Chapter Fourteen

“I feel stupid.”

Reed slid the keycard into the hotel room door and shot her a frown. “Why?”

“I was mid-meltdown when I called, but I’m kind of okay right now.”

“Kind of?”

“Mostly. Sort of.”

A crooked grin curled at one side of his mouth as he stepped aside and waved her in. “Which is it?”

“I’m not sure. It changes regularly.”

“So, basically, you’re still a hot mess.”

“Pretty much.”

And this was why he loved the shit out of this woman. “Good thing I came, then.”

“Probably,” she replied, chewing on her bottom lip like she’d missed both lunch and dinner. “If nothing else, Mom will love hanging out with you tomorrow.”

“Is that all?” Tossing Mia’s suitcase onto the bed and dropping his duffel to the floor, he pulled her into his arms, loving how her eyes dilated the moment his hand touched hers. “You won’t enjoy spending time with me tonight?”

Her pretty pink lips parted, but she quickly pressed them together again and dropped her gaze from his.

“It’s okay to admit you will, M. It doesn’t make you a bad person for needing a break.” He slid a hand up her back, so he could thread his fingers in her hair and tip her face up to his. “It’s also okay to admit that you missed me.”

“I didn’t,” she whispered, and if the quickening of her breath hadn’t given her away, the twitch of a smile on that gorgeous mouth would have.

“Liar,” he said against her lips, stealing a chaste kiss. “But I’ll let you get away with it because I did promise your father I’d be a gentleman.”

“Yeah, well, that makes you a liar, too, doesn’t it?” She gave him a shove and his ass hit the mattress on the only bed in the room. A huge king with a mountain of pillows.

He chuckled and patted the spot next to him. “Sit. Tell me about your day.”

She eyed him suspiciously for a moment before giving in. “In a nutshell, it was just more of the same. When I called you, Dad had just broken down after his physical therapy session.”

“You sounded stressed.”

“He wants to walk on his own so badly and he refuses to accept that it’s going to take time.”

While she rehashed the updates from the doctors and therapy staff, he carefully tugged the band from her ponytail and began massaging her scalp. Just soft, tender strokes to ease her body and hopefully her mind. Within a minute, she closed her eyes and her words began to slur sweetly. Her shoulders also drooped and her head became heavier in his hands.

“God, that’s good,” she murmured. “I might die if you stop.”

“Did you have dinner?”

Lolled out, she barely shook her head.

“You might also die if you don’t eat, so how about we grab room service?”

“Mmm hmm.” Eyes still closed, she exhaled softly and blindly kicked off her shoes. “Mind if I nap while we wait?”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” He reluctantly removed his hands from her hair and stood to tug the blankets back on the bed. Mia crawled in fully dressed in her leggings and T-shirt and was out like a light the second her head hit the pillow.

“Mostly fine, my ass,” he chuckled, tucking strands of dark hair behind her ear and adjusting the blankets around her shoulders.

Maybe it made him a perv, but he sat there watching her sleep for several minutes, her pretty face finally calm. There was no doubt in his mind that coming tonight had been the right decision because no way Mia would have taken this time for herself if he hadn’t.

And that was exactly why he needed to make it amazing for her.

While she slept, he ordered their dinner and unpacked the bag of supplies he’d stashed in his duffel, thanks to a quick stop at the spa store in the mall. Lotions, oils, candles...even a fancy ass bath bomb the store clerk had promised Mia would love. By the time, he had it all set out, with a rough plan of how he’d use each and every item, their room service had arrived, complete with not one, but two bottles of wine and accompanying glasses.

He let her rest for a few more minutes, while he set out the food, poured the wine, lit the candles, and put on some chill jazz. Romance hadn’t been his goal, but if the shoe fit and Mia was game, he wouldn’t complain. Hell, he’d be happy if she let him use the oils he’d bought for her and nothing else. Touching her like that would probably make him hard as fuck, but he’d deal if it meant making Mia melt for a little while.

* * *

“Time to wake up, sleeping beauty.”

