Page 10 of Hook Up

“I’ve got millions of kisses for you. I’ve been waiting for you to come to claim them.”

As raucous cheers erupt across Manhattan, Ryder’s lips claim mine. I try to hold on to any thought as the moment deepens, but my emotions win the battle. The din, the fears, and the noise fall away as I fall into Ryder, my hands fisting in his shirt.

“The perfect start to a new year. Kissing the woman I’ve dreamt about for over a decade.”

Any witty retort dies in my throat as I’m captivated, once again, by Ryder’s intense energy. It’s the way he looks at me, as if I’m the only woman in the world.

No one has ever looked at me that way before.

An icy breeze blows across the rooftop, and I huddle closer to his lanky frame.

“It’s downright frigid out here, isn’t it?”

“Yes, but you did an excellent job keeping me warm against the elements.”

Pulling me tighter, he teases my mouth with featherlight kisses. “Do you want to get out of here?”

“I do.” There’s no question. My reunion with Ryder is unexpected and moving at warp speed, but I’m certain of one thing.

I don’t want it to end.

“Would it be totally presumptuous to invite you back to my hotel? It’s only a few blocks away.”

“Think you’re going to get lucky?” I tease, biting back a grin.

“I already got lucky, Gigi. I’m with you.”

The grin slides from my face as a wave of emotions surges through me. Grasping Ryder’s shirt, I crush his mouth to mine, claiming, without words, every inch of this man as my own.

Before the sun rises, he will be mine.

“Ryder, there you are. Dude, your date is pissed.”

Tearing my lips from Ryder’s, I turn my attention to the stranger standing to our left. “His what?”

“Shit,” Ryder breathes, and I waste no time scrambling to my feet. “I’ll be down in a minute, Sam.”

I wait untilSamdisappears back inside before turning loose my famous Hammond temper. “Your date?”

Ryder huffs out a sigh, burying his head in his hands. “It’s complicated.”

He is not using that expression. “Don’t use my line on me, Ryder. You’re here with someone? That’s fucking perfect,” I mutter, grabbing my purse as I prep for a hasty exit.

Ryder grabs my arm, and I see the panic lining his face. “Please sit down.”

I shake my head, feeling like an idiot that I fell for his lines. “You’re good, Ryder. I actually believed you, but I guess that’s the point, right? Your delivery was perfect. No doubt you’ve done this hundreds of times before.”

He flies to his feet, but he’s a bigger fool than me if he thinks I’ll believe one word from his gorgeous mouth at this point. “You think this was some ploy to get you into bed? I’ve been hoping to run into you for years and then boom, here you are. No way in hell was I going to let this moment slip by, and I’m not letting it go now. I’m not letting you go.”

“Such a sweet sentiment, except for the fact you have a date downstairs,” I seethe, tempted to impale my heel in Ryder’s handsome head. “Thanks for making me the other woman. Appreciate it. I always swore it was the one role I’d never play, but you made certain I did.”

With a flip of my hair and a shaky sigh, I slip on my emotional armor. “I should have known better. You’re just a kid.”

Ryder stiffens at my barb, taking the coat I thrust in his direction. “I think we both know that’s not true.”

“Just because you can kiss, doesn’t make you a man. Goodbye, Ryder. Maybe we’ll run into each other in another twelve years.”

Twirling on my heel, I storm toward the door, intent on one thing—getting inside before the tears fall and I look like an even bigger fool.

---