The sound of the front door slamming woke Reese from his dead sleep. Yawning, he climbed out of bed. The pain in his shoulder raged before he was fully awake. He shuffled out of his bedroom and down the hall to find out what made the commotion.
Buddy stood in the kitchen, carefully setting the paper sacks in his arms on the counter.
“Everything all right?” Reese questioned.
“Yeah,” Buddy answered as he pulled open a sack and searched inside. “My arms were full. My foot was a little stronger than I thought. Here.” He reached into the bag and pulled out a wrapped sandwich. He handed it to Reese. “Dinner. There’s onion rings in there for you too.”
“Thanks.” Reese tore off the wrapper and sunk his teeth into the burger.
“No worries. Gotta keep your strength up for tonight, right? Unless you and Lily are just going to cuddle and tell each other ghost stories.”
Reese swallowed then chuckled. “That’s definitely not the plan. Who’s watching the bar?”
“Jenny. I needed to get out of there. Howard took up residency on one of the bar stools and kept spewing shit about you. I can’t start kicking people out of my bar because I don’t like what they say. But I sure as hell am not going to sit there and listen to it either. So, I had Carl cook us up some supper while I went grocery shopping. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, all we have in the fridge is three cans of beer and a bottle of ketchup.”
Reese took another bite. “Correction. Two cans of beer and a bottle of ketchup. And the ketchup was looking mighty tasty.”
Buddy laughed as he took a bite of his own sandwich. “You handled Howard well. I’m pretty sure we all thought you were going to kick his ass.”
“Beating the crap out of my Dad isn’t going to solve anything.”
“Howard. Not Dad. He lost the privilege to be your dad a long time ago. All that man did was provide the sperm that made you. I’m more your family than he is.”
Reese smiled at him. “True. Aside from my aunt, uncle and cousins, you’re the closest thing I have to family.”
“For now.” Buddy winked at him.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Let’s just say I see a white picket fence in your future.” Buddy tossed his wrapper in the trash. “I got to get back to the bar before the night rush shows up. Can you put the groceries away?”
“Sure.”
“Thanks. See you in the morning. I’m sure you’ll be in bed when I get home. And I will wear shorts in the morning, I promise. I won’t subject poor Lily to more trauma.”
“I’d really appreciate that.”
Buddy chuckled as he waved then strode across the living room to the front door.
With the click of the latch, Reese was alone again. He tore into the two waiting sacks that bore the logo of the local market. He quickly shuffled the items to where they belonged in the shelves and the fridge. Buddy’s recliner in the living room looked inviting. Scooping up the last sack, Reese settled into it and munched on the onion rings. He stopped long enough to get the library book sitting on the coffee table then when back to the remnant of his dinner.
A little after ten, Reese heard a soft knock on the door, barely audible over the cricket song that breezed through the window. Setting the book and the long empty sack on the floor, he stood and answered it. A tiny figure in an oversized sweat suit stood on the stoop. Stepping aside, he tugged the body in then pulled the hood back. His gaze met Lily’s big brown eyes. “Really, you are adorable dressed like this,” he teased.
“It’s comfy too,” she added.
“Did you have supper?”
“My mom brought me something before my meeting.”
“Can I get you something to drink?”
“I’m all right. I just finished a huge iced tea.”
Okay.” Reese softly kissed her as he gripped the bottom of the sweatshirt. “Then let’s get this off you. It’s warm in here and Buddy is too cheap to turn on the air.”
Lily wiggled out of the shirt as Reese pulled it off her. His groin instantly tightened as she stood before him in just her bra and his sweat pants.
She shrugged. “It’s really hard to wear my clothes under these.”
“You aren’t going to hear me complain,” Reese croaked.
Lily skimmed the waistband of the pants with her fingers. As she bent to push them down, Reese’s eyes locked on the gentle curve of her butt. If he wasn’t hard before, he was now. He grazed his hand along her rump, gently squeezing as she stood. He noticed her blush. It was sexy to see the red tinge in her cheeks. “So beautiful,” he murmured then nudged her mouth apart with his, his tongue darting between her lips to tangle with hers. He loved the way her body melted against him in surrender. His cock ached as it pressed against his jeans.
