground.”
“I know you’re trying to make me feel better, but I assure you my secrets are much worse.”
“Angelica, you didn’t listen to a word I said.” Ryke took two deep breaths. He had to calm down. Thankfully it was late enough there weren’t any other cars parked. Reliving the deceit be
tween him and his partner was hell.
“Yeah, you screwed up and lost a bunch of money for each of you. At least you haven’t been living a lie.”
“That’s true. But only because I ’fessed up and told the truth. My partner found out that I’d gone behind his back to make some of the deals after I hid the books from him. The bank sent him the foreclosure notice instead of me. That’s how he found out. When he brought everything to me I had to ’fess up.”
She shook her head. Ryke didn’t know how to get through to her. “It’s not always that easy.”
“You’re right. But I learned that day how important it is to be up-front and honest. You can’t let someone bully you. Only those who are weak let that happen. It’s part of growing up, I get it now. There are two things I can guarantee you. One: I won’t ever lie or try to cover something up. Two: I will never be so weak to let someone else dictate what I do with my life or my business. Because of me, a man nearly lost his entire family, his life. That blame will never fall on my shoulders again.”
“You’re too good for me, Ryke.”
“I’m not. Let me show you.”
He leaned in closer. His lips touched hers with a featherlight touch. For once, Ryke wouldn’t take control immediately. Angel needed to let him know she was okay with everything.
“Help me forget. I don’t want to think about the past tonight. Not with you. Please.”
“Of course, sweetheart. Whatever you need.” At this point he’d do anything, share anything to see her smile again. No matter the hurt his confession brought on, being there with Angel soothed his pain.
Ryker sat back and pulled one of Angel’s legs up, and then the other, so she was stretched out on the seat. He pulled off her left shoe first and massaged her foot for a minute.
“Wow. You keep that up and we may not make it any further.” Angel’s head fell against the window behind her.