Read Online Roughing It With Ryan by Jill Shalvis - Free Book Online Page B

sake.”
    He thought about that, and the sudden nervous look that appeared in her eyes despite the smile on her lips. “I’m not like him, Suzanne,” he said very softly. “Your ex-fiancé.”
    â€œWhich one?” Holding up a hand when he winced at her, she let out a low laugh. “Yeah. There were three. I ruined them all.”
    â€œI doubt that.”
    â€œNo, it’s true. I’m on a roll. You should run. Really.”
    â€œSounds like you only tried the idiots of my gender.”
    â€œI’ve tried more than my fair share,” she admitted.
    â€œAnd I’ve failed at keeping anyone happy. Badly. I consider myself an expert at them. Failed relationships, that is. But to be fair, I inherited the gift from my father, who was married and divorced six times before he met my mom. I think he sticks with her because she’d kill him if he divorced her, so really, that marriage doesn’t count—”
    â€œSuzanne.” He had no idea why she’d gotten to him so hard, so fast, but his entire heart, locked off to others for so long, squeezed for her. “First, I keep my self happy, I don’t rely on a woman to do that, ever.
    No man should. And second—”
    â€œNo. No second,” she said quickly.
    â€œAnd second, I want you. More than I’ve ever wanted another woman.”
    He saw in her eyes the wanting in return, before she covered her face. “Oh my God, it’s only been a few days!”
    â€œFive. A lifetime.”
    â€œI can’t believe I’m doing this. Why aren’t you running? You should be running. Seriously, I drive men crazy.”
    â€œSuzanne.” He had to laugh, and pulled her hands from her face. “Believe me, I’d love to run, but it’s too late for me.”
    â€œNo. Oh, Ryan, no, don’t say it. It’s never too late.” She opened those green, green eyes, and in them was a pleading he couldn’t resist. “I’m already so nervous about the food that I can barely function. Please, you have to go.”
    â€œThe food is going to be a huge hit.” Hell, she could have served chips and dip and they’d all be thrilled, but he figured she didn’t need to hear that right now. “Let me help you get ready.”
    â€œOkay, yes.” She put her hands on his shoulders and shoved him toward the door. “Help me by getting out.”
    Â 
    R YAN WAS RIGHT , the food was a huge hit. Suzanne marveled over that a few hours later when all but a few bites of it had vanished.
    The crowd was a young one, and given the decibel level of voices and music in the place, they were having a great time.
    She was having a great time. Ryan’s brothers were so cute, it was hard not to. They clearly worshipped Ryan, regaling her with stories about the way he’dkept them together, his job, his…what had they called it? His “chick magnetism.”
    A magnetism she could resist, she told herself.
    Yeah, maybe if she was dead.
    Russ and Rafe worked the rooms, keeping everyone in smiles, especially the women, which made Suzanne think they just might be more like Ryan than they knew.
    And when they turned down the lights and shoved the furniture back to open the place up for dancing, Suzanne whirled back to vanish into the kitchen.
    And came face-to-face with Ryan. He wore khakis tonight, and a plain soft-looking white shirt that showed off his sun-bronzed skin and crooked smile. “Where’s the fire?” he asked.
    â€œUm…”
    Before she could come up with a suitable excuse, he took her hand and led her onto the hardwood floor of his darkened living room.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” she asked in a panicked whisper, pulling back uselessly against his unyielding grip.
    â€œDancing.” Right in the middle of everyone, he pulled her into his arms.
    No one paid them the slightest bit of attention, so unless she wanted to create a scene,