He kisses me long and slow. “No, mine.”
“What about Lexi? Isn’t that why we never go to your apartment?”
“She has a study group tonight. She won’t be there.” His hand cradles my cheek. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you. Words are inadequate.”
“Then show me.”
He kisses me again, more ardent. His hands slip under my shirt and he fondles my breast. With a groan, he pulls away and practically dives over the seat. “Throwing these keys back here seemed like a great idea at the time.”
I laugh and get out, opening the back door and bending over to search the floor.
“Why don’t you have a bigger car? We wouldn’t have to wait,” he teases.
“I thought you were fond of beds now.”
He twists his head so he’s facing me and kisses me. “We can mix it up from time to time, but tonight we need a bed.”
I find the keys jammed between the seat cushions and I lift them triumphantly. Reed gets out of the car and meets me at the passenger door, taking the keys from my hand. “I’m driving.”
“You don’t like my driving?”
“You drive like my grandmother.”
“Maybe that’s because my brakes are going out.”
His playfulness disappears. “Why haven’t you gotten them fixed?”
“I can’t afford to, Reed.” I sigh. “You know my deep dark secret. I’m poor. I have nothing.”
“No, you have me.”
But is it enough? I can’t think about the logistics of us right now. I only know I need this man. I’m miserable without him.
He narrows his eyes. “I’m still driving.”
I could put up a fight, but it wouldn’t be worth the effort and would only delay getting to his apartment. “Okay.”
He’s careful driving toward the campus. When he pulls into the parking lot on the grounds of his apartment, I take in a breath. This is one of the nicer complexes in town. “How can you afford to live here?”
He hesitates. “My parents pay for it. Since Lexi and I share the apartment, it’s cheaper this way than two separate places.”
“Your parents pay for your apartment?”
He kisses me, effectively shutting down my questions. “Do you know what I’m going to do to you?”
“No,” I’m breathless and feel the familiar ache burning low in my abdomen. I once again marvel at the hold he has on me.
“Come inside and find out.” He’s out of the car and opening my door, pulling me into his embrace. “I’m going to strip you naked.” He kisses my neck, then trails his tongue to my ear. “And then I’m going to kiss you everywhere.”
“Everywhere in your apartment?” I tease, but I’m finding it difficult to concentrate.
“There’s an idea.” He sounds surprised. “Maybe next time.”
He threads his fingers through mine and takes me to the outside door, pressing a security code to get into the building. Once we’re inside, we stop in front of an elevator.
“Oh, fancy,” I tease. “You have a security system and an elevator.”
His arm encircles my back, tugging me close to his body. He leans into my ear. “I can think of all kinds of fun things to do inside an elevator.”
I grab the front of his shirt and look up into his eyes, wondering how I went from so miserable to so happy in such a short time.
The doors open and he pushes me backward inside until my back is against the wall. “Let me show you one of them.”
I draw in a breath as he unfastens my pants. “Reed, the doors aren’t even closed.”
“No one can see. I’m blocking their view.” But when the door closes, his hand slides down inside my panties. “Fuck, Caroline. You’re so wet already.” He growls before his mouth covers mine, his tongue demanding attention.
The elevator doors start to open and Reed withdraws his hand and grins. “I need to move to a taller building. That wasn’t nearly enough time. Not to mention I’d have much easier access if you’d worn a dress.”
“I didn’t know we’d be doing … this.”
Reed kisses me again. “Always assume we’ll be doing this.” He takes my hand and leads me down a hall. He stops at an apartment near the end, fumbling in his pocket for his keys. Spinning me around, he presses my back against the door, kissing me thoroughly as he unlocks the door. He pushes me inside, his mouth still on mine.
The door closes behind him, and he enters a code into a keypad, turning off an alarm. Then he pulls me to him again, fumbling with my waistband, pushing my pants and my panties to my ankles. I kick off my shoes, then step out of my clothes as Reed lifts my sweater up and over my head. My bra soon falls to the floor, and I’m completely naked.
“This hardly seems fair.” I cock my head with a grin. “You have too many clothes on.”
I take a step toward him, but he shakes his head. “No.”
“No?”
He places his hands on my shoulders and pushes me backward again, until I’m backed up to a wooden kitchen chair. “Sit,” he murmurs, lowering me to the seat, moving my butt to the edge and spreading my legs so I’m exposed. “Now reach behind you and grab the spindles.”
I do as he says, but I’m anxious about what he has planned.
He stares at me for several seconds, his pupils dilating. “God, you’re gorgeous.” Then he steps back several feet and unknots his tie, watching me as he slides it off his neck.
“Should I be nervous?”
His hand stops on the top button of his shirt, his eyes becoming serious. “Do you think I’d ever hurt you?”
“No.” He’d hurt himself before he’d ever hurt me.
“I just want to watch you while I take my clothes off. Do you know how sexy you are?”
I start to reach up for him, but he shakes his head. “No, I want you like you were.”
Giving him a saucy grin, I grab the back of the chair. He leans over to kiss me, playing with my breast before he stands and watches me again.
I’m panting and throbbing. This seems to be the effect he wanted, because he smiles as he unbuttons his shirt.
