Anastasia shook her head slowly, her face coloring profusely. She would never kiss him. Why should she? He wasn’t anything to her? He was just Renée’s brother who was the biggest flirt in Fordsville!
“Ana! Where were you? I was so worried about you,” said her granny, opening the door of the house. Anastasia glanced at a disappointed Ryder who sat staring at her!
“Granny, I had a delivery at the Barnes’ house. So Ryder helped me with it,” said Anastasia.
“It’s good that Ryder helped you but next time don’t go on home deliveries without informing us. It’s dangerous, especially during the night,” said her granny, walking towards them.
“Yes, granny,” said Anastasia.
“Thank you, Ryder. Why don’t you come inside for a while?” Asked her granny.
“It’s no problem. How are you, granny?” asked Ryder.
“”I’m better. Come on inside,” said granny.
“I’ll come down tomorrow afternoon, granny. It’s Annie’s birthday and I want you to arrange for a get together in the evening. I’ll get all the food and drinks by afternoon,” said Ryder.
Granny’s eyes widened with disbelief. “You would? That’ll be a great help. I’m unable to stand for long in the kitchen. Every year I bake a cake for her but this year, she has to bake her own cake,” said granny, looking unhappy.
“I’ll get the cake, granny. She doesn’t need to bake her own birthday cake,” said Ryder. Then he turned towards Anastasia.
“I’ll get you a dress from aunt Charlotte’s boutique. Will that do?” he asked her. Granny chuckled and walked away.
“I’ll give you some money. Don’t go,” she said.
“No, granny. Let me pay for it. I’ll take the money afterwards,” he said.
“Thank you, son,” she said, disappearing into the house. Ryder turned to look at Anastasia’s face eagerly.
“Why are you doing so much for me?” asked Anastasia curiously.
“Isn’t it obvious by now?” he asked, his eyes glittering with underlying feelings of desire, attraction and much more.
“Not to me,” said Anastasia. She yet had no clue why he was doing so much for her.
“I want a kiss, I told you,” said Ryder impatiently. Anastasia’s eyes widened and her mouth hung open at his words.
“Why me? There are so many girls who would willingly kiss you without even asking for it,” she asked looking confused.
“I want only from you,” he said stubbornly. Anastasia was more confused. She had heard how a single kiss often led to s*x and she was worried out of her wit's end. What exactly did he want? He couldn’t want just a kiss from her! For a playboy, a kiss doesn’t hold much importance unless he was aiming at the other things that followed it.
“Do you want just a kiss from me?” she asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes at him. Ryder looked stunned by her question and then he laughed out loudly.
“Yes, just a kiss from you unless of course, you want to offer me more,” he said, chuckling. Anastasia blushed to the roots of her hair. She could never imagine herself discussing a kiss with the hottest player in town!
“Okay, then. Close your eyes and come forward,” she said shyly. Ryder gazed at her for a split second as if stunned and then when realization drew upon him, he grinned and leaned down to her level, staring into her eyes. Anastasia’s heart started beating faster than ever, making her feel like it would jump out of her chest. Her eyes connected to his and she blushed all the more imagining what she was about to do. ‘Kiss him and run,’ said the inner voice in her head. But how could she kiss him if he stared at her that way?
“Please close your eyes, Blue,” she whispered nervously. Ryder grinned and closed his eyes reluctantly in slow motion. Anastasia wetted her lips nervously, staring at his handsome face that was so close to hers. It wasn’t fair for a guy to have such long eyelashes, such clear skin. She could smell the tingling smell of his cologne on him. It seemed into her senses, making her intoxicated. His full lips attracted her like a magnet, making her wonder how it would feel to get a taste of them. She took a deep breath, her heart thundering more.
“I’m still waiting,” he whispered hoarsely.
It brought Anastasia out of her delirium and she leaned a little closer and planted a small kiss on his cheek and jumped back immediately as if stung. Ryder opened his eyes with disbelief.
“What was that?” he asked looking frustrated. He had expected so much more.
