Page 31 of Ryder

The hurt in his voice is almost my undoing. I bend down to my knees so that I am eye level with him. Grabbing his hands, I pull him in for a hug.

“No, buddy. I am just going on a trip,” I say, smiling though I want to break down in tears.

This right here is why I haven’t been on a vacation since I started working at All Our Children. These boys have been left behind, pushed aside, and forgotten about by everyone who they ever trusted. Just me mentioning a trip had Lucas thinking I was going, too.

“How long?” he asks again, sniffling as he fights back his tears.

“A couple of days. Guess who I am going with?” I ask, hoping if I mention Ryder, it might lessen his hurt.

“Who?” he asks.

I see Christopher enter the room, and he is eying me skeptically. I can tell he has overheard part of our conversation, and he isn’t happy either.

“Ryder Raven. He invited me to go with him for an event he is part of,” I say, making sure to add a big bright smile to my face.

“Ryder, really?” Lucas asks.

His tone is changing, and his pouty face is quickly turning into a smile.

“So, is Ryder your boyfriend now?” Christopher asks, now emerging himself in the conversation.

“Um...no...I…” I am fumbling over my words, and I can feel my cheeks flush.

“Not her boyfriend,yet,” a deep voice says from behind me.

I turn so fast. I lose my balance and fall onto my bottom. The room erupts into laughter as Allison, and the rest of the boys join us.

Great, I get to be laughed at by everyone. However, I am too focused on what Ryder just said to be embarrassed by my fall.

Ryder saunters into the room, and I can feel the spark between us ignite. “Boys, let me give you all a piece of advice. When the right girl comes around, you have to work to make her yours. The chase is the best part. I mean, I’m a racer, so I like to race after things I want,” he says, his eyes boring into my soul.

The boys look between us, and the older ones seem to tune into what is happening between Ryder and me. I see the smirks grow on their faces, especially when I feel my face heat up like a burning fire.

“Well, I know I am happy to see you here today,” Allison chimes in, breaking the awkwardness.

Ryder turns to face Allison and gives her his charming smile. “Great, because I’m here to give you boys your first lesson on working with motorcycles,” he states.

The boys begin to chatter and ask a million questions at once.

Allison smiles and gives us a knowing look as she ushers the boys outside. “Come on guys, let's go outside and wait for Ryder to show you his lesson,” she says, winking back at us as she leaves.

Once we are alone, Ryder turns his hungry eyes on me, and I feel my body heat up under the intensity of his stare. He takes two heavy steps toward me, and my heart beats in sync with his movements.

“So, I guess we need to discuss what we are,” Ryder says, and I see that dangerous spark in his eyes light up.

“We don’t need to put a label on it yet,” I argue, even though my heart is telling me to shut up. This gorgeous man wants me against all the odds, and I keep opening my big mouth and arguing against it.

“Why not?” Ryder asks. I know he can sense my hesitancy at the topic. “You want me, and I want you. Unless you are seeing someone else,” he says, pulling my waist into him.

Our bodies collide, and it’s as though someone just poured fuel on our metaphorical fire. His hands held onto me firmly like he is afraid I may run away from him.

Shaking my head, no, I look at him and melt into a puddle. “No, I’m not seeing anyone else. I just don’t want to rush this.”

Ryder only nods as he observes me. Sometimes, I feel like he is trying to tap into my soul-- to read my thoughts and what my heart is saying.

“How about we make a deal,” he proposes.

“Ok, what’s that?” I ask.

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