Dare Me Forever (21 page)

I pulled up to the
Beach Grass Café, parked, and ran in. I saw Jamie sitting on the
patio, and as I was just about to wave at her, I realized she was
having an intense conversation with a man sitting across from her. I
looked at little closer, and saw that it was Hunter. My stomach
plummeted. What the hell was he doing there?

I decided to sneak up
slowly on them and see what they were talking about. I’m not an
eavesdropper, but given how shady Hunter had been recently, I knew he
would change the subject the second he saw me. If I wanted to know
what they were discussing, I’d have to figure it out the sly way.

All I could tell from
this distance was that clearly Jamie was getting upset. Her eyes were
open really wide, and she was doing this thing with her mouth where
she bites her bottom lip not in a come-closer way, but more in an
I-wish-I-could-punch-you way. She always did that when she was
pissed.

I inched forward, but I
didn’t need to get any closer to hear what happened next. Jamie
exploded. She put her glass down a little too forcefully, causing a
loud
thump
, as she yelled, “Don't be mad when she moves on
and ends up with somebody who actually gives a damn about her.”

Wow. Despite what a
terrible situation this was, it was nice to know that Jamie
definitely had my back. I didn’t care about Hunter. I didn’t need
him. He was a royal shit, and I’d known it deep down. Every good
thing I’d told myself about him was just to keep my mind off Ryan.

Feeling invigorated by
Jamie’s loyalty, I decided it was time to make my entrance. I
walked over the table, clearing my throat when I got close enough.
They both looked up. Jamie looked pissed, Hunter embarrassed and
ashamed. At least he had some conscience, although I didn’t really
care. He could have gotten down on his knees and begged me to forgive
me, and I would have remained indifferent. Not giving a shit was so
liberating.

Hunter sat rooted to
the spot across from Jamie.

“Get up,” I said
sternly. He’d never head me talk like that before. Fuck, I don’t
think I’d ever heard myself talk like that to anyone in my life. He
looked startled, but quickly obeyed.

“Amy, I want to
explain.” His voice shook. He could explain till he was blue in the
face. It wouldn’t change how I saw him—not at all. I wasn’t
going to give him the satisfaction of an audience. “Jennifer and I
have been together, but she’s not you—she’ll never be you.
We’re engaged, but I’m going to end it. On that drive to Malibu,
I realized—”

“Hunter, not now,”
I snapped. “I need you to leave our table and get away from me. I
can’t believe I gave us another shot. I should have known that you
were still a two timing piece of shit.” I ignored the guilt that
rippled across his expression. “Actually I think I did know. I
think I knew the whole time—I just didn’t want to believe it.
That’s why I was so hesitant to trust you again. And now you’ve
proved me right.”

Jamie’s mouth dropped
open in surprise. I pressed on. “Jamie and I are having a quiet
girl day, and I think your fiancée is probably waiting for you at
home, so get out of here.” This wasn’t just sass—this was
anger, unadulterated, unforgiving. It felt good especially since it
was so deserved. What an asshole.

Hunter pushed himself
away from the table and stood up. He made to walk away, but then
turned again towards me. “I don’t know what I’m doing Amy. I’m
lost.”

“I don’t care.”

He could see how
serious I was. Finally he backed further away, and then set off to
the parking lot.

I was so angry I was
shaking. I sat down and grabbed Jamie’s Bloody Mary, taking a long
sweet sip.

“Damn girl, I always
knew you were a bad ass. But that was awesome,” Jamie said,
signaling the water for another Bloody Mary. “What the fuck? He was
trying to get back with you and is getting
married
? That guy
has serious issues.”

And she didn’t even
know about the ledger. Hunter was trouble with a capital T, and not
the good kind.

I was going to call
Ryan and tell him everything. I just needed a little time to prepare
myself for that conversation. I wanted to get the ledger out of my
house, and I owed it to Ryan to tell him about it. I had no idea if
it would help him, but Hunter must be doing something underhanded,
and as the CEO of the company, Ryan deserved to know.

