“That asshole Brooke is marrying didn’t give you that stuff, did he?” Reed asked, seeming more protective than angry.
“One of my friends from work had a sex toy party before she got married. I won a door prize.”
He relaxed beneath my touch and chuckled. “Must’ve been some party.”
Before I could answer, Jase’s voice called from the doorway. “Hey, Sergeant! You out here?”
Reed swore, but he didn’t seem that upset about the company. His eyes raked over me and I realized the problem, he was concerned that I would be embarrassed and, thinking about the way I probably looked, he was right.
I jumped off of Reed’s lap, knowing there wasn’t going to be any hiding what Reed and I had been doing. Fingering my tousled hair back from my face, I knew there wasn’t much else I could do.
Reed got up and stepped in front of me a second before Jase and two other guys walked onto the deck, staring at us with looks varying from amusement, interest and surprise.
“Uh, hey Ellie, Reed.” Jase seemed shocked, and I pegged him for a guy that didn’t shock easily. He seemed to be fascinated with something behind us. Suddenly, I knew what Jase was staring at, and I froze. I didn’t have to look to know what was holding their attention—handcuffs, a blindfold, and a riding crop.
Reaching behind his back, Reed took my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. I felt calmer, but still humiliated.
“Sorry, I forgot all about the card game,” Reed said simply as if nothing out of the ordinary was going on. “Next time the beer is on me,” he told to his friends.
They seemed cool with the promise of free beer.
“No problem man.”
“Hey, you’re getting around good,” one guy said, looking at Reed and I and flashing a wicked smile.
“Don’t forget the beer next week!”
Jase was the last to go. “Mind if I borrow those handcuffs?” he asked laughing.
Suddenly, I felt like laughing too at the absurdity of the situation. I laughed hard enough to bring tears to my eyes.
“Get the hell out of here,” Reed growled without any real anger. “You’re embarrassing Ellie.”
Jase stopped laughing immediately, and seemed contrite. “I’m sorry Ellie. I didn’t mean to offend you, really.”
“No worries, Jase,” I assured him, picking up the discarded handcuffs and tossing them to him. “Don’t forget to give those back.”
“You’re one amazing girl,” Jase said with a wink, taking the handcuffs and grinning. “Later.”
As soon as Jase was gone Reed turned to me, cupping my face with his hands and brushing at the tearstains on my cheeks with his thumbs. “I’m sorry about that. You came over and I forgot all about the game. You okay?”
He was looking at me with such tenderness that I my heart swelled. “Yes. I may not be able to face your friends again.”
“Sure you will.” Reed smiled. He dropped a quick kiss to my lips. “You’re not going to turn me down again, are you?”
“Are you asking me out on a date?”
His gaze held mine. “If that’s all I can get you to agree to, then yes.”
Lifting my brows in surprise, I asked, “You want to play with the sex toys?”
Reed laughed softly. “ Maybe later. I want us to only date each other, Ellie. I’d like for you to be my girlfriend if you’re ready for that.” He brushed a wisp of hair away from my face. “If you’re not, I’ll take whatever you’re willing to give me.”
His words were sweet and warmed me from the inside. I tested the word. “Girlfriend. I like the sound of that. And you’ll be my boyfriend.”
Reed nodded. “That’s usually how it works. That okay with you?”
I stood on my tiptoes to touch my lips to his and he leaned down and gave me a slow kiss. “I don’t want to hurt Amber and Isabelle,” I told him. “Can you give me some time for figure out how to tell them?”
A shadow fell across his features. “Amber stopped by last night.”
“I know.” I did not want to hear about the naked, just out of the shower kiss. “She told Isabelle and I.”
Reed’s expression was instantly wary. “She told you?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry, Ellie. That had to be awkward for you.”
“Don’t apologize. I’m fine, but Isabelle was really upset. She thinks you and Amber belong together.”
“I’ll talk to my sister,” Reed promised. “No worries, I’ll let you tell her about us, but she shouldn’t be encouraging Amber. That’s not going to help anyone.”
