Melanie sighed. “I’m not even remotely interested in another relationship, so as a happily divorced and proudly single lady, I have to agree with Reagan. It can be really freaking scary out there. I can’t go anywhere without worrying about some asshole trying to take advantage of me.” She quickly looked to Callie apologetically. “Even The Lucky Strike has its share of douchebags, and we all know Jake and Ryan try their best to keep them out.”
Callie placed an understanding hand on Melanie’s shoulder. “You’re right, they try. I think we all wish they didn’t have to.” She clapped her hands together, clearly trying to shift the mood. “Speaking of The Lucky Strike, who wants to go and see if we can score some free drinks? Anna and I might just have an ‘in’ with the owners.” With a laugh, the women headed to their cars, chatting among themselves about the class.
On her way home, Anna thought about this new, amazing facet to her life in Portland. When she was trapped in Sacramento, she had felt so alone and that no one could possibly understand how she had ended up in the situation she was in. Yet here she was, surrounded by women who would likely not only believe her, but would probably support her just as they supported each other. This was the type of friendship she hadn’t even realized she was longing for.
And once again, it was all thanks to Ryan.
* * *
Back at her house, Anna showered and changed out of her workout clothes, still lost in thought about the many changes in her life over the last several weeks. By chance she had stumbled into the pub that snowy night, desperate to escape Tim’s clutches. Doing so, she had found more than she ever expected, a job, friends, and Ryan. The impossibly sexy man who had turned her world upside down in the best possible way. She knew her feelings for him were growing beyond anything she had ever hoped to find. He did more than make her feel safe, he made her feel strong, cherished, and capable. He picked her up out of the darkest time of her life and lifted her into the light, helping her to stand on her own two feet again.
She grinned to herself, eager to see him, touch him, try to show him just how much he was coming to mean to her. She knew she was not yet ready to say those three little words, but if Anna was being honest with herself… that was definitely where she seemed to be headed.
A knock at her front door snapped her back to the present. She knew it had to be Callie, picking her up to go to the bar. With a final swipe of lip gloss and a pat on the head for Samson, she grabbed her jacket and headed out the door.
“Someone looks excited… I wonder why!” Callie teased as she followed Anna down the path to her car.
Anna looked over her shoulder at her friend. “You know exactly why, and don’t think your smile is any less excited! Let’s go and see those men of ours.”
Callie laughed. “Okay, okay, let’s go.”
Settling into her seat, Anna could feel the smile stretching across her face. Maybe it was still the endorphin high from the self-defense class, but she felt on top of the world. As if she could do anything. Everything was looking up, and she felt happier than she had in a long time.
But lurking behind that happiness were the sinister fears that never left. If Tim ever realized that she not only witnessed what he did, but had video proof of it, he wouldn’t rest until he found Anna. The only question was, what would he do when he finally caught up to her?
Chapter 13
“Dude, if you look at the door with those puppy dog eyes one more time, I’m going to punch you,” Ryan’s brother, Noah, teased him from his seat across the bar.
Ryan could feel the telltale heat of embarrassment flood his face as he blushed, not wanting to admit that he had been anxiously watching for Anna to appear for the last hour. He knew the ladies were planning to stop by because of a text message Callie had sent Jake. When Noah came in to the pub for a drink, Ryan had eagerly told him that Anna was coming. It was so out of character for Ryan to be excited about introducing a woman to his family, that Noah hadn’t stopped giving him a hard time.
“Fuck off, man. You’re just jealous.”
“Nah, I’m just waiting for another drink and you’re so distracted you haven’t even realized it yet.”
Ryan rolled his eyes as he grabbed his brother’s glass and started to pour him another beer. So what if he was distracted. Anna was the best kind of distraction. Beautiful, smart, kind, sexy, and those little noises she made when she…
“RYAN! Shit, man, you just got beer everywhere.”
Ryan snapped back to reality and realized he had overfilled the glass, and the lager Noah wanted was swamping the bar top and dripping onto the floor.
“Damnit.” He grabbed a towel and started to mop it up, not looking Noah in the eye, knowing that his brother would tease him mercilessly.
“Hey, handsome.” Anna’s soft voice pierced through his distracted, embarrassed fog. He looked up, to be met by her sparkling eyes smiling at him. Grinning in response, not caring if his brother or anyone else saw, Ryan reached over the bar, grabbed the back of Anna’s head and pulled her close, desperate to feel her lips on his. As their breath mingled together, he felt a shifting in his universe, as if the world were righting itself around him.
“Hey yourself. How was the class?” Ryan held onto her hand across the top of the wooden bar.
Anna peeked curiously at Noah who was smiling as he openly watched the two of them.
“It was amazing.” She turned to Noah. “Ummm hi, are you Ryan’s brother?”
Noah grinned in response. “I sure am. His more handsome, older brother. I’m Noah, and I can’t tell you how amazing it is to meet you. I never thought I’d see the day this jackass would find a woman who made him act like a fool.” Then he pulled Anna into his arms for a hug, eliciting a growl from Ryan who still stood behind the bar.
“Oh fuck off, Noah.” Ryan groaned. He knew his brother wouldn’t hold back in trying to embarrass him in front of Anna.
Thankfully, she just laughed, her adorable giggle making his heart—and another body part—swell with desire.
“Nice to meet you, Noah. Ignore Ryan, I want to hear all the funny stories you’ve got about him.”
