Reed's Reckoning

by Ahren Sanders

  “Hey, big man, why don’t you, your daddy, and me go get set up and let Uncle Luke talk to your mom?” Sophie takes Davis and starts walking towards the other parents.

  I look at Reed pleading with him to follow. He nods his head and drags all our stuff to the sidelines.

  “Hey,” I say to Luke when he gets to me.

  “Hey, yourself. Anything you want to share?”

  “Yesssss,”my lips tremble and I spill the whole story and try to catch the few tears that fall. I have enough going on and showing up to the first game of the season with a puffy face will only start rumors.

  “Jesus Christ!” he shouts when I am done and wraps me in a hug. I squeeze him back and calm down.

  “Are you mad at me?” I ask cautiously.

  “Absolutely not, but why the fuck didn’t you call me?”

  “I was going to but I had to think about how in the hell I was going to tell Davis, and then I got sidetracked.”

  “Babe, I love you and Davis like you are my own. I would have helped you. But seeing as now it’s done, I’m proud of you.”

  “You are?”

  “Hell, yes. I’ve never wanted to hide this shit, but I knew how you felt. I think it’s great that Davis will know his dad.”

  “What about the other stuff? What about Reed wanting to get to know me again?” I ask him silently seeking his approval. He has been the glue that has held me together for years.

  “Yeah, well. Let’s see how that plays out.”

  “Okay.”

  We walk arm in arm to the sideline area where the kids are jumping with excitement. Reed is right next to the coach with the other kids but watching me closely. I give him a small grin and start to talk to other mothers and unload the cooler.

  The game starts and even though these little boys have no organization, they clearly enjoy chasing the ball and hearing all the parents cheer. I tried to set our chairs back away for Reed’s sake, but he still attracts a crowd. I’m so thankful for Travis warning me about Reed being recognized.

  Several dads approach him and introduce themselves. A few of the moms even talk to him. When a beautiful brunette walks up to him, he freezes. He’s polite enough to shake her hand but looks around nervously. I have a pit in my stomach watching her size him up. His eyes find mine and he widens them, mouthing ‘help’. I shake my head and giggle.

  I take a few pictures with my phone for Grandma Katy.

  “Hey, Ari, I guess last night went well, huh?” I look up to see Travis standing next to my chair.

  “I guess so, why?”

  “Davis told Miles about his new daddy. Miles was excited and wants to come over and play with some kind of ship.”

  I chuckle. “Yeah new Lego toy. We should set it up next weekend.”

  “Travis,” Reed breaks in with his hand outstretched. “I really appreciate you giving Ari a heads up.”

  “No problem. I’m really fond of Davis and know how hard it can be on a kid to hear that kind of news.”

  “Let’s go, Davis!” Luke shouts and we all go back to watching the game.

  Sophie helps me set out some snacks when the game is over. Even though it’s only the first weekend of June, the summer heat is in full force. Davis is covered in sweat, dirt, and grass but he doesn’t care. He’s having a ball. He makes a point to tell anyone who will listen about how awesome he played. Reed soaks in every word like it’s the best thing he’s ever heard.

  Reed surprises me by hugging me from behind and kissing my neck softly.

  “What are you doing?” I hiss.

  “Saying hi.”

  “Why couldn’t you say it like normal? You just kissed me in front of all these people.”

  “Yep, and if I wasn’t trying to prove I can take things slow, I’d be doing a lot more right now.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I needed your help back there with that woman, and you sat back and laughed at me.”

  “You’re a big boy; I figured you could take care of yourself.”

  “Boy? Did you just call me a boy? And besides, I was kind of hoping you would walk over and stake your claim.”

  “I don’t play those games, Reed. If you wanted to talk to her, who am I to stop you? I can’t control what you do.”

  He spins me around to face him and he is annoyed. “You’re wrong. You hold the control here. Everything is in your control.”

  He steps back and walks to where the kids are sitting on the grass. My heart drops to my feet hearing the tone of his voice. I feel the sting of tears and try to look away.

