October arrived and brought with it changes in the leaves, temperature, sunset, and Sophia’s life. Good changes. Great changes. Amazing changes.
The fall foliage was breathtaking. Cooler temperatures meant snuggling naked under a blanket with her own personal sexy furnace on a deck overlooking a spectacular lake. An early sunset led to naked snuggling under said blanket. Relocating to the Poconos ushered in new experiences, inspirations, a permanent job at Phoebe’s theater, and unlimited naked blanket snuggling with Ryder. And knocking her designs out of the park for that major musical secured her very first Broadway set design job. Her friends were throwing her a celebration. Today.
“Proud of you,” Ryder said, arms banded around her as he kissed her nose.
They stood inside a banquet hall at the resort where a celebration in her honor was underway. The Wynes were there, including Tyler who’d returned from his summer in Texas, and Mason and Jill who’d arrived back in town late last month. The vibe in the room was one of warmth and acceptance—just like being in Ryder’s arms.
“Thank you.” She spread her palms over his chest, kind of wishing they could skip to the part where they celebrated alone.
But she appreciated all the trouble her friends had gone through for her, and the fact her whole family drove in for the weekend. Ethan graciously offered up the vacant private Wynne condos, which her family was enjoying.
It warmed her heart how they welcomed Ryder from the start. She’d introduced them two months ago, and she wasn’t sure what kind of initiation he had to pass with her brothers, but apparently he’d nailed it. And the more her father saw of Ryder’s work, the more impressed he became. Especially with the resort and the theater. He even offered him a job.
“You sure I can’t persuade you to work for Colarusso?” her father asked again, stopping next to them with his arm around her mother. “We pride ourselves on excellent work, and I can see you would be a great fit.”
Turning to face her parents, Ryder slid his arm around her waist and smiled. “Thank you, sir, but no. I appreciate that you believe I’m good enough for your company, but I am happy on my own.”
Ryder confessed to her back in August that he’d researched Colarusso Construction and several of their jobs, and apologized for his misconception of their practices.
“And I am happy to be making the pierogi with your father later today.” Her mother smiled, nodding toward Ryder’s father, who stood across the room next to Lea while holding Melody. “Afterward, I am going to teach him my ravioli.”
Sophia held back her gasp. Her mother never shared her secret recipe.
“Sounds like you’re both in for a treat,” Ryder said.
Her father patted his belly. “I know my stomach is.”
They laughed, and after her parents moved on to talk to Phoebe’s mother, who was sharing a toast with Ben’s father, Sophia settled in closer to Ryder, feeling happy and blessed. Her niece and nephew giggled with Tyler as they jumped around. And she was really intrigued by the scowl on a certain off-duty officer’s face as he watched Elle laughing at something her brother Tony said.
According to Elle, her research was almost done, and thankfully, “because the stubborn alpha was getting her on last nerve.” Sophia could only imagine the tension inside the cruiser. Probably novel-worthy.
Later that afternoon, after the party ended, Sophia was happy to finally celebrate privately with Ryder. Nestled against him in a sleeping bag in the back of the truck, an unopened bottle of wine next to them, she stared out at the vista overlooking the valley. Wine, and scenery, and Ryder. Best way to celebrate. He’d whisked her away to their favorite, special spot, and ever the resourceful and thoughtful man, he backed the truck up so they could watch the sunset from the bed.
“Thank you,” he said, sitting with his back against the cab, arms wrapped around her while he kissed her head.
She turned to look at him. “For what? I should be thanking you for bringing me here. This is perfect.”
“You’re perfect. For me.” His gaze was warm and open, and the way he was staring so deeply made her insides quiver. “When you first came back in June, I fought our connection. I didn’t want to get involved, not because of my bullshit excuse that I wasn’t looking for forever, but because I felt I had nothing to offer you. That I would let you down.”
She reached out to touch his face. “You could never do that.”
Remorse clouded his gaze. “Yes. I could.” He kissed her palm. “I let my mother down. She asked me to go to the store, but I was too busy practicing ball, so she went instead, and died in a car accident.”
“Oh, Ryder.” Her heart squeezed in her chest. “That wasn’t your fault. You know that, right?”
“Logically, yes. But not here.” He grasped her hand and set it over his heart. “I could’ve prevented my mother from dying, and didn’t. And I didn’t prevent Jinan from marrying a man she didn’t know. My track record with women I cared about sucked. I didn’t want to add you to the list. I didn’t want to not be there for you, too.”
“But you are there, Ryder.” She held his gaze, letting him see everything he meant to her. “You support and encourage. You’re a blessing. You inspire me. Ground me. Make my heart pound. Make me whole.”
“I know that now.” A fierce, warm gleam entered his eyes, as he gently brushed her cheek with his thumb. “I realized what you needed was just me. What you wanted was just me. And I was more than capable of delivering. In fact, I’d been giving you what you needed all along.”
She smiled. “That’s an understatement. You’re very good at delivering.”
His gaze turned teasing and he waggled his brow. “Yeah?”
“In that respect, too.” She chuckled, running her hand down his abs, the passion running through her.
Cupping her face, he stared into her eyes as he slowly pressed her down on her back. “You’re the love of my life, Sophia,” he said, voice low and warm. “And the best damn thing to ever happen to me. Twice.”
♥
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The fun began in Ben’s story ,
and continues in Mason’s story, , Ethan’s story, ,
Lucas’ story, ,
Noah’s in , Matt in , Keiffer’s story (a Citizen Soldier/Harland County crossover novel), , Nicco, Scott, and Jeremy, along with a few others, will all get their stories, too, so don’t miss the rest of the !
Read Brandy’s story in
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