“Reed, about Amber. Are you sure?”
He sighed softly and rubbed his jaw, something I noticed that he did whenever something was on his mind. “Ellie, I don’t want this between us.” Reed glanced away, as if searching for the right words, and when he turned back to me his gaze locked with mine. “You know Amber is a friend.”
I nodded.
“I cared about her. I even loved her, and, honestly, I still I do.”
His words felt like a physical blow.
“No, Ellie,” he whispered almost desperately, clasping my shoulders when I would’ve turned away. “You have to hear this.”
“When Amber and I…became more than friends, it seemed right at the time. I thought that I was in love with her, but we were both so young. Looking back, I realize that the kind of love I felt for Amber was like what I feel for Isabelle. I never meant to hurt Amber, but I never should have slept with her. I never was in love with her. I never felt for her the way I feel for you.”
I closed my eyes, letting what he’d said sink in.
“Okay?” Reed asked, and I could tell my answer meant a great deal to him.
“I’m sorry for doubting you, Reed. I won’t do it again.” He reached for me and dragged me into his arms.
I’d never had a boyfriend so it felt strange to say the word, but it was also exhilarating. It wasn’t until later that I remembered that not only did I have a boyfriend I had a date tomorrow night with Stephen Hotchkiss.
Chapter 10
When I told Cora how I’d used my door prizes on she’d Reed laughed so hard that she choked on her iced coffee, and kept on laughing until tears filled her yes.
“That’s hilarious.” She took a breath. “And hot.”
I’d left out a few details that seemed too private to share like what had happened after our little experiment with the riding crop. I still got hot thinking about the way he’d touched me, with a mixture of tenderness and urgency, like I was as a necessary to him as air, and he treasured me. I had burst with pleasure, literally. In the two years since I’d made love with Reed I’d learned to make myself come by fantasizing of him, but no pleasure I’d ever felt came close to the ecstasy I’d experienced in Reed’s arms.
“You look happy,” Cora commented once she’d stopped laughing. “I’m glad one of us is.” A shadow fell across Cora’s features, but it was gone as fast as it appeared and hidden beneath a smile. I’m sure she hadn’t meant to say that last sentence aloud.
“What’s going on with you?” I asked, doing my best to sound casual. I knew Cora didn’t like people fussing over her. “We’re always talking about me lately.”
“We’ve talked more about me during our friendship than we have about you, and I my life isn’t nearly as exciting,” Cora told me, taking the straw out of her drink and bringing it to her lips.
“What are you and Clayton doing tonight?”
“Not sure.” Her eyes lit up. “Maybe I can borrow your sex toys,” she suggested. I knew she didn’t mean it. Cora might be still a virgin at twenty-two, but her innocence had been stolen long ago, and I hadn’t stopped praying that she’d find a way to get it back.
“Stop,” Cora ordered me. “I know what you’re thinking, and I don’t want to go there. We don’t always have to try and fix me. I’m not that screwed up.”
“You’re not screwed up at all,” I protested.
“Ellie, you
were hung up on Reed. That’s why you never had ‘normal’ relationships that women our age have had. I am screwed up and we both know it,” she said with uncharacteristic frustration.
It didn’t feel right leaving things unfinished with Cora, but I’d learned that not everything could be fixed over a cup of coffee and the ear of a best friend. Some problems were like knots, the harder you pulled on them the tighter and more intense they became, and the only thing left to do was leave it alone.
“When you’re ready Cora, I’ll be here.”
She smiled. “I know.”
I was a little nervous about what to expect from Reed the next time I saw him. Would he expect us to pick up where we left off before Jase interrupted us? I was excited and couldn’t wait to find out.
I gave considerable thought to my underwear before deciding on a lacy black bra with matching panties. Since I had several patients to see before I could go to Reed I’d be dressed in my scrubs when I saw him, which was good because I didn’t have to decide what I was going to where and bad because, well, scrubs were about as sexy as a paper bag.
