I retrieved my bag and headed to the boarding area. When I saw Ryan chatting up our ticket consultant, Margaret, I quickened my pace. My stepbrother was a handsome son-of-a-bitch and Margaret was engaged. If I left her in his presence too long, she'd been singing 'Hopelessly Devoted To You' from
Grease
. Alerted by the sharp click of my heels, he turned and said something to Margaret that had both of them laughing.
"Well?"
Ryan Tidwell was one of the most handsome men I'd ever seen. His shaggy, dishwater-blond hair cascaded over his shoulders and framed his intense turquoise eyes. The straight teeth and perfect smile did nothing to dissuade women from thinking that he was perfect and as a result, he had more dates than I'd had in my entire life. At least he was a gentleman; he always sent them flowers the next morning. He greeted me with that trademark, heart-melting smile and held his arms out to embrace me.
"What's up, sis?"
"Nothing." I hugged him back, grinning as well. "Why?"
"You smell wonderful. What's the name of the perfume you're wearing?"
He and I exchanged a look, knowing that he'd smelled pussy on my lips. "It's new, from Iberia. It's called delGado."
"I see." He hid a snicker under his palm and gave me a mischievous wink. "I'll have to pick some of that up."
"It's a
women's
fragrance, Ryan." He nodded and I gave Margaret my bag. I had a few minutes to spare before I had to descend to the tarmac and I pulled Ryan to the side. "Thanks for coming but you didn't have to."
"Yes, I did. I meant what I said. I consider you my sister, no matter what my stupid mother says."
"Isn't that a dangerous stance for the only-child-who-stand-to-inherit to take?"
"Maybe, but friendship is thicker than blood." He moved a bit closer to me. "I saw the will your Dad wrote. I don't know if you know but you were supposed to get the house. I don't know what happened but I know that my mother did something."