A low rumble vibrates his chest as I grab the bottom of his shirt and jerk it up, breaking contact with his mouth as I pull it over his head.
I lean back to examine the fruits of my labor, barely getting a glimpse of his broad chest and toned stomach, when one of his hands grabs the hair at the nape of my neck, tilting back my head, giving him full access to my mouth. His tongue searches my mouth, demanding my own to join with his.
His other hand glides over my ass to my leg, jerking the hem of my dress up so his fingertips brush the back of my thigh as they slide up and hook under the edge of my panties. He palms my butt cheek, pulling me closer. I press against him, desperate to fill this craving for him, pissed at him for turning me into this person I don’t recognize.
His mouth tears from mine and he growls, “You drive me fucking crazy.” He releases my hair then pushes my leg off his waist. I’m about to offer my protest when he slides my panties down over my hips in one fluid motion. They fall to my ankles and I step out of them as I reach for the front of his jeans, fumbling with the button. He groans and helps me but when he gets the button undone, I reach for his zipper, unzipping his pants, then reaching inside and stroking his erection. He groans and presses himself into my hand.
He finds the zipper at the back of my dress then tugs the straps off my shoulders, jerking the front of my dress down to expose my black strapless bra. Then suddenly, his mouth is on mine again, bruising as he claims me. His arm pins me to him while one hand finds my breast and slips under the cup of my bra. He fondles my nipple, making me gasp, but his mouth continues its onslaught as his fingers send a bolt of want straight to my pelvis.
“God, I want you,” he mumbles against my lips as his hand leaves my breast. I’m about to complain when he slips his fingers between my legs, finding the spot that makes my knees buckle. His arm holds me up while his fingers continue their torture, and I moan. “Reed.”
He’s got me so worked up that I’m ready to beg him. He lifts me up and sets me on the edge of a table, tugging up my dress and exposing me. He pulls the front of my bra down so that every private part of me is exposed to him, but instead of shame or embarrassment the raw desire in his eyes makes me bold.
He pulls a foil square from his pocket, quickly slipping on a condom, then he kisses me roughly, his tongue plunging into my mouth as he enters me in one full stroke.
I cling to his neck and wrap my legs around his waist, as one of his arms circles around my back, holding me in place. He pulls back and enters again.
I lean my head back and groan. His mouth moves down my neck, licking as he slows to short strokes.
The ache deep inside me builds, begging for more.
His mouth lowers to my breast, licking and nipping until I moan. “Reed.” I press my hips into his, grinding into him.
The arm around my back pulls me up and his mouth moves to my neck. I cling to him as his pace quickens and the pressure in my pelvis builds. He’s frantic as though he can’t get deep enough and I match his need. My feet lock around his back and he lifts me off the table and moves to the side, pressing my back into the wall. He continues his punishing pace and I’m climbing to a level I’ve never reached before, teetering on the edge of oblivion. And then he plunges deeper and I break, losing all control and crying out. His mouth covers mine as he pushes deeper still and he groans loud and long into my mouth.
When he stops, he turns to set me on the table, still inside me. His hands cup my face as he looks into my eyes, filled with wonder and lust. The sight of his desire kindles the flame in my gut, and I’m ready to go another round, but the doorknob shakes. We both jerk to reality. We’re in a storeroom in various states of undress. Alarm spreads across his face, and he blocks the door.
I scramble off the table pulling up the front of my dress as I search for my panties.
Oh, God. I can’t find them.
I look up at Reed, but he’s bent over, picking up his shirt off the floor and pulling it over his head.
Shit.
The door opens, and Reed pulls me against his chest, turning me away from the door and zipping my dress. He kisses me long and slow. I wonder why he’s kissing me when we’ve been caught. The sex-crazed maniac he’s turned me into craves him all over again.
The door opens and a guy grumbles. “Get a room.”
Reed lifts his head and grins at the employee. “What do you think I’m doing? How about you leave so I can get lucky?”
I want to cry with gratitude. Reed’s saving me from embarrassment.
