she finally gave up. Either Kelly had instructed him not to have anything to do with her or Dan hadn’t forgiven her for leaving him behind.
The unresolved feelings she had for the man haunted her constantly. She tried to continue forward with Ryan, but everything felt different. She still loved Rye, but Jenny realized that she had never been in love with him.
She was completely and utterly in love with Dan. Just thinking about him gave her butterflies. She longed to hear his deep voice, to feel his warm caresses, to smell his musky scent. Everything about him was desirable and perfect. To be away from that, to be forced to live life without his presence was like a partial death. She knew she would never be whole again.
****
After another quiet dinner together, Ryan gave her a sympathetic look. “What’s wrong, Boo?”
She had been thinking of Dan and glanced at him, her cheeks burning red with guilt. “Nothing.”
“Don’t tell me nothing . I can see it in your eyes. You’re clearly suffering.”
“It’s not important.”
“I disagree. It’s important if it is causing you pain.”
Jenny sighed heavily, not able to look him in the eye when she answered. “You don’t want to hear my thoughts, trust me.”
He put his fork down. “Are you thinking of Dan?”
Tears came to her eyes when she whispered, “Yes.”
“I talked to him today,” Ryan announced as he got up from the table and cleared away the dishes. Jenny tried to hide her interest, but he saw right through her and added, “Yes, Dan seems to be as miserable as you are.”
“Oh,” she murmured, both happy and upset to hear that he was suffering as well.
“Kelly dumped him that day at the cabin. He’s been staying with a coworker while he tries to find a place, but you know how that is. Cheap apartments are impossible to come by in this city, especially on short notice.”
Jenny gazed intensely at Ryan, trying to read between the lines. Why was he telling her this? What was his hidden agenda? “I agree. Finding a place won’t be easy for him,” she responded guardedly.
He stared at her without speaking. It appeared he was trying to build the courage to say something important. She waited patiently while he scraped the plates, and then washed his hands before returning to the table. “Boo, you should know that I told Dan not to contact you.”
Jenny felt a surge of anger, immediately followed by a wave of guilt. Of course he had the right to do that. She’d cheated on him. Jenny would do no less if it were the other way around.
He continued, “I must admit, I appreciate the fact Dan has honored my request.” Jenny nodded her head, unsure what he expected her to say.
Ryan took her hand and held it in his. “I want you to be happy, Jen. I don’t like seeing you like this.” She was moved by the love expressed in his luminous green eyes. He was the opposite of Dan in his features. He had short dark brown curls, emeralds for eyes, and a lean build. There was no doubt that Ryan loved her and she still loved him—even if it wasn’t the “fireworks” kind of love she felt for Dan.
Ryan kissed the back of her hand tenderly and said, “Don’t give up on me yet.”
Jenny gave him a weak smile. “You have been so understanding, Rye. I don’t deserve it.”
“I would disagree,” he answered.
Why did Ryan have to be so sweet? It actually hurt her heart that he was being so kind.
“I love you, Jenny. More than you know.” He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips.
She went to bed that night thinking about Dan. Knowing that he wanted to be with her was pure torture. Still, Jenny couldn’t leave Ryan. The simple truth was that she loved him enough to keep trying.
Ryan’s Gift
Ryan shocked Jenny when he called her at work the next day and told her to meet him at the Oxford hotel at six. He was a self-professed workaholic. Late nights at the office were common, but leaving at a reasonable hour on a weekday was
The unresolved feelings she had for the man haunted her constantly. She tried to continue forward with Ryan, but everything felt different. She still loved Rye, but Jenny realized that she had never been in love with him.
She was completely and utterly in love with Dan. Just thinking about him gave her butterflies. She longed to hear his deep voice, to feel his warm caresses, to smell his musky scent. Everything about him was desirable and perfect. To be away from that, to be forced to live life without his presence was like a partial death. She knew she would never be whole again.
****
After another quiet dinner together, Ryan gave her a sympathetic look. “What’s wrong, Boo?”
She had been thinking of Dan and glanced at him, her cheeks burning red with guilt. “Nothing.”
“Don’t tell me nothing . I can see it in your eyes. You’re clearly suffering.”
“It’s not important.”
“I disagree. It’s important if it is causing you pain.”
Jenny sighed heavily, not able to look him in the eye when she answered. “You don’t want to hear my thoughts, trust me.”
He put his fork down. “Are you thinking of Dan?”
Tears came to her eyes when she whispered, “Yes.”
“I talked to him today,” Ryan announced as he got up from the table and cleared away the dishes. Jenny tried to hide her interest, but he saw right through her and added, “Yes, Dan seems to be as miserable as you are.”
“Oh,” she murmured, both happy and upset to hear that he was suffering as well.
“Kelly dumped him that day at the cabin. He’s been staying with a coworker while he tries to find a place, but you know how that is. Cheap apartments are impossible to come by in this city, especially on short notice.”
Jenny gazed intensely at Ryan, trying to read between the lines. Why was he telling her this? What was his hidden agenda? “I agree. Finding a place won’t be easy for him,” she responded guardedly.
He stared at her without speaking. It appeared he was trying to build the courage to say something important. She waited patiently while he scraped the plates, and then washed his hands before returning to the table. “Boo, you should know that I told Dan not to contact you.”
Jenny felt a surge of anger, immediately followed by a wave of guilt. Of course he had the right to do that. She’d cheated on him. Jenny would do no less if it were the other way around.
He continued, “I must admit, I appreciate the fact Dan has honored my request.” Jenny nodded her head, unsure what he expected her to say.
Ryan took her hand and held it in his. “I want you to be happy, Jen. I don’t like seeing you like this.” She was moved by the love expressed in his luminous green eyes. He was the opposite of Dan in his features. He had short dark brown curls, emeralds for eyes, and a lean build. There was no doubt that Ryan loved her and she still loved him—even if it wasn’t the “fireworks” kind of love she felt for Dan.
Ryan kissed the back of her hand tenderly and said, “Don’t give up on me yet.”
Jenny gave him a weak smile. “You have been so understanding, Rye. I don’t deserve it.”
“I would disagree,” he answered.
Why did Ryan have to be so sweet? It actually hurt her heart that he was being so kind.
“I love you, Jenny. More than you know.” He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips.
She went to bed that night thinking about Dan. Knowing that he wanted to be with her was pure torture. Still, Jenny couldn’t leave Ryan. The simple truth was that she loved him enough to keep trying.
Ryan’s Gift
Ryan shocked Jenny when he called her at work the next day and told her to meet him at the Oxford hotel at six. He was a self-professed workaholic. Late nights at the office were common, but leaving at a reasonable hour on a weekday was
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