Lily’s breath was hot and fast against his lips as she reached behind her and popped the clasps of her bra. She let it slide down her arms. Almost the moment it hit the floor, she covered her naked breasts with her arms. She let a nervous giggle slip out.
“What is it, Lilybug?” he rasped as his whole body went hard.
“I’m sorry. I don’t want you to think I’m easy. It’s just, when you kiss me, after the other night I want to be naked with you. You probably don’t even want that.”
“Trust me, baby. I want you naked.” Reese pulled her arms free and held them at her sides. His gaze wandered all over her body. He felt her shudder in his grip.
She pulled free from his hold then hooked her fingers in the waistband of her panties. They quickly joined the sweatpants on the floor.
Her bare flesh and the innocent look in her eyes were too much for Reese. For being such a good girl, at that moment she was a seductive poison coursing through his veins into his soul. And being buried inside her would be his only cure.
Taking Lily’s hand, Reese left her clothes in the doorway and led her to his bedroom. Nudging her to the bed, he flipped the lock on the door. He heard the rustle of the sheets being tugged free from the bed. He turned, his eyes raking over her naked skin, his focus locking on the pink nubs that tipped her breasts. His self-control was blown away. Reese managed to struggle out of his t-shirt before he had her pinned beneath him on the bed, his mouth feasting on her nipple, his teeth tugging until it was a hard pebble. She squirmed and mewed beneath him, her fingers knotted in his thick, dark hair. Reese’s hands skimmed her flesh until they gripped her rump. Lily ground herself against his hard cock straining through his jeans. It was too much. Pulling from her, he stripped his jeans and briefs off and slipped a condom on. He descended into her, pinning her hands over her head.
The feeling of her warm and wet wrapped tight around him drove him insane. He cussed under his breath. Nothing ever felt this good. He slowly rocked in and out of her, each thrust making him shudder. He cussed again. It was taking every ounce of control to keep from peaking.
Lily arched hard against him, her voice crying out his name in sweet release.
Reese pumped hard and fast, the image of her eyes fluttering shut and her mouth open in benediction to him plunging him over. Closing his eyes, he gasped and groaned as the rush burned through him fiery hot. His body shook as the final tremor vibrated through him. He opened his eyes, his gaze meeting Lily’s sleepy, smoky one.
A sharp pain shot from Reese’s shoulder through his back. He cringed, his face tensing through the agony.
“Reese.” Lily tugged her hands free from his and caressed his face.
“My shoulder,” he grunted.
“Let me help. What can I do?”
“There’s some cream on my dresser. If you can rub it in, that would be great.”
“Absolutely.”
Reese pulled away from her then collapsed on the bed next to her. Before he hit the mattress, she was already hopping off the bed and rushing across the room for the tub. Reese forced the air in and out of his lungs to fight against the sting. The bed shifted beside him. A moment later, the cool sensation o
f the cream rubbed gently into his muscles broke the ache. He blew out his breath as he relaxed.
Lily hopped onto his back as she tenderly massaged his wounded shoulder. She gently dug her fingers into the injured tendons.
Instead of agony, Reese felt relief. The cream suddenly blazed hot for several long moments then cooled quickly. All he could do was moan in appreciation.
She slid from his back, bouncing beside him on the bed. Flashing him an impish grin, she giggled. “You have a cute butt.”
“You do too,” Reese laughed as he brushed a curl from her face. “The preacher’s daughter checked out my ass, huh?”
“I had to. I was sitting on it.”
“So my shy, modest girl is gone?”
“It’s hard to be shy and modest with you when I’m lying in your bed.”
“Very true.” He softly kissed her. “It’s good I’m in love with this feisty little creature too, huh?”
“Yes, it is.” Lily kissed him, her lips lingering a little longer against his.
