The Reconstruction of Cyprian

by Michelle Love

  She looks straight ahead and says, “I don’t like to look at it that way, Reed. I like to look at things from a different perspective. What I went through did make me stronger. And being stronger is never a bad thing to be.”

  I look ahead and have to wonder if this new Jenna is a good thing or a bad thing. Seems Rod’s departure has made my mother weak and Jenna super strong.

  Where that leaves me is a mystery…

  Chapter 13

  JENNA

  I cannot believe I’m going out to dinner with Reed Manning. The man was nearly my brother-in-law for God sakes.

  But this is just a friendly dinner. Nothing serious. Just old friends catching up.

  I glance at him as he messes with the radio and finds some country music. “You like this kind of music, Jenna?”

  “Sure, it’s fine.” I pull at the hem of my short skirt.

  I don’t know why I got all dressed up today. I was just going to the store to pick up some feminine products is all.

  Somewhere inside me resides this person who wants to be seen as anything but the stupid young woman who left our tiny town two years ago after being dumped by the notorious bad boy. The outfit helped in my mind I guess.

  Reed’s head bobs a bit to the music. “You know there’s this pretty nice place in Prescott where we can eat and there’s usually a live band on the weekends. What do you say to a little eating and a little dancing?”

  “I say that sounds a hell of a lot like a date.” My fingers start to nervously tap my legs.

  He pulls one hand off the wheel and takes my left hand in his. “Not a date, Jenna. Just us hanging out together.”

  He’s so calm and cool and awesome!

  “I know. It does sound nice and fun. So I’m game.”

  And just like that, he has my hand in his. Our clasped hands are resting on his thigh and I’m going all hot and my insides are teaming with butterflies.

  Should I move my hand?

  No, I’m going to let him hold it. It feels nice, anyway. And I am a single woman. And Reed has done amazing things for me.

  It’ll be fine!

  “Besides, you look too good to go to waste. You need to be shown off a bit.” Then he gives my hand a squeeze, and I nearly wet myself.

  “Thank you,” I say as I look him over. “You do too. The nice slacks and button up have you looking all GQ, Reed. Were you doing some business today?”

  “I was. I visited with a salesman at the Autoplex and negotiated the trade-ins of my parents’ cars I got for them a few years back. I always like to look like I know what I’m talking about when doing any business deals.” He places my hand on his thigh but lets it go as he reaches up to change the radio station then he picks it right back up and my heart skips a beat.

  “So your mom and dad are getting new cars then?” I ask just to hear him talk more. His voice is deep and silky and I’ve always loved it.

  “Yes. I’d like to get them into something new every two years and from now on I will be doing that. It was hard to get them to let go of the ones they had, but I managed, finally.” The sun is setting, and the light isn’t quite so bright so he lets my hand go and takes off his shades.

  I move my hand off his thigh and take my sunglasses off too. He looks over at me and puts his hand back on the steering wheel.

  Maybe he wanted to keep holding my hand!

  He makes a left turn. “This is the place I was talking about. What do you think?”

  It’s very nice and very upscale for Arizona. “It looks expensive, Reed. We don’t have to go anywhere expensive. I can eat at a plain old restaurant.”

  He parks and shakes his head. “Not when you’re with me you won’t.”

  I get out of the car as he does, and he jogs around to the passenger side and takes my hand. “I can hear the music already.”

  “You have to promise me at least ten dances,” he says with a wide smile.

  His shoulder touches mine as he leans close. I smile back. “Ten! That’s a lot.”

  The way his eyebrows raise and dance a bit makes me giggle as he says, “It’s half as many as I wanted to say.”

  And I think he’d like to hold me in his arms the majority of this purely platonic dinner. Our eyes hold for a moment before the hostess says something breaking the connection. I look at her. “Two, please. Non-smoking.”

  Reed’s breath moves the hair near my ear as he whispers, “I didn’t even notice what she said. Thanks.”

