Ryan's Love - C.A. Harms Page 0,34

first it scared the shit out of me, but then you smiled and it was hopeless. You had me hooked.”

Ryan rested his forehead against mine, and my heart ached at his turmoil. “You make me feel again, Amber. I love how all the ache in my chest sort of fades away when I’m with you. And I just don’t know how to make Olivia understand that seeing you does not mean I’m trying to replace Claire. I just want to live again, and you make me feel alive.”

My throat burned with his declaration. I placed my hands on his chest and soothingly rubbed them up it until they came to rest on his shoulders. “You make me feel alive too. I just think me being here, in her home, isn’t the best solution. We need to tread lightly and make sure no matter what, her feelings are protected. I don’t want to be the cause for a falling out between the two of you.”

Ryan kissed me gently before wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me in tightly. “Sorry your night was ruined,” he said against my neck.

Chapter Seventeen

Ryan

“I can pick you up tomorrow. You just need to let me know what time,” I told Olivia as I filled out the last of my paperwork. I had just under an hour left at the station before I’d have two days off to relax.

I could hear Olivia shuffling around on the other end of the phone. “Jackie’s mom said we may go get our nails done tomorrow, so I’ll text you the time once I know.”

After Amber left the house the other night, I went directly into my daughter’s room, demanding we talk. Four hours and a whole lot of tears later, I walked out feeling even more confused. Teenage girls are hard as hell to follow. Everything, and I do mean everything, with them is escalated to unknown heights and then multiplied by five, and there is no hope once it reaches that magnitude. You just have to walk away and take a breather.

Three days later it was as if nothing had even happened. Well, that is, as long as I left anything involving Amber and me out of all our conversations, things were fine. I knew Liv and I should talk about my relationship with Amber more, but the peace was kind of nice.

Tonight she would be staying with a friend of hers, and I had every intention of spending my evening with Amber. Things had been rocky between us lately. I was more than afraid at some point she may just say enough is enough and my chances with her would be over. After tonight I hoped she would know I was ready to take the next step.

“Okay, well, I’ll be leaving the station soon, and if you need anything, call me, okay?” I placed the last file in my drawer and stood from my desk.

“I know, Dad, but I’ll be fine. I grabbed everything I needed, and we’re just hanging out and ordering a pizza. I can’t think of anything I would need.”

“Have a fun night, baby girl.” I hoped a little time with her girlfriend would do her good. “I love you.”

“Love you too, Dad,” Olivia said just before hanging up.

***

Amber had no idea I was coming over, and I wanted to surprise her. So I parked my truck along the road in front of the bakery and walked around the back toward the door that led up to her apartment above it. I pressed the buzzer and waited with a huge smile on my face. This would be the first night I’d seen her since our disaster of an evening. But I was a little nervous about where she and I stood, and that made me irritated. It was time I clarified just how much I wanted her in my life.

The door opened and Bailey stood behind it. She had a knowing gleam in her eye and a wide smile on her lips. “Well hello, handsome. You didn’t happen to bring your sexy-as-sin brother along with you, did you?” She leaned forward and peeked over my shoulder.

“Sorry, I’m alone.” I shrugged and chuckled as she pretended to pout. Jackson had filled me in on their night at the bar. He couldn’t stop filling me in, actually, and the last thing I wanted to know was what Bailey could do with her tongue.

“I’ll let it slide this time, but only because you’re too good-looking for