Warm, gentle fingers danced over her cheek and down the slope of her nose, and Mia moaned, not wanting to move a single inch. The bed was too comfortable. Her body and mind were too tired. And the man sitting beside her was way too sweet.

“Do I have to?” she moaned, pulling the blankets a little tighter to her chin. “Can’t I just stay here forever?”

“You could, but then I’d have to eat your dessert for you.”

She cracked one eye open. “Dessert?”

“White chocolate raspberry cheesecake.” Reed winked and her stomach growled.

“I think I love you.”

“Ah, babe, I know you do.” He gave her butt a playful swat and stood. “Now, let’s get our food on, so we can move on to the second part of our night.”

Second part? Unless it involved sleeping for a solid eight hours, she probably wasn’t interested. “Tell me part two involves more dreaming.”

“Oh, there will definitely be dreaming, but probably more of the fantasizing kind.” He offered a hand and a sly smile and, damn, if her fingers didn’t reach right up, curl into his, and practically beg for it.

“For the record, I’m not agreeing to anything; I’m just too tired to argue with you.”

He chuckled and led her to the small hotel table where two covered meals sat, waiting. Between them, a coconut vanilla scented candle flickered, reflecting light off of a bottle of wine and...a bottle of massage oil?

“Reed...” She hesitated, but he moved in behind her, swept the hair off the back of her neck and kissed her softly.

“I’m just trying to help you relax. And maybe make you feel good, too.” His big arms cradled her middle in a way that wasn’t possessive or greedy. Just comforting and supportive and somehow exactly what she needed.

“How do you always know what I need?” She closed her eyes and gave into the delicious journey of his hot, wet lips from the soft spot behind her ear all the way down to her collarbone. Goose bumps prickled on her bare skin as every new kiss seemed deeper and more intense than the last. Like he was trying to hot wire her nerves with nothing more than his mouth.

“Lucky guess.” She felt his smile against her shoulder as he gently pulled aside the cotton of her T-shirt so he could continue his path. “You want to get more comfortable before we eat?”

“If by more comfortable, you mean naked, I don’t think we’ll get much eating done.”

Reed’s laugh vibrated off her skin, sending another wave of goose bumps zipping down her body. “Well, I might...”

“Oh, my God.” She spun away, giggling. “Why did I call you again?”

“Because I know what you want, baby. I got what you need.”

Yes, he freaking did. Wow.

“Food, Reed. The kind with calories.”

A wicked grin tickled at that talented mouth. “For starters, sure.”

Twenty minutes later, she pushed aside her cranberry chicken salad and picked up her glass of wine while Reed finished the last of his burger and fries.

The bottle of massage oil still sat in the middle of the table like a torturous promise of what was to come if she gave in and turned herself over to him.

Obviously, she trusted him. That was never really the question. The issue was whether or not she was ready to give him access to everything. Because she suspected that once that door opened again, it wouldn’t close.

“You ready for the next phase of the Reed Fletcher Experience?” He winked and she smirked behind her wine glass.

“The Reed Fletcher Experience?”

“Yup. Better than any spa and satisfaction guaranteed.” Folding his thick arms behind his head, he stretched out in the chair and watched her drink, his gaze so heavy and hungry, she wondered why he’d ever bothered to eat.

“Is this a service I have to pay for? I mean, I might not be able to afford it.”

His eyes twinkled with mischief as his tongue played behind his teeth. And her panties? Gone. Poof. Like, what the hell were panties anyway?

“I think we can work something out.” Standing, he offered his hand. “You ready?”

Probably not, but she’d always been a sucker for a discount.

Downing the rest of her wine, she took his hand and within minutes, he had her face down on the bed in her bra and panties.

“This okay?” he asked, carefully pulling her hair back into a sloppy twist.

“More than okay.” He hadn’t even started the massage yet and she was already turning to mush. “Love my hair touched.”

“Good, because I love touching it.” Suddenly, he fisted her locks and gave a light tug. “Like pulling it, too.”

God, yes.

He chuckled, probably because her entire body shuddered, and, a moment later, the swish of fabric and the rasp of a zipper had her biting her lip. Would he undress all the way or just enough to torment her?

