Текст книги "Love Unscripted"

Автор книги: Tina Reber

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“You’re not going anywhere with my girlfriend,” Ryan snarled.

“And why is that, Ryan? Are you afraid that I’m going to tell her? Afraid she might find out that she wasn’t the first girl you nailed in this town?”

Kyle said mockingly.

“You don’t know shit!” Ryan raised his angry voice.

“Oh, I don’t? So I guess you never told her about the little hottie you’ve been screwing on your movie set?”

“You need to shut the fuck up before I shut you up!” Ryan threatened, stepping even closer to Kyle. Mike put his hand on Ryan’s chest, giving

him a heedful warning.

“So are you going to deny it now? Go ahead! Lie to her some more, Ryan!” Kyle taunted.

I looked up at Ryan, begging for an explanation. His face was turning red, coated with anger.

“Are you cheating on me?” The question flew from my brain and right out my mouth.

“No! Absolutely not! Never!” Ryan looked me directly in the eyes and squared his shoulders. “What he’s referring to happened before I met you.”

“So it happened?” I squeaked.

“Yeah, so what?” he muttered. “What happened before you and I got together is in the past, but since our friend here has an agenda, I guess my

past actions need to be explained. For the record, Kyle, I slept with one girl one time and that was before I even met Taryn, so you might want to get

your facts straight.”

Ryan quickly turned his attention back to me, locking his eyes on mine. “I’ve never been unfaithful to you – Never!” His words were urgent, direct.

I inched around Ryan’s side. “Kyle! Why are you doing this?” I demanded.

“You deserve better,” he said emphatically, almost pleading with me. “Better than the lies he offers.”

“What the hell is your problem? You think by coming in here and making a scene it’s going to make me want to choose you instead of him? Like

maybe if you get him out of the picture you’d have a snowball’s chance in hell with me?”

“Huh! You believe him?” Kyle countered.

Memories of every beautiful moment I had spent with Ryan flashed in fast forward through my mind. We’d been through too much for me to

doubt him. “Yes! Yes, I do!”

“Man, you are a good actor! He’ll do it again, Taryn. They all do,” Kyle yelled over the music. His attempt to convince me to agree with him

goaded Ryan even further.

Ryan reached his limit. That last comment made him snap. He raised his hands, lunging for Kyle’s throat. Pete and Mike instantly intervened,

quickly blocking Ryan from making contact.

“Kyle, you need to leave – now!” I scowled at him. “Get out of my bar.”

“Don’t you ever come near her again. You got me?” Ryan flipped out in a fit of rage. Pete had a hold of Ryan’s arm; Mike was gripping the front

of Ryan’s shirt.

Kyle just stood there, appearing unaffected, hoping that he’d get a chance to take Ryan down.

“I said get out!” I stepped in between them, staring straight at Kyle.

I had enough. My customers were watching the action unfold, waiting to see if Ryan Christensen, the famous actor, was going to get into a

fistfight. I turned and walked away, completely disgusted, and headed for my stairwell.

Ryan was at a run when he hit the first three steps to our apartment. He stopped abruptly when he saw me sitting on the top landing. He leaned

up on the wall and let out a big sigh.

He tried to maintain his temper as his words came out through his clenched teeth. “I’m going to ask, and I want the truth. Did anything… ever…

happen between you and that asshole?”

I scoffed, shocked that he would even question my fidelity. But then again, I really wasn’t surprised. Ryan and I both had trust issues.

“No. Nothing… never.” I stared directly into his eyes.

“Not even a kiss?” he growled.

“Never,” I whispered adamantly. “I hugged him goodbye once when he dropped me off from the airport at Thanksgiving, and I told you about

that.” I put my head in my hand. “I suppose even that was a mistake,” I mumbled.

Ryan finished the climb up the steps and sat down next to me on the landing. We sat there in silence, both trying to calm down.

