17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Meghan

R yder takes us to a small bar with another outdoor patio. We sit outside and people watch. He orders a beer while I go for a margarita. A band plays in the back of the bar and the music fills the space around us. As the song shifts to a more slow tempo, I find myself relaxing a bit.

"So, shouldn't you be asking me questions right now? Aren't you a journalist?" Ryder asks, sitting back in his chair.

Smiling, I release a small laugh. "I'm not a journalist. I have a literary degree. I mainly edit manuscripts, but I also write feature articles when asked," I reply, sipping my drink.

"Oh, so you jumped at the chance to write about me," he says, that arrogant smirk reappearing.

I shake my head as a giggle escapes my lips. "Something like that," I say.

I feel my phone vibrate and I glance down, seeing a text from Kirsten. I choose to ignore the text for now. If I tell her we went for drinks after dinner, she will blow up my phone with inappropriate messages.

"Do you need to take a call?" Ryder asks, as I stare down at my phone.

Shaking my head, I say, "No. Just my friends checking on me."

The bartender hands me my drink and I begin to chug it down faster than I should.

Ryder grins at me. "Are they checking to make sure I haven't kidnapped you?" he asks.

I almost choke on my drink. "What?"

"I'm kidding. From what you have told me so far, you don't go out with men very often. I'm sure they are just concerned."

I nod. Man, I didn't realize how intuitive Ryder was. But then again, he was in the navy, he was trained to dig into peoples minds. Was he doing that to me now?

I decide it won't hurt anything, to be honest with him. I need to be in control of this situation. It's been made very clear to me that Ryder thinks he can change my mind. I need to remind him who is boss right now.

"You asked me earlier to tell you about me. Well, I played soccer in middle and high school. My first car was a blue Honda Accord handed down to me from my mom and my favorite movie is Dirty Dancing," I say.

"Wow, that was a lot of information," Ryder says, sipping his beer.

I look around the bar because I don't have a response to that.

"Where do you see yourself in ten years?" he asks me.

I slowly bring my eyes back to him. "Is this a job interview?" I ask, taking another drink of my margarita.

Ryder leans his elbows on the table and captures my attention. "No, but if you aren't willing to date, then where do you see yourself? Still, living with your friends? Single?"

Wow, his cockiness has gone from cute to now just annoying. My gaze shifts to his and I narrow my eyes. "That was pretty cruel, don't you think?" I ask.

This was why I wasn't ready to date. Wade never would have said something like that to me. He never would have hurt me for his own amusement. This evening is over.

I stand, ready to get out of here as fast as I can. However, Ryder stands, too, and grabs my hand. "Wait, don't run off. I didn't mean to insult you," he begins.

I smack his hand away. "How dare you? Was this all some joke? Take out the widow only to throw her own demons in her face? Well, congratulations, you have me all figured out."

I move through the maze of tables until I am back onto the sidewalk again. The noise from the streets drowns out everything else as I take off like a bat out of hell.

I feel a hand grip my arm and before I know it, I am being spun around. My hands land on Ryder's massive chest. I'm in shock as I stare up at him.

"Please, let me explain," Ryder says.

"Let me go," I seethe.

He slowly releases his hold on me, but I notice that he doesn't budge away from me. "I am sorry if what I said hurt you. I was honestly wanting to know. If you aren't willing to find love with someone else, other than Wade, then what do you want for your life in ten years?" he asks again. I go to open my mouth, but he stops me. "When I look into your eyes, I see a burning pain that hasn't been scorched. You try to hide your pain by keeping your heart locked away. But that will only intensify the pain you feel. I see something inside of you that is begging to be loved. I refuse to look the other way, because that is what you want me to do. I found you and I want to know you. I want to be with you. And, I think you feel the same way about me, too."

I'm wrecked. Speechless. Part of me wants to reach out and slap his face while the other part of me wants to break down and cry while he holds me.

Ryder has seeped into my soul and read every dark and dangerous secret I possess. He is refusing to leave me alone.

"Ryder," I begin, but he crushes his lips to mine, and instantly my world stops spinning.

I feel his arms wrap around my waist as he pulls me against his massive chest. My hands fight him at first, pushing against his rock hard abs, but then, I give in. I take in the kiss and allow myself to feel the moment.

It's been so long since I've been kissed like this, with such ferocity and passion, that I almost forgot how it feels. His tongue slips inside my mouth and I gladly welcome it, our tongues dancing together as if choreographed. My hands now tangled in his hair as I lose myself in the moment.

Bliss fills me, a heated passion that I didn't realize I was missing until now. With each passing second, the intensity of the kiss only grows, making me moan in delight. I feel his hands roam down to my hips, pulling me closer to him. Our bodies mold together, fitting perfectly as we continue to kiss, lost in each other.

But just as quickly as the passion ignited, it suddenly fades. We pull apart, our heavy breaths mingling in the air. I look up at him, my cheeks flushed and my lips swollen from the intensity of our kiss.

When we finally part, I struggle to catch my breath. Ryder releases his hold on me, but keeps his hands planted firmly on my waist. I stare up at him, unsure of what to do or say next.

"What was that?" I ask, my mind still spinning with emotions.

"That was me finally taking what is mine."