Page 17 of Second Shot

CHAPTER8

Meg

The morning after the gala,I was still floating on a cloud of euphoria over how perfectly everything went, mixed with a healthy dose of what the frack over the charged moment with Ryker outside my truck last night.

I’d been so, so tempted to initiate a repeat of our beach kiss. Color me crazy, but it felt like Ryker wanted it, too. But I chickened out, and he let me go, so maybe I misread the signals.

As I sipped my coffee, wrapped in my coziest blanket and watching the bustle of Seashell Cove’s early walkers and shoppers outside my apartment window, my phone buzzed with an incoming call from the object of my preoccupied thoughts himself.

A smile tugged at my lips as I answered. "Let me guess––you're already busy planning how to top the gala next year?"

Ryker's low chuckle sent a pleasant shock through me. "Maybe. But I was actually calling to see if you're free for dinner tonight?"

I sank back against the sofa cushions, intrigued. "Is this a business meeting or a date, Mister West?"

"Can't it be both?" His flirtatious tone took me by surprise. I bit my lip, considering. Getting further entangled with Ryker was playing with fire. I knew it and he knew it, but neither of us seemed able to resist temptation.

Temptation won out.

"Pick me up at 7?"

I hung up with the sound of his knowing laughter ringing in my ear and spent the rest of the day in a flurry of anticipation. What did he have planned?

I kept myself busy with photo editing and a few phone calls, including a round of calls to my boys to check in and see how life was going. Hearing that things were good and they were doing well put a wistful smile on my face. I missed them dearly now that they were grown and busy with their own stuff, but that was just a part of growing up. And I was so proud of the young men they turned into.

As evening approached, my nerves jangled harder. I hopped in the shower and washed my hair, retouched areas that needed shaving, and blasted myself with heat to try to relax my buzzing body.

After hopping out and drying off, I slipped into a curve-hugging black dress and matching heels, adding a swipe of bold red lipstick. The woman staring back at me in the mirror looked poised and alluring. Nothing like the emotionally bruised, uncertain divorcee who'd arrived in town weeks ago.

Right on time, Ryker's sleek black car purred up outside the studio. A friendly frog pitched a tent in my throat when he greeted me with a barely suppressed groan of appreciation at my outfit, his wolfish gaze roving over my figure possessively and setting my skin on fire.

Crap on a cracker, Meg! You are in so much trouble.

Thankfully, we were both content to enjoy the ride in silence, though Ryker reached over as we were driving to twine his fingers through mine. My lips parted in surprise, and one side of his mouth kicked up in boyish smile that reminded me of old times. A tendril of warmth thawed another piece of my heart I thought had gone cold forever.

At an upscale restaurant tucked away on the pier, we settled into an intimate booth, the ambiance a perfect blend of elegance and seclusion. Candlelight flickered across the table, casting a gold glow on Ryker's face. He ordered for us both and for the first time in forever, I didn’t mind it. It made me feel cared for, not controlled, and his choices were exquisite, reflecting his attention to my preferences.

Soft music danced on the breeze, and wine flowed freely, its rich notes complementing the delicate flavors of our meal. We talked and laughed, trading banter and barbs like we never missed a beat, like there weren’t lifetimes between us.

Like we were back in high school.

Who’da thunk it?

If you had told me six months ago I’d be rekindling a romance with my high school flame, I would have slapped you upside the head and checked for loose screws.

But here we were.

It was liberating, being with Ryker like this, in a place where I could let my guard down and just be myself. As the evening waned and we shared a decadent dessert of chocolate-covered cheesecake, Ryker's gaze held mine, dark and dangerous with an unspoken question.

“How about we continue this evening with a nightcap at my place?" he suggested, his voice low and inviting. I shivered, that deep rasp of his doing so many things to me, most of them wholly indecent.

My pulse sped up, but somehow I managed to croak out, "I'd like that.” Raw, male satisfaction lit his gaze, and a flush crept into my cheeks.

We left the cozy warmth of the restaurant, the crisp ocean air greeting us as we strolled to his car. Despite the sense of urgency I could feel building between us, we took our time and Ryker seemed content to let things play out at my pace.

Pulling up to his sprawling beachside bungalow, I couldn't help but marvel at its elegance and the serene beauty of its location. The sound of waves gently crashing against the shore filled the night air as Ryker opened the car door for me.

I was momentarily stunned by the breathtaking view when I stepped into his home. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the moonlit sea, stars blazing in the night sky like a celestial tapestry. Though muted inside, the faint sound of the ocean's rhythmic waves through open sky vents added to the enchanting atmosphere.

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