Page 31 of Sweet Oblivion

This is going to be a disaster.

“It’s more like areyousure?” I counter, glancing away and wondering if I’m making a massive mistake because suddenly this feels real.

Too real.

Ryker grips my chin with gentle hands and moves my face back to his.

Well . . . okay.

Was that supposed to be hot?

Because it was.

I’m too tired for this.

I run my teeth gently over the cut on my lower lip but force myself to hold his eyes. “I’m sure. This is the first place that’s my own. I feel safe here, and I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to move in with my sister and Jamie. I don’t want to ever depend on anyone again. I’m sorry I’m forcing you to move.”

“Nothing to be sorry for, Bambi. You okay if I drop these in your room?”

I want to have Ryker’s confidence when I grow up.

“Sure.” He disappears down the short hallway, and I exhale slowly.

If this is a nightmare, I’d really love to wake up now. There’s no way it is though. My nightmares never smell as good as this food does. I hover above the bags for a second before deciding a peek wouldn’t hurt. Two to-go containers are stacked next to two salads, and a container of garlic bread in one bag, with two slices of some kind of dessert in the other.

My mouth is watering by the time I take everything out and sit it on the table.

Definitely hungry.

“Where’s your silverware,” Ryker asks as he walks into the kitchen and helps himself to a glass sitting on my drying rack. His moves, smooth and confident, like he’s been here dozens of times instead of once.

He looks around the room before I have a chance to answer and pulls open one of the two drawers in the small space, a brilliant smile pulling at his full lips when he finds what he’s looking for. “Come on, Delaney. You’ve got to eat something. It’s not good to take painkillers on an empty stomach. It’ll rip your stomach up.”

“I haven’t taken the pain pills,” I admit as I take the offered fork and knife and stand like an outsider in my own kitchen.

“Delaney,” he says my name like he’s denouncing it. “You need to get ahead of the pain.”

“I’ll be fine.”

Ryker hands me a to-go container, shaking his head. “You need?—”

“I don’t do pain pills.” I crack open the container of what Ithink is penne vodka with grilled chicken, and my stomach growls. “Ever.”

He stares at me for a beat as my words set in, and I watch as realization dawns. He knows a little about my family and our history from what happened to Ashton over the summer. But I haven’t offered more than that to anyone, not even Ashton. Not yet.

Sharing isn’t something I’m used to, and it’s not something I embrace.

Luckily, I think he respects that because he doesn’t push harder.

I follow his lead and sit at the table, ready to change the conversation. “So... what do I need to know about you, Ryker Beneventi?”

His grin is devilish. “Why do I feel like this is dangerous?”

“I don’t know.” I cock a brow. “I feel like we should know a little about each other if people are going to believe we’re getting married. Like... am I your first wife?”

“Yeah, Bambi. You’re my first wife.” He nods. “I have one older brother, Maverick. He plays for the Kings with me. His wife, Emmie, is probably going to be dropping by soon. She’s one of those people who loves to welcome people into the fold. The more the merrier, you know.”

“Emmie. Got it. How long have they been married?” I vaguely remember him mentioning his brother before.