More of Me by Samantha Chase

doing.
    She both loved and hated that.
    In less than a week, Ryder Montgomery had managed to turn her world upside down once again. They were older now and a little more in control of their emotions, and yet that wasn’t helping matters right now. The more Casey thought about it, the more she realized that she couldn’t hold the actions of an eighteen-year-old boy against a now thirty-year-old man. Everyone made mistakes in their youth, and looking back, it was probably for the best. Long distance relationships rarely worked, and at the time, she had resented his commitment to getting an education thousands of miles away so that he could stand out in a family of well-accomplished businessmen.
    But seeing the man Ryder had become? She knew that he had done the right thing. She knew him. Sure, there were some stories of their lives that they would need to share and talk about, but the person at the core of it all would still be familiar.
    She sighed.
    When Casey had found out she was going to have to work with Ryder, all she could think of was keeping her distance. But now? All she wanted was a chance to be everything that Ryder had mentioned earlier. She wanted—no, she needed to know if it was possible for lightning to strike twice, for two people to find one another again after so many years and realize they were the one thing missing from each other’s lives.
    It was late.
    She had already changed out of her dress and shoes, and was roaming her house in yoga pants and a tank top.
    She had no shoes on.
    And her hair was a mess.
    â€œScrew it,” she murmured, reaching for her keys and walking out onto the back deck and then down the wooden steps that led to the beach. The Montgomerys’ home was only a half a mile up the coast, and there was something very soothing about walking in the cool sand, watching the moonlight play on the water.
    Each step she took filled her with a sense of anticipation, and yet she kept a fairly leisurely pace. More than anything, Casey needed to prove to herself that she was in control and that she wasn’t rushing, although the thought of being back in Ryder’s arms had her body humming. The cool air had felt good on her heated skin when she’d first left the house, but now she cursed herself for not at least grabbing a sweater.
    Up ahead, she spotted Ryder’s family home and stopped. Was she certain? Was she seriously ready to let go of the past in hopes of a future? There was still a chance that things wouldn’t work out, and if that was the case, could she handle having Ryder break her heart for a second time? Was she ready to take that risk?
    Her feet started moving before her head gave her a definitive answer, and soon she found herself at the base of the steps leading up to the deck. Casey’s hands gripped the railing like a lifeline, and she took one last fortifying breath before taking that first step that would finally lead her to Ryder.
    When she was finally up on the deck, the first thing that she noticed was that the house was dark inside. No lights were on except for a soft one out on the deck. If she knocked, would Ryder even hear her? With no way of knowing except for simply doing it, Casey raised her hand and knocked on the glass and waited.
    And waited.
    And waited.
    Had he gone out? She was just about to turn and leave, cursing herself for her impulsive behavior when she saw Ryder coming toward her. Her heart rate kicked up at his approach, and when he reached the glass door, he simply stood there and looked at her. Casey couldn’t read his expression, and she began to really second-guess her decision to come here.
    â€œRyder?” she asked with uncertainty. But he said nothing; he simply continued to look at her through the glass. “It’s kind of chilly out here. Can I please come in?” She was certain that he’d open the door right up for her, but instead he turned his head and looked as if he was searching