Page 8 of Save Me

“We’re going to get into your apartment, get your keys, and take you back to get your car.”

“By breaking in? I don’t think so,” she said with a snort.

“Would you rather go back to the pub and see the smug look on your mother’s face?

“No.” There was a definite huff of annoyance after that, but she held out her hand so he could help her down. “I can’t believe I’m going to let you pick my lock…”

There was a very dirty comeback on the tip of his tongue, but he held it in.

They walked up to the second floor and Ryleigh simply stepped aside and held her phone up like a flashlight for him. In less than a minute, he had the door open. As he straightened, he stared down at her. “Tomorrow, get a better lock.”

For a moment, he thought she was going to argue, but all she did was walk into the apartment and back out in less than a minute. “Thank you,” she murmured.

The drive back to the pub was primarily spent in silence because he couldn’t believe that she didn’t have more safety precautions in place in her home. Anyone could break in even if they didn’t have the know-how that he did.

As if reading his mind, Ryleigh blurted out, “I have a deadbolt that I use every night, so…it’s not like anyone can just get in.”

“You need something better in general,” he replied. “If you want, I can pick something up and install it tomorrow.” His voice was gruff and a little harsh, but he hated thinking of anything happening to her.

“No, but…thank you. I’ll pick something up myself.”

He pulled back into the pub parking lot and parked, but didn’t move to get out. Twisting in his seat, he figured this was his chance to say what he needed to say and hoped she wouldn’t laugh in his face.

“Here’s the thing, Ryleigh,” he began. “I like you. I think you’re pretty and have a wicked sense of humor and I’d like to take you out sometime. We’ve been doing this dance for several months and I don’t think you ever take me seriously, but I’m telling you right now that Iamserious. I’d like the chance to take you out on a real date—not here at the pub—and I think you should give me a chance.”

There.

He'd said it.

She studied him for several long moments and for the life of him, he had no idea what was going through her mind. But if he had to venture a guess, he’d say that she was trying to come up with yet another way to turn him down, even though he’d saved her ass tonight.

The silence dragged on until he thought he’d go mad.

“Look, um…”

She held up a hand to stop him. “Okay,” she said confidently. “Let’s do it. I’ll go out with you.”

And Ryker was fairly certain his jaw hit the ground.

ChapterTwo

Ryleigh wasn’t sure she was doing the right thing—or the fair one. All she knew was that this was a way to potentially kill two birds with one stone. She’d go out with Ryker to get him off her back which will also provide to her mother that she can find a date on her own.

Hell, she’d even agree to go out with him more than once to prove her point even further!

Ugh…I think I just lost a little respect for myself…

“Really?” he asked warily. “Just like that and you’re suddenly okay going out with me?”

Nodding, she said, “Yeah. Why? Having second thoughts?”

His dark eyes went almost comically wide. “What?No!No, that’s not it at all. I just thought you’d argue it out with me a little more.”

“Do youwantme to argue it out with you a little more?”

“No, I…I just thought…”

“It’s okay, Ryker. Relax. It’s not a big deal.”

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