The Dark of You (GxG)

35. She doesn't have to say a thing

I stared right into a pair of blue eyes that are filled with confusion. I guess this was the last thing Rylan expected to wake up to this morning. The both of us side by side on this single mattress on the floor. Our faces are so close to each other that I can feel her breath on my forehead. I can't stop myself from looking up into her pale eyes.

During the night, she had a few twitches that woke me up each time. I think she was dreaming, but it wasn't as intense as the first one she had. Once, she almost made me fall onto the floor as she turned abruptly with a groan which didn't stop. Again, she almost scared the soul out of my body. Instead of waking her, I choose to lay my arm around her abdomen as that was the only thing that I figure I could do. Yet, it took a while before she stopped groaning and moving in her sleep.

I wish I knew what goes through her mind or what happened to her that made her like this. If only I had the power to make it go away. Tramps and shouts from kids upstairs broke up the intense gaze as we both looked up at the ceiling.

"What's the children's name?" I asked and Rylan's eyes landed back on me.

"Matt has Rylee and Nola. Maya has two boys, Scott and Fletcher," She said and I nodded, thankful for the information.

"Anything I should be aware of or careful with?" I asked as worry about making a bad impression took over.

"No, not really," she shook her head. "But I know," she pressed her lips together and I narrowed my eyebrows in question. "That this is unusual. Not just for me, but for you too," she said. 
"What do you mean?" I asked. 
"Um, well," Rylan brought in a deep long breath then let it out. "For the first, I'm your father's employer and," I laid my hand over her mouth. 
"Don't," I shook my head. "I don't want to hear it, Rylan. Not here," I clenched my teeth together. "This is your home and I'm nothing but a visitor in your home," I stated and withdrew my hand.
"I am in the middle of nowhere. I don't need you to hang over me every second," I said and Rylan nodded quietly without an argument. 

After changing into more appropriate clothes, I followed Rylan up the stairs and into the chaos. Four children ran around with a man on their tail.

"Careful!" He shouted and let out an annoyed sigh as they went into the kitchen by the sound of it. Plates clinging and frying pans sizzling let out the smell of bacon. My mouth watered and my stomach rumbled with desire.

"Happy birthday, how does it feel like to be thirty?" The man said with a grin as he had noticed that we were here.

"Morning, Matt," Rylan said, ignoring his congratulation and I bite my lip as she had her regular frown on her face.

"Hi, you must be Hadley," He came over to offer his hand to me.

"I'm Matt," He smiled as he looked down at me with his exhausted green eyes.

"Mom mentioned that Rylan was going to bring you yesterday," Matt said and he took me by surprise that he called Shantelle his mother. It's just that Rylan doesn't, so I expected the rest of them not to as well.

"You should probably have stayed back in New York because it's only mayhem underneath this roof," He chuckled as he placed his hands into his jeans pockets. Matt seems so down-to-earth and open compared to Rylan.

"Out of the kitchen!" Shantelle shouted so loud that I jumped on my toes. Kids came flying out of the kitchen with fright on their faces.

"Rylan!" They all shouted and grins were replaced as they ran for Rylan. I moved quickly to the side for the four little children as I didn't want to be run over by them. I prevented a laugh with my hand over my mouth as they were all fighting to get a hold of her legs to hug her. Good thing she is as tall and strong as she is because if it were me, I would have been lying spread all over the floor.

I looked up at Rylan, who was smiling and this time, it reached all the way up to her eyes. It's so rare to see her smile like that. I'm not even sure if I ever have. Then the kids let go and one of the girls stood right in front of me with a curious toothy grin.

"Hi," I chuckled unsurely as her green eyes won't stop watching me.

"Hi," She said in return and tilted her head to the side as she looked me up and down. I don't have much experience with children, so I'm sure of how to behave around them.

"Rylee, stop staring," Matt rolled his eyes and then she went on her very way with the other kids. They looked so small, all of them so adorable.

"So that is Rylee?" I pointed at the blonde long-haired girl as they all placed themselves on the floor to play.

"Yeah," Rylan nodded.

"She is five and Nola is three," The younger girl has brown hair just like her father, Matt. I presume Rylee has her mother's hair color and then her father's eyes.

"That's Scott, he is six and Fletcher is three like Nola," Rylan explained as she pointed at the two boys who both have olive skin and dark brown hair. Our conversations were interrupted by a massive yawn behind us. Rylan and I both turned to face the source. A dark-skinned man stood there rubbing his neck. His weary eyes and the smell of alcohol from the day before didn't give me the best of impressions.

"Morning," He said and yawned again but tried to hide it with his arm.

"Where are your manners, Chris," A female who looked only to be a few years older than I appeared behind him but then nudged the skinny man to the side with her petite form.

"I'm Lola, it's nice to meet you," She smiled and just like Matt, she reached out her hand for me to greet her and I accepted it.

"It's nice to meet one of Rylan's friends for a change," She looked at Rylan when she said it as if it was a hint. I had to stop myself from explaining that Rylan and I aren't friends but that she's tied down by a contract stating that she is my security guard. I froze as those words hit me. Is that all we really are? Is that all Rylan sees this situation as?

"Nice to meet you too. This is Chris, don't mind him he is," She looked at Chris, who had crashed down on the couch close to sleep.

"Well, there are no words," She sighed, but then an amused smile came onto her lips as she looked back at me.

"Breakfast!" Someone shouted from the kitchen and Lola passed Rylan and me.

"Are you okay?" Rylan asked and I only nodded as everything became a bit overwhelming. I should probably have prepared myself better mentally to meet so many people at once.

After greeting Matt's wife, Cleo, then Maya and her husband Deacon. I sat down next to Rylan around the huge table with everyone. I looked at all the unfamiliar faces as they all were deep in conversation. They passed the food around to each other as if they have done it a million times before. Smiles and waves of laughter hang in the air and a few complaints from the children as they are too impatient. They all look so happy.

"Hadley," I turned to face Shantelle, who seemed to have tried to contact me for a while.

"I'm sorry," I said and she only smiled at my reaction.

"I hope you haven't planned on leaving this table without any food in your belly," She pointed at my empty plate as if it were an offense that I haven't served myself yet.

"I'm sorry, I just," I rambled and she placed her hand on my shoulder and leaned in closer.

"What do you want?" She asked me with her warm smile—the one she offered Rylan yesterday, which reminded me of my mother. I looked over the table, but before I could choose something, Rylan offered me the plate with waffles as if she had read my mind.

"Thank you," I smiled shyly as the memory from last night's meal with Rylan came into my mind. I took a waffle, even though I wanted another one. I don't know why, but I think the conversation with Rylan at the dinner left me self-conscious about my choices of food. Rylan watched me strangely and I avoided her gaze as I reached over for the syrup. Before I could splash the syrup on my waffle, another one was thrown on my plate. Quickly I faced Rylan, who had turned her back to me as she placed the plate filled with waffles back in place. When she seated herself again, she looked down at me with an expression I couldn't read. It's Rylan, she doesn't have to say a thing. Her actions speak for her.