Phoebe wasn’t sure what to expect when she received a text from Ryder to meet him at the dock behind Ethan’s house, with a bathing suit and an overnight bag. The invitation and mystery sent a scintillating shiver down her body. Nothing was ever dull with him.
Smiling, she grabbed her bag and headed downstairs for breakfast with Phoebe and Ethan, wearing her bikini under one of her summer dresses.
“Morning, sunshine,” Phoebe said, then narrowed her eyes. “Ooh, what’s that smile for, and the overnight bag?”
She greeted her hosts then told them about Ryder’s invitation as she sat down at the table and started to eat her plate of eggs and bacon.
“Well…I’ll be.” Ethan stopped buttering a bagel and grinned. “He’s going to take you to his house.”
“His house?” Her heart tripped. She thought maybe there were going to spend the day on the lake, then perhaps camp in the woods or something.
Ethan nodded, continuing to butter his bagel while she continued to eat. “To my knowledge, he’s never taken a woman there before. This is a good thing.”
A strange fluttering filled her chest.
“Good?” Phoebe’s brows rose and face lit up. “It’s a great thing. You’re really loosening him up, Sophia. I haven’t known Ryder as long as the Wynes, but it doesn’t take a genius to recognize he’s a closed-up workaholic.”
That broke her heart. Mostly because she’d noticed the same thing her first day here.
“You brought fun back into his life,” Ethan said. “Ben and I were talking about it last week.” He lifted his glass of orange juice in a toasting manner. “Great job, Sophia. Keep doing whatever you’re doing.”
Other than working together, laughing a lot, and sleeping together, she wasn’t doing anything special. Just having the fun he’d mentioned.
“I think it’s safe to say it goes both ways.” Phoebe glanced from her husband to her. “Seems to me Ryder’s brought some fun into your life, too.”
She smiled. “Yes, it’s safe to say that.”
And a lot of heat, too.
“Well, since we have today off for the holiday, I think it would be great if you took tomorrow night off too,” Phoebe said. “Your assistants can take care of any prop mishaps, and you’re already way ahead on the Grease renderings, so enjoy yourself. That’s an order.”
Sophia sat up straight and saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”
Laughter echoed around the table, and it wasn’t long before she received another text from Ryder with an ETA of five minutes. She finished the last of her bacon and the rest of her coffee, then stood.
“I’d better get to the dock. Thanks for breakfast,” she said, grabbing her dishes.
“Leave them.” Phoebe waved. “I’ll clean up. Just go have fun.”
She nodded. “Thanks. And as for taking tomorrow night off, I don’t know. It depends on Ryder. I’m not sure what he has planned. Maybe he’s going to bring me back in the afternoon.”
Ethan chuckled. “Trust me, he’ll be happy to have you stay another night.”
“So, there.” Phoebe nodded, smirk twitching her lips. “I’ll see you on the 6th.”
With a smile on her face, she left the Wynes and rushed through their yard, down to the dock. The sun was shining in a cloudless sky. Picnic perfect weather. She stood with her hand to her forehead, shielding her eyes while she scoured the lake for Ryder.
Several boats were already criss-crossing the water with people eager to get a jump on the holiday. She was kind of eager to jump something else.
Lordy, she was so easy when it came to Ryder. No other man made her want to have sex all the damn time. It was exhausting and amazing, and she was definitely going to miss him when she got back to reality and her life in New York City.
Dropping her hand from her face, she tightened her grip on her bag and smiled as a boat neared the dock. Right now, reality could go jump in the lake. An amazing, mysterious day lay ahead of her, and dammit, she wasn’t going to let anything ruin it.
“Morning,” she said, as he slowed to a crawl and maneuvered his sleek boat close to the dock.
He was sheer perfection in jeans, a navy T-shirt that hugged his perfectly toned muscles, and a pair of aviator sunglasses that were sexy-as-sin and gave him a hint of danger.
Damn, he was hot.
Tough, powerful, he appeared almost unapproachable, but she still harbored that rebellious streak, and it gave her the courage to be brave, bold, to tread where others backed off.
“Good morning.” He smiled, and damn, it outshined the sun. “Toss me your bag.” He kept one hand on the wheel, and held out the other.
She did as she was told, her heart starting to hammer in her chest. “You’re not going to tie it down?”
“Nope.” He grinned. “You’re going to hop in.”
Yeah, probably gracelessly into the water.
“Don’t worry. I’ve got you.” He held his hand out to her.
Well…let the fun begin, she thought as she leaned down, grasped his hand and jumped.
Of course she landed without incident in his boat. The man was too capable to let anything else happen. And very hard and warm.
She slid her hands around Ryder, who caught her with his body. “Good morning,” she said again, softer this time, tipping her head back in an open invitation.
“It is now,” he murmured before capturing her mouth for a slow, thorough kiss that knocked her off-kilter. When he released her mouth, he smiled down at her. “Ready?”
For anything. “Yes. Where do you want me?”
His grin increased. “I have a few places in mind, but for now, you can sit there.” He motioned to the chair next to him.
Turned on beyond measure, she was happy to sink onto the cushions, since her legs were suddenly rubber.
“Here. These are for you.” He handed her a pair of sunglasses and a life-jacket.
She put the glasses on, but frowned at the vest. “I can swim.”
“You can also drown.” His tone turned serious. “Not with me.”
“You’re not wearing one,” she pointed out.
He folded his arms across his chest and lowered his chin. “Please put it on.”
She smiled at him and shrugged into the vest. “Since you asked nicely.”
His lips twitched. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she said. “You can make it up to me later.”
“Count on it,” he said, with more heat in his tone than was blaring down on her from the sky, and her good parts perked up in response.
She loved his potent, commanding side.
Once she was secured, he maneuvered the boat backward and away from the dock, before heading the way he’d come. She watched him from behind the protection of her glasses. Potent was too soft a word. A force of nature maybe? Definitely intoxicating, because just looking at him made her dizzy with need and turned up the flame on slow burn in her belly.
Too noisy for conversation since he opened up the throttle, she sat back, closed her eyes, and enjoyed the feel of the sun on her face while her mind remained on Ryder.
He was fast becoming her favorite addiction. A necessity. Which wasn’t smart for a not forever thing. But it was what it was. She felt what she felt. And she wondered if perhaps he had the same thoughts about her.
As the boat started to slow down, she opened her eyes and nearly lost her breath. Miles of pristine woods met her gaze, and nestled between the trees was a wooden structure too large to be considered a cabin, and too gorgeous for words.
A boathouse sat on a long dock with steps that led to a huge deck running the length of the house. Gorgeous, floor to ceiling, two-story windows reflected the sun. Two smaller, private decks hugged the side of the house where she assumed the bedrooms were located on the second floor.
After backing the boat into the boathouse, Ryder cut the engine and secured the boat to an inner dock. “Give me your glasses,” he said, then stowed both pair in a compartment in front of her seat, before tossing her bag onto the dock. “I’ll get out first, then help you.”
“Okay.” She watched the muscles in his arm bunch as he grabbed a post and jumped out. He made it look so easy. She reached for the buckle on her vest but he shook his head.
“Leave it on,” he said, thrusting his hand toward her.
He was very protective, very worried about her wellbeing. Unable to fault him for that, she kept it on, and embraced the warmth his caring created as she took his hand and he hoisted her next to him.
“Welcome to my house.”