Warm fingers slowly caress my jaw, turning my face upward to meet his. “Things weren’t always the way they are now at L.E.X. Actually, it wasn’t even called that in the beginning. I was a very different man from who I am now. Before you ask, yes, I was just as much of an asshole.” He laughs but his smile doesn’t meet his eyes. I can tell it’s forced and fake.
“Do you remember Jace from the club?” I nod. “Back then, I dated Jace’s kid sister. Her name was Lexi.”
My eyes widen and my mouth drops. I say nothing, though. Instead, I sit completely speechless, not wanting him to stop.
“She was gorgeous and fun and it was easy.” He looks off across the room as if lost in a memory, and it makes my throat tighten.
“Was?”
“Yeah, was,” he answers, and it causes my heart to beat rapidly in my chest. “Lexi and I dated on and off for years. She was a model, and we both had more money than either of us knew what to do with. Owning a club was a brilliant plan we came up with one night when we were high off our asses taking bumps under the table. We were young and stupid. One night shit just got out of hand and I wasn’t able to save her.”
His voice cracks a bit, and I shudder inwardly at the thought that he blames himself for her death. “Did you love her?” I bite my lower lip as I wait for his response. I need to know if the women he loved is dead.
“No, but I did care about her. We were all friends, and one thing lead to another. That night— That night was my fault. I was fucking stressed and needed to escape. I didn’t have shit on me, so I bought a bag off a new guy who was at the club. The shit was not pure. I’m not sure what it was cut with and I’m not sure how much she did.” He ran his hands through his hair as his eyes met mine.
“Fuck, Bailey. One minute she was talking, and the next she was just fucking lying there,” he says, looking off somewhere in the distance, lost in the memory. “I will never get the vision out of my head. Her cold, vacant eyes staring up at me… After that day, I stopped using and cleaned up the club. Hell, I even changed the club’s name.”
“In honor?” I force out.
“In memory. To never forget that I can’t go back to being that person. That’s why no matter what you need, I will help you stay clean.”
I lean forward and place my head gently on his heart. “Thank you.” My head turns up and I place a gentle kiss on his lips. He responds eagerly, his tongue begging entrance.
Pulling away, he buries his face into my neck, his lips tickling me gently. “Enough of this heavy shit. I’m starving. Get dressed. I’m taking you out.”
My eyes widen and my mouth hangs open. “Um, like on a—”
“Like for lunch, Bailey.”
“Lunch?” I pucker my lips at him. Is he asking me out?
“You know the meal after breakfast, before dinner?”
God, I sound dumb. “Oh, okay.”
Reed leans forward and brushes a gentle kiss on my lip. “Yes, Bailey. Like a date.”
I can’t help the smile that forms. A date with Reed Lawson? I walk into my bedroom and peer at myself in the mirror. I’m a mess. My eyes are sunken, and my hair looks like a bird’s nest sitting on the top of my head. Fuck, what the hell am I wearing? I can’t believe he saw me like this. I can’t go in public with him looking like this.
“Reed?” I shout through the walls.
“Yeah?”
“Where are we going?” I want to ask what I should wear, but that just seems pathetic.
“There’s a great little sushi restaurant I know a few blocks away. How about we go there?”
“Okay.”
I rummage through my closet. Pulling out a white cotton eyelet dress, I quickly undress and slip it on then head into the bathroom and make an attempt to apply makeup and brush my hair.
Fifteen minutes later, I step out of the bathroom a new woman. The look in Reed’s eyes sends a shiver down my body. I can see the hunger clearly even from across the room.
“Okay, you want to eat?” I say, grabbing my purse off the side table next to him. His eyes roam up and down my body and his lips turn up slightly. It pulls more on the right side and causes a small dimple to form. The look he is giving me makes me melt.
“You have no idea,” he states in a silky voice that makes my knees buckle.
