Page 32 of Hard Ride

Quinn noticed it too.He put his hand over Devra’s, preventing her from striking the match, then said, “Let’s leave them some counter space for the dirty dishes, huh?”

His wife shot him a questioning glance but didn’t argue when he shook his head and cut his eyes toward Ollie, who was gradually relaxing again although he’d turned somewhat ashen.

Trevon covered for whatever had gone wrong.He gathered up the candles in his arms and leapt down from the campervan.“I’ll take these back to the house for you, babe.Time to leave them alone to enjoy all your hard work.”

Devra nodded.“I hope you have a great dinner.It seems to me like you have a lot to celebrate.”

“We will and we do.Thank you.You went way above and beyond what we talked about.”Ollie blew her a kiss, his usual self reappearing from under the dark cloud that had briefly obscured his perpetually sunny disposition.

“I wanted to make sure it’s special.For you both.”She leaned in and wrapped an arm around each of them, hugging them tight before turning to go.

“Should we assume that if the campervan’s a-rockin’…” Quinn teased as he took Devra’s hand and led her to the door.

“I’m going to be too full to have sex after this.”Kyra snorted.“Don’t think I’m not going to try every single one of those desserts.”

“Well shit, then I’m taking this stuff back!”Devra pretended to scoop up a dish but Quinn dragged her away, both of them cracking up as they tumbled into the brisk evening air.

“Good night.Have fun!”Quinn yelled as he slammed the door.

Kyra exchanged a glance with Ollie and they burst out laughing.When the fit died down, they were left with each other and a gorgeous date, set up by the man she was no longer thinking of as a friend, and his friends.He wasn’t afraid to tell everyone he knew that he was interested in her and that he planned to do something about it.

That was a refreshing change.

“Thank you for arranging this.”She leaned in and kissed him again with a brush of their lips that lingered longer this time.If there weren’t trays and hot food everywhere, they might have had each other for an appetizer.

While they ate, they talked about everything and nothing, bouncing between not-so-serious topics like who they thought would be eliminated next from their favorite reality TV show to some ideas she had for upcoming stage costumes.Suddenly, she was feeling like she might like to be bolder with her style choices.

Ollie made her feel like that, shiny and as if she maybe wouldn’t mind drawing a little more attention to herself sometimes.At least if it felt as good as it did when he was looking at her like he was right then.Like she was somehow amazing to him when she was simply being herself.

“Damn it, I wanted to try them all.”Kyra pouted when she realized there was no way she could stuff another dessert into her stomach.

“Here, have a bite of mine.”He held out some sort of chocolate cake to her and she decided she’d make room.

He cupped his hand under her chin to keep crumbs out of the bed as she took a taste of the decadent treat and hummed.It was worth it, even if she couldn’t move for a week.

Without thinking, she wrapped her lips around his index finger and thumb, then sucked them clean.

“Damn.”His eyes turned molten as he slumped against the cushions.“If I wasn’t about to pop, I’d tell you to keep doing that.”

Kyra chuckled, because she knew exactly how he felt.Stuffed, completely satisfied, and more relaxed than she could remember being…maybe ever… Kyra laid her head on Ollie’s shoulder and sighed.

“Is that a happy sigh or a sad sigh?”he asked, while stacking their dishes and trays on the kitchen counter.He cleaned his hands on a black linen napkin before putting his arm around her and resting the side of his face on top of her head.

How could she answer without hurting his feelings?Being honest was the only thing she knew how to do.“Definitely not sad.Relieved.And maybe a tiny bit anxious.”

“Why so?”He stroked her hair, telling her with his touch that it was okay to have mixed feelings.

“Because for right now I’m content.And you’re not kicking me out or making me feel like what we shared was just a temporary madness.Some kind of slipup you’re going to regret in the morning.”

He angled his chin down so he could kiss her forehead.“Definitely not.No matter what happens tomorrow, today will always be one of the best days of my life.Thank you for that.”

“Same, Ollie.Seriously.It’s just that all the stuff I feel for Van is still there in the background, too.You know?I’m kind of mad at myself that I can’t make it go away when he obviously doesn’t want this with me and you’re here offering me everything I’ve needed from him but was missing.”Kyra splayed her hand on Ollie’s warm, steady chest, drawing on his calm to keep her from getting upset.

“I hate to say this… But I will because I care about you more than I want to keep you to myself.”He whispered, “I think Van would like to give you the same things, but he doesn’t know how.It’s harder for him because you work together and I think it really hurt him that you didn’t confide in him about the stalker.You hit him where he’s the most confident: in his ability and desire to protect you.Even if he thinks it’s from himself.And if he can’t even be sure about that, how could he be certain he’s the right man to do more than the basics, like pleasing you and being all the other things a lover should be to their partner?”

Kyra pushed up so she could stare into Ollie’s eyes.Was he seriously making a case for Van?

What the hell?

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