Page 18 of Her Surprise Protector
“I’m tryinggg,” she said plaintively. “It’s hard. My mom didn’t watch her words around me.”
“Which is why you swear so much,” I pointed out.
“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I think a few dates with Riker is a good thing and that it’ll get you out of the house more. Also, if it scores you private security, I say date him as long as necessary to get Oscar out of your life for good.”
My throat tightened, and I set my water down without taking a sip. “Oh God, do you think he thinks that’s why I said yes to a date?”
Payton rolled her eyes. “No, no…he’s hot and rich. If anything, he’ll think you want to date him because of that. He’s a billionaire. I’m sure he’s used to people hanging onto his every word in hopes he’ll throw them a very expensive bone. Just be you and let him be him and see what happens.”
I had to take Payton’s words and cling to them during the following weeks. Sometimes, I felt attractive, funny and interesting, and I could look at myself in the mirror and think.Yeah, makes sense that Riker would want me.Other times, my hair was a mess, my mind was frazzled, Bree was screaming, and I couldn’t understand what Riker could possibly see in me.
Riker had called after Payton went home that Saturday afternoon. We chatted for a few minutes then he got around to the reason for his call. “Hey, I had a great time on our date yesterday, and I would love to do it again next weekend. If you’re free, of course.”
“I am free, and I’m pretty sure Payton can take Bree again next weekend,” I had added, honestly just thrilled that he called. Every time we parted, the fear that it would be the last time I saw him always wormed its way into my mind.
“You’re welcome to bring her along too, you know,” Riker told me. “But I understand if you don’t want her getting to know just anyone. I’m sure it’s not good for kids… Well, you know, for different people to be constantly in and out of their lives.”
“It’s usually not,” I confirmed after I recovered from what Riker had done to my heart just by being thoughtful. “I would like to wait a little longer to do that, if it’s okay with you.”
“No problem. So see you next weekend? I already have something fun in mind for us to do.”
“Well, that’s just too bad because I have something in mind too, and it’s my turn to choose,” I explained.
Riker’s abrupt, loud laugh made me shift the phone a little further from my ear. “Okay, then. You can choose. What are we doing?”
“I changed my mind. You can choose,” I teased.
It was like Riker was making a point to let me decide what our next date would look like, instead of him always being in control. I chuckled to myself. He would have to get used to letting someone else call the shots at least sometimes if he intended to keep dating me. After a few exchanges back and forth about who would decide, Riker finally insisted it was my turn.
“Okay, okay… Let’s go to the beach and play volleyball. I know it’s not the most glamorous date, but I’m starting to look like a ghost. I need some vitamin D, and I haven’t had an excuse to go in a while. Will you be my excuse?” I wished Riker and I were talking in person, so I could flutter my lashes and give him my best “pretty please.”
“Only if you’ll be mine too. It’s a date,” Riker promised. “Saturday? We can work out the details later. I have to run. Literally. My buddy is here, we’re jogging together.”
I giggled. “I wouldn’t want to keep you. Have fun, and I’ll talk to you later.”
* * *
Later came, we talked some more… then later that week came, and we hashed out our beachy details. Then, finally, Saturday came and brought Riker to my house – shirtless Riker.
“We aren’t going to the beach here, you know,” I pointed out to hide a gulp when I opened my door to answer his knock and was greeted by a six-pack of very defined abs.
“Uh… yeah, I figured we’d be heading for the park.” His eyes stared me down, trying to burn a hole through the thin, blue cover-up that only partially hid my black two-piece.
When I took off the cover-up to play volleyball at the beach with another couple, Riker missed the ball on the first serve because he was staring at my ass. I grinned cheekily at him. “Not good at sports?” I asked innocently. Riker didn’t miss another ball that game.
Our beach date ended in a round of margaritas and another long, intellectual conversation. I didn’t know why, but I had never expected Riker to be so…smart. That was a silly non-expectation because heading up a company like Sunset Security had to take an impressive amount of business sense, passion and hard work as well as intelligence. Stereotypes surrounded men with money, and I had believed most of them before I met this exceptional billionaire.
“Hey Riker,” I began during a lull in the conversation. It might have been a little forward of me, but I wanted to sate my curiosity. After the way Riker had treated me on the beach, I felt I deserved to know. “That day on the beach when Chauncey – the dog,” I clarified. “When Chauncey came over to you, he was trying to take something you were holding, right?”
Even with a margarita and a half in him, Riker didn’t receive the question well. “Yeah.” He twisted his glass in a slow circle. “An engagement ring.”
“Oh.” Since I had already dredged up bad memories, I thought I might as well make this the only and last time I brought this up and push a little harder. “Who was it for. I mean, what was her name?”
“My ex-fiancée, Hallie. Turns out she was only my fiancée… for my money.” One long sip brought that half margarita down to a fourth.
“Do you miss her?” I asked quietly. I knew all too well what it felt like to hate someone and miss them at the same time.
“Sometimes, when I sit at home by myself for too long. Never when I’m with you, though.”