Reese groaned in response. “Buddy said he’d wear shorts in the morning.”
“I’ll remember to thank him. I don’t want to see that again,”
“Try living with it.”
Lily giggled, her eyes sparkling as she laughed.
Reese just gazed at her. He had watched her for hours since they were little all while dreaming, hoping, wishing she’d look his way and offer him that gorgeous smile. Now, she’s lying beside me. She’s going to spend another night in my arms. When I open my eyes in the morning, that beautiful smile will greet me. How’d I get this lucky?
Lily’s fingers caressed his face.
Her touch sent another shudder through him.
“What are you thinking about?”
“How did I get so lucky to have the most beautiful woman in Braden in my bed?”
“I am not the most beautiful woman in Braden.”
“Name someone better looking,” he challenged.
“Lauren Booth,” Lily responded, her eyes narrowing.
Reese fought the urge to kiss those eyes then her nose and lips. “Lauren, huh?”
“Rumor has it you would know. You slept with her right after prom. At least that’s what she told all the girls in our class in the locker room before PE.”
“You took PE? I can’t imagine the little library mouse running laps in the gym or climbing that old rope that hung from the ceiling.”
Lily lightly slugged him in the chest.
It didn’t hurt. If anything it made Reese aware, he still had the condom on. His cock stiffened at her touch.
“So?” she demanded.
“It wasn’t the only rumor circulating at the time. The one I heard was that you slept with Connor at prom.”
“You know that wasn’t true.”
“I do now. I didn’t then. I got pissed. I waited. I wanted my first time to be with you. So yeah, I had sex with Lauren in the boys’ locker room. It was an assholish move, I admit. I didn’t think she was attractive. I still don’t. And I hated every second of it. But I was jealous and angry and I wanted revenge.”
“On who?”
Reese frowned. “Connor. You. Mostly you. I was so crazy obsessed in love with you. I couldn’t understand why you couldn’t see me. Why you would pick that schmuck Connor over me?”
“It was you, Reese. You were the football and wrestling star. You got in trouble with the Sheriff on a regular basis. You were so sexy and you didn’t even try. You were the bad boy every girl in school fell for. And as you said, I was the library mouse. I had nothing to offer, not like Lauren.”
Reese lifted himself over Lily, lacing his fingers between hers and holding them over her head. He pinned her to the bed not to make love to her, but to look her dead in the eyes. “Lily Annabelle Dixon, you have everything to offer. You are freakishly smart. For hiding behind stacks of books, you are ferociously brave. I’ve faced off with guys in the cage who can’t hold a candle to you in the courage department. And you are beautiful. Insanely beautiful. You don’t need layers of makeup and cans of hairspray like Lauren does. You give me one glance and you bring me to my knees. One twitch of the finger and I’ll come running. You think you’re the lucky one to be in my bed? Baby, I’m the lucky one. I don’t want you to ever leave.”
Lily’s teeth buried into her lower lip. Her eyes softened as she smiled. Suddenly, they darkened again. By the way her hips gyrated against his, he could tell it wasn’t out of anger. He slipped his fingers from hers and trailed them between their bodies to tug the condom free before she could wrap her legs around his hips. The way she arched her back to offer her breasts to him and her heels dug into his ass he couldn’t help it. He was instantly hard.
“You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” he murmured through his teeth while nibbling on her nipple.
Her only response was an incoherent whimper and his name breathed through gasps and groans. It was the only answer he needed.
Chapter Seven
“So what made you decide to fight for a living?” Lily asked as she glanced at Reese. She loved the feel of his strong hand around hers. The towering trees above shaded them from the hot summer sun. It was just them walking on the road to the lake. Things couldn’t be more peaceful on a Saturday morning.
“I hitchhiked as far as Omaha and was desperate for money. There were fights at some low life bar by the river. Ten dollars to enter. Two hundred if I won. I took a chance and put my last ten in to enter. You could tell it was fixed. The guy I fought was twice my size. I laid him out a minute into the round. A local coach saw me and invited me to train. He paid me and gave me a place to sleep in exchange for doing maintenance in the gym. It’s all history from there.”