“I think it’s safe to say that neither one of us was a virgin when we met,” Ryan muttered. “I’ve never asked you about the guys that you were with

before me, because hearing about it would just make me crazy. And you’ve never asked, so I figure the same goes for you. What difference does it

make who we slept with before? We both have pasts.”

I nodded in agreement, knowing he was right.

Ryan drew in a deep breath. “The first week I was here I hooked up with one of the PAs,” he admitted. “I messed around with her a couple of t…”

“Ryan, stop,” I interrupted, trying not to visualize this new girl as being the lucky recipient of the missing condom.

He looked at me, confused by my order.

“Don’t lie to me,” I whispered.

“I’m not,” he confirmed.

“You told Kyle one girl, one time. You just slipped and said a couple. What’s the truth?” I breathed in desperation.

“Can’t you see he’s trying to rip us apart?” he said, almost pleading with me.

“He and a million other folks,” I corrected.

“Tar, I don’t have to explain myself to Kyle, but I am being truthful with you. So I had sex with some girl – twice – before I even knew you,” he

stressed. “It was nothing. It meant nothing. And I ended it. I swear to God, from the moment I met you, I have not touched, been with, or even looked

at another woman. Suzanne doesn’t count.” He laughed lightly, then collected himself. “I’ve been completely faithful to you.”

I stared at my feet, trying to keep a hold of my emotions.

“When we were out on the lake, you said it had been months since… I just assumed that meant sex,” I confessed.

Ryan exhaled loudly.

“Taryn, when we were out on the lake, I was already falling madly in love with you. And I didn’t lie; it’s been months since I had a girlfriend.” He

collected my hand in his. “When I got to town here, I was… lonely. I took advantage of an opportunity,” he admitted.

I thought about why lovers lie to each other – feelings and egos are such fragile things.

“Do you have any more secrets or is this the last of them?” I asked.

Ryan thought for a moment. “I lost my virginity to Kelsey Bowman when I was sixteen,” he confessed.

I smiled and nudged him in the leg.

“Do you want to know how it happened?”

I laughed uncomfortably. “No!”

“What about you? Are you keeping any secrets from me?” he asked cautiously.

I looked him directly in his eyes. “No.”

He twisted my garnet ring to align it on my finger. “Do you remember what I told you Christmas morning when I put this ring on your finger?

Honey, there is no one else. There hasn’t been anyone else. I’m in love with you, Tar.”

As I watched the last minute of the year count down I resolved that his past and mine needed to stay there… in the past.

Ryan grabbed the belt loop on my jeans and pulled me off to the privacy of the dark kitchen. His arm wrapped around my waist; together we

were ushering in a new year, a new chapter to our lives.

“Ten, nine, eight…” he counted backwards on my lips. I couldn’t help but be giddy at our closeness; my arms wrapped around his neck tighter,

holding him fast to my body.

“Happy New Year Honey,” he whispered, his warm mouth kissed me passionately.

The bar was completely crowded, but at that moment in the darkness we were the only two people on the planet.

Our days together turned to just hours and then to mere minutes; Ryan was leaving for Florida to start filming his next movie.

“Call me once you get settled in,” I requested, trying to keep my extreme sadness of his departure in control. I turned my car ignition off.

His gentle hand rubbed my cheek. “I will. It won’t be for a couple of hours though until I land. Don’t be sad. I’ll see you in three weeks, I promise!”

Ryan looked over his shoulder nervously, expecting that at any moment photographers could rush up to my car.

“Three weeks.” I nodded. “I think I can make it.”

“You could always quit your night job and come stay with me?” he teased.

“I’m working on it!”

“I know. I’ll see you on the 22nd. Keep your calendar open,” he reminded.

Mike was already standing behind my car with their luggage, waiting patiently.

“You better go. Kiss me already!”

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you more!”

“Doubt that!” He leaned and kissed me again.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you,” he said quickly, one of his long legs was already out of my car. “There’s a crew coming tomorrow morning to start

demolition on the pub kitchen.”

“What?” I asked, slightly louder than I had intended. “Wait, we only just got the estimate.”

