Page 19 of Rip Ryder's Second Chance

“Don’t act like you know how to raise a child,” she said in a low voice.

“Right, I have no clue how to raise a child or what’s good for them, but I do know when someone is running when I see it. Stop running.”

She laid her head back against the door, lifting her chin. Feeling the tight strands around her heart start to unravel. She couldn’t allow herself to weaken, and yet she had no control. “This is none of your business.”

“It’s not?” He pressed his palms against the door on either side of her head. “Tell me you’re not running from me.” His gaze was demanding.

She swallowed hard. “I’m not running from you.”

“Then what? Help me understand.”

The rugged tension in his tone made her nipples harden. She felt her knees wobble. She’d been the strong one for so long. Now she ached to fall against him, into his arms, knowing she’d find strength there was a temptation she couldn’t deny herself. Noelle planted herself against the door, begging her body to not give in to the lure. “Some stories should never be told.”

He continued to stare down at her, his eyes flicking between her eyes and her trembling lips. “You shouldn’t look at me like that.” His warm breath caressed her cheek.

“I-I’m not looking at you in any way.”

One corner of his mouth lifted high. “I know that look.” He twirled a strand of her hair around his knuckle.

“Rip…please…” she forced through pursed lips.

“Please what? Don’t drive you insane like you once did me?”

Then something broke. Standing on her tiptoes, she pressed her mouth to his, relishing in how unbelievably soft and plump his lips were. How he tasted like mint with a trace of whiskey. The intoxicating scent carried her back to the times they held each other in the bed of his truck, listening to country song favorites while passing a bottle of cinnamon schnapps back and forth. They were young and dumb, but in love and that was all that had mattered. Neither had a care in the world.

For one moment she wanted to lose logic and just feel, and he certainly gifted her that. His fingers threaded in her hair and his body pressed her against the door. Slowly journeying her hands lower, she touched his bare chest and the hard planes of his abdomen. A low growl escaped his throat, jarring her back to reality.

This was not fifteen years ago.

They were no longer teens that had no responsibilities.

She pressed her hands against his chest and he lifted his head, his eyes were wide and his nostrils flared.

“I can’t.” She ducked underneath his arm to gain some distance between them.

He nodded, took a step back, and opened the door. “Run, Noelle.”

She moistened her lips then crossed the threshold. She heard him say in an even tone, “Take care and be happy.”

Noelle didn’t stop to acknowledge that she’d heard him. If she had she was at risk of going back inside and revisiting all those old feelings that were coming back in waves, threatening to drown her alive.

Chapter 7

One month later.

“Oh, my gracious, girl. It’s been too long.” Bea dragged Noelle into her arms for a bear hug. She smelled like tea tree oil and raspberries. Noelle knew it was the homemade ointment she used on her aching muscles. Tuck had used it too.

Ollie made a grunting noise as he squirmed in his sandwiched position. Bea drew back and pressed her hands to her mouth.

“Is he yours?”

“This is Ollie and yes, he’s mine.” Noelle couldn’t say she’d made the right decision to come to Bluebird, but she’d taken everything that Rip had said to heart and much of it had resonated within her. Now that she was here receiving Bea’s warm welcome, Noelle didn’t regret coming.

“Well, of course he is. He’s the spitting image of you,” Bea exclaimed. She’d aged a lot in the last fifteen years but she still had lots of silver hair that she wore in a bun on top of her head and pearls around her neck. “You can count on me to babysit.” Bea went back to the cutting board where she’d been chopping vegetables at the kitchen island.

Noelle dug a toy out of one of the bags and handed it to Ollie. Bea was whistling and happily hustling and bustling around the kitchen. “Is this all for us, Bea?”

“Yes.”

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