They still stood in his doorway, Ryan leaning against the door without inviting her in and Megan standing in the hall not asking him to. ‘We’ll be sorry to see you go. The guys have nothing but good things to say about your work.’
‘It’s time. But thank you for saying so.’
‘Here,’ Megan reached into her pocket and grabbed a piece of paper. ‘These are the file numbers we need. I’ll be happy to take the disk in for you. It’s not a problem at all.’
Ryan nodded, hesitating before taking the paper from her. He seemed careful not to touch her outstretched hand. ‘I’ll send them right over.’
‘OK.’ Her voice sounded shrill, even to her own ears. ‘Thank you.’
‘Was that all?’
‘Yes. But you’re busy. I can come by tomorrow and pick them up then.’
‘Yeah, we’re having a building party. It’s my turn to host.’
Megan nodded. ‘OK, then. Bye. Thanks.’ She moved to go, only to stop as Ryan began to shut the door. Turning, she blurted, ‘Why did you have to marry her?’
‘What?’ He looked shocked.
‘Her,’ Megan demanded quietly, motioning behind him. ‘Rosa. Why did you have to be with her? You belong with me. I’m the one, Ryan. I’m . . .’ She shrugged, feeling teary and afraid. ‘It’s me. You couldn’t have waited one week for me to come to my senses?’
‘Why shouldn’t I be with someone else? Suddenly, you want me now that you think you can’t have me?’ He glanced behind him before pulling the door shut so they were alone in the hall. ‘What kind of crap is that?’
‘Think?’ Megan seized upon the one word. ‘You said now that I
think
I can’t have you.’
He looked away, as if searching for a response. His mouth worked, but nothing came out.
‘Am I wrong, Ryan? Do I have a chance to make it up to you?’ She took a step towards him.
‘You know everything,’ he said. ‘Don’t you know the answer to this?’
‘No, no, I thought I did, but I don’t. I’m no good at relationships.’ She lifted her hand, wanting to touch him, but needing permission. ‘In Montana, so much was said. I’m sorry for most of it. I’m an idiot. I don’t know anything. I didn’t realise what I felt. But, when you drove away, I felt my heart breaking. I didn’t even know my heart could break. I went to work and hearing that you weren’t going to be there ruined it for me. I like seeing you at the crime scenes, however morbid that might sound. When we first met, I wrote you off as a nuisance because of that picture you took of me taking down St Claud. I didn’t realise you published it for more than recognition and money. I didn’t know there could be another reason, especially the reason Kat said.’
‘She told you about my parents?’ His face hardened.
‘Don’t be mad at her. She was trying to make me understand. That photograph, when it came out, ruined my life. Or I thought it did. Or at the time it did.’ Megan shook her head, beginning to pace back and forth in the small hall. ‘My work was all I had and being moved from homicide to catching burglars was a step down for me. Then, you took my picture at the crime scene when I stepped on that stupid rock.’
‘You mean the priceless carving of the Aztec god?’ he interjected.
Megan grimaced. ‘Yeah, that would be the rock.’
‘Go on.’ He crossed his arms over his chest.
‘You took that picture and all I could think was how you were going to ruin my life again. So, when you showed up as my fiancé, I just knew it was to blackmail me. Only, I wasn’t sure why. I assumed it was to get in good with my family because you didn’t have one.’ Megan made a weak noise, her eyes darting to his steady gaze. ‘I didn’t mean it like that. I told you, I’m no good at these things.’
‘What? Apologies?’
‘Yeah, those.’
‘Go on. I’m listening.’
‘Oh . . .’ Megan blinked, trying to remember what she’d been saying. Nothing was as articulate as she’d endlessly practised. Her body shook with nerves, making it hard to concentrate. Somehow, she knew this was her chance to get everything she wanted to say out. ‘Where was I?’
‘You think I blackmailed you to get into your family.’
‘Right.’ She pointed at him to punctuate the word. ‘You had that picture and I was so sure you were using it for leverage.’
