Friend and Lover

by Angela Benson

  Four

  Paige moved on rubbery legs down the hallway to the kitchen. What is wrong with me? she continued to ask herself. Why was Reed affecting her the way he was? She was an engaged woman, for God’s sake, and Reed was just a friend.

  Just a friend. Somehow, even as she spoke the words in her mind, she knew they weren’t true. Reed had never been “just a friend.” Their relationship had always carried an undertone of sexual attraction and tension, but neither of them had pursued it, though they’d been mature enough to acknowledge it, mature enough to say they could handle it.

  Why was Reed trying to change things now? Why couldn’t he leave well enough alone? Her life was finally going right. Her family was happy with her. She was engaged to a man any woman would want. Why was Reed bothering her now?

  Bothering her . . . that was an understatement. Reed was pulling out all the stops. She wasn’t fool enough to think that he’d just happened to have the family engagement ring handy. And that speech! That speech had her worried. Had Reed been playing a role for his grandmother, or had he been telling her his true feelings? For a moment or two, while he’d knelt there in front of her, she could have sworn he was being sincere.

  “Grandma Lewis,” Paige said, as she entered the kitchen, “the bathroom is free now. You can take your bath.”

  Grandma Lewis got up from the table and kissed Paige on the cheek. “Thank you, sweetheart. Reed really found himself a charm when he found you. Welcome to the family.” She pulled Paige into her arms for another loving embrace. Paige closed her eyes and savored the warmth of the older woman’s hug. When she opened her eyes, she looked beyond Grandma Lewis’s shoulder directly into Reed’s eyes. She wanted to look away from him, to tell him to leave her alone, but she couldn’t break eye contact.

  Grandma Lewis eased away from her and Reed came forward. “How are the two loves of my life?” he asked, drawing Grandma Lewis into his arms. “Why is everybody getting hugged except me?”

  Paige watched Grandma Lewis envelope her six-foot, 180-pound grandson in her frail arms. Reed had to bend over to lean his head on his grandmother’s.

  When Grandma Lewis pulled away, she looked at Paige. “It’s your turn now,” she said.

  Paige quickly darted her eyes to Reed. No, she shouted silently. I can’t do this now.

  But you will. Reed didn’t open his mouth, yet she heard him as if he had spoken with a microphone. As he advanced toward her, her heartbeat hammered and her pulse raced. It was too much. She wasn’t going to be able to do it.

  Reed was within a foot of Paige when Grandma Lewis stretched out her hand and stopped him. “On second thought, I think you two have done enough of that. You’d better wait until I go to bed. I wouldn’t want you to start something you can’t finish.” She gave Paige a broad wink.

  Paige’s mouth dropped open and Reed grinned.

  Primly straightening her dress, Grandma Lewis continued, “Don’t look so shocked, Paige. I was young and in love once.” She turned and headed for the bathroom. When she reached the bathroom door, she turned back to add, “Oh, I forgot to tell you. I don’t sleep with my hearing aid, and I can’t hear a thing without it.” With that, she closed the bathroom door and was gone from sight.

  The sound of male laughter caused Paige to turn to Reed.

  “What’s so funny?” she asked, not allowing herself to dwell on Grandma Lewis’s suggestion.

  Still chuckling, Reed began clearing the table. “Big Momma. She just gave us permission to get busy tonight.”

  “Get busy?”

  Reed shot her an unbelieving glance. “Get busy—you know, make love.”

  Paige propped her hands on her hips, determined to play ignorant. “Now you’ve gone too far, Reed. You know that’s not what your grandmother meant. She was just telling us so we’d know why she wasn’t answering if we called out to her.”

  Reed scraped the plates clean and placed them in the dishwasher. “Tell yourself what you want, but I know what she meant. She’s my grandmother, after all.”

  “She’s a sweet little woman who’d probably have a heart attack if she even thought we were sleeping together,” Paige said.

  Reed laughed. “You never can tell about Big Momma. As soon as you think you’ve got her figured out, she shows you something new.”

  “Well, I don’t think she’d go that far. She reminds me of my mother’s mother. She died a few years ago, and I still miss her.”

