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She closes the door softly behind her, leaving me stewing in the cocktail of emotions she just roused inside of me.
Chapter Twenty-One
Stella
I finger my diamond teardrop earring, savoring the cool, smooth surface as Ryan guides me into his now-familiar family home.
The lounge, unlike my last visit, is bathed in light, the heavy drapes thrown open to reveal French windows and a garden teeming with guests. A sea of blond heads bobbing under the sun draws a nervous chuckle from me—I’ve never seen so many in one place. The Fairchilds. There are at least sixty of them, and all of their eyes will be on me.
Ryan’s grip tightens at my waist as he murmurs. “Baby, stop fidgeting.”
Baby. It sounds strange, but not in a bad way.
He turns to face me, takes both my hands in his and strokes his thumbs along my knuckles in a way that sends a shiver down my spine. I in turn, take a breath, square my shoulders, and shoot him the sultry, heavy-lidded look I copied from Bonnie.
“What the hell is that?” he asks, a playful smirk on his lips.
“What?” I ask, still anxiously glancing out into the garden.
“That look you just gave me.”
I glance around again as if to remind him of where we are. It’s the Fairchild welcome party, and we’re supposed to be playing the besotted couple. “It’s the ‘I’m so in love with you’ look. What else would it be?”
“It looks more like the ‘I’m trying to take a difficult shit’ look,” he snickers.
Jackass. “You just ruined it. And I’ve been practicing that for days.”
“And yet, you failed to nail it, sadly.”
A ball of irritation tightens in my gut. “You wouldn’t recognize ‘being in love’ if it stared you down, Ryan.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” he retorts. “Here, let me teach you. Think of that gooey feeling you get when I give you something you want.”
“Like when?”
“What do you mean ‘like when’? Just imagine it, and give me the look. Now,” he commands when I hesitate.
“I need a frame of reference; it’s never happened before.”
“Now you’re just messing around.”
“And you’re bold to assume you’ve ever given me ‘gooey feelings.’”
“So you’d rather lie than admit you like me, even a little bit?”
“This is hardly the time or place for you to fish for compliments. Ryan, we’ve got work to do.” I cock my head in the direction of the garden.
“Oh, I know. The only way to get compliments from you is to fuck them out of you.”
I flush, his words equally irritating and arousing. “Has anyone told you lately what an unmitigated ass you are?”
He shakes his head, grinning. “I love it when you use my own words against me.”
“And now we’re arguing where everyone can see.” I huff.
“Just like an old married couple,” he observes. “And you’re less tense now. Nothing like an argument to get the adrenaline flowing.”
“Oh, fantastic. Should we schedule our next public spat or do you prefer to keep everyone guessing?”
