Rivals In Love (Love In Montana Book 4)

Ryan returned to his apartment a little early and made some Chicken Alfredo Pasta for dinner. He had already bought stuffed cheesy garlic bread and tiramisu from the nearest bakery on his way from work. He quickly cleaned up the apartment, his heart beating with excitement. Last night after he had mailed Georgia the flight ticket and his address, she had just sent him a single message. 

See you tomorrow. 

Ever since he had been on cloud nine, unable to control the strange restlessness and excitement in his heart. He swore in his mind that this time he wouldn't let Georgia get away without confessing his feelings for her. Her words last night had tortured him to a great extent. He was sure by now that she too loved him as much as he did. The way she called him last night for help confirmed the idea. He would have to take the plunge. It was now or never. 

He quickly showered and changed into a clean pair of sweatpants and a tee-shirt. Adding a dash of his signature cologne, he quickly brushed his teeth and shaved his stubble. A guy needed to always be ready after all! The last few days, he had been looking like a grieving caveman, really not in the mood to groom himself ever since he separated from Georgia. But now things were different and he was hopeful again. 

For the next few minutes, he fidgeted around, checking whether the spare bedroom was ready or not. He had vacuumed the entire apartment and had already restocked the grocery and other essentials. He kept brand new women's toiletries and towels for her in her en-suite. Satisfied that the room looked clean, comfortable and inviting, he sat down in the living room. He went out of the way with his arrangements so that she didn't find anything lacking that could drive her to look for a place of her own. 

"Breathe Ryan, " he reminded himself as the time of her arrival approached. It was nearly 7:30 in the night and she would reach his apartment anytime. Ryan breathed deeply, inhaled and exhaled out, in and out till the doorbell rang.  Immediately jumping up to his feet, he couldn't help the tremendous amount of happiness that he felt deep within, like his heart wanted to burst into a song while his feet wanted to start a happy dance. But he did neither. 

He just opened his door to find Georgia standing there looking hot as f*ck wearing a red top and a black figure hugging jeans! He would be a dead mean if he said that he wasn't aroused just by looking at her. He had missed her so much. His body was instantly alive just by looking at her. After seeing her, he didn't know if it was a good idea to invite her to share his apartment. He had no idea if he could keep his hands to himself for long! They stared at one another for what seemed like ages, both lost in each other's eyes. Ryan wanted to pull her into his arms but was scared in case it drove her away from him. He didn't want to impose like Wyatt. 

"Hi! Thanks for everything that you did for me," said Georgia nervously.

"It was nothing," he shrugged, stuffing his hands into his pockets to stop himself from grabbing and kissing her passionately although that was exactly what he wanted to do. 

"Umm, can I come inside?" Asked Georgia with a shy smile. Ryan jumped back to give her space to enter, taking the two trolley cases from her.

"Please come in, Georgia," he said, as his cheeks colored slightly. "That's all the luggage you have?" He asked, looking surprised. He knew how his sisters were. Renée had too many clothes and yet she bought every single design she liked from aunt Charlotte's boutique. 

"Yeah. I have more at Laramie, " she told him, walking into the cozy and comfortably furnished apartment. It looked so homely maybe because of the presence of a hot guy who stood staring at her with a million questions on his mind. 

"You can ask your aunt to dispatch them here. You're not likely to go back to Laramie, " he told her like a statement. Georgia blushed. She wanted to ask him what he meant by that.  She wanted to know what her living with him meant. Were they now a couple living together? Or were they just roommates? 

"Let's see. I'll have to inform everyone first. I just packed my stuff and released the apartment and took the flight and came here. I didn't even inform my brothers," shrugged Georgia. Ryan placed her luggage in her room and Georgia followed him inside. 

"You need to inform them since you'd be living here from now on. By the way, this is your room. Freshen up. Dinner's ready, " said Ryan with a charming smile in his face. It melted Georgia's heart. She nodded, looking around the room. Ryan walked away with a smile and Georgia closed the door. She inspected the whole room absent-mindedly as her mind was unable to focus on anything other than the man outside. Seeing him after a week she realized how much she had missed him. Her heart wanted to pull him into her arms and show him how much she loved him. Living under the same roof with him sleeping in the bedroom next to hers would be so difficult! While entering her room, she had checked out that there was another bedroom right next to hers. 

After freshening up, she took a deep breath and opened the door to see Ryan laying the table for them. He looked so good, his muscles rippled as he worked effortlessly around the house. Georgia was impressed. She had never seen this side of him before. The delicious aroma of home cooked food tingled her nose and she realized how hungry she was. She had just grabbed a sandwich in the morning. Her eyes went back to the man in front of him. Had he cooked for her? With his back to her she could see that his body was tense as if he knew her presence without looking back at her.

"Come here, Georgia. Let's eat," he said, without looking at her. Georgia walked towards the table and checked out the food with wide eyes. She knew Ryan was staring at her to check out her reaction. 

"Wow! You made all this?" She gasped, looking impressed. Ryan looked pleased with her reaction. 

"I just made the pasta," he shrugged. 

"I didn't know that you could cook," she said, sitting down to eat. Ryan sat opposite to her, his eyes still upon her. 

"I can do many things, Georgia," he said, his eyes glittering as he pinned her with a piercing gaze. Georgia smiled shyly and started helping herself to the food. 

"My brother Russell and I have arranged for an interview for you in the position of Chief Nutritionist at Glenbrook Petting Zoo which is a sister concern of ours. Would you be interested?" Asked Ryan as he served himself. Georgia nodded.

"Of course I'm very much interested. I already have worked as a Chief Nutritionist for three years at a petting zoo in Laramie. Yesterday, Phil had scanned and sent me all my documents. I need to take a print if I need to produce them at the interview," she told Ryan. 

"Sure. We can do that here. I have a printer at home," said Ryan. Georgia relaxed, having settled that issue. 

She reached out to take a second helping of the food abs Ryan smilesmiled. "Do you like it?" He asked, gesturing towards the pasta. Georgia nodded.

"It's delicious. Do you cook often or once in a while?" She asked curiously. Her brothers Phil and Cameron knew how to cook but were too lazy to do it. Aunt Dorothy always complained about them not bothering to make dinner ever to relieve her. 

"I could cook for you everyday to make you stay with me," said Ryan softly. Georgia blushed and looked away which made Ryan's whole body tingled with excitement. She looked so adorable with that blush on her face that he could just grab her and kiss her the whole night. 

"I'll stay even if you don't cook, Ryan, " she told him, concentrating on her cake. She was acutely aware of Ryan's gaze upon her mouth as she ate her dessert, licking her lips clean. The air between them was dense, heavy and charged with a strange electric charge. Georgia couldn't look up at him yet she knew that his breath was hitched as his gaze drilled a hole on her lips. 

Ryan was losing his self control around her. Seeing her enjoy the cake so much made him wish that he was the cake  instead! He wanted to ask her why she came to Las Vegas. Was it only for the job? Or was it because she missed him as much as he had missed her? He knew that he needed his answers but how could he initiate the topic when they were both trying to avoid addressing the elephant in the room?