Page 100 of Unforgettable
Slowly, the puzzle pieces were fitting together. “It’s all making sense now. Remember that morning you stormed over to my house and tore Beverly a new one? Well, when I woke up that morning, I found her in my bed.”
“You didn’t invite her?”
“At first, I thought I had. I mean, I barely remembered you when you showed up that morning. But as the alcohol cleared, the events of the night before returned. When I went to bed, I was alone. After Franklin, my lawyer, left, Lucas and I had a cup of coffee then called it a night.”
“You barely remembered me, huh?” she teased. “And now?”
I cupped her face and kissed her slowly and sensuously. “Unforgettable.”
Her body became mush.
If she thought my heart was beating fast, she should feel it now because it was going fucking wild. If I kept taking and tasting, we would be naked and not talking.
I pressed my forehead to hers. “Any idea why your father is so determined to please Ms. Sims and her daughters? He doesn’t strike me as a man who does things for love.”
She sucked in air. “Maybe to keep his affair quiet. After all, he’s in the public eye.”
A form of bribery. That made sense.
“You’re right. I need to confront him, and I need to do it tonight.”
“I’ll come with you.” I couldn’t let her face him alone. After all, I was the main reason she was going through hell with her old man.
She lifted up on her tiptoes and kissed me. “Thank you. But I need to do this by myself. And I don’t want you to ruin your football career for me.”
“I would ruin it and tear down buildings and people for you.”
She crashed her mouth against mine and kissed me as though it was our last one ever.
That thought made me want to cry. I knew in that moment and without a doubt in my mind that I was in love with Haven.
32
Haven
Iran all the way to my car from Erik’s house. After that soul-stealing kiss, I couldn’t speak. Even if I did, I wasn’t sure what would come out of my mouth. Sometimes actions were better than any words, and I hoped that Ryker had at least gotten the message that I had feelings for him.
My hands shook as I started the engine. I inhaled once then twice, trying to regulate my breathing. Before I got on the road, I texted my father that I was on my way home.
He replied immediately:I’ll be waiting.
I stuck out my middle finger at my phone then got on the road. My heart was pounding, and dread was setting in.
My phone beeped. That time, it was Ryker:Text or call me after you talk to your old man. If I have to, I’ll come get you. I got you, baby doll.
Whatever was about to go down, I knew one thing. If Ryker’s offer still stood about moving in with him, then I would be packing my bags tonight.
Once on the road, my mind wandered to what Ryker had said. “I would ruin my career and tear down buildings and people for you.”
I didn’t want to assume anything, but that line sounded like he loved me. Instead of telling him those three little words, I’d kissed him only because my throat had closed up with so much emotion. Also, I was afraid to say “I love you” out loud. I was afraid he might run like the wind the minute I did. After all, his reputation was as a ladies’ man.
Traffic was light on the highway. So it didn’t take me long to get home. Well, my father’s estate wasn’t home anymore. Nothing about his place gave me the feeling of home. Come to think of it, I’d really never had a place where I felt like I belonged, at least not since my mom had been alive. But since her death, I’d been a gypsy—boarding school, my father’s estate during summers, or traveling with friends and their parents on occasion.
Father was sitting in a rocker on the portico, smoking a cigar, when I pulled up. Arlene was nowhere in sight, which was probably best. I didn’t need the hassle of her butting in when I spoke my mind. I was sure she didn’t want to hear the questions I had for my father. Not only that, I wasn’t a home-wrecker.
I climbed the few steps and sat in the rocker next to him. For a beat, he didn’t say a word, and I was waiting for him to start. He could yell all he wanted to, but this was the last time I would endure his wrath. That much, I was certain of.
“How’s Ryker?” he asked casually, as though he and I hadn’t been in several fights as of late.
