Page 77 of Something to Someone

“What did my mom say?”

My eyes scanned his perfect jawline, stubbled with the beginnings of a five o’clock shadow, and the line of his neck where I could see his tanned skin behind his collar.

“She’s known since that day in my bedroom,” I said, and then dropped my voice lower as I continued, “after I tied you up.”

At that, I finally got a reaction. His eyebrows shot up, and he reared back in surprise. “She’s known for that long?”

I nodded as we passed an older couple—Miles’s grandparents, I think—who were standing in the middle of the dance floor swaying back and forth.

“Something about having repaired that T-shirt of yours I threw on to go out and see her.”

His eyes narrowed, and I saw when realization and understanding dawned on him. “Shit, I—I didn’t even think about that. I would have stopped you if I had thought?—”

His own panic was rising, not for the fact that his mother knew, but I realized because he thought I might assume he had done it on purpose. Ryder was smart and slick, but he wasn’t nefarious.

“No, I know you didn’t do it on purpose,” I said, resting my hand against his cheek. “And honestly, Natalie was more understanding than I ever could have hoped.”

He smiled and leaned into my touch. Suddenly aware of what I’d done, I almost removed my hand entirely, but then I considered his reaction. How his face would drop ever so slightly, and his shoulders would slump in disappointment. That was until he realized a second later that he’d shown me how much it hurt him and right his posture and expression.

And I couldn’t stomach that reaction.

So, I left my hand against his cheek.

“I told you she would understand,” he said, and I rolled my eyes at his gloating.

“That’s fine. You can have your ‘I told you so’ moment, but it only lasts as long as this song.” Which was going on forever, might I add. It was something slow and sultry that I hadn’t heard before. It was gorgeous, though.

“What if I want it to last longer?” he asked. “What if I want all of this to last a little longer?” His voice dropped, and he tilted his head down until our foreheads were nearly touching. I didn’t say anything, letting my hand fall to his shoulder and holding my breath. I could hear the change in his tone, and I could do very little to prepare myself for what he said next.

“Caroline, there is no way you can’t feel this. You can claim all you want that it’s just sex or just fucking or whatever, but that’s not true. There’s more. There’ssomething.”

His voice shook as did his hand as he reached up and clasped my cheek. He didn’t try to kiss me, but I could feel how much he wanted to. His desire matched mine. And Natalie’s words were echoing through my head.You wouldn’t have done it if it were just for fun.

So, I successfully pulled myself free from his hold and all but ran toward the closest door.

THIRTY-THREE

STANDING ALONE

Ryder

I didn’t think,I just started moving the second I realized what she was doing. She was halfway across the dance floor before I reacted, but I followed her out the antique French doors and onto the patio.

I don’t know what changed or made me want to confess my feelings in the middle of the dance floor at my best friend’s wedding. I could blame it on the alcohol or the emotions of watching Stephen and Miles exchange their vows. But neither of those reasons felt right. I think I’d finally just given up trying to hide everything I’d been feeling.

It was stupid. I knew it was, yet I did it anyway. Not that I could have stopped it.

A few people were huddled around cocktail tables strategically placed at the edge of the fountain and under the lights strung from tree to tree. I lost sight of Caroline for a moment but caught a glimpse of her blonde hair as she turned the corner around a hedge, heading deeper into the garden.

My dress shoes, that I should have broken in before today, clicked across the stone patio. Once I rounded the shrubs and I was out of sight of the other guests, I broke into a jog. The freaking garden was like a goddamn maze. Plants and flowers lined grassy trails that occasionally broke off into alcoves that held more fountains or benches or large, old trees.

It was a guessing game. Somewhere between her turning the corner and me turning the same corner, I’d lost her. But I was determined. Taking left and right turns and feigning confidence, I refused to quit.

Finally, breathing hard and cursing my damn shoes, I found her on one of those benches staring up at a tree that looked like it was twice as old as my grandfather. My initial reaction was to start spewing my feelings. I wanted to get them all out before she had a chance to run away again. But I knew that wouldn’t go over well.

Instead, I kept my steps light and crossed to the metal bench. I slipped down beside her, but didn’t look at her. My eyes were fixed on the tree in front of us. Its trunk was still strong yet worn from years of battling the elements, and its branches, that rose several feet in the air then dropped lower toward the ground, were thick with leaves and a few small purple flowers.

I considered it a small win when she didn’t sprint away.

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