Page 124
“Bye.” Briony comes out into the hall and clips Penny’s lead on. She calls out a goodbye to Innes, then takes my hand and walks me out of her parents’ house without looking back.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
BRIONY
We’re barely three houses past the gate, and I’m holding Ryan’s hand so tightly it must hurt. If it does, he doesn’t say.
Penny trots ahead, her lead in my other hand, tail up, nose down, entirely oblivious to any tension. As far as she’s concerned, she spent dinner under Dad’s chair being fed cheese, and all is right with the world.
Mum’s voice keeps replaying in my head. I need to know that if his temper ever turns, it won’t turn on her.
Ryan. The man who stopped dead the second I winced on Sunday night. Who drove my van to Loch Lomond when I was too tired to drive it myself. That’s who she thinks I need protecting from?
“She was out of order,” I say.
“She was being protective.” He scrubs his free hand over his face. “You told me to stay put, and I didnae. Now you’ve walked out on your family because of me. I’ve no wish to come between you and your maw, Briony.” He glances at me. “You can always go back.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I’m staying with you.”
“Briony—”
“Even if she was being protective, she should never have spoken like that. Not about you, and definitely not with you in the house. You were a guest. She invited you.”
We walk on, and I begin to appreciate the enormity of what I’ve just done.
“Oh my goodness. I just stormed out of Friday night dinner.”
Normally, I’m a stay-and-smooth-it-over sort of person. A take-a-deep-breath-and-offer-everyone-more-tea sort of person. Not when it comes to an attack on Ryan, apparently.
He nudges me with his shoulder. “Some people have their teenage rebellions a wee bit later than others, flower girl.”
A giggle escapes me before I can stop it. “I’ll have you know you’re not my teenage rebellion. You’re a very sensible decision.”
“Am I, aye?” He raises an eyebrow, lifting the pink scar above it.
“Extremely sensible.”
He chuckles, and the knot in my chest loosens. He lets go of my hand, but only so he can drape his arm over my shoulders instead. I tuck myself into his side.
On my landing, I dig my keys out of my bag. “Well, I suppose you’d better come in for your reward.”
“My reward, eh? Naw, I’m no sure guys who storm out of their girlfriend’s parents’ house get a reward.”
“Oh, they do. Trust me, you still qualify.” I tap a finger against his chest. “Besides, you thanked my parents for the meal on your way out. It was one of the most polite stormings out I’ve ever seen.”
“That right?”
“Mm-hmm. Very well-mannered. Ten out of ten.”
I take hold of his shirt and pull him down to me. I mean it to be a quick kiss, just a little one to seal the deal, but his mouth is warm and he makes a low sound against my lips, and somehow quick becomes not quick at all. My fingers curl tighter into the cotton. His hand slides into my hair.
When I finally break away, I’m breathless, and it takes me two goes to get the key in the lock.
Inside, I drop my bag by the door and unclip Penny’s lead. She pads off to the living room, no doubt for her pre-sleep nap before her actual sleep. Ryan slips off his shoes while I hang up the lead, then I take him by the hand and lead him down the hall to my bedroom.
As soon as we’re through the door, he reaches for me, ready to pick me up and lay me down. And while I love it when he does that, tonight I want something different.
“No.” I put a hand flat on his chest.
