He widens his stance, spreading his thighs, meeting me with a mischievous glint in his eye. His hands are suddenly on my hips, hoisting me into his lap.
“Ry,” I whine, unsure what’s going on.
He lifts the hem of my shirt, tickling my soft belly. I squirm and squeal, wriggling out of his grasp to no avail.
“Ry! Stop!” I screech, and his hands lower to my hips with a tight squeeze.
He levels me with a serious look, pouring his intentions right into me and soothing the nausea building in my gut. “If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll give Todd at the permitting office a call on Monday to make sure everything is sorted.”
“It would. Thanks,” I admit, toying with a loose thread on his collar.
“And Pops and I will put up fliers across town for Nugget. If his parents see them and give us a call, they can have him back,” he says, kissing my forehead, acting as if this touchy-feely business I’ve been letting him get away with is our new normal. I hate how much I love the thought of that being true, of me and Ryder justbeing.“But for now, we can be his parents,” he finishes, completely unaware of my internal monologue running wild. “I’d like to take you somewhere tonight, darlin’. Is that okay?” he asks, tilting his head just enough that a loose wave flopsto the other side.
“I’m an unfortunate sucker for surprises, so... I guess so,” I agree, a grin tugging at my lips as a flutter of excitement warms my chest. The idea of some Ryder Lockhart-type of fun has my pulse picking up, and I can't help but feel lighter at the thought.
The smile he aims my way could light up the whole world, and it has a similar effect on my aching heart.
He smacks a sloppy kiss to my cheek, gently shoving me off his lap as he swats playfully at my butt. “Go on and get changed, Lols. We’ll leave in ten minutes,” he says, heading to his room without another word.
“Ry! What should I wear?” I shout through his door.
“Anything or nothing at all, darlin’. It doesn’t matter, but I prefer the latter if you’re taking requests,” he says, pulling the door open to pop his head out, showing off his shit-eating grin. He winks and blows me a kiss, leaving me standing here, momentarily stunned.
Heat creeps up my neck and swirls around my cheeks. He’s too damn cute and disarming for my own good.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
HIDDEN OASIS
SATURDAY, JUNE 7
Ryder drivesus down past the horse stables behind Mayte’s cottage, pulling onto a back road I don’t often travel.
“Where we going, Ry?” I ask when we still haven’t made it off the property.
“It’s a place I discovered a few years back. I’ve lived here my whole life but never had a clue what was hiding in this corner. When I took over Rosa Ranch, I decided it was time to check the fence line and make sure there wasn’t anything that needed replacing,” he says, nodding his chin toward the dense maple trees crowded together at the furthest corner of the property. “I always thought this was just a wooded area, good for the wildlife on the fringes and to keep the ranch somewhat secluded, but—” He trails off as he parks his truck to the side. “God, Lols, I was so wrong.”
He turns the engine off, pocketing the keys and making his way around to my side of the truck. He holds my door open for me and hoists me out of the seat.
I take his hand and revel in the feel of his fingers slipping between mine. We walk in comfortable silence between the thick trunks of the maple trees. After a while, the trees start toopen up, eastern redbuds in full bloom, surrounding the center of a secluded space with their bright-pinkish hue.
“Ry, what is this?” I ask in awe. Never would I have expectedthisto be here. The further we walk, the more I realize there’s truly more than meets the eye in Hidden Valley because what’s hiding in these woods is enough to stun me into silence.
A pool of glimmering water fills the space; the sound of the running water trickles over smooth stones.
“It turns out my dad knew about it all along. He kept it a secret for him and Mom. It was their little oasis until now. Will you share it with me, darlin’?” he asks, and my eyes swing to his, tears pricking at the corners of my vision.
I don’t say a word, letting my actions speak louder. I finally give in to the moment rather than overthinking about what Ishouldbe doing.
My fingers find the hem of my top, tugging it over my head, leaving me in a white lace bra with sheer cups. Ryder sucks in a breath, his head falling back on a groan. “This might’ve been a really bad idea.”
I chuckle softly, unbuttoning my shorts and sliding them down my thighs. I tilt my head to the side, a teasing smirk on my lips. “What is it, Ry? Does the sight of yourwifehave you riled up?”
He scrubs a hand down his face, rubbing at his dark scruff. “When I open my eyes again, are you going to be naked? I need to know so I can thank God for everything she’s done for me so far and let her know I’m ready to be called home. I know I’ll die a happy man if that's the case,” he says dramatically.
“I don’t know, Ry. Why don’t you open your eyes and find out?”
His eyes snap open, and the loud groan he releases sets all my nerve endings alight. “Jesus, darlin’. You’re a fucking stunner,” he says, his voice husky. The sound scrapes along my overly sensitive skin.