“I know. I hired them.”

Ryan hopped out of my car before I had a chance to argue. “So if you want to yell at me, you’ll have to call me later and do it over the phone.”

“Ryan!” I whined.

“Sorry, I can’t hear you!” He mouthed on the other side of the closed passenger door. He looked at me intently through the glass window,

grinning.

I read his lips when he silently said, “I love you,” placing his palm on the window to say goodbye.

I smirked and watched his sexy butt dash off towards the terminal.

Chapter 29 – Options

“Wow, they’re really making progress,” Pete commented, assessing day four of the kitchen remodel. “It’s going to be beautiful once it’s

finished.”

I nodded, watching the crew install the new stainless steel ovens.

“So I take it you’ve forgiven him?” Pete asked, slightly distracted by watching the installers struggle with the appliances.

I suppose my reactions and behaviors were completely predictable.

“I was never mad at him, Pete. And now that this kitchen is finally getting done, I’m actually quite relieved. I guess I’ll have to just get used to his

generosity.”

“Now there’s a good idea!” Pete staggered slightly, giving me a teasing bump. “You know most decent men have it engrained in them to take

care of their family. He just wants to be the provider, that’s all.”

I sighed heavily as Pete’s words sunk in. “I know.”

“You know he’s going to marry you, especially now since you’re the proud parents of twin kitchen sinks!” He winked.

“Yeah right!” I elbowed him in the arm for teasing me. “Are you taking bets?”

“Yep. How about a grand?” he suggested, pretending to reach for his wallet.

“Pass. Just keep your money. I may need to borrow some to pay him back for all of this.”

“Oh she of little faith,” Pete said, patting my head.

“Well, if you’re done being overly presumptuous, I’m going to get the mail.”

I was still laughing as I picked up the pile that lay inside the front door. Ryan’s fan mail volume never ceased; it actually increased since his fans

had a physical mailing address for the object of their affection. Fortunately, the Seaport Post Office kept a running pile and only delivered the trays

of fan mail twice a week. I laughed to myself when I weeded through the pile and still found a few that snuck through.

I used my finger to open up a plain white envelope addressed to Taryn Mitchell.

I gasped in horror as my eyes read the frightening message written on a simple, white piece of paper:

My throat tightened and I felt faint. Basic internal instincts made me want to run screaming. The nightmares were starting all over again.

“Why are you so jumpy?” Marie asked at the start of her shift. She was filling the cooler with bottled beer and every time she clanked the bottles

together I unconsciously flinched.

I took the letter out of my back pocket.

“Taryn! This is no joke! Did you call the cops?”

I folded it back up and shoved it deep in my pocket. “No, I didn’t. What are the cops going to do? Besides, my fingerprints are all over it now.”

She grabbed my forearm. “Does Ryan know?”

“No. I just got it in the mail today. I haven’t talked to him today yet.”

“He’s going to flip,” Marie stated the obvious. “You are going to tell him, right?”

I looked away, feeling pressured. I hadn’t intended to say anything to him. He already had enough to worry about.

“You can’t keep something like this from him, Taryn!”

Quite a few reasons not to tell him slipped into my mind. For one, Ryan was back in the gossip news. His rehearsals with Lauren happened to

be photographed and candid shots were conveniently leaked to the masses.

Embarrassing stories were breaking over every media outlet that Ryan had rekindled his previous relationship with Lauren. New pictures of

them hugging and being close were mingled in with old pictures from last year. The media was dusting off old photos and selling them as recent

evidence.

To the untrained eye, one might not know the difference. To someone like me, who had spent countless hours researching the man I was

sleeping with, I knew what was old and what was new.

Some of the magazines even reprinted old comments he made years ago, putting them into new content to make it look like they had obtained

the latest news directly from the source.

My mind was wandering when I turned the pub TV to watch Celebrity Tonight. Ryan’s alleged affair in Florida was top story news.

