“Reed, you’re leg is healing even faster than expected. The IIizarov is coming off a week early, and you’ve far exceeded your therapists expectations.” I spoke to him like I would a patient, calm and positive, stating only the facts.
“I know all that,” he replied quietly, holding my gaze. “I think I’ll make a full recovery, but there’s always the chance that I won’t.”
“You shouldn’t be worried about this, Reed. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.” I know it sounded lame as far as reassurances went, but I wouldn’t give him false hope, and Reed was strong enough not need it.
Reaching out, he gently tugged a strand of my hair. “You said ‘we’.”
I frowned, not understanding what he meant.
“Ellie,” he said quietly. “I’m lucky to be alive and I know it. If I end up with a limp, then I’ll walk a little slower. If I need a cane, I’ll go buy one. Whatever happens I’ll accept it, but you don’t have to.”
I couldn’t believe what he was implying, and I hoped I was wrong. “Are you asking me if I’m going to stay with you if end up with a limp?” I was hurt and angry that he’d suggest something like that, and I prayed that I’d misunderstood what he’d meant.
“I don’t expect you to answer right now,” he told me as if that made things easier on me, but it was more like a lit match to a stick of dynamite.
“You don’t?” I asked, my temper rising.
“Think about it. Or you can wait and see what happens before you decide. I’m not going anywhere.”
Torn between astonishment and disbelief, I tried to wrap my mind around what he was saying, but I could not believe Reed was clueless about how I felt about him.
“If I was hurt Reed, if I had a limp, would you leave me?”
The question took him by surprise, I could tell. His brows lifted and he watched me intently. “That’s different.”
“Because you’re a better person than me?”
“No,” he said, drawing out the single syllable word. “I told you my feelings for you are deep. I spent two years reading your emails and remembering that night, wondering if I was going to get the chance to see you again. I know what I want, Ellie.”
My breath caught. Resisting the temptation to shift beneath his laser hot gaze that seemed to strip me bare, my thoughts raced with what I should say to Reed to convince him that I didn’t care about a limp. If he’d lost the limb, my feelings for him would still be the same because I loved him.
Closing the distance between us, I wrapped my arms around his middle and buried my head in his chest. Reed drew in a shaky breath and his arms encircled me. “I know what I want too, Reed. I’m not going anywhere.” I lifted my head and caught him watching me intently.
We didn’t bring up the subject again that night. Reed went outside to grill fajitas and I sat down to review some patient notes. I curled up on his sofa, thinking I’d just close my eyes for a few minutes but sleep beckoned me and I couldn’t resist its call.
I awoke early next morning snuggled beneath a warm blanket with my cheek pressed into soft leather. Stretching beneath my cozy cocoon, I opened my eyes and a moment of alarm shot through me. I sat up suddenly and looked around, realizing I was at Reed’s. I relaxed. My gaze landed on Reed, who was in the recliner.
“You okay, Ellie?” His voice was heavy with sleep.
“Yeah, sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep.” Lowering my head to the soft pillow he had put beneath my head last night, I slept and dreamed of Reed. We were on a white sandy beach, but it was dark and a full moon was shining down on us and on the water, creating a shimmery dance of light as the moonbeams hit the waves. It was beautiful.
I was happy. Reed and I were lying on a thick blanket, he was wearing swim trunks and I had on a tiny red bikini that barely covered my breasts and left most of my butt cheeks exposed. That I’d never wear something like that didn’t occur to me because I was too lost in the sensation of my bare skin against his.
His mouth made a delicious trail all over my aroused body as he kissed and licked, gently sucked and nipped my skin, making me arch into him and rub my body against his. He kissed the side of my neck, my breasts and then his sensual assault dipped to my stomach before traveling lower.
When I felt his mouth on the inside of my thigh, my body jerked. Lacing my fingers in his soft hair, I turned myself over completely to Reed’s delicious ministrations. His fingers slid beneath my bikini bottom, and I gasped when he touched me between the legs. His mouth replaced his hand slowly licking my sweet spot and I cried out.
“Reed!”