The bed dipped and she felt a knee still encased in denim, press against her hip. The snap of a bottle opening followed, then the soft, liquid sound of oil being rubbed between his hands.

“You have beautiful skin,” he said, his voice low and a little husky. “I happen to know from experience that it’s as soft and sweet as it looks, too. You have no idea how badly I want to lick every inch of you right now, Mia. How fucking badly I want to taste you.”

Her thighs clenched together and her sex pulsed, craving the touch she knew would come. But, knowing Reed, he’d make her beg for it first.

“You’re killing me,” she moaned, and he antagonized her a little more by leaning down and gliding his tongue from the center of her shoulders all the way down to the small of her back.

“Do you want me to tell you what I’m going to do to you or do you want to be surprised?” he murmured, blowing hot breath against her damp flesh.

“I don’t care, as long as you stop talking and start touching.”

He laughed again and gave her his hands, gliding them up her ribs and to the sides of her breasts pillowed beneath her.

Unhook my bra, she begged in her head. Bare all of me to you. Take what you want. Give me what I need.

Like he read her mind, his thumbs eased beneath the lace, stroking toward her spine in slow, slippery circles. He paused only for a moment so he could straddle her thighs with his. Then he returned to her back, leaving not a single inch of skin untouched.

He didn’t ask permission when he finally released the clasp on her bra and pushed the fabric aside so he could work his magic hands all over again until her limbs went numb from the pleasure of it.

“Lift up,” he urged her softly, one hand around her belly now while the other found her throat. His touch was firm but gentle and way hotter than she might’ve expected. So was her ass cradled against his fly once she was on all fours in front of him.

Her bra fell to the bed, replaced immediately by hot and slippery fingertips that only teased, instead of giving her the rough touch she craved. 

“Reed,” she begged. “Please.”

“What is it, baby?”

“You’re driving me crazy.” She wanted his hands everywhere so she could feel everything. Just close her eyes and trust him to make every inch of her body hum.

“Then stop thinking about what I’m not doing and focus on what I am,” he chuckled softly. “Live in the moment.”

Easier said than done!

“Do you trust me?” he rasped in her ear, his big body bent over hers. His breath felt like a scorching brand against her neck a second before his wet lips nuzzled close and began to suck.

That tug—so amazingly possessive—pulled at every one of her nerves and her clit pulsed in anticipation.

This man would take her over the edge and she’d love every second of it.

“I trust you,” she murmured when his mouth softened against her skin and his tongue began to soothe the spot he’d just assaulted.

They’d spent so many years apart and it probably wasn’t normal for a person to trust someone so quickly again, but he’d been nothing short of amazing from the second she arrived back in River Bend.

He’d been more than amazing in Omaha ten months ago, too.

“Then you believe me when I tell you this is just the beginning tonight?” His big hand found its way to her throat against while his mouth continued to torment her flesh.

She nodded at the same time he pushed down his jeans and pressed the thick length of his cock against the cleft of her ass.

“I need to fuck you, Mia. I know you need it, too.”

God, yes.

“It’s going to be hard and fast and then we’re going to spend the rest of the night going slow. I’m going to take care of you, just like I came here to.” In one quick tug, he jerked down her panties and slid his cock through her wet folds. “Fuck, you’re ready for me already, aren’t you?”

“Reed...” His name was a breathless plea on her lips when the wide head of his cock breached her opening and then stilled.

“You feel that?” His words were spoken through clenched teeth. Like it killed him not to go further. Almost as much as it killed her. “How fucking hard I am for you?”

He let go of her just long enough to slip on a condom and make her miss the sensation of being so deliciously stretched before he was back like he’d never left at all.

“So big,” she gasped, as his hands dug into her hips and he sank himself deep inside. Three strokes to let her get used to him, then he fisted her hair and pushed her head to the sheets so he could thrust hard, just like he’d promised.

“Love how wet you are for me,” he growled, his balls slapping her sex with every womb-kissing stroke. “You’ve been thinking about me all day, haven’t you?”

“All week,” she panted, brave fingers sliding to her clit so she could play.

“Just all week?” His palm came down fast and punishing on one of her cheeks and a long, throaty moan filled the room.

