“We’ll see,” I say with a smirk as I grab the sheet off the floor and set it on the table. Grabbing my clothes, I pull them on, all while she stares off at everything that isn’t me naked. “All right” I say, as I check myself out in the mirror and catch her eyes in the reflection. “Let’s get today’s session going. No need for that massage. I feel better already.”
This has to work. I need it to.
4
Gillian
I can’t stop glancing to my left.
He’s right here, I’m actually in his car, on my way to marry him. It’s surreal. I almost expect to wake up in bed and for all of this to be another dream.
This can’t be real, it just can’t be.
Am I actually doing this? Is this something Gillian Sannow would do?
It doesn’t matter, because I’m here.
The wind blows through the open windows, causing my hair to whip around my face, and knock me out of the trance I’m in.
Ryon is bopping his head to the music playing on the stereo as he looks straight ahead, seemingly unaware of my own confusion and shock. How can he act like this is just a normal drive? He doesn’t look like he has a care in the world.
I can’t believe I’m doing this. . .
I’m marrying Ryon Daniels.
The highway is getting busier as we drive into the morning rush. We’re on our way to Las Vegas and I’m still wondering how I ended up in this car. It’s like my body is moving without consulting my brain. This is not me. This is definitely something I would never do normally, but I want to help him. I feel compelled to do what I agreed to for him. To heal him. To give him back his life. His talent.
Ryon has a chance to recover and do great things in the world of baseball. I don’t want to see him lose this opportunity to regain everything he’s lost.
His lips move, mouthing the words to the song. I’m in awe that he’s so relaxed about this. It’s like we’re just going out for lunch.
I can’t stop watching him. The way his lips silently sing the lyrics, the way his hair is getting ruffled by the wind, and his eyes glisten like deep pools. I can see flecks of amber and gold in his green eyes, and there’s a light shadow of stubble across his jaw.
He’s tall, dark, and handsome. . . How the hell do I ignore what he’s doing to my body?
Butterflies begin to flutter in my belly, and my hands are getting clammy. My heart is racing a mile a minute, and I can’t stop my mind from turning.
What the hell am I doing?
Why did I agree to this?
Fuck, he’s so sexy. Does he plan on us living together?
How is this going to work?
How is he in bed? The thought makes my clit pulse slightly as I let my eyes move down his arms, wondering how tight he’d hold me, and how his fingers would really feel on my body.
I’m nervous about this, but there’s also a sense of excitement. This is wild. It’s everything I’ve avoided for years. I’ve always taken the predictable, safe, smart path. This is a rush like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.
And I like it.
“What?” he asks, suddenly aware that I’m staring at him.
Clearing my throat, I turn to look out my window. “How far away is Las Vegas from us here in Lake Tahoe?” I ask.
“Seven hours or so, depending on traffic. Not too bad actually. We can get there, do our thing, and be home by tomorrow morning.”
“Tomorrow? I thought this was a one day thing?”
“Well, I mean we could, but that’s a lot of driving. We can leave super early though, be back before lunch.”
“I have clients in the morning, Ryon. You do realize you’re not my only one, right?”
“Don’t you worry your pretty little head about anything. I took care of everything for you.”
“What do you mean you took care of everything? How did you take care of it?”
He flicks his eyes in my direction and laughs. “I know people, Gillian, and some of those people owe me a favor or two.”
“So, is that how this is going to work? You want something, and you’re just going to take matters into your own hands without even asking me?”
“See? We sound like we’re married already!” That gives him a big laugh, but I’m not in the mood for jokes. Is he serious right now? He changed my schedule without even consulting me?
“I’m serious, Ryon. You can’t just cancel my clients. This my career, and it’s important to me. And my patients are important to me too. They need my help just as much as you do.”
“Relax, Gil. I got Cal to cover your patients. No one is missing any therapy. I promise.”
“Cal? What did you tell him? Did you tell him we were doing this?”
“Relax, Gil. I didn’t tell him anything. I told him your phone was dead, but that you were taking me to do some rock climbing to strengthen my shoulder.”
“And he fell for that?” I ask, arching a brow.
“He thinks it’s some new strategy you want to try and I’m your guinea pig.”
Pursing my lips with a little smirk, I veer my stare. “Well. . . I guess that’s okay for tomorrow, but from here on out, you don’t stick your nose in my business. Don’t forget. I’m doing you a favor. Start acting like it.”
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to cause any issues, I just wanted to make this as easy as possible for you since you’re doing me this favor. It means a lot, it really does. I’ve wanted to play baseball for as long as I can remember.”
He smiles and looks at me for a second, then goes back to talking as he looks out at the highway.
“My father was relentless. Always trying to push hockey down my throat.”
“Was he that bad?” I ask.
“Terrible. I grew up in this little town, Fort Severn. The only way in during the summer was by float plane, and in the winter, when it was ploughed, we had one road.”
“Seriously? I can’t even imagine being secluded like that.”
“I mean, don’t get me wrong, everyone knew each other, and they were there if you needed them, but I wanted more.” Tapping his thumb against the steering wheel, he glances in the mirrors and changes lanes. “And my father, he just used to push me and push me to play hockey. The entire town went crazy for hockey. You were in skates before you could walk. There was nothing that could stand in the way of hockey games in Fort Severn. So my dad played, my uncles played, my grandfather played. So of course, in his eyes, I needed to do the same.”
“He didn’t want you to play baseball at all?”
“Ugh,” he sighs and rolls his eyes. “My father wouldn’t even let me pick up a bat for years. I used to have to lie to him about where I was going during the summer. I’d tell him I was going fishing, then I’d go meet up with a few friends and we’d play baseball in any open field we could find.”
“So how did you get him to change his mind?”
“I didn’t. He still hates that I chose baseball over hockey.” Ryon chuckles, twisting to look at me and giving me his award winning smile. “But getting into the major leagues made him complain about it a little less.”