Trying to compensate for the scrubs, I applied a touch more mascara and made sure my tinted lip-gloss was fresh before I went to see Reed. I also worked a handful of mousse through my wavy hair, scrunched it and let it dry naturally so that it fell in soft curls around my shoulders.
Reed’s handsome face split into the sexiest smile when he saw me, and my heart squeezed. He kissed me and my cells jumped up and did a little happy dance. When he took my hand, I thought that Reed was leading me to his bedroom where we’d spend the night in bed making love. Instead, Reed led me out onto the deck, and tears pricked my eyes at he’d done.
The patio table was covered with white linen, set with plates and silverware, and in center flickered candles and a large crystal vase of daisies. It was beautiful and the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for me.
We dined on grilled tilapia, new potatoes and asparagus. Reed opened a bottle of wine and we spent the entire evening talking. When I told him how romantic he was, he got a strange look on his face.
“Don’t laugh. I watched a lot of daytime TV while I was in the hospital, and I got the idea for tonight from one of those talk shows titled something like, ‘What Women Want’.”
I smiled. “You’re telling me you don’t know much about romancing women?”
“I hope you’re not too disappointed. On my own I’d probably have gone with beer and barbeque, but I wanted to do something special for you tonight,” Reed said, claiming a chunk of my heart.
I would never forget that night, and we didn’t even have sex nor did we any of the nights that followed. Reed did kiss me a few times, each kiss shaking me all the way to my core but he never went any further. I wondered if his leg was bothering him, but when I asked he always said that he was fine. He was lying, I knew, even though he never complained. I tried to get him to take the pain medication that he’d been prescribed, but Reed refused. He said he didn’t like how the meds made him feel.
In a few short days, I felt like Reed was one of my best friends, and I knew that I was falling hard for him. Things were going great for Reed and I until the day that flipped our new relationship upside down.
I’d just finished checking his leg when Isabelle showed up.
“Knock, Knock!” Isabelle called a moment before she swept into Reed’s living room, where he sat on the sofa. I sat on an ottoman opposite him.
“Hey, sis.”
Isabelle hugged Reed first and then me. “Hey, Brother. Hi, Ellie. I didn’t mean to interrupt, I just wanted to visit.”
“You’re not interrupting anything,” I said quickly. Catching the amusement shining in Reed’s eyes, I realized that I sounded guilty like she was interrupting something.
“Ellie just finished checking me out,” Reed told his sister grinning, my heart flipping inside my chest at the double meaning.
“She’s the best.” Isabelle smiled.
“What’s that?” Reed asked Isabelle, nodding at the large plastic shopping bag in one arm and a brown paper bag in the other.
Isabelle beamed. “You’re favorite Chinese Food.” She held up the brown paper bag. “I know you haven’t had time to get out and shop, so I figured I would get you a few things.” She indicated the other bag.
“You didn’t have to go to the trouble, but thanks. I appreciate it. I hope you’re going to help us eat all that.”
He’d used the word ‘us’ so casually that I don’t think Isabelle thought anything of it, but I suddenly regretted not telling her about us. Unaware of my upset, Reed got up and reached to take the bags from Isabelle.
“Sit back down!” she ordered. “I’ve got this. You need to rest.”
“Isabelle, I’m fine.”
“The doctor said you shouldn’t overdo it,” she insisted, holding the bags away from him.
“He also said I should use my leg. It won’t get any stronger if I sit on my ass all day.” His soft tone took the sting out of the words.
“Just sit back down, and let Ellie do her job while I put these things away. Then we’ll eat.”
I could tell there was going to be no arguing with Isabelle and apparently Reed realized the same thing because he reluctantly sat back down, humoring his sister.
“Be right back,” she said before turning in the direction of the kitchen. Suddenly she stopped. “Hey Ellie, you’ll have to tell us about your date with Doctor Hot Kiss over dinner,” she laughed. “Reed, did she tell you that she’s dating the sexiest doctor at the hospital?” Isabelle walked away, not expecting an answer but she didn’t expect the look of her brother’s face either.
