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  “So, did you switch your major?”

  “I did,” she said, nodding her head. “And when I got out of school, I landed an internship with Wyatt Interiors. It was really an eye opener since it is such a large firm, but I realized I’d rather work for myself. So, after the internship, I forged out on my own and haven’t looked back ever since. I mean, I really love having my own business. It was stressful at first, before I got my first real client, but I had been doing free gigs privately while working for the firm, so I had been able to develop a portfolio. It only took me about a month to get my first paying gig. It was a baby nursery, and I was so damn excited. It was probably the most in-depth decorating I have ever done.”

  I laughed, remembering my first gig. “My first job was like overkill, too. The people were so impressed that they posted my work on Pinterest and everywhere else. I realized quickly that spending that much time on one gig was going to be impossible in the future, but I am proud of what I did there.”

  “Did you always want to be a landscape architect?”

  “I didn’t, actually,” I said, chuckling. “I have a degree in computer programming and did that for a quite a while, but it was so boring, and financially, there was a definite cap unless you invented something cool, like the iPhone. So, one day, I said screw it, and I quit. I started working random jobs to see what I was really interested in, and lo and behold, I fell in love with landscaping. I took some classes at the college and then started my own company. The portfolio work I did was mostly for friends and family, but it did the trick for sure.”

  “Wow, that’s quite the risk to take,” she said with wide eyes.

  “Well, I had been really good with money, and computer programmers do pretty well, so I gave myself a time limit. If I didn’t find anything by then, I would go back into the programming business. It didn’t take me long to realize where my passions were, and luckily, Christina and I had plenty of money left over to start the company and get it off the ground. She was involved for a little while, but once Kayla came along, she stopped working and just handed it over to me.”

  “Is there any issue with that now?”

  “No,” I said. “When we got divorced, the judge gave me everything. She didn’t even show up for the hearing. She knew she wasn’t getting jack shit after leaving the two of us.”

  “Good,” she said with a head nod. “It was your brainchild anyway.”

  “That, my friend, is very true,” I said, pointing a chip at her. “It’s funny, though. I hated being at a desk all day as a programmer, but about two months into summer here, I can’t wait to get to the slow season so I can get out of the weather.”

  “I can imagine,” she said. “I always hate when I have to decorate a home that hasn’t been moved into yet or is just being built. They keep the temps either stifling or freezing cold in the winter to save money and electricity. I had to put it in my contract that when we were on site working, we were allowed to keep it a comfortable temperature.”

  “Speaking of comfortable temperatures,” I said, realizing that it had nothing to do with what I was about to say. “Actually, no, not temps, but time. Kayla will be home soon, so we should get back at it.”

  “Yes,” she said, standing up and carrying her plate to the sink.

  We continued our day, finishing up the shelves in the spare bedroom and then deciding to go ahead and hang the curtains since that room wasn’t getting any major carpentry work done. I watched Alissa climb up on the ladder, her long legs and round ass tight as she steadied herself at the top. She turned and looked at me. Her cheeks blushed, and her eyes darkened. The sun cast shadows across the room from the window, and I tried not to stare at her hot body as she reached up and drilled the curtain rod into both sides. She got down and pulled the curtains onto the long rod as I sat down on the bed and waited for her to be finished. It was the last thing for us to do that day, but I wasn’t ready to leave her alone just yet. She was incredibly sexy, and I couldn’t seem to get enough of her.

  As she stepped up onto the ladder and lifted the rod into the air, the stepladder wiggled underneath her. I stood up to go stabilize it, but before I could, she tripped on the fabric, falling backward. I leaped forward and held out my arms, scooping her into them and pulling her close to my body. The ladder fell to the side, and the curtain rod crashed to the floor. She was breathing heavily and clutching my chest with her hands. I could smell the warm scent of lavender from her hair as she laid there in my arms.

  Slowly, she picked her head up and gazed into my eyes, the heat between us hotter than ever. Our lips were so close to each other’s that I could feel her breath against my face. She gazed up at me, her chest heaving and my heart beating rapidly in my chest. I squeezed tightly to her body as I began to lower my head to hers.

  “Dad,” Kayla yelled from downstairs as I heard the front door slam shut. “I’m home.”

  I stopped moving and pulled my head back, the moment completely shattered. Alissa chuckled nervously and pulled her hair out of her face as I carefully set her back on the floor. I reached down and grabbed the curtain rod and reached up, placing it on the holders. She shook her head and laughed as she picked up the stepladder and closed it, leaning it against the wall.

  “Well, that would have been a lot easier,” she said, sticking her hands in her pockets and staring at me.

  We stood there for several moments, our eyes latched. Alissa smiled and looked down shyly as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. She was so beautiful, and I was regretting not kissing her when I had the chance. The thought of going for it cruised through my mind briefly, but I was interrupted when Kayla came around the corner.

  “Hey,” she said, happier than normal and looking around the room. “Wow, I like this. Now maybe we can have guests over.”

  “Like who?” I laughed nervously.

  “I don’t know, maybe you’ll make some friends or something,” she said smartly.

  “Very funny,” I replied. “How was school?”

