by Addison Cole
He took her in a slow, intoxicating kiss, and proceeded to drive her to the brink of insanity. Only then did he strip off the rest of their clothes. They fell to the couch amid feverish kisses. He laced their hands together, soaking in the feel of her body against his, and the needful look in her eyes. She smelled heavenly feminine and hauntingly familiar.
He brushed his lips over hers in a series of light kisses. “Gracie, do you trust me?”
“More than I trust myself.”
The honesty in her voice brought his lips to hers again, until she broke their connection, breathless and beautiful.
“Love all of me, Reed,” she pleaded.
“I do, and I will,” he promised, and then he kissed her again.
As their bodies came together, they both stilled, gazing deeply into each other’s eyes.
“Can you feel it, Gracie? How much I love you?”
“Yes. Now show me.”
They made love until they both gasped in sweet agony from pure, explosive pleasure. And then they moved into the bedroom, becoming one again, slow and tender, their love binding them together like a never-ending ribbon.
Grace fell asleep in Reed’s arms. He lay awake feeling the soft rhythm of her breath against his skin, filled with a sense of peace he’d never before experienced. His gaze ran down her body as he reached for the blanket, and he noticed a small tattoo of an orchid on the back of her thigh. You never forgot.
Time moved slowly, but it seemed to go too fast. With morning approaching, the last thing he wanted to do was move an inch, but he knew he had to do the right thing.
He brushed kisses over her cheek and whispered, “Gracie, baby.”
“Hm?” She snuggled deeper into him.
He kissed her then, drawing strength to do what he didn’t want to.
“As much as I want to wake up with you in my arms, I don’t want you to feel funny tomorrow around your parents, or for them to think this is just a fling. I think I’d better take you home.”
She turned in his arms, a sleepy smile on her lips. “Really? I’m so comfy.”
He pressed his lips to hers. “Me too, but I want you to wake up tomorrow smiling, not wondering how to face your parents.” He kissed the tip of her nose and said, “I know you, Gracie. You’re a private person, and you’ll be embarrassed to get home after dawn. I want your parents to know I love you enough to do the right thing.”
“Trust me,” she said with a seductive smile. “You did all the right things.”
She touched her lips to his, and her expression turned serious. “You also did the right thing by telling me about what happened in Michigan. You always do the right thing, even when it’s hard.”
“Because that’s what you do when you truly love someone. You put their well-being before your own.”
Chapter Nine
GRACE AWOKE REFRESHED and rejuvenated despite so few hours of sleep and being sore in places she hadn’t known she could be. It was a deliciously good soreness, and she didn’t regret having made love with Reed one bit. She reached for her phone, and a text from him told her he didn’t regret it, either. Good morning, beautiful. My sheets smell like you. I’m having withdrawals. Can I see you tonight? She smiled as she responded, I’d never deprive you of your next hit.
She rolled over, nearly squishing Clayton, and hugged Greedy Boy, thinking about Reed’s confession. She had been so upset hearing about his almost engagement, she hadn’t slowed down enough to think about what he’d gone through and how much that betrayal must have hurt. She glanced at the curtains, wishing he were there so she could talk with him about it.
She grabbed a handful of M&M’s from the nightstand and shoved them in her mouth. She reached for another handful and stopped herself. If she was going to eat like this, she needed to sign up for a gym. Three weeks of eating junk would add at least five pounds to her hips.
Unless Reed and I can work it off.
Pleased with that idea, she ate a few more M&M’s, deciding she’d start running tomorrow morning. Even if they worked off the junk food, she was used to exercising in the mornings, and she might go stir crazy if she didn’t.
She scrolled through her other texts and read one from Sable—Hank just came into my shop. He said the café’s buzzing about you and Reed.
Great. Hank and his wife, Pearl, owned the Stardust Café. Now that they were in their late seventies, their daughter, Winona, basically ran the place. Reed’s voice sailed through her mind. Let them talk all they want. Pretty soon nobody will remember a time when we weren’t together. Most of all, you. He was so sure of himself, and he always had been. It was one of the many things she loved about him.
