Page 24 of Ryder

“Sounds perfect. I wouldn’t want you taking advantage of me,” Ryder snickered.

I dropped my pen and laughed loudly. I could see a few people look around the door at me, probably wondering what was making me go crazy.

“I promise to keep my hands to myself,” I giggled.

“Well, let’s not go to extremes,” he argued back.

“Alright, I need to get back to work before they fire me,” I say, glancing down at my daily schedule on my desk calendar.

“Well, if they fire you, I will hire you as my personal assistant,” Ryder stated, a sexy tone reaching out and caressing me.

“You wouldn't be able to afford the sexual harassment charges I would have to file against you,” I laugh again.

I don’t think I have laughed or smiled this much in years. My face hurts already from the action, and I am simply delighted.

“I would risk it. Get back to work, I will call you later. I’d like to come to see the boys again this week,” Ryder finishes.

“Sure, just let me know when,” I say, and then we hang up.

For the rest of the day, I have a gigantic smile on my face.

By the time Friday arrived, Ryder had been to All Our Children twice and even helped the boys with a homework assignment where they had to build a model car. Each time I saw him, I couldn’t help but think if we could handle being friends or not.

On Saturday, I got an unexpected text from Ryder while lounging on the beach with Allison.

The sun was shining brightly, and the waves were crashing against the shore as a few kids rang along, laughing.

I sat up on my beach towel and picked up my phone.

“Hey,” I greeted him.

Allison gave me a knowing look as she turned over and began sunning her front side.

I rolled my eyes at her and began ignoring her looks and comments under her breath about needing to get laid.

“What are you doing?” Ryder asked.

“Sitting on the beach with Allison,” I said, taking a drink from my bottled water. A couple of drops dripped off the bottle, and the cold liquid felt amazing against my sun-baked skin.

“Oh shit, which beach?” he asked.

“Don’t you want to know,” I giggled.

Allison eyed me again, and I swatted at her. Even though she was old enough to be my mom, Allison and I were very close. I think, at times, she treated me like one of her kids, and I secretly enjoyed it. I was out here without any family, but Allison and John always seemed to fill that void.

“Hell yeah, I do. I’d love to see you in a skimpy bikini,” he growled out. “No, wait. Not in public, you should only flaunt that body for me,” he said, his voice deep and possessive.

I felt my body grow warm from his words. My heart raced, and I felt a deep need growing in my belly. I hated that he did this to me; he was going to dissolve my resolve to fight him if I wasn’t careful.

“You have no claim over me. I may just go streaking naked down the beach,” I stated, with confidence I didn’t have.

“I am going to have to come down there and get you,” Ryder yelled.

Allison sat up, offering a thumbs up at me. “That’s my girl,” she called out.

Ryder laughed on the phone, and I just sighed at the both of them.

“Did you call for a reason?” I asked, making sure to stop this conversation from getting any more inappropriate.

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