“I’ve missed your body.” He tugs his shirt out of his pants and lets it slide down his arms and to the floor.
“It was only two days.”
“It was an eternity.”
“I’ve missed you too.” Time without Reed felt endless.
“What do you want me to do to you, Caroline?”
I gasp, suddenly embarrassed. Maybe it’s the position he has me in. I feel vulnerable and exposed. “You know.”
“I want to hear you say it.” His voice is low and sexy.
I look up into his eyes as he unbuckles his belt. “I want you to kiss me.”
He leans over me and takes my lower lip between his, nipping then licking it with his tongue. “Like that?”
“Yes.” It seems like such an inadequate response for what he does to me.
He unfastens his pants and drops them, stepping out of his shoes in the process. His erection is obvious through his briefs, and I keep my gaze there.
“What else do you want?”
“I want you to fuck me, Reed.”
He tugs off his underwear then kneels before me. “Oh, I will, my sweet Caroline. But not yet.” His mouth lowers to one breast while his hand fondles the other.
I start to reach for him, but he lifts his head.
“No. I want you like you were.”
I look into his eyes. “I want to touch you.”
He grins. “You will, but I get to touch you first.”
His mouth resumes its torture and I squirm, leaning my head back. “Reed.”
“Patience.” His mouth moves to my cleavage, licking and kissing as his lips begin to move down to my stomach.
A dull ache spreads as his tongue trails over my abdomen, moving lower and lower. Agonizingly close to where I want him, yet light years away.
His mouth glides down my leg and to the inside of my th
igh, inching higher and higher but not high enough. And just when I think he’ll drive me mad, his tongue finds the place that’s begging for attention.
I arch my back and moan, lifting off the chair, but Reed pushes me down, renewing his efforts. My stomach tightens, and I’m close to an orgasm. “Reed….”
I try to hold on, to wait for him and as if he realizes this, his tongue tries something different, pushing me over the edge. I cry out as wave after wave washes over me.
Reed moves his mouth up my stomach as I recover. “I’ve missed the taste of you.”
I open my eyes. “My turn.” I stand and turn him around and make him sit on the chair, positioning him like he had me, except moving his back to the back of the chair. The sight of him this way turns me on more than I expected.
I lean over and kiss him, making sure the only part of me that touches him is my mouth. His arm moves, then he groans.
I lift my head and chuckle. “It’s not easy not being able to touch, is it?”
His eyes are hooded. “You’re already driving me crazy.”
I grin. “And I’ve only just begun.”
I kiss the corner of his mouth, licking his bottom lip but moving away when he tries to kiss me. He growls, and I laugh.
I straddle his legs, resting my thighs closer to his knees. I lower my mouth to his neck, licking and sucking as I make my way down to his chest, which rises and falls rapidly. Rising up, I grab the back of his head and bring his mouth to my breast.
“I want to be in you,” he grunts.
“Not yet.”
“Caroline.”
“Patience.” I slide off his lap and lower between his legs, pulling his hips closer to the edge of the chair. I lower my mouth to his erection and lick in one long stroke.
Reed squirms and I press down on his thighs and continue my torture before taking him in my mouth. Reed lasts ten seconds before he’s jerking me up.
I protest. “You can’t touch—”
He pulls my mouth to his, his hands in my hair.
I lean back and grin at him. “No, you’re not supposed to touch me.”
“Until when?”
“Until you come.”
A guttural sound comes from his throat.
“Do you trust me?” I whisper.
He’s trying to catch his breath. “Yes.”
I grab his hand and guide him to the sofa. Then I straddle his thighs and look into his eyes. “No touching.”
He nods, his eyes focused on mine.
Placing my hands on his shoulders, I lower myself onto him and begin to move. He bucks his hips, pushing deeper into me.
“Tell me what you want me to do,” I say. “Tell me how to move.”
He begins to give me directions, and I feel myself building again, but I concentrate on Reed and his nonverbal cues as well as his verbal ones. I want to make him feel as good as he makes me feel. I want to show him how much I love him. I want to give him something for everything he’s done for me, but I have nothing. The only thing I know to give him is myself.
I lower my mouth to his as I ride him, and I can tell he’s frustrated. I move my mouth to his ear. “You can touch me.”
With a grunt, he grabs my waist and lifts me, turning me so my back is on the sofa. His fingers dig into my hips and he takes control. I’m climbing again, amazed I can be this close already. That this man makes me feel things I never thought possible.
I look up into his face as I’m nearing the edge. The love and adoration in his eyes sends my flying. I cling to him as I fall, and he’s right behind me. He collapses on top of me, catching his breath. Then he turns to his side, wrapping his arms around my back and holding me to his chest.
“I never want to lose you again,” he murmurs.
His chest vibrates with his words, and I snuggle closer. “I don’t want to lose you either.”
“Stay the night with me.”
I’m tempted. I want nothing more than to stay in this man’s arms for the rest of my life, but Desiree is counting on me. “I can’t. I have to get back to work.”
He groans.
“Remember that field trip we took to Desiree’s? That will be all for nothing if I don’t finish her outfit in time.”
“You have to sleep sometime.”
