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“Yes, of course. You’ve been too sick to fill up your fridge, and I can’t let you starve until you’re well enough to go out.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because I take care of those I care about.”
“And you care about me? Why?”
“Why? Are you questioning whether you’re worthy of my help?”
“No. I’m questioning your motives.”
“I take care of my friends and family, Laura. I won’t abandon them.”
I nodded. I had completely misjudged this man.
“Ryan?”
He’d gotten up to put away my dishes in the dishwasher.
“Uh, huh?”
“Will you go out with me next weekend?”
He turned and leaned against the kitchen counter. “Damn. That really hurts, you know.”
Confused, I racked my brain for the exact words I’d used. I was sick. I could have jumbled that up. “What hurts?”
“Here I thought sex with me would have changed your mind, but it was the soup. That really humbles a man, you know.”
I laughed out loud, my voice cracking from the cold. “You really are a cocky bastard. Do you want to go out with me or not?”
He leaned down and kissed my lips. “I thought you’d never ask.”
12
Ryan
After meeting with the mayor at Luxor, I researched old man McArthur and found something that could put a wrench in the mayor’s plans. I had a call with a man from California this afternoon to discuss it. But first, I needed to do one more thing.
“I think rubies are more your color than sapphires,” said Colton over my shoulder.
Nearly jumping out of my seat, I swiveled my chair to face him. “Fuck, you scared me. Since when do you tiptoe into my office?”
He stared at me as though I was the crazy one. “I didn’t tiptoe,” he growled. “I don’t fucking tiptoe. I walked and you were so engrossed in…” he leaned down to look at my computer, “buying a necklace that you didn’t even hear me come in.”
Straightening, he grinned. “So, who’s the girl?”
“You don’t know her,” I said.
“Of course, I don’t. Why are you hiding her from us?”
“I’m not hiding her, Colton. We’ve just kept our relationship quiet, is all.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Relationship?”
“Who’s in a relationship?” Luke barged into my office.
Just great!
