Just One Kiss (Very Irresistible Bachelors Book 2)

by Layla Hagen

  “Ah, my dear girl. You honestly thought I never counted the muffins?”

  I laughed and took out a muffin, biting into it before it had a chance to cool down.

  Holy shit, what had I been thinking?

  “Heavens, girl, no need to burn your tongue.” Mom handed me a glass of iced tea. I gulped it down as quickly as possible, but the damage was already done. I wouldn’t taste much for the next few days. It was only then that I realized Mom was watching me intently. She hadn’t asked many questions after our conversation on the plane. I’d thought she wanted to give me a chance to get a good night sleep, but she’s been suspiciously quiet this morning. In retrospect, that should have clued me in that something was awry. Mom’s credo was that it was her prerogative to question her daughter as she saw fit—so she could dish advice, whether I wanted it or not.

  “Have a seat,” Mom instructed, in the exact tone of voice that usually preceded one of our “serious” talks. I climbed back on one of the orange chairs.

  “You shouldn’t stay locked up in the house all morning. You need to go out, enjoy the sun a bit,” she said as she arranged the muffins on a plate.

  “I’m not sure what I need. To relax a little, I think. I can’t stop thinking about all the things I need to do back in New York... like pack up the apartment.”

  “What’s Ryker got to say on the topic?”

  “I don’t know. We haven’t had a chance to talk about it.” I’d emailed my landlord this morning, asking for an extension, and received a no within minutes.

  “Listen, Heather, I’m so proud of you, you know. I don’t say it very often, and I’m sorry for that. That was how I was raised, but I should tell you more often than I do. You’re a dreamer, and a fighter, and I couldn’t be more proud of you. You didn’t have it easy, but you fought tooth and nail to make New York your home, to give that little girl everything she needs.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “I heard what you said last night. You can’t protect Avery from getting upset now and then. You have nothing to be guilty about. You deserve to be happy, Heather. You and Avery. And Ryker is making both of you happy—I’ve never seen you two like this. And he wants to be there for you through everything.”

  I chuckled. “That sounds like something he would say.”

  Mom averted her gaze.

  “Wait a second... that sounds exactly like something Ryker would say. Mom..., have you talked to him?”

  She didn’t answer. My ass slid so close to the edge of the chair that I nearly fell off.

  “Mom?” I urged.

  “Well, I’m not supposed to tell you anything about it.”

  “Mom!” I repeated, tone stronger this time. “Tell me everything. When did you talk to him? What did he say?”

  “He called me last night.”

  “What? How did he even have your number?”

  “Asked for it on Facebook.”

  “What did he want?” My heart rate was out of control. I placed a hand on my chest, as if that could help calm down my pulse.

  “I can’t say.”

  “Mom!”

  “Stop Mom-ing me. I won’t tell you anything, except that he was very charming.”

  I chuckled, dropped my chin to my chest. “Of course, he was.” Then I decided to try another angle. “Why did he call you and not me?”

  “Because he needed to know—” Mom stopped midsentence, narrowing her eyes. “Heather! This is foul play.”

  I held up my hands in defense. “I had to try.”

  I climbed down from the chair, suddenly feeling jittery and so pumped up with energy that I could run a marathon. I felt as if the walls of the house were closing in on me.

  “I’m going for a swim in the pool,” I announced. Swimming was even better than running when it came to calming myself down. The community had built a residential pool two decades ago. It had been the highlight back then.

  “Oh, now you’re going to leave me? Just when I’m about to start cooking lunch?”

  “Would you rather I stay and help you?”

  Mom waved her hand dismissively and teased me. “Go, go. You’re not needed here. Are you going to stay at the pool the entire time?”

  “Probably. Why?”

  “So I know where to find you if I do need you. Your dad and I will take Avery and Jill to the fair as soon as she wakes up, so we might not be home when you come back.”

  Jill was Avery’s best friend in Phoenix.

  “Okay.” I took another muffin from the plate Mom had carefully arranged.