“Not until very, very late.”
He pushes up on his elbow. “I’ll come with you.”
I shake my head. “Remember how many people were in the design studio when you were there a few nights ago? There’s twice as many now since we’re this close to the show. Plus the juniors have a big project due. We won’t have any privacy.”
“I miss you, Caroline.”
I kiss him softly. “I miss you too.”
“You need to eat. Let me feed you first.”
I lean back to study him. “You cook?”
A mischievous grin lifts the corners of his mouth. “Do I know how to cook?” He puts a goofy emphasis on the last word.
“In the kitchen.” I laugh, shaking my head. “How can a man as sexy as you be so socially awkward?”
He pins me to the sofa. “Socially awkward?”
I rise up and kiss him on the lips. “Good thing I love you, anyway.”
Reed freezes, his smile fading. “Did you just say you love me?”
Oh, God. I’ve known for two days that I love him. The knowledge has sunk into every pore, every cell in my body. Loving Reed has infused with my DNA, becoming part of who I am. But he didn’t know that yet.
He’s expressionless as he waits for my answer. I hate when he puts up this defensive shield. I have no idea if he’s worried he heard me wrong or if he doesn’t feel the same way. What if my declaration scares him away?
“I didn’t … I mean … I….” I push up against him, panic racing through my head, kicking in my fight-or-flight response. But he holds me down.
“Caroline, I love you too.”
I stop fighting. “You do?”
He looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “I’ve never been a love-at-first-sight kind of person, but the night I met you, I knew you were the one.”
I cringe. “But I was so awful to you. Why would you think that?”
He brushes a stray hair off my face. “There’s just something about you, Caroline Hunter. You make the simplest things infinitesimally better. You captivate me.”
“Thanks for not giving up on me,” I whisper.
“Thanks for taking a chance on me.”
He kisses me for several minutes. Sweet, leisurely kisses. I love our passion, but I love this side of us too. I love that we’re more than hot sex.
“I need to feed you, woman.” He gets up and pulls me to my feet.
I leer at him. “Did you just call me woman?”
“Would you rather I call you sweetie?”
“God, no.”
“What can I call you?”
I give him a soft smile. “Yours.”
He kisses me again, and we could do this all night, but I have work to do. “What time is Lexi coming home?”
Reed looks at the clock. “Shit. Anytime now.”
I chuckle. “Maybe we should get dressed before she walks in.”
I pick up my clothes and head to the bathroom to clean up and get dressed. Once I’m ready to go back out, I check myself in the mirror, surprised at the reflection. I look so happy. I can’t remember ever being this happy. Why am I so worried it will all fall apart?
When I go out, Lexi is sitting on a bar stool, talking to Reed. He’s cutting onions and peppers with a butcher knife on a wooden cutting board.
I stop when I see him. “Wow. You really do cook?”
Lexi turns to me and breaks out into a huge grin. “You have no idea. He’s amazing.”
Reed laughs, looking down at the vegetables. “No need to sell it, Lexi. Caroline’s going to be around a lot from now on.”
“Really?” She squeals and flies off the stool, hugging me so tight I can hardly breathe. “I knew it! You two
are perfect for each other!”
I break free and sit on the spare stool. “I’m glad two of the three of us saw it.”
“You just had to see what a great guy Reed is.”
She’s right. Reed is amazing. But it still doesn’t negate the fact he’s going to have student loans out the wazoo. His loans alone could pay for a comfortable home for a family of six. Add mine to the mix, and I suddenly feel nauseous. I know in my gut this will all work out. I just need the rest of me to catch up.
I stand. “I’m going to take a rain check on dinner. I need to get to work.”
Lexi and Reed look as if I announced that I plan to die a puppy.
“But it won’t take long for Reed to make dinner. His spaghetti sauce is to kill for,” Lexi protests.
“I know.” I grimace. “I’m just really nervous about getting Desiree’s outfit done in time.” And that part’s true. It’s just more than that.
Reed watches me with a guarded look. He moves to the sink and washes his hands. “I want to drive you to campus. I don’t want you driving with your brakes in such bad shape.”
I shake my head. “Reed, don’t. I’ll drive myself.”
“Are you serious?” His eyes narrow as his voice rises. “You tell me you love me and finally let me tell you how much you mean to me, then you think I’ll let you drive away in a car that’s a fucking time bomb?”
Lexi backs up in her stool, looking back and forth from Reed to me.
“Let me tell you something, Mr. Bossy Pants.” I jab him in the chest. “Just because you deem it so, doesn’t make it so. Do I want to drive a car with bad brakes? No. But what part of I don’t have the money do you not understand?”
His expression turns hard. “I can loan you the money.”
“Where are you going to get the money? You’ve got hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans, and you’re only beginning your postgraduate work.”
Lexi begins to cough.
Reed shoots her a glare before turning back to me. “I’ll find a way.”
“The hell you will. You already think I’m a gold-digger. I’m not going to feed that fire.”
“God damn it, Caroline. I do not think you’re a gold-digger.”
I put my hand on my hip in disbelief. “How can you say that? Just two days ago, you walked away from me because you thought I found a guy who had more money than you.”
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