I heard him tell me that it was okay, but I was too feverish to do anything but moan. He’d kindled a fire in my body that was creating an unbearable ache and demanding release. Reaching for him, I tried to pull him back between my legs.
“Ellie.”
“Please, Reed,” I begged.
Read groaned. “Ellie, wake up.”
What? That didn’t make sense. My eyes flew open and what I saw shocked and embarrassed me. Reed was sitting on the coffee table facing me, and I was clutching at him and half on his lap. Oh my God! An apology hovered on my lips, and I was about to let it out when he spoke.
“Don’t,” he ordered, his eyes dark with need. “I wanted you awake before we finished this.”
We were going to finish this? My body went weak.
“Lie back against the couch,” Reed instructed. My lower body was still on his lap with one leg on each side of his hips. I was still dressed in my scrubs, but they’d been loosened at the waist and I had a sinking feeling that I’d been the one to loosen them.
Glancing nervously at his leg I said, “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Then do exactly what I say because if I don’t taste you soon it’s going to hurt me.”
Those were the hottest words I’d ever heard, and I read plenty of romance novels. Feeling the heat pool between my thighs, I squirmed wanting to press them together to ease the ache but I couldn’t.
“Lift your hips.”
I did as he asked and Reed pulled my scrubs down one leg at a time then tossed them onto his recliner. He’d left on my satiny cream panties, and I glared at them not realizing what I was doing until I heard Reed’s deep chuckle.
“Soon,” he promised. “I’m not done playing with you.”
My stomach dropped at the sensual words.
His fingers stroked me through my panties and I felt the thin material dampen. Embarrassed, I turned away but Reed’s voice pulled my attention back to him. “I want you to watch.”
My heart was racing and my body was on fire. I watched as Reed’s fingers slipped into my panties and stroked me, pulling away just when I thought I would come. After several minutes of enduring Reed’s erotic torture, he reached beneath me and grabbing one cheek in each hand and then he lowered his head between my soaking wet, aching core and gave a long, slow, lick.
I went up in flames.
As the orgasm rocked my body, Reed continued kissing and licking me savoring each wave that rippled through me. I closed my eyes, satiated and still lying exposed before Reed but I was too weak to move.
When I finally opened my eyes, I found Reed staring at me almost in amazement. “That was fucking hot.”
His hands, which rested on my bare thighs, were shaking.
“We’re not done, Reed,” I told him, my voice raspy.
A dark brow arched above his eye. “You want more?” He studied me and then looked down at my naked body, clearly willing to oblige me.
Shaking my head, I moved off of him and reached on the floor for my discarded panties, which I slipped on. “It’s your turn. Get on the couch. Now,” I commanded.
I saw the hunger in his eyes and knew that he was turned on even before my gaze landed on the thick bulge in his shorts. “Ellie,” he whispered huskily. “If you touch me I’m going to explode.”
“Then we’ll do it again.”
He stood up and I boldly shoved m
y hands into his athletic shorts and black briefs and shoved them down, leaving his impressive erection jutting out proudly between his legs. I hadn’t gotten a good look at him that night we’d made love, so I drank in the sight of him now. I nodded toward the couch, and he sat down.
“If you don’t stop looking at me like that, you won’t even have to touch me.”
“I’m going to touch you,” I promised him. I was going to touch him with my hands, my mouth and my tongue, but I didn’t tell Reed all that. Lowering my head, I licked the tip of his erection and he jerked. I did it again. He was so close, I knew, and when I clasped my hand around him, pumped once, twice and he shattered calling out my name.
His face was flushed, and I thought he was embarrassed at how quickly he came. Leaning over him, I pressed my mouth to his. “Don’t go anywhere,” I said. Then I went to the bathroom and grabbed a towel, which I used to clean him up despite his telling me he could do it himself.
Reed didn’t know it yet but we were not done, not by a long shot. As many fantasies as I’d had about Reed over the last two years, I hadn’t thought a whole lot about going down on him but not because the idea didn’t intrigue me. Now, I was desperate to know what it felt like to have him my mouth, to taste him, to see the pleasure in his eyes when I made him come with my mouth alone.
