Ryder (6 page)

My knuckles rapped on the door. Inspecting the outside surrounding the house with a quick scan, I sighed with relief that so far everything looked pretty normal two weeks in. It was early days yet, this was only the first inspection. A lot could happen in a year.

I flicked my hair out of my face and waited, tapping my foot impatiently. There were few things I hated as much as the heat
, and right now the mid afternoon sun was pounding my delicate skin. Skin that turned red in five minutes flat if I didn’t smother it with sun protection. It went with the blond and blue eyed territory. I lusted for a tanned skin, but all I got was blisters and peeling skin if I wasn’t careful.

How long did it take to open a damn door? I heard scuffles in the background, so I knew someone was home.  Startled when I heard a child’s voice, I wrinkled my nose. Ryder hadn’t said anything about kids… or pets. Why had I assumed he was single? Just because he didn’t say anything about a family clearly didn’t mean he didn’t have one.

And if there were pets, I was going to demand an even higher security deposit.  We didn’t usually allow pets, they could ruin the garden and the carpets…

“Who’s there?” I recognised his gruff voice. He sounded pissed off. He didn’t even know it was me yet, and already he sounded agitated. I shuddered. Thank God he wasn’t my man. I liked my men well-mannered and pleasant. Not grumpy, inarticulate and with an eternal scowl on their face.

I counted slowly to three. “It’s Jade Summers, from Clarke and Sons Agency. I’m here for the property inspection,” I said brightly. I would remain friendly and professional. I wouldn’t let him rile me. I hugged the clipboard to my chest and blew out a breath. For some weird reason my heart was pounding in my chest. I’d done a number of these inspections before, so it wasn’t that which had my knees feeling shaky.

It wasn’t that I was afraid of him either. Yes, he looked fierce, and his goal was probably to intimidate everyone into doing as they were told. Only, he didn’t scare me. Maybe I was stupid.

Another minute passed and I heard multiple chains and deadbolts moving. Making a mental note to check on the security system, I pulled at the collar of my shirt.

The door swung open and my eyes met with the most beautiful chocolate brown puppy dog eyes I’d ever seen. Two dimples appeared and I was greeted with a wide smile. Without thinking, I spontaneously reached out and stroked the silky dark brown curls topping that gorgeous, welcoming face.

“It’s you,” Ryder growled, a deep frown marring his brow. As if he didn’t want me to touch the beautiful baby girl in his arms, he took a step backward, pulling her out of my reach. It was only then I noticed the little boy clinging to his leg. Same dark hair and thick dark lashes. But he didn’t look up at me. He scowled and hid his face between Ryder’s legs.

“Yip. It’s me. I made an appointment to inspect the house today, remember?”

Ryder’s scowl matched that of the boy. “Told you it wasn’t necessary. You’re wasting everyone’s time. Including your own.”

I stiffened. God, he couldn’t make it any clearer how unwanted I was. But screw him, I was here to do my job. And I wouldn’t leave until I’d done what I came to do.

“You didn’t mention you had kids?” My eyes widened as I watched him rub the baby girl’s back. She cooed in his arms. I couldn’t miss the huge tattoo on his muscled triceps of a black scorpion, ready to strike. I wasn’t a huge fan of tattoos, but it really suited Ryder. It accentuated his thick arms and bulging muscles. Kind of sexy in a caveman way, if you were into that kind of thing.

Of course I wasn’t.

Irritation build up inside me. Was it disappointment at the thought that he was married with kids? He didn’t look the daddy type, but what the hell did I know?

A voice called from the bedroom. “Who is it, honey?” She sounded sleepy, her voice thick but sweet.

“Mama’s awake, go to her room,” Ryder told the boy, gently pushing him toward the bedroom.

The boy nodded and scampered off quickly, as if he was afraid I would see him. Odd.

“Go back to sleep, babe. It’s just the rental woman. I’ve got it.”

“Thanks, honey,” she c
alled back. God, all this lovey-dovey stuff was churning my stomach. Who would have thought a big scary looking guy like Ryder was a doting father and husband? He certainly had me fooled.

