Page 17 of Save Me

“Okay, okay, you’re right,” Ivy said. “Go on.”

“Anyway, I changed my mind even though he was totally on board—pre-kiss and all—and then we were standing in the middle of the pub’s parking lot when my mother came out and…I panicked. That’s when I kissed him.”

“Ah. Gotcha. Let her catch you kissing a guy and draw all the conclusions. Good plan.”

“I feel like you’re being a little sarcastic…”

“What? No! I’m serious! I think it’s a good plan! Keep going.”

“So we kiss and it just seems to go on and on and on…”

“Ryker looks like he’d be a good kisser.”

“Believe me, he is,” she said with a sigh. “Anyway, by the time we came up for air, my mother was standing right there and before I knew it, Ryker was telling her we had plans and was loading me back up into his truck.” She explained how tall the truck was and how he gave her an extra push with his hand on her butt.

Ivy snickered. “He looks like he has good hands too.”

“Oh my God! Aren’t you engaged?”

“I am, but I’m not dead,” she said with a giggle. “Besides, I am totally in love with Connor and everyone knows it. I’m just making a simple observation. Ryker’s the kind of guy that most women look at appreciatively.”

“Seriously? You think?”

“Oh, yeah! He practically screams bad boy, and you know most people look at him and draw their own conclusions based solely on the way he looks—the long hair, the tattoos, almost always in black…”

“I feel like someone needs to turn the hose on you.”

“Shut up! I’ll bet a lot of women here in town have looked at him and had a naughty thought or two.”

“You included?”

“I’m not going to answer that,” she said flatly. “Are you seriously telling me that in all the times he’s hit on you, you never even considered it?”

“Um…no?”

“What is wrong with you? Do you not have eyes? Because I don’t get it. You don’t want the guys your mom has been setting you up with—and some of them haven’t been half bad looking—and you’re not attracted to Ryker, so…what’s your deal then? What kind of guy are you looking for?”

Good question.

“I don’t know, Ivy. That’s the problem. I keep waiting for some sort of zip or zing or spark and…it hasn’t happened.”

“Well now I’m just disappointed.”

“Really? Why?”

“Because if someone as hot as Ryker doesn’t give you a zip or a zing, then this really sounds like a you problem.”

Sighing, she said, “That’s what I’m afraid of too.”

“Oh, Ry…talk to me. What’s going on? There’s got to be more to this.”

“You know I’ve never felt…confident around guys. It’s just not who I am. I wish I was like Arianna and could talk and flirt with ease.”

“Please, we should all have your sister’s confidence. I think she came out of the womb ready to take on the world and with the ability to completely charm the opposite sex.”

“I think both her and Jamie got that gene.” She sighed. “Actually, I think I’m the only Donovan missing it. Liam found someone and Patrick doesn’t seem to have any problems. It’s just me.”

“I don’t think it’s a gene thing. You’re smart and funny and…”

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