“Oh, no, you’re not getting away from me that easily.” He walks backward until we’re standing at the doorway to his room. He tugs me into the room, and I fall into him with a joyful laugh.
CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE
Ember
“One more time.” Amelia’s voice is insistent. “Please?”
How can I say no to that face?
“Last time.” I hum the tune before singing the words. “You are my sunshine. My only sunshine…”As I sing, I watch Amelia’s eyes slowly drift closed until she’s fast asleep. Pressing my lips to the top of her head, I retreat quietly from her room.
Taking my iPad, I head downstairs and curl up on the oversized chair near the window. I relax, sinking into the chair, a blanket pulled over my lap as I wait for Ryder to return home.
Amelia’s birthday was a huge turning point for us. What kind, I’m not sure. Definitions and words have been left unspoken since that day, but actions—actions speak louder than words.
He kisses me goodbye each morning and hugs me tightly when he gets home. Gone are the days of simple waves or me retreating to my room when he gets home. I love every moment. I’m also falling in love with him. It’s a different feeling than I felt for Devlin. It’s so much more, so much stronger. Ryder makes me feel safe, loved, and whole, whereas Devlin tore me down, then tore me apart.
I’ve never felt anything like this before.
My mind drifts to our encounter this morning. His towel-clad body, me in my robe. The nearness. The kiss. The laughter when Amelia stormed in. I brush my fingers against my lips, still able to feel him there.
There’s a rustling outside the window, a sound I’ve never heard before. Pushing the curtain aside, I peek outside, looking for an animal that might be rustling around in the bushes, but I don’t find anything.
Convincing myself that I’m just being paranoid, I dive back into my book. Slightly on edge, I continue to glance out the window to look for the culprit of the sound.
Bang.
The sound comes from the opposite side of the house. Now I’m concerned. I toss my iPad to the side and run to check the alarm. The house is alarmed, the front door is locked, but when I make my way into the kitchen, the back porch motion light is on. Someone or something is back there.
“It’s probably just an animal,” I repeat, but despite the very obvious explanation, I’m left with an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.
The sound of banging on the front door causes me to scream. My breaths become shallow, panic filling me. Making my way to the front door, I glance out the window off to the side, the one next to the chair where I had been sitting a moment ago.
A dark shadowy figure greets me. I stare at it, then back to the front door as I slide the phone out of my back pocket. The figure doesn’t seem startled by my movement. My finger moves over the screen pulling up Ryder’s number.
“Hey, baby.” Ryder’s voice is smooth and easy. The strength in it gives me a sense of security. With him, I’m safe.
“There’s someone outside,” I whisper into the phone.
“What do you mean there’s someone outside?”
The figure moves slightly as another knock hits the door.
“There’s someone by the window, and someone knocking on the door, and…”
“Don’t move. Don’t answer anything, okay? Just stay on the phone with me. Everything’s going to be okay.”
I squint, trying to make out the figure in the window, but it’s no use.
“Ember, honey, you still there?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Where’s Amelia?”
“In her room. Asleep.”
Another loud bang sounds, this time from the back door. The sound is loud enough, Ryder can hear it through the phone, followed by my scream. I hear him curse before returning to his calm voice.