Page 22 of Four Times Taken

He grinned. "I mean, let's get you both home. You're the health professional here, but I wouldn't advise continuing this trail in this heat, while you're dehydrated, and I'll say it... hungry too."

He had a point. He got to his feet and offered his hand. I took it. "How do you know whether I've eaten or not? Do I look hungry?"

"You remind me of my mom," he said, pulling me up so hard, I landed against his chest, almost knocking us both over.

He grabbed hold of my waist to steady me, and I gulped. He had been out running and sweating. I'm surprised at how good he smelled. When he mentioned the mom thing, I thought I misjudged his attraction because that's weird as hell to me. I run the hell away from men who remind me of my dad or mom. However, the way he squeezed my waist before releasing me told me I didn't.

Fuck, he sent the hot-o-meter flying, and I'm breathless. "Thanks for the compliment?"

He smiled and nodded. "It is a compliment. She's the kindest woman I know."

Damn, my cheeks were hot. Something told me this wasn't a pick-up line. He meant it. If it were a pick-up line, it'd be a weird one. 'Hey, pretty lady. You remind me of my mom.' Ew. But there'There's nothing new about this moment. Or 'pick-uppy' either. I'm warmed up by his words. Too warmed up to be comfortable.

His firm chest had burned itself into my skin, my arms still tingled from resting against him a moment ago. Swallowing against my screaming need, I turned around to grab my mother's wheelchair. "It's okay. I can get myself home. I'm parked outside the entrance."

He stepped forward, reaching for the chair. "Why don't you let someone take care of you for a while?"

He smiled, and my breath caught. What was going on? The whole flutter of my internal organs was stronger than any initial attraction I'd had for a random hook-up. My belly ached. Because I don't want to get used to it and have it ripped away from me? I thought to myself.

Now would have been a good time to refuse his help. Instead, I played with fire.

"How do you want to take care of me?" I probed before I could stop myself.

He tensed. Damn. Okay, maybe it was about time I stopped before I got burned. Nothing could happen between us anyway. I was just teasing him to see his reaction, really. As I said before, he'd be gone soon, and it was looking up to be for the best if we parted ways now as strangers without intimacy.

With the way my body was reacting, something told me I'd end up half as wrecked as I was with Eric, if I even got a sample-sized experience with someone like Ryan. And I didn't think my heart would ever recover from Eric abandoning me. I couldn't add another wreckage to the mix. I'd lived through enough danger to be taking these kinds of risks.

Eric and his friends were a different breed of human beings, and that made interacting with them unpredictable. My heart couldn't handle that kind of chaos. Guess I had to thank Eric for the experience, which gave me the wisdom to know when to walk away before it was too late. I could already see my heart getting involved, and it was a car crash waiting to happen.

Oof, my head was spinning as my stomach groaned from the stress of emotions I put it through.

"Uh." He cleared his throat. "I promise that I'm not trying to be weird or anything, but you're someone Eric cares about, so I wouldn't feel good leaving you to go home alone, not in the state you're in. Do you mind if I drive you home? I promise that's all it is. Give me your keys, I'll pick your car up for you after."

Shit. I was feeling a bit fucked. "Can we please not talk about Eric anymore?"

"If you agree to let me take you home?" he said, with his hand out, waiting for the keys.

Wishing I wasn't such a fucking damsel in distress, I agreed. Keeping my eyes closed, because it was safer than risking eye contact through the rearview mirror, I rested my head against the top of the backseat with my mother strapped in next to me. We didn't speak until he pulled up to a drive-thru, insisting on buying us food. He kept his word, dropping me off at the house, before dropping my car off.

There was no point in hiding my address from him; Eric knew it. He'd always known, he just didn't care to visit after he left. And if Ryan was anything like him in that regard, I wouldn't see him again unless we bumped into each other randomly, years from now. As the door closed behind me, I took a breath, relieved that at least by then, we would be strangers passing by each other without recognition.

Chapter 16

Ryan

The jingling keys hit the wall hook of the Airbnb as I closed the door behind me. Kicking my shoes off, I looked up to see Eric's head peeking out from the kitchen. My skin warmed.

"Oh, hey, man. You've been gone long; I thought you got lost out there. Almost sent someone out to look for you," he said. His hand was stirring something, though I couldn't see the bowl. Dude's even wearing an apron. It threw me for a bit. Can't say I've ever seen him in one.

"Yeah." Pulling my phone from my pocket to check the time, I realized it's off, so if he called, I must have missed it. "Just give me a few minutes, I'll jump in the shower, and we can hit the waves soon," I said, seeking distance as if I'd been caught doing something I shouldn't.

"About that. I think I'm just going to stay in today. Want some breakfast?" he asked, the pan sizzling as he poured in the beaten eggs.

I cocked my head before turning on my heel to face him. That's odd. "No, I'm good on the breakfast. What's up with you? When did you become a little homemaker? You hate being locked away inside. Thought you were gonna see if you could catch some waves today while I film some content for your channel and take some pics for my social media?"

"Yeah, sorry, bro. Just not feeling up to it," he said.

Taking a deep breath to settle the uneasiness in my stomach, I stepped forward, guilt persuading me to sit at the counter. "Still thinking about yesterday, huh?" I asked.

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