Ride Or Remember

CHAPTER 24

RYDER

Liora enjoyed our dinner, and that is all that matters.

Dozens of missed calls and unanswered messages later, I pulled up in the garage, turned off the car and turned to Liora who is sleep beside me.

Her head had tilted slightly toward the window, her breathing slow and even. Her long lashes rested against her cheeks, so still she looked almost unreal.

I should have woken her up.

That was the sensible thing to do.

But I didn’t.

Instead, I unbuckled my seatbelt and shifted closer to her, careful not to make the seat move too much. I just wanted a better look at her face, that’s all…

Up close, she looked even more beautiful in a way that didn’t ask for attention. Her nose had that soft shape that made her look younger when she slept. Her lips, lightly parted had the faint curve of someone who smiled more than she let on.

I stared longer than I should have and that was even I noticed a thin strand of hair had fallen across her lashes.

Reaching out slowly, I brushed it away. The moment my fingers touched her face, her nose wrinkled slightly and before I could pull back fast enough, her eyes opened.

She blinked once… then again, slowly, like she was still deciding if she was really awake. Her gaze moved from my face… to my hand still frozen in the air beside her cheek.

I cleared my throat and pulled away quickly, dropping my hand like I had been caught doing something wrong.

“You had hair on your face,” I said, too fast.

She sat up straighter, glancing out through the windscreen, then back at me as if trying to place where she was.

“When did we get home?” she asked, voice thick with sleep.

I turned away a little, reaching for my phone just to have something to do with my hands. “Just now.”

Nodding, she opened the door and stepped out of the car.

I stayed back in my seat for a moment longer, my hand going to my waistband on instinct, adjusting myself slightly just to create more room for the growing bulge.

What is wrong with me?

I exhaled through my nose, annoyed at myself for getting aroused like some inexperienced kid, just because she had been asleep beside me…it made no sense.

Liora leaned forward slightly, peering at me through the windscreen, and that was enough to pull me back to reality. I cleared my throat and forced myself to move.

I opened the door and stepped out. “I have somewhere I need to be.”

Her lips parted into a small “O”. “Alright.”

I gestured toward the elevator with a slight tilt of my head. “You’ll have to go in without me.”

She hesitated for a second, then gave a small nod.

Already turning back toward my car, I felt her hand suddenly wrapping around mine.

“Ryder…”

The breathless tone of her voice sent blood rushing south. I took a deep breath before turning to her. “Yes?”

She looked up at me, eyes a little softer than before. “Thank you,” she whispered. “For the date.”

“Sure,” I gave a small nod, slowly slipping my hand free from hers, to shove them into my pockets, a desperate attempt to hide my growing d**k. “I did enjoy it too, so I guess it’s a win-win.”

Liora stared down at her heels, her shoulders stiffening slightly before she lifted her head and looked me straight in the eye. “Can I be bold and ask for one more thing?”

Shit.

Don’t look at me like that, Liora! You’re making it hard to think straight.

“Sure,” I answered anyway, not even sure what she was talking about.

My head is too f****d up to think straight at the moment.

She stepped closer and my eyes followed as she rose onto her tiptoes, suddenly closer than before, her gaze moving over my face.

“Don’t push me away… please,” she pleaded softly, her eyes dropping briefly to my lips.

I reacted, licking my lips out of instinct.

Her gaze flicked back up to mine, just for a second, before her eyes slowly closed.

And then she kissed me.

Soft. Careful. Hesitant, like she was afraid I would stop her at any second.

My entire body went still.

I didn’t move. Didn’t breathe properly.

My hand stayed curled tightly inside my pocket as shock held me in place.

I had imagined this moment more times than I wanted to admit during the night but reality felt completely different.

Her lips stayed on mine for a few seconds, gentle and unsure, like she was waiting for me to respond, to give her permission to continue.

But I didn’t.

Not because I didn’t want to, but because I was caught too off guard to do anything at all.

She finally pulled back reluctantly, her eyes avoiding mine immediately like she already regretted it.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered quickly. “I didn’t mean to_”

My hand shot out of my pocket and I pulled her close to me, my lips swallowing the gasps that left her lips.