Marie marched over to me and snatched the television remote out of my hand. “It’s all crap and you know it,” she said forcefully, changing the

channel before I had a say in the matter.

Over the next few days, my mail was pleasantly devoid of horrid letters. I had hoped that the original letter was a one-time occurrence, but I

worried nonetheless.

Unfortunately, Thursday afternoon, a new threat letter arrived in the mail. This one stated:

The sound of car keys being dropped on the bar made me flinch again; my nerves were wound tight.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” Kyle said. “Hi!” He smiled innocently. “Is it all right if I have a beer? I promise I’ll behave. See?” He opened up

his coat to show me that he wasn’t wearing a gun this evening.

I found myself getting lost in his mesmerizing smile and the comforting feeling of protection that swirled around him. For how spooked I was, I

sort of wished he was packing a concealed weapon. I rolled my eyes at him and smiled slightly in return. Why did he have to be so damn

gorgeous?

I twisted the cap off of a bottle of beer and set it in front of him, slipping his money off the bar right after that. I wasn’t about to give him free

drinks, not after the scene he made here last time.

A few customers were playing pool and getting loud and rowdy. Someone dropped a pool stick on the floor; the sharp crack made me jump

again.

“You seem on edge,” Kyle muttered. “Is it because I’m here? If you don’t want me here, I’ll just have this one and then I’ll leave.”

“No, it’s all right,” I replied. “You can stay. Just as long as you don’t start anything.”

“Is he here? I guess I should apologize.”

His comment caught me by surprise. He wanted to say he was sorry to Ryan?

“No, he’s not,” I answered, disappointed that I had to say that out loud.

“Off filming again?” Kyle asked.

I glared at him, guessing that he already knew Ryan was in Florida. It was his job to know other people’s whereabouts, and I knew Kyle was

more resourceful than that.

Mike was guarding Ryan full time now, but he still worked for the same company as Kyle. That didn’t change. I was pretty sure it was known who

was guarding whom.

“Listen, I know I was an asshole the last time I was here and I just want to say I’m sorry,” Kyle said sheepishly. “I really hope you can forgive me.

It was wrong of me to act like that.”

He was quite adorable when he groveled.

“It’s okay. Just be cool about things, all right?” I tossed his empty beer bottle in the trash and served him another, wondering why I had a hard

time holding a grudge.

“Okay. I promise!” he swore, like a child being scolded.

We had another thick crowd for a weeknight and I was glad to be distracted from dwelling on the spooky threat letters. Even though I was trying

not to keep tabs on him, I still glanced around the crowd to see where Kyle was.

“He’s playing pool,” Marie muttered on her way past me. “And he’s watching you like a hawk.”

I groaned, although in some bizarre way I actually felt relieved that he was on guard, ready to strike if I was in danger.

I was clearing off a table when Kyle approached to say goodnight.

“So is it okay if I stop in from time to time? I’m actually working not too far from here. If it’s not cool, just say so. I don’t want to cause any

problems for you.”

Kyle looked so humble, like he was really, truly remorseful. He finished his beer and put his black leather jacket on.

“As long as you don’t specifically come here to cause problems for me,” I warned, hoping he’d get the hint.

“You got it. Best behavior from now on,” Kyle vowed. “I swear!”

He followed me back to the bar. “Before I go, I just want to make sure you’re okay.” He glanced around, determining how many people were

within earshot before continuing. “You seemed really nervous before. Are you sure things are fine? Any of his fans giving you problems? I know you

don’t have a bodyguard assigned.”

I thought about the new letter that was in my pocket and how terrified I was when I read it. I feigned a smile and lied.

“I’m okay, I swear!” I answered immediately. I knew if I told Kyle about the letters, he’d insist on protecting me. That would never fly with Ryan.

“So his fans have been leaving you alone?” Kyle questioned again.

“Yeah,” I confirmed, hoping to cast off his concern.

“Hmm, that’s good then.” He nodded oddly, appearing distracted by a group of people carrying on by the poolroom. “Well, since everything is

fine, I’m going to take off. Have a good night.” He squeezed my shoulder lightly on his way to the door.

