Page 89 of By His Rule

“Thank you,” she says before walking away.

“So, how have you been? I was actually thinking about messaging you the other week.”

So, he’s single again then.

“Yeah, I’m good. Just started a new job so things are a little crazy.”

“It’s congratulations all around then. So where are you working now?”

Tate and I met Ryder at college. We all hit it off easily. He was easygoing, fun-loving, everything we were.

The two of us have had some very, very good times together. And sitting here looking at him now, I know why. He’s hot. A total player who’s never going to settle down—a little like someone else who shall not be named—but he’s…easy. He doesn’t take life too seriously, and despite the fact he’s hot as hell, he doesn’t flaunt it. He just…loves life. And quite honestly, Tatum might just be onto something, because this is a little bit of what I need right about now.

“I’m working at Callahan Enterprises,” I say honestly, knowing that Ryder isn’t going to judge like many will.

Instead, he just grins. “That’s awesome. That’s what you always wanted, right?”

“Yeah,” I muse, impressed that he remembers. Hell knows most men wouldn’t.

“Shit,” he curses as he glances at his watch. “I’ve gotta head out. But I’ll message you, yeah? We should hang out. It’s been too long.”

A genuine smile pulls at the corners of my lips.

“Yeah,” I muse. “We should.”

Familiar tingles spread through my body as I think about the kind of hanging out that Ryder and I usually do. The kinky kind that never fails to scratch an itch.

“Sweet. Speak soon, yeah?”

After pressing a quick, chaste kiss to my cheek, he’s gone almost as fast as he arrived, leaving me with nothing but the image of his hard ass in his tight suit pants as a parting gift.

“Where’s Ryder gone?” Tatum asks when she finally returns from the bathroom.

“Oh, you’ve finished hiding?” I tease.

“What? I needed to pee.”

“Did you?” I snark, raising a brow in question.

“I did. So…how was he? Been a while, huh?”

“You are so fucking transparent.”

She stares at me, her lips twitching with amusement.

She can’t lie for shit. Especially not to me. I know her too well.

“Fine. Fine. He popped up on my Facebook feed and…well…I thought he might be of some use to you.”

“You think he’s going to fuck all my problems away, like they don’t exist.”

“Fucking hell, if he’s that magical, I might have a go myself,” she teases.

“Oh yeah, like you’d ever stray from King’s magic dick,” I deadpan.

She gets this far-off dreamy look in her eye.

“Please, stop thinking about his dick. We’re in public.”

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