Page 24 of Tempest

“She’s been telling me that every day since I can remember.”

Ryan enclosed her in his arms and gently embraced her. “Apparently, she thinks you need the reminder.”

Laying her head against his chest, she relaxed for a moment. “Why’d you really come out?”

“Because you need me to take care of you. Why didn’t you call me right after it happened?”

Pressing a kiss against his chest, she shrugged. “I don’t know how to ask for help. Well…I take that back. What I meant to say is, I know how to ask only my mama and my grandmother. I’ve never had anyone else.”

“Well, now you have me, so add me to the list.”

Leaning away, she looked into his eyes and wondered why he wanted to be on her list. “We went on one half date. Why in the world do you want to be my protector?”

“I just do. Can’t really explain it yet.”

“All right. Just clue me in when you have it figured out. In the meantime, let’s go and get an ice cream.”

“When I saw you in the bar at the hotel, I never would’ve guessed that we’d end up going for a walk on a Sunday afternoon to get an ice cream. I figured you for a fancy restaurant type of girl.”

“I do like fancy. My cone is going to be chocolate-dipped.”

Kissing her head, he took her hand. “Let’s go, then, and on the way, you can tell me about the fancy things you like.”

“Prepare yourself. The list is long.”

***

“I have never seen someone eat a double-dipped chocolate-covered ice cream cone so fast.” Ryan said, as they walked along the main road.

“I like ice cream. What can I say? So, what do you think of our little town?”

“It’s smaller than I thought it would be. I like it, though.”

“We have a new dance hall in town. I haven’t made it over yet. Maybe while you’re here you can take me dancing.”

“I’ll take you dancing, and then maybe you can show me where the best place to park is. I’ve been trying to make out with you for a while.”

Throwing her elbow into his side, she laughed. “You didn’t even like me when we first met.”

“That lasted for about five minutes. When you told me the story about the piglet, it was all I could do to keep myself under control. I was a goner after that.”

“Revisionist history. I like the way you gloss over the true facts.”

He stopped in front of a fabric store that was closed and pressed her against the storefront. “I want you, Ivy. Make no mistake about it.”

Leaning against the warm glass with Ryan’s arms thrown up on either side of her head had her light-headed. He caged her in as he lowered his head slowly and took her mouth without hesitation. Right there in the middle of Main Street, he was smooching her and, if she wasn’t mistaken, claiming her.

Ryan was a man who knew what he wanted and took it. Hell, there was no taking. She was offering it up on a platter. Lifting her hand, she held onto his shirt and pulled him closer as he pressed his lips to hers. Light exploded behind her eyes as his tongue dipped in and met hers. Was it a minute or an hour that passed? She couldn’t be sure, because all she wanted to do was have it go on and on.

The sound of a car horn caught her attention, and Ryan pulled away. Dazed, she looked up into his eyes and saw that he was as gone as she was. “That was a hell of a kiss. We’re going to have to do that some more when we’re not out in public.”

“Yeah, public should probably be avoided in the future,” he said as he straightened up. “It’s hot out here.”

She lifted her hair off her shoulders and twisted it up into a knot. “Sure is.” Standing up, she pushed away from the storefront and fanned her face. Looking around, she tried to remember what they’d come into town for. It took a minute, but her mind started working again. Ryan’s kisses were dangerous, that was for damn sure. “Let’s go over to the pharmacy and I’ll grab some mascara and then we can go home.”

As discreetly as he could, Ryan adjusted himself. “Let’s walk real slow.”

Ivy glanced down and noticed the bulge in his jeans. “We just had the one kiss.”

---