Chapter 4 - Breakfast Date

Warning : this chapter contains content that may be difficult for some readers to read.

Zoe walked into her apartment with a smile plastered on her face. The exhaustion she'd felt earlier was gone. Her body felt alive after touching Ryder. She didn't know what it was about him, but he excited her. He wasn't like anyone she'd ever met.

She'd gone on dates with men, but usually only one. None of them had impressed her enough to even kiss them. The only time she'd had sex was when she was getting ready to graduate med school. She shivered at the thought.

She was dating a guy a year older than her. Zoe didn't love him but thought he was a good friend. That was until they had a little too much to drink celebrating, and he got handsy. When she tried to push him off, her arms felt like they couldn't move. He ripped off her panties and was inside her before she could say anything. No matter how much she tried to scream, nothing would come out. Zoe's body had felt like it was made of concrete when she tried to fight him off. When he was done, he left and acted like nothing had happened.

It wasn't until she woke up the following day, and her memory was fuzzy that she realized he'd drugged her. She remembered most of the rape but not what happened afterward, so she figured he hadn't given the drug time to take full effect before attacking her. Zoe didn't turn him in because she didn't think anyone would believe her. Everyone already looked at her like she was a freak. In hindsight, she wished she had called the police. It pained her that he may have raped other women because she didn't report him.

All the men she'd dated in the years since she didn't let get close to even touching her in a romantic way. Zoe never told them where she lived or worked, so she didn't have to worry about them showing up unannounced. She was cautious but knew she would never meet the love of her life if she stayed hidden.

Zoe wanted to find someone she felt comfortable with and could trust not to change when she let them in. Ryder seemed like the type of man she was looking for. She refused to allow what happened to her in college to define the rest of her life. Zoe wanted to be loved and knew that someone out there would be able to help heal the scars from the past.

While she was in the shower, her mind kept going to Ryder. She saw his large hands and the way they held hers. She thought about how he held his breath when she hugged him and how loud his heartbeat was when her head rested on his chest. Zoe wanted to see his smile again when he looked into her eyes. When she finally laid down, she fell into a restless sleep, thinking about dark grey eyes that looked like storm clouds.

Zoe woke up only a few hours later. She had tossed and turned, wanting to call Ryder, but she didn't want to seem too eager. She looked at her phone and saw it was only six. Zoe played with her phone for a minute and decided to text him. She thought that if he was already awake, then it should be okay.

It's Zoe. Are you awake?

After pushing send, she held her breath. What if he thought she was too needy? The last thing Zoe wanted was to seem desperate. As she was kicking herself for sending the text, her phone vibrated, causing her to drop it on the bed next to her. She looked at his response, and all her doubts faded away.

I'm awake. I barely slept. All I could think about was seeing you again.

Zoe smiled at her phone. Was it too forward of her to ask him to meet her for breakfast? She bit her lip and shrugged. She wouldn't know until she tried. After all, he did say he would meet her anywhere.

Want to meet for breakfast?

Sure. Where?

Do you know where Diane's Diner is? It's not far from my apartment.

I'll be there in 20 minutes.

Twenty minutes? She jumped out of bed and brushed her teeth with one hand while shaving her legs with the other. She quickly washed her face and put on her favorite lotion before going to her closet to find something to wear.

It was warm outside, so she chose a pale green skirt that stopped above her knees and a white short-sleeved blouse. After putting on her sandals and brushing her long hair, she was ready to go. Zoe left her car parked in the garage and walked down the street toward the diner. She had butterflies in her stomach that got stronger the closer she got.

Turning the corner at the end of the block, she saw Ryder standing outside waiting for her. He was in black jeans and a black T-shirt. Zoe's footsteps faltered as she stared at him. He was gorgeous. She saw the women walking by, trying to get his attention, but he didn't even look at them. Ryder turned, and his whole face lit up when he spotted her. She started to pick up her pace. He walked toward her anxiously, but she could see he was nervous. When they were standing in front of each other, she didn't hesitate to take his hands in hers. Zoe knew she would have to be the aggressor if she wanted a relationship with him.

"Hi," She said breathlessly, noticing his eyes were even more beautiful now that she could see them properly.

"Hi. I'm glad you texted. I was worried you'd change your mind." Ryder's heart was beating so fast he was sure she could hear it. She was beautiful the first time he saw her, but now he could really look at her, and she was stunning. Her hair showed more red in the sunlight. Ryder desperately wanted to run his hand through her long hair. He saw men looking at her with desire, and Axel threatened to rip their eyes out for looking at their mate. Ryder had to remind him to stay calm so they didn't scare Zoe away.

"I wouldn't change my mind. Since leaving you on the side of the road, all I've thought about is seeing you again. I don't know about you, but that's never happened to me. I don't have a lot of experience with men, but the ones I did go out with never made me feel like you do." They continued holding hands as they began walking toward the diner. Ryder didn't want to tell her he'd been sitting near the beach for over an hour waiting for her call. He figured she lived close to the accident, and he wanted to be ready. He squeezed her hand lightly.

"You probably have more experience with men than I have with women. I'm not very outgoing." Ryder glanced toward her, and she looked up with a small smile. His gaze fell to her lips, and he thought about what it would feel like to kiss her.

"I noticed. That's one of the reasons I like you." Zoe answered truthfully. He held the door of the diner open for her, making sure he didn't have to let go of her hand. They both smiled once seated in a booth across from each other. Ryder felt more at peace in her presence than with anyone he'd ever met. He just hoped she'd feel the same once she found out what he was.