When I got on my knees between his thighs, Reed shot me a questioning look. Leaning over his crotch, I tentatively licked the tip of him with my tongue. Reed sucked in a harsh breath and his erection twitched. Reaching out, he picked up wavy lock of my hair and gently played with the strand.
“You don’t have to do this, Ellie,” he whispered huskily.
In answer I began to lick him, cupping his balls and experimenting with my mouth while trying to tell from his reaction what turned him on the most. I felt him watching me, and it aroused me to know his eyes were on me while I went down on him. When my mouth closed over him deeply, settling into an erotic rhythm, I knew that Reed was enjoying this as much as I was. His knuckles were white as he clenched the sofa tightly and his breathing was labored as I continued to suck him.
“Ellie, stop.” He said harshly.
I took him in my mouth even deeper, feeling the tip of him at the base of my throat. Reed reached down and grabbed me beneath the arms, pulling me alongside him on the sofa just as he came.
Afterwards, Reed had toweled himself off and settled me against his chest, as he stroked my hair and I listened to the beat of his heart. I felt happy, peaceful and safe.
It was a long time before either of us spoke. Finally, I lifted my chin and stared up at Reed’s chiseled jaw, which was covered with sexy, dark stubble that I’d felt on the insides of my thighs earlier. The memory pulled a sigh from me.
“I love the look on your face when you come.” I’d been thinking the words, and they tumbled from my mouth causing Reed to peer down at me.
“Jesus,” he breathed. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”
Smiling against his chest, I said, “I must have done a good job.”
“You took me to heaven. I’ve never felt anything like it, but I wasn’t talking about the blowjob. It’s you, Ellie. You’re amazing.”
“So are you, Reed.”
He dismissed the compliment. “You don’t even know how special you are, do you?” he asked studying me as if I fascinated him.
“I feel special when I’m with you,” I answered truthfully, making tracing little circles over his heart.
“God knows no one deserves to feel special more than you, Ellie. I feel the same way around you.”
I liked that. I liked how Reed was gazing down at me thoughtfully, as if he cared to know everything he could about me.
“The other night, when you said you hadn’t had any other boyfriends besides Davy he drawled, deliberately mispronouncing Davis’ name, you meant that you hadn’t had any long term relationships, right?”
Shaking my head against his chest, I looked up at Reed and met his curious blue gaze. “Davis wasn’t ever my boyfriend. We only dated casually for a couple of months before he met Brooke and fell in love with her.”
“I can’t believe that,” he replied with amazement.
“It’s true. We never slept together and we weren’t exclusive.”
“No, I can’t believe he would prefer Brooke over you.”
“Davis is from an affluent family, and Brooke is beautiful and polished. She appreciates the prestigious society obligations are important to him because she’s been attending those functions for years.”
“So he’s marrying her for her money,” Reed surmised.
“No!” I slugged him lightly in the arm and my fist felt as if it had struck rock. Reed laughed. “It’s not that. They’re in love.” I frowned. “I’m sure he cares Brooke.” I wasn’t all that sure.
“Don’t worry about Brooke,” he said gently. “Ellie, have you been with anyone else in the last two years?”
“Only you, Reed. I’ve only ever been with you.” I felt him relax, and saw the relief mixed with something else in his eyes. “I never forgot you or that night. Cora was starting to worry about me.” Seeing the look on Reed’s face, I kind of wished I’d left that part out. “I went on with my life, and I dated but I never met anyone that made me feel the way you did.”
He was quiet for several moments before he spoke. “You told Cora what happened between us?”
“I wouldn’t have, but the day you left I was upset,” I said carefully, underestimating what I’d felt that day. “Cora came home and I needed to talk to someone.”
“Ellie, I don’t care that you told her,” he assured me, correctly guessing the reason for my concern. “I should’ve gone to see you again before I left. God knows I wanted to, but I was afraid it would be that much harder for both of us. I never meant to hurt you.”
I thought about what he said. “If I’d have to choose between the pain of you leaving and having never made love to you that night, I would always choose the pain.”
