Chapter Twenty-Five
Three days, that was how long Rhett was in the hospital. Three very long, exhausting days. New Year’s Eve was almost here, and my plans to go out were the last thing I felt like doing. I really wanted to curl up and sleep for weeks.
Rhett was now back on schedule, and I was like a walking zombie. I needed a long, hot shower and a fluffy bed.
The moment Rhett fell asleep for the night, I gathered my things for the shower. Stepping under the hot water felt wonderful, almost orgasmic. It had been days since I got the chance to relax.
After finishing up, I made sure everything was locked up and walked down the hallway toward my bedroom. A loud slam on the side of the house had me spinning around, holding my hand to my chest. I stood very still, making no sound as I waited to see if it came again. Footsteps on the front porch, followed by someone trying to turn the handle, made me panic. I ran to my bedroom and grabbed my phone.
Dialing Reed’s number, I slipped into Rhett’s room.
He answered after the second ring. “Hey baby, I figured you’d be out by now.”
“Someone is outside my house, trying to get in.” I spoke fast. I was terrified. I could hear him moving around through the phone.
“Where are you?”
I took a deep breath. “I’m in Rhett’s room. Please hurry.”
“I’m on my way. Stay in there, push the dresser in front of the door and stay there.” I heard the squeal of his tires and knew it would only be minutes before he was here. “Talk to me, Kori. Can you still hear them?”
“There was a loud noise and then footsteps on the front porch. They tried to open the front door. Please hurry, I don’t know if they are still out there.” I was whispering, but the shaking in my voice was undeniable.
“Almost there, coming around the bend. Thirty seconds, baby. You stay there until I come to you, understand me?”
“Yes.”
Reed let me go, and I sat in the darkness, listening. I held my phone tightly in my hand, waiting. It felt like forever had passed when I heard Reed’s voice on the other side of the door.
“Kori? Baby, let me in. Whoever it was, they’re gone.” I stood and walked to the door. I had the dresser in front of it like he said. The door was only open enough that I could see through the crack. “It’s okay, Kori. Open up, move the dresser.”
Seeing that he was there and alone, I slid the dresser to the side. He stepped into the room and wrapped me in his arms. “You okay?”
All I could do was shake my head. The adrenaline was wearing off, and I began to shake. “No,” I said against his chest. “I’m not okay, I was so scared.”
“I’m here, you’re okay.” He kissed my temple and soothed me by rubbing my back. “Let’s call and report it. Get the chief to put someone on patrol to keep an eye out. You need to pack some things for you and Rhett. You two are coming home with me.”
“No, it’s…” He cut me off quickly.
“I said pack some things for both of you. I’m not taking no for an answer. There is no way I am leaving you here. Now get moving while I call the station.” He stepped back and began dialing his phone.
All I could do was shake my head, damn bossy ass man. Secretly, I was glad he was making us leave. I had to appear a little stubborn, though. I couldn’t let him think he had full control. I stood in the same spot listening to him talk to someone at the police station. He noticed and walked in my direction, covering the phone receiver with his hand.
He was standing right in front of me and skimmed my jaw with his thumb. “Please don’t fight me on this. I’d feel better if you two were with me. I wanna keep you safe, please just let me do that.” He was pleading for me to be agreeable.
My stubbornness went right out the window. There was no way I could avoid that sweet grin of his. Of course letting him keep us safe was the route I would be taking. Hearing him ask instead of demand warmed my heart. “Okay.” I moved past him and began gathering some things.
They would be sending a patrol car out to check on my place and would continue to keep an eye out throughout the night.
The drive to his house was quiet. Rhett only stirred a little as we lifted him from bed and placed him in the car seat.
Once we were back at Reed’s and got Rhett settled back in bed, I followed Reed to his room. He slipped his shirt off and crawled into bed. Placing his hands behind his head, he watched me with a grin on his lips. “What are you smiling about?” I asked.
“Having you here feels right, feels good. No, the reasoning behind it isn’t one I wished for. I did wish for this, though, you both here in my home.” He continued to talk as I crawled into bed with him and straddled his hips. “This big ol’ house feels empty with just me and Diesel. On Christmas, with both of you here, it felt right. Rhett’s giggles and your laughter made this place feel like a home. Having you here in my bed, in my arms, makes me feel whole.”
I leaned over his body and placed my hands on each side of his face. Bringing my lips to his, I expressed my gratitude. Not only for coming to our rescue, but for being the man he was, the man I needed him to be. “I love you, Reed Jackson. You have become such an amazing man.”
I gradually lifted my nightshirt up and over my head, before bringing my lips back to his. He ran his hands up my sides and then back down. Feeling his fingertips hook the side of my panties, I helped him slide them down my legs. His hardness pressed against me, and I immediately began rotating my hips, pressing over him.