  “Hey!” Mom admonished.

  “What? I deserve this for having to live knowing that you’ve been having conversations behind my back.”

  Mom laughed. “Fair enough.”

  “Are you sure you can’t tell me anything?” I asked, gripping the muffin so tightly that the base disintegrated between my fingers.

  “No.”

  “Not even a hint?”

  Mom shook her head. I stole yet another muffin. “You know what? I don’t think I’ll need lunch after all.”

  “That is not a healthy meal, young lady.”

  “Oh, I know. But it’s food for the soul, you know? Especially when you discover that your own blood is up to no good.”

  Mom didn’t have any comeback. After finding a bikini in my room, I darted out of the house.

  The heat in Arizona was so different compared to New York. I’d gotten so used to the humidity permeating the air in the summer months, it was shocking how dry it was out here. It was almost as if I could feel the dust particles from the scorched earth whirling in the air.

  I walked lazily toward the pool, soaking in the sun. Why had Ryker called Mom? She’d called him charming, so it had to be good, right?

  My heart felt lighter with every step. I hadn’t even realized it had felt heavy as a stone until now.

  ***

  Ryker

  I flew into Phoenix early the next morning, then took a cab to Heather’s parents’ hometown. The driver had no problems finding the address Mrs. Prescott had given me. I got out of the car in front of a white house with a bright green roof and a generous front porch. The door opened just as I reached the landing.

  Mrs. Prescott came out, smiling at me.

  “I see you found the house easily,” she said.

  “Yes, ma’am. Nice to see you again.” We shook hands just as a man I assumed was Mr. Prescott joined us.

  “I’m Ryker, sir. Nice to meet you.” I shook his hand firmly.

  “Son, you just missed Heather. She went to the pool.”

  “I’ll just meet her there, then.”

  “Nonsense. Come in and have a drink first. You must be tired,” Mrs. Prescott said.

  She was right. I was tired, but not because of the journey. I’d been up with my siblings until late. Then I headed home, packed a small bag, slept a few hours, and after I got up and showered, I went straight to the airport. I called in sick at work.

  Following the Prescotts inside, I dropped my luggage next to the entrance and then went into the kitchen.

  I took the glass of lemonade Mrs. Prescott handed me, gulping it down. I didn’t want to sit, though. I wanted to see Heather, but first I wanted to talk to them both about their daughter and Avery before doing anything else.

  “Is Avery with Heather at the pool?” I asked.

  “No, actually Avery just woke up. She’s in the back yard,” Mr. Prescott said. “We’re going to pick up a friend of hers and then go to the fair.”

  “I’d like to talk to her before, if there’s time.”

  “Sure,” Mr. Prescott said. “We weren’t planning on leaving for another fifteen minutes or so. Come on, I’ll take you to her.”

  He led me to the back of the house, out the door where we stepped onto another large porch that spilled into a huge yard, with a doghouse on the side. Three golden retriever puppies were poking their heads out, looking at Avery.

  Avery was sitting on the steps
of the porch, sorting out straws.

  “Hey, Avery. Look who’s here,” Mr. Prescott said.

  “Ryker!” Her eyes were wide and probing. She also gave me a smile, but it was small and tentative, as if she wasn’t sure she should smile. Damn it!

  “Avery, Ryker wants to talk to you.”

  “Okay. You don’t have to stay, Pops, I’m a big girl,” Avery replied, gathering her straws closer to her.

  Mr. Prescott opened his mouth, closed it again. He gave me an encouraging look before going back in the house.

  “Can I sit next to you?” I asked Avery.

  She nodded, shifting a little to make space for me. The second I sat down, she asked, “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to talk to you and your mom.”

  She looked down at her hands, playing with her thumbs. One of the puppies came running out of the doghouse, straight into Avery’s lap.

  “But why? You didn’t want to see us at the office.”

  “I couldn’t, Avery. I was in a meeting. I’m sorry I forgot you and your mom were coming for lunch.”

