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The overhead lights were turned low and the tiny ones became more brilliant. They slowly swayed to the music. Did fairy tales really come true? Phoebe had no idea if they were with the beat or not. It didn’t matter. The next song was a faster one and they separated. She felt the loss of Ryan’s warmth immediately and her body waited impatiently to have it returned. Not allowing her to completely lose contact, he continued to hold one of her hands. As soon as the faster dance was over, he brought her back into his embrace. Her fingers rested on his shoulders and his found her waist. As they moved slowly, they looked into each other’s eyes. Something was occurring here that she’d never planned, never thought would happen. She was falling in love.
“Does dancing with me make you think of that game you might have played in gym class where you had to keep a ball between you and your partner without using your hands?”
He stopped moving. “How’s that?”
“Dancing with the baby between us.”
Ryan laughed. “I had skill at that game. Always won.” He pulled her closer. “You’re the best partner I’ve ever had.”
Her hand cupped his face. “You’re a nice guy.”
Ryan’s eyes grew intense and he cleared his throat. “It’s warm in here. Why don’t we go outside for a few minutes?”
She nodded. He led her through a half-hidden glass door that looked like part of the wall, onto a brick patio.
“It feels good out here.” Phoebe breathed in the cold evening air. The music from inside drifted around them. It was painfully romantic. Was Ryan feeling the same need?
“It does.” Ryan stood a couple of steps away, just out of touching distance.
She wanted his touch. Wanted to feel desired. It had been too long. Even with Joshua the last time she hadn’t felt desire. Sex had become more of an obligation, expectation than anything else. There should be more than that in a relationship. There was with Ryan. Would he think she was too forward if she reached for him?
A wide set of steps led to a pond below. Surrounding it was an extensive grassy area. The lights of the solarium reflected off the water, making the view even more dreamlike. Phoebe started down the steps.
“Where’re you going?” Ryan asked.
“I thought I’d stand in the garden and admire the solarium.” She was already watching the others dance when Ryan joined her.
“It reminds me of a carousel music box I once had as a child. As it played, horses with people riding them went by in shadow. It was like watching something magical. I could look at it for hours. I loved it,” she whispered, as much to herself as to him.
“You are a romantic.” He now stood close enough that his arm brushed hers as their fingers intertwined.
“Because I think there can be fairy tales?”
He didn’t say anything for a while. “I haven’t believed in fairy tales for a long time, but somehow when I’m around you they do seem possible.”
“I know you’ve lived through some horrible things you can’t seem to leave behind, but you need to know there’s good in life, too. Happy times that can replace the bad. Like this baby. Joshua is gone, yet in a way he’s bringing new life into the world. Something good for me.”
“Good can be hard to find.”
His fingers tightened. Phoebe glanced at him. He stood rigid, as if the discussion was painful for him. His gaze met hers and she said, “It can be. And it can come from unexpected places, too.”
“Like you?”
“I like to think so but I wasn’t talking about me so much as from friends and family. Finding people that matter to you. Letting them know they are important to you.”
“I can’t do that.”
She stepped closer, her body touching his. “I think you can. In fact, I know you can. You’ve been a friend to me these last few weeks.”
They continued to stand there, not saying a word. It wasn’t until the doors were opened wide by the Overnewton staff members that the spell was broken and they broke apart. The crowd poured out of the solarium and began lining up along the steps.
“I guess it’s time for Sophia and Aiden to leave,” Phoebe murmured.
“We should join everyone.” Ryan didn’t sound like he really wanted to. Had their conversation put a dampener on the evening? She would hate that to happen. Had she ever enjoyed a wedding more?
As they stood at the bottom of the steps, a gust of wind caught her shawl. She shivered and pulled it closer.
“You’re cold.” Ryan removed his jacket and placed it over her shoulders. It still held his body heat. His scent. She pulled it tighter around her.
Someone near passed them each a small container of bird seed. As Sophia and Aiden descended the steps they were showered with the seed for good luck. When they reached Phoebe and Ryan, Aiden whisked Sophia into his arms and carried her to a waiting car.
Phoebe looked down at her expanded middle. “I’d like to see someone whisk me up like that.”
Suddenly her feet were in the air and she was being held against a hard chest. “Oh.”
Her arms went around Ryan’s neck. He swung her around a few times. She giggled.
Ryan put her on her feet again. “I didn’t see it as a problem.”
