Because yeah…it still stung.
His broad shoulders sagged and at that moment, Peyton felt like the worst kind of person. She was being mean and a brat and a bully in a way that only he brought out in her.
With a weary sigh, she quietly said, “Ryder, I appreciate that you’re a man of your word. But the day we got…romantically involved, that whole deal went away.” Then she realized she was lying. “Well…most of it. I didn’t want the money. I never did. That was your negotiating tactic. And I thought you wanted to build my restaurant because…because you thought my plan was good. That you trusted me enough and believed in me enough to want to build it. So…that’s on me. I’m sorry for the things I said and for my bad behavior. I won’t stand in your way so you can build whatever it is that you want. After all, it’s your money, not mine.”
Then, even though it nearly killed her, she forced herself to smile as she held out a hand to him.
“It’s been a pleasure doing business with you, Ryder Ashford, but I’m not going to sign any contract. I enjoyed helping you and thank you for being willing to take a chance on me.”
This was the very last thing she wanted to be saying to him. The entire drive back from Parker’s, she rehearsed how she was going to apologize and how he’d hopefully do the same and they’d make up in spectacular fashion. Once she saw that contract and check, however, everything changed.
So she was back to being the broken-hearted woman she was when she arrived on her sister’s doorstep and she had a feeling that was who she was going to be for a long time.
Glancing down at her hand, she realized he still hadn’t taken it.
O-kay…
Dropping it, she kept her smile in place. “I should go.” She’d taken no more than three steps when his words stopped her.
“What is it you want from me, Peyton?” His voice was so low and so gruff, she almost threw herself at him. But when she turned around, she saw the same sadness there that she’d seen in her own reflection for the last two days.
Was it possible she was reading this all wrong? Could Ryder have missed her as much as she missed him, and this was his completely misguided way of showing it? Or was she just seeing what she wanted to see?
Then, because she had nothing left to lose, she figured she’d tell him exactly what was on her mind.
“You want to know what I want, Ryder?” she asked firmly, confidently.
He nodded.
“You, you idiot! Just you! Though God only knows why! You’re impossible to deal with! You’re bossy and condescending and completely clueless about how to be in a relationship! We had a fight, Ryder! A fight!” she went on, her voice getting louder with each word. “And instead of insulting me about being childish, maybe you should look at your actions, buddy! I at least was honest about how I felt whereas you hurled insults and then tried to pay me off to get you out of your life! If I had known this was what I was going to come home to, I would have just…”
She never got to finish.
In typical Ryder fashion, he hauled her into his arms and kissed her senseless.
There was nothing sweet or romantic about it. It was wet and urgent and needy. Peyton had already been breathless, but as she reached out and grabbed his shirt in her fists, it felt like she was holding on for dear life.
Ryder abruptly broke the kiss–as breathless as she was–and stared down at her. “Do you have any idea how much you have turned my world upside down?” he growled. “Every single day since the moment I met you I’ve felt completely off-kilter.” His arms were banded tightly around her, and he didn’t seem in a hurry to let her go.
Luckily, Peyton was more than happy to stay exactly where she was.
“You’re right,” he went on. “I am bossy and condescending and completely clueless. I know exactly how to handle myself in business, but with you…you’re not like any woman I’ve ever known. I keep thinking that I’m giving you what you want and yet somehow you keep proving me wrong.” Dark eyes scanned her face, and she saw a vulnerability there that she’d never seen before. “Don’t leave me, Peyton. I need you.” Pausing, he reached up and caressed her face. “I love you.”
Right then, at that moment, she was fairly certain her heart stopped.
He loved her.
A slow smile crossed her face as she reached up and cupped his strong jaw. “I love you too,” she told him. “Even though…”
He cut her off again with a kiss, and Peyton simply melted against him. It was much better than talking anyway.
There was nothing sweeter than victory, Ryder thought as Peyton’s curvy body pressed closer to him. But this one was definitely the sweetest.
She loved him.
He held her tighter and poured everything he had into the kiss, but there were so many things he wanted to say to her that couldn’t wait. So…reluctantly–again–he ended the kiss. With his forehead resting against hers, he breathlessly confessed how this was his favorite way to stop an argument.
Fortunately, she laughed with him and he took her hand in his and led her over to the sofa so he could sit with her in his arms. As soon as they were comfortable–her back to his chest and his arms around her–Ryder felt himself relax.
“I missed you,” he murmured, placing a soft kiss on her temple.
“Mmm…I missed you too.”
They sat in companionable silence for barely a minute because he knew they needed to talk. “Where did you go?” he quietly asked.
“What do you mean?”
“You said if you had known this was what you were going to come home to. I took that to mean you went somewhere.”
“Oh. I went to see Parker.”
“You drove all the way to Florida?” he asked, unable to hide his shock.
“I was really mad and sometimes driving helps. Before I knew it, I was on I-95 heading south.” She shrugged. “I got there around midnight and was too exhausted the next day to get back in the car, so I left there this morning. My plan was to come right here, but there was an accident and I sat in traffic for an additional three hours. By the time I got into town, it was late and I was in a pissy mood and starving. I decided to swing by the café and when I did, I saw your envelope.”
“You have to know I honestly thought I was doing the right thing. I thought part of the reason you were so upset was because I wasn’t honoring our agreement. That’s when I realized we never did sign a contract so…”
Peyton turned in his arms and met his gaze. “Ryder, I was upset because you–the man I love–weren’t treating me like an equal. It felt like you were deliberately leaving me out of things. I know you’re used to being in charge of projects, but I trusted you to work with me on the restaurant and you weren’t.”
“I see that now,” he agreed solemnly. “But in my defense, I truly believed I was doing the right thing, that I was saving you some of the grief and aggravation of the planning stages. Once things got the green light, it was going to be all you.”
Now she fully maneuvered until she was straddling his lap. “I need you to listen very carefully to what I’m about to say,” she warned.