Page 6 of Ryker

Chapter 6: Ryker

Corinne looks stunning the second she opens the door and when she opens her mouth, it takes everything in me not to grab her and shove my tongue in it. She's always been a sassy little thing, but age has taught her how to crank the dial up to ten.

"I have a lint roller, if you need it," I announce as we pull into my driveway. "Leo kind of shares his hair with everyone. He took the whole 'sharing is caring' thing way too seriously and now he won't stop."

She shrugs and gets out of the car, hair bouncing with each step she takes across the driveway. Her dress ripples, the bodice clinging to the upper half of her body while the skirt flares out with each move she makes. "I'm here to have a nice dinner, turn your cat against you, and figure out why you asked me out on this date in the first place. If I get covered in fur, that's just a workplace hazard."

"Workplace hazard?" I ask as I come up behind her. She's approached my front door and is now waiting for me. I'm surprised she hasn't tried to bust her way in. For a small person, she's got a big personality.

"Just call me Detective Corinne from now on. I'll be investigating your personal life until I'm satisfied with the answers I get." She stands on her tiptoes, trying to look over my shoulder as I unlock the front door. "Do you mind if I go through your underwear drawer? You might as well say you don't mind because I'm going to do it anyway. It's where all the best secrets are kept."

I turn around to face her, catching her off guard. She's tottering on her heels and I go in for the kill, grabbing her waist to steady her before she topples into the bushes. "By all means, go through my underwear drawer, but I want some collateral. Your panties, perhaps?"

I'd been hoping to stop her absurd line of questioning, but she only smirks up at me and says, "I'm not wearing any."

That's when my cock goes hard and I'm forced to let her go. This little back and forth has taken an unexpected turn. "You're asking for trouble, Corinne Harrison. Don't start games you aren't going to finish." I turn back to the front door, already frustrated that this night is going to get the better of me when she takes me by surprise again.

"Who said I wasn't going to finish it? Remember our marathon Monopoly game the summer before I went to high school?"

I turn back to see an angelic smile sitting on her devilish lips. We spent that summer playing Monopoly for three straight weeks, just one game because we kept making deals and trades to stay in the game. It was infuriating, but it was also a hell of a game. In the end, Corinne won because Nathan got bored and I made a bad couple trades that led to my inevitable downfall. "This isn't the same thing. This is a big girl game." I try to keep the condescension out of my voice, but it's hard when a sassy little thing three years my junior is giving me doe eyes and will turn on me at any moment. You always have to be on top of your game with Corinne.

"Good thing they gave me a big girl diploma last year when I graduated college," she announces in a babyish voice as she pats me on the head. It's hard for her being a foot shorter than me, but she stands on her tiptoes and gives me a wink while she does it. "Now let inside. I've got a cat to win over and an underwear drawer to rifle through when you're in the bathroom. Neither of these things can be done from out here. And didn't you say you had a lasagna you needed to pull out of the oven?"

Shit. I forgot about that. I unlock the door and leave her standing on the doorstep as I quickly make my way to the kitchen to check on dinner. Damn Corinne for getting the better of me this round. I know this isn't a game, but if it was Chess, she just took my Bishop.

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