This little moment brought a small, sad smile to my face. I had never met Ryland’s mother, and we never talked about her. I had asked him about her once, a year or so after we had met. He had looked at me with this terrified face, threatening tears, so I had changed the subject. Even as we grew older it was something that we never discussed; so, to see him wrap his arms around a mother figure was heart-wrenching.
“Midnight,” he repeated before moving out of the car and helping me out.
We both waved good-bye to my mom as she drove off, all of us with big, happy grins plastered to our faces. We watched the taillights disappear before we moved. Ryland grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers before leading me into the kitchen.
Dinner service had just gotten underway, so the kitchen was a crazed mess of activity. Even though Edmund would be dining alone tonight, he still demanded a full service be presented. Chantal, the cook who swung shifts with my mom, was calling out orders to the hassled staff who barely noticed our trek through the kitchen. We moved through the usual corridors and stairways, but when we were about to burst into the main hall that led to Ryland’s room, Ryland stopped and pulled me behind him.
“I need you to do something for me,” Ryland began, a mischievous smirk playing around the corners of his lips.
“Okay,” I hesitated, curious.
“I need you to climb on my back.”
“What?”
“Please, Jos. Timothy has been stalking this hall tonight, and I can move quicker if I carry you.”
I nodded at him. Odd request, but, whatever. I moved behind him and placed my hands on his shoulders, unsure as to what to do next.
“Jump,” Ryland prompted; so I did, my legs wrapping around his waist.
He moved my legs up a bit, wrapping my body even closer to his. His hands gripped my thighs as he ran down the hall. The door to his room opened the second we got there and closed behind us as Ryland shoved it shut with his foot. I moved to get down, but Ryland held my knees tighter.
“Wait.”
I didn’t move. My body stayed frozen on his back, waiting for something to happen, some sign that I could get down. His body tensed for just a moment before relaxing and releasing me. I found my feet, almost falling sideways into the large chaise lounge that sat by his door.
“You okay?” his voice strained as he fought a laugh.
“Yes. What was with that, Ry? You’re acting like we’re conducting espionage.”
“Sometimes I feel like I am.”
“Ryland LaRue, double O 4, Super Secret Agent.” I put my hands in a gun shape and aimed around his room until I landed my sights on him, only to find him smiling before he turned around.
I could see his intentions, and I was in trouble. I turned and ran toward the closet where the Nerf guns were hidden behind his shoes. I only hoped I was faster than he was. I took a flying leap, dive-bombing into the shopping mall of a closet. I crawled on my belly to the Converse section and threw them to the side to find... nothing.
“What!” I yelled.
A monotonous chuckle sounded right behind me.
I flipped around, backing myself away from Ryland’s large figure as he towered over me. It was no use; I had only moved three feet before his big hand wrapped around my ankle, pulling me out of the closet. The carpet rubbed against my back, grabbing my shirt and pulling it up to my bra-line. I tried to move it down, while desperately trying to keep my mark hidden. Why, of all days, did I not cover it with a Band-Aid?
Ryland had already dragged me back into the sitting area. His long legs straddled me as he looked down, his bright, blue eyes blazing.
“Thought you could get away from me, did you?”
“You stole my stock of guns, you menace! You wouldn’t shoot a defenseless girl, would you?” I batted my eyelashes at him in a foolish and useless attempt to distract him.
“Your womanly wiles are no match for me,” he laughed like a loud monotone villain as he pulled a bright, orange gun from behind his back. I cringed as he soaked me with stream after stream of freezing cold water. I sputtered and fought as he moved to crouch closer to me, his body prohibiting mine from getting away.
“Mercy!” I screeched from behind a curtain of water. “Mercy!”
Ryland chuckled and wiped the water that was dripping from my face with the palm of his hand.
“That was mean, Ry. You moved my guns.”
“Yeah, sorry about that.” His voice seemed sincere, but he still hovered above me, biting his lip. He stayed there, above me, our eyes locking a bit too long. I felt my heart pulse; I wasn’t ready yet.
“Can I get up now?” I asked, pulling my shirt back down to cover my exposed stomach.
“Yeah.” Ryland moved away from me. A moment later, one of his white, fluffy towels landed on my face.
I sat up and began to wipe and blot at my face and clothes in an attempt to dry off. I moved my now damp hair around my ear, making sure everything that needed to be covered was.
“Where’s the sweater I gave you?” he asked as he fiddled with the large entertainment center.
“I had to leave it in Ilyan’s car last night, so my mom wouldn’t flip.”
Ryland jumped and took a frantic step toward me. The look on his face froze me in place on the floor.
“Who?” he roared.
“Wyn’s brother,” I said.