Ryan's Love - C.A. Harms Page 0,23
confessed in a breathy whisper.
“Well, looks like we need to get you a pair, then.” I squeezed her hip once more before releasing her and stepping back. She sucked her lower lip in between her teeth as if she was trying to taste me. That acknowledgement shot straight through me and made my knees feel weak.
I had to get out of there before I went back for more. I walked back around the counter, grabbed my coffee, and backed away. “I’m gonna go,” I told her.
She placed her hand on the countertop and stared at me with big brown eyes full of longing. “Stay safe,” she murmured.
“Of course,” I confirmed, winking at her before turning to leave.
I felt like a teenager again, one that had his sights set on a girl—a woman actually—that consumed my mind and made me need to feel her against me.
I was like Charlie, I realized, and fuck me running, if he felt even an ounce for Liv of what I felt in this moment, I seriously needed to lock my daughter up and throw away the key.
Chapter Twelve
Amber
“Did that man just kiss you?” Bailey barked from the doorway as soon as Ryan had left. She placed her hand on her hip when I looked back at her.
I nodded. “Mm-hm, twice.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the doorframe. “Girl, you are in some serious trouble.”
I knew she was right, because Ryan had me tied in knots already. I barely knew the man and I couldn’t stop thinking about his cocky and domineering self. When I learned he was a cop, I was intrigued. But then he dropped the bomb about losing his wife and the pain he’d been through because of that. That knowledge only made me want to protect him with everything inside of me and keep him from feeling that kind of pain again. And then he walked in and showed me a sweet and gentle side that just pulled me in a little deeper.
My mind was racing, and it was yelling at my heart to be careful. Ryan Sawyer could do some damage to a girl if she didn’t keep her head out of the clouds.
***
It was five minutes until four, and I was just about to close up for the day when the bell over the door chimed. I turned around to find a pretty, young girl with brown hair, standing just inside. She looked around as if she were nervous about something.
“Can I help you?” I asked
“Are you Amber?”
Her question surprised me, and I nodded reluctantly. “Yes, I’m Amber.”
She stared at me, studying my face as she moved her eyes down my body, taking in my full appearance.
“Is there something I can do for you?” She was making me nervous. I had met a few people in town, but in no way did this young girl look familiar. That was until she took a few steps toward me and I saw that her eyes were an exact replica of his.
The idea that Ryan’s daughter, Olivia, was standing before me, scoping me out, made my stomach bottom out.
“I just had to see it for myself,” she whispered. “Try to see what my dad sees. Try to understand.” Her eyes filled with tears, and it broke my heart. I didn’t know her, I had never met her, yet her sadness pulled at something deep inside me.
“Do you want something to drink or eat?” I offered, and she shook her head. “Do you want to sit down?”
“No,” she said quickly. “I gotta go.” She rushed out before I could attempt to stop her, not looking back.
That night I sat up, wondering if getting involved in Ryan’s life was such a good idea. I hated the thought that I was bringing pain to his daughter. She obviously wasn’t ready to accept her father moving on. The poor girl could barely hold herself together for two minutes while talking to me.
I hated the thought of causing her pain.
***
I hadn’t seen Ryan since yesterday. Since then I had been wondering if I should cancel our date. I went back and forth about it. Should I just step back and allow Olivia the time she still so obviously needed?
Bailey made sure to add in her two cents, telling me I should talk to Ryan about it. Not knowing what his reaction would be was driving me crazy.
After letting my attraction for him outweigh all my reservations, I now stood in my living room, asking