  Reed leaned back against the sink and relaxed his arms across his chest. “I know you must. I don’t even like to think about the day Big Momma won’t be around.”

  Paige could still see her grandmother’s face. How she wished she were still around.

  “You can share Big Momma with me, Paige,” Reed said in a soft tone. “She already loves you.”

  Though Paige had known Big Momma for less than a day, she knew Reed’s words were true. The older woman did love her. “She thinks I’m going to be her granddaughter-in-law. Would she love me if she knew the truth?”

  Reed dropped his hands to his side and turned back to the dishes. “What do you think?”

  At that moment, Grandma Lewis came out of the bathroom, waved to the two of them, and padded into the bedroom.

  “So?” Reed asked.

  “Okay, I think she’d love me if she knew the truth.”

  Reed turned back and grinned at her. “Good answer,” he said. “Now we’re getting somewhere.”

  ~ ~ ~

  “What do you mean, I have to sleep on the floor?” Reed demanded. Paige was relieved he wore pajamas, though she admitted he did look attractive in the green-and-blue plaid flannel wear. “Why do I have to sleep on the floor?”

  “Because you’re not sleeping with me, Reed,” she said, dropping down onto the sofa that she had unfolded to make a bed. “And I’m taking the sofabed. You can take any other place you like.”

  Reed sat down on the bed next to her. “Why don’t you sleep on the floor? I don’t mind sleeping with you. You have a problem sleeping with me.”

  Paige punched her pillow, wishing it was Reed’s face. “Earth to Reed: this is my apartment, remember? I make the rules here.” She threw a pillow and a couple of blankets on the floor. “You’ve made your bed, now lie in it.”

  “Ha, ha, ha,” Reed said. “Very funny.” He got up from the bed and began to put a makeshift pallet in place. “I can’t believe you’re doing this to me. What will Big Momma think if she comes out and finds us like this?”

  Paige turned off the lamp on the end table. “Don’t even try it, Reed. Your grandmother will probably think I’m a nice, sweet girl, saving myself for marriage.”

  “Ouch,” Reed said. “Why’d you turn the light off? You knew I was making my bed. Now I’ve bumped my damn toe.”

  Paige grinned, glad Reed couldn’t see her in the dark. “What are you whining about? I had no idea you were such a baby. Go to sleep.”

  Reed mumbled a few unintelligible words.

  “What did you say?” Paige asked.

  “I said I wish you’d turn on the damn light. I think I broke my foot.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  “I’m serious, Paige.”

  “All right,” Paige said, reaching for the light. “I’ll turn on the light.”

  Paige had to grin at the sight she saw. Reed sat on the floor, rubbing his hand across his right foot and looking like a lost little boy. “What is it, Reed?”

  “I told you. I think I broke my foot.”

  She rolled her eyes at him. “You did not break your foot.”

  “How can you tell from way over there on your comfortable bed?” he challenged.

  “I don’t believe you. You’re acting like a big baby. Do you want me to go get your grandmother for you?”

  Reed gave a low moan. “You’re a real comedian tonight, aren’t you, Paige? I thought you were my friend.”

  Paige threw her arms into the air. “I give up,” she said, getting out of bed and
walking over to him. “Let me see your foot.”

  She dropped down on the floor next to him and reached for his foot, placing it across her lap.

  He moaned again. “Go easy. I told you, I think it’s broken.”

  She examined his foot. His big toe was bruised, but that was about it. “Believe me, Reed, if your foot were broken, you’d be making a lot more noise than you’re making now.” She pushed his foot off her lap. “You’ve only bruised your toe.”

  “Are you sure?” he asked, rubbing his toe some more.

  Paige stood. “I’m positive. Now, may I turn out the light and go back to bed?”

  “I still don’t understand why I can’t sleep in bed with you. After all, we’re only friends. It’s not like we’re attracted to each other.”

  Paige walked over, turned off the light, and climbed into her bed. “Goodnight, Reed.”

  “I didn’t know you were so cold-hearted, Paige.”

  “I’m going to sleep now, Reed.”

