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Chapter Seven
There was a flurry of greetings, hugs, and cheek kisses, which suited Ryder fine. After the ride over, he needed a fucking minute to compose himself. He’d barely been able to stay on the road as her legs crossed and uncrossed in the passenger’s seat, working the hem of her dress high on her thighs.
It had been pure hell.
As he made the rounds in Mitch and Maddie’s packed kitchen, he kept an eye on Sophie, who seemed intent on torturing him. And that dress. All he wanted to do was rip it off her. She wasn’t even wearing a bra. How could he get any blood to his brain with her nipples visible under that thin, crinkly cotton? One good hard tug on those straps and he could have her exposed, her breasts bare.
He shook his head to clear the thoughts.
Shane Donovan, Maddie’s brother and corporate millionaire, slapped him on the back. “How’s life with the new neighbor? I heard you guys got off to a rocky start, but it looks like she came around.”
“I think that’s generous,” he said.
Mitch handed him a beer, and he took a long swallow before glancing at the woman in question. When he’d moved to Revival, he’d given up casual relationships after the last one went wrong. He’d determined he was old enough and had sowed enough oats, so it was time to start searching for the kind of relationship his parents had. Loving, generous, and calm. Sophie sure as hell didn’t fit the bill. Sure, he had no idea about the loving and generous part, but she wasn’t calm. And she was temporary. She’d kick the dust off this town the second she got a chance.
“That good, huh?” Mitch said, interrupting his thoughts.
“It’s . . .” He fought to find the right word before he settled on, “Interesting.”
Shane kicked back against the distressed white cabinets with trendy golden brown granite countertops and grinned. “Soph always was a wild child.”
Evan walked over and shook hands with Ryder before settling into the spot next to his oldest brother.
Shane hit Evan in the stomach with the back of his hand. “Remember the time when Sophie and Maddie dragged poor Penelope to a party in the woods and they got her arrested?”
Somehow this didn’t surprise Ryder one bit.
Evan laughed. “You had to bail them out. Penelope was not pleased.”
“I wasn’t pleased about what?” the brunette asked, sidling up to her husband.
He hooked his finger into the loop of her jeans and tugged. “We’re just talking about your juvenile record, baby.”
She huffed and tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Please. I was an angel.”
He smiled. “You were the least angelic good girl I knew.”
Penelope shook her head and grinned at Ryder. “Don’t believe them. I’m always the good one, ask anyone.”
Ryder laughed. “I believe you.” After all, he knew who the troublemaker was.
The kitchen was crowded and loud. All of the Donovans and their significant others were there. Sam Roberts, who lived next door, and Charlie Radcliffe, Ryder’s boss and one of his best friends, were talking in the corner with the high school football coach, Bill Williams. Sophie and Maddie stood by the big kitchen table talking to Harmony Jones, Gracie’s right hand woman at her bakery, and Cheryl Miller, the nurse that had moved to town not too long ago.
The only couple that seemed to be missing was the mayor, Griffin Strong, and his wife, Darcy, but that wasn’t a surprise. Griff had told him they had to go to a charity event tonight.
Sophie caught his gaze before skirting back to the girls.
Maddie set a big bottle of tequila on the table next to a shaker of salt and a big bowl of limes. She looked at it lovingly and smiled. “I am officially done breastfeeding, so you know what that means, don’t you?”
“Oh, this is going to be bad,” Mitch mumbled under his breath.
Maddie picked up the small glasses on the table and lined them in front of her makeshift tequila stand. “Shots.” She wagged her finger around the room, her red hair loose down her back, her green eyes flashing, practically daring anyone to defy her. “I haven’t had a drink in twenty months, my child is with her grandmothers where she will be spoiled, worshiped, and most important, staying until morning. We are getting drunk, so don’t even think about saying no to me.”
“But—” Penelope started and Maddie held up her hand, cutting her off.
“There will be no buts.” She picked up the bottle of alcohol and poured the liquid into the shot glasses in one seamless stream before turning to her sister-in-law Cecilia. “I’m sorry you can’t have one, but I promise we’ll do the same for you when you can drink again.”
Cecilia laughed. “You have fun for me.”
