Chapter Sixty-Two

Carrie

Reid is as stunning in his tuxedo as he was the night I met him, and perhaps memories of his tongue that night are what solidify my decision on the panties or no panties topic.

I’m not wearing panties, because while I like that man’s hand on my backside, his tongue is magical. The only problem with that state of undress is that October has reared its head this evening and fall has arrived. My dress is not much of a defense for the chilly eve, even without the straight stream of air up my skirt which I found out in our short walk to our hired car.

Once we’re settled into the backseat for the short ride, the driver talks parking and pick up details for a full two blocks. When finally, that is over and done, Reid pulls me close, offering me a big dose of that big, hot body of his to warm me up, and while it works, it just makes me want more of his big, hot body. “You looking as stunning as ever in that dress, Carrie.” His fingers slip under my dress and inch up my thigh, and he clearly has no intention of stopping.

I catch his hand. “You wait.”

“Waiting’s overrated.”

“Not tonight when I have to be focused.”

“I can take the edge off.” His fingers flex on the lace of my thigh high.

“Stop,” I whisper.

His eyes dance with mischief, but the driver announces, “Your destination, sir.”

Reid inhales and then cups my face, bringing his lips to my lips. “Waiting is really fucking overrated.” He kisses me. “But it appears I’m waiting.”

I laugh and he presses his cheek to mine. “I’ll make you pay for that laugh. Perhaps you get the spanking to go with my tongue, because we both know you aren’t wearing panties.” He doesn’t give me time to reply. He opens the door, exits the car and helps me out, pulling me flush to his hard body. “I’m right here with you, Carrie.” He strokes my hair. “We’re going to win Grayson’s business.” He takes my hand and starts to walk, but I tug against him.

He turns to look at me and I don’t know why I need to say it or why I feel he needs me to say it, but I add, “I’m right here with you, too, you know that, right?”

Something flickers in his eyes, some unknown emotion, but warmth follows. “Stay that way. I want you to stay that way.” He kisses my hand and shuts the car door.

The driver arrives to see us off, apparently obsessed with our arrangements. “I’ll be close by, sir. Just text me.”

Once we’re inside the luxurious hotel that is all sleek white tiles that contrast the dark furnishings, beneath a high ceiling with dangling lights, I don’t miss the way several beautiful women walk by us and gape and whisper about Reid. He, however, doesn’t seem to notice, though of course, this is Reid Maxwell, and he notices. He knows. He’s simply focused on me, his arm around my waist, hand on my hip. There is not a fleeting moment where I feel he is anywhere but one hundred percent with me.

We are met by security, who lead us to a second-level conference room. Inside, we’re greeted by Grayson, and another man, both in tuxedos. Grayson’s particularly handsome in his, quite able to inspire the tall, dark, and handsome cliché, while the other man, who is in his late thirties I estimate, has wavy light brown hair and looks that inspire more of a ruggedly good-looking observation.

“This is Eric Mitchell,” Grayson says, indicating the man. “He’s my right-hand man, and considering he’s made himself a millionaire many times over managing my investments, I want him in on the meeting. I trust him.”

There is the traditional shaking of hands, and I note that Eric has a black and gray tattoo sleeve peeking from his jacket. My gaze meets his and he arches a brow as if wanting me to ask about it. I don’t. I simply find it interesting. Grayson isn’t the ink kind of guy, at least I didn’t think he was, and I actually think Eric’s obvious differences make both men more interesting.

“Let’s sit,” Grayson says, indicating the large rectangular table.

My next surprise is that Grayson doesn’t choose the endcap, but rather a spot across from me and beside Eric. “Ask the question, Carrie,” Eric says.

Reid glances down at me. “What’s he talking about?”

“Me looking at his tattoo sleeve.” I shift my attention to Eric. “An observation doesn’t require a question. I don’t have one.”

“Just a judgment.”

“So you want my judgment, not a question. Is that what you’re used to getting?”

All three men just look at me and then they all laugh. “I told you she’s priceless,” Reid says, looking at Grayson and squeezing my leg under the table.

My hand covers his and the knowledge that he has spoken positively about me confirms the trust I have in Reid and contradicts all those words my father spoke this morning.

“Indeed,” Eric agrees. “What is your judgment, Carrie?”

“That you and Grayson are different, but alike in ways that make you both interesting.”

“As are you, Carrie,” Eric says.

“Tell us what you have for us,” Grayson says.

“An opportunity of a lifetime,” Reid says. “A deal that was brought to Carrie, but she’s nervous about Asia.”

“I’ve been burned there,” I chime in. “But Reid has brought solid financing to this deal. He has contacts I don’t, and I feel like that can balance this project out. It’s a convention center in Japan.” I glance at Reid to see if he wants to continue.

“It’s your baby,” he says. “You explain it all.”

I dive into my pitch and we all chat for a good hour or more. Grayson glances at Eric. “I could fund it myself.”

“Why? Limit your liability, spread out your assets.” Eric looks between us. “I need to do due diligence but it’s intriguing.”