I made Marie go to the grocery store with me Friday afternoon; I was a little afraid to go out on my own. I was growing increasingly paranoid and

leaving the building was becoming more and more frightening.

“So did you tell him?” Marie asked, buckling her seatbelt.

“Tell him what?”

“About the letters? About Kyle being in the pub last night,” she reminded me.

I stared blankly out the windshield.

“Taryn!”

“Don’t start. If I tell Ryan that Kyle was in the pub he’s going to flip out and I don’t need him flipping out on me.”

“You know he always finds out somehow. You’ll just piss him off that much quicker if you don’t tell him right away.”

I huffed. I hated that she was right. Ryan was ridiculously jealous of Kyle.

“I’m trying to keep Ryan from getting hurt, Marie!” I justified. “Kyle is a black belt. He’s a walking lethal weapon. I’m surprised Ryan even

attempted to fight him New Year’s Eve.”

“Men are so stupid.” She laughed. “Testosterone and beer… makes them feel tough.”

Horrible visions of Ryan fighting with Kyle just like he fought with that stunt actor on the set of Seaside flashed through my mind. I already saw

Ryan made up to look like he was in a fistfight and I shuddered to think of the bloodied mess Kyle would turn him into if the two of them ever went at

it for real. I had no doubt that Ryan could hold his own in a fight but Kyle was trained in self-defense. Despite Ryan’s best efforts, he didn’t stand a

chance to win that battle. I had to keep those two apart at all costs.

Unfortunately Kyle was the least of my worries. Staring me in the face in the checkout aisle was a new glossy picture of my boyfriend gazing

lovingly at his supposed rekindled love, Lauren Delaney.

The headline, in big, bold letters announced to the world that the two were:

TOGETHER AGAIN!

Lauren admits, “I never stopped loving Ryan”

Those words embossed themselves to my every thought. When Thomas cheated on me I at least had the luxury of being blissfully ignorant to it,

but I felt even more demeaned to hear about it and allow the lies to continue.

“He’s back,” Marie sang her words when Kyle walked through the front door of the pub Friday night. I was surprised that Pete let him in.

I watched as Kyle slipped through the crowd on his way to the bar.

“Hey, how are you?” He smiled and nodded at me, taking the last seat left at the crowded bar.

“I’m great,” I lied. Deep down I was wondering if I made a mistake by telling him it was okay for him to come around. Kyle was safety and

danger all coiled into one.

“Two days in a row,” Marie muttered. She too was watching me out of the corner of her eye.

The cute brunette sitting next to Kyle tried to strike up a conversation but he effortlessly blew her off.

“Marie, you have to work his end of the bar. I can’t be near him.” I shook my head. “I don’t even want to talk to him. Cory, go that way.” We all

shifted.

“Did you use your phone today?” Marie questioned, giving me a stern look.

I frowned and slid a Captain and Coke to the girl waiting at the bar. I still hadn’t told Ryan about Kyle showing up.

“So what’s it like?” the girl asked as she handed me a five dollar bill to pay for her drink.

“What’s what like?” I asked, having no idea what she was referring to.

“Being with him! Ryan Christensen?” She giggled. Her girlfriend looked just as eager to hear my answer.

I pressed my lips tightly together, holding back the desire to tell her off. Her intrusive question and the complete disregard for our privacy

instantly irritated me.

“Hey...” Marie waved to the girl to come closer. “Did you ever dream about being with Ryan Christensen?”

“Hell yeah! All the time!” the girl gushed.

“Just keep dreaming then!” Marie snapped back.

“Taryn, can I talk to you a sec?” Cory motioned. I followed him into the kitchen, grateful for the distraction.

“Hey, so what’s up with that Kyle guy? Is he supposed to be here?” Cory asked.

“No, not really,” I groaned, still completely irritated by the encounter with the female customer. “I don’t know why he keeps coming around either.”

