Wild Embrace by Mari Carr

Author:Mari Carr [Carr, Mari]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mari Carr

Chapter Eight

“What are you doing here?” Darcy asked with a covert wink when Ryder followed Yvonne and Leo upstairs for Friendsgiving Saturday afternoon.

Darcy had been pretty proud of the secret trial-run dating idea. After Denise’s betrayal, Ryder had convinced himself he didn’t need or want another woman in his life, and she was determined to prove him wrong.

Yvonne grinned at Darcy. “Shocking, right? I invited Ryder to come along…like I allllways do,” she drawled. “And he actually said yes this time. You could’ve knocked me over with a feather.”

Ryder rolled his eyes. “Very funny, Vonnie. You know I don’t always say no. I came to your birthday party last year.”

“That was two years ago,” Yvonne corrected. “And that was the last time.”

Darcy laughed. “Well, the more the merrier because many hands make light work.”

“How many clichés can you squeeze into one sentence?” Ryder teased.

Yvonne grasped Leo’s hand and pulled him across the living room. “We’re on kitchen duty. I have three pies to make and Leo is my apple peeler.”

“Sunnie and Landon are already in there. And Ollie and Gavin are out running errands, so if you forgot anything, text them. Everyone else should be showing up soon,” Darcy explained. “Ryder, you’re with me. I need help setting up the tables.”

Ryder feigned a sigh like he was put out as he followed Darcy up a second set of stairs. As soon as they were out of sight of the others, he reached out and playfully smacked her butt. “I like your ass,” he murmured.

“Yours isn’t so bad, either. Looks hot in those jeans.” Darcy loved this newly discovered lighthearted side of Ryder. For years, she’d thought he was serious and stuffy. She couldn’t have been more wrong.

“Where are we going?” he asked.

“We have some folding tables up here in storage. We pull them down for the holidays and special occasions.”

“I’m surprised they ever get put away,” he teased.

She peered over her shoulder and grinned as they passed two bedrooms on their way to what was clearly a “junk” room. “Colm has a bedroom up here, and my brother Finn used to as well, before he moved in with Layla and Miguel. The other two rooms are where we store all the…well, for lack of a better word…crap.”

“I can see that,” Ryder said, glancing around the room at more “crap” than he’d ever seen in his life. Though he had to admit, the Collins clan was very good at keeping their shit organized and accessible. There were several large shelves lining the walls with labeled boxes that contained everything from dishes to Christmas decorations to tools. Stacked and leaning against one wall were five long plastic, foldable banquet tables.

When he gave her a questioning glance at why they needed that many, Darcy had her response ready. “My family is fifty people strong when we all show up.”

Ryder winced. “Jesus. Growing up, my family consisted of me, my mom, and my dad. And that was two people too many.”

Darcy tilted her head and realized she didn’t know much about Ryder’s upbringing or his family.

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