As he smiled down at her, a tingle grew low within her from the warmth she saw in his eyes. She glanced around. Some of the crowd was watching them. She didn’t care. What she wanted was to help make Ryan see that fairy tales could come true. He had the biggest heart of anyone she knew, loyal, caring and generous. With a wicked sense of humor that only made her love him more. That’s what she felt. Love for him. She’d fallen under his spell. He wasn’t going to leave her. More than once he’d proved he’d be there when she needed him. She could depend on him.
Phoebe’s hands remained about his neck. She looked up into his eyes and smiled. “That was fun.”
“I think it’s time for us to go.” He looked down at her, his voice coming out soft and raspy.
Ryan walked Phoebe to her door. She’d been quiet on their drive home. Had she been thinking about those moments when they had looked into each other’s eyes? He’d known then there was no going back. He wanted her and she wanted him. It had been there in her crystal clear look of assurance.
As he’d pulled out onto the main road, he’d taken her hand and rested it on his thigh. She hadn’t resisted. For once she hadn’t fallen asleep during the drive. Had she been as keyed up as he’d been? He wanted her but he couldn’t lead her on. Have her believe there was more than just a physical attraction between them.
Her hand had remained in his the entire way back to Box Hill. She had asked for his help with her shoes when they’d arrived at his car. He had obliged. When they’d arrived at her house she’d stepped out of the car carrying them by two fingers.
They walked to her front porch. “It was a perfect evening, Ryan. Thank you so much for inviting me.”
“I’m glad you had a good time. Mine wouldn’t have been near as nice if you’d not gone with me.”
She fumbled with her purse.
“Hand those to me.” Ryan indicated the shoes. She found her keys and unlocked the door, pushing it open. Ryan followed her in.
“Would you like some coffee?” Phoebe dropped her shoes beside the door.
“I thought you didn’t drink coffee.”
She turned to look at him. “I don’t. I bought it for you.”
“Then, yes, I would.” It had been a long time since someone had bought anything especially for him. It meant she thought about him even when he wasn’t around. That idea he liked far too much.
He followed her to the kitchen. He leaned against the door frame and watched as Phoebe put a kettle of water on a burner. He was fascinated by the combination of her in a beautiful dress with bare feet, preparing coffee. There was something so domestic about the picture that it made him want to run as far away from there as he could get while at the same time it
pulled him in, making him wish for more, had him longing for someone special in his life.
Phoebe stood on her toes to reach the bag of coffee. Her dress rose enough that he had a view of the backs of her knees and thighs. An impulse to run a hand along all that skin and under her dress made his pants tighten. Heaven help him, he wanted her so badly. Right here, right now. The entire evening had been leading up to this moment. From the time he’d was on his knee, helping her put her shoes on, until now he’d known he had to have her.
He should walk away. Go out the door without a word said. The gentleman in him, the professional, screamed for him to leave. But he wouldn’t. The temptation to kiss her was too great. Unable to resist, he closed the small distance between them. Pushing her hair away, he kissed her neck. He pressed his front to her back, letting his desire be known. “I know what I agreed to, but I can’t stop myself. I want you.”
Before he could say more, she pushed back against him, gaining enough room to face him. She wrapped her hands around his waist and lifted her face. Her eyes were clear and confident. The quiver of her lips gave him a hint of what this boldness was costing her. Still, she was offering.
Slowly his mouth met hers.
A flood of disappointment went through him when she pulled away seconds later but quickly turned into a storm of longing as Phoebe’s lips met his again. They were soft and mobile. Small cushions of bliss. This was better than he remembered. He wanted more.
Ryan reached around her and turned off the burner, then pulled her closer. He brought his lips more fully against hers.
Phoebe’s hands moved to grip his biceps. She shifted, pressing her breasts to his chest.
The arousal he felt at the first touch of her lips grew, lengthened. Hardened. His mouth released hers and moved across her cheek. He left a trail of butterfly kisses on his way to the sweet spot behind her ear. Phoebe moaned, then tilted her head so that he could better reach her neck. She snuggled against him.
The desire to have her made his muscles draw tight. He wanted her here. Now. His hands caressed her back and settled low on her hips. He gathered her dress in his hands and pulled her against his throbbing need.
“Phoebe, you’ll have to stop us because I can’t,” he murmured as his mouth pressed down on hers, begging her for entrance.