The sexual innuendo isn’t lost on me. Desire pools in my stomach as I try to regulate my breathing. He steps forward and clasps our hands together, then pulls me closer to him.
His breath fans my neck as he whispers into my ear, “After lunch…” He pauses and his tongue trails down the curve of my neck, “You’re dessert.”
Yes, please.
I could sit here all day with him, completely forgoing food. The sun gleaming through the windows is surreal. I’ve never seen Reed in actual sunlight. It’s crazy and strange and fun being here with him.
I’m also dumbfounded over how different Reed is when outside the club. I mean, sure he’s still a bit uptight and moody, but there’s a whole different side of him I’m finally seeing. The funny part is that even after having sex, this is the most we’ve ever spoken. My face heats as I remember him going down on me in the bar and—god dammit, Reed notices because his eyes narrow and his dimple starts to show again.
“What are you thinking about over there?” He smirks.
“I’m not about to contribute to your already enlarged ego, Mr. Lawson. So, I’ll just say that you know how to please a lady.” I giggle at the word lady.
“Lady, huh? Well, I think we should skip lunch and give it another go. We’ll see just how much of a lady you are.” He walks towards me with mischief in his eyes.
“What-what are you doing? Reed Lawson, don’t come any closer. Lunch. You said we need to eat lunch.” His grin is ear to ear.
“Fuck lunch.” His eyes smolder.
The next thing I know he has me up over his shoulders and is carrying me back to the bed. He sets me down, tickling my sides.
“Stop. Oh my God, Reed. STOP!” I screech.
“Say please,” he taunts.
“Never.”
“Say please, Bailey or we’ll be doing this all day.”
“Okay, please. PLEASE! I’m begging.” My side hurts from laughing.
When he finally stops, he’s laughing so hard he’s holding his side. He looks so young and carefree in this moment. He leans down capturing my lips in a searing kiss.
But this kiss is different. There is passion behind it that has never been there at that level before. It has me questioning if he could be feeling what I’m feeling.
His hands cup my cheek. Pulling away he stares into my eyes before running his hand through my hair.
“I want you, Bailey,” he whispers.
“Take me then.”
He bends down once more, kissing me softly. “I promised you a date. You deserve that. I want you to know that this is turning into more for me.” His eyes penetrate my soul. “It’s not just about sex.”
I melt at his words. “It’s more to me too.” My words come out shy and vulnerable. He smiles.
“Let’s go eat.”
Bailey
Two Weeks Later
Reed and I have spent a lot of time together recently, but we’ve yet to make anything official. Getting to know each other has been good enough for me. Every day that goes by I learn more and feel more for him. He’s pretty spectacular.
Today we’re going on yet another date. Every week during the summer, Bryant Park comes alive on a Monday night. In the center of the lawn, a large screen is erected and a classical movie is played. Tonight it’s a romantic comedy, which is perfect. As we walk across the street, I can’t help but smile to myself. This date is pretty perfect and it hasn’t even started yet. Once we find a clear spot in the grass, Reed lays out a blanket he must have packed in a bag and a bottle of wine with two plastic cups. Sneaky man. He really did plan an amazing date. Then he opens a to-go bag and takes out the sushi. With a mouth full of food, he begins to
tell me stories of growing up and I can’t help but for fall even more for this man.
“So, Bailey, be honest. How do you like working at L.E.X.?” He flashes me a wicked smile.
“Honestly?”
“Yes, of course. Just because I own it doesn’t mean you have to lie to me.” I sigh.
“When I was a bartender… Well, I kind of hated it. All the people who go to your club kind of suck, Reed.” He busts out laughing and I follow suit. “But ever since I started working on the books… Well, I kind of love it.”
He smiles at me, his eyes lifting to the left in thought. “It’s funny, we’ve spend so much time together these past few weeks, yet we’ve never actually talked about the dumb stuff normal people talk about on dates.”
“We’ve talked about other things, though.” I say defensively.
