Page 25 of The Summer Dare
There’s talking from the other end of the line, but I can’t quite make out the words. Ryan shakes his head and smiles directly at me and waggles his brow. “No, man. I’m good. I’ll grab a bite here.”
My eyes dart to his lower lip and I certainly know what I’d like to bite.
However, Ryan interrupts my musing when he nods and says, “No worries. Take your time. I’ll see you in a few.” Sighing he hangs up the phone. “He’s on his way.”
His pout is pathetically adorable and I can’t help but laugh. “You say that like it’s a bad thing. Aren’t you fighting the weather to get the siding done as it is?”
“As the foreman of this crew, I should agree with you. As a man who is thoroughly enjoying his lunch break—I’m not ready for it to end.”
“Neither am I,” I whisper, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him closer for a quick kiss. Before we get carried away, I push him back and hop off the counter. “But… you need to eat. Grab a seat at the bar and let’s eat lunch together.”
“Mind if I use your restroom first?”
Pointing to the hall, I say. “It’s the next door after the laundry room.”
While he’s gone I make quick work and throw together three sandwiches. I grab a bag of barbecue chips from the pantry and I’m just about to slice up the cantaloupe when two arms snake around me from behind.
Leaning in to kiss the side of my neck, he whispers, “You didn’t have to go to such trouble.”
And he just found my kryptonite.
There’s something about being held from behind while whispering in my ear that turns me on like no other. Add kissing me at the base of my neck, and it’s the trifecta that turns my thoughts to goo. My nerve endings tingle from myhead to my toes as warmth spreads throughout my body. I swear if he keeps talking in that sexy tone, I’ll do almost anything he asks.
Please don’t stop.
When he pulls away, the synapses in my brain finally connect, and I remember that I should respond. “I was making it for myself and I’ve got plenty to share.”
Reaching into the cupboard I point him towards, Ryan grabs two glasses. “Water or tea?”
His simple gesture reminds me of Nana and I laugh. When his expression turns quizzical, I quickly explain, “Nana had a rule in this house that she’d explain to guests. She always knew how to make a person feel at home. But if you came to visit, she’d bluntly tell you, ‘You’re only a guest the first time. If you return, you’re expected to pitch in—just like anybody else because we won’t be waitin’ on ya.’God, I miss her. She may be gone, but she’s definitely still here, ya know?”
“She sounds like a wise woman.”
“Don’t get me wrong; she was the most hospitable woman you’d ever met, but she didn’t want you going without because you were afraid to ask for it. She’d rather you just make yourself at home because as Nana would say, she was good at many things—but mind readin’ wasn’t one of them.”
“I wish I had known her. The more I learn, the more I like,” Ryan says before taking a bite of his BLT.
My chest tightens at just how much I miss her, but somehow talking about her with Ryan makes me feel happy, too. Gah… Grief is a fickle beast. You never know when it will hit, or how it will impact you. It lingers on the edge between happy and sad memories and I never know how I’ll respond.
“I think she would’ve liked you,” I admit.
In my short time with Ryan, I’ve seen him smirk, I’ve seen his playful side, but this smile that spreads across his face is genuine and could almost be described as humble. When he whispers, “Thank you. That means a lot.” I just want to hug him.
Instead, I change the subject because I’m not taking chances on my emotions at the moment. “Did you live close to your grandparents?”
Finishing another bite, he nods. “My dad’s parents live about an hour from here down the coast, and my mom’s parents live outside of Salem.”
“Do you see them often?”
“Now that we’re older, mostly for holidays and birthdays. But when we were younger, we spent a week or so in the summer, at each of their homes. I’m sure it was so my parents could work.”
“Same… though Nana watched us during Dad’s designated visitation. He was usually stationed somewhere around the world and would request leave to be with us as much as he could.” Ryan grabs a chip from his plate as he asks, “What branch of the military?”
“He’s still in the Air Force. Right now, he’s stationed at Lewis-McChord. He could have retired last year, but I can’t see him retiring any time soon.”
“Wow. That’s really commendable. Is he a pilot?”
“Yes, he’s actually a pararescue pilot. That’s why he’s been stationed all over the world. If he chooses to stay in, he’ll likely end up in Germany with his next orders.”
