“Tell me why.”
He drained his coffee and set down his mug, then turned to me. “I’ve been struggling.”
“I know that. What I don’t understand is why.”
He exhaled long and hard, picking up my hand again.
“I thought I was moving forward in my life. Moving away from my past. Sandy let me know, without a doubt, I was doing anything but that. I was drowning in my past and letting it swamp me.”
“Tell me, Reid.”
I listened as he told me about his conversation with Sandy. I couldn’t help the tears that flowed down my cheeks as he told me about her statement of wishing she’d had the chance to be his mother.
“She would have been a wonderful mother to you.”
“She would have, but as weird as it sounds, I wouldn’t trade my life until now for that to have happened.”
“Why?”
“If she’d been busy being a mother, she might not have met Bentley and the guys. She wouldn’t be a part of BAM. Neither would I.”
“You would rather have that job than erase a lifetime of painful memories?”
He edged nearer to me so our knees were touching.
“My job brought me to you. I would rather have you in my future than good memories of my past. I want the memories you and I create to be the ones I think of when I’m old and gray.”
My breath caught at his powerful words.
“What brought this on, Reid? Tell me, please.”
He sighed. “It was a combination, Becca. The fact that Maddox was getting married and I realized I might not be able to go because I didn’t have a passport and I wasn’t sure I could get one because of my record. The idea of buying a place for us at some point—I don’t know if I can get a mortgage with my past. I mean, what bank wants to back someone who went to prison for stealing from another bank?” He dropped his head. “All I could think of was I wasn’t good enough for you. That you deserved someone who could give you everything you wanted.”
I took in a deep breath and forced myself to remain calm.
“How do you know what I want, Reid? You never asked. This isn’t the first time you’ve made a decision, based on what you think is best for me, without asking, you know.”
His gaze flew to mine. “I know you want to travel. You’ve said so. You said you’d like to buy a condo in Ridge Towers if you were staying here.”
“Yes, I have said that. I’ve also said I want to bungee-jump and try parasailing, but if it doesn’t happen, my life won’t come to an end.”
He furrowed his brow. “I don’t understand.”
I smiled. “You need to stop deciding what I need, Reid. What would be best for me. You aren’t my parent. I want you to be my partner. I want to discuss things with you. Make decisions together.” I tilted my head. “You know, I somehow managed to make it twenty-five years on my own. I went to school, held down a job, moved three times, and I was part of one of the most successful launches in the history of BAM. All without someone second-guessing if I should be doing those things.” I smirked. “Even my father knows better than to question me when I make a decision in regard to living my life.”
“I don’t want to hold you back.”
I flung up my hands. “There you go again. Who says you’re going to hold me back?”
“If I can’t—”
I shook my head in anger. “Reid, one of the things that drew me to you was your optimism. Your zest for life. The way you tackled every project with a ‘Let’s do this!’ attitude. It was as if nothing was going to stop you. What changed? Why are you letting these doubts overwhelm you?”
His response was immediate. “Because I never had so much at stake until now. Until you.”
“Reid—” I whispered.
“I want to make your life better, Becca, not to cause you worries and issues you shouldn’t have to deal with.”
“Shouldn’t I be allowed to decide what I do and do not want to deal with?”
This time, he remained quiet, thinking over my words. Finally, he spoke.
“Yes, you should.”
“We’ll deal with it together. Stop with these unilateral decisions when it comes to our future!”
“Do we have a future, Becca? Or have I messed this up so badly, you’re done with me?”
“You have messed up, yes. But not to the point of being done with you. Not by a long shot.”
He closed his eyes, his shoulders sagging with relief.
I leaned forward, my voice firm. “Listen to me, Reid. What did Sandy tell you? You aren’t alone anymore. We can take your problems and break them down, one by one, and solve them. The same way you do with an IT problem. You never tackle it as a whole. You break it into manageable steps, and you work at it until you solve it. Until we solve it. But you have to let me in. Talk to me. Talk to your friends. We all love you and want to help.”
His eyes flew open. “You-you love me?”
I hadn’t meant to say those words to him. I didn’t think he was ready to hear them. I didn’t think I was ready to say them. Yet, there they were—hanging between us like a shining spotlight. I knew I could tell him I loved him as a friend and that he meant a great deal to me, but not the way it came out.
But tonight was about the truth.
“Yes, Reid Matthews. I’m falling in love with you. That’s why this hurts so much.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Stop shutting me out. Let me share your life.”
Our gazes locked. His was filled with emotion and worry.
He blew out a long breath. “I can’t tell you I’m falling in love with you, Becca.”
My breath faltered. “Oh.”
He cupped my face. “Because I’m already there. I love you, Becca Holden. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I love you so much and I want you in my life.”
I wasn’t sure who moved first, but I was under him on the sofa, his mouth on mine.
Hard and deep.
Possessive and claiming.
Filled with want and passion.
Repeating with his body, the words he had said out loud.
I love you.
His firm, rough chest pressed into mine, his body pushing me deep into the cushions of the sofa. I slipped my hands under the blanket surrounding him, caressing the warm, damp skin on his back. He groaned into my mouth, kissing me deeper, overwhelming me until all I could think about was him. His taste. His scent. How he reacted to my touch. The way I felt his desire.
