"That phone call doesn't bother you?"
He shook his head.
She raised an eyebrow and studied him in a way that made him look deep inside himself. At any other time, under any other circumstances, being chastised for inappropriate behavior would have put him on edge, but not here. Not with Zoe. She helped him to loosen up.
To his never-ending surprise, the change didn't upset him as much as it should have.
Chapter Six
ZOE HADN' T M EANT to fall asleep. In fact she'd planned on leaving Ryan's motel and spending the night in her own bed. For one thing, she didn't want to set a bad example for Sam and for another, she didn't want to create even more memories with Ryan and forge yet another bond between them. In her mind, there was enough binding them already.
But something about being in his arms had felt so darn good, she'd let herself relax and the next thing she knew, the sun was streaming through the window. Since he'd driven her here, there was no way to sneak out and avoid an awkward morning after.
She rolled over and found Ryan sitting on a chair near the small wooden desk, reading over papers. She sat up against the pillows, pulling the covers up with her.
A little late for modesty, but what the hell. "Morning," she mumbled.
"Morning." He dropped the pen and pushed the papers aside, then stood and walked over to the bed. Leaning down, he planted a long, thorough kiss on her lips.
Nothing awkward or hesitant about it, she thought, and all her anxieties fled. "That was nice," she said softly.
He grinned. "Want breakfast?" He pointed to a Dunkin' Donuts bag waiting on the table.
"You managed to go out, pick up breakfast and get work done, all while I slept?" She glanced at the digital clock, which read 9:07 a.m.
"You were out cold."
"Because someone wore me out last night." Her skin tingled with the memory.
He met and held her gaze, warmth and desire evident in his eyes. "Someone wants to wear you out again," he said, slipping a hand beneath the sheet so he could cup and fondle her breast, arousing her with his touch.
She moaned, making sure to keep her noises more quiet this morning. "I need to get home though."
"Sam?" he guessed correctly.
"Yep. I never meant to spend the night." She flipped the covers off and began to scramble for her clothes.
"Why don't you shower first and then I'll take a quick one and drive you home?" he asked.
She glanced up, last night's clothing hanging from her arms. Just looking at the man made her hungry for him all over again. "Wouldn't it be quicker if we showered together?" She fluttered her lashes at him too innocently, her suggestive tone all too obvious.
Zoe didn't know how much time they would have together once his secret was revealed. Once he ripped Sam from their lives. She didn't know how to cope with all her conflicting emotions and yet somehow she managed to focus only on the here and now. On Ryan and this moment in time.
He obviously felt the same way because he laughed and they did as she suggested. Then they drove back to Zoe's house, where despite her protests, Ryan walked her to the front door.
Even if she wouldn't admit it aloud to him, she appreciated that he was brought up to be a gentleman because she was grateful for the few extra minutes alone with him. Unfortunately, she had something to tell him before they parted that would definitely kill the mood. "Zoe…"
"Ryan…"
They spoke at the same time and she laughed.
"Ladies first."
She hugged her arms close to her chest. "I really don't deserve for you to be so nice to me."
He raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I'm not sure what you're getting at, but if you're feeling insecure, I can assure you that you were amazing in bed." A teasing grin twitched at his lips, his dimples showing when he allowed a full-blown smile.
She flushed hot, remembering the feeling of making love with him, his body buried deep inside hers, filling her completely.
"Did you know you're adorable when you blush? Which I've managed to get you to do quite often." He brushed her cheek with the back of his hand.
"I'm very anti-Mediterranean that way. My olive complexion should protect me from giving myself away," she muttered.
"Well I wouldn't want you to be able hide your real feelings from me. Now what's on your mind?"
She shifted on her feet. The summer sun had yet to reach its peak, yet she was blistering hot, both from nerves and from being around Ryan.
When it came to a guy or a relationship, she was usually the one in control. But she couldn't get a handle on her feelings for this man. "I…We…Last night was amazing," she said first, not wanting to gloss over something so important to them both.
"Yes, it was." His voice dropped an octave. "But I hear a but coming."
She shook her head. "Not a typical but."
"What then?"
"Look…" She exhaled hard and forced her gaze up from her shoes to his face. "We met because of Sam. Because you're her uncle and you want her in your life. And we didn't tell her about you because I needed to be sure of you and your character."
He propped his shoulder against the screen door. "And now you are?"
"Unfortunately, I am." He was a good man. The best kind, really. She reached for his hand, holding it tight. "We need to tell Sam the truth." Her stomach hurt just saying the words.
She couldn't begin to imagine the fallout from the actual revelation. But it was time. She no longer had any justification to keep the truth from her family and Sam. They all had to stop living a lie, especially Zoe herself. She had to stop pretending Ryan could actually be a part of her life. She was becoming too attached to a man who was just passing through and who would leave nothing but spiraling upheaval in his wake.
Ryan glanced down at their intertwined hands. He opened and closed his mouth, unsure of what to say. He'd been so focused on last night and on Zoe, he hadn't seen this one coming. True, he wanted Sam to know he was her uncle, but he'd been content to wait until the time was right. He and Zoe had been so close, the last thing he'd considered doing was putting a wedge between them.
Which made him wonder about her motives for doing so now. Could she be using his relationship with Sam to keep him at a distance? It was possible. After all, he'd seen her wariness this morning. He'd watched her wake up, stiffen and take too long to figure out how to handle the situation. No doubt, if she'd awakened before him, she would have bolted. For reasons he didn't yet understand, he sensed Zoe was afraid.