He pressed a tender kiss to my temple.
“I won’t hold it against you,” I told him, knowing I shouldn’t ask the next question. “Were you with a lot of women after me?”
Lifting my chin to meet his eyes, he said, “No one, Ellie. There’s been no none after you.”
Propping myself on my elbow, I glanced up at Reed as he tilted his head down and kissed me soundly enough to send shivers down my spine.
The doorbell rang once and then I heard a familiar voice call out, “Sergeant Bentley, it’s Sandy with the VNT!”
I quickly got off of Reed, stood up and reached down for my scrubs.
“Too many people have keys to my house,” Reed grumbled but he didn’t seem all that irritated because he suddenly smiled. “If you stay, maybe she’ll stop offering to give me a sponge bath.”
I laughed as I ran into his bedroom and quietly shut the door.
Chapter 14
“Who was that guy you were talking to at the grocery store?” Cora asked in between sips of beer.
The three of us Isabelle, Cora and I were hanging out as Shooters having a girl’s night out, but I was distracted thinking about Reed’s surgery Monday morning. It took me a moment to realize whom Cora had been talking about. “Oh, that’s Jase, he’s Reed’s friend.”
“Why do you ask?” I smiled, knowing the answer.
“No reason. I was just curious.” I knew Cora well enough to know she was lying.
“Maybe I could introduce the two of sometime, if you’re curious,” I suggested.
“Forget it,” Isabelle said shaking her head. “She’s too innocent for Jase. He’s a player.” When Cora and I just stared at Isabelle, she went on. “He’s a man-whore. Jase doesn’t date. He has sex. You don’t want to get involved with him unless all you’re looking for is one night and no phone call the next day.”
“Maybe I’d like that,” Cora replied, looking as if she might really like it. “He’s hot, and he has soulful eyes.�
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“What color are Jase’s eyes?” I asked.
“Green,” Cora and Isabelle cried at the same time.
They both turned to look at me, and I held my hands up in mock surrender. “Okay, they’re green. I’ll take your word for it.” I didn’t notice any other guy when I was around Reed.
“I thought eyes were what you first noticed about a guy. How did you not notice Jase’s?” Isabelle asked me. “He might be a slut, but he’s panty dropping gorgeous. Even I noticed his eyes.”
“After you checked out his ABC’s,” I laughed.
“Yeah, how could you not notice Jase’s eyes, Ellie,” Cora teased. “Jase is almost as drop your panties hot as Reed.”
Isabelle groaned. “Do not mention my brother and any phrase that has to do with losing panties around me. You’ll traumatize me.”
We all laughed.
Spotting someone she knew, Isabelle lifted her arm and waved. I was glad we’d changed the subject.
“Who’s here?” Cora asked, glancing in the direction Isabelle had waved.
“Amber. Hey, I don’t think she saw me. I’m going to go get her,” Isabelle told us before walking into the sea of people.
“Great, Amber’s here,” Cora said in a joyless voice. “And we were just starting to have fun.”
“Cora. Be nice.”
“Don’t ‘Cora’ me. You’re happier than I’ve ever seen you, and Amber and Isabelle are determined to screw that up. If she keeps trying to steal your man, I’m not going to play nice.”
“Amber’s not trying to steal Reed. She doesn’t even know about us.”
“I don’t know.” Cora looked thoughtful.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I think she’s jealous of you, which is understandable since you’re more beautiful than she is, and smarter and funnier and nicer.”
Isabelle and Amber walked up to the table and I shot Cora a warning look, but she didn’t see because she was glaring at Amber.
“Hi, Amber,” I said, smiling.
“Hey Amber,” Cora added, then shot me a see how nice I was look.
The four of us sat and talked while we drank draft beer from plastic cups. Every now and then, one of us would get asked to dance, but whenever guys asked me, Cora would pipe up that she’d love to dance. After, she’d done this several times she leaned over and whispered, “They’re going to get suspicious if you keep turning guys down.” Looking up, I found Amber watching me and I wondered if Cora might be right.
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