Ryder (Resisting Love #2.5)(5)

“Wanna play?” he asks, gesturing at my guitar. His eyes light up animatedly.

“Okay, but only if you sing,” I tell him.

“You drive a hard bargain, queen of hearts,” he says, chuckling, as he picks my guitar up.

“Queen of hearts?”

“Your new nickname,” he says proudly.

“How the hell did I get that nickname?” I ask, confused.

“It’s a secret,” Ryder mock whispers, passing me the guitar.

“Can you play any Three Doors Down?” Ryder asks.

“Yeah, how about ‘Here Without You?’” I offer. It’s one of my favourites.

“Perfect!” he beams.

I start strumming my guitar, and almost melt when he sings the first few lines. His voice is perfection; deep and soulful, husky. It gives me goose bumps. After we finish the song, Ryder looks at me, his brows drawn.

“You are f*cking amazing on that thing!” he finally says.

“Thanks,” I say, blushing. “But I’m not so great compared to you.”

He smiles, dropping his gaze. “What kind of music do you like?” he asks, directing the subject away from his talent.

“A bit of everything really, but mainly R&B,” I tell him honestly. He actually cringes, causing me to laugh.

“R&B, really? I think I need to educate you a little while you're staying here.” I roll my eyes. “One more song?” he asks. I nod, starting to play the intro of a Mario song.

“Not an R&B song though,” he clarifies quickly. I laugh.

“Okay how about Incubus 'Love hurts'?” I ask. Ryder looks impressed.

“Good choice, that one I can do,” he says, his lip curling up.

And that’s how I spent my evening. Talking, playing music, and letting Ryder’s beautiful voice take over me. Around eleven I yawn.

“Tired?” Ryder asks gently.

“Just a little,” I say, yawning again.

“Come on, let’s get you in bed,” he says. I squeal in surprise when he lifts me up into his arms like a baby and carries me onto the bed.

“This is unnecessary,” I say dryly, though my body reacts to being so close to his. I’m sure my pulse is racing.

“I had fun tonight, Lexi.”

“I did, too” I say honestly.

“You’re seriously talented, you know that, right?” he tells me in a soft voice, his eyes locked with mine.

“Coming from you, that’s a huge compliment,” I respond, looking away from his intense stare.

“A humble musician, never thought I'd see the day,” Ryder muses out loud. I scrunch my nose up and give him a little smile.

“And you’re seriously f*cking cute,” he adds. I don’t know what to say to that, so I don’t respond. He pulls the blanket up and over me, tucking me in. When he brushes away a lock of hair that has fallen on my face, I hold my breath. He runs his finger slowly along my jaw, before we wish each other good night and he turns to leave my room. I notice him hesitating at the door for just a second, before finally walking out.

*****

“Walk of shame, Tee, really?” I hear Ryder’s deep voice the next morning.

Tee sighs. “Ry, I love you, I really do. But I’m twenty four, you know. I’m not a kid anymore.”

“I know that, trust me, but can you at least pretend while you’re here? I live in an alternate universe where none of my baby cousins have sex, and my universe is f*cking amazing. Ignorance is bliss and all that,” Ryder says in a dry tone.

Tee laughs. “Okay, for you, I can definitely do that. But just to ease your mind, I didn’t have sex last night. What did you get up to? You didn’t scare Lexi off, did you?”

I choose that moment to walk out of the room in my pajamas, silk black pants and a black tank top with pink skulls all over it.

“I think it might be the other way around,” I joke.

Ryder shakes his head. “Actually, we had fun.”

“Really?” Tee asks, eyes darting from Ryder to me and back again in suspicion.

“How was your date, Tee?” I ask her, changing the subject.

“What date? I don’t date!” she says with mock indignation, shooting Ryder an amused glance.

“That’s my girl,” he says approvingly, giving Tee a kiss on her temple. I love to watch them interact. I never really had any of this, a large loving family. It was only me and my mother, not that she wasn’t wonderful, because she was. It was just the two of us against the world. We didn’t have a huge support system like Tee does.

“Should we get ready and head off to look at the apartments?” I ask Tee.

She groans. “Yeah, let’s get this over with. I’m going to see Layla tonight and finally meet my future brother in law and my nephew. Are you coming with me?”

“You don’t think that will be weird?” I ask her.

“What? No. My sister is awesome! You'll love her,” Tee assures me. I nod reluctantly, still feeling like I’d be intruding.

“Wonderful!” Tee beams. “Okay, I’m gonna jump in the shower.”

Ryder and I both watch her saunter to the bathroom.

“Coffee?” he asks me when Tee is out of sight.