  “Good,” she said, turning from the room. “I’m going to get a snack and start homework.”

  “And I’m going to get out of your hair,” Alissa said, walking to the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

  “I’ll be here.” I smiled big.

  I may have completely missed my chance, but there was no denying that Alissa felt the heat, too.

  Chapter 12

  Alissa

  When I got home, I let out a deep breath and collapsed on the couch. Being around Ryan was almost exhausting because I had to keep control of myself, even though I was incredibly attracted to him. I wanted to kick myself for not just kissing him when I had the chance. I could tell he was just as into it as I was, not to mention the fact that he had been staring at my legs and ass all day long. To be honest, I purposely wore those shorts and that tank top because I knew they accentuated my assets, and I felt like showing off to Ryan just a little bit. I knew that it made me a bad person, flaunting my goods around a man that I didn’t even know whether a relationship was possible with or not, but for the first time in my life, I desperately wanted a man’s attention. I reached over and grabbed my phone, shaking my head. It was time I talked to Bella about all of this. I couldn’t keep it all in anymore.

  “Hey, little sis,” she said happily.

  “Hey,” I replied with a sigh.

  “Uh, oh, what’s wrong?” she asked. “Tell me all about it.”

  “Nothing is wrong per se,” I said. “I just got back from starting the job on Ryan and Kayla’s house.”

  “Oh, yeah, how is that going?”

  “Good,” I replied. “Okay, I have to just get it out. I am so damn attracted to Ryan, it isn’t even funny. Today, it was like you could cut through the tension between us with a knife. Then, I was hanging curtains, and the ladder went out from under me. He caught me in his arms, and we were two seconds from locking lips when Kayla walked in downstairs.”

  “I knew it,” Bella s
creamed excitedly. “I just had this gut feeling that you were interested in him in some way. Have you told him?”

  “You know how I am,” I said, sighing. “I have always been super shy when it comes to men. I skipped my Junior Prom because I couldn’t get enough guts up to be around the guy I liked long enough to let him ask me to the prom, and I knew for sure he was going to ask me. Talking to guys has always been extremely difficult for me. You know that.”

  “Girl,” Bella responded. “You need to get over that shit, or you are going to end up the old spinster with cats, hanging paintings in other happy couple’s homes for the rest of your life. Start by telling me what appeals to you about Ryan.”

  “Everything,” I gushed. “I mean, to start with, he has the most amazing fucking body. Like rock solid arms, solid chest, tanned skin, strong legs, and the hottest ass I have seen in a long time.”

  “Mhmm, tell me more,” she said.

  “The way he looks at me drives me nuts,” I replied. “He makes me feel like I am the most desirable woman on the planet, just from a glance across the room. And that freaking smile of his is like a damn toothbrush ad. He is like that hot, charming, rich guy, except when you talk to him, he is so incredibly humble and down to earth. We can have conversations about anything, and it is not weird at all.”

  “That’s amazing,” Bella said. “How is he with his daughter? That is a serious indicator for future family events.”

  “He is amazing with her, like straight amazing,” I said. “He reads her perfectly, knows what to respond with when she is struggling, and puts her before anything else in his life. He loves his career, but it does not come before his little girl in any way.”

  “So, I don’t get it,” Bella replied. “Why are you telling me this and not screwing his brains out right now?”

  “I can’t,” I sighed. “It’s just so complicated.”

  “How is it complicated? Christina has been gone for 6 months. Their divorce was finalized a few months ago.. It’s the perfect time for you to start dating him. He has probably gone out and gotten the rebound screws over with, so you won’t be one of those, and he has been away from his ex long enough to be ready to start moving forward. Am I missing something here? It’s not like you would be a homewrecker.”

  “Of course, I wouldn’t be,” I said. “But it’s not about that. He seems just as interested in me as I am in him.”

  “So, what is it?”

  “Have you forgotten that Ryan’s father married our mother? He is technically my stepbrother, and the last time I looked, that kind of stuff happened on Jerry Springer, not in Arizona. What would Mom say? What would the family say? He is family, Bella.”

  “Whatever,” she scoffed. “That is just so damn ridiculous. Since when did you start to worry about what society would say?”

  “I don’t,” I said softly. “It just bothers me, that’s all.”

  “Look,” she said sternly. “Ryan is not related to you. You are not blood-related, and you didn’t grow up together as brother and sister. You are two adults whose parents happened to get married, but as adults, that does not seep down into your personal lives. You need to get the hell over that because you haven’t talked about a guy like this in a really long time. In fact, I don’t think you’ve ever talked about a guy like this. Seriously, Alissa, you need to let it go. He is not your brother in any way.”

  “I know,” I said.

  “Then what’s the problem?” she asked. “I think I know exactly what the problem is. You are too scared to make a move, so you are coming up with every excuse you can to make this something you don’t think you’re capable of doing. Alissa, seriously, you need to break free from that fear. I know it’s easier said than done, but the next time you have that crazy urge to grab him and kiss him, you need to just do it. You need to take in a deep breath, tell yourself that you are worth it, and just jump in headfirst. Screw the testing of the waters like we discussed before. You are too scared for that shit. You need to just go with it and deal with your embarrassment later.”