  His hand leaves mine and moves to the small of my back as I follow the young woman and he follows behind me. It sends the oddest most pleasant sensation through me as his fingertips barely touch me.

  She gestures to a table near the edge of the dance floor. Reed pulls out a chair and I sit down then he sits on the one closest to me.

  “Can I bring you something to drink to get you started?” she asks.

  Reed says, “Two red wines, please.”

  She nods and leaves us alone in the dimly lit area. I look around and see a lot of other couples here. On dates, I would guess.

  It seems like a place men would take dates and I look at Reed who is gazing at me. “This place is nice. But it seems kind of datey.”

  “Datey?” He laughs a little. “All that college and you come up with that word, Jenna?”

  “You know what I mean,” I say as I bat at his chest.

  He takes my hand and wraps his fist around it then intertwines his fingers with mine and places them on his leg again. “I do know what you mean. And so what if we call this thing a date?”

  My smile is weak as I say, “Because us dating would be frowned upon.”

  “You know, Jenna, neither you nor I really live in that tiny town any longer. You and I don’t have to follow the rules of that place anymore. You and I can do whatever the hell you and I want to.” He pulls our hands up and kisses mine.

  My body goes limp as it feels like nothing I’ve ever felt before. “Can I ask you something and you be completely honest with me?”

  He nods. “Always.”

  “When we touch does it do anything odd to you?”

  His dark blue eyes narrow as he looks at me. “It always has. But I don’t call it odd, I call it magical.”

  “Yeah, I thought so.”

  “And you?” he asks.

  “Yes, it always has. But I think it’s because of how taboo this is. You know?” I lean back as the waitress places the glass of wine in front of me. “Thank you.”

  She smiles. “Can I get you an appetizer?”

  Reed answers, “Oysters Rockefeller, please.”

  “Okay, would you like the half order or the whole dozen, Sir?”

  “The whole order,” he says and looks at me the whole time.

  His gaze is intense and I look down as the waitress gives him a nod and walks away. “That’s a lot of oysters for two people.”

  “Bet we eat them all,” he says then gets up, pulling me along with him.

  I bite my lower lips as he pulls me into his arms. “I see you want to dance.”

  Pulling me close, one hand holds mine between us and the other is wrapped around me, holding my body to his. His lips are so close to mine as he whispers, “Dance, yes. I want to dance with you.” Then he leans back a bit and looks into my eyes. “But mostly I wanted to see what it feels like to hold you in my arms. And you know what, Jenna Foster?”

  I can barely breathe so I just shake my head a little.

  “It feels even better than I imagined it would.”

  He tightens his arms around me and I put my head on his broad shoulder. It does feel better than I ever thought being held in a man’s arms could feel.

  Our bodies touch in all the right places. We move together like we’ve been dancing together forever. Everything feels more than right.

  But this can’t go any further than this. We both know that.

  But for now, we’re here and no one knows us in this place. No one knows I almost married this man’s brother. N
o one knows this would be very bad for our families. No one knows a thing.

  And then a chill runs through me. Because if Rod walked through that door for some reason then he would freak.

  The song ends but I don’t want Reed to let me go. He only halfway lets me go as he keeps his arm around me and walks me back to the table where I see the gorgeous platter of spinach and some kind of white creamy stuff flowing over what looks like very fresh oysters on the half-shell.

  Reed pulls the chair out for me and I take the seat as he sits next to me but moves his chair closer. He takes one of the oysters and looks at me as he moves it toward my mouth.

  “All you do is swallow it. Don’t chew,” he directs me as he presses the shell to my lower lip. “Open up and I’ll slide it in.”

  My eyes go big and my eyebrows go up. “Reed, that sounds more than a little provocative.”

  His other hand slides up my leg and stops as he gets it just under the edge of my skirt. “Because I meant it to. Now open up.”

  My mouth opens as I watch him watching me and he slides the stuff off the shell and I swallow it. “Mmmm. That was good.”

