Page 5 of Say it Ain’t So

For some reason, with the hungry look in his eyes, it didn’t feel like he was talking about donuts. I opened my mouth to speak but had to clear my throat. Rylan grinned.

“Glaze?”

“Delicious.”

“Chocolate sprinkles?”

“Heavenly.”

I bit my bottom lip and felt steam rising from my skin as Rylan’s attention dropped to my mouth. “My favorite is raspberry cream filled.”

A breath heaved out of his chest before Rylan leaned in so close, I could feel the heat of him warming the air. “Fuckin’ orgasmic.”

“Yes!” The word was just a breath.

He traced his fingers along my hairline, sweeping the long strands across my neck. “The sweet flavor of the fruit, the way the cream fills my mouth and coats my tongue…” He shook his head, locking his eyes on mine. “I could devour them for hours and still never get tired.”

I wasn’t sure I existed anymore. Wasn’t sure I hadn’t just combusted right here in this room, without ever having bothered looking at the amazing view. All the heat in the room pooled in my stomach before turning me into a puddle of gigantic proportions.

“Can I get you two anything else?” The voice of our waiter broke whatever spell was between us. I jolted back at the same time Rylan did, the two of us glancing at the older man.

Rylan recovered faster than me. “Do you have any chocolate covered strawberries?”

“I’m sorry, sir. We don’t have any on the menu.”

“No worries.” He rubbed his palms together. “I know where we can find some.” Rylan looked to me. “You ready to get out of here?”

I nodded vigorously but bit my tongue before I could tell him just how ready I was.

“Great. Here’s my card.”

The waiter grabbed Rylan’s credit card before I could stop him and walked away.

“Rylan, I can’t let you pay for all of this.”

A cocky smirk played across his lips. “You can and you will. Don’t worry, gorgeous.” He swept my hair aside once more, though this time he gripped the back of my neck and pulled me so close I thought he’d kiss me. “I’ll let you pay me back.”

He didn’t kiss me. I tried to hide my disappointment when the waiter intruded once more to return Rylan’s card. He signed the slip, then grabbed my hand and tugged me out of the room, not even letting me get a glimpse of the view.

When we got to the elevator, the door was already open. Rylan rushed in, jabbing his finger at the button before he had me cornered against the wall.

His lips were so close, and my body was begging him to get closer, that pool of warmth in my tummy swallowing me up.

“Gonna give you an experience you’ll never forget.”

I nodded again and somehow managed to choke out, “Can’t wait.” Only, the ding of the elevator had Rylan turning away, dragging me off with him.

Those views I’d wanted to see in the restaurant?

They were nothing compared to this.

Rylan had dragged me up to the roof, where the warm air had me boiling as much as my confusion.

“What are we doing?”

“Told ya, gorgeous. I’m giving you an experience you’ll never forget.”

I’d never been a thrill seeker, but luckily, I wasn’t afraid of heights. Something I couldn’t say for JaCinda’s bestie—the whole reason she refused to come here. I knew there were rides atop the Strat, but never once did I consider that Rylan would take me here. I never thought he’d string his fingers between mine as we waited to get on the rides, holding on like he was worried the slight breeze might blow me away. I’d been sure this was nothing more than a quiet lunch to make Peter jealous, and I was okay with that.