Even though I said it, I knew why Kyle was here. I pondered for a moment how different my life would be right now if I had met Kyle first. Would

some random girl be asking me what it was like to be with my boyfriend if it was Kyle in Ryan’s place?

That first day I met Ryan and he asked me if I was dating someone – what would have happened if I had said ‘yes, I am’ like I always did when

any other man asked me that same question? That would have probably been the last time I ever saw Ryan Christensen.

“Does Ryan know?” Cory questioned.

“Know what?” I asked, distracted by my thoughts.

“About Kyle being here?” he reiterated.

“Oh, no. Not yet. But I’m going to tell him,” I admitted.

“Well there are enough guys around here. We can toss him out if you want?” Cory seemed to enjoy that idea a little too much. “I’d offer, but I

don’t think I could take him on my own.”

I turned quickly when Pete came through the kitchen door.

“Taryn, I didn’t know what to do about that asshole Kyle,” Pete groaned. “I gave him shit about coming here but he said he’d be cool. Do you

want him in here or not because you know Ryan won’t like this!”

Ryan certainly had enough watchdogs looking after me. I rested my hands on my hips, unsure of what to do about it. I didn’t want any of my

friends to get hurt or worse; I didn’t do a weapons check tonight.

“I know Ryan will be angry; I haven’t told him yet that Kyle has been here. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say anything to Ryan. Please let me tell

him,” I urged.

Pete shot me an angry look.

“Pete, I don’t know what I can do about it. I own a public bar. I’m not going to call the police or anything like that. Besides, Kyle isn’t causing any

problems – probably because he knows Ryan isn’t in town.”

Pete became irritated. “I thought you made it perfectly clear to this joker the last time that he wasn’t welcome around here, and yet he keeps

showing up. Doesn’t the guy know when to quit?”

“Apparently not,” I muttered. “It’s getting a little obsessive, actually. I mean he knows I’m with Ryan. I don’t know why he keeps coming around.

Does he think I’m going to change my mind?”

I wondered for a minute why Kyle was still pursuing me. Why wasn’t I a lost cause in his book?

“Maybe he’s hoping,” Cory replied.

“Well you already have one PFA out on a whacko. You could always get one on him,” Pete suggested.

I thought about how much of a hassle it was to get a protection order and the irony of having to get one against a bodyguard whose job it was to

protect people.

“Just leave him go,” I muttered. “I don’t want a scene in my pub tonight. If he shows up again, I’ll tell him to stop.” Even though I said it out loud, I

knew I would have a difficult time saying that to Kyle’s face.

“Okay.” Pete nodded. “Your bar, your decision. But say the word and we’ll introduce him to the sidewalk.”

It was late Sunday afternoon when Ryan called. It was also time to tell him about Kyle, so I braced for an argument. Ryan was due to fly home in

five days and I was hoping that the battle brewing between the two men could be avoided.

“Kyle has been showing up at the bar,” I informed Ryan. “I’ve been trying to ignore him but…”

Ryan, of course, went ballistic. “Why the hell didn’t you tell him to get lost, or do you like him coming around for you?” he accused, yelling at me

in the process.

“No, I don’t like him coming around! But I also own a pub; it’s kind of hard to keep the public out,” I snapped back. “Honey, I got a threatening

letter in the mail slot the other day. I’ve been a little scared.”

“I’m getting you a new bodyguard immediately,” Ryan informed.

“Honey,” I groaned.

“And I’m taking care of this Kyle bullshit once and for all,” he said angrily.

Despite Ryan’s attempts at warding off Kyle, two days later Kyle showed up at the bar.

“My company wants to send me to Dallas,” Kyle said somberly. “Some British diplomat needs coverage.”

I tried to look surprised even though I had expected something like this to happen soon. I studied the way his lips curled when he looked at me

and I couldn’t help but feel guilty for being the secret cause of his latest assignment.

“Great! At least you’ll be a lot warmer there than here,” I attempted to joke. “It was only thirty six degrees out today.”

