The Love Series Complete Box Set (25 page)

I can see him mentally taking stock of the whole thing. “It doesn’t look pretty, Maddy.” He runs his hand through his ink-black hair and then strokes his thumb and forefinger along his jaw as he’s trying to come up with some kind of solution. “Do you want my honest opinion, Maddy?”

I hate it when someone asks if you want to know their “honest” opinion. It means they’re just going to tell you something that you already know but you just don’t want to admit to yourself.

I nod at him, cuing him to go on with what he thinks I should do.

“Talk to Reid. You’re in the wrong here, but if this girl is trying to call him, something must be going on. And you’re not going to feel any better about all of this until you tell him. You can’t build a relationship on lies. Don’t get me wrong—I don’t think what you did is a deal-breaker, but he deserves to know. More importantly, you need to deal with the fact that your mind and your heart immediately went to the assumption that Reid was cheating. You have to figure out a way to work all of this out, and you need to do that with Reid, not with me digging up information on some girl he might not even know.”

So apparently Bryan is an expert in relationships in addition to being one in computers.

I hate to admit that he’s right, but, well, he is. “I know you’re right, but I’m scared. Scared of how he’ll react, of who this girl is, of what will happen to us. But I know I have to talk to him—it’s the only way to get to the bottom of it. Thanks again, Bry. I owe you one.”

Walking back to my suite, I still feel like crap over everything. I’m not in any way closer to figuring out what the hell I’m going to. I just know that I want to crawl into bed and sleep. Finals are kicking my ass, and I still have this huge poetry paper that isn’t going to write itself. I just don’t want to do any of it. What I want is to bury my head in the sand and forget about the world around me. I want to go back to last weekend and not pick up Reid’s phone.

How on earth can I bring up Reid’s past to him and make him confront it even more than he already has? What right do I even have to do that to him? He trusted me, and I broke that trust. I know more than anyone what it meant for him to open up to me like that. Thinking about Reid and what I’ve done to him, all without him even knowing, makes me want to be with him. It makes me want to curl up in his arms and let the world fall away. I’m pretty sure he’s got his last final tomorrow morning, but I take a chance of interrupting him and give him a call.

Of course he picks up on the first ring.

“Hey, baby.” His voice instantly calms my aching soul, and I have a renewed sense that maybe everything will work out. “How’s your paper going?” The man remembers everything. Okay, fine, not everything. What is it with guys and remembering to put the toilet seat down? I think it’s in their DNA or something.

“Ugh, I haven’t even started yet, but I know what I want to write. Once I sit down and actually focus on it, I’ll be fine. How’s studying going?” This kind of mundane conversation soothes me.

“Great, actually. I’m just about wrapping up. What are you up to?”

Of course he would drop everything to spend time with me. He’s awesome like that.

“Nothing, really.”

“Is everything all right, Maddy? You sound off.” His voice is laced with concern, and it crushes my heart.

“Yeah, I’m fine, babe. I promise.” All of a sudden my desire to see him, to just be in the same room with him, is overwhelming. “I guess I just miss you. It’s so lame, I know, but I haven’t seen you since Sunday and it’s Wednesday night, and well, since we started dating, that’s the longest we’ve gone without seeing each other. Texts only go so far. I miss you.” My emotions are on the surface, and despite everything I’ve done wrong, I just want him to make it better.

I know I don’t deserve his comfort, but right now I need it, and I’m going to take it while I still can.

“So can I come over, then? I don’t want to keep you from your paper, so I won’t stay long, but I’d love nothing more than to see you.”

If he were any sweeter, he’d give me a cavity, for crying out loud.

“That would be perfect, Reid. The paper isn’t due until tomorrow afternoon anyway, and my morning is completely free, so you’re not keeping me from anything.” I know that if I don’t reassure him that he’s not keeping me from my paper, he’ll be worrying about it all night. He’s beyond sweet, but he’s also neurotic as hell.

“Perfect. I’ll grab some takeout and a movie, and I’ll be there in like an hour. Love you.” He sounds so happy and I just can’t help but feel lighter knowing that he’ll be here soon.

“I love you, too, baby. See you in a bit.”

As I end our call, I clear my brain of everything that’s happened over the last few days. Right now, none of that exists. Right now, it’s just me and Reid. Everything else can fade away, because no matter what happens, I will always love him, and I have to believe that he will always love me.

There’s just too much pain involved in thinking otherwise.

Chapter 15

Sushi, a movie that’s not a chick flick and rose in hand, I knock on Maddy’s door. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate her choice in movies; I just wanted something a little different tonight. Besides, I think I’m one romantic comedy away from having to hand over my guy card.

I’m in awe of the sight before me as Maddy opens the door. She’s wearing a really short pair of shorts. I’m no expert in women’s fashion, but they really just look like glorified underwear. I love them instantly. The thin tank top she’s wearing isn’t bad, either—not bad at all.

“Hey, baby. I got sushi. I know you said you were craving some the other day.”

She smiles back at me. I think it knocks her out that I actually listen when she speaks, and then I go ahead and remember what she says.

I hand her the rose I brought for her, and she rolls her eyes.

“You don’t have to get me flowers every time you come here.” She holds it up to her nose and inhales the sweet scent. The deep red of the petals makes her eyes shine.

“Sweetheart, you said I was the first person to buy you flowers, and I want to be the last person. So, yes, I have to give you a flower every time I come here because I want you to be reminded that it will always only be me who loves you.” I bend down and plant a soft kiss on her lips, grazing the knuckles of my free hand across her delicate cheek. Her eyes roll again, but this time out of pleasure instead of annoyance.

When the kiss breaks, I playfully slap her ass and direct her into the little kitchenette. We set up our plates, grab a few drinks, and make our way over to the couch.

