I made my way over to them and heard Dani telling Ava goodnight.
“You’re not driving back tonight are you?” I asked as I slid my arm around Ava’s waist. I was making it very clear to everyone we were together. I couldn’t help but catch Nate’s smile as I briefly looked his way. Tomorrow I’d be having a nice little chat with him about the stunt he pulled in the barn today.
“No, we’re staying in my old bedroom.”
Dani’s mouth dropped open with an idea she pretended she had just come up with. If I knew my sister, she’d been cooking it up for a few hours. “Hey, I’ve got a great idea. Maybe we can go for a hike tomorrow morning, show Ava a little bit of Montana.”
“That would be amazing!” Ava said with a grin.
“Perfect. We’ll chat more at breakfast. Right now, though, I’m exhausted and this pregnant girl needs to get some sleep.” Dani wrapped Ava up in a hug while I shook Rich’s hand. “It was wonderful meeting you and your family, Ava. I’m so glad you all decided to come spend a few days here with us.”
Ava’s face blushed. “It was wonderful meeting you too, Dani. I can’t wait to see more of Montana.”
Dani turned and gave me a wink. “Sleep good, Ryder.”
“Oh don’t worry, I’m sure I will.”
“Uh-huh. I bet you will.”
I wrapped my arm around Ava again as I watched my sister retreating out of the room. “I think I’m going to go say goodnight to everyone. I’m exhausted,” Ava said as she looked up at me.
“I won’t be too far behind you.”
With a sexy smile, Ava leaned up and kissed me on the lips as she whispered, “See you soon.”
My dick jumped in my pants at the thought of finally being with her. Trying to keep cool, I spent a few minutes talking to Layton and Jase before excusing myself and heading up to my room. I needed to take a quick shower before Ava came knocking on my door.
I GLANCED AT the clock and sighed. “What is taking her so long?” I said as I scrubbed my hand over my face while I practically put a hole in the rug from pacing.
Reaching for my cell phone, I went to send Ava a text when I realized I didn’t even have her number. My heart dropped to the floor. “How in the hell did I not think to get her number?”
I sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed. Maybe she changed her mind. No … no way did she change her mind. I saw the look in her eyes. She wanted me as much as I wanted her.
The knock on my door was so light, I barely heard it. Jumping up, I practically ran to the door and threw it open. Standing before me was not Ava, but my brother, Nate.
“What the fuck do you want?”
“Nice to see you too, bro. You got a second?”
I quickly glanced down the hall. Ava was four doors down on the left. “No, I don’t have a second.”
Nate lifted his brows and wiggled them. “You got a girl in there?”
My head snapped back down to his as I pulled him into my room and shut the door. “No, I don't have a girl in here. What the fuck was that move you tried to put on Ava earlier today?”
Nate laughed. “Well, you weren’t making a move, so I figured you weren’t interested. I went in for the hit.”
Anger filled my veins as I balled my fists. “What did you just say?”
Nate brushed me off with his hands. “Calm down, I get you have a thing for her and she has one for you. I won’t make any moves on her again. Can we move on to the bigger problem you have right now?”
I stared at him for a good minute before I spoke. “So you won’t try to make any plays on her, am I right?”
“Yes, you’re right! Dude, I said I wouldn’t hit on Ava again. Even a blind person couldn’t have missed how the two of you were eye fucking each other all night.”
Feeling satisfied, I smiled. “Fine. What’s the bigger problem?”
“Destiny.”
I pulled my head back and laughed. “Destiny? Why is she a problem?”
Nate sat down on my bed. “I overheard her telling Dad her father has been pressuring her to marry so he could retire from ranching.”
With a shrug of my shoulders, I said, “So. How is that my problem?”
“She told Dad she wasn’t over you and started talking to him about combining the ranches if you two were to get married.”
I let out a gruff laugh. “Please, I’m not in high school any more, Nate. Dad is not going to try and pressure me into marrying Destiny.”
Nate stood up and looked at me with a concerned look on his face. “Listen, when you walked back into the house at dinner holding Ava’s hand, it was obvious to everyone the two of you are an item. Tell me you didn’t see the look Dad gave you when you sat down.”
I had seen it and I knew he was going to want to talk to me about Ava, but never in my wildest dreams did I believe he would be upset by me having a relationship with her.
“I think you’re reading too much into this, Nate.”
“Fine, then riddle me this, Ryder. How is this relationship going to work between you and Ava?”