Rescuing Ryder (Serenity Securities, Team Hawk #1)

Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Claire sat on her back porch with a glass of wine and tried to relax. Dr. Klein’s secretary called and said she received a communication from him stating he experienced a family emergency and requested her to clear his schedule for the next two weeks. Knowing his mother suffered from dementia, Claire assumed he spent time with her. Her warning about David Kilner would have to wait until he returned. Detective Stewart called to reassure her the man she considered a threat remained locked up in the mental ward. Somehow, she didn’t feel confident in his claim.

She read the page of her book for the tenth time and sipped her drink while watching the sun dip between the mountains, usually her favorite time of day. Now, she dreaded the pitch black of night. She searched among the bushes to see what hid in them, her imagination getting the best of her. Every creak, clatter, or sound of the wind made her jumpy.

She became so absorbed in thinking about her problem that she didn’t hear the screen door open and shut. When she glanced up, she let out a terrified scream and threw her wine glass at the intruder as she darted for the door. Two strong arms grabbed her from behind as she reached the entrance, and she clutched them desperately, fighting to escape his hold.

“Claire, it’s me. It’s Ryder. Damn it, stop screaming. Your neighbors will think I’m attacking you,” he commanded.

At the sound of his voice, she stopped struggling. “Stop scaring me. You can’t sneak up on people and expect them not to yell,” she retorted. Her body still trembled in fear and she crossed her arms, hoping he didn’t notice.

Ryder frowned as he carefully regarded her. “I called your name out twice and you didn’t answer. Your doorbell doesn’t work and when you didn’t answer, I assumed you sat on your porch,” he explained.

Sighing as she slowed her heart rate, she opened the door and entered the kitchen. She grabbed some towels and a broom to clean up the spilled wine and broken glass. Her hands shook as she retrieved the items, and Ryder blocked her way.

His shirt, now covered in red wine, stuck to his skin. Ryder’s mouth firmed in a straight line and he narrowed his eyes at her. “You want to tell me what’s going on?”

“I started a new book, and you startled me. I didn’t expect anyone to come into my backyard,” she divulged shakily. “You gotta stop sneaking up on me. Give me your shirt and I’ll throw it in the wash. I’m sorry I threw the wine at you.”

He unbuttoned his soaked shirt while she held her hand out to take it to the laundry room. He sat on the stool while she started the washer and returned.

“I set it on a quick wash. It won’t take long,” she shared with him as she grabbed the towels and the broom. Ryder followed her back to the porch and held the dustpan. She swept up the pieces of glass and threw them into the garbage. Claire soaked up the remaining wine on the floor, thankful she hadn’t picked a rug for the area yet, and it only soaked into the concrete. In the morning, she’d take the water hose and wash it off.

Claire bent to pick up a piece of jagged glass when another piece stabbed her palm, causing her to cry out. Ryder knelt and grabbed her hand, applying pressure.

“Geez, Claire. I think I’ve patched you up more in the last few days than I did the clumsiest guy on my team. Let’s go into the kitchen and let me clean the glass out of it.”

“It’s fine, I’ll do it. Why did you come here? I postponed our session until tomorrow.” She hissed as blood seeped into the towel.

Ignoring her, he led her back to the kitchen and held out a stool for her to sit. “Keep pressure on it until I return.”

“Where are you going?” she asked as he walked into her bedroom.

“To pull out your first aid chest. You need to put this in the kitchen where it’s more accessible,” he called as he dug into her cabinet under the sink. Pulling out the big plastic tub, he returned to the kitchen.

Setting it down, Ryder rummaged through it, pulling out a set of tweezers, antiseptic, ointment and a bandage. Frowning, he replaced the covering and pulled out a larger size before settling on gauze and tape.

“See what I mean?” she asked, noticing his indecision on the size.

Ryder shook his head and chuckled. Removing the towel, he picked out the sliver of glass as she hissed and held her breath. When he finished, he rinsed the wound, applied antiseptic, and wrapped it.

“You need to walk around in bubble wrap,” Ryder grumbled as he put the lid on the box. “Leave this someplace handy. I’m tired of searching for it.”

“You never told me why you came here tonight. Did you need something?” Claire asked him softly, acutely aware Ryder stood in her kitchen without a shirt. His tattoo wrapped around his arm, along his chest and down his left side.

“I came down to grab some dinner at Ty’s. I wondered if you might join me,” Ryder requested as he moved before her. Her gaze settled on his chest, slowly following the design up his shoulders and landing on his face.

“I ate earlier,” she murmured as he moved closer. Did the air conditioner break or did it suddenly seem too hot in the kitchen? Claire stared at his mouth as Ryder leaned forward and she held her breath in anticipation.

Wait! What? No!

She jumped from the stool, bouncing off his chest. Ryder’s hands shot out to steady her as she stepped backward and shook her head. Claire swallowed hard before speaking. “You need to leave, Ryder. I can’t have you here in the evenings. I’ll call and place an order for you at Ty’s and have a server bring it out to you. I’ll return your shirt in the morning.”

She walked briskly to the door and opened it, not giving him time to respond. “I’ll meet with you at 0700.”

Ryder didn’t say a word as he slammed the door to his car. Claire hastily shut hers and locked it before grabbing her phone and ordering him a steak, twice-baked potato, a salad and banana pudding for dessert.

Feeling guilty about the way she treated him, she bit her nails. She didn’t imagine him leaning in to kiss her. Shaking her head, Claire reminded herself he most likely suffered from a case of simple transference. Ryder became comfortable with their daily banter in the less formal setting. She decided it might be best to keep his appointments in the hospital setting.

Making her way back to the back porch, Claire locked the screen and the French doors. Switching his shirt to the dryer, she changed into pajamas, brushed her teeth, and walked through the house, checking all the windows and doors. The dryer buzzed and she removed his shirt. Taking it to her bedroom, she closed her door, locking it. Smoothing her hand over the fabric, Claire recalled how comfortable he made her feel the night he fixed the fireplace. Knowing better but unable to help herself, she brought his shirt to bed and laid it beside her. Her bandaged hand clenched around it as she convinced herself she needed sleep.

Listening to the noises of the house, she pulled the clothing closer, and she imagined herself wrapped up in the security of his arms, telling herself she only felt this way because he came to her rescue before. Drifting off to sleep, she wondered how becoming part of the Serenity family felt. The women found men who protected them at all costs. She knew how far Chase went to keep Kassie safe. Whiskey worked diligently to win Samantha back. Leo supported Catherine as she struggled to tell him what Ash put her through. Saint watched Bryanna protectively and drove her down the mountain every morning at 0400 in preparation for their move into their new home in town. When one of them struggled, they banded together until the crisis subsided. How did it feel to belong to someone who knew you intimately and loved you beyond measure? She sighed wearily, wishing one day she might feel the same way about someone, too.