Page 22 of Sever
I grab my purse and head out to my car. The air leaves my body when I see Ryder leaning against it.
I was so close to making it out unscathed.
So close.
“Can I help you?”
“You sure you want to ask that question?” He cocks an eyebrow and the all too familiar gesture stirs something inside me.
“What do you want?” I ask as my irritation with his games is growing. He left me, but now he wants to make nice and play games like nothing happened? Like he didn’t break my heart and throw away the pieces?
“You.” He pushes off the car, and comes toward me.
I freeze. What did he just say?
“Oh no. No way in hell are we going there.” I sidestep him, giving him the wide berth he deserves. I sift through my bag looking for my keys, pulling them out and dropping them not once but twice as I try to unlock the car so I can get the hell out of here.
“You say that now.”
“I’ll say it every damn time, Ryder.” I open my car door and get in, but when I try to close it, I meet resistance. I look up, seeing his fingers curled around the frame. He yanks it open further and holds it open with his hip. He drops his face until it’s only a few inches from mine.
“Look at me, right now. Tell me you don't fucking feel this and I'll walk away.”
I look him square in the face, mustering all the strength I have, which isn’t much, as I say, “I don’t feel it.”
Lie.
Lie.
Lie.
I shove him back and slam the door, seeing the dust in my rearview mirror as I peel out of the parking lot. The drive back home is a blur. All I can think of is Ryder, the way he looked at me, the way I feel whenever he is close to me. Every time I close my eyes I see his face.
I throw the door open and the handle hits the wall, leaving a nice round dent in the Gyprock. Chrissy looks up at me, wide-eyed. “Shit, what happened?”
I just shake my head heading right for the kitchen, taking down a glass and pouring myself a glass of wine. Chrissy follows but when a knock sounds at the door, she turns on her heel and I down half the glass in one go.
Though his face is distorted through the glass, I nearly choke when I see Ryder walk into the kitchen.
Ryder.
In my kitchen.
“What the hell are you—?”
He grabs the back of my neck and pulls me to him, his lips coming down on mine, taking me by surprise. As much as I want to fight him I don’t. The minute we touch, all of the nerves in my body calm and I relax into him like it’s where I was always supposed to be.
The sweet kiss quickly catches fire as his tongue slips into my mouth, my hands fisting in the T-shirt he’s wearing, clutching him tight, like he might disappear at any time.
When he pulls away, the two of us are panting like we just ran a mile. His fingers grip my chin, turning my head to the side. I feel his tongue touch the skin on the side of my mouth and my core tightens.
“That wine is almost as sweet as you, princess.” He smiles, before pressing his lips to mine again. “Almost.”
He lets go of me and my hands grab the counter, my fingers biting into the laminate while I wait for the feeling to return to my legs. In the distance, the front door slams closed and I let out the breath that’s been burning my lungs and drop my head back, eyes to the ceiling.
“I’m totally screwed.”
Chrissy laughs, and my eyes find hers across the kitchen. She’s leaning against the doorjamb, a smug look on her face. “If he has his way, you definitely will be.”
I shoot her a look before grabbing the bottle of wine and taking another large swig. Then another, my lips tingling with the absence of his.
Damn him.
