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“Indeed,” Ryder said from behind her.
She looked over her shoulder. Why did he have to look like that ... Stop thinking about it.
She pulled away from Maddie, shifting her attention to Ryder, and putting her hands on her hips. “What have you got to complain about, I’ve been an angel.”
He raised a brow. “You murdered my door.”
“I replaced it.”
“That door is boring.”
“That door is fantastic and it works. You should thank me.” She was doing it again. Engaging him. Provoking. No control.
His gaze flickered down her. “We should go.”
Evan laughed and put his arm around Penelope.
Sophie ignored him and flipped her hair. “Fine.”
“Oh wait,” Bill said, stepping forward.
Sophie blinked at him. Shit. She’d forgotten he was there. “Oh, hi.”
He smiled. “I need your number.”
“Right.” She bit her lip and refused to look at Ryder. Bill handed her his phone and she input her number before handing it back to him.
“Great, I’ll call you this week. Maybe we could have coffee.”
She studied him without the cloud of Ryder getting in her way. He was tall, broad, and very nice to look at. His eyes were a pretty bright blue, and he had a killer smile. Coffee with him was exactly what she should do. She beamed her best smile. “Sure, but I’ll have to play it by ear, I start at City Hall Monday and I have no idea what to expect. I’ll need to see how the week plays out.”
Bill gave her an affable shrug. “No worries.” He shifted his attention to Ryder. “I’ll give you a call to figure out where we’re going to take these lovely ladies Friday.”
Ryder gave her a sideways look. “I have some ideas.”
None of them were proper. Of that she was certain.
She glanced at Cheryl, who looked at Ryder like a six-year-old girl looks at a Barbie Dream House, and then back at Ryder. She waved a hand at the pretty nurse with her soft smile and smitten expression. “Aren’t you going to get Cheryl’s number?”
Ryder snaked his hands into his jeans and pulled out his keys. “Already have it.”
“Oh.” Sophie wasn’t an expert or anything, but wanting to roundhouse kick the nurse in the stomach might not be an appropriate response. Not that she was jealous, she just ... wasn’t a fan of people who helped other people. So what?
Ryder smirked at her. “You coming, Sophie?”
She sucked in a breath. That rotten bastard. She narrowed her eyes, glaring at him before shaking her head. “You’re the worst.”
“Just trying to get you home safely.” His voice was far too sweet, filled with fake innocence.
God, she wanted to fight with him. She wanted to fight with him so damn bad. And then she wanted to spend hours aggressively and inappropriately sweating out their differences until she was finally exhausted and boneless.
She clucked her tongue. “Aren’t you, like, the best neighbor ever?”
“Absolutely.” His gaze was hot on her.
She shivered and tried to shake off his spell, and refusing to look in Penelope and Evan’s direction, waved. “Have a good night.”
As they walked to the car Sophie gave herself a pep talk. In her head she ran down her list of reasons he was a terrible idea. Reasons she wanted to chuck into the wind. Which was why he was dangerous.
