by Sam Crescent
“I really need to stop sleeping with you.”
“You love it.” He collapsed beside her.
“Not on rent day.”
“We fuck every other day. In fact, we fuck every single day, apart from when you’re out of commission and I get to stroke your stomach.” He placed his hand on her stomach, and she sighed. Now he just had to remind her of all the times he’d been really sweet to her.
She’d experienced a couple of uncomfortable menstrual cycles. Reese had snuggled up with her, providing a warm water bottle and chocolate ice cream, along with a romance movie to sob to.
He’d surprised her by his caring.
When he’d taken her to the rescue center, he’d taken her off guard, especially when she saw that he did indeed care for the animals.
Staring at him now, she was overcome with a wave of emotion. Biting her lip, she pushed those feelings that had started up and tried to think about something else, but it was next to impossible.
Reese Daniels was in fact a very loving and caring person. She couldn’t believe that she had thought he was an asshole. Reese wasn’t anything like the man-whore she had first thought he was. In fact, he was the complete opposite and one of the nicest people she’d ever met. He simply hid it from everyone else, and she found that sad. Guilt hit her for thinking the worst of him. She normally prided herself on not judging anyone, but she had him.
“What are you thinking?”
“We’ve got a long shift tonight, and it’s no special event, and that I had no right to judge you.”
He stared at her for several seconds before speaking. “Yep. Friday night. Where everyone goes out in the hope of finding someone to fuck,” he said.
“Or have a good time—you’re not going to accept my apology?”
“Already accepted—or they pretend to find a good time. You’ve got to realize the world is full of people wanting to have sex. Look at us. We stumbled into each other’s arms.”
“That’s true.”
“Also, I wanted to get you a little something.” Reese reached over the bed and opened the drawer. His body pinned her to the bed, and she giggled. “Here you go. I wanted to get you a present to mark the fact you and I haven’t said a bad word to each other in three months.”
“We haven’t?”
He shook his head. “I’ve kept a calendar.”
“Living together has made us like each other.”
“Or screwing your brains out every single night has turned you into a nice person. I’ve fucked you into being a good little girl.” He leaned forward, and she burst out laughing as he began to growl against her stomach. “Speaking of being good. Let’s take this into the bathroom.” Before she could protest, he lifted her up, and carried her through to the bathroom they, in fact, shared. He placed her in the shower and turned on the water, making her gasp. The ice-cold droplets hit her skin, shocking her awake.
“What are you doing?”
“You can’t be mean to me. I’ll have to take your gift away.”
She laughed. Over the past few months, she’d come to see that his asshole ways had an actual meaning behind them. “Do you want to tell me why you threw me into a screaming cold shower?” she asked.
“To wake you up. We’ve got work in an hour, and I don’t want you to be thinking about fucking me and it sending you to sleep.”
Again, she couldn’t stop her laughter. “The last thing sex with you would make me do was fall asleep.”
“I know I’m good in bed, the best even, but even I have limits.”
It wasn’t long before the water warmed up, and his hands began to work soap into her body. He’d tossed out the sponges and told her whenever she needed a wash, she was to call him. He’d gladly provide the equipment to soap her down.
No matter how crazy he was at times, he always made her laugh, and this was another reason for the cold shower.
She had to stop, as otherwise she was at risk of falling in love with him, and that wouldn’t do.
Chapter Six
“You like her,” Peter said.
Reese averted his gaze from Julia, who was mingling with his friends in the garden, and turned to Peter. It was cold out, but he’d built a small fire. He’d also organized a barbeque, and it was just some fun for everyone to enjoy.
Julie had called him crazy for organizing a party in the cold, but he didn’t mind. He needed his friends around, and to also see how Julia handled them. Not that he thought for a second that she’d have a problem with them. Far from it.
They liked her, and she liked them.
He’d come to see that in the early months of meeting her, he’d built up assumptions about her with her constantly being in a book and studying. Then of course he’d lost Milo, and no one had been able to repair the pain that losing his dog had caused.
Then one night of … he didn’t know what it was. They’d had a drink after work with the rest of their colleagues, and he’d offered to walk her home. On the way there, something had gotten said, and he didn’t have a clue what. It set them both off, and before he knew where they were, his dick was inside her tight cunt and her apartment door was closed.
From that point on everything had changed. He’d sneaked out of her apartment, but they’d somehow gotten there the next night. Then the night after that, it had been at his place. That was when he’d started walking her home without her really knowing it.
He wasn’t an asshole, and there’s no way he’d put a woman in danger even if he’d not really liked her.
Of course, he’d never not liked Julia. They had a misunderstanding about each other. Bell came to bark at his feet, demanding attention. Picking her up, he turned to his friend. “Yes, I like her.”
“What happened to you complaining about her?”
“I was wrong.”
“You’re admitting you’re wrong?”
“I can do that when it’s actually true.”
