“He only wants to protect you,” Bella said quietly.
Jess knew that, she did. And she liked that he was always there for her. After what her ex had done to her, she couldn’t blame her brother. She’d been left heartbroken, facing surgery and serious chemotherapy on her own. One moment she’d been looking forward to a wedding, and the next she’d been fighting for her life without the man she’d once loved by her side.
Ryan was different though. He’d been there for his wife, by her side, and she’d lost her battle. He might not want to go back to that dark place ever again, but it wasn’t something she could fault him for. He was a different kind of man. Honorable. Dependable.
“Is it so bad that I don’t want him to know?” she asked Bella in a low voice.
Her friend squeezed her hand and shook her head. “No. No, it’s not.”
“He’s not going to be around long enough for it to matter, right?”
Bella sighed then shrugged. She didn’t answer; it was a hypothetical question, anyway.
“You were right yesterday,” Jessica told her. “It’s time I let my hair down, enjoyed being in remission, being alive, and being in the company of a man.” She took a tiny sip of beer and tucked her feet up under her on the chair. She liked Ryan. She didn’t have to pretend otherwise. So why was she still trying to convince herself he was just another friend?
Because after what had happened last night, she knew that they were way beyond friends now.
Ryan pushed the button on his key to lock the car and walked toward the house. It was stupid, being nervous about meeting Jessica’s friends, but it had been a long time since he’d done normal stuff like this.
And his latest argument with George was playing on his mind. Hard to ignore.
His son had finally found his tongue, but the words coming out weren’t pretty. Ryan grimaced. Maybe George did genuinely hate him. And if he did, what on earth was he going to do about it?
He knocked at the door, sternly pushing back thoughts of his son. It swung back and Jessica grinned at him from inside.
“Hey, Ryan.”
The warmth that spread through him, the smile he couldn’t help but give her in return, somehow took away all the pain.
She was like his ray of sunshine on the gloomiest of days.
“Hi,” he answered.
She beckoned with her hand. “Come on in.”
Ryan hesitated for a second too long. He should have kissed her on the cheek, touched his hand to her arm, anything. But he’d waited too long. Now it would just be awkward. It was the second time he’d managed to do that and he vowed not to miss his chance again.
“So this is a friend’s place?”
She shook her head. “My brother’s.”
Oh, dear. He’d walked in on a family do or something.
When she’d said her brother was on burger duty he hadn’t realized it was his house.
“I don’t want to intrude, if you’re doing the whole family thing.”
She laughed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her expression shy. “It’s just my brother and another couple of friends.”
“If you’re sure.”
This time she was braver in reassuring him. This time she reached out and touched his arm, so lightly he could have missed it if he wasn’t watching the way her skin connected with his.
“It’s really nice to see you again.”
Ryan felt the warmth spread through him, just like it had when he’d arrived. He’d thought of little else but her since last night, except for when he was trying to deal with his son, and being with her again, right now, sure seemed right.
But then maybe he’d been away so long he wasn’t sure what he was feeling anymore.
“Come and meet everyone,” she urged.
Ryan stepped out into the yard and looked up. But the smile fell from his face in an instant, leaving him cold. That warmth that had spread through him like cookies just taken from the oven died like ice had been poured on them.
It wasn’t hard to pick out her brother. He was the one looking like he’d crush every bone in Ryan’s body, given half a chance. He stood up straighter, lifted his chin. He understood protective. If he had a sister like Jessica he’d probably be the same. But she was a grown woman and she’d invited him over. And he wasn’t the kind of guy easily intimidated—even if he did respect the big-brother macho act.
“Ryan, this is my friend Bella, and her husband, Bruce,” Jess said, making the introductions.
Ryan turned his attention to the petite blonde sitting with a little girl on her lap. Her double-wattage smile made up for the deathlike stare of the brother. He took the few steps to shake her husband’s hand.
“And little Ruby, of course.”
He smiled at the pudgy-armed child wriggling to get down.
Jessica moved closer to Ryan when she turned to face her brother.
“And this is my big brother, Steve.” He felt her stiffen as Steve walked over. “I promise he won’t bite.”
Ryan extended his hand and regretted it the moment the other man clasped it. His grip was tight, viselike, and his dodgy arm was barely up to matching his strength.
He tried not to scowl as pain shot up his arm. He was used to being the strongest, never losing an arm wrestle. Ryan clamped down his jaw and took the pain, refused to give in to it. Didn’t let it show even though he was burning inside.
“Nice to meet you, Steve.”
Jessica smiled sweetly in Ryan’s direction before taking a step closer to her brother and kicking him in the shin.
“Ow!” Steve dropped his iron grip and stepped back.
“He can be a pain in the backside.” Jessica smiled as her brother glared at her then went back to the barbeque. “It’s not until we have company over that we realize how barbaric he really is.”
Ryan smiled, but it was hard. His arm hurt like hell, scorching hot. He hated the ache that was thumping under his skin.
“So, Ryan, Jess tells us you’ve not long been back.”
He took the beer Jessica passed him and sat down in the nearest seat, looking over at her friend as she spoke.
“I’m home for a bit of rest and recovery, then hopefully back with my unit.”
Jessica sat down on the grass nearby. He moved to stand, to give her his seat, but she shook her head and crossed her legs, Hercules tucking in beside her.
It was hard not to watch her. Not to ignore everyone else and just drink her in. The way her ponytail fell over one shoulder, her tanned skin soft against the white of her T-shirt. The scoop neck showed him just enough cleavage to make it hard to swallow his beer.
And that smile. The way she cast her eyes downward when her lips curved up. It made him wonder what he’d ever done to have that look directed his way. To deserve her attention.
“So you’re not tempted to stay here, now you’re home?”
Ryan forced his eyes from Jessica and focused his attention back on her friends. “Tempting, but no.” He watched as Jessica played with a blade of grass, not looking up. “I need to be back with my unit.”
Steve appeared next to him then. “So you’re definitely leaving?”
Ryan nodded. Had he not made that clear?
Her