How much I wanted him in return.
He pulled back, his breathing erratic. “I’m squishing you.”
“What a way to go,” I teased.
“I need to be with you, BB. Will you let me?”
“You never have to ask.” I trailed my fingers down his cheek, feeling the coarseness of his stubble and the dampness of his tears. “I’m yours, Reid.”
“Say it,” he pleaded. “I need to hear it.”
“I love you.”
“I never thought I would hear those words from anyone.”
“I’ll say them every day.”
One more tear ran down his cheek, then he stood and scooped me up, holding me close to his chest. He walked swiftly to my room, his arms keeping me tight to his body.
“I’m going to work to be the man you deserve, Becca.”
I smiled at him.
“You already are, Reid. You already are.”
* * *
I expected Reid to toss me on my bed and be all over me in an instant. I knew he was ready. I had felt how ready he was. But he surprised me when he laid me down tenderly, kneeling beside me, only looking, not touching. I felt his gaze everywhere, warming my skin, making me long for his touch.
“Reid,” I whispered. “I need you closer.”
“I need you to know how much you mean to me.”
I opened my arms. “Show me.”
He crawled up the mattress, nestled between my legs. His mouth covered mine, the stroke
of his tongue long and sensuous. Piece by piece, he pulled off my clothes, and let me push away his boxers so we were skin-to-skin. Rough rolling over soft. Hard muscles sculpting and fitting into my rounded curves. His hands never stopped—they touched and stroked. Caressed and teased. Plucked and rubbed. All done with gentle sweeps, tender arcs, and the lightest of pressure. He touched me everywhere until I was nothing but a mass of desire, wanting him more than I had ever wanted another man. The whole time, he whispered to me, words filled with devotion and love.
“You are so beautiful.”
“Always, Becca. I will want you this way always.”
“You are home. You’re my home.”
“I love you.”
Finally, I begged, “Please, Reid.”
He hovered over me, the blunt head of his thick, hard cock rubbing against my center. Our eyes locked, our gaze never wavering as he slid in, inch by inch, until we were flush. I groaned at the sensation of having him inside me. He began to move, his thrusts slow, even, and deep—his movements meant to draw out my pleasure. He kissed me, his tongue mimicking his cock, drugging my senses.
All that existed was Reid. His body. His cock. His love.
“More, please.” I arched, wrapping my legs around his hips to bring him closer. “I need more of you. Faster.”
“No,” he groaned. “I want to savor you. Savor this. Just feel me, baby. Feel how we fit together. Know we’re going to be this way every time.” He slid his hand under my ass, lifting me, pushing deeper. His forehead pressed to mine, his breath hot on my face. “Every single time I make you mine.”
He sped up, still gentle, but hitting me exactly where I needed. I tumbled over the edge, crying out his name.
He stilled, his body taut, groaning my name as he rode out his orgasm. He buried his face in my neck, murmuring words I couldn’t understand. I didn’t need to—his tone said all I had to know.
He was with me, and he wasn’t going anywhere.
Reid was back. And he belonged to me.
Reid
The lazy feeling of serenity drifted through me. The rain had picked up, and unlike the cold wet that had beat against me outside, now the sound was soothing as it hit the window. Becca was nestled beside me, her warmth and scent wrapped around me like a blanket. Turning my head, I pressed a kiss to her crown, gently sliding my hand up and down her arm.
She lifted her head, smiling at me, languid and sated. “Hey.”
I lowered my head and kissed her plump lips. “Hey, BB.”
“You okay?”
I grinned. “More than okay. You?”
She snuggled closer, draping her arm over my waist. “Perfect.” She chuckled softly. “You wore me out, though.”
I tucked her head under my chin. I had made love to her twice, the second time nowhere near as sweet as the first. That had been to show her my feelings—how much she meant to me.
A short time later, watching her slumber, seeing her breasts rise and fall, the nipples still rosy and peaked from my mouth, my cock had stirred. I tugged down the blanket, revealing more of her naked perfection to me. Her body was a work of art. The swell of her breasts, the curve of her waistline, the roundness of her hips. Her skin was silky and smelled of vanilla and sugar. She was delicate yet strong, her limbs and muscles toned and flexible. Compact, but powerful. I loved how she felt against me, our bodies meshing, aligning so well despite our differences.
She mumbled in her sleep, rolling to her side. I traced the ridges of her spine with my finger, marveling at the simple beauty of her back. Her ass was rounded, and I couldn’t resist cupping one cheek, the firm muscle twitching in my grip. Two beauty marks rested side by side on her shoulder blade, and I kissed them, my tongue lingering on her skin. I dragged my mouth down her back, desire taking over. Easing her onto her back, I closed my mouth around her nipple, sucking and licking as she began to stir. I glided my fingers to her core, still wet from our earlier lovemaking, teasing and stroking as she woke, groaning my name.
Her eyes still closed, she arched, driving my fingers deeper. My cock was desperate to replace them, but I wanted her ready and awake. She shook, her body already close, opening her eyes to meet mine. Desire swam in her blue depths.
