The ten minutes stretched out like a slow-burning fuse, every second heavy with a suffocating, electrifying weight.
Ryder didn't let me go. He lifted me easily, setting me atop the granite island so I was eye-level with him. His broad hands rested firmly on my thighs, his thumbs tracing heavy, possessive circles over the fabric of his charcoal sweater swallowed around my frame. He didn't speak, but his dark, intense gaze never left my face, drinking in every ragged breath I took as the seconds bled away.
Then, the crunch of heavy tires against the mountain gravel broke the silence outside.
My heart slammed against my ribs like a trapped animal. The low rumble of an engine died out, followed by the heavy, deliberate thud of boots climbing the timber steps of the porch.
Ryder’s posture d