“Umm, a kiss?” said Anastasia, looking offended. What was up with him? She gave him what he wanted!
“Do you call that a kiss? No, it won’t do. You have to kiss me on my lips,” said Ryder, his eyes flashing with desperation. Anastasia gasped hearing his words.
“But you didn’t tell me before. So you won’t celebrate my birthday now?” she asked looking heartbroken. Ryder quietened down and gazed at her innocent and vulnerable face with longing. He sighed. What was he doing? She wasn’t like the other girls at all. She was like a fresh, unplugged, innocent flower that had just bloomed. She didn’t understand his flirtatious ways.
“Come here,” he said but Anastasia shook her head with dread. “I won’t kiss you, at least not now. Come here,” he comforted her. She walked towards him slowly and suspiciously. Ryder caught her hand and pulled her into his body, holding her in his arms, heart to heart.
“I was just kidding. I will celebrate your birthday even if you don’t give me anything in return, Annie,” he said softly, holding her against him. He was astonished to see how perfectly she fitted into him, as if she had been made for him. His heart started beating faster and faster with excitement as he held her. The urge to make her happy, to hold her in his arms forever overtook his senses as he stood there in silence just holding her to him.
“Thank you, Blue,” she murmured into his neck.
“Now go home before I change my mind about that kiss,” he said quietly. Anastasia sprang apart instantly and placed some distance between them making Ryder feel a little disappointed. Did she not like him? Did she not want to be kissed by him? How can it be so when every girl on this planet craves his kisses?
“Umm, I’ll be waiting for you tomorrow. One more thing. Please don’t tell Renée that you’re arranging for everything. She’ll be offended,” said Anastasia. Ryder nodded and climbed onto his motorcycle.
“Bye, see you tomorrow,” he said, waiting for her to go inside.
“Bye,” she said breathlessly, walking off towards her house. He drove off with a goofy grin on his face. He would have ample things to dream of tonight. As for that kiss, he never gave up. He would get it some other day!
Anastasia went to her room to shower and change before making dinner. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, at her flushed face, at her sparkling eyes with awe. She had seen herself this way before. Was it because of Ryder? She went downstairs later to make dinner when her grandpa brought his mobile phone to her.
“Call from your mom,” he said with an exasperated look on his face. Anastasia’s eyes widened with horror. She knew why her mom called. She wanted Anastasia to return to Las Vegas tomorrow. Dreading the talk, she took the phone from her grandpa’s hands.
“Hello?” she squeaked into the phone.
“What are you still doing there, Ann?” Asked her mom angrily. Anastasia’s face drained off its color, its glow.
“I’m completing a course, mom. I’ll return after a month,” she started bravely.
“Now listen, young lady. It’s not your decision to make. You know that Madame Slovene would never approve of you wasting your life away in Fordsville over some silly course,” said her mom sternly. Anastasia was on the verge of tears at the mention of Madame Slovene.
“Please give me a month, mom. I promise to do as you want me to do,” she pleaded.
“The college authorities won’t wait for you, Ann. You’ll miss out on your studies. Madame Slovene will be disappointed if she hears. She has asked for you thrice already. On her next visit, she would take you back to LA with her, forever,” said her mom. Big fat tears fell from Anastasia’s eyes. Her grandparents stood looking heartbroken and unhappy, listening to the conversation as always. They were not related to her by blood but they loved her.
She was the adopted daughter of their son, a son who never bothered to enquire after them. If anyone cared for them it was this young girl.
“Just a month, mom is all I’m ever asking from you. Please,” she whispered. Her mom disconnected the phone without an answer, without even wishing her on her birthday without even asking about her health. She slumped onto the couch nearby and sobbed uncontrollably. Her grandparents tried their best to console her. However, images of Ryder flashed across her head and she cried more. Every time she missed Fordsville and her grandparents and Renée but this time, there was Ryder too. She cried more thinking about Ryder, it was strange that she just didn’t want to go away at all this time! She felt like she would die if she went away!