How to Avoid a Billionaire(12)

Later, Ryder drove to his house in Mooresville, showered, and changed. Then he headed to Matthews to Melanie’s apartment. He didn’t bother calling ahead as he imagined she might put him off to save face. Outside her door, he rang the bell and waited. Not long after, she opened the door in a multi-colored minidress with kimono-like sleeves and a crossover front that showed off her generous cleavage. Black liner accentuated her unusual eyes and deep rose highlighted her lips. He frowned, taking in the entire package down to very high strappy heels.

“Ryder, what are you doing here?”

He hesitated, considering whether Antwon had said screw him for a chance at keeping this beautiful woman, but then he recalled the voicemail he’d received earlier saying Antwon had arrived in Aurora and was to meet with his manager shortly.

Ryder smiled and held out a hand, waiting for Melanie to place hers over his. When she did, the movement caused a whiff of her perfume to engulf him, something subtle yet intoxicating like her. “I had hoped to find your plans changed.”

He tugged her to him until she bumped against his chest, and he looked down into the confused expression. Her mouth called for his kiss, but he held off.

“I was…I mean I wasn’t…” Her lips pursed as she sought an explanation he knew wouldn’t come without putting space between them.

“Am I wrong for being eager to see you,” he asked, “that I risked another man kicking my ass?”

“Please, who could?” She blushed at her admission and pulled out of his hold. “My plans did get changed, but since I had this great dress I hadn’t worn yet, I thought I’d go out and have fun by myself. You can tag along if you like?”

Definitely a great dress.

He looked down his nose at her, but the expression meant nothing when she’d already turned away and chattered seemingly about anything that popped into her head. He followed her movements with his gaze as she grabbed a sweater and slung it over her arm and then took up her purse. Moving past him, she brushed a curvy hip against his thigh and didn’t appear to notice. Meanwhile, his cock hardened, and he followed along behind her like a damned puppy. Hours ago, he’d had the upper hand, so how did this woman change that in a matter of seconds?

They sat in his car, and he hitched his shoulders and rolled his neck before turning over the engine. “I was thinking we could go to Masako’s for dinner.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Anywhere but there. Masako’s is bougie. They charge an arm and a leg and give you a tiny portion of food.”

Her displeasure took him aback. “Uh, okay. Name the place. I’ll give you what you wish.”

She offered a pleased smile, and he felt the stirrings of something deep inside. After she suggested a restaurant that was not as exclusive as Masako’s but not on the level of the first place they’d gone to, he agreed and drove off. Dinner zipped by with easy conversation and him turning on the charm. Melanie seemed to melt under his attention, and he judged her very close to falling for him. A little more, and he’d have achieved his goal. After they ate, the pint-sized minx nixed another of his recommendations and dragged him off to what she called an independent artists’ museum, which he had never heard of.

An hour later, she walked beside him, her nose buried in the brochure she’d picked up with descriptions of each of the sculptures. She stopped short and pointed to a silver monstrosity on their left. Ryder could not figure out why anyone would create what looked like two arms tied in a knot and caught in the act of running on its hands. Nor would he have imagined paying to look at it.

“Isn’t it amazing?” Melanie chirped. “This museum doesn’t open until six in the evening and closes at midnight. I love it, and I’ve been here so many times. It says here there’s going to be a new exhibit next Thursday. I have to come back, and you should come with me.”

He eyed her, and she laughed. “Oh don’t be stuffy, Ryder.” She ran a hand down his arm. “If you smile for me, I’ll buy you an ice cream cone. They have them in the gift shop, but you have to eat it in the front area or outside.”

His lips twitched, but he managed to keep from grinning. She was a very unusual woman. “I think it’s you who wants an ice cream.”

“They are good.”

Ryder gave in and guided her back the way they came to the gift shop. He bought her the rainbow sherbet and gave in to her prodding to buy a simple vanilla cone. When they found a vacant bench, they sat down.

Melanie eyed his cone. “Let me have a taste?”

He held his cone out of reach. “Didn’t you want that?”