  “But what if I read his signs wrong?”

  “You know just as well as I do that you did not read the signs wrong,” she said, sighing. “Did he lean in to kiss you?”

  “Yes,” I replied.

  “Did he stare longingly in your eyes and look bewildered when the two of you were interrupted by Kayla?”

  “Yes,” I said, smiling to myself at the thought of it.

  I was hearing every single word my sister was saying, and I wanted to be that girl that could just run straight into love and danger and not think twice about it, but I didn’t know if that was possible. I was shy when it came to men, very shy, and I didn’t want to mess up something in the family if I was wrong about how he felt about me. Not to mention how mortifying it would be to try to kiss him and have him push me away or look at me like I was crazy. Just the thought of it made me flinch and feel sick to my stomach. That was exactly the fear that Bella was lecturing me about, and it was almost blinding.

  “So, I don’t see how you could possibly have misread anything,” she said, softening her voice. “Look, I am not trying to push you into something that you don’t feel like you’re ready for. I know that Ryan has a lot going on in his life, and that might not be the easiest relationship to get off the ground. But having said that, I know someone who is crazy about a guy when I see one, and you fit that bill. I want you to be happy, and if it’s with a guy who had his heartbroken, then that’s fine. You will be hard-pressed to find someone in this world that hasn’t had their heart broken before. It’s all about how willing he is to push past it, and how positive and patient you are. What is the worst that could happen?”

  “He is completely disgusted by his sister trying to kiss him and makes family gatherings miserable for the rest of my life,” I replied. “Not to mention cripple my self-esteem.”

  “Come on, does he really seem like the kind of guy who would do something like that? I think that if he wasn’t interested, he would let you down easily, crack a joke, and after a little while, you both would forget it ever happened.”

  “You’re right,” I said, taking a minute to think about it. “He isn’t the kind of guy to purposely embarrass someone on an ongoing basis, except for Christina.”

  “Yeah, well, that bitch deserves it,” Bella said, laughing. “I’d embarrass the hell out of her, too, if I were him.”

  “From the looks of her decorating, she has done a good enough job embarrassing herself on her own.” I laughed. “Like seriously, thousands of dollars in art, and not one piece was good. The place looked like a toned-down Beetlejuice house.”

  “Oh my God,” Bella said, laughing loudly. “Poor Ryan. He must have been terrified, like it was Halloween every day.”

  We laughed and talked about Christina for a while, allowing ourselves to be catty, something we didn’t do very often. It felt good to get it out since I didn’t feel comfortable talking trash about her in front of Ryan, and especially not in front of Kayla. I was definitely feeling a lot better about pursuing something with Ryan, and I felt like I had found my courage again.

  “So, okay,” I said. “I think I feel braver now.”

  “The only thing I would caution you on is letting Ryan make the first move,” she replied.

  “Why?”

  “Whether we want to admit it or not, Ryan has some seriously heavy stuff going on in his life,” Bella replied. “It’s not like Christina left, and he could just move on. He has to deal with his daughter missing her and being heartbroken almost every single day. That is definitely something that can weigh on a man’s mind. I think you should let him make the first move so that you know that he is genuinely interested in you and not just willing to take an easily presented option.”

  “True,” I said. “But what if he doesn’t make a move?”

  “Then we will revisit this conversation and try to decide where to go from there,” she said. “I mean, in a way, he already has made a
move by asking you to do this work on his house and taking days off from work to do it with you. At the same time, though, we don’t want to be those girls that read into everything. He could simply be trying to make things easier and less costly.”

  “True,” I sighed.

  We kept talking about it, and although I knew she was right on letting him make the first move, it didn’t dampen the spirits she had already risen for me. The biggest problem with the whole thing that I could see was the fact that I didn’t know how I was going to get through the next couple of days working with him without jumping his bones. All I could hope was that he made a move sooner rather than later, or I might find myself in a sticky situation. I definitely didn’t want to be a rebound girl or just someone for him to sleep with, but I really had the feeling that he wouldn’t do that sort of thing. At least, that was what I was hoping.

  Chapter 13

  Ryan

  “Kayla,” I yelled up the stairs. “Hurry up. You’re going to miss the bus.”

  I walked back into the kitchen and closed up her lunch box, walking around the counter as she barreled down the stairs and into the kitchen. I swore that no matter how early I woke her up, she would still barely make it to the bus stop on time. I handed her a bagel and juice box, put her lunchbox in her book bag, and shoved her toward the door. As we walked out onto the driveway, the bus pulled up, and she turned around and kissed me goodbye before running down and climbing on board. I shook my head and laughed at my daughter, ignoring the mothers that were gossiping down the street. I didn’t know what had changed in a couple of days, but I felt lighter, almost approaching my old self again, and I liked it.

  When I went back inside, I cleaned up from breakfast, put away the trash, and started a pot of coffee. Alissa would be there any minute, and I wanted to jump right into the day to avoid any awkwardness from the day before. No matter what I did, I couldn’t seem to get her, or that kiss, off of my mind. In reality, there wasn’t a kiss, but there damn well should have been: something I needed to remedy very soon.