  “Sweetheart, you okay?” Luke asks me quietly.

  “Yeah, I said something that hurt him. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

  He nods his head but doesn’t say anymore. He and Sophie leave a few minutes later.

  After an hour, I decide it’s time to go. I bend over to fold up the chairs and feel a hand on my back. I turn to see Reed staring down at me with a blank expression.

  “Do you need some help?”

  “Yes, that would be great. Thank you.”

  We pack up all our things and say our goodbyes. When we get to the truck, I wipe Davis down the best I can and notice a note on Reed’s windshield. My stomach coils thinking it’s from the mom talking to Reed earlier. She wasn’t with a man, so what if she gave Reed her number? I snap Davis in and watch Reed open the note, read it, and slip it into his pocket.

  The drive back to my house is nerve-racking. Reed and I don’t speak but Davis talks the whole ride. The tension is thick and I don’t know what to say. Should I apologize? Did I really do anything wrong? And what did the note say?

  I don’t get to say anything because when we pull into the driveway, Grandma is waving at us from her front porch. Reed slows down and opens the window.

  “Reed Matthews, I’ve stayed away long enough. It’s killing me to see you here all the time and keep coming up with excuses not to come over. I decided that today we’re going to have lunch. All of us.”

  He looks back at me and his face is priceless. He’s scared of her. I nod slightly and smile.

  “Sure, Katy. Let me get the truck unloaded and Davis cleaned up. Do you want to go out?”

  “No, I made chicken salad. Come over when you’re done.” She turns and walks back into her house.

  “Well, this should be interesting.” He mumbles.

  “Reed, I’m sorry if I said something that upset you.”

  “Ari, can we talk about it later in private? I’ve got something to say and I’m not sure it’s appropriate with Davis two feet away.”

  “Okay, we’ll talk about it tonight over dinner.”

  His face lights up. “You got a sitter?”

  “Yep, now I just need to know where we’re going and what time to be ready.”

  “Be ready an hour after I drop you off this afternoon.”

  “What—”

  “I’m taking you guys to the beach after lunch.”

  “Yeah! The beach!” Davis yells from the backseat.

  I guess I don’t have to bathe him just yet. But the thought of staring at Reed in a bathing suit on the beach gives me butterflies.

  Chapter 9

  Reed

  If Ari would just bend a little more to the right, I could see her ass in the bright red bikini she’s hiding with her cover up. A throat clears beside me and I jump.

  Shit! Katy caught me ogling again. She grins at me and I smile back. I am only human and Ari looks amazing.

  As soon as we walked in the door earlier, Davis jumped in Katy’s lap and talked non-stop about his morning. She listened and asked the right questions then promised to be there next Saturday. Ari fixed our lunch and we told her grandmother we were going out tonight. Katy’s face lit up and she winked at me. I thought it would be awkward being around her again after all these years, but she makes me feel welcome. We only met a few times before but had a good relationship. We joked around and took every opportunity available to embarr
ass Ari.

  Ari goes to get a wet cloth for Davis and Katy finally talks “Reed, I’m going to address the elephant in the room. Arianna told me what happened to you guys all those years ago. Even when I thought you hurt her, I always encouraged her to tell you about the pregnancy. When he was born, I thought about contacting you myself, but I was sick and we didn’t need any more worry in our home. I really hope you can work it out and be a part of that little boy’s life. I see how he looks at you and it fills my heart.”

  “There’s nothing to work out. I’m not going anywhere.” I try to emphasize the last sentence and she understands. Her smile gets wider and she nods discreetly.

  “What are you two talking about?” Ari asks wiping Davis’s face off and pulling him into her lap.

  “Nothing, honey. I’m actually going out tonight too. We’re having the monthly book club birthday dinner.”

  “You women will find any excuse to celebrate.”

  “Yep, just because we’re old doesn’t mean we don’t know how to have fun.”

  “Grandma! What kind of fun? Last time I saw you out with your friends, you were doing jello shots.”

