Page 46 of Christmas Wish
Ryder reached over and held Savannah’s hands. “I don’t want you thinking that you gotta compete with her because since I laid eyes on you, I haven’t thought about her for one fucking second. She came here because she wanted to know why I hadn’t come over to the club. I told her I was interested in you, and I am. I know it’s crazy, but I feel something for you even though we’ve only known each other less than two weeks.”
“It’ll be two weeks tomorrow,” she whispered. “I feel something for you too, and I keep telling myself that this whole thing between us is insane. I’ve never been one to act recklessly.”
“Maybe playing it too careful is making us both miss out on something great. I don’t know, but Idoknow you’re driving me fucking nuts, darlin’, and it pisses me off.”
Savannah laughed. “What I’m feeling for you pisses me off too.”
Chuckling, Ryder scooted over and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, drawing her close as he leaned back against the couch. She rested her head on his chest, and he inhaled the vanilla scent of her shampoo while his fingers played with her hair, lightly sifting through and entwining the strands around them.Her hair’s so damn soft—like satin or velvet. Fuck.
“This is nice,” she murmured.
“Yeah.” He thought about asking Savannah why she’d run away from her husband, and if she was going back after she got whatever it was out of her system, but he didn’t want the answer to that, at least not right then. He had no desire to find out whether he was a rebound, and that she possibly could be heading back to Boston to rekindle her love with the man she’d married.
Not now.
That night, Ryder simply wanted to take all of her in—from her tantalizing scent, quiet breaths, and silky hair, to her sweet taste and natural beauty.
Even though she was a strong woman, there was a vulnerability and frailty about her that seduced him.
Despite the fact that his whole body raged with a burning desire and lust for Savannah, Ryder wasn’t going to push her. He wanted her to open up to him.
He could wait.
He was a patient man.
Deeper breaths accompanied by light snores made him smile as he looked down at Savannah’s peaceful face. He dipped his head down and lightly brushed his lips over hers, then tightened his arm around her shoulder and stared into the slowly dying fire.
