couldn’t get her lips to do anything else.
Ryan kissed her hair, her lips, her neck, a matching smile on his mouth. Even when he rolled off her, he pulled her close. In between kisses and sweet caresses they talked about anything and everything and nothing at all. Each time she thought about getting up, he kissed her again.
“I’d never—” Betsy lifted her head from his chest. Perhaps this wasn’t proper post-lovemaking protocol, but she really had to know. “I never experienced anything like this before. Were those other two guys total duds? Or was it me?”
Ryan almost told her it was love that made the difference. He stopped himself just in time. Because while he knew he loved her, he wasn’t sure those feelings were reciprocated. “It’s the caring and the trust that made it special.”
“Whatever the reason, I liked it.” Betsy’s well-kissed lips turned up in a satisfied smile. “I want to do it again. Now.”
Her boldness delighted Ryan. “Can you at least give me a few more minutes to recover? You took me on a wild ride, cowgirl.”
Betsy’s hand stole under the sheets and closed around him. She grinned. “Feels to me like you’re fully recovered.”
Her smile faded. “Unless you don’t want—”
“I want you,” he said, the words a solemn vow. He wanted her not just in his bed, but also in his life. He’d never wanted anyone more.
“Ah, yes.” She cocked her head. “The question is, for how long?”
Her tone was teasing, but the look in her eyes troubled him.
“Forever,” Ryan said. “That’s how long.”
Betsy stared at him, then pulled him on top of her, kicking aside the sheet. “Let’s start with tonight.”
“That will do,” he said. “For now.”
* * *
Seconds after Ryan’s truck pulled out of her driveway the next morning, Betsy was on the phone with Adrianna. “We have to talk. Can you meet for lunch?”
“I wish I could.” Regret filled Adrianna’s voice. “But my day is jam-packed. I’m just going to grab a yogurt and eat at my desk.”
“How about if I bring lunch to you?” Betsy was not going to take no for an answer. “We could eat in your office.”
“Sure,” Adrianna said. “But I only have a half hour to spare.”
After confirming the best time to stop over, Betsy hung up. Because Ryan would be in court until at least noon, he’d given her the morning off. She had to speak with Adrianna before she saw him again.
Ryan hadn’t wanted to leave this morning. The way he kept kissing her and untying the chenille belt on her robe told her that much. But as much as she wanted him to stay, he’d turned her world upside down. She needed time and distance to get her thoughts together and gain some perspective.
Betsy pulled on a pair of tweed pants with a silk blouse and camel-colored cardigan before looking in the mirror. A new woman stared back at her. Her eyes looked darker and more mysterious. If she didn’t know better she’d say her lips were swollen from his kisses.
The change wasn’t simply on the inside. Her body felt different, as if it had been asleep for a long time and had finally awakened. In the span of twenty-four short hours her life had been forever changed. She and Ryan had forged a new path.
That meant, even if they wanted to, they’d never be able to go back to the way it was before.
* * *
Betsy placed the sandwiches and drinks on Adrianna’s desk and waited while her friend closed the door.
“What’s going on?” Adrianna settled into her leather chair and unscrewed the top of her soda. “You sounded strange on the phone this morning.”
“Ryan spent the night.” Betsy tried but wasn’t able to keep the goofy smile from her lips.
“What?” Adrianna plopped the bottle on her desk without taking a drink.
“We went to a party at Joel and Kate’s yesterday and had a fabulous time.” Betsy took a sip of her cherry soda. “Then he took me home and stayed over.”
Adrianna’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you two were just friends.”
Was that disapproval she heard in her friend’s voice? Had Adrianna been secretly pining for Ryan? Betsy’s heart sank. Her smile faded. “Are you interested in him?”
Adrianna’s eyes widened. “Oh, my gosh, no.”
“You told me you thought he was cute.”
“I do think he’s cute.” Adrianna’s expression gave nothing away. “That doesn’t mean I want to date him or see a future with him. What about you, Bets? Do you see yourself having a future with him?”
“I’d like to.” Betsy paused, wanting to be completely honest with her friend. “I love him, Anna. I know he cares about me, too. But I’m scared. How long will those feelings last? I worry that in time he’ll get tired of me like he’s done with the others before me.”
“Did he ask...to see you again?”
Something in the way her friend asked the question told Betsy she wasn’t confident of the answer she’d receive. That wasn’t a good sign.
Betsy nodded. “He wants to date me. Exclusively.”
“So you’re a couple.”
“Er, not exactly.” When Betsy recalled her conversation with Ryan at Kate’s house, she felt her cheeks warm. It hadn’t been her finest hour.
Adrianna leaned forward, her eyes snapping with curiosity. “This sounds interesting.”
“I told Ryan that Tripp wants to date me, too.”
Adrianna froze. “Why would you say that?”
“Because it’s true.” Betsy sighed. “And because I wanted to make sure Ryan knew that another man finds me attractive. Childish, huh?”
Adrianna bit into her sandwich and chewed for several seconds. “Are you thinking that Tripp will be your backup when Ryan dumps you?”
“If he dumps me,” Betsy protested. “Not when. We don’t know for sure he’s going to get tired of me. I could be ‘the one.’ The woman Ryan has been waiting for his whole life.”
Her voice began to tremble. Horrified by how much she’d revealed, Betsy clamped her mouth shut.
Adrianna leaned forward and took Betsy’s hand. “You’re right. You don’t know. That’s why you need to tell Tripp to take a hike. You can’t date him right now. You need to put your whole heart into this relationship with Ryan. Jump in with both feet. Don’t sit on the edge dipping in one toe at a time.”
“I
