could fill the different gaps in her life, in her soul, without anything becoming all-consuming.
And wasn’t that the same thing she was trying to do with the baby? It had been. An attempt to get herself something without hoping for everything.
She didn’t know what this was, this thing with Ryder. Her making breakfast, him kissing her neck. Then he pushed his hands underneath her shirt, brought his rough palms up to cup her breasts.
“Hey,” she said, wiggling out of his hold. “We’re in public.”
“We’re in my kitchen. Early in the morning.”
“Not as early as usual.”
“No,” he said. “I overslept. Some wicked woman kept me up most of the night.”
“That’s funny. Some asshole guy did the same thing to me.”
“It’s kind of funny,” he said. “Knowing after all this time just how sexy that body of yours is. I had my suspicions...”
“You know,” she said. “I was thinking the same thing. How fascinating it is to know that you can do those things with your fingers. And your tongue.” She shivered in memory. “All this time I didn’t know.”
She started to pick up the plate of eggs and toast, but he stopped her, bracing her hand down on the counter with his over the top of hers and kissing her deep on the mouth.
She kissed him back. She could have kissed him forever. And she couldn’t recall ever feeling that way about a kiss.
He was a fascinating study in textures. His whiskers scratchy, his lips hot and firm, his tongue slick. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he brought his hands down to her hips, her body pressed hard against the countertop as he arched himself into her, letting her feel the full force of his erection nestled there between her thighs.
“Oh... Oh, holy shit!”
They jumped apart and turned, and Rose was standing in the doorway, her mouth wide open.
“You... You... Why do you have her tongue in your mouth?”
Fear was the first emotion that Sammy felt, and she wasn’t really sure why. Only that her throat felt like it was getting too tight.
“Rose...”
“You two are practically...brother and sister.”
“We are not,” Ryder said. “Practically or otherwise.”
“I thought that Logan liked you,” Rose said, clearly agog.
“He doesn’t,” Sammy said.
“Did you...”
“I’m not answering questions,” Ryder said. “I’m a grown-ass man, and I have a sex life. You may not want to think about it, but I’ve had one since you can remember, okay?”
“I’m... I’m emotionally scarred. My eyes are bleeding. It’s like seeing siblings make out.” She frowned. “Or like seeing my parents make out.”
“Get out,” Ryder said.
“I don’t know what to do with this.” Rose covered her forehead with her hand.
“I didn’t ask you to do anything with it.”
She slapped her hand back down at her side. “Am I supposed to keep it a secret?”
“Well, you may have noticed that we didn’t exactly make an announcement about it.”
“Are you...”
“There are no good answers to any of your questions,” he said. “Shout it from the high heavens for all I care. I don’t. But don’t embarrass Sammy. If you can’t talk about it without being embarrassing, or being awful, you’re going to have to keep your damn mouth shut, kid.”
“I just...”
“I made bacon-and-egg sandwiches,” Sammy said. “Why don’t you sit with us and have one.”
“No, thank you,” she said. “I have to go...bleach my brain.”
“Well, why don’t you take a sandwich on your way.” Sammy held it out and Rose looked at it skeptically, like it might have cooties. “The sandwich was not used for anything untoward,” Sammy said.
Rose blanched. “Honestly. That doesn’t make it better. That didn’t help at all. Because now I’m wondering about what you could have possibly done with the sandwich that would be considered... No. I don’t want it. Enjoy your sandwich. I’m not going to...say anything. To anyone. You’re right. You didn’t tell anyone. I just had the bad luck of walking in while you were...well, eating each other’s faces.”
“Eloquent,” Sammy said.
“Charming,” Ryder added.
“I try to be both,” Rose said. “As often as possible. The opportunity so rarely presents itself. And yet, here we are.”
“You’re mostly mad because you got it wrong about Logan,” Ryder said.
“Well,” she said, her visible deflation at that confirming Ryder’s statement. Rose didn’t like to be wrong. “I’ll have to think of someone else for him.”
“Will you?” Ryder asked, his tone dry.
“Yes. He is actually like a brother to me. And one of my dearest friends in the entire world when I don’t want to punch him in the face.