Chapter 21

This man. He was going to be the death of her, Jo knew it. How did he make her feel all irritated one second, fluttery-soft the next, and then laughing right after that? What had she been doing wrong all her life that she'd never experienced emotional lows and highs like this before?

Jo knew she should've shut down the romance. She should have said no to the date. Feelings were dangerous. She was dangerous. But the way he'd looked at her, the way she could see his anxiety as he waited for her answer--she hadn't been able to say no.

And the reward for saying yes, holy smokes. She could still feel the heat his fingers left behind on her neck when he'd tucked her hair behind her ear.

Of course, then Ryker had to go and ruin the moment by driving her nuts again. Jo smiled and shook her head as she glanced over at Ryker, who was currently putting the new deadbolt onto the door while she set up all the painting supplies in the front foyer.

Struck with a moment of boldness, Jo teased him. "So if this is a date, does that mean I get to comment on how sexy a hardworking man is?"

"You can tell me how sexy I am anytime," Ryker said, peering around the door to shoot her a wide smile.

Jo's heart thumped at his smile. Before she could get ahead of herself and push things too quickly, she dashed back into her comfort zone with him. Good ol' bantering. "Who said anything about you?"

"I'm the only hardworking man here."

"Or you're hardly working."

"Hah." Ryker glanced back over his shoulder at her and then lifted the screwdriver he had been expertly wielding. "You want me to just leave the lock like this?"

Jo smirked. She popped the lid off one of the eggshell paint cans and grabbed a wooden paint stirrer. "See, that's not even a real threat," she said, "Because since you're the one who brought the lock, without being asked, you're the one who's really worried about the door." The thick paint swirled gently. "So I'm not scared by that."

Ryker's eyes narrowed. "You're not worried about the door?"

"Who's going to want to break in here?" she asked. Picking up the paint can, she poured some of it into one of the plastic pans. It was still flecked with white paint from a previous project. "Everyone thinks it's haunted, and if they did get in, they'd see there was nothing to steal and get out."

Ryker began working on the lock again, this time with more rattling and energy. He had turned his frown from her to the lock. "What if they weren't after things? What if they just see there's a woman here alone?"

Jo looked around for one of the roller brushes and clean rollers. Ah, there they were, still in a plastic bag. "I'm the last house on the road, Ryker. I don't think any creeps are going to come all the way up here."

"You better use this lock."

"I will," she said, not looking up as she shoved one of the clean rollers onto the paintbrush. She gave it a spin and then walked over to push the paint cloth closer to the wall.

"Jo." Ryker's voice was low and gruff.

"I said I would," she said, rolling her eyes. Wasn't this a small town? Didn't people leave their doors unlocked in small towns, anyways? She was more afraid of a bear trying to get in than a random stranger attempting to break in. And besides, she was somewhat equipped to handle the problem, judging by what had happened with that Jake guy the other day. And what had happened back in Charlotte.

If anyone knew what had happened in Charlotte, it would be enough to keep them out of this house forever. Probably including Ryker.

"What's wrong?"

Ryker's voice right behind her made her jump and turn to find him standing there, the trash from the lock packaging in his hands. That ever present frown of his was back full force.

"Nothing, I'm good," Jo said, trying to force some lightness into her tone. Hopefully her smile wasn't tight against her teeth, like it felt.

"Mmm," Ryker said, eyeing her with obvious disbelief. Yeah, yeah, she sucked at lying. She used to think that was a good thing. Now it only caused her to run away from everything and everyone she had known.

Ryker picked up a paint roller and stood over the paint. "So this whole hallway in this color?" Jo smiled at him, grateful for letting it go, and nodded.

But apparently Ryker wasn't letting her off that easy.

"Want to play twenty questions?" he asked nonchalantly as they started on the wall.

Jo narrowed her eyes at him, debating. This didn't seem like a very good idea to her.

"How about this," Ryker offered, sounding amused. "Anything we ask, we have to also answer."

Hmm, that could prevent him from asking questions that were too personal. But still..."Only if we can also choose to pass on a question we don't want to answer."

"Well, since I don't plan on tying you up and forcing you to answer my questions, that works for me," Ryker said, chuckling. Jo's cheeks flushed, and her to dismay, Ryker noticed. Sometimes it seemed like he noticed way too much. "Unless you want me to tie you up..."

Jo scowled at him. 'No! I didn't...that's not why...Ugh." She focused furiously on her section of the wall, ignoring Ryker's bright grin. Seriously, maybe moody Ryker was better. "I'm going first," she said to distract him. "Um...do you have any siblings beyond Lexi and Brett?"

Ryker shook his head. "Nope. And Brett is actually my half-brother." At her curious look, he elaborated. "My dad and his mom were only together for a year before they realized they weren't going to work out. They divorced, a few years later my parents met, and, well, you know the rest."

Well that was a short life story if she'd ever heard one.

"You have any siblings?"

Jo shook her head. Honestly, she was relieved not to. At least she didn't have to worry about a sibling developing a problem like hers. "I used to wish I did so my parents would put less pressure on me. But I don't mind it anymore."

"Are you close with your parents?"

"Is that your question?" she asked, smirking.

Ryker shrugged, moving down the wall so that he was closer to her. She apparently needed to paint faster. "Sure," he said, "why not?"

"I guess I'm as close as any teenager who just gained their independence is," she said, dipping her roller back into the paint. "We don't have the type of relationship where I consider my mom my best friend or anything, but they're my parents, I love them." That reminded her, she probably should call them--she hadn't spoken to either of them since she started school. She knew they were trying to give her space, but also they were probably hoping she'd "come to her senses," realize she'd made a mistake, and come back home. "They don't love the fact I'm here," Jo admitted.

Ryker stared at her with a soft, smiling sort of look that she hadn't seen on his face before.

"What?" Jo asked, not sure how to interpret the look. He shook his head and focused on the wall again. "I think that's the most I've ever heard you say about your family." He glanced back at her. "But I'm sorry they don't support your decisions."

Jo bit her lip, then sighed. "It is what it is."

"Well," he said, eyes glinting mischievously. "I, for one, am very much in support of you being here."

Jo started to laugh, then broke off at a noise that rose in the night air. The door was still open from Ryker working on the lock, which she hadn't minded as it let in the cool evening air. But that had been the unmistakable sound of howling in the distance.

"I thought you said there weren't any big predators in this area?" Jo asked, moving toward the door. Maybe that wasn't normal instinct, but the wolves didn't sound close, and she wanted to hear better.

Ryker stopped her with a warm hand on her arm and a frown on his face. "There aren't. I mean, there is a pack that travels through this area, but wolves have big territories. We don't usually hear them or even see them much." He stepped slightly in front of her so that he was between her and the door, seeming pretty tense just for a couple of random, far-away howls.

"Well, guess they're trying to make a liar out of you," Jo said jokingly. Mostly, she was trying to keep her mind off the way his large, warm, hand seemed to make her the skin on her arm tingle. She was trying not to think about him grabbing her other arm as well, and pulling her towards his chest....

That hard, muscular chest. Jo swallowed, and even though she thought she'd been quiet, that seemed to draw Ryker's attention back to her.

"You're safe here," Ryker said, completely misinterpreting her reaction as he looked down at her with a strange intensity that almost seemed to make those hazel eyes glow. Yeah, safety was the last thing Jo was worried about--she could handle a couple of wolves--but Ryker's reassurance was sweet, and Jo found herself smiling up at him.

"I know," she said.

A/N: The next chapter will be posted Sunday Feb. 7! Thanks again for reading! :D