Five days later
I can’t take this anymore. Every day this week, Reece has texted me, checking to see how my day has gone, how Bennett is doing, if there’s anything we need. I’ve given him short responses, trying my best to stay neutral towards the sexy man, but my will to stay away from him is waning. Bennett has let me know every day that he would like to see Reece, and that he would like me to give him a call to see if he can come over.
On Monday afternoon, just like Reece said, he sent two guys over to my house to look around and set up a security system. I actually knew one of them—Ryan Donovan. He’s a teacher at my school, teaches third grade a few doors down from me. I knew this was a small town, but it’s crazy that I’ve been working with someone so close to Reece.
Turns out Ryan and Paul, the other guy and Ryan’s roommate, served in the Marines in the same unit as Reece. Every guy in Reece’s old unit had gotten out of the Marines, and they all opened Panthera Security and Protection together. I love that they’re all still friends and can work together now that they’re out.
Ryan cracked jokes the entire time he was there, but Paul was quiet and didn’t say much. I get the feeling those two balance each other out well. Ryan told me stories about some of the pranks the guys used to play on each other. He told me about a time, there was a clog in one of the pipes. Kingston and Reece started messing with it, trying to figure out what the problem was. While they were fiddling with the machine, it suddenly burst and sprayed Kingston and Reece with tons of sand. What had me rolling, and tears streaming down my face, is how mad Reece got about it, cursing his friends and promising retribution.
The guys were great, and couldn’t find anything to indicate that David had put up cameras to spy on me. They did find some footprints around my yard near the bedroom windows, which freaked me out a bit, but they said it could have been a neighbor. They showed me how to work the new security system—I guess it’s the best on the market. Finally, they gave me my new house keys. When I asked how much it was going to cost, they ignored me. I told them I expected a bill in the mail, but they rolled their eyes and gave me a halfhearted ‘yes ma’am.’
When I was dropping Bennett off on Wednesday, David tried his best to guilt trip me into staying for dinner. I eventually gave in, not wanting to cause any issues. He was supposed to be there for three days, but when dinner was over, David said it would make more sense for me to take Bennett home with me. When we got home, my Boo Bear was quiet. Even his bedtime stories and snuggles couldn’t pull him out of his sad mood. It hurts to know that David doesn’t want to spend time with his son.
It’s Friday. Now that I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’d like to risk hanging out with Reece, he’s gone silent on me. I haven’t heard anything from him all day. I even texted him while I was at lunch to see how his day was going, but he never responded. It’s finally the end of the day, and I am so relieved it’s the weekend. I dial my mother’s number. “Hello, darling girl,” she answers.
“Hey, Momma. I’m on my way to your house.”
“Oh, Maci Kate, I forgot to message you. Bennett wants to stay the night with his Nana and Papa. Do you mind?” After this week, I hope that’s what he needs to pull him out of this funk.
“Of course not. You need me to bring anything over for him, or do you have everything you need?”
“Honey child, we have more than enough clothes for Bennett over here. Don’t worry about a thing. Take a night for yourself. Read one of those trashy novels you like. Don’t worry about getting here early, either. Your daddy is taking Reece out fishing in the morning, so you won’t need to be here until the afternoon. You know what, why don’t you come over for dinner tomorrow night? Then you can take Bennett home with you.”
“Sounds good to me, Momma. I’ll talk to you tomorrow sometime.”
“Okay, baby.”
Hanging up with my mother, I continue to my house instead of turning for my parents’. Walking in the door, I drop my bags there and head to the shower to wash this day off me. Peeling my clothes from my body, I sigh in relief to have a night to myself. I’ve needed this after the week I’ve had.
Instead of showering, I decide on a bath. I fill my tub with the hottest water I can stand, and bath salts. I wait for it to fill up and get in. Yes, this is exactly what I need.
After soaking for about a half hour, slightly drifting off, I hear pounding. I sit up and slosh water all over the bathroom floor. Shaking my head, I stare at the mess and chastise myself. Who the hell is beating down my door? Grabbing my robe, I pull it on as I drip water down the hall, rushing to the door.
“Hold on, I’m coming!” I yell.
Tying my robe, I open the door and look up into deep blue eyes. Eyes that I have been dreaming about that belong to the man that I can’t stop thinking about. “Reece. What are you doing here?”
“What the hell are you doing, answering the door in nothing but a robe?” He glares and pushes past me into my house.
I follow him into the kitchen and watch as he sets down a pizza and turns around to face me. The man is furious. “Well?” he demands.
Hands on my hips, I glare back at him. “Well, what?”
“Don’t get snippy with me, Maci Kate Gallagher. Don’t do that shit again.”
“Why not?”
Reece grabs me by the front of my robe and pulls me into his hard, warm body. “Because I can see every delicious curve of your body. This black satin is like a second skin, slicked smooth against you.”
I don’t know who grabs at who first, but one second we’re staring at each other, and the next, we’re attacking each other’s mouths. I climb Reece’s body like a freaking tree, and he helps me out by grabbing my ass and holding me up to him. I’m very naked under my robe, and he discovers this as soon as he grabs me.
Yanking his mouth away from mine, he mumbles into my neck. “Shit, Maci. You better tell me to stop if you don’t want this, because I’m having some trouble stopping, here.”
The cloud of lust begins to fade, and I pull away from him. He helps by lowering me down to the ground.
“Right. Sorry, Maci girl. I lost my mind for a minute.”
Wrapping my arms around his body, I lean into him, head resting over his heart. “Me too, Reece. I didn’t want to stop, but we need to talk about some things first.”
Reece puts his arms around me and he chuckles. “You didn’t want to stop?” he asks.
I smile and shake my head.
“Why don’t you go and get changed so I’m not tempted to rip what few clothes you have off your beautiful body.”
“Okay,” I murmur.
Walking off to my room, I dress in a white camisole and some dark gray boxer shorts. I pull my Volunteers hoodie over my head, and put my hair into a messy bun. I walk out to see Reece in the living room with plates, napkins, the pizza he brought, and some beer from the fridge sitting on the coffee table.