Page 73 of Save Me

“What the hell am I waiting for?”

He’d been waiting for someone to kick him in the ass and give him the final push he needed.

He’d needed Ryleigh.

She’d turned his world upside down and showed him it’s okay to be who he was and to take a chance. And starting right now, he was going to put his plan in motion.

Looking around the studio, he walked over to his drafting table and looked at the castle drawing he’d been working on. It seemed like the right one to sit down with and, as he got comfortable and pulled out his pencils, he got to work.

Tomorrow, he’d sit down with Billie and put his business team on a conference call and see what needed to happen to get the shop up and functioning. Then, he was going to make a big Italian dinner for Ryleigh and lay it all out for her—about the business and their relationship.

Failure wasn’t an option and anxiety was suddenly replaced with excitement.

Ryker Masella was coming out of his self-imposed sabbatical and ready to take on the world.

Starting with Ryleigh Donovan.

* * *

“Oh my God! What smells so good?” Ryleigh said as she walked in the door and kissed him.

“I told you I was making dinner.”

“I know, but you didn’t say you were making anything that could possibly smell this delicious!” She walked ahead of him to the kitchen and, without even asking, she went right to the stove and took the lid off the pot of sauce. “Holy crap.” Then, glancing over her shoulder, she looked at him in confusion. “If you even dare try to tell me we have to wait until tomorrow to eat this, I may have to strangle you.”

Joining her, Ryker took the lid from her hands and placed it on the counter before grabbing a spoon from the drawer. “For you, baby girl, I am making an exception.” Dipping the spoon in the sauce, he gently blew on it before offering it to her to taste.

Her eyes closed and she hummed deeply before looking up at him. “I don’t think you need to make anything else with that. Just the sauce and some bread to dunk in it and that can be dinner. Seriously.” Taking the spoon from him, she took another taste and made that sound again. “Is there no end to your talents?”

“Not that I can tell,” he teased as he took the spoon out of her hand and replaced the lid on the pot. “Let me get you some wine and then I have some things to show you.” Walking over to the island, he poured them each a glass.

“Sexy things?” she asked, accepting the glass from him.

“No,” he replied before taking a sip. “I’ve actually been busy with a couple of things today and I wanted to share them with you.”

She instantly sobered. “Oh, okay. Now I’m curious.”

Stepping around the island, he took her hand and led her to a part of the house he’d never shown her before. Opening the door off of the living room, he stepped aside and motioned for her to go ahead of him.

Gasping softly, Ryleigh looked over at him. “Your studio?”

“Yup.” Joining her, he took her hand again. “I have an office space over through that doorway and Billie has a smaller one through the door on the other side. This is the common area, but it’s primarily where I sketch things out for clients for myself when I’ve got an idea in my head.” He led her over to the drafting table. “This castle is for a client I’m meeting with next week.”

“I know I watched you work at the convention and yet it still boggles my mind how crazy talented you are. Like…I’m looking at this drawing, but it feels three dimensional and I know it’s going to look that way when you put it on your client.” Looking over at him, her expression was full of wonder. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as artistic as you.”

Again, he was used to the praise, but coming from Ryleigh, it just meant more.

“Billie mentioned something to you that first night you were at the convention and with everything that happened afterwards, I don’t think you even remembered her saying it, but…I wanted you to see this.” He led her into his office and turned on the light, motioning to the easel in the corner.

“Ryker,” she whispered, slowly walking toward it. “It’s me.”

All he could do was nod.

Standing in front of it, her hand over her heart, she looked like she was going to cry.

“Ryleigh, I…please don’t be upset,” he urged, moving to her side and taking the wine glass from her hand. Carefully, he put it on the nearest supply table, along with his own, before facing her again. “I did this a few weeks ago and…and I was thinking about you. It’s like that sometimes. Something comes to mind and won’t leave until I sketch it out.”

Looking up at him, he saw the unshed tears. “You made me look beautiful.” Her words were barely audible, but packed a powerful punch.

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