“Let’s do this, shall we?” I said in my most professional, take no nonsense tone of voice. I peered at my clipboard and went straight for the kitchen.

“I was just feeding the kids when you got here,” he said as he followed me into the kitchen. “You do what you need to, I’ll be here with Isabella.”

Hearing her name, Isabella giggled and looked up at him. She reached out a puffy little hand and stroked his cheek. He grinned at her and moved his head to kiss her palm. I swallowed hard at the lump in my throat. He clearly loved this little girl with all his heart
, and she him too.

He placed her into a highchair and planted a kiss on her forehead. I couldn’t take my eyes off them. It was so loving and intimate. And in that fleeting moment I longed for a family of my own. Something I’d never given much thought to before, now
had my heart twisting strangely.

Our eyes locked for a moment over Isabella’s head. His eyes softened and a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, as if he could read my thoughts. Damn. I turned away, my heels clacking down the hallway as I got away from Mr. Dark and Dangerous as quickly as I could.

After inspecting all of the rooms and finding no evidence of orgies or outlandish behavior, I hovered by the door of the main bedroom. His woman was in there with the little boy. I knew by what I’d seen of the rest of the house that it was unnecessary to see the master bedroom as well, yet curiosity had taken hold of me. I needed to know what kind of woman had stolen the heart of the most badass man I’d ever met.

What did it take to tame a man like Ryder
Knox?

Images of him naked, making love to me, flashed through my mind as if he were another of my fictional book boyfriends. Heat rose to my cheeks and dampness settled between my legs. I imagined his strong arms—tattooed— on either side of my head, leaning over me and devouring me with his eyes.

What the hell was happening to me? I was turned on by images of Ryder, when I knew I’d never go for his type in a million years.

A friendly voice called from within the bedroom. “Come in, honey. Don’t be shy.”

Hesitantly, I pushed the half closed door ajar and drew in a breath. Lying against the pillows was a woman straight out of a romance novel. She was gorgeous. Voluptuous. Sexy. Her black hair fanned over the pillows, her olive skin smooth and perfect beneath a tight fitting camisole top that accentuated her large breasts. The little boy cuddled into her side, hiding his face, when I entered the room.

Big brown eyes s
tared at me curiously as she beckoned me in. It was obvious which parent both kids got their doe-like eyes from.

“So you’re
the one
?” She laughed as she looked me up and down. Even her voice sounded sexy as sin, with a slight foreign accent I couldn’t quite place. I could just imagine men falling over themselves to worship her. No wonder Ryder was secretive about his family. They were gorgeous and clearly he didn’t want to share them with anyone. “Not at all what I expected. You’re just a slip of a girl.”

Confused, I frowned. “What do you mean? I’m from Clarke and Sons Realty. Were you expecting someone else?”

“Oh, no. That’s not what I meant. Ryder described you…differently. I was expecting someone much older and meaner looking. Not someone who looks as if she just finished high school, dressed in a business suit.”

Was she making fun of me? I pulled my shoulders back and pushed up my chin. “What did Ryder say about me?”

The gravelly voice behind me dripped with sarcasm. “I told her what a hard time you gave me. How I had to pay down a lot higher deposit than I intended to, just to get this place.”

I swung around to see him leaning against the doorjamb, Isabella sitting on his forearm, a smirk on his face as he glared at me.

His eyes shifted to the woman and softened. “But Mia wanted this house because of the lovely garden for the kids. So I had to do what I had to do, to get it. Let’s just say, you didn’t make it easy.”

I folded my arms across my chest. “You’re the one who made it difficult. Not filling in the forms. I still don’t know much about you. All I have is your name and phone number. No history, no background check. I’d say it was your lucky day Uncle Eric was there.”

“You’d deny these kids the garden that was clearly designed for kids to play in?” He nodded toward the boy and kissed Isabella’s cheek. “That would make you a super bitch.”

