HE’S QUIET, TOO quiet as he walks into his condo and places my bag on the floor next to the couch. He hasn’t said two words to me since we left the bakery and it’s making my skin crawl. I plop down onto the couch and kick my shoes off, bringing my feet underneath my body as I hear him banging around in the kitchen.
“Here.” He hands me a bottled water and I take it, seeing him walk around the couch and sit on the far end, way the hell away from me. He begins flipping through the channels and stops on some basketball game that I couldn’t care less about. What the fuck is this? He comes to my rescue, and I know damn well I heard him call me love, which means he can’t hate me, asks me, no, tells me I’m coming to spend the night with him, and now he’s barely acknowledging that I’m even here. I turn my head and stare at him and his perfect profile as it remains impassive but interested in the game he’s watching. He’s in running shorts and a navy blue T-shirt that has some emblem on the front that I can’t make out. Several long minutes go by as his eyes remain on the television, not once flicking toward me. Jesus, is this how it’s going to be all night? Fine then. If I’m sleeping over, I’m at least going to get comfortable. I stand up and quickly shimmy out of my jeans, tossing them on top of my duffle and reach up and slip my T-shirt off. Turning around so I know he can see me, I drop it on the couch and remove my bra. I make quick eye contact with him as I slip my bra down my arms, his eyes lingering briefly, really fucking briefly on my chest before flicking back toward the game. I grunt and grab his T-shirt and slip it back on before I snatch the remote out of his hands and turn the television off.
“What the fuck?”
“What the fuck is right. What’s wrong with you? You’re acting weird.”
He reaches forward and plucks the remote out of my hand, turning the game back on. “How am I supposed to be acting?” His eyes go back to the game and I no longer want to be here. Picking up my duffle, I quickly put my pants back on and throw my bra inside as I slip on my shoes and turn toward the door. “Where the hell are you going?”
“Like you give a shit. Thanks for making sure I didn’t get murdered.” I’m almost out the door when his arms grab my waist and pull me back inside, locking the door behind us.
“You’re not going anywhere.” I’m picked up, carried in his usual caveman style manner and taken back over toward the couch. My duffle is dropped by the edge and I’m dropped on the cushion.
“You don’t want me here, obviously, so why should I stay?” I yell up into his stare. His hands come around me, bracing himself on the cushion behind me and bringing his face inches from mine.
“What the fuck makes you think I don’t want you here? I always want you here.”
“You haven’t called or texted me since Friday afternoon, I get topless in front of you and you barely react, and you’re not looking at me the way you look at me. You don’t even want me anymore. You just want your stupid game.” Tears fill my eyes and I’m not sure if it’s from the night I’ve endured or the Reese style rejection that’s knocking the wind out of me. His hand drops and grabs mine, forcing it against the massive bulge in his pants that I hadn’t noticed. Oh, wow.
His face inches closer. “I always want you.” And then it happens. His mouth, his hands, his everything is on me in seconds, ripping my remaining clothes off as I frantically try and keep up with the removal of his.
“Tell me you still want me,” he grunts as he flips me onto my hands and knees and positions himself behind me. Before I can answer the obvious response, he rams into me and I cry out at the force.
“REESE.” I grip the leather with my fingers, scratching into it with my nails as he pounds hard, then harder, into me.
“Answer me, Dylan,” he grunts and I yell out between cries.
“Yes. Yes, I’ll always want you.” He’s fucking me harder than he ever has and I know it’s because I challenged him and he’s proving himself to me. That or he’s making damn sure I don’t question it again. Either way, I’m letting him handle it. His hands grip my hips, pulling me back to meet him, and if I wasn’t so turned on, so hot for him all the time, I might not be able to handle his power. I’m moaning, crying out with each thrust and he’s right there with me. “Oh, God. Harder.”
“Shit. You want harder?” His thighs crash against mine and my elbows give out. “This hard enough for you, love?”