  Reed mumbled again, but Paige refused to ask him to repeat what he’d said. She hoped he’d go to sleep if she ignored him.

  “Paige,” he called out a full two minutes later.

  “Reed, I’m trying to get some sleep,” she said in a voice full of impatience.

  “I’m not sleepy,” he said. “Talk to me.”

  “Count sheep. I guarantee you’ll be asleep within fifteen minutes.”

  “Do you remember the day we first met?” he asked, in the dark.

  “Reed . . .” Paige threatened.

  “I remember it like it was yesterday,” he said, with no concern for her threat. “You paraded into the office in your brand-new thousand-dollar suit and everyone knew Miss Ivy-League Lawyer had arrived.” Reed laughed. “You were so full of yourself.”

  Paige couldn’t stop her laughter. His description of her was right on target. “I was young then. Besides, you weren’t exactly Mr. Modesty yourself. You and your Armani suits and your Morehouse attitude.”

  “Hey, I’m just a confident kind of guy.”

  “More like a know-it-all,” Paige said under her breath.

  “Hey, I heard that. Can I help it if I have a wealth of knowledge on a variety of subjects?”

  “Go to sleep, Reed.”

  Reed tugged at the covers on her bed. Even though she couldn’t see him in the dark, she knew he was sitting up. “You can’t insult a man and then go to sleep.”

  Paige smiled. “Watch me.” She felt more than heard Reed lie back down.

  “Just like a woman,” he mumbled.

  “I forgot. You’re sexist, too.”

  “Now, I resent that. You know I have only respect for women.”

  “Yeah, I can tell that by the women you date.” She regretted the words as soon as they’d passed her lips.

  “I don’t think you really want to discuss our tastes in the opposite sex, do you?”

  She turned over on her side, facing him, and propped herself up on her elbow, but of course, she couldn’t see him in the dark. “Why do you hate Dexter? Has he ever done a thing to you?”

  “It’s not that I hate him. It’s that I care so much about you. Tell me, do you really love Mr. Fine?”

  She ran her fingers through her hair in exasperation. “Of course, I love him.”

  Reed sat up again. She felt it. “Then why haven’t you set a wedding date?”

  “You’re sounding like my father, Reed. It doesn’t suit you.”

  “I bet Mr. Thomas is wondering when the wedding of the century will take place.”

  He was right about that, but she wasn’t going to tell him so. Her father was relentless about this wedding. He’d even gone so far as suggesting a date. Fortunately, Dexter had told him that the wedding was their business, not his. “Well, Daddy is not getting married—I am.”

  “I’m glad you realize that.”

  Paige straightened her back. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Nothing, Paige,” Reed said. “I’ll let you go to sleep now.”

  “You can’t say something like that and go to sleep.”

  “It’s past our bedtime. We’re starting to exchange lines.”

  “Chicken,” she challenged.

  “You don’t want to hear this, Paige,” he warned.

  “You’re just too scared to say it,” she taunted.

  “Paige . . .”

  “Out with it, Reed.”

  “Okay, you asked for it. I think your father is more in love with Mr. Fine than you are.”

  “What kind of sick comment is that?”

  “You know what I’m talking about.”

  She took a deep breath. “So you think I’m marrying Dexter out of some sick need for my father’s approval?”

  Reed clapped his hands and gave a hollow laugh. “Give that woman a banana.”

  “You think I’m that immature? How can you stand to be around me, then?”

  “I don’t think you’re immature,” he explained. “Confused, maybe.”

  “Thanks for your confidence in me.”

  Reed tugged on the covers again. “It’s not that. I understand exactly where you are. It’s the same place I was, until I left McCurdy and McCurdy. I was always trying to do what was expected of me. But then I decided I’d rather be happy. I think you’re still trying to do what’s expected. And I want you to be happy.”

  “You don’t think Dexter will make me happy?”

  Reed snorted. “Not in this lifetime.”

  “Well, I disagree. Dexter and I will have a great life.”

  “What you’ll have is the longest engagement in history, and then marriage to a guy who’ll have you bored out of your mind in less than a week.”

