Page 81 of After Tonight

“Isn’t it? You’re the most…helpful guy in this town. It would probably drive you crazy to be with someone who never needs you.”

He sighed. That’s what she was telling herself? That she didn’t need him? Yeah, that would bother him. Yes, he loved being there for the people he cared about. But he knew that he needed a woman who could be okay with him being there for everyone else.

And Riley fucking needed him. For pep talks, to help buffer things with her mom. For orgasms.

That was no small thing.

Dammit.

“And I think that when Lucy asks you out, you should say yes.”

He felt his scowl form immediately. “What?”

“I’m going to tell Lucy to ask you out.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face. Pain. In. His. Ass. “Again, what?”

“Lucy thinks you’re really sweet, and loved the scones and the Lindsey Stirling, and now she thinks you’re ready to be a boyfriend. And you know what?” she added quickly. “I think she’s right. You’re definitely ready. In fact,” she took a deep breath, “you’ve been ready. You haven’t needed any training.” She gave him a quick, bright smile. “So I guess we’re done.”

“We’re done,” Derek repeated. “Is that right?”

She nodded, but he saw her swallow hard. “I mean, we’ll still see each other and stuff. Like dinner tonight.” She gave a laugh that was tight and completely fake. “But that was the main reason I was always at your house and around, so…no more early-morning walks or anything.”

He watched her trying to talk herself into this bullshit, feeling his gut knotting.

But there was something that Riley was forgetting. He knew her.

“Okay, Riley, you win,” he finally said.

She blinked at him. “I do?”

“You think I’ve always had it easy. Well, okay. I’m ready to do things the hard way.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“You,” he told her simply. “You’re the hard thing I have to work at. And I’m ready.”

As he said it to her, he realized that all sounded really good actually. If he worried that things came too easily for him, the universe had just presented him with a huge challenge in convincing Riley Ames she was in love with him.

She was already shaking her head as a matter of fact. “That’s not what I meant.”

He nodded. “Yeah, this is going to be good for both of us. I need to work at something, and you,” he lifted a hand to her cheek, “you need someone who doesn’t want you to be different at all.” He leaned in and said by her ear, “You go right ahead and be a brat. I’m up for it.” Then he kissed her temple and stepped back.

She looked like she wanted to cry. And like she wanted to launch herself into his arms. He grinned. “This is usually the part where you argue with me just to argue.”

“You could really regret this,” she said. But her voice lacked conviction.

Instead of arguing, he just smiled. “There’s my girl.” Then he turned and headed for his truck.

“See you at dinner?” she called after him.

Feeling triumphant, he looked back. “Nah. Tell your mom I can’t make it.”

Riley was clearly surprised. “Why not?”

“Stuff to do.” He pulled the truck door open. “And I want to make you miss me a little bit.”

She sighed. “You’re a pain.” But she didn’t deny that she would maybe, possibly, miss him. A little.

“I love you too, Ry.” Derek got in his truck with that and drove off.

Yes, he’d just told Riley he loved her. And as a bonus, she was now going to stew about it. How he’d done it, if he’d meant it, and how she felt about him.

He was humming as he pulled into the Come Again parking lot.

Yes, his life was pretty easy. But he loved it, and he couldn’t wait to show Riley that things didn’t have to be difficult to be satisfying.

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