‘I wouldn’t do that, Megan. If this is to get the picture back –’
‘No, it’s not, I swear.’ She made a move towards him, only to hold back. ‘I know you wouldn’t do that. What I’m trying to tell you is I suspected you endlessly, adding motivations where there weren’t any. I suspected the worst when, in fact, the only thing I should have suspected was the way I truly feel about you.’
‘And how is that?’
Did he lean closer to her? She couldn’t be sure. Her world was spinning around her, a rush of emotion that centred on him. How could she say the words? Her voice cracked and she tried her best to get them out, but they wouldn’t come.
‘Megan?’ He touched her cheek, gently running the backs of his fingers along her neck.
‘I love you,’ she whispered. ‘I want to take everything back. I want to rewind time and go back to Montana, to when we were engaged, to before you . . .’
‘Me?’
‘Rosa.’
‘Me and Rosa?’
Megan nodded. ‘Before.’
‘Rosa is married to Pete. There isn’t a me and Rosa.’ This time she was sure he was closer. Her nerves snapped with the electric heat from his body. ‘There has never been a me and Rosa.’
‘No you and Rosa?’ Sweet relief flooded her. She’d hoped, prayed for such a thing. ‘But your neighbours said . . .’
‘My neighbours?’ Ryan frowned, glancing at his door.
‘When I came, they said you were on your honeymoon in Romania and you said you were in Romania when I saw you at Kat’s.’
‘Who said this?’
Megan motioned towards the door across the hall from his. ‘The woman with the birds and the lady downstairs.’
‘A moment, please.’ Ryan pushed open his door. ‘Margie, Rosa, Mrs Hartman, can you come here for a moment?’
Rosa was the first to appear.
‘Are we married, Rosa?’ he asked.
‘No, not so long as Pete behaves himself.’ Rosa winked at him.
‘Thank you,’ Ryan said, nodding.
Rosa laughed, tossing her hand. ‘I love your strangeness, Ryan. Don’t ever change or I’ll no longer be your friend.’
A smile crept over Megan’s face. ‘So, you’re not married?’
‘Margie?’ Ryan called.
‘Ryan, you don’t have to do this,’ Megan said under her breath. ‘So long as it’s not true, I don’t care why they said it. Please, just tell me I have a chance to make it up to you. That’s all I’m asking for is a chance. Let me take you out on a date. I’ll do –’
‘Ye –’ Margie, the woman who had the birds skidded to a stop as she saw Megan. Without having to be asked, she said, ‘Yes, I did and I did it to protect you from her. And I’d do it again.’
‘Why would I need protection from my fiancée?’ he asked.
‘Engaged?’ Megan gasped.
He smiled, turning to her. ‘Engaged.’
‘Quick, shut the door, Margie. Let them be,’ said the older woman who could only be Mrs Hartman.
‘They’re hoping I forget to yell at them for meddling in my life. Though they did mean well, it wasn’t their place to lie to you and try to protect me.’ He chuckled, a knowing sound, before raising his voice. ‘Even if they now listen from the other side of the door so they can hear what we’re talking about.’
A thud sounded at his claim followed by the unmistakable drumming of footsteps.
‘You said engaged?’ Megan didn’t dare to hope, but how could she not?
‘To you.’ Ryan leant his mouth to hers.
‘Really?’ Megan wound her arms around his neck, pressing her lips tightly to his to keep him from answering. She moaned against his mouth, having missed the feel of his body against hers. The tight muscles of his chest welcomed her and his arms held her waist as he lifted her feet off the floor.
He was the first to draw back. ‘Yes, really. You see, I told myself the next woman I was with would be “the one”. I’m looking for marriage, kids, the whole familial package.’
Megan laughed, remembering the words she’d told him that night in the alleyway when he’d asked her out on a date to her parents’ house. ‘And how do you know you’ve found the right woman?’
‘She’ll be stubborn, wilful, frustrating as hell . . .’ Ryan paused, kissing the tip of her nose.
‘I like her already.’ She arched a brow. ‘And . . . ?’
‘Tough yet sweet, beautiful, sexy, big eyes that melt me with just the thought of them.’ He kissed each of her temples by her eyes. ‘So long as she is you, I know I’ll be happy.’