  Five

  Reed rolled onto his stomach in an attempt to get away from the annoying tug at his arm. He just wanted to sleep. God knew it had taken him long enough to fall asleep on the hard floor of Paige’s apartment.

  “Get up, Reed,” the annoying voice said again. Reed wanted nothing more than to clasp his fingers around those lips the way he’d clasp a bug.

  “Go away,” Reed said. “I’m trying to sleep.”

  Now she was tugging on his arm. “Get up. I told Grandma Lewis that we were going for a morning run.”

  Figuring she wasn’t going to give up, Reed turned over onto his back.

  Paige’s smiling face was the first thing he saw. She was so beautiful, her face freshly scrubbed and her hair pulled back in a ponytail. His complaints almost fell away. Almost. “You know I go to the gym at the end of the day, not at the beginning. I’m not going running.”

  Paige tweaked his nose like he was some naughty nine-year-old. “Yes, you are. Now, hurry and get dressed. I like to get in at least five miles before breakfast.”

  Five miles! Reed wasn’t into running. He much preferred lifting weights at the gym. Besides, he ran around all day. His body didn’t seem to need more. “Well, you go ahead and do your miles. I’ll stay here with Big Momma.”

  In her squatting position, Paige rocked back and forth on her heels. Reed wanted to reach out and rub his hand down one of her taut brown thighs. Those calves were appealing, too. “You probably couldn’t keep up with me, anyway,” she challenged.

  Reed responded to the twinkle in her eyes. Was his old Paige resurfacing? “With one leg, Paige. I could outrun you if I had only one leg.”

  “Big talk.” She grinned at him, her large eyes filled with teasing challenge.

  Reed knew he was doing what she wanted him to do, but he didn’t care. Now, he wanted to do it, too. “Give me ten minutes.” He threw back the covers, jumped up from his pallet and made his way to the bathroom.

  He was back facing Paige in a few minutes. Not missing her quick appraisal of his form, he caught her eye. “See something you like?”

  She smiled. “Yes.”

  Hot damn! he thought. Maybe he was getting somewhere.

  “Where’d you get those running shoes?” she asked. “I thoug
ht you weren’t a runner.”

  Well, hell, he thought again. Maybe he wasn’t getting anywhere. He lifted three fingers to his forehead. “I was a Boy Scout, and I’m always prepared.”

  She sauntered toward the door, giving him time to view her perfectly rounded bottom perched atop her long, lean legs. “Let’s go, boy scout. It’s time you earned a merit badge or two.”

  Reed followed after her. They warmed up on the stairs of her building before starting a leisurely jog down the sidewalk. When it seemed to him they had been running for hours, he asked, “How much farther?”

  “We’re almost at the halfway mark. How are you holding up?”

  He needed oxygen and a minute or two to catch his breath, but he wasn’t going to let Paige know that. “Okay.” He could only muster one word. He had to conserve his energy. The feeling in his legs gave new meaning to the word “watery.”

  “Good,” was her only reply, but it seemed that she’d picked up her pace. He had to go deep to find the reserve to keep up with her. There was no way he’d be able to keep up this pace until they made it back home.

  “Ouch,” he said, moving off the sidewalk and plopping down on the grass.

  A good ten feet ahead of him, Paige turned, continuing to run in place. “What’s wrong?” she asked, running back to him.

  Reed unlaced his sneakers and pulled off his socks. “I think it’s my toe. I must have put too much weight on it too soon.”

  Paige didn’t stop running in place. “Why didn’t you just say you were tired? You didn’t have to come up with a lame story about your toe.”

  Reed wasn’t going to admit to anything. “Believe what you want, Paige. I know what I feel. You can keep running. I’ll meet you back at the apartment later.” He looked around with what he hoped was a pain-filled expression. “I hope I don’t have to take a cab.”

  Paige dropped down on the grass next to him and gave a burst of laughter. The sound made the morning seem brighter to Reed.

  “You’re not in as good a shape as you thought, are you?”

  Reed continued to rub his foot. “I haven’t gotten any complaints on my physical condition.”