Two to Tangle (A Tangle Valley Romance #2) - Melissa Brayden Page 0,64
drift of the current just yards away. The sun was all but gone now but still added a touch of a glow to the water’s surface. Achingly beautiful. Gabriella made a point to memorize the moment. “Do you bring people out here much?” She didn’t want to be jealous of Ryan sharing this view with others, but it crept in anyway.
Ryan gave her a squeeze from behind. “Oh, I think you might be asking if I bring back women, specifically.”
“I just imagine it’s likely. It’s your house. Why wouldn’t you show it off? Entertain.”
“No.”
“No, you don’t entertain when they’re here?”
“As in, no, it’s not something I’ve ever done.” She went quiet a moment. “In fact, I can’t remember bringing a date here ever. Just Billy mostly. Lonzo came once. My mom comes by.”
Gabriella disentangled herself and turned so she could see Ryan’s face. Their height difference was noticeable. She liked it. “That can’t be true. One or two. Or five. At least.”
“No.” She shrugged, all nonchalant and matter-of-fact. “I’ve not brought a woman back here. Well, until tonight.”
Gabriella grappled with that, nearly speechless. “Then why am I here?”
“Why do you think?”
“Because I invited myself?”
Ryan turned her around and threaded their fingers together, palm-to-palm. “I only bring the important people to my home. It’s personal. A part of me.”
Gabriella felt that sentence square in her chest. Her heart thudded pleasantly, like when you received good news that you didn’t know you were waiting for. “I’m a VIP?”
Ryan quirked a smile of concession. “Yeah, okay? Yeah.”
Gabriella placed a kiss on her chin, squeezing her waist. Ryan looked down, and Gabriella shifted that kiss straight onto those gorgeous, full lips. “I’m honored. But can I ask a question?”
Ryan stared down at her. Most specifically, at Gabriella’s mouth. “You can try. My attention is elsewhere.”
“When do I get to see the rest of it? Most importantly, your kitchen. I can tell a lot about a person from their kitchen.”
Ryan laughed. “Then you shall never see mine.”
“You better show it to me right now. I’m not even kidding.” She jabbed at Ryan’s ribs, making her dance.
“Fine, but you have to stop that and never do it again.” And then as they walked, “Don’t you dare open my fridge. I don’t think I could withstand the horrified look on your face.”
“A ketchup bottle and jar of jelly?”
Ryan hesitated. “I think there might be some yogurt, too.”
“Praise the heavens for that, at least.”
The rustic quality of the home extended to the indoors as well. The living room ceiling soared with wooden beams across the length. The kitchen was all warm brown wood. Tall cabinets stretched high, and a generous island stood in the middle that she imagined to be a great workspace. She ran her hand along the smooth countertop before moving on to the beautiful gas stove. “Tell me you use this thing. It’s too pristine.”
Ryan chewed her lip. “I can boil spaghetti.”
“Oh no. Ryan.”
“Don’t you worry. I pop a mean can of sauce. As in, wow. I’ll show you sometime.”
Gabriella inhaled and blinked without moving any other muscle. “You’re killing me softly. You have all of this. You have to use it. Have to.”
“I’ll try harder if you promise to give me some protips.”
She liked that idea very much. “I could pencil that in. I’ve been told I’m an excellent teacher.”
Ryan’s eyes darkened. “Don’t. Teachers are my weakness.”
She met Ryan’s gaze unwaveringly. “Filing that one away.”
She continued to wander the space with Ryan following and occasionally tossing in narration. The furniture in the living room was mostly gray leather with cream colored accent pillows, a nice touch that lightened the interior. A big-screen TV hung on the wall, and Gabriella took note of a PlayStation on the console below.
“I like first-person action adventure games,” Ryan confessed. “But that’s a secret between you and me.”
Gabriella shook her head in amusement, as the hobby went right along with Ryan’s pleasure-seeker tendencies. “Is it okay?” she asked, gesturing to the hallway. “I don’t want to invade your space, but I’m in love with your house. It’s more you than I could have even constructed in my imagination.”
“Please,” Ryan said and gestured ahead. “And I take that as a compliment.”
Gabriella found the master, the only bedroom on the first floor, and turned on the light. It was spacious with a four-poster bed, again made of wood. The bedspread was beige and fluffy and looked like you could sink into its depths and sleep for days. “Totally Ryan’s room.”