Julie James - About That Night

Perhaps Kyle had forgotten something, she mused. With that in mind, she slid off the bar stool and left the kitchen. She cut through her living room and opened the door, expecting to see a pair of piercing blue eyes and dimples.

Instead, she froze.

Standing there on her doorstep, inexplicably, was Jon.

He held out his arms. “Surprise.”

RYLANN BLINKED IN shock. “Jon. What are you doing here?” She ignored the outstretched arms, not exactly in a place to hug it out right then.

After a moment, he dropped his hands back to his sides. “Okay, so much for hoping for a warm reception. I’m here because I’d like to talk.”

“Do they…not have telephones anymore in Italy?”

He pointed, grinning. “Ah, there’s that sarcasm I missed. I tried the telephone, remember? You hung up on me.”

Technically, she’d said good-bye first, but this was hardly the time to get caught up in semantics. “Because I didn’t think there was anything else we needed to say.” But now, judging from the fact that he was suddenly there, on her doorstep, she’d been quite wrong in assuming that.

He shifted awkwardly. “Look, I just spent ten hours on a flight from Rome. After everything we’ve been through, are you really going to leave me standing out here in the hallway like some stranger?”

Rylann actually considered that for a moment. Then she stepped back from the doorway and let him in.

Jon smiled. “Thanks.”

She watched as he entered her living room and checked out the apartment. He looked mostly the same as he had the last time she’d seen him, although he’d cut his hair a little shorter and had a healthy tan. The Italian lifestyle seemed to suit him well.

“Cute place,” he said. He looked over at the counter, his eyes holding on the lone cereal bowl and iPad. Breakfast for one.

Before she got rolling on her cross-examination, there was one preliminary matter Rylann needed to get to the bottom of. “How did you find me?”

“Kellie and Keith. You gave them your forwarding address when you moved out here.”

When he turned around and faced her, seemingly finished with his assessment of the apartment, she decided to cut to the chase. “Do you want to tell me why you’re here?”

He looked her in the eyes. “I think I made a mistake. About us. Italy has not turned out to be what I thought it would.” He stepped forward, his voice turning softer. “I really miss you, Ry.”

Hearing the words, Rylann felt a mixture of emotions right then—regret, sympathy, and even some sadness.

But not love.

“We can’t do this, Jon. It’s over. We agreed on that when you left to get on the plane to Rome. I’ve moved on now.”

His hazel eyes flickered with emotion. “Are you seeing someone?”

She paused, then nodded. “Yes.”

“Is it serious?”

Such a complicated question. “It could be.”

Jon flinched, then looked at the ceiling. “Wow. I hadn’t been expecting that.” He took a minute, and when he returned his gaze to her, his eyes were misty.

Seeing that, Rylann wasn’t sure what to say. Whatever was going on with her ex right now, he was obviously confused and not in a good place. “Jon, I’m sorry.”

He ran his hand through his hair. “I’m just tired. Long flight. Maybe I could get a glass of water?”

“Of course.” She went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottled water out of the refrigerator. When she shut the door, she saw that Jon had followed her and was standing by the counter. “Oh. Here you go.” She handed him the water.

“Thank you.” He cracked it open and took a sip, then set the bottle on the counter. “Just tell me one thing. When we were together, were you happy?”

Yes, she was. They’d obviously had their issues, like every couple, but they’d dated for three years, they’d lived together, and she’d even wanted to marry him. But then she’d gotten over him with the six-month plan—something that had probably been easier to do than it should’ve been.

And that said a lot.

“Yes, I was happy, but—”

He put his finger over her lips, cutting her off before she could finish. “Then it doesn’t have to be over. I know I hurt you that night at Jardiniere. There you were, thinking I was going to propose, and instead I blindsided you with my grand plan to move to Rome. I was an idiot, Ry, and I am so, so sorry. But we can start fresh. I want a second chance.”

Rylann reached up, took his hand, and moved it away from her mouth. Whether he wanted to hear it or not, there was something she needed to say. “There isn’t going to be a second chance, Jon,” she said quietly but firmly. “I’m not in love with you anymore.”

He grabbed her wrist when she tried to let go of his hand. “Wait, if you’d just let me—”

“You touch her again and you’re gonna be sorry about a lot more than that night at Jardiniere.”

Rylann looked over and saw Kyle standing in the kitchen doorway, his blue eyes flashing angrily. He looked angry and tense and ready to rumble.

“Kyle,” she said in surprise as Jon instantly dropped her wrist.

His gaze turned to her, and for a moment he looked so unlike the devil-may-care charmer she knew that she wondered, with a sinking feeling, if he was mad at her. She had no clue how much he’d heard, and from his perspective, the scene he’d just walked in on could’ve looked bad—particularly to a guy who’d been cheated on by his last girlfriend.

But then he moved into the room and stood close to her side. “I think Rylann has made her feelings perfectly clear,” he said to Jon.

Jon blinked, recognition lighting in his eyes. “Holy shit, I know you. You’ve been in the news all week.” He shot Rylann a look of utter disbelief. “You’re fucking the Twitter Terrorist?” He laughed humorlessly. “You, the star assistant U.S. attorney, and an ex-con. You want to tell me how that’s ever going to work?”

“If I remember correctly, that’s none of your goddamn business anymore,” Kyle growled.

“Uh-oh, looks like I struck a nerve there,” Jon retorted.