“The kids ne
ed the garden after what they’ve been through—” Mia clapped her hand over her mouth, as if she’d already said too much. On hearing her mother’s voice, little Isabella squirmed in Ryder’s arms, reaching out for her mother. He laughed down at her and moved toward the bed, depositing her on her mother’s lap. He stroked softly over Mia’s thigh, her lithe tanned limbs spread invitingly over the sheets. Something passed between them at that loving gesture, as if he was soothing her.

Ryder leaned over the girls and roughed the boy’s hair lovingly. “Time for a bath, big man,” he said as he picked the boy up as if he were a feather. He threw him in the air a few times, while Mia watched with big eyes. The boy squealed with delight, his shyness forgotten.

“Ryder. Not so rough.” She chided. “His asthma.”

“Sorry. Forgot. But Jamie’s a big boy. He can handle a bit of rough and tumble. Can’t you James, my man?”

Jamie nodded enthusiastically. Clearly Ryder brought him out of his shell.

Ryder high fived him and carried him upside down out of the room
, toward the bathroom.

“Lock the door behind you when you leave, Princess.” Ryder called over his shoulder. I got the hint. I was no longer wanted around. He was probably hoping to get the kids to bed early so he could have alone time with the sexy woman in his bed.

The thought of them making love irked me beyond belief. She was everything I wasn’t. She looked like a sex goddess and I was the inexperienced virginal girl. After being with a woman like her, no man would give me a second glance.

Even though I didn’t want him, the realization was like a knife twisting in my gut.

Mia’s voice brought me out of my thoughts. “Don’t go. Please stay a while and chat? I haven’t had anyone to talk to in weeks, besides Ryder and the kids. I need woman talk.” Her doe-like eyes were pleading.

She patted a space on the bed, inviting me over. I hesitated. Did I really want to get into this?

“Ryder clearly doesn’t want me here.” I hadn’t realised that I’d spoken my thoughts out loud, until she laughed.

“You don’t strike me as the type of girl who would care about what a man wants. Anyway, Ryder’s bark is
far worse than his bite. Underneath all that tough guy shit, is a caring heart. I know, because I’ve seen it many times. Although he’d kill me if he knew I was telling you.”

“Really? Could have fooled me,” I chuckled. I settled on the bed next to her.

“Yes, really. In fact, the meaner he is to you, the more he actually likes you.”

Isabella crawled toward me and climbed into my lap. I stroked her baby soft skin.

I scowled. “Then he must really like me. He’s been nothing but mean and rude to me.”

Mia nodded toward Isabella. “Have you noticed how good he is with the kids? He can’t help himself. All that love he’s been hiding—since he was a kid and was abandoned by his mother—comes to the surface every now and then.” She winked at me.

My heart twisted for Ryder.
So that’s why he’s so unforgiving.
Being abandoned as a child would have broken any kid’s heart. I was glad Mia was giving me some insight into Ryder. Besides Harrison, I’d never seen a man that carried so much anger in him. It couldn’t be good for him.

I planted a kiss on Isabella’s head. “Listen, if you ever need help with the kids, I’m usually free in the evenings. I’m happy to help out. Just give me a call.”

I nearly bit my tongue once I’d made the proposition. It was stupid. It would mean I had to see Ryder and Mia as well, not only the kids. Thankfully, I knew most people never took up these kinds of offers. I’d be safe.

“You’re very sweet,
Jade. I may just take you up on your kindness. Ryder has your number?”

“Yes. No problem.”

Holy crap. I always got myself into situations like these. Why couldn’t I just mind my own business?

We chatted for a while, mostly about the kids. Mia was so sweet and loving, I had no idea how she could stand to be with a man like Ryder. But the way she spoke about him so lovingly, I knew they had a very special connection. There were so many questions I wanted to ask about Ryder, about his life, but it seemed totally inappropriate.

Mia’s eyes were heavy, I could see she was tired. I placed Isabella on the bed next to her mother and said my goodbyes—I definitely didn’t want to still be here when Ryder returned from the bathroom.