She sent Sable a quick reply. Thanks for leaving the front door open for me. I was afraid I might wake the dogs.
Sable’s reply came seconds later. I took care of that when I got in at 2. Her text ended with a winking emoji. Sable flaunted her sexuality like a flag, much like Brindle.
She read a text from Sophie next. Did you get your GREED on last night? I want all the details! Instead of texting, Grace called.
Sophie answered on the second ring. “That good, huh?”
“You have no idea, Soph. I’m still recovering.” She went into the bathroom and turned on the shower.
“It’s about time you fed your hunger for that man.”
She wasn’t even going to pretend she hadn’t compared every man she’d gone out with to Reed. “You know I’m all about being careful and making sure I know where I’m headed.”
“That’s why we’re besties. We could have come from the same womb.”
“Then tell me if I’m crazy, please. You can’t tell anyone this, but he was almost engaged, and she cheated on him. He says he was never in love with her. Am I nuts to believe him? When we’re together, it’s like the past decade was a blip in our lives and we were meant to find each other again. But that only happens in fairy tales, right? I’m being stupid?”
“I hate cheaters, and no, you’re not crazy or stupid. You’re following your heart. You followed it to New York City, and you made your dreams come true. Why not enjoy Reed? You know he’s your forever-kiss guy.” Sophie’s family had a long-running belief that the person someone was destined to be with was the one whose kisses lasted long after they left the room.
Reed’s kisses had lasted for years. “Maybe so.”
A call beeped through, and she saw Amber’s name on the screen. “That’s Amber. I’ve got to take it. I start teaching the class this afternoon. I’ll text you later.”
“I forgot to tell you, Nana signed up for your class. Have fun with that! Bye!” Sophie’s grandmother, Nina, who everyone called Nana, was like a grandmother to Grace, and she was known around town for celebrating every holiday and event as if it were her last. She also had absolutely no filter. Sable and Brindle could have been her daughters.
Grace switched over to Amber’s call. “Hey, Amb. Don’t worry. I’m going to be there well before the class. I was thinking I’d come over a little early to get set up.”
“Sounds good. I wanted to let you know we had a fifth signup. My friend Janie, the erotic romance writer, will be joining you.”
“That’s great. This should be fun. Janie is blind, right?”
“Yes. That’s why I was calling. She said if you email her the documents, she has a program that can read them to her. Are there any materials that will need to be handled differently?”
“No. That’s perfect. Other than the class outline, everything is verbal and done in class on the computers. Send me her email address and I’ll send her the information.”
They talked for a few more minutes, and after ending the call, Grace took a shower and got ready for the day. She took extra time with her hair and makeup, excited to see Reed this morning, glad he was working on her parents’ porch. She peeked out the curtains, but the porch was empty. She smelled the flowers he’d given her, which sat on the nightstand beside the bed, where her mother must have put
them after they left for their date. Feeling like she was walking on air, she dressed in the cute navy miniskirt and white silk tank she planned to wear to class and slipped her feet into a pair of strappy sandals. She snagged her phone and messenger bag with her work for the day in it and headed down to the kitchen for coffee.
Reba greeted her with a nose to the crotch. Grace shifted sideways and pet her. “Good morning to you, too, Reba. Where’s your sister?”
“Sit, Reba,” her mother said.
The pup plopped down on her butt, her tongue lolling out of her mouth as Grace set her bag on the counter.
“Dolly went with Dad to the library,” her mother said, and handed Grace a cup of coffee. “How are you, sweetheart?”
“Fine. Thanks for the coffee.” She took a sip and glanced out the side door, looking for Reed’s truck. He wasn’t there yet. She thought about texting to see when he would arrive, but that felt a little clingy, so she turned away from the door.
“Looking for Reed?” A spark of curiosity rose in her mother’s eyes.
“Mm-hm. Sorry I got in so late last night.”
