Off Sides (Off #1)(19)

"I can help you, Danny. Pay for the expenses."

Her eyes snap to mine and I see a brief moment of fear in them. And then it slips away and she gives me a genuine smile. "No, you can't. This is something I have to do. But you have totally melted my heart that you offered."

I try to give her a smile but it fails. I don't want her to have to do this on her own. I want to help...to protect her...to bring her joy. And why am I feeling this way? I barely know this girl and yet...I feel closer to her than I ever felt to Angeline in the two years we dated.

I get up from my stool and walk over to her. Her eyes are wide as I put one hand behind her head to cup it. Her eyes are more green today than hazel and I hold them. "I didn't make that offer lightly, Danny. I have an incredible trust fund at my disposal and if you need the help, I'll give it. Even if you want to call it a loan. With that said, I understand if you need to do it on your own, too."

Danny reaches up with her hand and runs her finger tips over my bottom lip. It is a surprisingly sweet gesture but still has the power to practically bring me to my knees.

"Thank you for understanding", she says.

And then she replaces her fingertips with her mouth.





CHAPTER 8


Danny



I'm falling and I'm falling hard. I'm at work right now and I'm just counting down the minutes until I see Ryan. He's going to come by here when I get off and then we are going over to my apartment to hang. Which loosely means to make out.

That makes me smile. And feel flushed. The attraction I'm feeling for Ryan is unbelievably insane. He only has to look at me in a certain way and I'm ready to shed all my clothes.

We hung out in my apartment all day yesterday until he had to leave for an evening hockey practice. We spent some of the time talking, and we watched a movie. And the rest of the time we spent fooling around. It was awesome and it is frightening the speed with which I am becoming lost to this man.

I frown remembering our conversation when he offered to help me with mom's medical expenses. I had a brief moment of panic.

For just a moment, a fear so intense coursed through me that my stomach knotted up. His offer to help me was made without reservation, without expectation of something in return, and was made solely because he wanted to help me. It was the sweetest, kindest, most selfless thing anyone has done for me in a long time and that in and of itself scared the shit out of me.

There...I said it...I'm afraid of what Ryan Burnham can make me feel. I'm afraid because I barely survived the trauma of losing my mother and my music education all in one fell swoop. I've since that time purposely avoided things that could hurt me again. And let's face it...falling in love is a risky venture.

But I cannot ignore the fact that I feel very alive when I'm around Ryan. The barest trace of his fingertip across my skin makes me squirm. The timber of his voice can make my pulse flutter. He has come into my life for a reason and I've decided that I just can't turn my head if that bitch Karma wants to pay me a visit. I think I'm due for a measure of happiness. I just hope Ryan is that measure.

"Hey, gorgeous."

I spin around and my mouth instantly waters. Ryan is standing there wearing a pair of dark jeans that hang low on his hips. He has on a charcoal gray, long sleeved Henley. His hair is artfully unkempt and I want to run my hands through it.

"Hi, back at ya."

"You about ready?"

I nod and take off my apron. I step from behind the counter and all of a sudden, I'm shy. I look down at the floor but then he's tilting my chin up with his forefinger. When I meet his eyes, he swoops down and gives me a sweet kiss. One of the customers at the counter hoots his approval and I pull back with a huge grin on my face.

As we drive the short distance to my apartment in Ryan's Range Rover, he holds my hand the entire time. Before he pulls over to park, he brings my hand to his mouth and gives it a kiss.

"My fraternity is throwing a party tomorrow and I was wondering if you would come with me? If you don't want to, we can do something else. But I'd really like you to come and meet some of my friends."

I squeeze his hand and grin at him. "Are you sure? This will be our first step out into public."

He shoots me a smirk. "Of course, I'm sure. I really want you to meet Mike and some of the other guys on the team. The non-* ones. But, I can't promise everyone will be nice. So are you ready for it?"

"Sure, why not. And besides...I have it on good authority if anyone speaks bad about me that my boyfriend will beat the shit out of them."

Ryan laughs as he pulls over into a parking space. Putting the car in park, he leans across the console and gives me a scorching kiss. He pulls away and I'm breathless.

"What was that for?"

"Because that was the first time you called me your boyfriend and it turned me on."

"Oh," I say as I rub my bottom lip that's still tingling from his assault. "Then let me just say...boyfriend, boyfriend, boyfriend!"

Ryan bursts out laughing and pulls my face to him. He resumes his kiss and I am aching and needy when he draws away again.

"Come on," he says opening the car door. "Let's go get something to eat."

***

I whip up an easy dinner of spaghetti and garlic bread. This is quite the splurge from Ramen noodles. Ryan insists on washing the dishes and I happily sit on the barstool watching him while he works.