“Yes!” I scream, needing him to give me this right now. I push back against him and feel his one hand grip my shoulder while the other digs into my hip the way I like.
He groans loudly, his sounds filling the condo. “You drive me fucking crazy. Fuck, Dylan.”
“Touch me.” His hand wraps around my stomach and drops between my legs. I whimper as his fingers rub my clit while his other hand grips harder on my shoulder. He’s so forceful that he’s knocking the air out of my lungs. “I’m gonna come.” I manage to get out through a faint breath.
“Not yet. Wait for me.”
I reach down to remove his fingers but he tightens against me, moving them in his perfect rhythm. “I can’t. Please.”
He rams into me harder and I cry out, hearing his loud throaty growl. “Now, love.” And I let it go, all of it. The pain of the past several days without him, the anger from the pictures, the terror of the hooded figure. I let it go and feel him, just him. I’m panting, barely able to take in a full breath as my upper body collapses down onto my forearms and I feel his head drop to my back.
Hot breath warms my spine and I loosen my grip on the leather. “Hold on.” He pulls out of me and I wince a bit in pain, which has never happened with him before. Of course, I’ve never been fucked like that before, so hard that my teeth chatter with each push. I roll onto my side, facing the cushions and curl into a ball. That was intense, really intense and I’m actually a bit sore after that Reese style fucking. He returns moments later holding a washcloth. “Lie on your back.” I obey and keep my eyes on him as he wipes me clean, gently after he notices my scrunched up face. “I hurt you.”
“I’m okay, it doesn’t hurt that much.” He bends down, planting a gentle kiss between my legs before he scoops me up into his arms. I quickly bury my face in his neck and nuzzle the shit out of him. “Mmm, this is my favorite spot, right here.” I inhale deeply and let out a soft moan.
“I know; you seek it out often.” He carries me into his bedroom and places me gently on the bed. I pull the covers around me and scoot over to allow him some space.
“Now that I’ve fucked some sense into you, let me be perfectly clear about something.” I’ve already settled on his chest, my leg draped over his and my hand wrapped around his waist as my eyes slowly glance up at him. “I haven’t called or texted you since Friday because you told me you needed time to think. And I don’t know what the fuck that means because no woman has ever told me that before, but I assumed it meant you didn’t want to hear from me.” His fingers gently stroke my back, trailing across my skin and I moan softly.
“Okay.”
“And just because I don’t jump on your breasts the moment you whip them out doesn’t fucking mean I don’t want to. I didn’t know where we stood, so I wasn’t going to push my luck.” I bite my lip to hold in my smile. He looks rightly irritated with having to explain himself, but the explanation is needed. “Dylan, I’m really sorry about those photos.”
“I don’t want to talk about it. I’m done talking and thinking about it. Between Friday night with Joey and Juls and all day yesterday and today, I’m done.” My arm wraps tighter around him. “Nothing’s changed between us. It didn’t change anything.”
He lifts my chin up to meet his face and I see the tension in his jaw. He looks unsure and that look sends a panic through me. Nothing’s changed for me, but has it for him? I sit up quickly and move to lie next to him when his hands grab my waist and pull me back down, only this time I’m flipped around, straddling him. The movement’s so quick I barely have time to register it. “Don’t,” he states.
I take a second to study his features in my new position, given the fact that we’re now eye to eye. Crazy mess of hair that I’m noticing makes him look younger than he is, green eyes that are narrowed in on mine, and stubble? A lot of stubble. I reach out, brush my hand along his chin, and can’t contain my smile. Oh, man. Reese with a day or two worth of facial hair is sexy beyond belief. “Why did you just try to move away from me?”
I shake my head quickly.
“Dylan.” Oh, Mr. Persistent.
“Nothing’s changed for me, but has it changed for you?” I ask quickly, getting out the question I fear the answer to before I can think myself out of it.
“No,” he answers firmly.
“So you still want this?”
