went to my parentsâ house for dinner.â
âSo he spent the night?â Gracie asked.
Ryan blushed and Gracie squealed, doing a little dance in her seat. âI am so awesome! I am the queen of the cupids!â
Gemma rolled her eyes. âWhat did you do?â
Gracie gave her an incredulous look. âI took her shopping! I helped her set the bait.â
Ryan couldnât stop smiling. âHe actually said heâs been into me for a long time but didnât think I was into him.â
Gracie scoffed. âThatâs ridiculous. Iâve watched you two in here for months. You gave him big sappy âI love youâ eyes.â
Ryanâs face flamed up in embarrassment. âI did?â
Gracie grinned. âYep. Itâs how I figured out all the death eyes you sent me were because Iâd gone out with Gregg.â
Ryanâs face burned brighter. âI did not send you death eyes!â
Gemma laughed. âYou two are amusing and all but Iâve got to get going.â
Gracie stood up to give her a hug. âAre you going to do the auction with me? Itâs for a good cause.â
Ryan stood up too. âWhatâs the cause?â
âItâs going toward the extracurricular budget for Rock Canyon Elementary,â Gemma said. âThe fourth graders want to go to Craters of the Moon for their end-of-the-year trip, but theyâre short three hundred bucks, and itâs too cold to do a car wash. My son, Charlie, is really excited about it, but Gracie, I do not want to stand up there and let a bunch of men bid on me like Iâm a slab of meat.â Gemmaâs expression was grim as she made her point.
âYouâre just afraid Marcus Boatman will bid on you and youâll have to spend the evening with him. Donât worry; I have it on highest authority that Michael can top anything Marcus bids.â Gracieâs face was innocently blank, and Ryan covered her mouth to hide her grin when Gemmaâs eyes narrowed.
âDo not even think about getting all cupidy on me, Gracie. I still have those pictures of you from sophomore year. I donât know how many times I have to tell you, Michael and I are just friends.â
Gracie gasped in outrage. âMaybe you should tell that to him, then! And you said youâd burn those!â
Gemma gave her an evil grin. âI lied. I knew that there would be times only blackmail would curb your outrageous behavior. And I have told him. Iâve told you, Iâve told him, Iâve told Charlie. I am not interested in Michael that way.â
Ryan laughed, and both women gave her sheepish looks. Gemma hugged Ryan, whispering in her ear, âDonât let her bully you. Just tell her to mind her own business.â
Ryan whispered back, âIâm sorry, but have you met her?â
Gemma was still laughing as she walked out the door.
Once she was out of sight, Gracie turned to look at Ryan expectantly and said, âOkay, sheâs gone. Now give me the dirty details!â
G REGG COULDNâT WAIT to see Ryan. Heâd been out with Sally Barrett again all day taking pictures of the rest of her real estate properties and was sick of driving around. Now that he knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her, it was like his whole body itched with anticipation whenever he thought about her and all he wanted was to get her back to his place and keep her close. It didnât even have to be about sex, although being with Ryan was beyond anything heâd ever experienced. Just holding her close to him, stroking his hands down her sides as he listened to her talk about her childhood, left him with a joyous contentment.
He climbed out of his Tahoe and walked up to the front of the studio. He saw Ryan standing inside by her desk, talking animatedly to a tall guy with short dark hair. He couldnât see the guyâs face but saw Ryanâs big eyes twinkling, her body showcased in a