Peter chuckled. “I think this is more than admitting you’re wrong.” His friend slapped him on the back. “Everyone likes her, so if you were doing this to check, it worked. She’s a good woman, Reese.”
His friend stepped away, and seconds later Julia came up. She smiled at him. “Is she being a little attention seeker?”
He handed Bell to Julia, and she snuggled the dog against her chest, smiling at him.
Reese couldn’t believe how beautiful her smile was or how nice she was. He’d made a big fucking mistake with her. “Your friends are nice,” she said.
“Yeah, they like you, too.”
She chuckled. “Do you want some company?”
All of his friends were mingling, and she was the only person he really wanted to talk to anyway. He held his arm up, and she stepped in close. Wrapping his arm around her, he couldn’t get over how perfectly she fit against him. It was like she was always supposed to be there by his side.
“What are you thinking?” she asked.
“Nothing.”
He flipped the burgers and basked in having her close. When the time for food came, Julia went and put Bell into the house, and said she’d wash her hands.
She joined him minutes later, and began to finish up the burgers. After half an hour, and the grill completely down to just glistening coals, he stood with Julia at his side while everyone talked among themselves.
They all laughed at jokes Peter told, and he smiled at the pregnancy pictures another friend showed.
When it became late, and people were starting to get sleepy, he sent Julia in to get ready for bed. She had a long shift tomorrow at the animal shelter. She worked in both places now, and she loved it all, far more than studying.
Seeing his friends out, he gave them a hug and promised to do the same in the summer.
“She’s good for you,” one of the women said.
“Julia’s not bad.”
“And you like her, son. Don’t start pretending with me that there’s nothing there as we both know there is.” She gave him a h
ug.
A few of his friends told him that he’d won the jackpot with Julia, and he’d already come to see that.
With the last friend leaving, he checked to make sure the coals were completely out on his grill, which they were. He’d never liked the electric or gas grills. The point of barbequing was to get that smoky flavor, not just grilled flavor.
Closing and locking the doors, he made his way inside his bedroom to find Julia already in bed. He unbuttoned his shirt and smiled at her.
“I really enjoyed tonight.”
“Me, too,” he said. “You’re a hit with my friends.”
“That’s because I’m awesome.”
He moved toward her, unable to resist kissing her head. “I’m just going to take a shower.”
“Hurry back.”
Reese took a shower in record time, and when he came back to the bed, it looked like Julia had fallen asleep.
Moving to his side of the bed, he lifted up the covers and was stopped by a thick pile of papers that had been neatly bound together.
He picked it up, seeing a blank title and Julia’s name.
“It’s my story. You’ve offered to read it for me, and I’ve been scared of you doing so in case you don’t like it. Be honest and truthful with me. I won’t take any offense.”
“You want me to read it?”
“Yes, and please, be honest.”
He placed the story down beside the bed, and nodded. “I will.”
Climbing into bed, he pulled her against him, and she snuggled, wrapping her arm around him.
Reese couldn’t believe that he’d ever look forward to the end of the day just so that he could fall asleep with his woman in his arms.
Being with Julia, it had showed him how happy he could be with her, which wasn’t bad considering they both hadn’t been able to get along for some time.
He couldn’t imagine not having her in his bed or in his home, and what was more, he didn’t want to either.
****
“How are things with you and Reese?” Ericka asked.
Julia smiled as she held the pup for the vet to deal with all the injections. Working at the shelter had felt like a real calling. Reese also came to volunteer as much as possible. He worked longer hours at the bar than she did, starting earlier in the day a couple of times a week.
“We’re doing really good.”
“I was pleased to see that he’d finally found someone.”
“I’m sure Reese didn’t have a problem finding anyone.” She recalled all the women who flocked to him, and still did. She’d felt many a jealous pang over the women who paid him attention. Of course, he didn’t see it and would often tell her that it was her he took home. It was her body that drove him crazy, and at the end of each night it was her pussy he fucked. There wasn’t anyone else he wanted. “They’re always around him. You know, trying to get his attention,” she said, explaining it to Ericka, who looked a little confused.
“Oh, sorry. Yeah, I was thinking about the women that couldn’t handle Milo, or that he had commitments here that he never brought other women to.”
This made Julia pause. “What do you mean?”
“You’re the first woman that Reese ever brought here. It was a shock to all of us because he did say that we’d all know when he met the woman of his dreams because we’d know about it first.” This made Julia stop altogether. “He was always complaining that women said they ‘got’ dogs, and found them sexy, but he’d only ever found women who complained about how much he loved his dog, and would take Milo with him everywhere. They were joined at the hip.”
“Oh.”
“Seeing you was a surprise, but then when you reacted that way to Bell, and of course the animals just love you, I knew he’d found the right woman, and he knew he had as well.”
“I don’t think that’s the case.”
Ericka looked at her and smiled, placing a hand on her arm. “It’s okay. None of us ever really see the man in front of us. You’re a lucky woman, Julia.”
