eyes burning into her as he took the opportunity to talk to one of the guests.
Soren brought her over to the table where the fish was being served. “Don’t mind my brother,” he said. “I know he’s a bit of an ogre.”
“I never said so.”
Soren turned to her and removed his sunglasses. He grinned, but his gaze was calculating. “I can see Ryland makes you nervous. It’s okay. I understand. Hell, he makes me nervous too.”
She struggled to find the right words. “He’s just very … intense.”
Soren put his arm around her and stared, as if deciding whether or not to trust her with vital information. “You’ll have to excuse Ryland for his rough exterior. He put up a lot of walls after … well, after what happened to his last girlfriend.”
Lia felt her heart sink at Soren’s ominous words. Had Ryland been hurt in some way? The thought bothered her more than she would have expected. “What happened?”
Soren paused, took a deep breath, and spoke in a hushed voice. “She, uh … died.”
Lia’s stomach bottomed out in empathy. “Oh, that’s horrible! She must have been so young. How did it happen?”
Soren gazed at a spot somewhere next to her head, his eyes glazed. As if he wasn’t quite sure how to say it, or wasn’t sure what exactly to say. For a moment, Lia almost thought he was trying to come up with a good story. “Uh. She fell off a … trapeze. Yeah. She was an acrobat in one of those Cirque du Soleil shows, and had an off night.” He shuddered. “It was horrible.”
Lia watched as Soren chewed on his own words. Why did she get the sensation he was having a bit of fun at her expense? “She fell off a trapeze?”
“Yup.” He nodded, clearly satisfied with his tale. “And Ryland’s emotions are still really raw. He might lash out in anger sometimes, but inside, well, inside he’s weeping. I’m sure he’d really appreciate it if you showed him some affection. He needs that right now.”
Lia didn’t know what to say, so she remained silent as they were served some fish. However, she couldn’t stop mulling over Soren’s information. Surely he was jesting. She got the impression Soren Snow liked a good laugh. Something told her it would be like him to plant a kernel of juicy gossip only to watch it pop in her face.
Still, the idea Ryland could have suffered such a loss was heartbreaking. She’d have to tread carefully in case any of it were true.
After a few minutes, Soren brought her back to where his brother stood and dropped her off while he went over to the sausage stand on his own. As he sauntered off, at least ten female heads turned to watch him leave.
Lia couldn’t help but laugh when those females began to whisper excitedly. She turned to Ryland. “Boy, does Soren always get that reaction from women?”
Ryland was deadpan as he stared ahead. “Always.”
Lia observed Ryland quietly. There was something in the hardness of his eyes that told of more than simple sibling rivalry. And suddenly she found herself desperate to know exactly what was bothering Ryland. She made it her mission to find out. After all, he’d been kind enough to let her stay at the lodge.
Ryland was on edge, not that she expected him not to be. After all, given her bizarre tale of stalker strife, he’d be worried about undesirables showing up. Or was it possible he was still grieving his flexible circus girlfriend? No, surely Soren’s story was fabricated to tease her.
A nervous tremor tickled her gut, one that had nothing to do with hunger pains, and she felt bad for giving her host such a burden. “Look, Ryland. I appreciate what you’re doing, but I want to reassure you I won’t stay here long. I’ll figure out my plan tonight, and head out tomorrow morning.”
He turned to her, his eyes wide. “Why? I mean, what’s the rush? If you’re still figuring out your plan, let’s at least make sure it’s a good one.” He stared at her. “What about family? Is there someone
Soren brought her over to the table where the fish was being served. “Don’t mind my brother,” he said. “I know he’s a bit of an ogre.”
“I never said so.”
Soren turned to her and removed his sunglasses. He grinned, but his gaze was calculating. “I can see Ryland makes you nervous. It’s okay. I understand. Hell, he makes me nervous too.”
She struggled to find the right words. “He’s just very … intense.”
Soren put his arm around her and stared, as if deciding whether or not to trust her with vital information. “You’ll have to excuse Ryland for his rough exterior. He put up a lot of walls after … well, after what happened to his last girlfriend.”
Lia felt her heart sink at Soren’s ominous words. Had Ryland been hurt in some way? The thought bothered her more than she would have expected. “What happened?”
Soren paused, took a deep breath, and spoke in a hushed voice. “She, uh … died.”
Lia’s stomach bottomed out in empathy. “Oh, that’s horrible! She must have been so young. How did it happen?”
Soren gazed at a spot somewhere next to her head, his eyes glazed. As if he wasn’t quite sure how to say it, or wasn’t sure what exactly to say. For a moment, Lia almost thought he was trying to come up with a good story. “Uh. She fell off a … trapeze. Yeah. She was an acrobat in one of those Cirque du Soleil shows, and had an off night.” He shuddered. “It was horrible.”
Lia watched as Soren chewed on his own words. Why did she get the sensation he was having a bit of fun at her expense? “She fell off a trapeze?”
“Yup.” He nodded, clearly satisfied with his tale. “And Ryland’s emotions are still really raw. He might lash out in anger sometimes, but inside, well, inside he’s weeping. I’m sure he’d really appreciate it if you showed him some affection. He needs that right now.”
Lia didn’t know what to say, so she remained silent as they were served some fish. However, she couldn’t stop mulling over Soren’s information. Surely he was jesting. She got the impression Soren Snow liked a good laugh. Something told her it would be like him to plant a kernel of juicy gossip only to watch it pop in her face.
Still, the idea Ryland could have suffered such a loss was heartbreaking. She’d have to tread carefully in case any of it were true.
After a few minutes, Soren brought her back to where his brother stood and dropped her off while he went over to the sausage stand on his own. As he sauntered off, at least ten female heads turned to watch him leave.
Lia couldn’t help but laugh when those females began to whisper excitedly. She turned to Ryland. “Boy, does Soren always get that reaction from women?”
Ryland was deadpan as he stared ahead. “Always.”
Lia observed Ryland quietly. There was something in the hardness of his eyes that told of more than simple sibling rivalry. And suddenly she found herself desperate to know exactly what was bothering Ryland. She made it her mission to find out. After all, he’d been kind enough to let her stay at the lodge.
Ryland was on edge, not that she expected him not to be. After all, given her bizarre tale of stalker strife, he’d be worried about undesirables showing up. Or was it possible he was still grieving his flexible circus girlfriend? No, surely Soren’s story was fabricated to tease her.
A nervous tremor tickled her gut, one that had nothing to do with hunger pains, and she felt bad for giving her host such a burden. “Look, Ryland. I appreciate what you’re doing, but I want to reassure you I won’t stay here long. I’ll figure out my plan tonight, and head out tomorrow morning.”
He turned to her, his eyes wide. “Why? I mean, what’s the rush? If you’re still figuring out your plan, let’s at least make sure it’s a good one.” He stared at her. “What about family? Is there someone
Similar Books