Rylann stepped between them. “Okay, clearly we’ve got a bit too much testosterone in the room right now.” She put her hand on Kyle’s arm. “Can I talk to you out in the hall?”

He glared at Jon for a long moment—looking far more like an ex-con than a billionaire heir or computer geek—then turned back to Rylann and nodded. “All right.”

They stepped out her front door and into the small internal landing that fit barely more than her welcome mat and their two bodies. At the opposite end of the landing was a staircase leading down to the first- and second-floor apartments.

First things first. “What are you doing here?” she whispered after shutting the door behind them.

Kyle folded his arms across his chest. “Are you kidding me? I find you in the kitchen, with your ex-boyfriend declaring his undying love for you, and you ask me what I’m doing?”

“Well, I assumed your cross-examination was going to be quite lengthy, so I figured I’d get all my questions out of the way first.”

He pointed. “Don’t try to be cute when I’m pissed like this. And for the record, I came back because I forgot my watch on your nightstand. I heard a guy’s voice inside your apartment, and the door was unlocked, so I walked in.”

Did he now? “When you’re feeling a little less prickly, we should probably have a talk about boundaries and this whole possessive side of yours.”

“Fair enough. The next time I hear a strange man inside your apartment and find your door mysteriously unlocked, I won’t check to make sure you’re not being robbed or held at gunpoint by some lunatic felon that you’ve prosecuted.”

Rylann paused, thinking that over. “Perhaps this wasn’t the best time to take issue with the whole possessive thing.”

Kyle hooked a finger into the waistband of her skirt and pulled her closer. “Now it’s time for my cross-examination. First question: when’s the dickhead leaving?”

She cocked her head. “You’re not mad at me?”

“Oh, I was furious when I first walked in and saw you two standing there with his finger on your lips.” His expression relaxed a little. “But then I heard what you told him, about not being in love with him anymore.” He held her gaze. “Is it true what he said? That you wanted to marry him?”

Rylann hesitated, but she didn’t want to lie. “Back when Jon and I were together, yes, I thought we were going to get married.” When she saw Kyle clench his jaw, she continued on. “But that feels like a lifetime ago now. So much has happened since then.”

He seemed a little more appeased by that. “That brings us back to my first question: when is he leaving?”

She stepped closer, not wanting to fight about Jon. “He’ll be leaving soon. I promise. But he flew overnight on a plane from Italy to talk about this—I’m not just going to toss him out on the street.”

“Fine. I’ll do it for you.”

She reached up, sliding her hands up his chest. “Kyle, seven months ago a woman treated you like shit and acted with no regard for your feelings. I know the circumstances are different, but I’m not that callous. I can’t just slam the door in Jon’s face without giving him whatever closure he obviously needs.” She peered up at him. “Besides, you can trust me.”

He stared at her for a long moment before finally nodding. “Okay.”

Rylann exhaled in relief. Whether they were officially a couple or not, they’d just survived their first fight and had come out okay. Maybe better than okay, even.

Until Kyle changed the game on her.

“But your ex needs to understand that we’re together,” he said definitively. “In fact, I think it’s time everyone understands that. No more hiding out in your apartment, no more secret dates. If we’re really going to do this, let’s do it right.”

And just like that, they were having The Talk.

“YOU WANT TO have this discussion now? Right here?” Rylann asked him.

“I was hoping there wasn’t much to discuss.” Kyle studied Rylann’s face. “Now I see I was wrong about that.”

Admittedly, his timing probably wasn’t the best. But seeing how she had a guy waiting in her kitchen whom she’d once wanted to marry, a guy who now wanted her back, his possessive side was coming out with a vengeance.

He wanted all of her, plain and simple. And this time, he wasn’t going to settle for anything less.

“You knew when we first got together how complicated things are because of my job,” she said.

“I thought things had changed. Especially after last night.”

Her expression softened. “Last night was great. I told you, the best first date I’ve ever had.”

“It could be that way every day, Rylann.” Kyle put his hands on her shoulders, sensing that it was now or never. He wasn’t great at expressing himself, and frankly, she pretty much sucked at it, too. Quips and jokes were their usual modus operandi. But there were times in life when a man needed to suck it up and say what needed to be said.

And this was that moment.

So he peered down into her eyes. “After everything that happened with Daniela, I told myself I wasn’t going to get serious with anyone for a long time. But then you came along and changed everything. I don’t want to be some guy you’re fooling around with anymore, Rylann. I want to be with you all the way.”

Because I’m in love with you.

But when the words rose to his lips, he held them back.

Not because he didn’t mean them—far from it. He knew, as he looked into those gorgeous amber eyes that he’d never forgotten, just how true they were. But he also saw the uncertainty on Rylann’s face and realized, with some dread, that he wasn’t entirely sure how this conversation was going to turn out. And once he said those words, I’m in love with you, something he’d never before said to anyone, they’d be out there forever.

So he fell silent, waiting for her answer.

“I want to be with you, too,” she said.

Kyle smiled and pulled her closer…until he realized she wasn’t finished. “But?”

“But I need more time. You’re all over the news with your new company and the Twitter thing, and now there’s going to be the interview in Time. This is not the week to go public with the fact that we’re dating. Let’s wait it out a few weeks, or a couple months, and then when things cool down—”

“A couple months?” He pulled back and said nothing for a moment. “You’re really that embarrassed to be seen with me?”