Chapter Twenty
"Do you love him?" His voice was filled with emotion.
I nodded my head gently as the tears trailed down my cheeks, “Yes.” I whispered, “I’m so sorry.”
The silence was overwhelming. My chest tightened with the thought of hurting Blake.
“Don’t apologize for falling in love, baby. I know how it feels to have your love, and he’s one lucky guy. It’s okay to love again, sweet girl, it doesn’t mean you love me any less. I know you’ll always love me.”
“Yes, Blake, I’ll always love you. I could never stop.”
I felt the soft trace of his fingertips across my cheek, and I closed my eyes, taking in the pleasure of his touch. I sighed and reached up to feel his hand, but it wasn’t there. I began spinning around looking for Blake, but he was gone.
Reality hit heavily when I realized it was just a dream. It felt so real, like he was right there with me, reassuring me. It was as if he were giving the go ahead to move on and love Reed the way he deserved to be loved.
I had stayed up half the night looking through all of Blake’s things. I went to bed with thoughts of him, and I know that is what fueled my dreams.
I stood, dragging my exhausted body toward the shower. I had to wake up before I went to pick up Rhett. Looking in the bathroom mirror, I groaned. I looked like complete ass.
The hot water running over me gave my body a little motivation to get a move on. I had a missed call and text when I got out of the shower.
They were both from Reed.
Missed you last night. R
Instead of calling him back I replied to the text.
You looked like you were entertained and the furthest thing from lonely. K
I threw the phone in my bag and grabbed my purse from the counter. I could hear it chiming as I walked out the door.
Driving down the main road, the sleet began to fall. The fields were covered with a light dusting of snow. This year the thought of Rhett being old enough to enjoy playing in it made me smile. The oncoming big black truck heading toward my house did not. Reed passed me going in the opposite direction and quickly stepped on his brakes to spin around and follow me.
I let him follow for a few more miles before I pulled over on one of the little side roads and waited for him to get out of his truck.
When my passenger door came open and he crawled inside, his manly scent filled my car. He always smelled unbelievably yummy. I took a chance and looked in his direction, only to find him holding up his phone is question.
“What does your text mean? Were you there?” he asked.
“Not that you had any time to notice, but yes, I was, long enough to witness your fan club and your little photo shoot. After that, I no longer felt the need to stay.” I couldn’t look at him. Instead I looked down at the radio and waited for this to pass.
“What fan club?”
“The group of girls that you were posing with, shirtless.” This was just crazy. I was acting like a god damned teenager, and it was too much. I lifted my head, and my gaze locked onto his big, chocolate brown eyes. He watched me without speaking a word. “Reed, I know you own a bar. I also know that certain things go along with that. I just don’t know if I can stomach what I saw last night. I know you aren’t the same person you once were, but it doesn’t make it any easier to deal with.”
I shrugged and looked back down at my lap, debating if I should say more. Before I could speak another word, he reached out and took my hand in his.
“I’m sorry. I posed with them because they were out celebrating the twenty-first birthday of one of the girls. I never thought about what it may look like to you. It was completely innocent.” Tilting my chin up with his hand, he continued. “I told them about you. When they asked if I was single, I told them all about you.”
I chose to remain quiet. I still wasn’t sure how to handle how last night made me feel. I didn’t want to say the wrong thing, so silence was my best option.
“Baby, I have waited for a second chance with you. I won’t lie and say I didn’t try to get over you, but it was impossible. There is only one Kori, one girl who stole my heart. Do you actually think I am gonna take a chance of losing you again?”
“Turn the tables, Reed, just for a minute. If you saw me flirting and flaunting myself, how well would that go over? You got jealous of me talking with Gavin, you were half naked with three girls. The whole thing made me sick.”
“Damn, Kori, I’m sorry. It was a stupid ass move, but you gotta know it went no further. I wouldn’t do that,” he pleaded, and it came out rushed.
“I know, I just can’t be with you if things are gonna be that way. I understand the flirting for business, it’s the touching and rubbing up against you that I can’t accept. I’m not built that way, I can’t stomach it.”
He leaned over the center console and grabbed the back of my neck, pulling me closer. Resting his forehead against mine, he skimmed the side of my nose with his. “You don’t have to accept it, it stops now. No more, that’s a promise. I’m sorry.” His lips took mine in a desperate kiss, and instead of pulling away, I relaxed into him.
It was time that Reed knew what I wanted, and I had to let down my walls. When his lips separated from mine, his forehead once against pressed against me.
“I know I haven’t made things easy for you. I know that you feel like I keep you at a distance, and you’re right, I have. I don’t want to anymore. I want to do this with you, I want to go all in. I’m ready to move forward, with you.” He leaned back, looking at me intensely. “I just need to make sure you want the same thing.”
“You’re joking right? You know I want you and Rhett. I’ve wanted you my whole life, and Rhett is the best kind of bonus. I want in, baby, completely in with no hesitation.” He kissed me hard. We sat on the side of the road, making the decision to move forward, together. That thought was both exciting and terrifying at the same time.
Pushing past my reservations, I gave myself over to the man who had helped me through one of the hardest times in my life. Reed loved me and my son, he didn’t have to, but he did.