UNEDITED
Ana and Ryan immediately left the party after the incident. They dropped an apologetic River off and we're sitting in the car arguing in front of the house.
"What the hell were you thinking?" She yells.
"Are you kidding me, Anastasia? What was I supposed to do? Allow him to treat River that way?" His fist tightens around the steering wheel as he remembers Milton's gaze lingering on River's body. He felt as if he could have knocked him out cold. Lucky for Milton, Ryan has restraint.
"I didn't say that. You didn't have to go about it the way you did."
"I." He clamps down on his jaw a touch, having to suppress anger." I could have done much worse. Trust me."
"Do you know who that was? She pushes on his shoulders to get him to look at her, however, he refused and kept his focus on the windshield. "And what opportunities he could have put in front of us?" She adds.
Irritated with her now, he simply responds. "I don't care."
"Yes of course not, because it's not your father's happiness that I'm trying to achieve."
"If you are were going to put your father's happiness first then you shouldn't have brought River with us."
"Oh my god." She exclaims. "What is with you and her? Does she disintegrate when men look at her? Will she shatter like glass?" With still no response from him, she continues. "She's a big girl. She doesn't need you to protect her every minute of the day. She has managed to do fine without you."
He continues to suppress growing anger by grinding his teeth. He couldn't even look at his fiancé. He kept his eyes focused on the front window.
"You've ruined so many potentials for daddy today." She throws her hands in the air. "What's gotten into you lately? I've never seen you let emotions get involved in business matters, and you're always on edge too. Tell me, please. Is it something I'm doing? Is it something daddy Is doing?"
He starts the car up, puts it in drive, and pulls out. He drives all the way home without even a glance her way.
Meanwhile, River heads straight to her bedroom when arriving home. She opens her closet door and takes out a large grey T-shirt to change into. When she tries to close the door, it gets stuck. This damn door is always giving her trouble. It never closes properly. It was as if the door was bigger than the door frame by an inch or so. She pulls it wide and tries to close it again, but again, it gets jammed. She kicks it, pushes it, and finally turns around and uses her butt to slam it shut. "I win!" She smiles satisfyingly up at a closed door.
"Definitely won that battle." To her surprise, Landen was leaned up in between her doorway with his arms folded and a grin.
"Holy hell!" She covers her pumping heart and then tosses her shirt at him. "You scared me."
He catches the shirt. He was standing there the whole time watching her fight with the door and found himself memorized. He could no longer deny it, he is having real feelings for her. She was something incredible, different, unique, and perfect for him. He found himself thinking about her more often than not, and now he was struck by her beauty; and her unawareness of it all made her even more attractive.
Her brows join when she notices the sudden change that reached his gaze. "What are you doing here?"
"Waiting for you. My aunt said I could wait in the living room. You walked right past me."
Immediately she thought the worse. "Is everything okay?"
His lashes dip low as he trails her body and backs up. "You look stunning."
She glances down at her self unsurely. "Thank you." When she looks back at him, he had begun taking steps towards her, and his eyes told her that he was coming with intention. Anxiety filled up her stomach. After watching Ryan care for Ana today, it hurt so bad that she became desperate to move on. Maybe she felt more for Landen than her feelings for his brother would let her. Maybe she should forget about everything and just see if she could feel something, or maybe not. Her brows furrow up at him in suspicion when he stops a foot in front of her.
To Landen her nervousness was amusing. He cracks a subtle smile. "Here." He hands her, her shirt.
She snatches it. "You could have thrown it back you know."
"You sure know how to ruin a moment you know." He retorts back.
"What moment?" She maneuvers around him.
He grabs her wrist and gently tugs her back against the closet.
"Landen?" She voices in almost fear.
"Ree..."He sets his palm on the door and watches down at her seriously. "Don't pretend there isn't something going on between us."
"Landen I...."
"You're going to tell me you don't feel something being this intimate with me?"
She hesitates.
"You know," He moves hair from near her eye. "I got to talking to your mother, and she seems to like the idea of me and you."
She pushes on his chest, forcing distance."What? What did you tell my mother?" Her mother and the idea of River having a boyfriend was a no-no topic.
"She wanted to know why I was waiting for you. I couldn't lie." He explains.
"What did you tell her?"
"I told her, that... I'm falling for you." He admits.
She looks away. "Landen I know you, and I'm not right for you. When I get into a relationship with someone they are potential life partner for me."
"You don't see me as a potential life partner?"
"I... " He stumps her.
"I really meant it when I said it was different with you. I see you as a potential wife." He inches closer. "I wanna kiss you." He puts all his focus on her frozen, parted lips.
She blinks up. She felt like she was ill-equipped to handle this situation. A man has never turned his charm on her before. Then she felt it. He leaned in and softly pressed his mouth down on hers. Air inflated her lungs. It was a complete and sudden surprise. She hardly realized what was happening until it was already happening. He kisses her so gently, and yet so skillfully. She glides her hand around his neck and lets him take lead, but then, she snaps out of it. "Wait." She turns away and moves all the way near her bed to get space from him.
"I'm sorry." He quickly apologizes as he contains his growing excitement.
She scratches and then shakes her head. "I... " She turns back to him. "I think this is going way too fast. And....I'm not sure about this."
"I know you felt something." He affirms.
Worry lines form on her forehead. "I can't be hasty. I have to be cautious. I don't want to make the wrong decisions. I don't want to choose the wrong guy. Like mom and Zoe did."
"You know I'm not like that. I would never raise my hand to any woman."-
"It's not only abuse I'm worried about, its respect, loyalty, trust."
"How can you know if we're not getting to know each other on that level Ree?"
In a defeated manner she drops her self onto her bed. "I don't know."
"Look, if you and I ever become something, I would give it my everything. You, and only you, will have my heart. I will never disrespect you, or mistreat you in any way shape, or form."
She opens her mouth to speak but he interrupts. "I want you to think. Take some time and just think about the idea of us. I'll wait. I'll wait as long as it takes."
She opens her mouth again and puts on her worry hat. "But, what if it doesn't work out between us and we stop getting along, and that creates a rift in the family?"
"All I can say to reassure you is, you mean more to me than any other girl ever would. Whether we are together or not, we will always be friends. But ultimately, I could tell you I will never let that happen but neither one of us can predict the future. We have to decide if being together is worth the risk."
She nods. He knew exactly what to say. It was just like Brenner to know exactly the right thing to say. But, exactly the right thing is to be expected from a player. He's a smooth talker, a woman charmer. He said it himself it was his art to know women.
"I gonna leave.... so that you can't turn me down without thinking.". I want to be with you. I want to take the risk. I've never been more sure of anything. Just know that." He leaves just as suddenly as he showed up.
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