“How about you do it somewhere else?” The guy holds the door open, waiting.
Reed keeps an arm around my back and escorts me out the door, then pushes me against the wall, kissing me again. When the employee leaves the storeroom and walks past us, Reed lifts his head, resolve replacing his lust.
“This was a mistake.”
“Excuse me?” I’ve never experienced anything like I just had with him. And now he’s calling it a mistake?
He takes a step back, the man who fucked me senseless retreating behind his wall of disdain. “Caroline, we’re both here with other people.”
Oh, dear God. He’s right.
How in the hell could I forget that?
What is this hold he has over me? It has to be chemistry or powerful pheromones. Voodoo. Only something unearthly would make me behave this way. Tears fill my eyes at the realization. I just did what every guy in high school thought I did. For three years, I’ve been so careful with my reputation, careful to not give anyone just cause to call me a slut. Look at me now.
“I have to go to the bathroom.” I push past him toward the restroom door, but he grabs my arm and pulls me to his chest.
“Caroline.”
I look up and the disgust on his face rips away my last shred of dignity.
Anger roars in my head. Anger at him but mostly anger at me. I’m a fucking idiot. “You got what you wanted, Reed. Congratulations. You just achieved what every guy in my high school and a good portion of the guys at Southern hoped to achieve: a quick fuck with Caroline Hunter. You’re the lucky winner, but don’t worry.” Hate rushes through my blood and disgust because this close to him, I still want him. I still ache for him even after what he’s done. I am a complete fucking idiot. “I won’t make that mistake again.”
I jerk out of his hold, and shove the bathroom door open and hide inside.
I can’t stay here long. He’s right. We’re both here with someone else. And even as infatuated as Brandon was with Lexi, one of them is bound to notice I’ve been gone awhile.
I need to pull myself together. I can lose it when I get home, but not now.
I can’t face Reed again and not crumble, and I’m scared Reed will be in the hall when I open the door, but he’s gone. I’m equally relieved and devastated. What I expect from him at this point is beyond me.
I feign a half-smile when I reach the table. Brandon and Lexi are deep in conversation, and they look up, surprised to see me. If I had even half the feelings for Brandon that I feel with Reed, I’d fight for him. For the possibilities of what we could have. But every fucking relationship I’ve ever had doesn’t even come close to what I just had with Reed. I want to burst into tears. Instead, I grimace. “I have a headache.”
Concern washes over Brandon’s face, but I hold my hand up in reassurance.
“It’s only a small one, but I ran into a friend and she’s offered to take me home.”
“No.” Brandon reaches for his jacket. “You’re my date. I should take you home.”
Disappointment and guilt flood Lexi’s eyes.
At least one of us should be happy. Why is it always someone other than me? I pick up my purse and wrap and smile at Brandon. “You’re a wonderful guy, but you don’t deserve someone like me.” No, he doesn’t deserve a girlfriend who fucks another guy in a bar storeroom while on a date with him. “Thank you for dinner, but I’ve got a ride home, so stay with Lexi.”
“Are you sure?�
�� Lexi asks.
I give her a genuine smile. I like Lexi and I want her to be happy. She has a far better chance of that with Brandon than I do. “I’m positive. Have fun.” I raise my eyebrows and tip my head toward Brandon.
She laughs. “Thank you, Caroline.”
I turn to leave and walk out into the parking lot and pull my cell phone out of my purse. I hate to call Scarlett but she’s the only one who I trust right now. The phone rings twice before Tucker answers. “Hey, Caroline. What’s up?”
“I need to talk to Scarlett.” I try to stop the tears welling in my eyes and a lump burns my throat.
“She had a headache and went to bed.”
“Okay.” I choke out. “I’ve got to go.”
“Caroline. Wait.” His tone has changed to hesitant. “What happened?”
Tucker is the last person I want to see, but I can’t afford a cab and it’s too far and too dangerous to walk. Especially in these shoes. “I need a ride.”
