Just One Kiss (Very Irresistible Bachelors 2)

“What’s with that pout?”

“Just let them go away and come back to what you were doing.”

Ryker laughed, running his thumb over my lips.

“Don’t say that twice, or we’re going to starve.”

I grinned. “Oh, that’s right. Our pizza and dessert! Can’t believe I forgot about that.”

“I kissed you that well, huh?”

“You know you did.”

The sheer intensity in his eyes told me he was seriously considering not opening the door.

“What’s this? Ranking me above dessert?” he asked.

I laughed, stroking my chin in an exaggerated gesture. “I’m conflicted. If I say yes, does that mean I’ll get more kisses? Or more dessert?”

“Whatever you want.”

I wiggled my eyebrows. “Dessert it is then.”

Ryker lunged for me again, but before he could reach me, the doorbell rang.

“No, no, no. That’ll wake up Avery, and I’m still hoping for adult fun.”

His gaze smoldered on the word “adult.” Oh, yeah... we weren’t going to sleep much tonight. Avery was going to my parents’ again in two weeks. Memorial Day was coming up, and she’d spend an extended weekend in Arizona.

I could already envision Ryker and me not sleeping much the entire time. Ryker went to open the door, thanking the delivery guy. We ate at the kitchen island, straight out of cartons.

“This is delicious. Hands down the best pizza and doughnuts I’ve had,” I announced, licking my fingers once I was done. To my surprise, Ryker laughed.

“What?” I asked.

“You’re cute. I’d rate it as good, but not the best.”

I shrugged one shoulder playfully. “Maybe I’m just in a good mood.”

“Or maybe it’s the company.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

“Still in competition with the food, I see.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Heather

For the next two weeks, I kept checking Dawson’s website every day. My article was scheduled to come out in six days, in the third week of May, which seemed an eternity away. I couldn’t pay in advance another month to reassure my landlord, so I needed that bonus right away. But big newspapers moved slowly. Since he was in charge of his own platform, Dawson was more flexible.

On Thursday Mom was flying in to pick up Avery and fly back to Phoenix with her. Memorial Day was on Monday, of course, but my girl’s school had given them Friday off as well.

The damned article popped up just as I was heading to pick up my girl. She was watching a play downtown with her class.

I started reading the article while I was still in the subway station, stopping next to a busker singing a Michael Jackson classic.

Oh, crap. It was a nightmare. The title was “Frauds and Fears.”

The rest of the article was even worse. What the hell? This was not the angle I’d thought he’d take. I doubted this was what Owen had had in mind when he contacted him. I stared at the screen of my phone, trying to plan my next steps. Call Ryker? Danielle? Had they already seen it?