“A lucky woman?”
“Reese loves you, and anyone who looks at the way you two are together, well, like I said, you’re a lucky woman to have captured his heart.”
She licked her lips, feeling a little … scared.
Julia had been trying so hard to hide her feelings, and now Ericka was telling her that it was easy to see. Not only that but Reese loved her back?
Could it be possible?
She didn’t want to get too excited in case she was completely wrong.
“He hated me.”
“Nah, Reese doesn’t have a bone in his body that is capable of hate.” Ericka took the pup from her. “Now this little guy is all set for his new home. Yes, he is.”
Julia stood in the background and watched as a young family adopted the abandoned pup. It was moments like this that made her job really rewarding. She wished she could take them all home and love them, but that wasn’t going to happen. She showed them all love and affection while she could.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” Ericka said.
“It’s fine. You know. I’m probably just overreacting. I’m going to go and get to work.” She left the vet alone, and continued to clean out several of the kennels while the dogs were out walking.
All the time she thought about Reese, and the past few months since moving in. She’d started out in her own room, with her clothes in her closet, most of her belongings in her room. Reese would visit her, and he’d pick up a picture, and the next second, it would be in the living room next to one of his. Slowly, he’d begun to mix their stuff together, and then he’d started to put her clothes in his closet. That was a surprise to her, seeing him do laundry, and they even had a cleaning day where they worked on the house.
At every single turn he’d proven to her that he wasn’t a man-whore, nor did he treat women badly. He simply rejected them and moved on.
Was it possible that he loved her?
She was standing with her head resting on her hands, holding the mop, when a pair of hands covered her eyes.
“Penny for them?” Reese asked.
“I thought you were at work.”
“I was, but I took a break to pick you up. I don’t like you walking home or catching the bus or a cab. I like to come and get you.”
She glanced down at her watch and saw it was time for her to go.
She placed all of the dog bowls and toys into the cage before following Reese as she signed out for the day.
He wrapped an arm around her and held her close. “You’re not keeping a doggy hostage under there, are you?”
“Nope.”
“Good. I know it’s easy to want to take them all. It’s why I always volunteer. I can’t do everything, but I can at least do something.”
He dropped her off at home, and she took a quick shower, changed, and was back in the car as they drove to the bar together. “You’re very quiet today,” he said.
“I’m just thinking. It’s no big deal.”
She forced a smile to her lips. The truth was, she wanted to tell him that she thought she’d fallen in love with him but was a little afraid in case he laughed at her, and she didn’t want that.
Why did Ericka have to tell her about Reese?
It just seemed to make everything complicated, and she didn’t want to deal with complications right now.
Chapter Seven
Reese stared down at the ring in his hand. Yes, he’d gone and done it. He’d bought a ring for a woman that he didn’t even know if she liked him. This was how crazy he was about Julia.
Life with her had become something he enjoyed and relished. The thought of being without her, well, there was no thought to it at all.
“Everything is set up,” James said, coming to stand beside him. His boss looked over his shoulder and nodded. “It’s a pretty ring.”
“Do you think she’ll like it?” He’d never been so nervous before in his life.
“If she love
s you then she’ll like it.”
“I don’t even know if she loves me.”
“You really need to stop panicking. This is now on you, and I’ve seen the way you two are together. You’ve got this, Reese. Stop panicking.”
James slapped him on the back, and he gripped the counter, trying to deal with his fear. If she said yes to marrying him then he’d be the happiest man alive. If she said no, then he’d need to sell his home, find somewhere else to live, and of course get a new job.
The stakes for the first time in his life were high.
“You can do this.”
“If she says no, I’ll say yes,” Lori said, giving him a wink. “She’s a lucky woman.”
“Thanks.”
“Here, it’s on the house,” she said. She placed a shot glass of tequila down in front of him, and he finished it off in one swig.
He’d brought his friends here to witness his proposal. Their work colleagues were here, and even Ericka was coming. She’d offered to bring Julia here, and he was more than happy about that.
The time ticked by, and he served customers. James had made his customers aware that one of his staff intended to propose, and asked that when she entered, they’d be quiet.
“You look sick,” Peter said.
“Shut up.”
“She’s going to say yes.”
“And if she doesn’t?” Reese asked.
“Stop being a pussy.” Peter slapped his arm. “You’ve got this.”
He smiled at his friend’s encouragement.
“You really love her, don’t you?” Peter asked.
“More than anything.”
“Then if she loves you like I can see in your eyes, and by how nervous you are, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”
Reese waited for Julia to enter. When he caught sight of Ericka, his entire world focused on this one moment. He’d told James that he’d give a signal for when he wanted silence.
Ericka gave him a thumbs-up, and he smiled at her.
She was so happy for him, and he could see it. Julia came straight toward the bar.
“Hey,” she said. “Ericka agreed to bring me to work, and she wanted a drink.”