handful of papers into her drawer. Blake took a step to the side, and Ryder leaned in the same direction, his hand resting high on the doorjamb. Despite his territorial stance, he looked remarkably relaxed.
Blake shifted to the left and made eye contact with Liese over Ryder’s shoulder. “Are you feeling okay? You seem—” He paused, his eyes traveling over her face.
She could think of two words to describe herself currently: terrified and unfulfilled .
Ryder let his arm fall as he turned, amusement evident in the tilt of his head. “Are you not well, Annaliese?”
Liese touched the back of her shaking hand to her cheek. “I’m a little warm, but I’m sure I’m fine.” She forced a reassuring smile.
“You should have told me you were ill. We could have rescheduled our meeting for another time.” Ryder faked concern.
“It’s fine, really. Once we’re finished I’ll go right home and crawl into bed.” It wasn’t until after the words were out that she realized the loaded context.
Ryder’s eyes widened, and Blake blinked. Liese rearranged a stack of Post-its.
Blake hesitated, but when the silence grew uncomfortable, he had no choice but to leave. “Oh, okay. Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
“Sorry I missed rehearsal, Blake. I’ll be at the next one,” Liese assured him.
“Have a nice evening.” Ryder continued to smile, but his tone revealed his impatience.
“Sure,” Blake replied as he eyed them one last time. “See you tomorrow.”
Neither Liese nor Ryder uttered a sound until the main door to the library clicked shut. Only when Ryder had verified that Blake was indeed gone did he truly relax. “I thought I locked that damn door.” He fingered the keys in his pocket, making them jingle.
It had been too close a call. That could never happen again. None of this should ever have happened in the first place. It would be damaging enough if they tried to pursue a relationship, but to get caught going at it on her desk was unconscionable.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think he’d actually come looking for me,” she offered.
Ryder moved swiftly and his hands came down on the arms of her chair, trapping her. A flash of something primal glinted in his eye as he leaned in close. “Is there something going on between the two of you I should know about?” His tone was low, controlled, and almost seductive despite the rage beneath the surface.
“Of course not.” Liese didn’t try to hide her offense; she flattened her palms against his chest, intending to push him away. Ryder caught her wrists in one hand and pulled her out of the chair. His other arm wrapped around her waist to hold her against him again. The charge between them sparked like tripped wire. And just like that, she forgot they’d almost been caught.
Satin-soft lips brushed over her throat, and his tongue swept out to taste her skin—an apology without words. “I don’t like how interested he is in you.” Releasing her hands, his fingertips moved over her cheek, and he pressed a soft kiss against the hollow beneath her ear.
“He’s just a friend.”
“Does he know that?”
“He’s not interested, and neither am I.” Liese felt a strange compulsion to reassure Ryder.
“You’re sure about that?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Why?”
“I can’t stand the way he is with you. It makes me want to do unreasonable, violent things to him.” His hand traveled gently down her side and back up, the touch a contrast to his hostile declaration. It was kind of a turn-on. Although almost everything about Ryder seemed to get her hot.
“There’s nothing going on,” Liese whispered.
“Maybe he’s having trouble accepting that.” His knuckles traced along the column of her neck and over her collarbone. Ryder followed the action with his mouth, lips parted, tongue warm and silky on her skin. She stifled a moan as he nipped at the same spot with his teeth. The shock of pain gave way to a burst of
Blake shifted to the left and made eye contact with Liese over Ryder’s shoulder. “Are you feeling okay? You seem—” He paused, his eyes traveling over her face.
She could think of two words to describe herself currently: terrified and unfulfilled .
Ryder let his arm fall as he turned, amusement evident in the tilt of his head. “Are you not well, Annaliese?”
Liese touched the back of her shaking hand to her cheek. “I’m a little warm, but I’m sure I’m fine.” She forced a reassuring smile.
“You should have told me you were ill. We could have rescheduled our meeting for another time.” Ryder faked concern.
“It’s fine, really. Once we’re finished I’ll go right home and crawl into bed.” It wasn’t until after the words were out that she realized the loaded context.
Ryder’s eyes widened, and Blake blinked. Liese rearranged a stack of Post-its.
Blake hesitated, but when the silence grew uncomfortable, he had no choice but to leave. “Oh, okay. Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
“Sorry I missed rehearsal, Blake. I’ll be at the next one,” Liese assured him.
“Have a nice evening.” Ryder continued to smile, but his tone revealed his impatience.
“Sure,” Blake replied as he eyed them one last time. “See you tomorrow.”
Neither Liese nor Ryder uttered a sound until the main door to the library clicked shut. Only when Ryder had verified that Blake was indeed gone did he truly relax. “I thought I locked that damn door.” He fingered the keys in his pocket, making them jingle.
It had been too close a call. That could never happen again. None of this should ever have happened in the first place. It would be damaging enough if they tried to pursue a relationship, but to get caught going at it on her desk was unconscionable.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think he’d actually come looking for me,” she offered.
Ryder moved swiftly and his hands came down on the arms of her chair, trapping her. A flash of something primal glinted in his eye as he leaned in close. “Is there something going on between the two of you I should know about?” His tone was low, controlled, and almost seductive despite the rage beneath the surface.
“Of course not.” Liese didn’t try to hide her offense; she flattened her palms against his chest, intending to push him away. Ryder caught her wrists in one hand and pulled her out of the chair. His other arm wrapped around her waist to hold her against him again. The charge between them sparked like tripped wire. And just like that, she forgot they’d almost been caught.
Satin-soft lips brushed over her throat, and his tongue swept out to taste her skin—an apology without words. “I don’t like how interested he is in you.” Releasing her hands, his fingertips moved over her cheek, and he pressed a soft kiss against the hollow beneath her ear.
“He’s just a friend.”
“Does he know that?”
“He’s not interested, and neither am I.” Liese felt a strange compulsion to reassure Ryder.
“You’re sure about that?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Why?”
“I can’t stand the way he is with you. It makes me want to do unreasonable, violent things to him.” His hand traveled gently down her side and back up, the touch a contrast to his hostile declaration. It was kind of a turn-on. Although almost everything about Ryder seemed to get her hot.
“There’s nothing going on,” Liese whispered.
“Maybe he’s having trouble accepting that.” His knuckles traced along the column of her neck and over her collarbone. Ryder followed the action with his mouth, lips parted, tongue warm and silky on her skin. She stifled a moan as he nipped at the same spot with his teeth. The shock of pain gave way to a burst of
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