Page 63 of Don't Bet On It
“And your father never tried to force you to make friends with Ruby, Opal, and Pearl?”
“Pearl and Opal were much older, so that wouldn’t even have been a consideration.” A muscle worked in Ronan’s jaw. “I don’t ever remember him trying to push me on Ruby either. His efforts to get me to hang out with Zach were never that forceful. It was almost like an afterthought.”
“So what are they doing hanging around together now? I would think your father would want to avoid Ryder as much as humanly possible.”
“I heard a rumor that Ryder might win his appeal and not go back to jail.”
“Yeah, but your father still looks like an idiot if he’s caught with Ryder freaking Stone. Just because Ryder might avoid further jail time doesn’t mean he’s going to ascend to a power position in this town again. From what I hear, people are happy that he was stripped of his title.”
“He wasn’t exactly beloved,” Ronan agreed. “Still, if he somehow climbed his way back into power, people would do business with him.”
“I guess.” I wasn’t convinced. “What if they’re up to something nefarious, though?”
His lips quirked into a grin. “Have I mentioned that I love it when you use that word?”
“What word?”
“Nefarious.”
“Oh.” My cheeks warmed under his studied gaze. “I like that word. I have no idea why.”
“I like it too.” He reached up and brushed a strand of hair away from my face. Had he realized he was going to do it? He seemed to be on autopilot. It was strange.
I didn’t pull away from him when he pushed himself away from the wall and stopped directly in front of me. His mouth was close to mine, only two inches or so separating us. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t kiss me. He just breathed—and rather raggedly.
“This is a terrible idea,” I said in a whisper, currents of lust running through me.
He didn’t ask what I was referring to. “It is.”
“Does that mean you’re going?” I was torn. Part of me wanted him to be the adult and walk away. The other part was convinced that my heart would shred if he took a single step in the opposite direction.
“No.” He leaned even closer, his lips a hair’s breadth from mine. “I can’t leave.”
“Why?” I sounded as if I were in a bad porno, I was so breathy. He didn’t seem to mind.
“I’ve been trying to force myself to say goodbye since we got to your building.” His smile was rueful. “My plan was to drop you off in the lobby. That didn’t happen.”
I barked out a laugh, sounding like a braying donkey. “My plan was to say goodbye to you on the corner. That didn’t happen either.”
He pressed his forehead against mine, breathing me in. “I think this is a terrible idea.”
I swallowed hard.
“Nothing short of an alien invasion could drag me away from this door, though,” he whispered.
My heart pounded, warmth suffusing me. “I kind of feel the same way.”
“Kind of?”
Of course he would nail me on that single point. “Fine. I feel exactly the same way.”
His fingers brushed against my cheek as he cupped the back of my head. “I’m not really in the market for a relationship, Tallulah.” He looked as if he was going through an ordeal. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I’m not going to be hurt.” I meant it. “I’m not looking for a relationship either.”
“So we’re agreed.” He looked hopeful. “We’re going to scratch this itch and then walk away as friends.”
“We don’t even have to be friends.”
