Emily never expected to see Ryan standing at her door tonight.
Yet here he was.
He looked exhausted—his hair slightly disheveled, his suit wrinkled, his jaw tight with tension. His tie was loosened, and there were faint shadows under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept in days. But more than anything, he looked determined, his gaze locked on hers with an intensity that made her heart race.
She hesitated, gripping the door frame as if it were the only thing keeping her upright.
"Ryan… What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Ryan's eyes darkened, his expression unreadable but his voice firm. "You didn't answer my calls," he said, his tone low and edged with frustration.
Emily swallowed, her pulse quickening as she tried to steady herself. "I've been busy," she replied, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to sound calm.
Ryan exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair in a gesture that was both familiar and frustratingly endearing. "Bullshit," he said, his voice rough but not unkind.
Emily's fingers tightened around the edge of the door, her knuckles turning white. She wasn't ready for this. She wasn't ready to see him, wasn't ready to hear what he had to say—because she was terrified she might believe him. Terrified that he would say the right things, make the right promises, and she would fall for it all over again.
Ryan stepped forward, closing the distance between them, his presence overwhelming in the small space of her doorway. "Talk to me, Emily," he said, his voice softer now but no less urgent. "Do you want this or not?"
Her breath caught, her chest tightening as she stared at him. "Ryan, I—" she began, but he cut her off, his voice rising slightly.
"No more games," he said, his tone firm but laced with a vulnerability she hadn't heard before. "No more avoiding me. If you're done, just say it."
Emily's chest tightened, her mind racing as she tried to find the words. She should say it. It would be easier to let him go, to walk away before she got hurt again. But her lips wouldn't move, her heart refusing to let her speak the words that would end this—end them.
Ryan's eyes searched hers, his voice quieter now, almost pleading. "Emily… just tell me the truth."
"I saw the picture," she blurted out, her voice trembling as the words spilled out before she could stop them.
Ryan frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion. "What?"
Emily took a shaky breath, her hands trembling as she gripped the doorframe tighter. "You. At the gala. With that woman," she said, her voice wavering but gaining strength as she continued. "You promised things would be different. You promised I'd come first. But then I see you halfway across the world, standing next to some stunning woman, and I—"
She stopped, shaking her head as her emotions threatened to overwhelm her. Her chest heaved with the effort of holding back the tears, and she hated how vulnerable she felt, how easily he could unravel her.
Ryan's eyes softened, his expression shifting from confusion to understanding. "Emily—" he began, but she cut him off, her voice rising slightly.
"Tell me the truth, Ryan," she said, her voice breaking but her gaze steady. "If I hadn't seen that picture, would you have even told me you were there with her?"
Ryan was silent for a moment, his jaw tightening as he seemed to weigh his words carefully. Then, he exhaled sharply, his shoulders slumping slightly as he ran a hand through his hair.
"No," he admitted, his voice quiet but firm. "I wouldn't have."
Emily's breath hitched, her chest tightening as his words sank in. She had expected him to deny it, to brush it off as nothing, but his honesty caught her off guard.
Emily swallowed hard, her throat tight with emotion. "That's what I thought," she said, her voice trembling as she turned away, reaching for the door handle. She couldn't do this. She couldn't stand here and listen to him explain away the doubts that had been eating at her for days. It was too much, too raw, and she needed space—needed to breathe.
But then—
Ryan grabbed her wrist. Not forcefully, not aggressively, but with just enough pressure to stop her from running.
"Wait," he said, his voice low but firm.
Emily squeezed her eyes shut, her chest heaving as she tried to steady herself. "Ryan—" she began, but he cut her off, his voice steady and unwavering.
"She's just a business partner," he said, his tone calm but filled with conviction. "She was there for networking. That's it. Nothing happened, Emily. I swear to you."
Emily turned to face him, her expression guarded but her eyes betraying the storm of emotions raging inside her. She wanted to believe him, to trust that he was telling the truth, but the fear of getting hurt again held her back.
Ryan didn't let go of her wrist, his grip firm but gentle, as if he were afraid she might disappear if he loosened his hold even a little. "Then why didn't you just tell me?" she asked, her voice breaking as the words spilled out.
Ryan exhaled, his shoulders slumping slightly as he looked at her, his gaze filled with a quiet intensity that made her chest ache. "Because I didn't think I had to," he admitted, his voice rough with regret. "Because I didn't realize how much I had already fucked this up."
His grip on her wrist tightened just slightly—a silent plea, a desperate attempt to keep her from walking away.
"I should've told you," he continued, his voice softer now but no less urgent. "I should've made it clear that you never had anything to worry about. But instead, I let you sit here and doubt me. I let you think you weren't my priority."