He drops his head and it hits the headboard with a loud thump. “Yes, whatever the fuck this is, I still want it. You’re in control here, Dylan. You have all the fucking control.” His eyes are burning into mine with the same intensity they’ve always shown for me. I’m in control? Of what? Of us? I decide not to probe because I’m not sure I want to know the answer. He lets out a forceful breath that warms my face. “If something would have happened to you tonight…” His eyes close tight and the crease in his brow appears. Oh, Reese. The man’s mood swings are enough to give me permanent whiplash.
“Nothing happened. I’m okay. I called you and you came for me.” I reach out and stroke his face as his eyes pop back open, green and blazing. His tenseness softens a bit.
“I tried locating Heather and sorting this shit out with her, but I didn’t find her. All fucking weekend I’ve been looking.” He grits his teeth. “She wasn’t at her house and she’s not answering my calls.” I swallow loudly and he shakes his head. “I’m fucking dealing with it. I just want you to be prepared. Fred didn’t deliver that package, so just don’t open any that aren’t from him. Okay?” I nod. Jesus. I really don’t want to have to deal with this again. But if Reese is dealing with it, then I’m sure it will be dealt with, in a very Reese like manner no less. “But after tonight, Dylan, I don’t want you there by yourself.” His hands grip my waist and pull me closer to him, our foreheads falling together.
“I don’t want to be there by myself either, but I want to keep an eye on my shop. It’s important to me. It’s mine and I’ve worked hard for it.” His hand reaches up and pulls my bun loose, letting my hair fall down my back. “I’m going to have a door installed at the top of the stairs. I’ll call about getting it done along with the window repair and a security system tomorrow. I can’t believe I never thought about having some type of system in place already.” He nods at me, but I know that isn’t what he wants to hear. I lean in and kiss him gently. “I’ll be fine. I’ve lived there on my own for three years. Plus, I have you and you’re only five minutes away if something happens.”
His hands brush lightly down my back, playing with the ends of my hair. “It will never take me five minutes to get to you. I think I made it there in two tonight.” I giggle slightly and see his lips curl up. “I might be getting a few red light camera notifications in the mail.”
“Worth it?” I ask, running my hands through his hair.
“Worth it. You hungry?”
I nod frantically and he laughs, the infectious sound pulling me in with him. “Sit tight.” I’m slid off as he hops out of bed, disappearing down the hallway as I watch his glorious backside stride away. Laughing quietly at the realization that he always asks me if I’m hungry after sex, I grab one of his pillows and press it to my face, inhaling deeply as his voice comes down the hallway.
“Do you like your pizza cold or heated up?
“Cold.” Yum. Cold pizza and a sleepover with Reese? Yes please. Glancing around the room, I spot his iPad on his dresser. I scramble out of bed and grab it, flipping it open and turning it on. I have some googling of a certain CPA to do. The screen comes to life. Oh. Oh my. The wallpaper is a picture of me, in this bed. I’m sleeping, curled up on my side with the sheets covering me up to show only a tiny bit of cleavage. My hair is a mess of blonde waves that are spilling down my right shoulder and my lips are parted. The camera is mainly focused on my face and I look to be in a deep sleep. I look up and see Reese staring at me, stopped in the doorway carrying our food.
“Umm, you found my iPad I see.” He moves toward the bed and puts the plates down on his nightstand, his eyes only momentarily leaving mine. “Nobody sees that. I would never show that to anybody.”
Placing it down on the bed, I get up on my knees and crawl to the edge where he’s standing, pulling him toward me and wrapping my arms around his neck. After a moment’s hesitation, he wraps his arms around me and relaxes against my body. “You’re not mad? I can take it off.”
I reach around and place my hand over his mouth, silencing him. “I’m not mad. It can stay on there.” Dropping my hands, I scoot back over and reach out for my plate playfully as his smile returns.
“Cold pizza, huh? I thought I was the only other person who still preferred it cold to heated.”
I take a bite and shake my head. “I hate heated leftover pizza. The cheese gets all rubbery and gross.” He drops a chilled bottled water in my lap and I yelp. “So, why did you take that picture of me?”
