“I was going to cook you dinner, shower, and put on a cute outfit before coming to your house.”
“This looks good to me.” He squeezes my ass cheek. “It feels even better.”
“I’m in scrubs. I wanted to look pretty for you.”
“You look perfect, but I’m more concerned about the other thing you said. Since when do you cook?”
I pretend to be offended. “I’m a good cook. I don’t do it because you’re always hovering around in the kitchen and wiping everything down.”
“That’s because you’re messy, but come home with me now, and I promise to hover from a distance. You can put the outfit on tomorrow when I take you out.”
I grin at his last statement.
“How can I say no to that?” I kiss him again, deeper this time. I hear a throat clearing behind me, but I don’t pay it any attention.
“And you bought groceries?” he asks, and I nod.
“With my own money, not that huge wad of cash you stuffed in my purse two days ago.” I make sure to lick the shell of his ear when I whisper that so my nosy sister can’t hear.
“What did I tell you about buying me things?”
“Oh, please. I’m not scared of you. You’re a kitten.”
“But you’re the one who purrs.”
“And you’re really going to be mad when you hear the next part. I got you a present.”
I grin smugly at him.
“Oh no, baby. You will take that back right now. I’m the one who buys you things.”
“You don’t tell me what to do.” He opens his mouth to argue, but I silence him with a kiss. When he puts me down, my legs feel like rubber.
“You’re lucky you’re my forever, but come on. I’ll follow you home.” He taps my ass and leaves to get on his bike.
“That was a disgusting display.”
I had forgotten Sylvie was here. Her face has contorted as if she smelled something foul. I look at her for the first time in a long time. Her face has broken out, and she has some acne on her left cheek. She’s dressed in a long, brown dress that looks like it belongs on an old church lady. I give her my back while I dig through my purse for my car keys.
“Our parents raised you better than this, Eden.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her they raised her better, too. They raised her to get an education, not to be some downtrodden wife. However, that would accomplish nothing. Sylvie is miserable and wants me to be just as pathetic as her. I won’t stoop down to her level. Not when I have a sexy man who is waiting for me to cook him dinner.
He revs his engine and tilts his head as if he’s telling me to hurry up. The man is a lot of things, but he’s not patient, at least not when it comes to me and our time together.
I wrap my hands around my keys, stick the key fob in Sylvie’s face, and press the unlock button. The car beeps, and she takes a step back in shock. I get in, back out, and Rip follows me to his house.
Chapter 50
Rip
I frown at the message from Dax, unsure of why he would be coming here tonight or why he’s telling me. He’s up to something, and I don’t think it has anything to do with work. He’s been different lately. He’s had a look in his eyes like he’s been having fun, but Dax is not the fun type.
“Everything okay?” Eden whispers next to me.
I see her eyeing my phone, so I slide it into my pocket.
“I’m with my girl. How can everything not be okay?” I get out of the car and open her door for her. We intertwine our fingers and walk to Paulene’s together. It’s the first time we’ve been back since I followed her and her friends here all those months ago.
