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Authors: Susanna Carr
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linked her arms with his, nestling closer. “I don’t know why you always feel the need to protect Katie. She doesn’t deserve it.”
That was where Sasha was wrong. Katie deserved everything the world had to offer. Why Katie had decided she wanted him didn’t make a lot of sense when she could have her pick of men. It was in everyone’s best interest if he removed himself from temptation. “It was good seeing you, Sasha,” Ryder said as he reached for the coat closet.
“You’re leaving? Already?”
“Yep.” He put on his coat in record time and opened the door.
“I’ll come with you,” Sasha offered with a flirty lilt in her voice. “We can have our own fun.”
Ryder didn’t consider the invitation even for a moment. Sasha wasn’t a good barrier when it came to Katie, and she wasn’t going to be much better as a substitute. He opened the door and welcomed the cold, biting wind on his face. “Can’t. Have stuff to do. Merry Christmas.”
He stepped outside and closed the door before Sasha could follow. Before Katie spotted him and could stop him from leaving. He needed to leave. Retreat. Hell, he could be honest and call it what it truly was. He was escaping.
It was hard to believe that someone as sweet and delicate as Katie would have him running from just one touch. Actually, she was more powerful than that. Just the promise of something more with Katie Kramer had him running away to the other side of the world.
CHAPTER FOUR
December 26
Ryder stood in the center courtyard of Crystal Bend Community College for the final time. He’d just put his stuff in a small cardboard box and turned in his ID. He should head straight to his truck since he had a lot of things to do before he left town.
But something was holding him back. He ignored the freezing temperature and the wind whipping against him as he looked around. It was empty, thanks to winter break. The trees were covered in snow and the buildings looked cold and forlorn.
He had liked his job at the college, but he knew he was heading for something better, something more challenging. Yet he couldn’t get very excited about it.
It didn’t matter if he was excited or not, Ryder decided as he walked through the courtyard. He was getting far, far away from temptation. That was all that mattered.
“Ryder Scott, what are you doing here?”
Ryder turned around and saw Frank, one of the security guards, approaching him. The man was a retired police officer, and Ryder had had plenty of run-ins with him years ago. These days Frank greeted him with a nod or a wave and left him alone. Either Frank had gotten soft or Ryder no longer posed a threat to society. Ryder suspected Frank was simply too tired for the chase.
“And what’s this about you leaving town?” Frank asked, his face red as he huffed from the exertion of walking in the bitter cold.
“News travels fast.” Everywhere Ryder went, people stopped him to find out what was going on. The guys down at the pool hall made a point to track him down and get all the details. People had stopped their cars on Main Street to wish him luck and offer help. Early this morning he’d had to tell his neighbors a going-away party wasn’t necessary. Ryder was surprised that this many people cared about him and what he was doing.
“So it is true.” Frank clucked his tongue. “Well, that’s too bad.”
This from the police officer who had logged many hours trailing him in his squad car, waiting for Ryder to do something stupid. And there were times Ryder obliged, just for the hell of it.
Ryder lifted an eyebrow. “I’m sure some people will be celebrating once I’m gone.”
Frank wasn’t going to argue. “That may have been the case ten years ago.”
Ryder gave him a look.
“Okay, a couple of years ago. Maybe even last year,” Frank amended, “but you’ve changed. You’re
That was where Sasha was wrong. Katie deserved everything the world had to offer. Why Katie had decided she wanted him didn’t make a lot of sense when she could have her pick of men. It was in everyone’s best interest if he removed himself from temptation. “It was good seeing you, Sasha,” Ryder said as he reached for the coat closet.
“You’re leaving? Already?”
“Yep.” He put on his coat in record time and opened the door.
“I’ll come with you,” Sasha offered with a flirty lilt in her voice. “We can have our own fun.”
Ryder didn’t consider the invitation even for a moment. Sasha wasn’t a good barrier when it came to Katie, and she wasn’t going to be much better as a substitute. He opened the door and welcomed the cold, biting wind on his face. “Can’t. Have stuff to do. Merry Christmas.”
He stepped outside and closed the door before Sasha could follow. Before Katie spotted him and could stop him from leaving. He needed to leave. Retreat. Hell, he could be honest and call it what it truly was. He was escaping.
It was hard to believe that someone as sweet and delicate as Katie would have him running from just one touch. Actually, she was more powerful than that. Just the promise of something more with Katie Kramer had him running away to the other side of the world.
CHAPTER FOUR
December 26
Ryder stood in the center courtyard of Crystal Bend Community College for the final time. He’d just put his stuff in a small cardboard box and turned in his ID. He should head straight to his truck since he had a lot of things to do before he left town.
But something was holding him back. He ignored the freezing temperature and the wind whipping against him as he looked around. It was empty, thanks to winter break. The trees were covered in snow and the buildings looked cold and forlorn.
He had liked his job at the college, but he knew he was heading for something better, something more challenging. Yet he couldn’t get very excited about it.
It didn’t matter if he was excited or not, Ryder decided as he walked through the courtyard. He was getting far, far away from temptation. That was all that mattered.
“Ryder Scott, what are you doing here?”
Ryder turned around and saw Frank, one of the security guards, approaching him. The man was a retired police officer, and Ryder had had plenty of run-ins with him years ago. These days Frank greeted him with a nod or a wave and left him alone. Either Frank had gotten soft or Ryder no longer posed a threat to society. Ryder suspected Frank was simply too tired for the chase.
“And what’s this about you leaving town?” Frank asked, his face red as he huffed from the exertion of walking in the bitter cold.
“News travels fast.” Everywhere Ryder went, people stopped him to find out what was going on. The guys down at the pool hall made a point to track him down and get all the details. People had stopped their cars on Main Street to wish him luck and offer help. Early this morning he’d had to tell his neighbors a going-away party wasn’t necessary. Ryder was surprised that this many people cared about him and what he was doing.
“So it is true.” Frank clucked his tongue. “Well, that’s too bad.”
This from the police officer who had logged many hours trailing him in his squad car, waiting for Ryder to do something stupid. And there were times Ryder obliged, just for the hell of it.
Ryder lifted an eyebrow. “I’m sure some people will be celebrating once I’m gone.”
Frank wasn’t going to argue. “That may have been the case ten years ago.”
Ryder gave him a look.
“Okay, a couple of years ago. Maybe even last year,” Frank amended, “but you’ve changed. You’re
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