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“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a little possessive, Shay?”
His chest rumbles against my back in a silent laugh. “Never. But then again, no one else has ever made me feel quite as greedy as you do.”
Oh God. I like him controlling like this.
Arching my back, I’m about two seconds from asking him to blow off this party, take me to bed, and take care of my every ache and need.
Ryan must sense my thought process, because he interrupts it to tell me, “We’ve got to go.”
I turn to face him, chest to chest with his navy-blue suit and white pressed shirt. He looks good in a lighter color than black. His blue-green eyes are leaning towards sapphire in this outfit.
“You look handsome tonight.”
His tongue sweeps out to wet his lower lip before it’s pulled between his teeth in a smirk. Attention darting to my mouth, I suck an anticipatory breath before Ryan steps back to create some distance.
“We can’t be late,” he reminds me.
“Can you tell me what this party is for yet?”
He checks the Rolex on his wrist, but then he looks back to me, hesitating for a moment. “Zanders is proposing to Stevie. This is their engagement party.”
“What?”
Ryan eyes me with concern.
“He’s asking her tonight?” I cover my mouth with both hands.
“He’s asking her right now. They’re on a plane headed back to Chicago.”
My chest heaves with a broken sob. “Oh my God.”
Once again, Ryan looks at me like I’m a fragile doll about to break. “Are you okay?”
My eyes burn with tears because even when I’m so overwhelmingly happy, crying is my emotional outlet of choice.
“Hey,” Ryan says, hands cupping my face, thumbs gently swiping under my eyes. “Don’t cry. You’re going to ruin your makeup.”
“I can’t help it.”
“Are you upset?”
“What?” I pause. “Why would I be upset?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why would you say that?”
He holds eye contact and understanding floods me.
“Because it’s not me?” I surmise.
Ryan’s lips lift in an apologetic smile. “Everything is still so fresh for you, Ind. You’re going to a bridal shower tomorrow and now an engagement party tonight—”
“I’m happy. I’m so fucking happy for them. This isn’t about me.”
Every word is the utter truth. I don’t know if it’s the time I’ve had since Alex and I broke up, or if it’s simply that seeing my best friend happy holds no room for selfishness, but no part of me is upset from what I lost out on.
Ryan tucks my hair behind both ears before giving a final swipe under my eyes. “You’re a good friend to her, Blue.”