“What are we watching tonight?” she asks as she walks over to the DVD player.

“
The Departed.
”

She shoots me a disappointed look that I’ve brought over what she calls a “boy movie.” She’s so freaking cute, though.

“Just give it a chance. You might like it. It’s actually good.” I know it’s pointless to try to convince her, but she relents and sits down next to me.

“ Okay, fine—you win. So what’s it about?”

“It’s about the mob and the Boston Police Department. They’re both trying to find a rat who is feeding the other side information. It won Best Picture a few years ago.”

She seems to shift away from me a little at the description.

“Don’t worry, babe. It’s not too bloody. I’ll hold you if you get grossed out.”

I wink and smile at her. Flirting always seems to loosen her up, but she’s still tense. I pull her close to me and wrap my arms around her as the movie starts. She doesn’t say anything. She just rests her head against my shoulder and cuddles into me. Before long, her head is on my lap, and I hear her yawning. I start to play with her hair, knowing that it relaxes her. It relaxes me, too. About thirty minutes into the movie, she is out cold, lightly snoring away. I don’t have the heart to move her. Plus, I like having her on my lap like this. I watch the rest of the movie by myself, trying not to disturb her every time I have to lean forward to get a bite of my dinner.

As the final credits roll on the movie, I start to move my legs to try to get some feeling back into them. The movement causes Maddy to wake, and she just looks up at me all dreamily.

“Hey, sleepy. I guess we can officially say that you’re not a Scorsese fan.” That comment earns an eye roll. This is why I love her. Within two minutes of waking up, she’s cheeky.

“Come on, let’s get you to bed. You’ve got a paper to write in the morning, and I’ve got some stuff to do, too.”

“Stuff? What stuff? I thought you were done with your finals today.” She’s getting used to my antics, and she’s gotten pretty good at grilling me, trying to figure out exactly what my next move is.

I arch an eyebrow in her direction. “Just stuff. Let’s leave it at that.” The grin I flash her is a surefire way to let her know that it’s more than that.

She gets up from the couch and, after she rubs the sleep from her eyes, she holds her hands up in front of her in an “I give up” gesture. She stretches, arching her back. Her breasts stand out, nipples protruding through the thin fabric of her top. My groin twitches with desire for her. She sees it and leans into me seductively, and since I’m still sitting, she provides me with an excellent view down the front of her shirt.

“You know, you don’t have to go. You could stay here. Unless you’ve got ‘stuff’ to do tonight.” She moves to walk away.

Oh, no, you don’t.

I grab her wrist and pull her back so she’s standing in front of me. My face is in a direct line with the small sliver of her belly that is uncovered by her top. I lick along the waistband of her shorts, and I can feel her insides clench and shudder as I do. I wrap my hands around her tiny waist and hook my thumbs into her shorts and panties. Pulling them down slightly, I lick again, this time lower, in that danger zone between her belly and her sex. She shudders again.

I lower my hands down the back of her shorts and squeeze her ass while pulling her closer to my face at the same time. She shifts slightly, spreading her legs almost imperceptibly, but it’s enough for me to notice. I take her up on the offer immediately.

Wrapping my hands around her hips, under her skimpy clothing, I pull the fabric away from her skin and slide it down her legs. Running my fingertips up the inside of her legs, I push her stance open wider. Her lips are glistening with her arousal. My mouth waters, and I can’t hold back any longer.

Using my thumbs to pull back her folds, I expose her clit and kiss it lightly. Her knees buckle, and her breath catches in her throat. I blow on it lightly and kiss it again, this time with a little more force.

“Reid, your mouth is amazing. Oh, God. . . . please.”

How can I say no to that?

I roll my tongue around her hardened nub, and she’s beside herself with pleasure. Moans and groans pass through her lips, but nothing that resembles real language. I pull back from her drenched core to look up at her. God, she’s beautiful. Flushed cheeks, eyes aflame, breasts begging to be touch, licked.

Using my thumb, I trace small, fast circles over her clit and sink two fingers into her.

“Oh, fuck, Reid.” Her legs are quaking, and I can feel her insides tighten and pulse around my fingers. She’s close, and I want to make her come so badly. There’s nothing more beautiful than watching her lose control, than bringing her pleasure, than showing her just how much I love her.

I reach my hands back up to encircle her waist again, and stand up in front of her. I switch positions with her and sit her down where I just was. Her legs can’t hold her own weight, and I want her to enjoy this, not worry about holding herself up.

I push the coffee table back a little, giving myself some room to get down on my knees. I lean back on my haunches and situate myself between her legs. I pull them up over my shoulders so they dangle down my back.

Her eyes catch mine, and I see uncertainty there. I know this is all new to her, but she has to know how much I love her, how beautiful I think she is, how much she turns me on, especially like this, spread before me.

I run my tongue wetly up her inner thigh and try to reassure her. “God, Maddy. You are so beautiful. You taste amazing.” Moving to the other thigh, I add, “I love you so much, and I can’t wait to hear you scream my name.”

Pulling her wet lips back once more, I dart my tongue into her core, and she gasps loudly. My fingers return to her depths and I massage her inner walls, rubbing my fingertips over that fleshy patch of skin that makes her thrash about in ecstasy.

I lick up to that tightened bundle of nerves and pull it into my mouth, sucking gently, mimicking the motion of my fingers as they glide in and out of her effortlessly.

“Holy fuck! You’re so wet, Maddy. I love it.”

She whimpers and bucks her hips into my fingers. Running the pad of my thumb over her clit in furious circles has her coming hard. My name on her lips and her taste on my tongue is pure heaven.

“Reid! Reid—oh, my God, baby! I . . . I . . . ahhh . . .”

I love it when she can’t speak.