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“Now, I—”
“Wait,” she said, interrupting him. “I understand if you still don’t trust me. I haven’t exactly been an open book. And after what happened with your company, you have every reason to be suspicious.”
Taking the empty plate from her, Ryan set it aside and slid his fingers around the back of her neck, drawing her in for a kiss. “But I don’t want to be,” he told her, his lips drifting against hers. “I think there’s something really great happening between us and I don’t want our past experiences to mess up what’s going on now or what could develop in the future.”
As he finished speaking he noticed how Zoe’s muscles had gone still. He glanced down at her expression and noticed her frown. Was he moving too fast? She’d only recently finalized her bitter, contentious divorce. Maybe she wasn’t ready to think about a future with him.
Just as Ryan was wondering whether he should walk back his declaration, Zoe scooted closer and put her hand on his knee and said, “That’s exactly how I feel.”
As she pushed her lips hard against
his, stirring the explosive chemistry between them to life once more, hazy suspicion lingered in the wake of her declaration. However, before he could pursue the questions that infiltrated his thoughts, they were incinerated by a fiery rush of passion.
* * *
On the Saturday of Susannah’s fund-raiser, Zoe regarded her reflection while a familiar anxiety created a lump in her stomach. As she’d applied her smoky makeup and slipped into the strapless navy gown embellished with gold sequins, she’d been imagining the shocked disapproval of her former acquaintances as they took in her short blond hair and celestial-themed dress.
One purpose in changing her look had been to reinvent herself postdivorce. But had she gone too far?
It frustrated Zoe that she cared what anyone from her previous life thought. Maybe the resilience she’d gained in the wake of her divorce was proving to be more fragile than she’d hoped.
Had it been a mistake to attend an event where she ran the risk of crossing paths with people from her past? Only time would tell. At least she wouldn’t have to face them alone. She’d be on Ryan’s arm and that was a huge confidence booster.
A knock sounded on her front door, jolting her out of her reverie. Mouth dry, palms clammy, she rushed to it, hoping to see Ryan’s eyes light up when he saw her. Swinging the door open, she stared at the man standing before her. His broad shoulders looked even more imposing clad in a flawlessly tailored tuxedo jacket. Instead of the traditional black bow tie, he’d chosen to accent his crisp white shirt with a dark gray tie dotted with white. She loved his unconventional approach to formal wear.
“Wow,” she murmured, leaning against the door while she took him in. “You look great.”
His slow smile sent heat rushing through her. “You look pretty wonderful yourself. Let me get a better look at you.” He captured her hand and spun her slowly. “Gorgeous.”
The approval glowing in his gray eyes unraveled the knot of worry in her chest. If she’d believed herself past the point where she required a man’s praise, she’d been completely wrong. But Ryan was different in that he would have appreciated anything she’d chosen to wear. Not once had he passed judgment on her appearance.
When she’d left Tristan’s house, she’d abandoned most of her formal wardrobe, except this one dress that she’d bought, knowing Tristan would never let her wear it. The mermaid-style gown showed off her toned arms and clung to her lean curves, accentuating her sensuality. In it she felt sophisticated and strong, two things she’d never known during the years she’d been married to Tristan.
“I’m going to be the luckiest guy there tonight with you as my date.”
“And I’m the luckiest girl,” she murmured, for the moment letting herself bask in the glow of his admiration.
For several heartbeats they stood grinning at each other and then Ryan tugged at her hand. “Let’s get going. The sooner we put in an appearance, the quicker I can get you home and out of that dress.”
“And here I thought you liked it,” Zoe teased, pulling the door shut behind her.
“I love it.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and bent his lips to her ear. “It’s just that I love your beautiful soft skin so much more.”
She felt goose bumps at his words. He had a knack for turning her on with a look or a compliment. She became aware of the pulse throbbing between her thighs as she anticipated his hands coasting over her body, stripping the gown away, baring her to his gaze and touch. A groan built in her chest as desire bloomed, but she held it in and savored the rush of longing that flowed through her veins.
Being around Ryan made her happier than anything she’d known before. On the heels of this realization came a bitter reality check. The purpose behind why she’d met him in the first place. The reason she’d moved into his spare apartment and had cultivated his friendship was to cause him harm.
Despair struck at her, ruining her mood. Her smile faded as they neared Ryan’s car. He noticed the sudden change and pulled her into his arms before opening the car door.
His thumb caressed her cheek. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” The lie came easily to her lips. So did the reassuring smile.
She’d spent most of her married life pretending to be something she wasn’t. Lately she’d felt safe enough to display her true emotions. Ryan was a rock that she could batter with sarcasm, anger and tears. Nothing she said or did seemed to faze him. He absorbed everything and gave back understanding and acceptance.
“Are you worried about seeing your ex?”
“It’s not just him. Everyone I used to know will be there tonight. They’re all going to be judging me.” Perhaps it wasn’t the whole truth, but it was true enough to justify her sudden bout of melancholy.
