Kiss of Fire (Imdalind, #1)(45)

I didn’t have to lie. I didn’t have to hide. My mom listened and laughed and sighed in all the right places. And when my toenails and fingernails were painted a shocking shade of pink and hers a bright yellow, we both began to cry as I thanked her for giving me such a wonderful, entertaining life and for letting me be who I wanted to be. It was a little bit of an odd thing to say, but it felt right, and so I didn’t hold back.

Before I knew it, I had texted Ry to announce my arrival, and I sat in the car, waiting for him to make it out of the kitchen door in front of us. I couldn’t back out now; the time with Ryland had come—the time I had been half-dreading and half-anticipating. Now, with my mother’s blessing, I needed only anticipate. I didn’t even care about Edmund and his opinion. There was only one thing for me to work out: was it worth risking a relationship in the possibility of finding true love? As he stepped out of the kitchen door, dark curls hanging low on his smiling face, my answer was clear. Yes. Yes, it was.





Fourteen


Ryland stepped away from the kitchen door and right to the passenger side door. He opened it, letting the evening air and the fragrance of the rose bushes waft into the car. He leaned right in, his body hovering close to mine, so he could talk to my mom.

“Thanks for driving her here, Mrs. D.”

“No problem, Ryland. Just make sure to have her home by midnight.”

“You have my word. Home by midnight. Not harmed, scratched, or beaten. Perfect condition only.” He held his hand up in the Boy Scout salute like he was making a vow to her then moved his head further in, stopping my progress out of the car.

“Oh, and, Mrs. Despain, thanks for everything.” Ryland leaned even further into the car and pulled my mom to him, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Her eyes grew wide before she registered what was happening and returned the hug.

This little moment brought a small, sad smile to my face. I had never met Ryland’s mother, and we never talked about her. I had asked him about her once, a year or so after we had met. He had looked at me with this terrified face, threatening tears, so I had changed the subject. Even as we grew older it was something that we never discussed; so, to see him wrap his arms around a mother figure was heart-wrenching.

“Midnight,” he repeated before moving out of the car and helping me out.

We both waved good-bye to my mom as she drove off, all of us with big, happy grins plastered to our faces. We watched the taillights disappear before we moved. Ryland grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers before leading me into the kitchen.

Dinner service had just gotten underway, so the kitchen was a crazed mess of activity. Even though Edmund would be dining alone tonight, he still demanded a full service be presented. Chantal, the cook who swung shifts with my mom, was calling out orders to the hassled staff who barely noticed our trek through the kitchen. We moved through the usual corridors and stairways, but when we were about to burst into the main hall that led to Ryland’s room, Ryland stopped and pulled me behind him.

“I need you to do something for me,” Ryland began, a mischievous smirk playing around the corners of his lips.

“Okay,” I hesitated, curious.

“I need you to climb on my back.”

“What?”

“Please, Jos. Timothy has been stalking this hall tonight, and I can move quicker if I carry you.”

I nodded at him. Odd request, but, whatever. I moved behind him and placed my hands on his shoulders, unsure as to what to do next.

“Jump,” Ryland prompted; so I did, my legs wrapping around his waist.

He moved my legs up a bit, wrapping my body even closer to his. His hands gripped my thighs as he ran down the hall. The door to his room opened the second we got there and closed behind us as Ryland shoved it shut with his foot. I moved to get down, but Ryland held my knees tighter.

“Wait.”

I didn’t move. My body stayed frozen on his back, waiting for something to happen, some sign that I could get down. His body tensed for just a moment before relaxing and releasing me. I found my feet, almost falling sideways into the large chaise lounge that sat by his door.

“You okay?” his voice strained as he fought a laugh.

“Yes. What was with that, Ry? You’re acting like we’re conducting espionage.”

“Sometimes I feel like I am.”

“Ryland LaRue, double O 4, Super Secret Agent.” I put my hands in a gun shape and aimed around his room until I landed my sights on him, only to find him smiling before he turned around.

I could see his intentions, and I was in trouble. I turned and ran toward the closet where the Nerf guns were hidden behind his shoes. I only hoped I was faster than he was. I took a flying leap, dive-bombing into the shopping mall of a closet. I crawled on my belly to the Converse section and threw them to the side to find... nothing.

“What!” I yelled.

A monotonous chuckle sounded right behind me.

I flipped around, backing myself away from Ryland’s large figure as he towered over me. It was no use; I had only moved three feet before his big hand wrapped around my ankle, pulling me out of the closet. The carpet rubbed against my back, grabbing my shirt and pulling it up to my bra-line. I tried to move it down, while desperately trying to keep my mark hidden. Why, of all days, did I not cover it with a Band-Aid?

Ryland had already dragged me back into the sitting area. His long legs straddled me as he looked down, his bright, blue eyes blazing.