the larger present.
“Oh I can’t wait to see,” Elena said from the doorway, joining them in time for Ryan’s mortification.
“Same here.” Nicholas strode in and seated himself in the large recliner chair.
“Oh man,” he muttered aloud.
Zoe pulled away the last of the wrapping. “These are wonderful,” Zoe exclaimed as she examined each fruit-scented item in the basket, from bath gel, foot cream, hand cream, body lotion, to the differently textured sponges.
Ryan would rather die than look at her parents now, though a covert glance showed him that Nicholas was indeed scowling at him. No doubt the man also knew his daughter hadn’t come home last night and it was obvious she still wore last evening’s clothes.
Well, hell, was it his fault she was thirty and living at home? Still, he cringed.
“Sam, thank you for helping Ryan pick out my favorite scents.” Zoe’s soft voice interrupted his thoughts.
“It’s okay. You know I love you.” Sam sounded a little more subdued, Ryan figured because the excitement of giving her gift was over.
“How about opening Ryan’s other one?” Elena asked.
Now that he’d seen Zoe’s pleased reaction to the bath-shop gift, he wanted to take his more practical one and shove it into his pocket. But that wouldn’t be happening.
Elena, Nicholas and Sam crowded around as Zoe ripped apart the paper and pulled out the present he’d purchased to minimize the impact of the first. No chance of that happening, he thought. Now that they’d made love, and now that her family knew they’d spent last night together, he couldn’t win with either gift.
He forced himself to look at Zoe. She stared at the Montblanc pen in the black box for so long, he thought he might puke.
“To sign your first contract with,” he said, his voice sounding as lame as he felt.
She met his gaze, her eyes filled with warmth, gratitude and, he thought, a hell of a lot more. “That’s the most thoughtful thing I’ve ever heard,” she said.
“And the most dorky and lame.” Sam grunted and rose from the couch. “I’m going to Michelle’s.” She was clearly as unimpressed with Ryan’s additional birthday present as she was with him.
“Be back for us to go shopping around three,” Elena called to Sam.
“Thanks, Sam. Everyone,” Zoe said. “I should put all this in my room.” Without looking at Ryan, she gathered her gifts in her arms.
He wondered what had her spooked this time. Either it was the knowledge that her parents knew about their relationship or she just wanted to run from last night as fast as she could. He’d been able to stop her this morning when he’d kissed her senseless and reminded her of why she shouldn’t panic. He couldn’t do the same thing now.
In the silence, he heard Nicholas whisper to Elena in a not-so-quiet voice, “Another one that isn’t Greek.”
Elena laid her head on his shoulder and spoke into his ear. “As long as she’s happy, Nicky. She should have what we share, no?”
With those comments, Zoe bolted for the stairs leading to her room.
As Ryan rose to leave and said his goodbyes to Zoe’s parents, he was struck by the warmth between them. A love and understanding he’d never seen between his parents, growing up. In their home, formality ruled, even in personal, intimate relationships. Elena and Nicholas apparently adhered to no such rules of decorum. The family had told him last night that the couple’s fights contained fireworks that were something to see. So, too, did their making up.
He glanced at Elena and Nicholas again. Zoe couldn’t possibly fear relationships based on what she’d seen at home. Which meant she feared something about him.
All of which convinced him that his hunch about Zoe’s sudden wariness now was correct. She wanted to put space between them and telling Sam the truth would help accomplish her goal.
In the new offices, Ari paced the linoleum floor that Zoe had just mopped clean. “A pen? The man bought you a pen for your birthday?” Ari asked, clearly in shock.
“Isn’t it the most honest gift you’ve ever heard of?” Zoe rolled the pen between her palms, the gift reminding her so much of Ryan and his contradictions. The hard exterior and the gentle man beneath. When she closed her eyes, she saw his face, warm and caring, and the gift cemented those emotions.
“Well, at least you didn’t say it’s the most romantic present you ever received. What’s going on with you, anyway?” Ari asked.
Zoe lifted her gaze. “I’m going to try to