“Got everything?” Lucah asked. Ryder nodded, and then we headed out to the parking garage.
“I have something for you in the car,” I said to Ryder.
“I have something for you too!” Rory called over her shoulder. She and Lucah were walking ahead of us so they could find the car.
“You didn’t have to get me anything. Either of you.” He said the last part directly to me.
“I didn’t exactly get it for you. It’s something I made. And no, it’s not clothing, although I’m feeling inspired to start making a lumberjack line,” I said, tugging at his shirt. He blushed a little. It was hard to see under the massive beard, but it was there.
“Would you model it for me?” he said.
“Maybe,” I said, drawing out the word. He stopped walking, dropped his bag, and pulled me into another hug.
“I love you,” he said as he squeezed me tight.
“I love you,” I said. Now I’d said it twice in only a few minutes and I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t said it before. Those three little words, once so hard to say were now so easy to speak that I didn’t want to stop. I had a brief image in my head of running to the top of the parking garage, throwing my arms out, and declaring my love for Ryder Blythe at the top of my lungs.
Ryder let me go, but took my hand again and picked up his bag.
“I just thought you should know. Again,” he said, as if he was embarrassed by his display of emotion.
“I’m okay with that. More than okay. Say it whenever you feel it.”
He raised one eyebrow. “Whenever I feel it?”
“Well, not literally. But you can tell me whenever you want. I love hearing it,” I said.
“I love that you love it.”
“I love that you love that I love hearing you say you love me.”
He laughed and shook his head. “Let’s just stop there and say I love you.”
“Good plan.”
Twenty-Eight
For being so nervous about her gift, Rory shouldn’t have worried. Ryder’s eyes lit up when he opened the box with the watch in it, and he immediately put it on.
“This is one of the nicest things I’ve ever owned. I’m scared I’ll break the shit out of it,” he said, admiring it on his wrist.
“It’s durable. Don’t worry,” Rory said, beaming that her gift had gone over so well.
“I’ll be careful, just in case,” he said, starting to take it off.
“No, leave it on. Watches are meant to be worn and used.” He looked up at her for a moment then put it back on, smiling as he gazed down at it and turned it left and right.
“Thank you so much,” he said. I handed him the box of letters but asked him not to open it in the car. I knew he’d want to start reading them immediately.
“Tease,” he said, but he kissed me on the cheek after he said it.
I couldn’t stop staring at him. Partly because of the beard and partly because there was something different about him. Something . . . lighter.
“You look good. Really good,” I said, and he pulled me closer. I was sitting in the middle seat in the back so I could be as near to him as possible. I’d resisted crawling into his lap and curling up.
“Why, thank you. That means a lot, considering I haven’t had a proper shower in a while. A long while. I’m shocked you can even sit near me.” I had no idea what he was talking about. He smelled fantastic.
I sniffed him.