His gaze heated, but instead of pulling her close, he backed up. “I’ll wait for you downstairs.”
Sophia stood there, watching him leave, her chest warming with an unknown emotion. It was never more obvious that he wanted to spend time with her, without getting naked. He hadn’t brought her here for a booty call. That realization excited and scared her at the same time.
And as the day turned to evening, and they still hadn’t exchanged more than several heated embraces, she was empowered by the knowledge that he cared about her beyond the bedroom. Although, she was also…extremely turned on.
Dammit.
Enjoying the glass of wine she’d had with the steak he’d grilled, she sat back on the deck and wiggled her now-bare feet. “That was delicious, Ryder.”
He chuckled. “Surprised I can cook?”
“Surprised you knew there was other food besides pizza.”
He pointed at her with his beer bottle. “I discovered that hard truth when I started working at my dad’s diner after school.”
“Ah.” She nodded. “I was roped into the family business as a teen, too.”
He quirked a brow. “What kind of business is your family into?”
“Construction,” she replied, setting her wine on the table. “I still work there fulltime, and do set design on the side. When Phoebe called to ask me to help her out this summer, it was a godsend. I needed the break.”
Not just from work, though. From her mother’s never-ending parade of possible fiancé’s…and Gino. Yeah, she needed a break from them, too, but he didn’t need to know all that.
“You don’t do set design fulltime?” he asked, surprise tipping his head.
“No. I’d like to, but…” She sighed, not really wanting to talk about it.
He frowned and something dark passed through his eyes. “But, what, Sophia? Doesn’t your family support your work? I mean, they must’ve to let you go to design school, right?”
She shrugged. “I think they let me enroll so I’d bring my design skills to the family business. And I like it. I do.”
“But you’re heart lies in set design.”
She lifted her gaze to his, shocked at how well he knew her. “Yes.”
“Then do it,” he urged. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you can’t please everyone.”
“I know.” She nodded, her stomach flopping at the pain she detected in his tone. “I have a possible shot at set design for a major Broadway show,” she confessed. “I have a meeting lined up with them this fall. If I get the job, then my family will hopefully see I can make a living from it.”
He didn’t laugh, or tell her it was foolish. Or a pipedream. Instead, he smiled.
“That’s amazing.” Nothing but admiration and support filled his gaze as he raised his bottle for a toast. “Here’s to you nailing it.”
Grabbing her glass, she clinked it against his bottle. “Amen.”
Now, more than ever, she was vibrating with need for the man. And since she also wanted to lighten the mood, she set her glass on the table and stood.
“So, tell me, Ryder.” She pulled off her dress, and removed the tie from her hair. “If I have my way with you in your boat, what would that be considered? The mile…waterclub?”
A flash of heat entered his eyes. “Not sure. But I know it would be great.”
“Maybe we should try it.” Laughing, she held his gaze as she walked backward to the end of the deck where she quickly stripped out of her bikini.
After kicking off his sneakers, he rose and began to pull off his clothes as he stalked her. “We’re going to try a lot of things.”
His voice was gruff, and that, combined with his words, sent a shock of heat through her system.
“Last one in the lake takes bottom,” she said, before taking off for the dock.