He stops chewing briefly, looking over at the iPad on the bed. “I don’t know. I think I just wanted a reminder of you in my bed, just in case you refused to get back in it.” I laugh and he winks at me. “I watched you for hours before I took it. Do you know you make little noises while you sleep?”
I swallow my bite and arch my brow at him. “Little noises? Like what?”
“Like moans. Tiny little whimpers.”
“What? No, I don’t.” I unscrew my bottle and take a big sip while he nods at me. “I do not make any noises when I sleep.”
He turns and places his empty plate on his nightstand. Jesus, the man devours his food in a matter of seconds. “Yes, you do. You even said my name a few times.” My mouth drops open.
I place my plate down on the nightstand before I trample him. “No, I did not. Take that back, Carroll.” I’m poking him everywhere, trying to find a weak ticklish spot on his body and he’s only laughing at me in amusement.
“Reese. Oh, Reese. Right there.”
I feel my face redden. “You’re evil,” I scoff before I roll off him and lie back on my pillow, pulling the covers up over my head. Good Lord, I hope he’s joking because if he isn’t, how embarrassing is this?
His laugh shakes the bed and I feel the covers slowly slide down to reveal his face hovering over mine. “Love.”
“What?” I try to pull the covers back up, but he holds them down. I’ve never been told I talk in my sleep before or make any weird noises, and I’ve had plenty of sleepovers with Juls and Joey. Of course, I doubt they watch me for hours after I pass out. Humph. He climbs under the covers with me and pulls me close to him so we’re nose to nose.
“So, I hear we’re going to be paired up at the wedding.” His hand trails down my shoulder to my waist and holds me there as I try to keep my smile at bay. “You okay with that? It will be like a date you know. Rather intimate.” His lip curls up and I give in to it.
“I’m okay with that. I have been on a few dates before. Have you?”
“No, well, not in a really long time.” A really long time? What classifies a really long time? Why is he so against dating now? I push these questions out of my head and focus on another.
“Have you always been monogamously casual with girls?” This has definitely been on my mind recently. I had initially pegged him as a total player with multiple women at all times, but had never dared to ask.
His eyes flick to mine quickly before he drops them. “No.” I reach up and run my hand down his arm, rubbing his shoulder the way he likes and seeing his eyes close slowly. “I’ve never really wanted to be before you.” I stop breathing at his admission. Holy shit. Was Joey right? Am I a game changer? My hand stills on his bicep and his eyes shoot open, locking onto mine. “You make me want different things, things I’ve never wanted before.”
“Why?” I force out and continue rubbing his arm. I need to know the answer to this. I want to know if his reasons are the same as mine. I’ve experienced more before, but not in the way I want with Reese. I want everything with him.
He keeps his eyes on me and sighs softly. “I don’t know, but I can’t stand the idea of not being monogamously casual with you. I have no desire to be with anyone else and the thought of you with another man,” his hand comes flying up through his hair, stopping my massage, “it fucking infuriates me.”
Well, that settles that. Like there’s any other man on the planet I want to ever be with now that I’ve experienced this one. I scoot in closer and continue working his arm, reaching around toward his back. “I know the feeling,” I reply as his eyes close shut again, his lips quivering into a smile. Silence falls between us and I let my mind wander while I work his back and shoulder. I feel like I’m making progress with Reese, progress out of the casual zone and toward something more serious, which I am dying to sprint to. But I know I can’t rush him and he’ll have to do this at his own pace if he even wants to. If I’ve learned anything from the past few weeks with him, it’s that he does everything at his own pace. He likes to be in control, even though he told me I have it all, which completely threw me for a loop. I’m chalking that up to him just worrying about my safety. He was obviously scared for me, and when you’re scared, you say crazy shit. He likes to show how much power he has and his authority over situations, as he clearly displayed when he destroyed my dress. So I’ll let him control this, control us, because I like the pace he’s taking. As long as he takes me with him.