Ryan's Love - C.A. Harms Page 0,9

they made changing a tire look like a walk in the park, I took the opportunity to inspect both of them a little further, looking for similarities. The fact they were brothers floored me, because they seemed so different. Noah had a great build, muscular and fit. But Ryan’s tall, lean body held my attention. He was extremely attractive, just one of those men you couldn’t stop staring at no matter how hard you tried. I couldn’t help imagining what it would feel like to be wrapped in his embrace or curled into his side.

Ryan looked back over his shoulder with a coy smile, almost like he could feel my eyes on him. My heart was racing and my head was spinning as he studied me with curiosity. As they finished up, I admired how his shirt hugged his fit arms and broad shoulders, and I bit down on my lower lip to stifle a groan. I was one lucky girl. Two sexy-as-sin cops had come to my rescue, and now I had a story to tell Bailey. She’d be sorry she missed this trip to the store.

As they stood up, I stepped back a little, allowing them room. Ryan took my old tire and put it in the trunk of his cruiser.

“We’ll have that checked out for ya,” he said.

“Okay,” I said, nodding.

“So now that you know our names, what’s yours?” Noah asked as he brushed off his pants and stepped up beside me.

“Oh, wow, I’m sorry,” I said, realizing with embarrassment that I was so wrapped up in admiring Ryan that I hadn’t told them. “My name is Amber Dirksen. I’m the new owner of Helen’s Bakery. Well, it’s actually Heavenly Temptations now. Helen was my grandmother,” I said as I held my hand out to Noah.

He placed his palm against mine and shook my hand. I turned to Ryan and offered him a handshake too. His gaze dropped toward my outstretched palm, and he slowly placed his hand against mine. He had strong, calloused hands, and a firm grip, and my insides clenched from his touch.

Sergeant Ryan Sawyer had just made Livingston, Montana, my favorite place in the world.

Chapter Five

Ryan

Noah let out a heavy groan as we stared out the windshield while Amber crawled into her car and buckled her seat belt. She offered a small wave before she pulled away from the curb and drove away.

Noah shook his head. “That girl is dangerous.”

“Dangerous?”

“Hell yeah,” he replied. “A girl like that has a man’s mind thinking up all kinds of dirty shit.”

Both of my brothers had a way with words, or so they thought. I looked back toward the direction she drove off in. Only her taillights were visible in the distance now. Amber was very pretty, beautiful even. She had a gorgeous smile and kind eyes. But the idea of feeling an attraction toward a woman other than Claire made me feel guilty.

“You gotta admit it, Ry, Amber is damn good-looking.” Noah was grinning like a fool, watching me for any indication that I agreed.

“Yeah,” I said without going into detail.

“‘Yeah’? That’s all you got?” he countered.

“Leave it alone, Noah,” I warned. I wasn’t going to get into this right now. I had spent a full year mourning my wife. Followed by another two years of walking around with my head hung and my world shattered. I couldn’t even look at another couple without feeling as if I may spiral out of control. Now here I was three years later and I still felt angry with myself for feeling even a slight attraction toward another woman.

“You do know it’s okay to move on, right, Ryan? Claire wouldn’t expect you to spend your life alone.”

I let out a deep breath. I avoided conversations like this. Even my own father had tried at one point to tell me it was okay to love again. “How do you know what Claire would’ve wanted?”

Silence filled the car as I stared forward, irritated.

“Ryan, I may not have been married to Claire, but we all grew up together. She wasn’t a selfish woman. She would want you to be happy.”

I was well aware of that. I knew me sitting around pining over her would be the last thing she would want. But that fact didn’t change the ache in my stomach at the thought of moving on without her.

“You don’t think I know that? Damn, Noah, I know Claire wasn’t selfish. She was the most loving, honest, and giving person I have