Oh, God. She hoped he wouldn’t become her one weakness.
That couldn’t happen.
She had tostopit from happening.
“Never you mind.”
He chuckled. “Have I flustered you, sweetheart?”
“I don’t know why you said all that to Nina.”
“Yes, you do. We’ve been inching toward this moment for weeks, haven’t we?”
She cocked her head back to better look at him. “Have we? I thought we were just being friendly.”
“Do you think I’m this friendly with every woman? Or that I have nightly calls with them? Or that I text them throughout the day?”
A stutter made Lisa’s tongue tremble, confusion making her red in the face. “I. I don’t know.”
“I don’t, sweetheart. Only with you. Do you have any objections to being pursued?”
Once more, her tongue was tied, and the silence was long enough for Ryan to smirk, dipping down until his face was as close to hers as her eyelashes were.
“That’s good. I’ll move to step two then. Walk me to the door. What time do you have to work tomorrow?”
His mouth moved faster than Lisa’s brain could keep up, and she followed him like a magnet, answering on autopilot.
“Good, I’ll pick you up for breakfast.” He stepped outside, the chill of the night making her shiver. “Head in, sweetheart, don’t wait for me to drive off. Oh, and Lisa...” he said, his voice low and ominous. Ryan’s eyes were almost black under the night sky. Lisa braced for what unabashed words he’d say next.
And God help her, they didn’t disappoint because after he’d said them, he smiled so charming, then strode off down the path to his truck. Leaving Lisa stupefied.
He’d said.“I’m gonna kiss you the next time I see you, Lisa. That means tomorrow. You won’t know when, but it’s gonna happen.”
SEVENTEEN
Splice
Since Splice wasn’t collecting Lisa until 8 a.m., he’d been up since 5 a.m. working out, so he crossed the street to Tomb’s place. They were in the kitchen eating breakfast.
“You dare show your face after what you told me last night!” Nina announced as he came through the back door.
Since he was practically family, he didn’t bother with formalities and just got a coffee. He dragged out a stool and plonked his ass down. Tomb smirked across at him.
“Don’t you have a basement you can lock your wife up in, brother?”
“I tried once; she nearly wrecked the lodge.” Tomb mentioned the time he kidnapped his wife to save their marriage. It worked, obviously.
“Are you serious about Lisa? I mean, really serious, or are you looking to get laid?”
“I’m serious.” He sipped. “So don’t get in my way, okay? We have history. And I’m trying to change that to ‘present’. If you keep whispering in Lisa’s ear, she’s gonna get skittish, more than she is, and I won’t make any progress. I doubt she’d like me kidnapping her to a cabin in the woods until she gives in.”
Tomb barrel laughed. “You could keep it as a backup.”
“Believe me, I have contingency plans ready.” He looked at Nina again, one of his genuine female friends. She was family, like a sister. But he was serious about what he was saying; he didn’t want anyone, least of all an influential best friend, getting in his way when he was trying to win Lisa back.
His friend’s old lady examined him silently. “Wow, okay. You are serious. I had to make sure.”
“Lisa and I have memories together. I’m not messing around with her. She was the only woman I’d ever been into in a real way. I’m not dumb enough to waste a second chance with her.”
