Longevity and health. This man is good. He’s definitely getting some tonight.
Her dad nodded his approval. Eventually, they were able to say their good-byes, and Melanie promised to visit again soon. Her dad insisted she bring Ryder, which meant he liked him.
“So?” Ryder asked when they were on the road.
She rolled her eyes at him, suppressing a grin. “You did all right.”
He chuckled and tapped her nose. She ducked away.
“Are you fluent in Mandarin?”
“No, I know the basics to get by.”
“You seemed to follow him pretty well.”
“I could guess a lot at the beginning when he spoke too fast. You might remember he switched to English early on.”
“Yeah, that’s when you convinced him you weren’t a bai chi.” When Ryder looked stumped, she grinned. “An idiot.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Song.”
She glanced at him, and he touched her face. Her heart skipped a beat.
“That’s what your dad called you.”
“It’s my middle name.”
“It’s beautiful, like you.”
She looked away. Letting him get too deep inside her would be a mistake, and yet it felt like tonight she’d done just that. What she meant to be a sort of payback had backfired. “Do you want to come over tonight?”
“I want you to spend the weekend with me.”
“At your house?”
“Yes, it’s Friday. You don’t have to work, do you?”
“No, but don’t you work on the weekend?”
“Often, yes, but I cleared my calendar. When you said I could have tonight, I hoped you would give me more. I apologize if I’m being greedy. I’ve missed you.”
“Stop.” She held up her hand and gave herself a mental kick when it shook. “Don’t say what you don’t mean. Don’t pretend—”
He touched a finger to her lips. “Is it impossible for me to miss you?”
That hurt. “Is it just the sex?”
“If I say it’s more, will you believe me?”
“I don’t know.”
“Is it possible, angel?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Then that argument is settled.”
“I don’t see where.”
He grinned. “Yes, to the weekend?”
“I have to go home and get clothes.”
“On the way.”
Chapter Six
Ryder lived in Mooresville, North Carolina, and Melanie had heard rich people lived out that way, but she had never been there. She had imagined luxury and beauty right on Lake Norman, but Ryder’s house still blew her mind. The cobblestone driveway led up to a mansion that looked somewhat like a castle without the dull grey stone. An actual butler opened the door for them when they walked in, and Melanie blinked at him before the marbled foyer floors caught her attention. She tried hard not to gawk like an idiot, but when Ryder led her into a room she had to step down into, with a massive fireplace and oversized windows offering a clear view of the water, she couldn’t help herself.
“This is incredible.”
He smiled and nodded toward the windows. “Wait until you see it in the daytime. There’s another room I like better. It’s oval shaped with windows all around so you can view a large expanse of the grounds. I have a private pier off the lake, and we can take my boat out if you want.”
“You must have felt like my apartment was a closet—not even a walk-in one.”
He pulled her to him and kissed her lips. “I have no recollection of what your apartment looked like. All I saw was you.”
She escaped his hold. “You’re dangerous, Ryder Neyland.”
“I’m just a man.”
“You know you’re more than that. Can I see the oval room anyway?”
“Of course.”
He gave her the grand tour, and she learned that while the house was massive, it had only five bedrooms. Space was not skimped on in any of them. Each included a sitting room and a private bath. There were at least two living rooms and two dining rooms, along with smaller areas she had no name for. The kitchen island was more like two separate islands with one structure built above to connect them. One held the sink while the other was counter space lined on one side with chair stools. Across from the islands but still a part of the overhead structure was the stove. She loved everything about this kitchen and wished it were her own.
“Do you cook for yourself?”
“Not often. Sometimes a late night sandwich, but I have a housekeeper who cleans and makes the occasional meal when I’m in.”
“I should have known that. You have a butler.”