Page 132 of The Shot You Missed
“I want to stay, too,” I whisper.
His hand tightens around mine, and the smile that overtakes his face is more radiant than the sun. “Good. That’s good.”
Someone honks behind us, jolting us out of our warm bubble and back to reality. Sebastian chuckles, and after offering an apologetic wave to the driver behind us, finishes the drive to my rental. Parked at the curb, he reaches over to wrap his palm around the nape of my neck and pulls me toward him for a kiss.
His lips taste like salt and sun. Like memories and possibilities. I never want to stop, but eventually the need for air overwhelms even my need to stay connected to him like this forever.
With our foreheads pressed together, his brown eyes study me. “I know things are crazy right now with the finals and all the media attention, but when this is over, I’m taking you away from here for a week. Somewhere private and warm.”
“That sounds perfect,” I whisper. He could take me to Antarctica and I wouldn’t care. As long as we’re together, the setting doesn’t matter.
“Do you want me to walk you to the house?”
I shake my head, which makes our noses brush together. “That’s okay. If you do that, Lola will make you come inside for more coffee, and I won’t get anything done. Besides, I’ll see you tonight. Game two. You need to get ready.”
“Okay, Rosebud. Have fun writing today. I’ll see you tonight.”
We share another soft, lingering kiss before I pull myself away and out of his car. I wave and watch him drive down the street while my mind whirs with plans and possibilities.
I’m so happy, I practically float up the sidewalk and onto the porch.
“So you’re really dating that guy.”
The baritone drags me back down to earth, making my chest heavy. It’s not a voice I expected to hear again. At least not here.
Following the voice, my eyes search the shadowed corners of the front porch until I find him. Brown hair with a hint of red, blue eyes, and full lips that curve downward, Ryland Howell stands with his feet spread shoulder-width apart and his arms crossed over his lean chest.
He doesn’t look happy.
Guess that makes two of us.
“Ryland? What the fuck are you doing here?”
“Is that really how you’re going to greet me after months apart?” He takes a step forward, and I hold my ground despite my instincts demanding I take a step back. This is my rental. He doesn’t get to show up unannounced and uninvited and intimidate me.
“Considering that we’re broken up, and I didn’t invite you, yeah. It is. What are you doing here?”
I didn’t notice it at first, but there’s a large suitcase tucked away in the corner of the porch. Ryland motions to it now. “Your dad asked me to give you and Lola some souvenirs.”
“And he asked you to deliver them in person?” I ask, mirroring his pose by crossing my arms over my chest and raising my eyebrows.
Ryland shifts his weight. “Well, no, but you weren’t returning my calls, and I…” He runs a hand through his hair. “I missed you.”
The laugh that bursts out of me is inelegant and sharp, but I don’t give a shit. He must be out of his damn mind. He missed me? Yeah, right. “Cut the crap, Ryland. Why are you really here?”
Frustration crosses over his face like storm clouds before he can get them under control and plaster a placid look in place. “I’m here to see you, Indigo. And I really do have presents foryou and Lola. Can we… Can I come in?” He motions to the front door.
Absolutely not. I don’t want to spend my morning cleaning blood off the hardwood floors of the rental. Because if Ryland Howell steps foot inside and Lola catches sight of him? Itwillend in bloodshed.
“No. Sorry, but you cannot. I’m about to start working, and I have no idea if Lola has her girlfriend over. This isn’t a good time, Ryland.”
He frowns, like he didn’t expect me to rebuff him. Like he was expecting me to be happy to see him, throw my arms around him, and beg for him to come back.
“Not a good time? I flew all the way from LA just to see you. I rented a car.”
Bristling at the sharpness of his tone, I rock back on my heels. “Your lack of planning is not my emergency, Ry. You can leave the gifts, but I need to go now.”
“Are you fucking serious, Indigo? We dated for a year, and this is how you treat me?”
