Merrily Mated(8)

Ryan shifted on his feet, fists clenching with what he was considering.

There was only one way to end this. Only one way to get everything out and start fresh. It was the final period on this chapter, and tomorrow he’d begin a new one.

In two steps, he’d stalked forward, taking her face between both of his rough hands. He didn’t look into her eyes. He didn’t check to see if this was okay. He just pressed his aching lips to her soft ones, urging them open for his tongue. Licking at her mouth, she opened and he wanted to fucking cry, because this was goodbye. Certain and final, and he’d make it count.

He kissed her with an urgency he’d never felt before, exploring every angle of her hot mouth and committing it to memory. The way the skin of her cheeks felt against his thumbs, velvety soft. Her taste, dark and comforting. Like cinnamon. He sucked and lapped, four years of pent up emotion pouring from his body into hers, and when he pulled back they were both gasping for breath.

Ryan released her, his arms aching to pull her back, to get closer, to have more. To make it last. But in another moment, she’d say something and ruin his perfect farewell.

“I… I know you didn’t want that. Me, like that. But I didn’t know how to say goodbye to you. This has to do, because I’m having trouble finding the right words.” He brushed his hand through his hair, careful not to look at her face. He couldn’t stand for the last vision of her to be horror at what he’d just done. “Goodbye, Layna.”

He grabbed his suitcase in one hand and pushed through the door with the other, racing to his truck like hell was on his heels. He tossed the case in the bed, got in, and started the thing up in almost a single fluid move. As he backed out and started down the winding road that led to the interstate, he didn’t look back at the place—and woman—that held his heart.





Chapter Three



He’d tasted like that first bite of chocolate after a hard day’s work.

Layna straightened the ledger on the front desk. Adjusted the phone more firmly in the cradle, and waited for it to ring with a customer needing help.

His hands had felt like sandpaper on her skin even though they were gentle. Better than any time she’d imagined him touching her before. And dear god, had she imagined it.

Layna watched Renner toss out friendly commands as workers went full force at decorating the lobby. Watching them made her sad for the approaching holiday.

Ryan, his scent… it was fresh spring, the way the woods smelled when the green was trying to sprout through the remaining ice of winter. Last night it was tinged with something harsh. Pain. Or sadness. Or both.

It was already eight o’clock and the damn phone hadn’t rang once. Layna glared at it.

His kiss. Ryan’s kiss… like he owned her. It made her weak in the knees, and she didn’t even mind the debility. Like he was claiming her.

But he wasn’t, was he. Because he’d marched right out that door like it wasn’t even hard for him to go.

Layna eyed the mistletoe above the entrance and tried to steady her shaking hands by stuffing them in the pockets of her sweater. She’d always considered it the horny plant, because really that was what it was there for, right? To give people permission to get physical. And why the hell was parasitic foliage a symbol of holiday cheer anyway? It made no sense.

Like last night.

God, she’d almost begged him to stay. She’d been on her way to guilt-tripping him when he up and decided to kiss her. It was an asshole move on her part, she could admit it, but if he didn’t care enough about her to stay, she figured he would care about leaving his family in a lurch. And she’d just needed him to stay so badly.

Layna drew in a trembling breath.

“What’s your problem?” Renner asked, strolling over to lean against the counter.

“Nothing. What’s yours?” She pulled her eyes away from the spot where Ryan had kissed her speechless and straightened the contents of her area once again.

“You were glaring at the decorations? Don’t you like them? Magic wanted to go with something a little more… red this year. He said there was enough green with all the trees and holly.”

Yeah, there was a lot of red. It kind of looked like a candy cane threw up. But the decorations were fine. Christmas was coming, and she wasn’t the type to play Scrooge.

“It’s not that,” she grumbled, wishing the phone would ring. A reservation. An order for the kitchen. She’d even take a goddamn request for extra towels. Anything to keep her mind busy.

Renner frowned. “I miss him too,” he said low. “And Bethy was crying again this morning.” He shook his head. “It’s like this when one of us separates from the clan. You know that.”