Page 92 of Manhattan Kiss

“Thanks for coming,” he says.

“Happy birthday,” I say.

“I’m not sure what’s happy about it,” Ryder says with a grin.

“How do you two know each other, then?” Aurora says.

I grin at her confusion—and then realize I’m as confused as she is. “How do you two know each other?” I ask.

“We grew up together,” Ryder says, as I watch Aurora’s expression.

“We lived in the same village. The Westburys are like family to me,” Aurora says.

“So don’t think you’re stealing her away,” Darcy says. “She’s not staying in New York, even if she has been offered a big promotion.”

Promotion? I don’t let on that I don’t know what Darcy means by promotion, but I can see from her expression that Aurora feels uncomfortable that I’m finding out from her best friend something she might have told me herself.

But it’s not like she has to tell me. She doesn’t owe me anything.

“What do you mean, steal her away?” Ryder says. “Why would he steal her away? She’s already here.”

“Ryder, I’m not sure how you survive in this world. Deacon and Aurora are…having naked play dates.”

Aurora closes her eyes and tightens her jaw. “Darcy. Stop. Please.”

“Oh, was I not meant to say anything?” Darcy says, her gaze flitting between me and Aurora. She winces. “Sorry.”

“How’s business?” I say to Ryder, wanting to change the subject so Aurora can recover from her embarrassment. Aurora and Darcy break off and have a side conversation, leaving Ryder and me to talk slightly apart from them.

Ryder fixes me with a look. “Aurora is a very special woman.” He pauses. “Don’t fuck her around or I will hunt you down and kill you.”

Maybe I’m imagining it, but Ryder’s tone seems to be more intense than normal brotherly protectiveness.

“I have no intention of hurting her,” I say simply.

“Your intention doesn’t matter. What matters is that Aurora doesn’t get hurt. Don’t fuck this up.”

“Message received. I’m not…”

What am I going to tell him? That I’m not the kind of guy who fucks women around? I’m the kind of guy who never intends to fuck women around, but I’ve definitely hurt women I’ve been involved with before. That’s why I don’t get into anything. Too many times I’ve been accused of messing with women or leading women on. But it’s never my intention.

Now I try to highlight what I’m looking for in neon—I just want a physical relationship. There are going to be no catching feelings. Even then, I’ve been caught out here and there, and have been genuinely shocked when someone I’m sleeping with asks me to hang out with her friends or attend a function together. The answer’s always no, with a follow-up of, “I don’t think we should do this anymore.” I’ve always wanted to keep things very clear.

Until Aurora.

With Aurora, everything is different.

“She’s going back to the UK in a few weeks,” I say.

Ryder’s shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter. She’s lovely. And I won’t let anyone hurt her.”

I frown, trying to figure out where his overprotectiveness is coming from. “Are you…have you two ever been⁠—”

“We’re like brother and sister,” he interrupts me. “We’ve known each other our entire lives. Aurora hasn’t had the best time of it when it comes to relationships, and she deserves someone who treats her heart like glass.”

Aurora and I haven’t really discussed her previous relationships. I wonder what’s happened to make Ryder so protective.

“I couldn’t agree more,” I say.