On the way back, Taylor rolled down the window and let the breeze brush her cheeks. It felt as if every pore in her body had opened, filling her with a comfort she'd never felt before. She couldn't help closing her eyes, though her brows kept knitting together every now and then.
If only she were a little fuller, with a few more pounds on her chest... Ryan sighed inwardly. That was the one imperfection in an otherwise perfect picture.
"What did you tell your mom?"
"I said I went to see a movie with you, then did some shopping."
"Perfect. The things I prepared earlier will come in handy after all," Ryan said.
When they got back to Taylor's house, her mother warmly invited Ryan inside, just as expected.
"I'm starving." Taylor sat down at the dining table and immediately dug in without another word.
Her mother came out of the study and frowned at the sight of her daughter wolfing down her food. "Didn't you eat dinner?"
"We spent a little longer shopping." Ryan showed them the gifts he'd brought for Taylor's parents. A few days earlier, Taylor had told him what they liked best. He hadn't expected the gifts to come in handy so soon.
They weren't expensive, but the thought counted. Taylor's father, Scott, lit up, and her mother was just as pleased with the gifts Ryan had bought.
"What about mine?" Austin cut in.
"Your gift is something else," Ryan hinted.
Austin gave him an OK sign. He'd actually been hoping Ryan would take him to a nightclub or somewhere else full of bright lights and wild pleasures. He was also one of the few people who knew about the complicated relationship between Ryan, Taylor, and Abigail. Taylor had threatened him, so he'd kept his