I finish sanitizing the equipment we used in class tonight and sweep and mop the floors. I turn off the light in the studio and step into the hallway to do a once over check in the locker rooms when I hear something. I stop dead in my tracks, my heart beating against my ribs as I hold my breath to listen. I hear it again, it’s the sound of the doorknob turning but the door is locked.
Fear grips me as I reach into my pocket to pull out my phone when I hear my name, muffled through the shut door.
“Steph you in there?”
My shoulders drop and I release my breath in an audible exhale as I recognize Ryder’s deep, melodic voice. I step around the corner and see his imposing 6’4” figure blocking the entire glass door. His long, dirty blonde hair is tied up in his signature man bun. A lazy smile slowly spreads across his full lips as I approach the door and open it.
“Hey, what are you doing here? Classes ended a while ago.” I tease.
I know it’s a total fantasy, but my god the things this man does to me. Butterflies dance in my lower belly as he lets out a rumbling laugh.
“I was driving home and saw your car in the parking lot and just wanted to make sure you were okay up here all alone.”
I step aside as he enters the lobby of the studio. I try to casually rake my eyes up his denim clad tree trunk thighs. He crosses his arms across his broad chest and my eyes continue their journey up his magnificent body.
This is how I know that Ariana was right about God being a woman, because only a woman could design a man so deliciously perfect and tempting to the female gaze it would make you want to hurl your body off a mountain just so he could rescue you. His insane body and good looks are only half of it, the man is a damn fireman…he literally rescues people. Maybe he could rescue me from a dry spell. I quickly shake the thought from my head and snap my mouth shut before a stream of drool trickles out.
“Well that’s very sweet of you, thank you. It can get super dark out this way and I’m not looking to be a snack for a Mountain Lion.” I giggle nervously.
“I had ulterior motives to stop too,” he runs his hand over his scruff and I can hear the scratching, sandpaper like noise it makes.
Have I imagined that scruff scraping along my inner thighs? Only a few dozen times.
“Oh?”
“Yeah, I miss our talks over at The Lariat. You were always the best part of my day when I stopped in there and just wanted to see how you were doing.”
I stare at him for a second. Is he nervous? No, you’re just reading into it Steph.
“Yeah I missed seeing you too…and all the other patrons and regulars,” I say quickly trying to sound casual. “I told Jerry that I can still bartend when and if he needs me, but he hasn’t text me so I’ve just been teaching all the classes I can here.”
I watch as he steps further into the studio, looking around the lobby and down the hallway.
“What about you? How’s work? Still putting out fires and rescuing kittens?” I ask and I realize I sound like a high schooler.
“Yeah, yeah still putting out fires. It’s about to get busier with wild fire season right around the corner.” He plays with the thick leather cuff of his watch like he wants to say something but he’s unsure. I’m about to say something when his eyes dart to mine, “We should hang out.”
I smile, those damn butterflies feel like they’re doing backflips in my belly right now.
“Yeah?” Ugh, high schooler again. Why not just flip my hair while I’m at it.
“Yeah,” he repeats my answer back to me as his eyes level on me. It’s like they’re looking right through me and suddenly I feel really vulnerable.
“For sure, we should totally hang out.” I say the last part a little too loudly and try to readjust. Is he asking me out on a date? What does hang out mean these days?
“You’ve got my number so text me sometime?” I step past him and turn the rest of the lights off before walking to the front desk to grab my keys and bag.
He doesn’t say anything as he walks behind me out the studio door. I shut the door and lock it before turning and walking to my car, Ryder beside me the entire way.
“This is me,” I say nodding my head towards the Aveo. “I mean, obviously it’s me it’s the only other car in the parking lot besides yours and you’ve seen my car before so you know what kind of car I drive.” Words pour nervously out of my moth as I fidget with my key ring, my eyes focused on the rocks I’m pushing around with the toe of my shoe. Ryder’s low rumbled laugh breaks the silence again and my eyes snap to his.
“Doesn’t have to be a date or anything with connotations Steph. Just hanging out.” He says causally with a shoulder shrug.
“Yeah,” my voice has gone up about five octaves. “No, I know what you meant. I know we’re both crazy busy and we’re friends, good friends,” I have no idea what the hell I’m actually saying right now. I’m rambling as Ryder takes a step forward and slowly closes the distance between us.
“Or it can be more,” his voice is thick and low and oh so delicious.
He leans down, it feels like everything is happening in slow motion as his warm hand settles on my waist, his thick fingers gripping me softly as his lips touch mine.
The kiss isn’t long. It’s direct and to the point. His pillow soft lips part, kissing mine once and then twice as his tongue softly parts my own lips and briefly caresses my tongue. I’m completely breathless, the air has been sucked out of my lungs in the most delicious and exciting five seconds of my life.
He reaches behind me and opens my door, helping me inside. He leans down, his face next to mine.
“Drive safe Steph. I’ll text you.”
He gives me a wink before shutting my door and walking around my car toward his truck. I watch him in the rear view mirror the entire time, completely torn on if I should run after him and beg him to finish what he just started but just as I put my hand on the door handle, a chill runs through my body and I remind myself that while I’m still Stephanie Hartman here in Grand Lake, Ryder has no idea that I’m a woman on the run with dangerous secrets that could get us both killed.
Read Stephanie and Ryder’s love store in Waiting for Forever