I just wasn’t sure
how to tell him, if I could handle talking to him, feeling that pull
again, and then just walking away. It was still impossible for me to
go to sleep at night without thinking of him, and I still felt like
every waking moment, I was trying to keep him from my mind, to forget
how it felt with his arms wrapped around me, his body pressed against
my own. I was actively distracting myself all the time.

But I’d just have to
deal with it. Clearly Hunter was up to something, and I wouldn’t
let him hurt Ryan.

Amy

After breakfast I
decided, I had to let Ryan know what was going on. I texted him that
I needed to talk to him about his business.

He immediately called.

“Amy, what’s going
on?”

“Meet me at my
house,” I had to tell him in person. “I have something to show
you. It’s about MORGAN Properties.”

“I’ll be right
over.” He could hear the grave tone in my voice.

I gave Jamie a quick
hug and we decided we’d try to meet back up later that day. “I’m
sorry,” I said, frowning. “I hate to ditch you.”

“No,” she said,
waving her hand as though wiping away the apology. “Do what you
gotta do, Amy. I’ve got your back.”

I smiled as I drove
home. I felt so lucky to have such a good friend like Jamie—and I
couldn’t stop the excitement that was simmering inside me at the
prospect of seeing Ryan again, even if it was just to give him the
ledger. I missed him so much.

I got home and two
minutes later Ryan pulled up in front. He practically ran to the
front door. I opened it right away and led him to my bedroom, where
I’d left the book. He stood in the doorway, but I could see the
look in his eyes: confusion and longing intermingled with deadly
seriousness when it came to business. I avoided his gaze, focusing at
the task at hand as I walked over to my bed. I picked up the book and
turned around.

“I think this is some
kind of ledger or accounting for your business,” I said, handing it
to him.

Ryan’s eyes raked
over the cover. I could practically hear his thoughts moving at a
hundred miles per hour. “How do you have this?” he said, his
voice barely above a whisper.

“Hunter asked me to
keep a present here for his parent’s anniversary. But he has been
really shady lately, so I opened the box and found this. I knew it
had to be something important, otherwise why would he need to keep it
here? He was definitely hiding it.”

Ryan ran his fingers
through his hair. “Amy, I can’t tell you how much of a lifesaver
you are. I’ve been searching for this everywhere. Something has
been wrong with the books for months and I just knew they were
forgeries. I needed to find out who had taken the originals. I admit,
I suspected Hunter, but, to be right about him? I’m not happy. That
man is a crook.”

“And a liar,” I
added.

“Have you been
spending a lot of time with him?” Ryan asked, his voice tight. I
could tell that he was pissed I’d been seeing Hunter at all, but
relieved to know his suspicions about his business were spot on.

I paused. I didn’t
know what to say. “Not really,” I murmured.

He drew himself
together. “Okay, I need to deal with this immediately, but I’ll
come back this afternoon. I have some very important things to talk
to you about. I need to.”

How could I say no to
him? Just one more time and then I’d have more memories to call
upon. I still couldn’t be with him, but I still craved one more
time.

He must have seen my
hesitation, because he laid a hand on my arm and said, “Amy, I’m
not going to partner with your mother. I know that is a deal breaker
for you.” I held my breath, staring into his deep eyes as he spoke.
“So I’ll break my deal with her. Fuck, I’ll just grow the
development more slowly. I can’t lose you. I won’t. No amount of
money is worth losing you. It’s been agony without you.”

I felt my eyes burning
with tears. Ryan gently held my face in his hands. He leaned down and
kissed me with such tenderness and love that I felt my heart
swelling. Slowly he lowered me onto the bed, and began kissing me all
over my face. I’d never felt such adoration.

“Amy, I need you. I
can’t live without you. You have to be mine.” He wiped the tears
of joy and relief that were cascading down my cheeks. “Stop crying,
my love,” he whispered tenderly.

I sniffled and then
began to laugh at the sappiness of it all.

“Ryan, you are mine.
I can’t wait to see you this afternoon.” I pulled his face
towards mine and gave him a deep, lingering kiss.

“Till then.” He
reluctantly left to go back to work, carrying the ledger with him. I
stayed in bed imagining the afternoon ahead. It couldn’t come fast
enough.

