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Before I can ask him, he’s out of the truck and running around to open the door for me. Taking my hand, he helps me out and entwines our fingers together.
Keeping my hand in his, and me close to him, we walk to the back porch of Donovan’s home. The view across the lake from here is tremendous, one I could easily wake up to every morning. Although the view I’ve been waking up to is the best ever, and I hope it doesn’t change anytime soon because I’m getting used to having Ryder in my bed.
When we head out for a few days, I’m going to take our relationship up a level. I haven’t told him yet, and I don’t plan on doing so. He’ll discover soon enough when I have my way with him.
“Hey.” Hearing Donovan’s voice, my head jerks away from Ryder as I feel a slight blush starting to coat my cheeks.
Ryder smirks but gives Donovan his attention after squeezing my hand in reassurance. “We eating out here?” he asks an obvious question, considering there are four place settings already on the table.
“We are.” Donovan glances at me. “Mara’s inside sorting the dessert out. I’m under strict orders to send you inside as soon as you arrive.” He grins and looks at Ryder. “And we have to stay out here with a beer, which I’ve left inside, so give me a minute.”
He runs back inside.
Ryder quickly kisses me on my lips, and whispers against them, “Go and chat with your sister, and no comparing sizes,” he smirks.
I hit him on the arm and leave him chuckling behind me, as Donovan grins at our antics on his way back out with two beers in hand.
Shaking my head, I continue inside the house to see what Mara is up to. She’s my half-sister along with her other five siblings, Reece being one of them.
I find Mara in the kitchen cursing worse than I’ve ever heard Ryder, and that’s saying something.
“That’s quite a vocabulary you have there,” I comment, chuckling.
Mara turns around, clutching a spatula to her chest. “You scared the crap out of me.”
“What are you doing?” I walk closer, and catch a glimpse of the work of art Mara’s working on.
“Dessert . . . but one side’s collapsed and I was doing so well.”
“I wouldn’t worry too much. I mean it’s going to get sliced up, right?”
I glance over her shoulder to look at what she’s making. It’s a meringue and cream concoction with strawberries and chocolate as the top decoration. She’s done a good job of putting this all together from scratch. I wouldn’t have a clue where to start.
“I guess,” she says, sounding wistful. “Oh, well. I’m sure it’ll go down well anyway.” She waves over her shoulder. “Grab a couple of beers out of the fridge, will you?”
“Sure.”
Taking the cap off the two longnecks, I pass one to Mara and start laughing.
She’s wearing the cream on her nose and chin, looking like a naughty child.
I toss her a towel, unable to remove the grin from my face.
Rolling her eyes, she cleans herself off. “That’s good.” She licks her lips, and then with a gleam in her eye walks closer. “So, tell me about the sexy man outside drinking beer with my sexy man.”
“Is that optional?”
She chuckles. “Not on your life. We’re sisters, and I want all the hot details . . . and don’t leave anything out.”
We both take a drink of our beers as I hold her gaze before grinning, feeling joy at her reference to us being sisters. “He’s delicious,” I drool. “He’s the best looking guy I’ve ever seen. He’s . . . he’s,” I sigh, “got a good heart. He really cares for me, Mara.” I find that, with the confession I’m fighting back tears. I don’t know what the hell is wrong with me.
“Dal?” Mara rubs my arms, concerned.
“I’m fine, really. It’s just all happened so fast, you know? And I’m getting to the point of not believing I’m the other woman . . . you don’t think I am, do you? And please be honest.”
I bite my lip while I wait for her answer.
She smiles. “He isn’t being unfaithful, Dal. He’s been separated for years from what I understand. There can’t be another woman because there wasn’t and isn’t a marriage. There is no way you can be called the other woman. You need to stop thinking like that right now or you’re going to piss me off.” She raises a brow and stands with her hands on her hips, keeping a stern look on her face the entire time.