  “Do me now,” he says as he leans back and parts his lips.

  I know this is a really bad idea but I do it anyway and pick up one of the appetizers and place the shell on his lower lip. He opens his mouth and I pour it in.

  After he swallows, he smiles at me. Then he picks up my glass of wine and holds it in front of my mouth and I accept the drink then he leans back and gestures for me to give him one.

  I do as my body shakes, rattles, and rolls with excitement and desire.

  I want to climb onto his lap so damn bad it’s not one bit funny. Then he gives me a smile and stands up again and holds his hand out to me. “Another dance, my lady?”

  I take his hand and can’t wait to be back in his arms again. The song is a little faster than the last and the spinning action he does has our groins connecting and mine is on fire for him as I can feel his cock against me.

  I lay my head on his shoulder and take in his aroma. He’s using a different cologne than he had on the last time I saw him.

  That Christmas night.

  Then my heart kind of cramps with the memory. The memory of how he looked when Rod was down on one knee in front of me.

  His jaw had been held tight and when I said yes he left the room. Maybe Rod was right when he said Reed was jealous. When he said Reed wanted me.

  When the song ends, he holds me tighter than before and we go to the table. I’m a little dizzy with the spinning and the close contact.

  He has another oyster in my mouth before I know it and he downs one himself and then he’s holding my glass out to me. I take the drink then ask the question I’ve wanted to for a long time, “Reed, how long have you liked me?”

  His eyes dance as he looks at me and takes my hand, lifting it to his lips where he kisses it. “Since you were about fourteen.”

  I shake my head and say, “No. No, Reed, that’s not true. You never even looked at me in high school. No, not once.”

  “I did. Only I never let you catch me. I knew you were off limits until you turned eighteen. We all knew that.” He holds the glass up and I let him give me another drink.

  “You left for college. Were you ever going to make some kind of advances on me?” He holds another oyster up and I take it.

  “My plan was to come home for your graduation. I was going to ease into your life very stealthily and make you fall in love with me and get you to go to UCLA with me.” He picks up his own glass of wine and takes a long drink.

  “Wow, that was a grand plan!”

  “And it was all going to work out too. Until I called home in early May to tell my parents I would be home for the summer. I didn’t let them in on this part as I was going to begin, Operation Make Jenna Foster Mine. And that was when I found out Rod was renting a house and you two were going to be moving into it as soon as he could get you to agree.”

  I have to look away as I feel kind of terrible. “So you had never told him or anyone else about your plan?”

  “Nope. I kept it all to myself. I was afraid if I told a thing to anyone it would spike an interest in you and I’d have a harder time getting your attention. And the truth is I thought even though Rod was going to come after you with all eight cylinders that you wouldn’t give him the time of day.” He leans up and takes my chin in his hand. “I was wrong, though.”

  “Seems so.” He lets my chin go and leans back in his chair.

  “Well, who would think the sweet little Sunday school teacher would ever want a thing to do with the devil who was and is my brother? I thought it was a safe bet you’d ignore him. And I’d still have a shot that summer.”

  “But that isn’t what happened and now it’s too late for us. I mean, it would never work. You know, there’s just too much history now.” I pick up the glass and finish the wine.

  He doesn’t say a word, just holds out his hand and I take it as he moves us out on the dance floor. His hold on me is tight, and the song is fast and it’s amazing how easily my feet follow his.

  Our bodies are molded to the others and when the song ends he holds me still and then he turns his face and his lips are on mine.

  It’s the best kiss I’ve ever had!

  I only thought I had felt my body melt before. I had no idea. My arms go around his neck as his tongue moves past my lips and moves with mine like they’ve always known each other.

  My pulse is so rapid and hard I can hear my heart beating. My mind is gone. All I feel is him. All I can think of is him and now and this moment.

  This amazing kiss!

  Then he ends it with several soft pecks and looks at me. “What were you saying, Jenna?”