‘And the details are irrelevant?’ she echoed the past words.
‘No, wrong. The details will be the most important part. I want to live and remember each and every second of our life together.’ Ryan cupped her face. ‘I love you, Megan. I want to always love you.’
‘I have a confession,’ she said. ‘I didn’t fight your coming to Montana harder because I secretly wanted you to be there with me. I would never have admitted it then, but I know it now. I’m a cop. There is no way you could have blackmailed me, if I didn’t let you.’
‘I’ve got a confession as well.’ Ryan grabbed her arms and turned her towards the wall, intent on trapping her against it.
‘What?’
‘The motorcycle wasn’t mine.’ He moaned softly, his eyes shining bright as he pressed into her body. The fullness of his arousal rocked into her, stirring her already piqued desires. ‘I don’t own a bike, have never owned one. I lied about it because I wanted to be with you. Can you forgive me for pretending to fit your list?’
‘No.’ She shook her head, feigning a scowl. ‘But you can spend all of our married life making it up to me.’
Ryan nipped at her jaw, only to breathe heavily against her as he nuzzled her throat. ‘So you give in to me. What was it? My sexy boyish charm? My suave manners?’
‘It’s the details.’ Megan leant up to kiss him, only to draw back. ‘I wasn’t lying when I said I suck at relationships. So I have to ask, are you sure about this? About us? Because I can’t lose you again. And you better be sure, because I’m licensed to carry a gun.’
‘I’m not worried. I’ve been told the secret to happy marriages.’
‘Are you going to share it? Or do I have to beat it out of you?’
‘Easy there, Detective Matthews.’ Ryan gave her a sultry smile.
Megan flipped him around, changing their roles as she trapped him to the wall. ‘Let me guess. The secret is . . .’ She ran her hand down between them, letting it cup his arousal pressing against his jeans.
‘Nope. Not even close.’
‘It’s not?’ She quirked a brow, drawing her hand away and holding it to the side where he could see it. ‘Are you sure? Because sex is the one thing we actually get right.’
‘Your father says the key to a happy marriage is to run away each time a wife menstruates.’ He laughed. ‘He recommended I take up a once-a-month hobby. With as many women as he has in the family, I figured he’d be the one to know.’
Megan slapped him playfully on the chest and pushed back. She looked at his door. ‘I’d ask you to invite me in, but I’m not sure I could hold a straight conversation with your neighbours. And, yet, I don’t want to leave you either.’
‘This –’ he touched her cheek briefly ‘– is a problem I can solve.’ Ryan opened the door to his apartment. His hand slid from her face, reaching down to grab hers. Leading her inside, he loudly cleared his throat. ‘Anyone in here wanting my forgiveness for anything, leave now and all will be forgotten.’
Mrs Hartman and Margie glanced at each other, quickly standing from his couch. Margie shuffled past them, not saying anything, barely even looking in their direction. Mrs Hartman wasn’t so modest, as she stopped, eyed Megan and said, ‘Hurt him and I’ll take a hit out on you. Ryan, sweetheart, come down when you two are done talking. I’ve baked a fresh batch of cookies.’
‘Cookies?’ Rosa asked, excited. ‘Why didn’t you say you made cookies?’ She rushed to the door, patting Ryan on the arm as she passed. ‘Get your nookie, Ryan, I’m going to eat your share of the cookies. Nice to meet you, detective. Don’t arrest any of us. Oh, and, Ryan, make sure you ask her about fixing those tickets for me since you won’t do it.’
‘Tickets?’ Megan asked.
‘Parking tickets. She has a, um, few,’ Ryan answered, turning his attention to the redhead on his couch who hadn’t moved. She was on a cellular phone.
‘If you ask me as a favour, I might see what I can do.’ Megan looked him over, her blood rushing in her veins as her heart beat faster.
‘She has twenty-nine.’ Ryan chuckled. ‘She’s been begging me to help her for some time, but I told her I can’t as a photographer.’
‘Where did everyone go?’ a brunette said as she came in from the back of the apartment.