Emily's throat tightened, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. God, why did he have to say everything she needed to hear? Why did he have to look at her like that, like she was the only thing in the world that mattered?
Ryan took a slow step closer, his hand brushing against her cheek, his touch gentle but desperate. "I came back early because of you, Emily," he said, his voice low and filled with quiet determination.
Her breath hitched, her heart pounding in her chest as she stared at him.
"I told you I wouldn't let you feel like you came second again," Ryan continued, his thumb tracing her jaw in a gesture so tender it made her chest ache. "And I meant it."
Emily's resolve was crumbling, the walls she had built around her heart cracking under the weight of his words. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to trust that this time would be different, that he was truly committed to making things work. But the fear of getting hurt again held her back, a quiet voice in her head whispering that she was setting herself up for another heartbreak.
Ryan's eyes searched hers, his expression filled with a quiet desperation that made her chest tighten. "If you don't want me, say the word, and I'll walk away," he said, his voice rough with emotion. "But if there's even a part of you that still wants this, don't shut me out."
Emily felt herself breaking, the last of her resistance crumbling as she looked into his eyes. She couldn't say she didn't want him. Because it would be a lie. And Ryan saw it in her eyes, the way her guard was falling, the way her heart was betraying her.
He exhaled sharply, his patience snapping as he closed the distance between them, his hand cupping her face as he leaned in, his lips brushing against hers in a kiss that was both tender and filled with longing.
His hands slid into her hair, pulling her closer as the kiss grew deeper and more intense. It was charged, fueled by weeks of bottled-up feelings. She gasped, and Ryan groaned, tilting her head to kiss her harder. It was rough, full of emotion—anger, relief, and a need they could no longer hold back. Emily grabbed his shirt, her fingers clutching the fabric as she pulled him closer, needing his warmth, his presence, needing to feel that he was really there.
Ryan growled against her lips, his voice low and rough with desire. "God, I thought I'm gonna lose you again."
Emily felt herself giving in, her body reacting to his touch without hesitation.They barely made it into the living room before Emily pushed him against the wall, kissing him with a hunger that surprised even her. Ryan groaned, his hands grabbing her waist as he lifted her easily. She wrapped her legs around him, gasping as he pressed her firmly against the wall. Her fingers tangled in his hair while his lips moved down her jaw, her neck, lower—each touch sending sparks through her body.
Ryan's breath was ragged, his voice a low, desperate murmur against her skin. "Tell me you still want this. Want me"
Emily's chest heaved, her voice trembling but filled with certainty. "I want you."
Ryan cursed under his breath, his grip tightening as he carried her to the bedroom, their movements frantic and uncoordinated. The moment they hit the mattress, clothes were torn away, hands exploring, bodies colliding in a desperate attempt to close the distance between them. Ryan hovered over her, his eyes dark, intense, filled with a hunger that made her breath catch. "Emily," he said, his voice rough but tender.
She did, her gaze locking with his as he slid inside her slowly, deliberately, watching every flicker of emotion cross her face. Emily gasped, her nails digging into his back as she arched against him, her body trembling with the intensity of it. "Ryan—" she breathed, her voice breaking as he filled her completely.
He groaned, his forehead resting against hers as he moved, his voice a low, desperate whisper. "I really missed you, Emily."
They moved together, a perfect rhythm, a desperate need that neither of them could deny. Ryan's lips brushed against her ear, his voice a low, possessive growl. "I never wanted this with any other woman except you, Emily."
Her heart stuttered, her chest tightening at his words. Because she wanted to be. She wanted to believe that this was real, that this time would be different. She arched against him, pulling him deeper, letting herself drown in everything he was—his touch, his scent, the way he made her feel like she was the only thing that mattered.
And when they shattered together, Emily wasn't sure she'd ever felt something so right.
Ryan pulled her close afterward, his breath warm against her skin as they lay tangled together in the quiet darkness. For a while, neither of them spoke, the only sound was the steady rhythm of their breathing. Then, Ryan whispered the words that changed everything.
"I love you, Emily."
Emily froze, her heart pounding in her chest as panic and hope crashed into each other. She wasn't sure what to say, how to respond, but Ryan didn't seem to expect an answer. He pressed his lips to her temple, his voice soft but filled with quiet determination. "You don't have to say it back. Just... let me show you."
Emily swallowed hard, her mind racing as she tried to process his words. She wanted to believe him, to trust that this was real, but the fear of getting hurt again held her back. And yet, as she lay there in his arms, the warmth of his body pressed against hers, she realized that she wasn't ready to let go—not yet.