“Where are you?” He sounds worried. “Was it the dickhead you went out with tonight? What the fuck did he do?”
I laugh through my tears. I inherited an enforcer when Scarlett got herself a boyfriend. “I’m at Belvedere’s. I’m waiting outside.”
“Go back inside. It’s not safe for you to be waiting outside alone at this time of night.”
“Tucker, it’s only ten o’clock.” Great. I fucked a guy in a storeroom and I have time to get home and watch the evening news. I choke back a sob. Look how efficient I am. “I’m fine.” But I’m the furthest thing from fine I’ve ever been. I just need to get to the safety of my home.
“I’m already on my way. But go inside if you feel threatened.”
“Just get here. Please.” I hang up before I embarrass myself anymore. I’ve done that enough tonight to last a lifetime.
The air is crisp and my wrap barely covers me. I wrap my arms around myself in an attempt to keep warm and to stop my shaking. After about five minutes, Tucker’s car pulls into the parking lot as Reed storms out of the building. He searches the parking lot, worry on his face when he turns to see me. He squeezes his eyes shut for several seconds then starts toward me as Tucker’s car pulls up to the curb. I reach for the door handle.
“Caroline. Wait!” Reed shouts.
I shake my head, not trusting myself to speak. I climb into the car and lock the door.
Tucker’s knuckles are white as he grips the steering wheel. “Do I need to get out and kick that fucker’s ass?”
“No.” I choke out. “Go.”
As Tucker pulls out to the parking lot, Reed shouts, “Caroline!”
The sobs are building in my chest, and I’m not sure I can hold them in until I get home.
“That was Reed Pendergraft, wasn’t it?” Tucker is seething with rage.
I nod. “Yeah.”
“What did that son of a bitch do this time?”
I shake my head. “I’m fine.” If I told Tucker what just happened, Reed and I would both be dead. I’d die of humiliation and Tucker would beat the ever-loving shit out of Reed.
“The fuck you are.”
“Tucker, you have no idea how much what you’re doing means to me right now.” Tears stream down my face, taking pressure off the sobs begging for escape. “But I need to deal with this on my own.”
“I’m taking you to our place.”
“No. Scarlett’s sick and I’m fine.”
“Scarlett only has a headache. She would want you at our place.”
I’m tempted, but a meltdown is rushing to the surface, and I don’t want Scarlett and Tucker to witness that. “Tucker. I need to be alone.”
“What if he shows up at your apartment? Does he know where you live?”
I don’t dare tell him Reed’s on a date with Tina. Oh shit. What if he tries to see me when he takes her home? But surely he won’t. Oh, God. What if Tina finds out? No, Reed wouldn’t be so stupid to tell her, and Brandon and Lexi have no clue. The only person who knows anything happened between Reed and me is Tucker.
“You have to promise you won’t tell anyone anything happened between Reed and me.”
He turns to me, his forehead wrinkling in suspicion. “Why?”
“Please. Just promise me.”
“Caroline, I don’t even know what happened.”
“Tucker, please.”
“Okay.”
“Not even Scarlett.”
“Now I can’t—”
“Tucker, I’m begging you.” If he tells Scarlett he picked me up, she’ll want to know why, and I’ll have to tell the whole sordid tale. I’d rather keep this walk of shame between Tucker and me. “Please.”
“Fine.” He grunts, clearly unhappy about what I’ve asked him to do.
Tucker insists on walking up to my apartment with me and waiting for me to unlock the door. My hands are shaky, and he takes the keys and opens the door. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
I nod, refusing to look at him.
“Caroline.” He waits for me to look up at him. “I’m here for you. Consider me the big brother you never had. If some guy messes with you, you tell me, and I’ll take care of it. Okay?”
I nod, tears flowing against my will. I have a big brother and he never once offered anything like this. “Thanks.” I’m grateful for everything Tucker’s done, but I don’t know how long I can keep my sobs in check.
Tucker kisses my forehead. “I’m only a phone call away, Caroline. Use me. Let me kick that fucker’s ass.”