“Yeah, of course, but I want to know more.” My brow raises.
“What are you getting at?” I probe.
“For instance, I know you hate bartending, but I still don’t know what your favorite color is or where you went to school?”
I drop my gaze to my plastic cup filled with wine. “I dropped out,” I mumble, not lifting my eyes to meet his. I’m too embarrassed to see the judgment in his eyes.
“Bailey, look at me.”
I tilt my head up until our eyes meet again, and I see no judgment at all.
“There’s nothing to be embarrassed of.”
“I just… I couldn’t hack it. It was too expensive and I really didn’t know what I wanted to do. It was a big waste of time and money.”
“Do you want to go back to school?”
I ponder his question. “Yes. When it’s the right time.”
“Well, things are good now, right?” I nod. “So why not consider going? I’ll adjust your schedule if I have to.”
“It’s not that, Reed. I had to take this job just to avoid being homeless. What I’m making now is only keeping me afloat. I can’t afford school yet.” His lip turns up into the most beautiful smile I have ever seen.
“I guess you need a raise.”
I shake my head. “You’re not giving me a raise. I haven’t done anything to warrant it.”
“You’re doing my books. I’d be paying an accountant twice what I’m paying you. Have you looked into financial aid?”
“I doubt I’d be eligible. My parents make enough money.”
“There are other options, Bailey. You could apply for loans. You could even take out enough to pay your bills if needed. I wouldn’t suggest that though. You’ll be paying loans back forever that way.”
“Really? You think I could get loans for school?” I ask excitedly.
“Yeah, really. I can help you if you need.”
“You’d do that for me?”
“Of course. I just don’t understand why your family hasn’t helped you with this.”
My face reddens in embarrassment. “I’m sure they offered at one point. I was too preoccupied to give anything they said thought.”
“We all make mistakes, Bailey. At least you are a big enough person to recognize yours.”
“Thank you,” I whisper.
“No need to thank me. We’ll work it out.” As scary as it is to start the process of going back to school, I know it’s time to move forward and start planning my future. If Reed can help me find ways to do it without putting myself in a bad situation financially, then I’m ready to do it.
“Okay.” I take a gulp of my wine and turn my head toward the large projector screen.
The movie begins to play and Reed moves closer to me, his hand laying gently on my thigh as he traces circles on me. I smile up at him and he leans forward, placing a gentle kiss on my lips. My eyes flutter closed and I bask in his warmth. Our bodies are so close that I can feel his heat radiating off him and through me.
Opening my eyes, I peer up into his. “This was a great idea, Reed. Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” he says as he drops another kiss to my lips.
Reed
The past two weeks with Bailey have been amazing. Scratch that, sublime. Every time I’m with her, she seems to tear down one more wall I’ve built. Taking her to the park last night and helping her realize she had to do something more with her life meant a lot to me. But I would be lying if I didn’t admit to myself that the fact that she’s a recovering addict scares the fuck out of me. I swore I would never go there again.
But maybe I can save this one. If there is a God, maybe this is his way of giving me a second chance. This is my redemption from Lexi.
“What’s with the perma-smile?”
I look over to see Damon watching me closely. Fucking Damon never misses anything. “None of your business. Get back to work.”
“Okay, okay.” He throws his hands up in mock surrender. “I’ll leave it be.”
The front door swings open and in strides Monica. Fucking Monica.
“Hey, cowboy. Wanna ride?” I wince at her innuendo. I glare at Damon for forgetting to get his key back despite my instance several times.
“What are you doing here, Monica? Your shift doesn’t start until nine.”
She shimmies her hips as she strides toward me. Running her tongue across her lips, she eyes me with predatory aggression, and I back up to avoid her defilement. “I thought I’d come help you work off some tension before my shift. You used to love it when I did that.”
Damon grunts in the background, reminding me that he is still here and can save me from the impending assault…but he doesn’t come to my aid.
