Ryan's Love - C.A. Harms Page 0,22

glared at me. This wasn’t my Olivia. She was sweet, loving, and generous, a mirror image of the gentle soul her mother once was, not spiteful and rude like this.

“I would never try to replace your mother.” I took two long strides toward my daughter, bringing myself within inches of her. “If you think I could ever attempt something like that, then you don’t know your father very well at all. Never, and I do mean never, will any woman replace your mother. She was one of a kind.”

We both stared at one another, breathing deep. This entire conversation was pointless. It was going nowhere fast, and in the end we were both only going to be more miserable. It was time to end it.

I walked away without another word. I couldn’t speak right then, fearing I might say something I couldn’t take back.

The ride to school wasn’t much better, considering she stared out the passenger window the entire way, ignoring me. But the kicker was when she rushed out the door and straight into the awaiting arms of Charlie Whitfield. I think I may have growled when she did that. And when the little dumbass looked up to meet my glare, his eyes grew wide.

Good, my angry look had put the fear of God into his horny adolescent ass. I drove away fighting the urge to drag her back home and lock her in her room for the day. I still had an hour before my shift at the station started, and suddenly a cup of coffee from Amber’s place sounded pretty damn good.

As the door chimed when I walked into the bakery, Amber looked up from waiting on Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson and smiled when she saw me. Bailey was wiping down a table, and she too looked up as I approached.

“Good morning, handsome,” Bailey offered, tossing the rag in the sink behind the counter. “What looks good today? Besides Amber.” She grinned brightly, shifting her eyebrows in a suggestive manner that made me smile in return.

The elderly couple stepped away with their order, and Amber hung her head in embarrassment.

“You’re right, Bailey, she does look damn good,” I offered in return. Amber looked up and winked at me, clearly hoping to ease the awkwardness Bailey had a way of creating.

“Good mornin’.” I tipped my head toward Amber. “I’m using the excuse of needing coffee to see you before heading to work.”

“At least he’s honest,” Bailey hollered back over her shoulder as she walked off toward the doors leading back to the kitchen, leaving me feeling embarrassed at her comment.

I watched as Amber filled a travel cup with coffee and placed the lid on securely before passing it across the counter. I held out a five dollar bill, and she brushed it away. “No charge. After all, you keep the streets safe. It’s the least I can do for your service.”

Amber was always so shy and embarrassed easily, but this flirty version of herself was fun. It showed she was warming up a bit.

“Thank you,” I said, eyeing her closely as I took a seat on the stool at the opposite side of the counter. After a long pause, I spoke again. “So last night was nice, right?”

She nodded, smiling, then bit the corner of her lip. My eyes immediately shifted in that direction. Thoughts of kissing those lips ran through my mind. Without even thinking twice, I reached out and pulled her lip free of her teeth. Her breath hitched and I smirked. Yeah, she was thinking about it too.

“I guess I should get to the station.” I stood up and pushed my stool in before looking back up at her. “What are you doing tomorrow night?”

“I don’t know, what am I doing?” she teased.

“Be ready at six.”

“Are you gonna tell me what your plans are?”

Shaking my head, I walked around the edge of the counter and brought my body within inches of hers. Placing my free hand on her hip, I looked down at her. “Nope, just wear something you don’t mind getting dirty.” Before I could talk myself out of it, I knelt just enough to bring my lips to hers in a soft kiss.

A light-headed feeling rushed over me, and I pulled back to rest my forehead against hers. With my eyes still closed, I attempted to slow my racing heart.

Once more I skimmed my lips across hers, and she whimpered, making me smile. “Wear sneakers, or boots, whichever.”

“I don’t own any boots,” she