Forgiving Reed (Southern Boys Book 1)

by C. A. Harms

  “This is beautiful.” I looked on in amazement.

  “Thank you.” I turned to face Molly as she entered the room. “It’s actually too big, in my opinion. I would love something half its size. If only I could convince Richard of that.”

  I smiled and took a seat on the couch next to Reed. Rhett was securely wrapped around him, hugging his neck tightly. He was a little shy around people he didn’t know. Reed looked completely relaxed and confident. I, on the other hand, was about to climb under the couch and hide. I felt like I was on trial, and this place was well above my way of living. Not that I didn’t have nice things, I just preferred to use my things and not have them just for show.

  Molly looked from me toward Reed and smiled. “We’re happy to have you all here. I know you may feel uncomfortable, but please don’t. You are welcome here, and in the past so many things were said and done that made you feel otherwise. That was our mistake.”

  Her gaze shifted a little lower, and a sweet smile spread over her mouth. Tears began to fill her eyes. “He is even more beautiful in person. I feel like I just stepped inside of a time warp and went back over twenty years. He looks so much like his daddy did at that age.” A tear ran down her cheek, and Richard moved to her side to comfort her.

  Molly looked the same for the most part, maybe just a little older. I was sure it was from the stress of her life, the mourning of her only child. She seemed softer and warmer than I remembered. She no longer posed as a high society bitch with a stick up her ass. I smiled, thinking about my previous impression of her.

  “Is it okay for him to have some fruit? Maybe a cookie or muffin?” Molly asked me while looking at Rhett. I thought this was her attempt to get him to warm up to her.

  “He likes just about anything.”

  “I know he won’t go on his own, would you like to bring him into the kitchen? We could find him a snack. I bought some juice, and there’s milk.” She stood from the chair, and I reached out to take Rhett from Reed. At first he only gripped Reed tighter.

  Slowly he released his hold and moved into my arms. “You wanna go get a snack?” He fisted my shirt and looked over at Reed. I was still amazed daily at the way the two of them had bonded. Sometimes I was jealous of the closeness they shared. Other times I was so glad he had the love of Reed, and in turn loved Reed equally. I knew that no matter what happened between Reed and me, he would always be a part of Rhett’s life. They were like two best pals, and it was incredibly adorable.

  “Go get yourself something to fill that tank, bud.” Reed kissed his forehead and winked at me.

  As I followed behind Molly, I fought against the nervousness filling my stomach. I was a wreck on the inside. This was the home Blake grew up in. It was the place he slept every night and woke up every morning. It just felt so unhomely. It was the complete opposite of the man I had fallen in love with. It was hard to believe that sweet, gentle, and loving man came from here. I was terrified to touch anything, for fear of breaking it or leaving a smudge.

  When Molly held out a plate of cookies, I know my eyes must have gotten two sizes bigger. “He’ll make a mess. Maybe I should feed it to him.”

  “Messes clean up, Kori. He isn’t going to hurt anything. I know it may appear as if this place is spotless, but it is only because I have a staff that does it all.” Well, okay then. Not all of us were lucky enough to snap our fingers and someone came running with a broom or mop.

  The rest of the day was the same. I felt completely out of my element, and Rhett stayed close.

  We left a little after five and promised to meet them for breakfast in the morning. I was finally able to relax when Rhett was safely in his car seat and we were driving the rental car away from the house.

  ***

  After dinner, a quick bath, and story time, Rhett crashed in the second bed. It was so cute when Reed called down to the front desk and requested a rail for the bed. He made sure there was no chance of Rhett falling out of bed in the middle of the night.

  I was just starting to doze off myself when Reed walked out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel around his waist. Water beaded over his chest, glistening in the reflection of the light. I peeked, not giving it away that I was still awake. When the towel dropped, I held my breath. His body was perfection, and he was hiding nothing as he stepped into his boxer briefs and slid them up his legs. Biting my lower lip, I watched as he walked around the side of the bed and plugged in his cell phone.

  The bed dipped next to me, and his manly scent engulfed my senses as he leaned over me and placed a sweet kiss against my lips. “You like what you see, little ogler?” he whispered against my lips. “I can give you a closer look.” Before I could speak, he swept his tongue across my lips, and I gripped the back of his neck, pulling him closer.

  I wrapped my legs around his waist as he laid his body over mine. I let out a moan when he pressed his hardness against my core. Driving my hips in an upward motion, I bit his lower lip.

  “Shh, you gotta stay quiet.” He slid down my body, trailing his tongue over my skin on the way. Pausing at my breasts, he took one nipple in his mouth, sucking lightly. Trying to hold back the moan was next to impossible. His mouth felt so good.

  After showing ample attention to one, he moved over to the next and began sucking, before biting gently, tugging. I bit down hard on my lower lip, arching my back.

  “You are so beautiful,” he declared as he began moving even lower. Hooking his fingers in the side of my panties, he guided them down my legs. “I want so badly to fuck you so hard, but we can’t. This has to be slow and easy. We have to be quiet.” He lowered his body back over mine, guiding his erection to my center, slowly running himself through my wetness. “When we get back home, though, it is so on.” He grinned, full of cocky arrogance. Gently he guided himself inside me, and I gasped.

