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“Sounds like someone is eager to get hold of you,” Ryan commented, wondering why his brother-in-law seemed so on edge. “Go ahead and answer if you need to.”
“It’s fine.”
A third buzz sounded and a thin layer of sweat formed on Jefferson’s brow. “Ah, maybe I’ll just step outside and see what’s going on. My mom’s trying to coordinate Thanksgiving dinner with my sister and her family...” Trailing off, he snagged his phone and got to his feet. “I’ll be back in a couple minutes.”
Ryan watched him go with a sense of uneasiness before his attention was caught by the women’s conversation across the table.
“I’ll talk to Gil to make sure we can fit it in the schedule, but I think it would be a great idea,” Susannah said.
“What would?” Ryan interjected.
“Susannah is going to come talk at one of our Wednesday night events at the store.”
“See,” Ryan said to Zoe, “I knew my sister would be interested in helping you out.”
“We’re helping out each other,” his sister corrected, her gaze lingering on Jefferson’s empty seat. “Does anyone want this last shrimp? Otherwise I’m going to eat it.”
After dinner the two couples parted ways with Susannah insisting they needed to head home to relieve the babysitter. Ryan was happy to cut the evening short. He was interested in some alone time with Zoe.
“That was more fun than I expected,” she said on the way to his house. “Your sister is very different away from the campaign.”
“Susannah has two personalities. Private and public. It’s grown even more pronounced since she decided to run for office. Tonight you saw little of the mischief-maker I grew up with. She can be pretty unrestrained at home.”
“I enjoyed hearing stories about you growing up.”
“I assure you only ten percent of what she told you was true.”
“Only ten percent?” Doubt salted Zoe’s voice. “I’d guess more like fifty or sixty percent.”
“Notice I didn’t return the favor,” Ryan muttered as he pulled into his garage. “I have stories about my sister that would change your opinion of her.”
“You showed great restraint,” Zoe replied.
“Do you want to come in for a while?” Ryan reached out and ran his fingers lightly over her knee. “It’s too early to call it a night.”
Her voice was a little breathless as she answered. “Sure.”
As they walked hand-in-hand along the side porch, Ryan’s anticipation reached a feverish point. He barely managed to close the back door before he backed her up against his kitchen wall.
“I can’t wait any longer,” he murmured, bracing his arm beside her head so he could lean in. “I have to kiss you.”
“Just kiss?” she murmured, peering at him from beneath her long lashes.
When surprise made him slow to respond, hot color flooded her cheeks.
“Do you want to do more?” he asked, his voice thick and dark with hunger.
Her hands coasted around his waist and up his back. “That’s been my hope for days now.”
“How much more?”
She lifted on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his ear. “I want to get naked with you,” she whispered, her breath sliding over his skin.
He groaned. “Baby, you have no idea how good it is to hear you say that.”
She gasped in surprise when he scooped her off her feet and carried her into the living room. He lowered her to the couch before settling his weight onto her. She stretched beneath him and gave a sexy little murmur that lit up his body like a fireworks finale.
Cupping her cheek, he brushed his thumb over her full lower lip. He wanted to make what came next good for her. That meant taking things slow and making sure their lovemaking offered mutual combustion.
