Page 51 of South Beach Bodyguards

I was also done doubting myself. I had just joined a dating app and was determined to get over my stupid insecurities that I would never be the hottie my mother had been in her twenties. My appeal was different, but no less sexy. To the right guy.

So I was going to wait for the right guy.

And in the meantime, I was working on merging Isabel and Julia into one person- the real me. I was taking pole classes and reading every erotic romance novel I could get my hands on. After all, my greatest strength was my ability to study and learn.

I opened the door. “Hi, what’s up?” I was so casual. A study in casual. Unconcerned.

Ryan’s eyes swept over me, head to toe. I was wearing high waisted denim shorts and a crop top. It was hot and I had been hauling boxes all day. I was wearing hot pink Converse. I looked cute, though I would have prepared a little makeup on seeing him for the first time in months. He didn’t look like he minded though. His eyes darkened with lust and his nostrils flared.

Good. Let him want what he could have had. Again and again.

“I have a special delivery for Isabel. One sofa bed and matching love seat.”

“Hi, Alejandro,” I said, waving to him standing behind Ryan. “Thanks for bringing my furniture, guys.”

“Yo.” Alejandro waved. “No problem.”

“Where should I put it?” Ryan asked.

I heard the double meaning and knew it was intentional. Anger rose up in me. “Do you really want the answer to that? Should I tell you where to put it?”

Alejandro’s eyebrows shot up as they came into the apartment, glancing around.

Ryan wasn’t checking out the apartment. He was staring at me, like he was trying to assess my reaction. “Yeah. Tell me where to put it.”

I wanted to tell him he should shove it up his ass for being such a jerk but I didn’t. Instead I bent over to shift some boxes. I heard him make a sound in the back of his throat. “Let me make some space,” I murmured. “So you can put it here.” My ass was still in the air and I knew my shorts were allowing one hell of a view.

Ryan moved into my space. I felt his presence. “Why are you doing this to me?” he asked, his voice gruff.

That had me standing and whirling on him. “Because you’re an asshole, that’s why.”

He looked shocked. Alejandro choked back a laugh.

“Dude, she knows you pretty well.”

“Shut up,” Ryan shot over his shoulder. “And go away.”

“Don’t go away, Alejandro. There is no reason to.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Put the couch here. And the love-seat on that wall over there.” I stepped a foot closer to Ryan so I could point to the far wall. My elbow knocked into his arm. “Sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry.” He took my elbow and held me next to him. “Very sorry.”

It wasn’t specific enough for me. It meant only that he felt guilty for having hurt me. Not that he regretted it. It just wasn’t worthy of him. I thought Ryan was a good man, who cared about other people. But maybe I was wrong. “Sorry for what?”

“For not checking up on you. I didn’t think you’d want to hear from me.”

“That’s a lie and you know it.”

He glanced away. And straight down at my chest. “You’re right. What can I say?”

“When you figure it out talk to me. Otherwise, keep your eyes off my tits.” I leaned closer, letting my arms drop, staring up at him. He hadn’t shaved. There were dark circles under his eyes. I felt a wave of tenderness for him. It looked had sleep had been eluding him recently. Damn it, I wanted him. I still had the vision of us. No longer a fantasy, but a realistic view of the future, and he could fit into it. I knew it. We were a great fit, in personality and in bed.

“And if you do figure out what to say,” I whispered seductively, “you can do a whole lot more than look.”

“Julia?” he asked, looking confused.

I shook my head. “Nope. It’s all me, Isabel. You’re a smart guy, Ryan. Figure out what that means.”

He bent over, way down to my level, and shifted my hair off of my ear. He murmured, breath tickling me. “If you were mine, I would push you back against that wall and make you scream.”

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