“And mess up his pretty face?”
“That’s what he gets for screwing with my girlfriend’s best friend.”
Tucker’s word choice hits too close to home. “Good night.” I shut myself in the apartment, locking the door, sobs erupting before I make it to my room. I kick off my shoes and fall onto my bed, sobbing for what seems an eternity until I fall asleep.
Chapter Thirteen
“You look like shit,” Tina mumbles the next morning. She’s sitting at the kitchen table with a textbook and a cup of coffee.
I pull a box of cereal out of the cabinet and find a bowl. “Gee, thanks.”
“Bad date, huh? I saw your guy hanging out with some other chick at the club I was at.”
“Yeah.” I open the fridge to get out the milk and peer at her through the hair hanging in my face. She looks relatively happy, even if it has a surly edge. “How’d your date go?”
She groans. “He’s a bore.”
I think about what Reed and I did in the storeroom and boring is the last thing that comes to mind. “That’s too bad.” Pouring the milk in my bowl, I keep my back to her. “What are you doing up so early?”
“Reed brought me home before eleven o’clock. Can you fucking believe it? That’s what I get for dating a guy in the math department.” She looks up from her book. “Say, do you know why Tucker was here last night, sitting on the steps to our apartment?”
I nearly choke on my cereal as I spin around. “Tucker was here?”
“Yeah, totally random. Just sitting there. I asked him why he was there, and he said something about how he’d been out for a run and needed to rest, but his car was in the parking lot, and he was wearing jeans.” She turns the page of her book. “I suspect it had something to do with Reed.”
Blood rushes to my feet. “Why do you say that?”
“Because they had this weird vibe going. Tucker said something like ‘You don’t plan on going inside that apartment, do you?’ and Reed said, ‘I don’t see how it’s any of your business,’ or something like that.” Tina gets up from the table with her cup and heads for the coffeemaker. “Why would Tucker care who I go out with?”
“I don’t know.”
“Reed didn’t come in, not that either of us wanted him to, even before Tucker said his piece. I think they talked after I came inside, though. I saw them in the parking lot.”
“What?” I’m horrified. Did Tucker force Reed to tell him what happened?
“I wonder
if it has to do with Scarlett.” She puts a cup in the coffeemaker and pushes a button. “You know how protective he is of her.” She shakes her head. “Who can figure those two out?”
My stomach is rolling, so I set my bowl in the sink and head to my bedroom. I lie on my back and stare at the ceiling. Maybe I can become a recluse and do all my classes online so I don’t ever have to leave this apartment. It’s bad enough I completely lost control and slutted it up, but what if Tucker knows what I did? And what does Reed think about me? Sure, he wanted me in the storeroom, but the look of disgust on his face afterward was enough to tell me what he really thought. Maybe that’s his thing, to fuck girls in storerooms.
Of course, I’m completely dismissing the fact I dragged him back there. I instigated the entire thing. If anyone is to blame, it’s me.
Tears prick my eyes but I force them to dry up. I had my cry and crying won’t help anything. Okay, so Reed thinks I’m a slut. I’ve made it a point to make sure everyone else thinks otherwise. Even if he tells people what happened, who’s going to believe it? We weren’t at the club together. As far as I know, no one even knows we saw each other there. I’m freaking out over nothing.
But I’m not. I close my eyes and feel Reed’s mouth on mine, his hands on my ass, his…. If I’m honest, my behavior isn’t my only fear. My biggest fear is that I’ll never experience that kind of primal, lusty sex again. And that is just as devastating to face as the fact I actually did it. Because I liked it. I liked it a lot.
Good girls don’t behave that way.
I groan when I realize I’m going to have to face Reed on Monday. Will he give me the same look of disgust? Why did he come after me in the parking lot?
I’m horrified at what I did in the storeroom, but I’m frightened of my body’s reaction even after he told me it was a mistake. The man has serious control over me, whether he realizes it or not, and that’s dangerous.
I need to avoid Reed at all costs.
***
Redesigned Page 11