  “But that man said that you don’t have time for children.” She hugged the tiny furball tightly to her.

  Her voice was wobbly, and it fucking slayed me.

  “He was wrong.”

  She glanced up at me warily. “But it has to be true. He’s an adult. Adults always know best.”

  “Well, some adults think they know everything and like to speak even if they don’t know all the facts. Owen didn’t know how much I love you and your mom.”

  Avery’s mouth formed an O. “You love us?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.”

  She still didn’t look convinced. “But then why didn’t that man know?”

  “I hadn’t told him. But everyone else knows. My whole family, even your grandparents.”

  That seemed to win her over, because her little face lit up with a smile that rivaled the one she gave me when we went shopping at Bergdorf.

  “So you still like us?” she asked, as if it was just a normal fact to check.

  “Yes, I do. I always will. I promise.”

  Before they came into my life, I would’ve stayed at the office to make sure I was on top of the situation at hand, but last night, I hadn’t even hesitated to book my ticket. I’d never give Avery or Heather even the slightest reason to doubt that they meant everything to me. For as long as I lived, I’d take care of them.

  Avery laid the puppy on her shoulder, not minding that it was licking all over her ear. She had something on her mind.

  “Is there something you want to tell me, Avery? You can ask me anything.”

  She glanced up at me for a beat before pulling the puppy to her chest. What was going on?

  “Do you want to be my dad?” she whispered.

  I gripped the edge of the step I was sitting on tight. “Yes, I f—do.” I’d almost said fucking do. Jesus. “Yes. But you didn’t want that before. Are you sure?”

  She looked up, nodding energetically. “Yes. You buy me everything I want, and you love us. I think you will be a good dad.”

  “I promise I will.”

  She got up from the stairs and threw one little arm around me, holding the puppy in the other one. Laughing, I rose to my feet, hoisting them both up. She trusted me enough to tell me her fears. She wanted me to be her dad. I couldn’t wrap my mind around that yet.

  “I’m going to tell Mom you’re here,” she said.

  “Actually, I’d like to talk to her first. And when she asks about what we talked about, maybe don’t tell her everything.”

  “Why?” she asked suspiciously.

  “I have a few surprises for her.”

  Avery frowned for a split second, but then her expression lit up and she bounced up and down in my arms.

  “Can we take her with us to New York?” she asked, pointing her chin to the golden retriever. Remembering what Heather said about Mrs. Prescott bribing her with animals to come here, I put two and two together. She wanted a dog to keep quiet? Talk about being an excellent negotiator.

  “Sure, we can see what your mom thinks about it too,” I said. Avery frowned again, putting the puppy down on the porch. I wondered if she was reconsidering her decision about me being her dad.

  “Ready to go to the fair? Jill is already waiting for us,” Mrs. Prescott told Avery the second we returned inside the house.

  “Yes.” Avery climbed down from my arms, heading to her grandparents. “I want to tell Mom that Ryker is here, but he says he wants to do it.”

  The corner of Mr. Prescott’s mouth tugged upward. His wife chuckled.

  “I think that’s a great idea,” Mrs. Prescott said. “Ryker, see you and Heather later. Keys to the house are on the kitchen counter.” Then she added with a wink, “We’ll be gone for about two hours.”

  They headed to the front door, explaining to Avery in hushed voices why it was a good thing for me to talk to Heather alone.

  I waited until they left before heading out to find my woman.

  Chapter Thirty

  Heather

  The pool was exactly as I remembered it, only it wasn’t as popular as in my childhood. A newer pool with a slide had been built downtown. As a result, this one was empty.

  I removed my cutoff shorts and tank top. I laid them on one of lounge chairs before entering the water.

  I swam energetically, bringing one arm in front of the other as fast as possible. I was out of practice though. I turned on my back, moving at a slower pace. I’d always been able to just half float, half swim like this for hours.

