Page 56 of Saved from Deception

The women are getting their own share of male attention, particularly Nora, the only one who appears to be potentially single. She’s beautiful in an understated way, with her long auburn hair pulled back in a braid, worn jeans and an old T-shirt covering her amazing figure.

Finn catches my eye and pats the seat next to him. “Charlie, come chat. I haven’t gotten to tell you all of Ry's embarrassing stories yet.”

Rylan’s arm slides around my waist, pulling me into his side. He pins Finn with an amused glare. “I don’t have any embarrassing stories.”

We walk over to Finn’s table, and the other man turns to face us, smiling broadly. “I have plenty of embarrassing stories about Ry from when we were in training.” His dark brown eyes are laughing as they shift from Rylan to me. “Like that time when we were all on that survival course, and Ry thought he saw a poisonous snake—”

Rylan coughs loudly. “We don’t need to talk about that.” His expression is stern, but his lips are twitching up. “Anyway. Charlie, this is Dante. Remember how I told you he was quiet? Strike that. He can be annoying when he wants to be.”

“Only when I haven’t seen these guys in ages,” Dante retorts, still smiling. Then he reaches his hand out to me. “Charlie. It’s nice to meet you.”

Dante’s smile is like the sun, warm and comforting when it’s cast upon you. Just from his smile, I already like him. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

We all squeeze around the table, pulling an extra chair over. While Finn goes to order a round of drinks and appetizers, Leo and Cole drag their tables over to join us, so we have one long family-style table with everyone chatting and laughing together. It’s like when I would watch shows where the family was celebrating Thanksgiving dinner—nothing like the silent and sterile meals of my childhood—but happy and loud and full of affection.

I love it. And I’m not nervous about being here in the least.

When Rylan leans into me, squeezing my leg under the table, and asks, “Are you doing okay?” I can give him a genuine smile and assure him I am.

When Maya and Cole challenge Rylan and I to a darts match, I don’t think twice about being visible in a room full of people.

After we beat Cole and Maya, Rylan chortling, “Ha! I knew I’d beat you eventually,” I don’t hesitate to cheer along with him, even though I know other people in the pub are staring.

I don’t even worry about having a few beers and letting my guard down, not with Rylan and his team protecting me.

It’s the best time I’ve had in ages. And I get to know Rylan’s friends—his family—even better.

I talk to Finn about hiking, not the little walks around Saratoga State Park, but real hikes in the Catskills. “You and Rylan should come with me one time,” he says. “It’ll be a great time.” And he’s so enthusiastic I have to agree, though I’m not sure about anything that involves eight hours of hiking and doing something called scrabbling up rock faces.

Maya shows me photos from her recent wedding—which was beautiful—and I discover she’s from Saratoga, too. If my parents hadn’t sent me to a local private school instead of the public one, I probably would have met her, since we’re only a couple of years apart.

Nora and I chat, and I discover that not only can she speak six languages, but she also has a secret addiction to steamy romance novels. “You cannot tell any of the guys,” she says, pitching her voice low so no one else can hear her. “I’ll never hear the end of it.” I swear my silence, and also make plans to borrow a few.

And the entire evening, Rylan is right there beside me. Kissing my cheek, rubbing my neck, resting his hand on my leg and stroking the inside of my thigh with his thumb. When his fingers move dangerously close to my core, moving to trace lines at the apex of my thighs, sending pulses of need through my belly, I whisper to him, “I’m going to get even with you for this later.”

“I can’t wait,” he murmurs, adding pressure, this thumb rubbing just over my sensitive bud. And I have to squeeze my legs together against the need swelling up inside me.

I’ve never done something like this before, this foreplay out in public. The old Charlie wouldn’t have imagined it—the guys I dated wouldn't have tried it either—but this Charlie is definitely here for it.

And now I’m thinking… What if we did this and I was wearing a skirt instead of jeans?

That would be even more interesting.

I get a bold idea—for me at least—of going to the bathroom and taking off my new lace panties. Putting them in my purse, and handing them to Rylan under the table. Playing my own version of the game he started.

Yes. I like it.

So I stand up and tell Rylan, “I’ll be right back.”

His satisfied smirk fades, replaced by concern. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I’m just going to run to the restroom to freshen up.”

“Do you want me to go with you?” My brows shoot up and he chuckles. “Let me rephrase that. I can stand outside the restrooms and wait for you.”

“I’ll be fine.” Leaning down, I brush my mouth across his. I’m not worried about the thirty or so feet to the bathroom, given how uneventful the evening has been so far, I’m sure I can make it that far on my own. “I’ll be right back.”

And I’m right. My trip to the restrooms is fine. No one accosts me, I don’t get any angry or leering stares, there isn’t even anyone else in the ladies room when I get there. I pull off my lacy blue bikini bottoms and stuff them in the bottom of my purse, blushing but feeling proud of myself at the same time.

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