“Now I see someone who understands what we’re about. Who gets that it’s more than raising money.” He touches my wrist gently. “How you talk about your vision—it’s what will drive the community to the fundraiser to participate.”
Heat creeps up my neck. “Yeah?”
“I’m not saying that because your planning flaming desserts at the VIP tables.”
I laugh, the sound echoing through the empty hall. “That was supposed to be a surprise!”
Ryan shifts his weight, hands sliding into his pockets. “Speaking of surprises... how’d it go in Atlanta? With the lawyer?”
I lean against one of the pillars, letting out a long breath I fill him in. “Patricia’s handling everything. She’s like a shark in Chanel—Marcus won’t know what hit him.”
“Marcus...” Ryan’s jaw tightens. “Your ex-business partner?”
“Yeah. He’s been...” I wave my hand, searching for the right words. “Let’s say he recently tanked my chances at this amazing position with a global hotel chain. Dream job territory. He’s trying to make it so I can’t work as an event planner.”
Ryan’s shoulders tense. “He deliberately sabotaged you?”
“Oh yeah. He called them and told them some stories about my ‘unstable business practices.’ Patricia’s building a case for defamation on top of the buyout negotiations.”
Ryan steps closer, his expression dark. “Were you and him ever...”
A laugh bursts out of me, echoing through the empty hall. “God, no! Marcus’s relationships are strictly with men—and those don’t last long. His only true love is his bank account and people who worship him.”
The tension in Ryan’s shoulders eases, but his protective stance remains. “Still doesn’t make it right, what he did to you.”
“No, it doesn’t.” I reach out, touching his arm. “I love that you’re ready to fight my battles for me, Captain.”
“I don’t enjoy seeing people hurt others I care about.” He cups my face. “Especially you.”
I step into Ryan’s space, smoothing my hands over his defined chest. “Well, Patricia’s got the legal side covered, but I wouldn’t say no to a captain in my corner.”
He places his hand over my hand on his chest.
“I’m in your corner, Ember.”
Warmth spreads through me at his confession. I pop up on my toes and kiss him in a way that lingers.
“Thank you, Ryan. That means more to me, than you know.”
Chapter 9
When the Flames Flicker
Ryan
The first days after Ember moved in were perfect.
Better than perfect. We fell into an easy rhythm—coffee in the mornings, her working at my kitchen island while I handled station business, stolen kisses when I came home from shift. The night after her Atlanta trip, she curled up against me on the couch while we watched a documentary about ancient architecture, her random facts about Roman aqueducts making me laugh.
That was four days ago.
Now, standing in the station bay watching her through the conference room window, I can see the cracks forming.
She’s on her phone again—the fourth time in twenty minutes. Each time it buzzes, her shoulders tense, her jaw tightens, and something that looks like fear flashes across her face before she schools her expression back to neutral.
“You’re doing it again,” Blake says, appearing at my elbow.
“Doing what?”