“I’m turning it down,” Kyle informed me, looking quite sure of his decision.

“You can’t do that! Can you do that?” Inside I started to panic, envisioning him staying in town and showing up to start something with Ryan

again.

“I told you I wouldn’t take any out of town assignments, Taryn,” he reassured me. “I’m staying here to make sure you’re safe and protected.”

I gasped. His original charming personality suddenly turned scary. I asked one of the customers sitting at the bar if they needed a new drink,

using it as an excuse to walk away for a moment.

“There’s no one after me. You need to take the assignment.” I faked a smile and looked at him like he was being ridiculous.

“So you mean to tell me out of all those crazy fans of his there isn’t one still scaring or threatening to hurt you? You don’t need to lie to me, Taryn!

I can tell by the way you’ve been so jumpy lately that something is going on.”

My pulse quickened and I froze in place. I was starting to think that the only person I needed to be protected from was Kyle.

“Kyle, Ryan has hired another bodyguard for me. It’s not your job to worry about me.”

Kyle scowled at me. “I don’t know why you felt the need to do that,” he groaned defensively. He apparently didn’t like that piece of news at all.

I swallowed hard and chose my words, almost begging him to understand.

“Kyle, I’m not your concern. I’m not yours to protect. I know you know that.” I hoped he could see the sincerity in my eyes.

Kyle’s demeanor frightened me; it was obvious he was hurt and bordering on anger.

“I have a detective reviewing any letters I get that threaten me,” I lied. “The detective thinks that the latest letters I’ve received are coming from

someone who lives here, not someone who has travelled here.”

Kyle shifted his weight on his barstool.

“He also thinks that the sender is male,” I continued, embellishing my lie and going with my hunch. “It’s amazing how they can figure things out

like that.”

Kyle took a sip of his beer and set it on the bar. He stopped making eye contact. “Why didn’t you tell me you were getting letters?” He returned

to glower at me.

“Kyle?” I called out to get his attention. “Whatever it is that you’re doing, please… please stop. It’s not healthy for either one of us.”

His lips twitched and he looked astonished. “Are you accusing me of something? You have something to say, just say it!”

I tried to come up with an appropriate defense but I was powerless under his glare.

“Is this what you really think of me?” he asked warily. “Do you honestly think that I would do something like that? That I would be capable of

hurting you?”

“Kyle, I don’t know what you’re capable of. You know I’ve committed my heart to another man, yet here you sit.” If Kyle was going to be angry

with anyone, I wanted it to be me.

“Taryn, I care about you. That’s why I’m here. And it kills me to see someone as wonderful and beautiful as you are wasting your love on

someone like Ryan.” He gritted his teeth.

“You said to me once that I put myself between people who need protection and those who mean to do them harm.” He looked me right in the

eyes. “At least I don’t make out with all sorts of women for a living. And one day when that man that you love so much has a slip of judgement and

takes his acting too far with some other woman, who’s the one who will live with regret? He’ll only be sorry for a minute. You, on the other hand, will

be shattered.”

I turned my glance away. His words stung like a thousand needles.

“I keep hoping, Taryn. Hoping that your eyes will open up and you’ll see the heartache before it hits. Once he breaks you, it will take a strong

man to put you back together. You deserve a better future than that!”

My thoughts traveled a new course, back to the safe, familiar road that didn’t lead to heartache. Maybe I’d be better off alone again?

“I’m here because actions speak louder than words,” he said, suddenly looking hopeful.

His statements stoked up the fires under my deepest fears. As much as I wanted to cling to the thought of Ryan’s undivided love, part of me still

faltered.

“Can’t you see he’s trying to rip us apart?” Ryan’s voice echoed through my heart, shouting at me not to listen to Kyle.

“I love you. Never doubt that,” my love reminded me, the memory of his lips brushing on mine when he spoke those words made my mouth

tingle.

“Kyle…” I shook my head. “This… this has to stop. Please. I think it’s time for you to leave.”