“Oh God, Reid.”
“I need to fuck you, Becca. Now.”
“Yes,” she whimpered. “Now.”
In seconds, I was nestled between her legs, sliding my cock into her heat. She wrapped her legs around my waist, and I took her. My need was rampant as I drove into her hard and fast—mindless and aching. I felt her everywhere as my orgasm built like wildfire in my veins, burning and twisting so hot I was certain all that would remain was ash when I climaxed. She was right there with me, her back bowing off the bed, gripping my arms, tightening her legs and making the sexiest sounds as I had her.
Her orgasm hit, her neck straining as she stiffened, milking my cock, her muscles fluttering and urging me to join her. I braced myself on her headboard, thrusting as my balls tightened. Pleasure took over, and I came, shaking, gasping, calling her name, the intensity so great for a minute it was as if I was lost in a sea of sensation.
I collapsed on her chest, unable to speak.
“Are you sore?” I asked, trying not to be turned on thinking of what we had done.
“You have to ask?” She laughed. “That was amazing.” She kissed my chest. “We’re amazing together.”
“Yeah, we are.”
My stomach grumbled loudly in the room.
She lifted her head. “Did you not eat dinner? Or did you build up an appetite?”
“Both.”
“I made pasta but never ate it,” she confessed. “I can heat it up if you wanted.”
Suddenly, I was ravenous. “I want.”
* * *
Wrapped in a blanket, sitting at her counter, I inhaled the pasta she had made. Two huge bowls were gone before I felt replete. As usual, Becca ate slower, watching me eat with a small grin.
“What?” I wiped my mouth, draining the glass of milk she had placed in front of me.
She shrugged. “I love to watch you eat. Especially if I’ve made it. Your enjoyment makes me smile.”
“Food in prison is pretty bland. It’s supposed to be nutritional, but there’s no flavor.” I sighed, playing with my fork. “I’m sure the fact that you’re in prison has something to do with it.”
“That makes sense.”
“When I got out, I went for a cheeseburger. I had been craving one for years.” I shut my eyes, remembering the flavor. “I thought I was going to cry over it. It tasted like freedom. Every time I eat something delicious now, I appreciate it more than ever.”
I glanced at her. She was watching me with a tender look on her face. Leaning forward, I kissed her. “Your cooking is such a treat. Thank you.”
She hummed.
Not wanting to get into another deep discussion, I changed the subject.
“So what is on the agenda this week, now that the campaign is up and running?”
She sipped her water, setting down the glass. “I’ll maintain it, adjust the ads and placement. Sales are still so strong, we want to keep it visible. Once Bentley is happy, we’ll wind it down and move on to phase two. Plus, he had me working on a few other things. He wasn’t kidding when he told Richard he could keep me busy full time. I’m amazed at the number of projects BAM is involved in.”
“I know. The company is so diversified.”
“I have to get to the bank and deposit my bonus,” Becca said, excited.
“Bonus?”
She frowned. “Oh, um, maybe I wasn’t supposed to say anything?”
“No, that’s great. They gave you a bonus?”
She nodded. “When we went to dinner on that Sunday night. Bentley gave me an envelope and said it was for going above and beyond. I know Richard refused the one he was offered the next day and told Bentley he wanted access to your report instead.”
“That makes sense. Bentley told
me to license it to The Gavin Group.” I squeezed her hand. “I’m glad they rewarded you, BB. You deserve it.”
She bent low, as if telling me a secret. “It was five thousand dollars, Reid. I was shocked how generous they were.”
“I’m not. They believe in rewarding their staff, and they make sure to take good care of us. Bentley appreciates loyalty.”
She hesitated, then asked, “You didn’t get one?”
“Yeah, I think I did. They came to see me after the meeting and gave me an envelope. I put it in my drawer, meaning to open it later. When Sandy got the call about Max, I forgot.”
“You should open it tomorrow and say thank you.”
Chuckling, I kissed her nose. “I will.” I sat back. “Any big plans for the money?” I knew if Becca received five thousand, mine would be equal, perhaps even a little higher. Some was going into the bank toward my future. Our future. The one I needed to talk to her about some more. But I wanted to splurge a little as well.
“I-I’m going to surprise my dad and go see him. Sandy arranged my days off around a long weekend so I could have more time. I’m going to go for five days.”
“Oh.” It made sense she would want to do that. Still, I was disappointed. I had thought maybe we could go away together, but I knew she missed her father. “He’ll be thrilled, I’m sure.”
She inhaled, squaring her shoulders. “Would you come with me, Reid? Meet my dad?”
“Is that a good idea, Becca?”
“I love you,” she replied.
Her words made me smile and reach for her hand.
“You’re part of my life. He knows I’ve been seeing someone.”
“Does he know about my past?”
She swallowed, looking away.
“Becca, we can’t hide it. He’ll find out eventually, and he’ll be angry we weren’t truthful.”
“I thought he could meet you, get to know you, then I would tell him.”
I shook my head. “No. You tell him when you talk to him this week. Once he knows, if you still want me to come, I will.”
“Really?”
Vested Interest Box Set Books 4-7 Page 18