A deep groan ripped through his chest before he began to work his sweats lower. His erection rested over his stomach, between my folds. I began to use myself to stroke him slowly, kissing him as I moved. He gripped my hips and held me still. “Condom, you better get one, because I’m not sure how long I can wait. I wanna be inside you when you’re moving like that.”
I scrambled for a condom in the nightstand drawer and ripped at it with my teeth. He watched as I pinched the tip and began lowering it over his very impressive erection. Positioning him at my entrance, I began taking him in, inch by heavenly inch.
Biting down hard on my lower lip, I moaned as he reached the deepest point. Rotating my hips, listening to him groan, was so erotic. I felt so full, it was pure bliss. I brought my hands to rest on his chest. I began moving, stroking him.
His deep breathing sped up as he thrust upward to meet my movements with his own. “That’s it, damn, girl. You drive me crazy. Just like that, baby.”
His praise made me drive my hips faster and harder. He was so deep, and I could feel myself building to release. My legs began to tense, and my stomach contracted. His fingers dug into my hips, while he fought to hold off his own release.
“Yes, oh yes. I’m close,” I gasped as his hips lifted and he drove hard into me. “Yes, Reed, oh my god.” My body shook, and I gripped his shoulders. Riding out my orgasm, my body clenched tightly around him.
He flipped me over, continuing to thrust his hips hard and fast, sweat beading on his forehead, his breath coming out in small gasps. “Can I come? I’m there, right there.”
“Yes,” I moaned. His mouth covering mine, rolling his tongue over mine. He began pumping his hips in short thrusts just before slamming into me once more. My toes curled, and I threw my head back.
I felt his tongue lick the sweat from my neck just before placing a sweet kiss on my collarbone. Lifting my head, my eyes locked with his. Reed swept the damp hair from my forehead, and his eyes shifted over my face as he studied me.
He kissed me once more before he spoke, just above a whisper. “You’re it for me, everything I want. This is real for me, Kori, everything. I want it more than my next breath. You make me happy, both of you.”
He rested his forehead against mine for a few minutes before slipping from me and walking to the bathroom to clean up.
When he returned to bed, he curled up against me and placed his head on my chest. “I love you,” he said against the curve of my breast. The emotional high from the last hour was overtaking me. In this moment I was so unbelievably happy. I never thought I could be again, but I was so wrong.
I ran my fingers through his hair, combing through the softness. “I love you too, so much it hurts.”
I could feel him smile as his lips shifted against me. We lay there in silence, relishing the closeness of our bodies. The peacefulness of our love for each other, the completion of our worlds colliding together, bound us with such a deep connection.
***
“Let’s just go out for a little while. We’ll go to dinner, then meet everybody for a few drinks. After that we’ll come back here and break in the New Year together.” I looked up to meet his gaze in the reflection of the mirror. He kissed my shoulder gently, and I arched my neck to the side on instinct. He had that effect on me. It was as if our bodies knew one another. Mine had no hope against his; it was magnetic, almost uncontrollable. “Ben and Leann are looking forward to us being there. It’s their first night out since Chloe arrived.”
My gaze met his once more. He stood with his lip puckered out, and I couldn’t hold back the laughter. “Okay, fine, but I have a scheduled Skype with Richard and Molly in the morning. They wanna wish Rhett a happy New Year.”
Over the last month, Blake’s dad had made several attempts to convince me to come for a visit, promising that this visit would erase the memories of my last. The memories of burying Blake and being shoved aside like a piece of trash. The last time I was there, they didn’t even acknowledge that Rhett or I had any connection to their family. I was offered a check and asked to disappear.
He had continued to apologize for both of them, and Blake’s father called at least once a week. Tomorrow would be the first time I interacted with Molly since the funeral. I was definitely a little nervous about it.
“I’ll be right there with ya.” Reed whispered in my ear as if he sensed my anxiety. “Just off camera, supporting you. Okay?”
I nodded. “They want me to come to Boston, for a visit. Richard even offered to cover the entire trip. He wants me to feel comfortable coming there.” I shrugged and let my gaze shift to the floor.
“Do you wanna go?” he asked.
“I’ve thought about going to Blake’s gravesite. I haven’t been there since we buried him.” I blinked past the tears. “I know Rhett’s too small. It would be nice, though, to have a yearly visit. I want him to know that his daddy will never be forgotten. If we go every year, then he’ll know Blake’s memory is carried on. I don’t want to be the kind of person who walks away after the funeral and only talks about visiting their loved one.”
Reed traced his fingertip over my cheek and brought it to rest under my chin, tilting it upward. “Then we’ll go. You set the date, I’ll take care of the rest. But I’m going with ya, you aren’t making that trip on your own.”
I never took my eyes off of him. “Thank you.”
His lips softly skimmed my neck, sending chills over my body. “No need to thank me. I understand, and I know Blake will always be a part of your life. I know Rhett needs to have the presence of his daddy exist. I’m gonna do everything you need me to do so that happens. I love you two, more than anything. You both come first in my world, always.”