“I’m not,” her mother said with a mischievous smile. She sat down at the kitchen table. Reba padded over and sat by her feet. “Sit and chat with me for a minute. We haven’t had any time to visit.”
Grace’s nerves tingled, which was ridiculous considering she was an adult.
“I take it your date with Reed went well?” her mother said, clearly fishing for more information.
A thread of guilt wound through her. “Yes, very well, actually. The fair was fun, and we went to his place afterward.”
Her mother raised her brows. “How nice. I hear he bought the Carmels’ house. Angel said he’s done quite a bit of work, at least from what she’d seen of the outside of the house.” Angel was Sophie’s mother.
“He has, and the work he’s done so far is really amazing.”
“Like him.” She sipped her coffee, watching Grace over the rim.
Grace crossed her arms, readying for an inquisition. “Go ahead, Mom. Ask whatever it is you’d like to know.”
“I don’t want to pry.” Her mother set her coffee cup on the table.
“Yes you do.”
She smiled and leaned closer. “You’re right, I do! Oh, Gracie, he’s such a nice man! And the way he looks at you…” She fanned her face dramatically. “That man couldn’t hide his feelings for you if someone gave him a mask. He’d burn right through it.”
“Mom!” Grace felt her cheeks flush.
“Oh, honey, please. If you think I was kidding about him keeping you overnight, you’re dead wrong. It’s about time you found a man who knew a good thing when she was standing right in front of him.”
Grace heard Reed’s truck door close in the driveway, and she jumped to her feet, one hand covering her racing heart. Reba lifted her head, panting happily.
“Well, it looks like you and Reed both know a good thing when you see it.”
“Why am I so nervous?” she said more to herself than to her mother.
“Because it’s been a long time since you’ve received orchids, and it scares you.”
Grace felt her eyes widen.
Her mother stood and put her hand on Grace’s shoulder. “Mothers always know, baby girl. You were happy then. You’re even happier now.”
“Did Dad know?”
“Some things aren’t meant for a father’s ears.”
All that time she thought she was being so careful. How could her mother have known if her siblings hadn’t? The realization that her mother had kept her secret made her heart feel impossibly fuller.
“It must have been difficult for both of you, keeping your relationship a secret,” her mother said. “Although I’d imagine at that age there was a certain thrill to it, too.”
Grace remembered both the thrill of sneaking around and the longing not to. “There were so many times I wanted to tell you and tell everyone else. Gosh, just about every day. I remember being so jealous at get-togethers when my friends brought their boyfriends. It was hard not telling anyone. Sable knew, and so did Sophie, but that was it. I’m really sorry, Mom.” She didn’t want to mention Reed’s aunt and uncle knowing, because it felt like a betrayal that she and Reed had trusted them and not all of her family, though she knew it would have been too big of a secret for most of her siblings to keep.
“To be honest,” her mother said, “I was glad you had each other, regardless of how it happened. I’d never seen you happier than when you were with him. I did worry that it might stop you from going to college, and when it didn’t, I worried you might be too distraught to do well. But you’ve always been strong. Reed, however, had a harder time of it. The emptiness in his eyes after you two ended things could have drowned an Olympic swimmer. I always wondered if that was why he left town.”
Grace’s heart hurt anew.
Reed tapped on the screen door. He flashed a smile that made her insides tumble and said, “Mornin’, Gracie.”
Her mother whispered, “Couldn’t hide it if he tried.” She raised her voice and said, “Reed, come in, sweetheart. Have some coffee.”
Reed stepped inside and made a beeline for Grace. “I think I’ll have my sugar without coffee this morning, thank you.” He pressed a kiss to Grace’s cheek, earning an approving smile from her mother. “Grace, can I borrow you for a minute? I want to show you something.”
He took her hand, leading her out the door and around to the far side of his truck, where he wrapped her in his arms and lowered his lips to hers, taking her in a kiss so hot it should have been preceded by a warning sign. She came away a little dizzy and a lot turned on.
