Page 68 of Rival to the Billionaire

I stare at him. Watching him enter the space. Into my territory.

This is good, my mind says. He's okay. He made it back in one piece.

But my body. My body rages, instinctually moving towards him.

He walks further into the doorway, his silhouette clearer in the light that spills in from the corridor. I stare at his arms, his neck, the slight bump in his nose, the curve of his lips.

And I march right up to him, one finger pointed near his face.

"You! Where were you?! I texted you a bajillion damn times!!" I yell, not recognizing my own voice.

Ryder stares at me, his eyes wide with surprise. He raises one hand, his brows slightly raised.

"I was coming back from the restaurant. I got turned around. But it's fine, really."

I stomp on my own foot, staring into his eyes for a moment. I come to a conclusion that he's lying.

"Ryder! Look at me. You didn't just get turned around! You're the most spatially aware man I know. In third grade, you gave directions to our bus driver half the time, so don't tell me you got turned around. You got distracted. You got sidetracked. You got so sidetracked that you forgot to text me back, am I right?"

His hand reaches up to the side of his neck, rubbing it harshly. He opens his mouth but I put a finger to his lips.

"I don't want to hear it. Tell the truth."

Ryder shakes his head, his face breaking out into a wide grin. Other people might have found his smile handsome, boyish even. But it just enrages me even more.

He's been drinking. I can smell the silky sweetness of the briney tequila on his breath. And a hint of something else. Something salty and smoky.

I swallow as he faces me in the dark, his eyes a steely dark blue. "What does it matter, anyway, Forde? I mean, seriously. What the hell do you care about where I've been? You've made it clear that you don't like me. You don't want to get close, so what's the point? I could fall off the face of the earth and I doubt you'd give a shit."

He says that last part with a sharp edge, like he really believes it.

Our eyes locked together, I can't move.

It's as if my body has frozen. My mouth hangs agape, the words I wanted to say stuck in my throat.

Because the truth is…when I thought he didn't come back…

It hurt.

Not just my pride, not just my ego.

My mind. My heart. My body.

It hurt to think of losing him, in any way.

It hurt because…

I know now that I never want to lose him.

"I…" I start, my throat dry, my tongue flicking out to moisten lips that have been dried by the hotel's white wine. "I was worried. I wanted to make sure that you were okay."

Ryder stares at me, his face only six inches from mine. I feel like he can read the truth right out of my mouth, but then he goes still and straight again.

"You want me to think you're worried about me?" he says.

"Why not?" I reply, my voice coming out weaker than I'd like.

His eyes never leave mine. "Why not? That's cute. That really is cute. I guess it’s surprising for the Ice Queen to feel something…anything."

---