  “That’s tame.” She jokes. “If the look on that little boy’s face is any indication of how tired he is, he’s not going to make it to the beach. Why don’t you two go and I’ll stay with him while he naps?”

  Davis’s expression causes me to laugh. He’s leaned up on Ari’s chest and his eyes are half closed. His mouth hangs open and he’s drooling.

  “That’s okay. I can take him back to the house.”

  “No, honey, go. You and Reed enjoy the afternoon.”

  Silently, I’m thanking God and making a mental note to send Katy the largest bouquet of flowers possible. My head, heart, and cock are dying to see Ari in her bikini. I’d prefer to see her out of it, but I was a dick earlier and need to apologize.

  I help her get Davis to the sofa and grab her hand to leave. Katy catches my eye and grins again. I hug her goodbye and thank her quietly. She knows why.

  “Reed, do you have your suit?

  “Yeah, at my house. Which is where we’re parking.”

  “Okay.” She hops inside the truck and I close the door behind her.

  “I want the rest of this day and night to be perfect, Ari, so I need to apologize. I overreacted back when you acted indifferent to that woman talking to me. I’m jealous as a fucking lunatic over you. I’m not kidding when I tell you I want you back. You are completely in control of our fate right now.”

  “I’m sorry I hurt your feelings. You caught me off-guard.”

  I shake my head, hoping my words sink into her stubborn head. We drive up to my rental house and she sucks in a breath. It is an impressive sight. I couldn’t tell my agent why I wanted to move to Fernandina Beach for a few months this summer, but he knew how to get me a home I would love. He pulled a few strings and I paid out the ass, but I got a house close to my son.

  “This is beautiful,” she whispers.

  “Come in and let me give you the tour.” I motion for her to follow me and get her beach bag.

  The inside of the home is spacious yet comfortable. The owners decorated in a completely aquatic theme with sea blues and whites everywhere. I lead her into the massive kitchen and look back, she’s looking around in awe. When we get to the living room, she gasps. The far back wall of windows has an unobstructed view of the Atlantic Ocean. The two large French doors lead to a back patio with a walkway to the beach.

  “This place is incredible. I’ve lived around here most of my life and never been in a home like this.”

  “I got lucky. I couldn’t tell anyone why I wanted to move here this summer but my agent is pretty cool. He knew a guy in real estate and hooked me up.”

  She opens the door to the porch and the ocean breeze blows through the living room. Thoughts of us drinking coffee every morning, watching the ocean, flood my mind. I want her here with me. I step into her back and wrap my arms around her waist. She leans back into me and my heart starts racing. She’s not pushing me away.

  “Such a stunning view.”

  “I was thinking the same thing.” I kiss along her collarbone to her shoulder.

  She surprises me by turning and placing her hands on my biceps. Our eyes meet the need to taste her consumes me. Without warning, I press my mouth to hers. She opens just slightly and I slide my tongue around the edge of her lips and then slip inside. Her taste is a combination of cherry lip-gloss and sweet tea and I can’t get enough. Dropping my hands to her ass, I pull her into me and hope she feels my erection against her hip. The sound of her groan resonates through my body. I want to hear that sound every day and night, preferably, while inside her.

  She starts to slow the kiss and I let her. When she pulls back, I nip at her lips and stare into her eyes, which are a deep shade of green right now. One thing I always loved was the way her eyes would turn based on her mood. The color right now usually meant she was turned on.

  “I could do that all day, Angel,” I say softly. “I’ve missed your lips on mine.”

  She doesn’t say anything but her dimples start to show with her grin.

  “My suit is upstairs in my room. You want the rest of the tour?”

  “Maybe it isn’t a good idea for us to go to your bedroom right now.” She grinds on me lightly.

  “Oh, I think it’s a very good idea.”

  “Reed, what about taking it slow?”

  “Shit, Ari, do you feel what you do to me?” I move her small hand to the bulge in my shorts and press into her. Even with the fabric between us, my body buzzes with need. She licks her swollen lips slowly and looks between our hands and my face. Her expression shows the same desire I have.