“I COULDN’T WAIT another second,” Reed said, and went for more. His hands moved down her hips as the force of their kisses drove her back against the truck. Her softness conformed to his hard frame. They’d always been insatiable, but everything felt amplified, stronger, more real. He wanted to lift her into his arms and take her right there against the truck. He reminded himself they were in her parents’ driveway and reluctantly drew back. But the fire in her eyes and her grip on his shoulders brought his mouth to hers again.
When they finally parted, he pressed his hands flat on the door, caging her in. It was safer than his hands on her body, which would have made him want to spend the entire day making up for lost years.
“I didn’t get a wink of sleep,” he admitted. “Every time I closed my eyes I saw you.”
Her lips were enticingly pink from the force of their kisses, and when they curved into a sexy smile, he touched his forehead to hers to keep from kissing her again. “What have you done to me, Gracie?”
“I think you mean what have we done to each other. Whatever it is, I don’t want to stop. And, Reed, I owe you an apology.”
He drew back so he could see her face more clearly. “For what?”
“Last night when you told me about what happened with your ex and having to sell your business, I was so wrapped up in my own head, I didn’t slow down enough to think about how it must have made you feel. The betrayal alone must have been horrible, but coupled with selling the business you worked so hard to build? I can’t imagine how devastated you were.”
“It’s over, Grace. Leave it in the past.”
“I thought we weren’t hiding from our pasts anymore. By the way, my mom knew about us. She just told me, but she said she never told my father, which is really…big.”
“How did she find out?”
Grace shrugged. “I don’t think it was Sable, and if any of my siblings knew they’d never have been able to keep it a secret. Mother’s intuition, I suppose. But can we circle back for a second? I need you to know you can talk to me about what happened in Michigan and I promise I won’t get upset this time.” She took his hand in hers and said, “I don’t want to skip the things that made you the man you are. I don’t want anything left unsaid.”
“Talking about Alina is the last thing I want to do.”
>
“Then don’t talk about her. Tell me about you.”
“Gracie…”
“You don’t have to, but I know it had to hurt.”
She embraced him, and her comfort felt so good, the truth came without effort. “Oh, Grace. When you and I broke up, I didn’t really feel betrayed because even though I gave my all to our relationship, we both always knew where you were heading after high school. We knew what was coming. But with her, I never gave my all to the relationship. So when she cheated, the betrayal was cutting, but I knew I’d dodged a bullet. The betrayal of my business partner was far worse than the betrayal of my ex. Thad and I had a bond I had given one hundred and ten percent to for years.” His fingers curled into fists. “That pissed me off to the point of no return. That’s why I sold him my stake in the business. I’d have come home either way to help my uncle, but I worked my butt off to build that business, and Thad’s actions negated everything. He broke my trust, and I knew I’d never want to work hard enough to repair it.”
“Do you miss the work you did there?” she asked.
“Sure, but there’s nothing I can’t do. I’ll rebuild here. I’ve got my eyes on a few projects.” He touched his lips to hers. “When I first moved back to town, I went into Morgyn’s shop to buy a gift for my aunt, and we got to talking. When she heard I’d just moved back to town, without knowing anything about the reasons, she said, ‘The universe has a plan for you, and once it shows itself, you’ll know you did the right thing.’”
Grace laughed. “That sounds like Morgyn. She’s all about leaving things in the hands of fate.”
He gazed into her eyes, his heart so full of her his past felt like a story he’d heard about someone else. “Don’t you see, Gracie? She was right.”
Chapter Ten
AS GRACE DROVE down the main drag of Meadowside toward Amber’s bookstore Monday afternoon, tingles of anticipation crawled up her limbs and chest. Meadowside was a quaint small town, much like Oak Falls, known for its rural setting and close-knit community. But to Grace it would always be the place where Reed lived. As a kid, she’d get shivers of anticipation about the possibility of running into Reed when she was out with her friends or family. Just catching sight of him had been enough to hold her over for hours back then. But now, if this morning was any indication, catching sight of him would never be enough again.