Rylan acknowledged her words with a single nod. He didn’t want to get into a discussion about his relationship with her. If he was going to talk about it, then he’d do that talking with Mazey.
His gaze must have given her some reassurance because she didn’t take it further.
“You coming?” Jack called out from the side of the house.
Alyssa gave Rylan one last look then walked toward Jack. “Keep your pants on.”
“What would be the fun in that?” Jack asked with a wink.
Rylan shook his head. He wasn’t sure what was going on with those two. He knew they’d hooked up a few months ago, and if rumors were to be believed, they’d been doing that for a while before it ended abruptly. No one seemed to know why, least of all Jack who eyed their coworker with longing every chance he got.
Speaking of longing.
He faced the house and watched Mazey move around in the kitchen.
He wanted so much with that woman.
He wanted to stand here and watch her in his kitchen all the time.
They’d proven the explosive chemistry between them hadn’t been a fluke or due to the adrenaline of an emergency call or the distress of losing a patient. No, the lust that sparked to life between them was beyond anything he’d ever experienced, and he’d go as far as to say a once in a lifetime thing.
Something neither of them should walk away from. He certainly had no intention of ignoring it.
If she didn’t want to get involved, that was fine with him. He’d suggest they keep things string free.
Fuck buddies.
Although he wouldn’t be stupid enough to put it so crudely to her. He’d sugar coat it in a way she could live with. Or he could let her direct them.
After this morning, he knew she wanted him as fiercely as he wanted her. She’d all but mauled him in her need to suck him off. He could use that. Could use the passion that consumed them when they were together to draw her closer. To tie her to him until she was ready to take the next step.
The step where she lived in his house and they built a life together.
The step where she had his ring on her finger and his last name on her driver’s license.
A smile overtook his face.
Yeah, he wanted her to have his name.
“What are you grinning at?” Rylan’s gaze darted to the sliding door where Mazey stood with her hands on her hips, a frown on her face. “There’s still plenty of cleanup to do.”
He couldn’t help smiling wider. She was the picture of a nagging wife, and Rylan hadn’t wanted to be henpecked before in his life, but right now, he’d give anything for Mazey to have the right.
“Ry?”
Giving himself a mental slap, he surveyed the deck. “What do I need to do?”
“Do you want to empty the coolers? You could leave them and use what’s left in them over the next few days.”
Would he go through the beer that quickly? “How much is left, do you know? I’m not a huge drinker, and we’re on shift tomorrow, so I won’t be here until Tuesday.”
“If it were me, I’d empty them.”
“Okay. I’ll do that then,” he said, heading over to the two large coolers he’d set up near the table.
“I should get out of your way.”
His head snapped around. “What? Why?”
