Ryder groans. “Fuck. It might be important. I’ll see what he wants,” he says. “Don’t worry. I won’t let him know you’re here.”
I nod.
I know it’s not entirely rational, but I wouldn’t mind Duncan knowing I’m here. I don’t want to be a dirty secret. Our night felt too precious for that.
Be cool, Daisy, I tell myself. He didn’t ask me to be his girlfriend. He didn’t declare his undying love. We had sex. And then he inadvertently told me just how important his independence is to him. It was an emotional night, and I wanted to celebrate being alive. I forgave him for what I overheard. But that doesn’t mean I’m going straight back to being the same old Daisy who pined after a guy for the last ten years. I still need to be smart. Nothing has changed, really. He’s still an emotionally unavailable rock star, and I’m still trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my life.
Ryder finds his boxers on the floor and puts them on. I check out his extremely attractive ass while he dresses. And then he opens the bedroom door a crack.
Archie perks his head up from the dog bed in the room’s corner. The bed is a cute touch. I wonder when and where Ryder got it for him.
“What do you want, Duncan?” Ryder asks.
“You weren’t answering your phone. I just came on duty to find that the pool house is destroyed. And no one can locate Daisy or Archie. The main guard on duty last night was an incompetent idiot because he didn’t inform me of this. He’s been fired now, by the way. So. Do you know where Daisy is, or do I need to alert the police?”
I smile a little at Duncan’s sly tone. I’d be willing to wager he knows exactly where I am.
“Daisy’s fine.” Ryder doesn’t elaborate.
“Oh really? And how do you know that?” Duncan asks with interest.
“I just do.”
The large bodyguard gives a short laugh. “Right. I thought as much. But just had to make sure. Good morning, Miss Daisy,” he calls to me through the sliver of a crack in the door.
I stifle a giggle. You can never put one over on Duncan. He knows everything, always. He probably knew the second Ryder carried me into his bedroom.
“Hi, Duncan!” I say cheerfully.
Ryder heaves a sigh and lets the door open a few inches more, since the jig is up. But he doesn’t open it enough for Duncan to see me, probably because I’m only wearing a sheet.
“By the way, your brother arrived and is downstairs with someone named Shelby. They’re about to do an inspection of the house. Just thought I should warn you.”
He groans. “Shit. Thanks. I’ll be down in a few minutes to talk to him. But can you get a few guys to check out the pool house? If it’s safe enough to go in, I want them to gather up Daisy’s things.”
“Of course. Where should we put them?” Duncan asks.
Ryder turns back to me.
I’m caught. I’d love to stay right here, but I can’t exactly ask to move in to his room, and he isn’t volunteering the idea. “Um. In one of the guest rooms on the second floor. Thanks, Duncan.”
I pray all my pretty shoes and clothes aren’t too damaged.
Ryder gives Duncan a few last instructions and closes the door. He turns back to me with concerned eyes. “Like I said last night, I’ll replace anything that’s ruined.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I say. “And it’s probably fine. Most of my things were in the walk-in closet by the bathroom. Hopefully that means everything was more protected. Plus, oneperk of growing up poor and transient is that I have little I’m truly sentimental about. I’m just thankful that I stored your grandmother’s dresses that I’ve been redesigning in her dressing room.”
I pick up Ryder’s shirt that I wore last night and put it on. Then I head to the bathroom to make myself presentable.
After I’m done, I rummage through his closet until I find a belt and use it to make another walk-of-shame outfit.
“Shirtdress again?”
“It’s a fail-safe,” I say breezily. “Practice makes perfect.”
He schools his features. “Practice with overnight hookups?”
“Oh, I forgot I’m speaking to a virgin who’s never slept with anyone before,” I say with sarcasm.
