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“Is that so?”
“Uh-huh.” He started kissing his way up, speaking between the brushes of his lips against my warm, raised skin. “What do you think of moving to Edenvale once the summer is over?”
“Oh.” I inadvertently sat up.
Ryder leaned back. “Did I say something wrong?”
“Not at all. I just hadn’t thought about it. It’s a long drive from Carrington Cove.” Especially in the winter. I still hadn’t mastered driving in the snow.
“That’s why I’ve been looking at condos near my office up there.”
“Condo?” My brow furrowed. “I never imagined you living in one.”
He flashed me a wry smile. “It would only be temporary. But time is money, darlin’.”
“I suppose it is. My boutique is here and, well . . .”
“Well, what?” He kissed my nose.
“There was something about that house. It called to me. I know it sounds silly, but I thought we belonged together.”
In a fluid move, he laid me down, our legs tangled together while he hovered over me, resting on his arms. An alluring expression played on his face. “You and I belong together.”
I reached up to where his shirt hung open. I brushed my name with my fingertips. His warm skin raised. The act had my eyes welling up with tears. “Thank you for keeping my name.”
He lowered himself to where we were breathing each other in. His finger traced my face. “I love you, Chief.”
The tears spilled over and down my cheeks. I had longed for him to call me Chief and to hear those three beautiful words come out of his mouth. “I love you, Ryder.”Chapter Twenty-Six“So how’s it going with you two?” Jenna set her book down and took a sip of her lemonade.
We were having our Wednesday night book club at Sage Café, one of our favorite hangouts near the comedy club.
Emma didn’t give me the chance to answer. “Well, I can report that a certain couple was found sneaking out of the meadow Tuesday morning before the crack of dawn. A guitar and an empty bottle of wine were involved, not to mention a large blanket.” Emma nudged me and laughed while I blushed uncontrollably.
“Ooh, does he play the guitar?” Jenna asked.
“And sings.” I smiled, thinking about how he serenaded me Monday night into the early morning hours. Between making my body sing with his kisses. Oh, how I had missed him.
Aspen forcefully dipped her chip in the salsa. “I hope he doesn’t break your heart. You have to watch out for the gorgeous let-me-sing-you-out-of-your-panties men.”
We all choked on our drinks. “Aspen!” Jenna smacked her arm.
“What?” Aspen feigned innocence. “That’s how I found myself pregnant and married at nineteen and divorced before I was twenty-one. I’m just saying Shelby should use caution.”
I tucked some hair behind my ear. “Ryder’s not like that,” I politely defended him.
“Are you and Ryder a couple again?” Jenna rested her elbows on the table and propped her head on her hands.
“Yes.” I grinned.
“Are you engaged?” Aspen asked, worried.
“No. We have some things to iron out before we get there again.”
“What things?” Emma asked.
I took a sip of my water and thought about how to word it. “It’s funny how life works. Our roles have reversed in some ways. He’s making more money than ever, and for the first time in my life I have to budget. And now that I’m ready to settle down in a small town, he’s angling for life in the city because it’s more convenient.” I let out a sigh. “His work schedule worries me some too,” I admitted quietly, out loud for the first time.
Emma tilted her pretty head. “What about it?”
I shrugged. “One of the reasons I fell in love with him was because he was so different from my daddy. Mind you he still is.” Daddy would have never skipped working on a presentation to have an unforgettable night out under the stars. “But I worry about how much he has to work now, what if that doesn’t end? What if, like my daddy, work becomes his mistress and he loves her more than his family?”
Emma rubbed my back. “Then he would be an idiot and I would be heartbroken for you, but I bet after this new release he’ll be seducing you in my meadow every night.” She grinned deviously while I giggled and blushed.
Jenna reached across the table and patted my hand. “If not,” she looked between me and Aspen, who had been biting her tongue, “we feed him to the meerkats.”
Aspen’s eyes lit up. “Yes! Now we are talking.”
I shook my head at the lovely women who were the best friends I could ask for. More than that, I was grateful they had made room for me in their tight-knit group. “Y’all are crazy, but I love you.”
Our table erupted in laughter.
“Can we talk about Bobby Jay and Marlowe?” Emma asked.