That’s when Reid takes over. “How intriguing? This is hush-hush and time-sensitive. I’ve brought big money to the table. We’re doing this with or without you. If you want another proposal—”

“No,” Grayson says. “We’ll let you know in twenty-four hours, but on first glance, I’m in. No matter our decision, we’ll grant you a number of test cities outside this project that you can grow upon.”

“I’ll put together the agreement,” Eric says. “We’ll do this other deal separately.”

I want to jump for joy, but Reid remains cautious. “Twenty-four hours. We need to move on this.”

Grayson’s lips quirk. “Understood.”

We all stand and the shaking of hands begins again. “Please enjoy the party,” Grayson says, while Eric holds onto my hand and doesn’t let go.

“Military and then Harvard.”

He releases me. “Interesting,” I say, and he laughs.

A few minutes later, Reid and I are walking down the hallway. “We’re going to make our goal.”

“Yes, baby, we are.”

“We did good.”

“Yes. We did. And you,” he adds, “charmed the room.”

“We do the good cop, bad cop thing pretty well.”

He laughs. “Yes, we do.”

I revel in his laughter that I know now has not been frequent for Reid, and while I still don’t know why, I feel one day I will. We arrive at the party, a huge ballroom with chandeliers and tables filled with clusters of people in formalwear everywhere I look. Reid and I accept champagne and toast to our success. “Panties or no panties?”

“You have to wait to see.”

“Then drink up. We made a showing. Let’s get out of here.”

“We have to stay a respectable amount of time.”

He groans. “Right. That respectable time thing I hate so fucking much.” He downs his bubbly. “Let’s mingle.”

It’s an hour later and Reid and I are on the dance floor, our bodies closer than is “respectable,” but I don’t care.

His hand caresses my back. “Let’s go home.”

Home.

His home, but the word is spoken as if we share a home, and it does funny things to my stomach. “Yes. Let’s go home, but do we need to find Grayson and say goodbye?”

“Grayson has the deal of a lifetime. That’s all he gets. We’re leaving.”

He takes my hand and guides me toward the exit, and in a matter of minutes we’re in the car, and he’s pulling me close, his hand under my skirt again. “The wait is over,” he murmurs as firetrucks start to push through the traffic and sirens sound.

“Something is going on,” I murmur as even more sirens seem to encroach upon us.

Reid’s cellphone rings and he frowns. “Gabe, who would not call me on a night like tonight, unless it was something important.” He answers and listens a moment. “You’re sure? Right. We’re going there now.” He disconnects. “We’ll walk. It’s not far.” He opens the door and helps me out.

“What’s going on?” I ask as he starts all but pulling me down the sidewalk.

“There’s a fire in Battery Park. Gabe can’t tell where yet, but it’s close to our apartments and both of our offices.”

“Oh God.” It’s all I manage. Neither of us speaks. We just walk as fast as we can with me in my heels. It takes us ten minutes, and through a parade of emergency vehicles, to reach our office which is fine. Reid’s phone rings again, and he answers it. “Yeah, Gabe.” His hand tightens on mine. “Yes. Okay.”

A horrible feeling settles in my chest and when he disconnects the line, he turns me to face him his hands on my shoulders. “It’s your building, Carrie.”

“My building. Mine?”

“Yes, baby. It’s yours, but—”

I have to get there. I twist out of his arms and start to run. I’m halfway across a crosswalk when Reid catches my hand. “Stay with me. They aren’t going to let you in the area.”

“I need to know details. I need to talk to an emergency worker.” I motion to a policeman at the entryway to our walkway. “Him. There.”

Reid folds our arms at the elbow and pulls me close. “We’ll talk to him.”

I tug against him and rush toward the uniformed man. “I live in the building. Is the fire contained?”

“Yes, ma’am, but we are asking residents to report their whereabouts if they live on floors one through three.”

“I live on three. What happened on three?”

“I’m sorry to tell you that it’s a full loss, ma’am.”

Emotions rock my body and my knees go weak. Reid drags me to him and I don’t know how but I end up near a bench out of the walkway. “I lost everything. I lost everything. I have no home.” Tears burst from my eyes and Reid folds me close, his lips at my ear. “Live with me, Carrie. Move in with me.”

“No,” I hiss, shoving at his chest. “I’m not your charity case. You’re not getting stuck with me.”

“Stuck with you? There’s no stuck with you, Carrie. Now or ever.” He cups my face and thumbs away dampness. “I gave you a key. We were headed there anyway. A few more weeks of back and forth was all I was going to be able to endure. Live with me.”

“How do I even know it’s what you really want?”

“It is what I want. Is it what you want?”

“I want to make the choice, and I want you to ask me not when my apartment is burning down. Not like this.”

“I would have asked that way and still, it wouldn’t be enough. Baby, I need you with me. I need you, Carrie.” He folds me in his embrace. “You’re safe with me. I got you. I really do, even if you don’t know it yet.”

I stop fighting what he offers, that safe place I need. I sink into his embrace and wrap my arms around him and it does feel like he has me, like he’s holding me up. I’ve never given anyone this kind of power, the power to hold me up or crush me. But I’ve given it to Reid because I know, in this moment, that I love this man.