  Over the next hour, Reed slowly worshipped my body. It was perfect; we made love with our eyes locked with each other’s. There was absolutely no doubt in my mind that I was the center of his world. Reed needed me just as much as I needed him.

  Chapter Thirty

  “Can I do this alone?” I looked out the window toward the tombstone only thirty feet away. My throat burned with the emotional overload of what I was about to do.

  I felt Reed’s hand skim over my arm. “Are you sure?” I could only nod as I opened the car door and crawled out.

  I hadn’t even made it five feet before the tears began to fall. This would be the first time I had visited Blake’s grave. I wanted to so many times, I just felt unwelcome. I never wanted to take the chance of running into his parents.

  With each step, my knees became a little weaker. My stomach ached, and my heart beat rapidly.

  Blake Michael Harrison

  1989-2012

  Beloved Son, Father, and Friend

  Forever In Our Hearts

  I attempted to swallow back the sob. I hadn’t had a chance to see the tombstone. It was placed on long after I moved back home. I always wondered what it would say. I hoped with everything I had in me that they would acknowledge he was a father. Seeing it there in bold letter opened up the floodgates. I knelt down in front of it, bowing my head. I cried for the months he had missed and all of those he would miss in the future. The stinging pain in my chest was almost unbearable.

  Gathering all the strength within my soul, I calmed my tears and slid closer to Blake. Resting my hand over the ground beneath me, I closed my eyes and pictured his face, his blue eyes, and that gorgeous smile.

  “Hey, handsome, I’m finally here. I’m so sorry it took me so long. It doesn’t in any way indicate that I didn’t want to be here.

  “I have missed you every single day. My heart still aches with the thoughts of what you went through. The pain you must have felt on that last night. You were ripped from our lives, and it still hurts so strong.

  “I’ve dreamt of you so many times. It was like I could feel you there with me, touching me. Those memories kept me out of t
he darkness. You weren’t here in body, but you were still in my soul. You always will be.

  “Your son is amazing, just like his daddy. He reminds me of you more and more every day. His reactions, his facial expressions, the two of you are so much alike. He has your eyes, and your smile.

  “Rhett, yeah, I know, but I couldn’t pass that up. After all, it was that crazy damn dog that brought us together. It really seemed to fit, and it sounds both badass and confident.

  “I will never let him forget who his daddy is. I promise to teach him all about the man you were.”

  I sobbed into my hands. This was so hard.

  “I need to tell you that I reconnected with my high school boyfriend and one of my best friends. He is so supportive of my love for you. He is so supportive of the importance of your presence in Rhett’s life. In fact, it’s because of him your parents have finally accepted us. He wouldn’t take no for an answer.

  “His name is Reed. He’s really good to us, and he adores Rhett. It took some deep thought on my part to admit, but I had to move on. It wasn’t easy, Blake.

  “I’ll always love you, you’re the father of my son. I will never let go of the place you hold in my heart, in my soul. That place is yours and it will be forever. You showed me what it felt like to really be loved. You were so selfless. You always put me first, from day one.

  “If by some chance you can see me, hear me, please know that you were a man who forever changed my world, in so many ways. You were a great love, one I will never forget. When I’m old and gray, that love will still be within me, deep and strong.

  “I will never forget you…ever.”

  I spun around when I heard feet shuffling behind me. Rhett was running in my direction as Reed approached with caution. I could tell he was staying at a distance, waiting for the okay to come closer.

  I nodded, and he dropped his hands from his pockets and came quickly to my side. He knelt down next to me, and Rhett stood in front of him. “You okay?” he asked as he tucked my hair behind my ear.

  “Yeah, I think so. I needed this. It felt right telling him everything I needed to say.” I leaned into him and rested my head on his shoulder. “I told him about you too.”

  “Yeah?”

  I nodded, and we sat in silence as Rhett pointed at the tombstone. “Rock,” he said, and I smiled at him.

  He was too young to understand. One day I’d bring him back here and tell him all about how much his daddy loved him, without even meeting him. I made a silent vow to always visit Blake. To always keep him active in Rhett’s world.

  ***

  I left Boston with a whole new outlook on life. I would live every day to its fullest. I would smile and laugh as often as I could. Life was too short. You never knew when your time here on earth would be brought to an end. I didn’t want to miss out on all the things that were before me.

  I promised myself I would love with my whole heart, no longer fearful of losing the ones I loved. Instead, I would treasure every moment I was blessed with them in my life. I wanted to know that I took every chance I could to create a lasting memory.

  I vowed to raise Rhett to be a man that any woman would be lucky to call their husband. He would be respectful and loving. He would be kind and considerate. I promised I would always be there for him, no matter what the situation was. I would listen and guide him the best I could. He would always know he had me in his corner. He would always understand that together, he and I would get through anything. He was the glue that held me together, and I would be the foundation for his life to grow. He would know he could always turn to me, and my love for him would only continue to grow stronger.

