“Wow, that’s great. What are you going to do about it?”
Ryker took a deep breath and a giant leap of faith and told her of his plan. “Will it bother you that Bianca will be working here?”
Kenzie’s brow creased with confusion as Ryker waited for Kenzie to be jealous like previous dates did in the past. “Why would it bother me? I think the plan is brilliant.”
“Because Bianca will flirt with me to get information,” Ryker said slowly as if tiptoeing around a landmine.
Kenzie waved her hand as if it were nothing. “I trust you.”
“With a woman who will try to seduce information out of me?” Ryker asked again to make sure she fully understood.
“Yes. I know you don’t like her just like you should know I don’t like the patients that get handsy with me or the ones I see naked.”
“I don’t particularly like them touching you. I might have to have a word with Mark about that.” The idea of men grabbing her while she had to give them care rankled him, but she just laughed.
“Every nurse goes through that. I can handle myself, Ryker. I promise. I think you have a great idea to trap Bianca. Let me know if you want me to do anything.”
“I will,” Ryker told her, feeling for once that he had a partner—someone to have his back.
“Well, I need to get home. I’m going through all my shoes and jewelry to take over to Skye’s tomorrow.” Kenzie shrugged. “I guess I should say later today. Will I see you there?”
“Oh no. I’ll leave that up to you women. However, I’d still like it if you came to my house for dinner after. If I’m not home, Tinsley has the codes and can let you in. Just make yourself comfortable.” Ryker didn’t like people at his house. It was his sanctuary. However, the thought of Kenzie greeting him when he got home after work filled him with a feeling he couldn’t quite describe, a mix of excitement and pride.
“I’m tempted to tell you to wear jeans and a T-shirt to the reunion,” Kenzie said with a mischievous grin.
“I’ll be in my oldest jeans when I see you tomorrow. Deal? But what is the dress attire for the reunion?” Ryker asked, wanting to make sure he was prepared for the night.
“Formal. I hope you don’t mind. They like to go all out for these things.” Kenzie frowned and Ryker smiled. He loved how she was so girl-next-door.
“Are you okay? You went a little pale there all of a sudden.”
Ryker cleared his throat and nodded. “Yeah, just remembered something I had forgotten to do,” he lied. He couldn’t tell her the L word had just popped up in his brain and his heart didn’t freak out. In fact, the lack of freaking out at thinking about Kenzie and love in the same sentence was what had freaked him out. The last time he had loved someone . . . no. He wasn’t going to compare them even as guilt started to creep in. He tried to push it back down. He should be able to be happy after all this time.
“I’ll let you get to it then.” Kenzie stood up and leaned over to kiss him. It was so comfortable and intimate that it shocked him. “Good night.”
Ryker was purposely taking things slow between them because he knew Kenzie was different. He didn’t want to treat her as he had former one-and-done girls. It was killing him, but to have feelings from just a kiss was honestly scaring him. Could he really go there—making love to a woman he cared for? He was going to have to face the demons of his past before he could do that, and that scared him even more than falling for Kenzie. At some point he needed to face his past, accept it, and move on. He just didn’t know how to do that.
“Let me walk you to your car.”
Ryker stood, pushing the thoughts of the past back into the shadows of his mind and walked around to put his arm around Kenzie’s waist. “Thank you for the brownies. They were just what I needed.”
Kenzie smiled up at him and rested her head on his shoulder as they rode the elevator down to the lobby. “How much longer will you be working?”
“At least another hour or two.” He had lots of things to get done today so that he could take Friday and Saturday off to spend completely with her. It would be worth every long hour he put in.
Kenzie walked out of the lobby and he saw her car parked near the door. “Not to sound like a nagging girlfriend, but I worry about you like you worry about me. Can you please text me when you get home? If you’re too tired you can always stay the night at my house.”
“It feels strange having someone worry about me,” Ryker admitted.
“Have none of your past girlfriends worried about you?” Kenzie asked with disbelief.
“I wouldn’t call them girlfriends.”
Kenzie rolled her eyes. “I guess it’s hard for the ever-rotating roster of bimbos to get close enough to care.” Kenzie paused and he saw her teasing smile drop a little. “Ryker, it’s clear you’re not into relationships. This was supposed to be fake. I didn’t mean to start falling for you, but I have. However, I need to make sure you want this. Really, there’s no pressure. It might hurt like hell, but I’ll survive if you don’t want me. I just want you happy, Ryker.”
Ryker kissed her to stop her from talking. He pulled her tight against him and she gasped against his mouth when she felt his erection pressing against her stomach. “I’m sure I want this. I want you, Kenzie. And for more than one night. That’s why I’m taking things slow.”
Kenzie nodded and then the minx spun in his arms and bent down to put her purse in her car. Ryker groaned as her ass rubbed against him. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said with fake innocence.
“Tease,” he growled at her and gave her bottom a little swat.
“Good night, Ryker. Hope that speeds things up because it’s your move.”
Kenzie wiggled against him one more time and then slid into her car. She looked up at him and winked. Ryker shut her door with a smile on his lips. His angel had a devilish streak and he loved it.
“You are not bringing that she-devil back into this office,” Mary Alice said with her hands planted firmly on her hips.
“I know she’s a she-devil. It’s the whole keep your enemies closer thing. Besides, I have a plan to gather evidence to send her and whoever she’s working for to jail.” Ryker looked across his desk and wearily eyed the yardstick Mary Alice had propped up against her leg. “You’d be helping me catch her and whoever is behind these attacks.”
“I guess that would be okay then,” Mary Alice said with a slow smile. “How are you going to bring her back without her being suspicious?”
“A ruse. I thought to ask you to do a little acting. Maybe a fake cast on your arm? Something that would require you to need help with daily activities. We call her since she’s a former employee who can easily step up to help you out,” Ryker told her.
“Consider it done. How do I get a fake cast?”
A knock on his downtown office door had Ryker smiling. “Right on time. Come in!” The door opened and Ryker smiled at his cousin. “Mary Alice, my cousin Dr. Gavin Faulkner will be assisting with the fake cast.”
“You think you can tell me why I’m putting a fake cast on your executive assistant?” Gavin asked as he pulled out all his supplies.