Page 59 of Say it Ain’t So

With nothing more than a nod, he walked to the door, stopping before he stepped out into the hall.

“See you on Monday?”

With a tight throat and burning eyes, I nodded, lifting my hand to wave. “See you Monday.”

Then he was gone, and I was left hating myself more than I ever had.

18

RYLAN

It’s funny how a life can change. The minute I decided I wanted to date Joss, my schedule got so busy, I barely saw her for weeks. I’d always loved being on the go. To move around and engage in my surroundings, to be active to the point that I could fall in bed at night and be dreaming of my next adventure within minutes.

Now all I dreamed of was sitting on the new sofa in the lobby, enjoying the quiet between us as I watched her cheeks pink each time she felt me staring.

Damn, she was the most gorgeous creature in the world. Not having her near me left me itching, aching to see her again. I had to cancel an appointment and turn down an offer to go home and see Ma and Pops to make time to see her, but I couldn’t wait any longer.

When she pulled open her apartment door, the smile on her face would have been enough to tide me over for another month had it not already been so long. Not really. Joss was a drug I couldn’t get enough of. Seeing that smile only made me want her more.

Seeing the rest of her left me aching for something I promised myself I couldn’t have. Not yet.

“Hey.” Joss stood in the doorway, smiling, looking me over like she felt the same way.

Dragging my gaze down her front, I struggled to find words. My attention zipped back to her face. “Hot damn, gorgeous. You are stunning.”

I’d wanted to start over. To take her on a proper first date where we didn’t end up married and in bed. When I mentioned it to her, I hadn’t expected this.

She was dressed in that same sun dress she’d worn when I first saw her, her cowboy boots replaced with slightly more sensible shoes—since I told her we’d be walking.

She even had a bruise on her leg, a Band-Aid slapped right in the middle. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and nodded to it, feeling like, if I did more, she’d be in my hands and we’d never leave her apartment. “Quite the bruise you got there.”

Her face screwed up, the smile dropping as she gestured over her shoulder toward the couch. “That stupid table.” She grabbed her purse from beside the door and strung it over her shoulder. “I was watching videos on my tablet and when I stood from the couch, I stepped forward and smashed my shin into the edge.”

Joss stepped into the hall next to me, and if I hadn’t had my hands secured, I would have pulled her to me. Her bruise—in the exact spot it would be if I believed her, and I did—had those same protective instincts racing through me that I had before.

I offered her my elbow, which she took with a smile that had my brain melting. “Need me to take care of it for you?”

She laughed, rolling her eyes and lifting her shoulders. “You’re crazy, Rylan Dennis.”

“Just crazy for you, gorgeous.” I bit my tongue, because hadn’t I told myself this night was going to go different? The color that rushed to her cheeks had me loosening my jaw. No words came, though. Because her flush stole whatever sanity might have been left in my head.

Lucky for me, that flush didn’t seem to affect her the same way. She led me down the hall toward the elevator, chattering as she went. I listened intently, eager to soak up every last thing she said.

“So where are we going?” Joss asked as I pulled from my parking spot in front of her apartment and into the evening traffic.

I kept my eyes on the road—Van had mentioned how freaked out Joss would get if he turned his attention to anything but driving—and told her, “I’m taking you to dinner.”

Was it possible to hear when someone rolled their eyes? I was pretty sure I heard hers—or maybe it was the groan. Though, that groan had me thinking of her moans of pleasure when she came, and I⁠—

“I kind of figured that much,” she said, interrupting the stampede of my thoughts. “I figured you could tell me where. Or is that still a secret?”

A grin stretched my lips, and I took a chance, shooting her a quick glance.

She was beautiful when she got riled up.

“That’s still a secret.”

“Rylan!”