  I would no longer hide behind the ache that I felt.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  It’s Reed’s turn

  Things seemed to change when we got back from Boston. Over the last month, Kori had been carefree and vibrant. She laughed and smiled almost constantly. Nothing seemed to phase her, nothing broke her spirit.

  In fact, I found her finger painting with Rhett this morning, and when he got it all over her new blouse, she laughed and began using it as her own canvas. I stood in the doorway, watching as they painted her shirt together.

  It was as if the young girl I once knew had reappeared, and she was so damn happy.

  About a week after we got back from Boston, Rhett and Kori went back home. That shit stung. I wanted to beg her to stay. I wanted to ask her to just move in with me, but I thought she would feel it was too soon.

  So now we were sharing a few nights a week at each other’s places. The nights without them were long and miserable. I felt like I was half empty and slept like shit. I would worry if they were okay and sometimes found myself going for a drive by her place, just to ease my mind.

  With spring just around the corner I had jobs crawling out of the woodwork. The bar pretty much ran itself lately. Ben took over managing the place for me. He needed the extra cash with the baby and all. I focused on staying busy with my hands. I loved the manual labor, it was more my speed.

  ***

  I drove up Kori’s parents’ drive. They were having a Sunday dinner, and I was already running behind. I ran into some problems with a door I was putting in for a guy across town. Taking in all the cars, I groaned out loud. I thought it was just gonna be a small dinner, but I guessed I was wrong.

  Crawling out of my truck, I grabbed the baseball cap from my truck seat and slipped it on. Yeah, baseball caps weren’t usually my thing, but I forgot my Stetson at home. I twisted my neck from side to side and walked up the porch steps, ready to eat. I was starving, and Kori’s momma was one hell of a cook.

  “Well, it’s about damn time.” I heard Maria once I entered the house. “You do know her momma was about to send out the search party. She has been holding us all off, and there are a shit ton of hungry ass cowboys ready to gut you like a fish.” She laughed as she stalked off to the dining room.

  “He’s here people, let’s chow,” she hollered out, and the assholes clapped and hooted.

  Rhett rounded the corner, and I knelt just in time to catch him midair as he dove for me. “Hey, pal. How was your day? You have fun with your granny?”

  His little head bobbing a hundred miles per hour made me chuckle. He looked like a little bobble head. “Yesh,” he squealed and began wiggling back down my body. He was a wild one, with enough energy for ten toddlers. The kid wore me out. I had no idea how Kori’s momma did it all day.

  “I was beginning to think you had come to your senses and skipped town, running far away from me and my crazy toddler.” Kori walked toward me with her hands tucked into her back pockets, swaying her hips with each step. With her arms positioned like that, it only thrust her tits out further. I was a guy, so I noticed those things.

  I placed my hands on her hips and pulled her in against my body. I placed a soft kiss on her lips as I wrapped my hands around her back. “Not a chance in hell. You’re so stuck with me.” She smiled up at me, and my knees went slightly weak. Kori had always been such a beautiful person. Not only because of her long blonde hair and perfect features, but because she was so kind. Seeing her get mad was a rare occasion. You had to really piss her off before she let you have it. Even when Kim was starting her shit, Kori was polite to her. I don’t know how she did it. I would have been all up in a dude’s face if he was spouting shit about her to me.

  “You get stuck at Mr. Willow’s?” I nodded. “You should have called, I was starting to worry.”

  “I’m sorry, I just wanted to stay at it. It meant I could get here faster.” I tucked her hair behind her ear and tried to gauge her mood.

  “Just call next time or text. Something quick.” I nodded and kissed the tip of her nose.

  “You got it. Now let’s go eat, I’m starving.”

  ***

  Dinner was full of me being harassed and hounded for holding up everyone’s chow time. I took it in stride and let all the guys hassle me.

  I noticed a silent c
onversation going on between Gavin and Maria throughout dinner. I was pretty sure Kori had missed it, but I saw the lust in that man’s eyes. It was hard to miss. I just hoped Maria knew what she was doing. From what I’d heard, he had shared a few nights with a girl named Josie who worked at the grocery store across town. The guy was definitely a player. He had no intentions of settling down any time soon. Hell, he wasn’t even divorced yet.

  The two of them disappeared right after dinner, and I knew it was just across the drive to his place. He lived in a tiny one bedroom that was for the farmhand.

  I walked Kori out, and she immediately noticed Maria’s car parked next to Gavin’s truck. One small light was on in his place, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out what was going on. “Baby, she is a big girl. You have to let her make her own mistakes.”

  “I know,” she whispered. “I just wish she could see what I see. When I look at her, I see so much more than his plaything. He’s using her, and she’s letting him.”

  I closed the back door of her Escape and moved in front of her. Lifting her chin up with my finger, I looked over her face. She was worried. “You can’t let yourself get all worked up over it. She’s a big girl, she makes her own choices.”

  “I know,” she agreed. “Doesn’t make it any easier to accept, though.”

  “So you coming back to my place tonight?” It had been four nights since I’d had her in my arms. I was craving some physical connection, and I hoped she was on the same page.

  When she shook her head, I fought off the groan of frustration. “No, I’m gonna head home. I got an early morning, and I didn’t bring my stuff with me for school tomorrow.”