“I know you want it,” Monica drawls. “Stop acting like you don’t think about the things I’ve done to you.”
“You’re clueless. I don’t think about you and I most definitely do not want anything you’re offering. Where do you even get these ideas? I haven’t given you any reasons to think that.” I grate.
Damon clears his throat loud and rather grotesquely. This does the trick. Her head snaps in his direction and she retreats a step. “Oh, hey Damon. Didn’t know you were here.”
“Yep, you know me. I’m always around.” Whistling, he goes about slinging barstools down off of the bar. His movements are exaggerated and obnoxious, but I might just give him a raise for saving my ass.
“You know, Reed, I could use some help lugging bottles from the cellar. Do you mind if Monica sticks around and helps me out?”
As much as I just want her gone, I appreciate Damon’s tactics. “Sure, whatever.” I make haste to my office. Releasing the breath I had been holding, I slink into my chair. I have to do something about Monica. She’s becoming an issue. She was a good piece, but I was slumming every time I touched her. In fact, thinking back, a lot of the girls I had been sleeping with as of late were slum factor. When did I trade in the models for the trash?
My mind drifts to thoughts of Bailey. Images of her petal soft skin and long naked legs have me hardening. The girl has me wrapped up in her. As much as I don’t do commitments, she has me wanting to spend more time with her. I’m not only after sex. I like simply talking to Bailey. She’s easy to be around. She isn’t high maintenance like the girls I typically flock to. It’s refreshing.
My phone rings and I see my mother’s face light up the screen. She’s beautiful if bitch is your type. I love her, but she’s high, society snob. “Hello, Mother.”
“Darling,” she purrs through the speaker. “What is my favorite son up to? You aren’t at that filthy club are you?”
“I actually just finished shoveling manure off the floor. Now I’m going to begin my afternoon of plunging vomit from the toilets.” My sarcasm never bodes well with Alta Lawson.
“Not funny,” she huffs.
“To what do I owe this pleasure, Mom?”
“I want to invite you to dinner tomorrow night. We’re having filet, your favorite.”
It’s not, but I won’t correct her. Despite my mother’s bitchiness to the world, she has always doted on me. She cared for me as much as she could wit
hout breaking her well-manicured nails. I haven’t spent much time with her since Lexi’s death. Lexi’s mother and mine are extremely close friends, and I can’t help but feel like my mother blames me and the club for what happened to Lexi. I know her family does. If only they knew that Lex was into cocaine way before we ever hooked up.
“Can’t. I’ll be at the club.”
“You own the club, Reed. You can take the night off.”
I sigh. I know there’s no use fighting it. “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I’m ready to move forward with my life. Perhaps enduring a night with my mother will be a step in the right direction.
*Bailey
I’ve been at L.E.X. for over an hour and there’s been no sign of Reed. I am bouncing with excitement to see him. The past two weeks have been the best of my life and after our date last night I can’t help but feel like we’ve turned a corner and are well on our way to some sort of relationship. The thought has me scared out of my mind. I didn’t want this, but he makes me wish for things I have no business wishing for. This is the type of thing that can hurl me right down the rabbit hole and back into the world of kaleidoscope vision.
“What the hell has gotten into you Chipper Charlie?” I raise my brow at Damon.
“Chipper Charlie? What the heck is that?” I tease.
“Don’t dodge my question missy. Spill it.”
“Keep this on the down low, it’s not a big thing but Reed and I have been…seeing each other.” He frowns causing my eyes to shoot up in question.
“Just be careful, Bailey. I don’t want to be a gossip, but Reed has a habit of hooking up with the girls.” I blanch.
“Wow. That’s pretty crappy of you to say. Are you insinuating I’m just a side piece?”
“Are you in a relationship? Does he call you his girlfriend?” It’s my turn to frown at Damon.
“I’m sorry. Just forget I said anything. I care about you and I want to make sure you’re okay is all.” I smile at my friend.
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