Page 60 of Surprised By Her

“Will you now?” I asked.

“Mmm,” she said.

Even though I was thinking about Ryan more than the cake, I ate a second piece anyway, giving her a bite.

The server brought us a bag with the bonus desserts and told us to have a good night.

I watched her leave and looked over at Ryan.

“The bill is already taken care of,” she said.

“Oh,” I said. “I assumed. Thanks. That’s really generous.”

“I have money and I like spending it with you,” she said, shrugging one shoulder. “You’re helping me relax and figure out hobbies.”

We had not talked about hobbies during this dinner, oops. I hoped I hadn’t neglected my duties.

We headed back downstairs and got back into the car.

“Did the driver wait the whole time we were at dinner?” I asked her in a low voice.

“He’s used to it,” she said. “He’s very well compensated. Very well.”

The sun was setting by the time we got back in the helicopter, with me balancing the desserts on my lap, one of my hands gripping Ryan’s when we took off and landed. Using a helicopter wasn’t necessarily my favorite way to travel, but it did get you there fast. It would have taken hours to get from Arrowbridge to the restaurant. The helicopter got us there in a fraction of the time.

It was still a relief to get back into Ryan’s car at the airfield. Maybe it was silly to trust her more than a trained helicopter pilot to get me safely home, but I did.

“That was an adventure,” I said as we headed back to Arrowbridge.

“Good adventure?” Ryan asked.

“Hell yes,” I told her.

She pulled into my driveway far too soon.

“My parents will be happy I’m in one piece,” I said with a laugh. “They’re not going to believe me when I tell them, but I have evidence.” I’d taken more than a few selfies on the helicopter and then a few shots at the beautiful restaurant.

“Safe and sound,” Ryan said, taking my hand and kissing the center of my palm.

“Safe and sound,” I repeated.

Heat crackled between us and I wished, so much, that I didn’t have to go to work tomorrow. All I wanted her to do was unzip my dress and discover that I wasn’t wearing any bottoms under it.

Ryan made a frustrated sound. “Is it bad that I don’t want you to go inside? I know you have to work tomorrow, but I wish tonight didn’t have to be over.”

“It doesn’t have to be,” I said. “Just give me like, five or ten minutes.”

I dove forward and gave her the fastest kiss I could and then jumped out of the car. We’d only agreed to go to dinner, but I didn’t want to just go to bed and read a book. I wasn’t done with her yet.

“Hi, I’m going over to Ryan’s,” I called when I came through the door. I set the bag of extra desserts on the entry table and attempted to run up the stairs in the form-fitting dress. It didn’t really work, even with the slit on the side, so I had to slow down and walk.

“What did you say, sweetie?” Mama called from the living room.

“I’m going over to Ryan’s and I might stay the night. Just going to pack a few things.”

I grabbed a tote bag and started chucking things in it, not even thinking what I was packing.

I made it down the stairs and found my parents poking in the bag I’d left.

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