Devouring her would be an understatement…

I sucked on her lower lips, tugging and coaxing her with my tongue to open up for me. My hand, plastered on her back pulled even more closer, the bulge on my pant brushing against the lower part of her dress.

She moan and I used that chance to penetrate her mouth, my tongue shoving in to explore her mouth. It rolled with hers, fighting and demanding for dominance.

Liora’s hand found its way to my hair and she tugged, pulling a groan out of me.

Out of the blue, my phone rang, the shrill of my ringtone causing her to jerk back. She cleared her throat, quickly fixing her hair.

Smirking, I wrapped a hand on her throat and pulled her closer, placing another kiss on her lips, while my other hand reached for my phone inside my pocket.

I pulled it out, blindly swiping the answer icon before pulling away from the kiss. “We’ll continue this inside,” I rasped, “let me take this.”

She grinned, nodded and sashayed towards the elevator.

I placed the phone to my ear. “Hello?”

“Why haven’t you been taking my calls?!” Logan's voice exploded through the phone the second I answered.

I pulled the phone away from my ear and grimaced.

“Why do you think?” I snapped back. “Because I was damn busy. Now tell me what's going on.”

“Kane got arrested.”

“What?”

“He got into some stupid fight,” Logan said flatly. “The cops aren't buying any of our explanations. They're insisting he spends the night in a cell.”

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose.

Of course.

Why the hell did Kane have to pick a fight tonight of all nights?

I glanced toward the elevator where Liora had disappeared only moments ago.

A curse slipped under my breath.

“I'm on my way,” I growled.

Without waiting for a reply, I ended the call.

For a second, I stood there staring at the elevator doors, knowing exactly what I was leaving behind.

Then duty won.

With a frustrated sigh, I headed back to my car, climbed in, and drove off into the night.

************************

By the time I finally got home, it was already two in the morning.

The bullshit had dragged on far longer than I wanted. Between dealing with Kane, arguing with officers, and sorting out the mess he'd created, I felt completely drained.

Every muscle in my body ached.

I climbed the stairs slowly, careful not to make any noise.

Like every night recently, my feet automatically carried me toward Liora's room. At some point, checking on her before going to bed had become a habit, one I wasn't interested in breaking.

Reaching her door, I pushed it open carefully, making sure not to make any noise.

The room was dark except for the faint glow of moonlight spilling through the curtains and her bedside lamp.

I stepped inside and quietly crossed the room.

Liora was fast asleep.

For a moment, I just stood there watching her.

Then, unexpectedly, a small smile appeared on her sleeping face.

My own lips twitched upward. “What’s so funny?” I whispered.

I placed my jacket on the nearby chair and bent slightly toward her.

A loose strand of hair had fallen across her cheek. Reaching out, I gently tucked it behind her ear.

“Are you dreaming about the date?” I murmured. “Or maybe you're dreaming about that kiss?”

The smile on her face widened slightly.

She mumbled something unintelligible under her breath.

I couldn't make out a single word, still the sleepy response made me chuckle.

Whatever she was dreaming about, she looked happy.

I reached down and pulled the duvet higher, making sure she was properly covered.

Just as I was about to straighten up and leave, she mumbled something again.

I frowned and leaned closer.

Then she spoke again.

This time, I heard it clearly.

“Evans...”

Every trace of amusement disappeared from my face.

Of course.

Of f*****g course.

The kiss.

The date.

The smiles.

The way she looked at me.

None of it had been for Ryder.

It had all been for Evans.

I looked away and released a slow breath.

She still thought I was him.

She kissed me because she believed I was Evans.

Not because I was Ryder.

Not because she wanted me.

I glanced back at her.

"Wake the f**k up, Ryder," I muttered under my breath.

What did I expect? That one dinner and one kiss would suddenly make her see me?

That she would magically separate me from the man she believed I was?

I was acting like an i***t.

Shaking my head, I took one last look at her sleeping face before turning away.