  “Reed, I need to tell you something.”

  “Anything, baby.”

  “I haven’t been with anyone since we broke up.”

  “What?” I ask in disbelief.

  “I tried, I dated a guy when Davis was about a year old, but we never actually had sex.”

  A sense of possessiveness washes over me and I growl in my throat. The thought of her with another man at all makes me fucking insane.

  “We tried but something always happened. He was a little older than me and was patient, but finally he got tired of always being second. Between finishing school, starting a new job, and being a single mother, there hasn’t been much time for dating.”

  I stare at her for a few seconds trying to let the words sink in. My gut clenches with regret thinking about all the women I’ve had over the years. While Ari was busy putting her life on track and raising Davis, I was playing ball and whoring around.

  Having her body pressed up against mine, I regret every single one of those women. It’s always been easy to get laid, but I’ve never felt anything during sex except the search for release. Not many of them were repeats because it became messy. Now, with the sexual energy surrounding Ari and me, I crave intimacy and closeness.

  “Are you going to say something?” Her small voice breaks through my thoughts.

  “Would it freak you out if I said thank fucking God?”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “There are a lot of thoughts running through my mind right now, but it thrills me beyond measure that I’m the only man to ever cherish your body.”

  “I didn’t say I’d been completely celibate. Just no sex.”

  “Ari,” I growl. “Not a good idea to talk about this anymore. I can assure you, I never want to hear about you with another man. At all.”

  She tries to step back, but I hold tighter and kiss her forehead. “Maybe we should finish the tour another day. There’s not enough hours left before our date for me to do all the things I want to your body.”

  It’s all I can do to step away from her and jog up the stairs to get dressed. When I throw my shorts across the bed, the note from my car falls out. I look at again and reluctantly dial the number. It rings a few times while I pull on my swim trunks and decide
to leave off my shirt.

  “Hello.”

  “It’s Reed.” I try to sound indifferent.

  “We need to talk privately.”

  “Can this wait? I’ve got plans.”

  “No, make time for me this afternoon.”

  “What the fuck? You know I’m with Ari today.”

  “That’s exactly why we need to talk. I know where you’re staying. I’ll be there at five.”

  He doesn’t give me a chance to reply before he hangs up. Anger boils in my blood. What in the hell does Luke Adams need to talk to me about?

  Ari’s on the porch when I get back downstairs. Irritation from my phone call with Luke disappears when I see her. She’s piled her hair on top of her head in a messy bun and removed her cover up. Her towel is wrapped around her waist. She turns when she hears me and my mouth goes dry. She’s a fucking vision. Red triangles barely cover her tits and the ties around her neck and back scream for me to untie them. Images of her sprawled on the deck while I rip the top from her body and devour her tight nipples flood my mind. My dick jumps and I instantly grab it trying to calm down. Her eyes flick from my hand to my face and she blushes.

  “Come here.” My voice is rougher than I meant.

  She walks inside and stops two feet away from me. I step into her space and run my hands down her arms lightly. Goose bumps trail my touch and I’m thrilled to have this effect on her.

  “You’re fucking gorgeous. How do you expect me to behave when you look like this?”

  She shrugs and grins.

  Tugging at the towel, I watch it fall to the floor. Raking my eyes up her body reinforces my hard on. The red bottoms hug her hips perfectly. I lick my lips looking at her toned legs and flat stomach. She’s the only person in my life that makes me lose my mind without even touching.

  I drop slowly to the ground making sure to be gentle on my bad knee. She bites her bottom lip watching me nervously. Without words, I grip her waist and move her to me. My face is at perfect eye-level with the red triangles that stand in the way of my lips connecting with her flesh. I blow a breath on her skin and feel her shutter. Her hands come up to my hair and I kiss every inch of exposed skin making sure to lick the fabric over her tits. I leave a trail behind and it’s obvious where my mouth has been.