Amy

Ryan rang a couple
hours later. I picked up right away.

“Can I pick you up in
45 minutes for a late lunch? We can go to Bread or wherever you
like.”

I loved that
restaurant. “Yes, I’ll be ready.” I couldn’t hide the
excitement in my voice.

I jumped out of bed,
took a long hot shower, using my special vanilla body scrub and a
mint ultra-conditioning treatment on my hair. I luxuriated under the
stream of water, imagining the heights of pleasure that Ryan and I
could reach now that there wasn’t anything or anybody in our way.
Putting on one of my favorite outfits—an off-white linen sleeveless
dress that is very summery yet sophisticated, I felt a calm wash over
me.
This was actually happening.

I remembered how I felt
just a few short hours ago—how devastated I’d been without Ryan
and how incredible it would be now that he had said he wasn’t going
to partner with Miranda. I could still feel the way he’d held me,
like I was the most important person to him in the world. And kissed
me, like I was his reason for living.

He couldn’t come soon
enough.

I tried watching TV
while I waited, but I couldn’t sit still. The anticipation was
killing me.

The doorbell rang and I
hurried to open the door. Ryan stood there, smiling with that
irresistible twinkle gracing his eyes. He grabbed me and hugged me to
him tight. As he slowly released me, he bent his head down and found
my lips with his own. It started as a slow, soft kiss, but as he
grabbed me towards him, I could feel his hard erection through his
pants. He parted my lips and kissed me with a mind-blowing desire.
Lifting me up, so that my legs were wrapped around his waist, he
carried me to my bedroom, slamming the front door behind him.

“I’ve been thinking
of doing this all morning,” he said as he threw me on the bed, and
shimmied my dress up over my legs. He put his lips to the edge of my
panties and kissed me, making his way down my mound with slow
deliberate moves.

I was shuddering with
anticipation and want.

“Please now,” I
whimpered.

He slipped his fingers
underneath the sides of my panties and pulled them down my legs, so
that they were binding my ankles close together. Pulling off his
pants and briefs, he came towards me with a hunger I’ve never seen.

He entered me, staring
into my eyes, and then caressing my neck with his mouth. There was
already a bit of stubble on his checks and the coarseness against my
skin felt like ecstasy.

I wrapped my legs
around him, using my hips to pull him in deeper, tighter. We were in
a perfect dance of thrusting, and pulling away, and I could sense he
was close to coming. I dug my nails into his back and began kissing
his neck, smelling his powerful scent.

“You overwhelm me.”

I pulled him in even
closer.

He continued to press
himself deep into me, and grabbed the back of my head with his hand,
pulling my face towards his own, so he could kiss me. As we rocked
together, we both came.

He slowly rolled off of
me, and pulled me in close.

“Still ready hungry
for lunch, beauty?” he whispered in my ear.

“Actually, I’m
ravenous.” I sat up giving him a quick kiss on the mouth. And I
was. I hadn’t really eaten enough since we’d parted and I could
feel my appetite coming back with a vengeance. Kicking my underwear
fully off, I straightened my dress and hair and began walking out of
the room.

Ryan stood up to follow
me, pulling on his trousers. He grabbed my panties from the floor.

“Amy, you forgot
these.”

“Don’t think I’ll
be needing them,” I said, smiling coyly.

A slow sensuous smile
crossed his lips.

We got ourselves into
his car, and drove towards the restaurant. As soon as we got there, I
found my favorite table, in the backyard. Spring was in abundance,
the bluebells and apple blossoms were blooming and everything seemed
right with the world.

The waitress came with
our menus, but I already knew I wanted their signature Tuscan Bread
Soup. Ryan ordered a steak.

Grabbing my hand from
across the table, he gazed at me. I couldn’t get enough of that
sweet, yet cheeky look in his deep green eyes.

“You look happy.”

“I am. Being here
with you is all I need.” He gently massaged my hand with his thumb.

I felt the same way.

The waitress came back
with our order. I took a small bite of the moist bread and tasted the
delicious broth. As I reached across to grab my iced tea, I
inadvertently hit the soup spoon and it flew out of the bowl,
splattering my dress, and then clattered to the floor.