  I gaze up at him and it seems like a halo is glowing around the top of his head as I’m limp in his arms. “Huh?”

  “That’s what I thought.”

  And now I don’t know what we’re going to do…

  Chapter 14

  REED

  Our first kiss!

  And Jenna Foster’s gorgeous green eyes are hazy with dare I say, desire?

  Taking her back to the table. I sit her down and she kind of floats on the way down.

  Being the man of action that I have become has me fighting myself not to tell Jenna how things are going to be now.

  I’ve waited a long time for her and had to watch a lot of bad shit I never thought I’d have to. And now she knows how I feel and that kiss just cemented it all for me and I know it did for her too.

  But I know my brother did a fucking number on her and I’ll have to go as slow as I can without going so slow I lose my chance with her.

  We have the summer and that’s about all!

  So the plan I had for the summer after her high school graduation can come into play now. Only this time I’m very rich and can show her a very good time.

  “Reed?” she asks as she looks at my mouth.

  “Yes?” I run my hand over her flushed cheek.

  “That was amazing.”

  “It was,” I say as I move my hand over her shoulder and down her arm.

  Goosebumps sprout over her soft tanned skin. Then I move my chair right next to hers and she leans against my chest as I put my arm around her.

  The scent of her hair leaves me all tingly inside as I take in a deep breath of the flowery smell.

  This is how I always imagined it would be like with her. Like a dream. Like an easy real life dream.

  Her fingertips glide back and forth along my leg as she breathes steadily. I wonder what she’s thinking or if she’s thinking at all. Maybe she’s really letting herself feel for the first time in a long time.

  “Is this real, Reed?”

  I kiss the top of her head. “It is, Jenna. This is as real as it gets.”

  She turns her head up and looks at me. “What are we supposed to do?”

  “What any other people do when they know they have something real,” I say
and touch her lips gently with mine.

  Our bodies migrate towards each other. Her chest goes up against mine and her soft breasts press against my hard chest.

  I hold my lips on hers and relish how hers feel barely touching mine.

  The sheer amount of times I wanted to do this make me insane with how long this has taken. How long we could’ve had this.

  “I’m going to order us a couple of juicy steaks and some more wine.” I raise my hand to let the waitress know I’m ready to order.

  She comes over to us and lets out a sigh. “So, is this an anniversary date?”

  Jenna pulls her head off my chest and blushes. “Actually, this is our very first date.”

  The waitress looks surprised. “Really? You two look like you’ve been together a long time. Like you’re in love already.”

  I run my hand over Jenna’s shoulder and cup the back of her neck. “Hmm. What do you think about that, Jenna?”

  “I think that’s amazing too,” she says then smiles at me.

  “Can we have two of your best steaks, medium rare and some more wine?” I ask as I run my hand up into her silky blonde strands.

  “Yes, sir. Coming right up.” She spins around and leaves.

  Jenna gets a little frown on her face. “Reed, we’ll have to hide this. You know that.”

  “For a while, we can. I don’t want Mom upset and I don’t want you upset that it upsets her. But I’ll start on my parents and you start on yours and then when it all comes out it won’t be so shocking.” I pull her back into my arms and she lays her head back on my chest and I think I could just sit here like this forever.

  The fleeting image of Jenna freaking out goes through my head so I make sure to let her know I will not be letting her go. I pull her around to look at me. “Jenna, I’ve waited a very long time for you. I’m not a man who lets opportunities get by me. I want this. I want you. I’m laying my cards on the table. I know this may seem sudden, but it’s anything but that. Now, what do you want?”

  Her eyes go a little glassy. “Reed, I thought about you back then and truth be told I’ve thought about you these last two years. There’s always been an attraction to you. One I pushed back when I had to. And I do want you. I do. Like nothing I’ve ever wanted before. But your parents will not be happy about this. And if your brother ever does show up, it won’t be good.”