“No.” He turned his attention to me. “You didn’t tell me about your date.”
I understood Reed’s scowl, but the hurt in his eyes made me want to beg his forgiveness even though I hadn’t really done anything wrong.
“It’s not what you think,” I assured him.
“You didn’t go on a date some guy called Doctor Hot Kiss?”
I heard the hopeful tone in his voice and wished that I could tell him no. “Yes, but I can explain.”
He cocked a brow. “You can explain that you’re dating the sexiest guy at the hospital?” he practically growled. “Cause I’m not real sure I want to hear about that, Ellie.”
“Reed, I made the date before we were together, and I tried to call him to cancel, but he was in surgery and I didn’t want to break it off in a voicemail.”
“So you went out with him?” he asked dryly.
“Yes.
“Did you sleep with him?”
“No!” I cried. “I can’t believe you’re asking me that.”
“I can’t believe I’m asking you if you’re dating someone. I can’t believe I’m referring to a guy as Doctor Hot Kiss.”
The situation might have been funny if Reed wasn’t so upset. My lips tugged at the corners, but I fought the smile.
Reed stared at me with a guarded expression, as if he wasn’t sure what to expect from me.
“I only went out with him to break it off. We met at Luciano’s and over dinner I told him I’d met someone.”
He shot me an uncertain look. “You told him about us?”
“I’d never do anything to hurt you, Reed.”
“Why does Isabelle think you’re dating him?”
“I haven’t talked to her. I haven’t even told her about us yet.”
Surprise flashed across his face a second before Isabelle stormed back into the living room carrying the handcuffs and riding crop I’d left at Reed’s house last week. I’d actually thought that the evening couldn’t get any worse. I was wrong.
“What the hell is this?” Isabelle demanded, holding the items in front of Reed.
He took a deep breath. “You shouldn’t be going through my stuff, Sis,” he said calmly.
Isabelle’s blue eyes flashed with emotion foreshadowing trouble. “I wasn’t going through your stuff. This was l
ying out in the open on a shelf in your closet!”
“Isabelle—“
“How could you do this to Amber?” Isabelle cried.
Reed got to his feet and faced his sister. “I haven’t done anything to Amber,” he said quietly.
Isabelle didn’t seem to hear him. “You have no idea how much she loves you, do you? You broke her heart!”
It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. I stood up ready to tell Isabelle that all the stuff was mine when I caught the warning in Reed’s eyes. He didn’t want me to say anything. I felt helpless and stared stiffly at Isabelle.
“What’s this about Reed? Do you have some lingering issues from our abusive childhood?” Isabelle’s teary eyes were full of accusation.
I couldn’t breathe. Isabelle was dealing with something more than Reed not taking Amber back, and Reed seemed to realize it as well.
“How could you do that to a woman?” Isabelle was crying. “It’s all my fault. This is because of what she did to you, isn’t it? I should’ve protected you!”
“Isabelle stop,” Reed ordered firmly, taking his sister into his arms and holding her while she cried.
If I’d been able to move, I would have left but I was frozen, shocked at the depth of Isabelle’s emotion. I’ve no idea how long we stood there while Reed tried to calm her down. Finally, Isabelle quieted.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” Isabelle whispered brokenly. “I’m sorry, Ellie.”
“It’s okay,” I told her, but I didn’t know if it was. “I’ll leave you two alone.”
“You don’t have to go,” Reed told me, and Isabelle agreed.
I knew that he didn’t want to leave things unfinished between us, and neither did I. But he and Isabelle needed to talk. “I should visit my dad.” Reluctantly, I grabbed my bag and turned to go.
“Can I come over later?” Isabelle asked.
“Sure.”
I knew that she wanted to talk, and so did Reed. Catching the disappointment in his eyes, I knew he didn’t want me to go but he didn’t argue and I think it was because he knew Isabelle needed to talk to me too.
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