“And soon, you’ll be going back to Vegas.” Lily sighed miserably.
“Maybe. Why does it bother you?”
“I don’t even know what we are. Am I your girlfriend?”
“No.”
“Oh…” Lily’s heart sank in her chest as she tugged her hand back. She couldn’t stop the sudden tears that burned her eyes.
Reese held her hand firm. “You aren’t my girlfriend. I’m not waiting for you to call, so we can go see a movie. We aren’t in sixth grade. You’re my lover, the reason I breathe, the reason my heart beats. You’re the woman I want to share my body, my bed, my life with. You’re my every thought. You’re more than a girlfriend, Lily. You’re my soul.”
Lily was so dumbfounded she couldn’t speak. Her only response was simple surrender as he pulled her to him for a kiss. His lips on hers, his strong arms wrapping her close to him, she couldn’t imaging her life being more perfect that it was at that moment. She never wanted it to end.
Reese’s gaze scaled down her body, stopping briefly at her powder blue t-shirt with the daisy printed in the middle of the chest then at her blue jean shorts. “I think this is the first time since I’ve been back that I haven’t seen you in a skirt and blouse,” he commented. “Well, other than my clothes, that is.”
“I do have other clothes besides work clothes.” Lily giggled. “I’m just always at work.”
“I like them. I mean, I like your work clothes too. I like the naughty librarian image you have going.” He winked at her.
“Reese!” Lily scolded.
He laughed as he hugged her.
She looked up at his grinning face. “A t-shirt and shorts are easier to work on baskets for the festival later anyway.”
“I’m losing you to your silent auction, aren’t I?”
“You could help.”
“How are you going to pull that off with your father?”
“I am not going to turn down a volunteer, no matter who it is. And that’s what I’ll tell my dad.”
“Do you sleep with your volunteers?”
Lily pressed a long, soft kiss against his lips. “Only one.”
The soft hum of an engine pulled Lily’s attention from the kiss. She looked down the road, her he
art starting to race. Of course, the road to the lake would start getting busy. It was a warm beautiful day and a swim would feel good. But if someone sees me kissing Reese and tells Dad… She pulled free from Reese’s grip and raced for the woods, pressing herself against a tree.
Lily stood alone for several long, silent moments among the trees. The car had rolled by at least a minute ago. Her heart fell. Reese must have walked away, leaving her there. Her hopes lifted a bit when finally she heard the shuffle and snap of leaves and twigs under a pair of tennis shoes. It was still quiet and the tension was thick as the humid Iowa air. Lily didn’t have to look at Reese to know he was disappointed in her.
Finally he spoke, “You’re standing in poison ivy.”
Lily peered down at her sandaled feet. A patch of green, three leafed plants were gathered thick around her bare skin. She clenched her eyes closed. “I’m sorry, Reese.”
There was silence.
Lily continued, “I know I need to tell him. I do. He’s threatened to throw me out of my apartment if he finds us together.”
“Live with me.”
“And when you move back to Nevada? Where will I live then?”
Reese said nothing but the scowl was still on his face and his arms were crossed over his chest.
Lily heaved a sigh as she stepped out of the plants. “I’m heading home. I need to start on the baskets.” She gingerly stepped through the brush towards the road. Before she could get halfway there, she was scooped off her feet and cradled against Reese’s broad chest.
“You aren’t walking back,” he ordered.
“The rash won’t set in for a little while,” Lily protested.
“And if I remember second grade correctly, you will almost blister from the reaction.”
“But—”
“I know these woods like the back of my hand. I hid from the Sheriff here. I can carry you a few blocks from your apartment without being seen.”
Lily stopped arguing with him. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his chest. At first, she felt like she was hanging on for dear life. She might have been better off walking. But once they were on the other side of the road, his rigid muscles softened.
The Heartbreaker (Fighting the Odds Book 1) Page 8