  Being in the pool brought back memories of long, lazy summers, where my biggest worries were whether the town’s only movie theater would run the newest movie early enough that I could return home before my curfew. But then thoughts of Ryker entered my mind, and I became jittery again. Holy shit! Why had he called Mom?

  Right... change of plans. Swimming wasn’t helping. If anything, I was even more worked up than before. I needed to know what they’d talked about and was determined to find out no matter what. Mom was even more stubborn than I was when she wanted to be, but I just had to be more creative, that was all.

  Goose bumps broke out on my skin as I got out of the pool. I headed to the lounge chair where I’d put my clothes.

  Wait a second, where were they?

  I could have sworn I’d placed them here. I inspected the tiles around the chair... maybe a gust of strong wind blew them away. No such luck, there was barely any wind today. But my clothes were nowhere to be found. Had someone stolen them? Impossible. I mean, as a kid we’d played this prank on each other from time to time, but there were no thieves around here. Or, well, shit. Maybe there were. And I was supposed to walk like this to Mom’s house? I groaned. My ass was hanging out. My boobs were practically on display through the soaked bikini bra.

  A low chuckle sounded behind me. A bolt of heat danced along my nerve endings, because it was very familiar. Ryker was here? I turned around slowly, heart beating at a million miles an hour. He stood there, in the flesh, gaze trained on me... and holding my shorts and top.

  “Oh my God,” I exclaimed. “You’re here. When did you fly in?”

  I didn’t give the man a chance to speak though, because I practically jumped his bones. I nearly slid on the wet tiles in my haste to get to him. Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, I soaked my clothes and Ryker’s shirt. I stepped back, blushing. “I can’t believe you’re here. When did you arrive?”

  “Just now.” Ryker smiled widely, looking me up and down slowly. I felt as if I was wearing absolutely nothing.

  “I should probably get dressed,” I murmured.

  “I disagree.”

  “Ryker!”

  “If you insist....”

  “I do.”

  He stepped closer, handing me the clothes. I tried to ignore the current of awareness that jolted through me when our fingertips to
uched. He’d only been here for a few seconds, and yet I was already overwhelmed by the intense feeling of longing.

  “Where’s your towel?” Ryker asked.

  “Don’t have one.”

  “You’re just going to put clothes on over your wet bikini? You’ll get sick.”

  “I’ve done this my whole childhood, no worries.” I quickly dressed while asking him, “How did you know the address?”

  “I spoke to your mom.”

  “Ah, so that’s what you called her for.”

  “Yes... among other things.”

  “What things?”

  Ryker shook his head. “Can’t tell you yet.”

  My jaw dropped. “What do you mean? Of course you can.”

  “I will,” he assured me. “Just not yet.”

  I laughed nervously, feeling completely off-kilter. What did that mean?

  He took another step toward me, until there were just a few inches between us. Oh, why did he do that? I could barely think when he was this close. I could put some distance between us, of course, but I just didn’t want to. He’d called Mom and had flown over half the country just to see me. No one has ever done something like that for me, and I almost couldn’t believe he did, but then here he was. Ryker beamed widely, cupping my face with both hands, and his warmth spread through me. I loved his touch, just having him here with me.

  “I love you, Heather.”

  “I can’t believe you’re actually here,” I repeated for what felt like the millionth time. But I really couldn’t believe it. It was so romantic.

  “Of course I’m here. Came to take care of my girls.”

  “Oh my God, I just realized today is Friday. What are you doing here? How could you take time off with everything going on?”

  “You and Avery are here. Everything else is just background noise. Of course I came.”

  Oh, wow.

  “How did Owen react to you taking today off?”

  “Don’t particularly care what he thinks. Owen is an ass. He doesn’t have any right to an opinion about my personal life, and I told him that. I’m so sorry Avery heard Owen’s bullshit.”

  “I felt so guilty when Avery got upset,” I whispered.

  “Don’t. You have no reason to feel guilty.” Tilting his head, he added, “I spoke to her.”