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“I don’t want that either,” I admit.
Mom lets out a gasp.
“Son, are you okay?” Dad asks in his serious tone.
“I’m fine,” I tell him. “Only, lately I’ve been thinking. What’s this all for, all this stuff I’m building?”
“Your charity is thriving,” Dad says. “You help countless people all over the city. Don’t ever question your purpose on this planet, son. Think of all the kids you’ve tempted away from crime with your fitness programs. Think of all the good you’ve done.”
“Jesus, Dad.” I laugh. “I guess I know who I need to come to any time I need an ego boost, eh?”
He chuckles. “I just want you to know we’re proud of you.”
“Yes, yes, enough of that,” Mom says jokingly. “You were saying you don’t want to be alone, right, Ryker?”
“Yeah,” I allow.
“Fantastic,” she sings. “So how about I set you up with somebody, hmm? Now, please don’t say no until—”
“No.” I pause. “Sorry.”
She laughs. “Well then, Mr. Keen. I can only assume you’ve found someone.”
“Yes, no, not really,” I say, the words coming out in a rush.
I normally feel so certain, so sure of my path, but Rosie is twisting me up inside. All I can think about is the fitness session tomorrow, the closeness, the way a blush could cascade from her cheeks, maybe down into her cleavage, tempting me…
But no, not now.
I can’t think about that now.
“What does that mean?” Dad asks.
“I don’t know how to explain it,” I say. “There’s this woman, but we don’t know each other very well.”
“And?” Mom says quickly, as though she’s holding her breath in anticipation.
“And I’m interested in her, very interested.”
“So what’s the problem?”
I chuckle. “Well, I’m almost certain she doesn’t feel the same way.”
“What makes you say that?”
Because we’ve never fucking met.
“Just a few signs here and there,” I say instead because the other answer is insane.
“Well, find out for sure,” Mom says sternly. “This is the most excited I’ve heard you over a girl since—Well, ever. You’ve never sounded like this, Ryker. So make sure before you lose all hope. Okay?”
I look over the city, at the skyline, the stars clear now against the autumn backdrop.
“I’ll try,” I tell her. “But I’m not promising anything.”
Chapter Four
Rosie
I sit in the waiting room, my hands clawing at my stomach, wondering just what the heck I’m doing here.
All during the drive over, into this fancy-pants part of the city – upscale apartments, clean unbroken roads, everything shiny and new – I debated turning the car around and speeding home as fast as I could.
I might have done so if my old rust bucket of a car hadn’t been making grinding and jangling noises like it was going to burst into flames if I didn’t give it a rest.
But as my eyes roam over the empty waiting room of the office, over the motivational posters on the walls and the vacant chairs, I find myself wishing I’d taken my chances with the possible fireball.
My heart is pounding like a traitor into the back of my throat, threatening to choke me as I wait for a door to open. The email said to let myself into the office and wait here, that Ryker Ridge would come out to greet me… but where the heck is he? I’ve been here for ten minutes already.
The nasty voice in the back of my head taunts that he peered through the window, saw me, and ran as far away as he possibly can.
I try to beat that vicious voice away, telling it that it isn’t fair. It isn’t true.
I’m here because I won the raffle. He’s late because he probably hates working for free. It’s as simple as that.
I let out a pathetic whimper when he pushes a door open, striding into the room. Quickly quieting it, I rise to my feet and aim my bravest possible face at him.
My fixed expression threatens to shatter as my eyes drink in the sight of him. He seems even bigger in the flesh, six and a half feet of pure muscle, highlighted in his T-shirt and sweatpants. His face is clean shaven, his dark eyes intense and his iron hair perfectly styled.
An impulse deep within screams at me to throw myself at him.
I force it down, taking a step forward.
“Finally. I’ve been waiting here all day.”
It’s an effort not to let my voice shake as I stare into his face. And speaking of that face, with his carved from marble jaw, his clean shaven skin, and searing eyes that stare at me like he’s on the verge of tearing me to pieces…
Heck, it’s difficult to look at, because it makes me think of all the tingling pleasure I’ve felt these past few days, sinking deeply and hungrily into the lust as I consume photos of him on the internet.
He pauses, looking closely at me. And then his lips twitch for a moment.
