RYDER WATCHED VIOLET leave him again. Not physically, but mentally. All day she’d been readable, relaxed and her laughter had awaken his own. It had been wonderful. But tonight, sitting under the stars, just the two of them, finally alone, she was distant and he had no idea why.
“Are you okay?” he asked. “You’ve disappeared into your own world again.”
Violet smiled at him, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m tired.”
“That’s alright. We can head back, if you want.” He didn’t want to, preferring to remain here with her and wishing it wasn’t growing tense between them. “But first you have to agree to a date with me.”
She didn’t answer right away, and he could tell she was thinking again. What was she thinking about? Them? Or what was happening between them? Or was she trying to get out of going on a date with him? Had she said yes to today just for her children?
“I don’t normally...I have never...” Violet sighed. “I am not the woman who has random sex with random men,” she finally said. “Like I did with you. That’s not who I am.”
“I’m not exactly random,” Ryder pointed out, trying to alleviate the guilt he thought she was feeling. “We’ve known each other long before you knew Joel. My parents have been attending the Caliendo galas since before I was born.”
“I knew your parents. You were never present until Joel started coming around.” Violet paused, disappearing into her private world.
When she looked at him, her eyes shot fire of accusation in his direction.
“And you’re right, you aren’t random. You are Joel’s friend, his best friend. His best man.”
Again, Ryder wouldn’t go so far as to consider Joel his best friend.
Violet was a strong woman, an even hard woman, but today he’d seen more. He’d watched the shield of protection around her open up and let him in, just like right now he watched her build it back up. The suspicion and caution rushed into her eyes, but she quickly masked it. A shield to hide her emotions from him. She was good at that.
“Take us back to shore,” she said in a way that told him nothing was conspiring between them.
What happened?
“Violet...”
“No Ryder.” A shocked laugh escaped her chest and it sounded painful. “You’re Joel’s friend. What are we even doing? Is this some distasteful elaborate hoax you and Joel concocted? To what? Make fun of me? Make me look like a fool? It’s a little coincidental he didn’t show up today after forcing me here and all you’ve been trying to do is touch me, kiss me...go on a date with me. Why?”
Because Ryder wanted to touch her, kiss her and he sure as hell wouldn’t have asked to take her out if he didn’t want to. He had been quite content to avoid all dates since Courtney.
Finally working up the courage to ask Violet on a date, just to have her throw it in his face and accusing him of ulterior motives, made him wonder why he’d broken his rule in the first place. It also made him angry.
Violet stood to leave and Ryder rose with her.
“Violet, you came to me in that bathroom and initiated things between us. You locked us in. You walked over to me and you kissed me.”
Damned if she was going to turn this around on him. He would have been none the wiser if she hadn’t instigated their rendezvous.
“Yes, I did. But you’re Ryder Carlex. You do this all the time.”
He did this all the time? Did what? Did she not hear a damn word he’d said to her?
Ryder folded his arms across his chest, growing angrier with her assumptions of him, but listening as she continued. He wasn’t about to interrupt a verbal thunderstorm by this woman.
“I have seen the so-called dates you haven’t gone on at every gala in the last two years. The women you claim not to hit on with your corny remarks. I’m not another one of those women. It just makes me wonder why you’re so keen on me.”
Wonder or accuse? Because it certainly sounded like accusing to him.
“Take us back please.”
Ryder was furious. He might have labeled her as a perfectionist and she may have called him out on it, but damned if Violet hadn’t labeled Ryder too. And he wasn’t about to call her out on it.
He stole the shield she’d let fall during her explosion and held it in front of himself.
“Shouldn’t be longer than fifteen minutes back,” he said, walking past her, prepared to turn this damn boat around and back to shore ASAP.