Adios Pantalones (Fisher Brothers 3)

Ryan’s face was stoic, his eyes unblinking. “Whatever I need to do to convince you, I plan on doing it. However long it takes, I’ll wait until you believe me. I’m in it for the long haul, angel.”

He obviously believed the things he was telling me, but for how long? What if a year from now this was all too much, too hard, too much of a hassle, and he wanted to quit?

“I’ve never done this before,” I told him, needing him to understand. “I’ve never had someone like you in my life. I don’t know how to handle someone wanting to take care of me and Matson. I don’t know how to be a teammate. I’ve never had one before.”

“I know,” he said softly. “I get it, and I understand. I haven’t either. But I need you to promise me something.”

“What?”

“That you’ll try. Hard. To let me in. And to let me be there for you.”

I pulled in a deep breath before nodding slowly in agreement. Ryan seemed to know exactly what I needed, and I wondered how in the world I’d gotten so lucky to have this amazing man in my life . . . wanting me.

“I’m going to push at your walls, but I don’t want to push you away in the process. I’m going to test you. You’re not going to like it, angel. But remember, it goes both ways. I have walls too.”

God, he was so sensitive. This tall, gorgeous man with the hard, sexy body was so damn soft underneath. It melted my heart to know him in this way. To know that I was getting the parts of Ryan that no one else saw, aside from his family. The women who came into the bar wanted the tough, flirty exterior he showed them there. They had no idea what was hidden underneath.

“Tell me you understand,” Ryan demanded, the need for my acceptance coursing through him like blood. I sensed it, could feel that need in the air between us.

“I understand.”

“You’ll try to let me in?”

“I’ll try.”

“Thank you,” he said before bringing my hand to his lips and kissing my knuckles.

I stared at him, unable to believe this amazing man was thanking me as if I were the one doing him a favor, like he hadn’t just offered to sweep into my world and save it from falling apart. My heart filled with gratitude, I closed my eyes and lowered my head, blinking hard against threatening tears.

“Thank you, Ryan. For caring and for being there. And for wanting to do this with me.”

He grasped my shoulders and shook me lightly until I lifted my head, then he stared at me like I was insane for even uttering the words. “Don’t thank me for that. Any guy in his right mind would do the same,” he said, then stopped short. “No, wait. Scratch that. No other guy on earth would do this for you, Sofia. Just me. Only me. I’m the only one for you.”

I choked out a laugh, loving when he wasn’t entirely sure of himself and needed confirmation. “Only you,” I repeated, glad when the tension drained from his features.

“I know you need to go, but one last thing.” He looked away and shifted his weight, making we wonder what could possibly come next.

“What is it?”

Ryan’s voice tightened. “I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that I was a little worried about your safety. Derek could be watching us right now. He could show up wherever you are. He could scare you. Scare Matson.”

I shivered as I glanced around the neighborhood, horrified at the possibility that Derek might be watching us here . . . now. My throat felt like it might close up entirely and rob me of air.

Ryan grasped my chin again, forcing me to focus. “I know this sounds possessive, and I’d never in a million years ask you this if we weren’t in this situation right now, but will you please download that phone tracking app and let me have access to it?”

My heart beat out a conflicting rhythm. Track my cell phone? “Why?”

“My brothers and I all have the app on our phones, and we have access to each other’s. I can also see Jess and Claudia’s phones in an emergency if I need to. It’s just a precaution in case something happens, but I don’t trust Derek, and I don’t put anything past him. He showed up at your work and he came here tonight. What’s next? If something happens to you and I don’t know how to find you, I’ll go out of my fucking mind.”

Ryan was so honest and vulnerable, my heart ached for him a little. His suggestion came from a good-hearted place, that much I knew. He didn’t come off like some sort of jealous boyfriend.

How had I gone from feeling free and happy to feeling like I lived in a prison and under constant watch? I hated that Derek had this kind of impact on my life, but Ryan was right. Derek couldn’t be trusted, and neither of us knew what he was capable of or what he wanted. And his actions tonight really unnerved me.

When I didn’t answer right away, Ryan said, “I promise I’ll only use it if I think you’re in trouble. I know it sounds over the top, but I feel like I need to have some kind of control. I don’t know why the app makes me feel like I’m protecting you somehow, but it does.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?” His tone lightened instantly. “I’ll give you access to mine too.”