Her moan. Her plea for more.

Reed grunted, lifted a knee for a better angle, and laid claim to an even deeper part of her. “That’s what I fucking thought. No way he fucked you like this.”

Oh, God. Ohgodohgodohgod. Between her fingers, his balls, and his dirty words, she was already so close.

“Only I can make you come like you need.”

Yesss!

“Tell me, Mia.” Another hand stung against her ass and she whimpered.

“Only you.” Sex with Ben had never been like this. He’d never made her feel as sexy or as desired. He never tried to please her. He just took.

Reed Fletcher freaking gave. And that only made her want to give in return.

“Take it,” she begged. “Fuck me hard and take it.”

And he did, pumping fast with the sounds of sex heavy in the air around them. His grunt of urgency, her moans of pleasure...the wet friction of their bodies sliding and slapping together.

She strummed her fingertips against her swollen bud at the same time Reed tightened the contact. Blood rushed to her clit in a heated frenzy, sending her over the edge with a long, drawn out cry.

Reed was right there, too, his cock buried to the hilt while he pulsed inside of her. His ragged breath was probably one of the sexiest things she’d ever heard, and she smiled into the bedding, knowing she’d done that to him.

“Are you on birth control?” he asked after a long moment, and panic rose in her chest.

“Yes, why? Did the condom break?” She pushed up onto her hands, watching as he pulled out.

“Nah, but I’m going to fuck you bare one of these days. Just giving you a heads up.” He climbed off the bed, his jeans bunched around his thighs, and discarded the condom into the trash.

“One of these days?”

“Or later. Whatever.” He winked one of those dark eyes and instead of righting his pants, he let them fall to the hotel room floor. “I did tell you this was just the start.”

Oh, boy.

“There’s a big ass tub in the bathroom that I fully intend to break in. Maybe even some bubble bath.” Stepping out of his pants, he offered a hand. “What do you say?”

“I say I definitely made the right decision asking you to come.” She went to him without hesitation. Even toes up and pressed her lips to his. “Now, how about that bath?”

* * *

“What are you thinking about?” Reed asked two hours and a round of bathroom sex later. With Mia curled into his side, his fingers drifted up and down her bare arm while hers played lightly over his abs.

“About Dad’s letter,” she confessed quietly. “You?”

Oh, you know, just your garden-variety craziness. The kind brought on by amazing sex and a woman he’d do anything for.

“Hey...” She leaned up on an elbow, her hair a beautiful mess around her still-flushed face. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” He tugged at a lock of that just-fucked hair and smiled. “I’m actually thinking about the letter, too.”

Her swollen lips turned down in a frown. “What part?”

“You really want me to answer that?”

Sitting upright, she pulled the sheet around her chest and turned to face him, her legs crossed between them. “Yeah. I do.”

“Okay, then.” He sat up, too, his back to the headboard and a hand on her knee. “I was thinking about how guilty you sounded reading it and how torn up you’ve been about it ever since.”

She bit her lip and twisted the sheet in her hands. “You figured that out, huh?”

“I’ve known you forever, M. It wasn’t difficult.”

“I just want to make him happy, you know? Especially after these past few years...”

“I know, M, but I think you’re being too hard on yourself. You’ve never let him down, and you’re never going to.”

She blinked up at him with emotion glistening in her eyes. “But what if something worse happens to him?”

“We’re never guaranteed another day, Mia. None of us.”

“Ugh.” Her fist hit the mattress and she sighed. “What if I never get the chance to do this one last thing for him?”

And that was where his desire to do anything for her crossed with her need to make things right, no matter the cost. A trait that he both loved and hated about her, because, knowing Mia, that could very well mean selling her soul to the devil himself in order to succeed.

A devil, he feared, looked an awful lot like Ben Montgomery.

“What if we did something crazy?” he asked, taking a leap he’d never expected to take. Ever. “So you wouldn’t have to worry about the what ifs anymore.”

She tipped her head to the side, those gorgeous eyes curious. “What do you mean?”

Taking both of her hands into his, he smiled. “Let’s get married.”