He stroked the back of my hand. “Where do I begin? First, you’re driven and professional. Blake clearly sees you as his biggest competitor for a good reason.” He leaned in closer, causing my pulse to race. “You’re absolutely adorable when you’re flustered and beautiful when you dance.”
Yeah, dance when I’m high on E. My entire body burned with embarrassment.
Reed continued with the compliments, despite my intense blush. “You have crazy ninja moves and I have a good sized bruise on my back to prove it.”
My hand flew out of his grasp and covered my mouth in shame. “Oh my God! I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Reed gently pulled my hand away from my mouth and kissed it. “Don’t be. You don’t know how much it turns me on that you can take care of yourself.”
Could I take care of myself?
I had a good job that paid well, but where would I be without Marlowe?
I wasn’t as strong as he thought. Not even close. I was a functional train wreck who only knew how to work and lean on others for help.
Reed leaned in, his face getting nearer and nearer until our lips touched in a sweet kiss. I licked my lips afterward, savoring his taste. I didn’t have moments like these - ever. Reed had stormed the castle, climbing over my high walls so he could lay siege to my heart. I had removed the barbwire and let him in, but it scared me, to feel so…I don’t know.
“Where did you grow up?” I interrupted the flow of events, slowing things down so that my brain could catch up with the ache in my body that only had one remedy.
Reed stayed close, still gripping my hand. “Bay Ridge, but I’m on the Upper West Side now near the American Museum of Natural History.”
“Nice. I love that area, so close to the park,” and my ex, “and Blossom, my favorite vegan restaurant.” I took a sip of wine and leaned back a little, creating some safe distance.
“I love Blossom,” Reed said. “I’ll take you there when we get back to the city. For dessert, there’s the best Hungarian pastry shop near my home.”
“That sounds amazing,” I said while my insides did a happy dance. He was planning future dates, which had to be a good sign. I took a drink and continued. “Given your track record so far, I’m sure we’ll have a wonderful time.” I smiled at Reed and watched as his eyes darkened with hunger. He leaned in again for another kiss. I wanted to kiss him, to feel his soft lips against mine, his tongue probing my mouth, his hands up my shirt, but something held me back. I didn’t know very much about him. What if he just saw me as a conquest? I didn’t do one-night stands. Dodging his kiss, I asked, “Do you work from your home or do you have an office somewhere?”
“I work from my home,” he answered immediately and then paused. “Am I doing something wrong?” He studied my face.
“Of course not.” It’s not you, it’s all me!
“It’s just, every time I get close, you pull away. I thought that we were mutually attracted to each other, and now I’m left wondering if it’s all in my head.”
It was time to come clean. I sighed and took another sip of wine. “Trust me, it’s not you. I’m damaged goods.” I looked past Reed to the ocean, ebbing relentlessly against the sand. “I had my heart broken two years ago and I haven’t really trusted anyone ever since. So…”
“Every time you find yourself drawn to me, you hold yourself back.” Channeling his shrink powers, Reed completed my sentence.
“Exactly,” I said. “I’m so afraid of getting hurt that it paralyzes me and prevents me from forming meaningful attachments with others.”
Reed smiled. “It sounds like you’re seeing one of my people.”
“Yes. I have a wonderful psychologist.” There it was. My primary vulnerability etherized on a table for him to examine and pick apart. I leaned back and waited for him to run for the hills.
Reed took a sip of wine and then trained his beautiful dark eyes on me. “And what does your lovely psychologist tell you about your fear of being hurt?”
My lips parted to say something, but nothing coherent came to mind. Lost in his eyes, falling through space without a tether, I wondered what it would be like to wake up and see his face next to mine on the pillow. His eyes crinkled at the corner, filling with mirth and breaking the hypnotic hold he had over me. I couldn’t help but join in his smile. “She says that if I don’t get back on the horse that I’ll never overcome my fears.” I finally answered his question.
Reed stroked my face. The pad of his thumb ran a trail from my cheekbone down to my lips. I took my psychologist’s advice along with a little WWMD, and turned my head to take his thumb in my mouth. My tongue caressed the underside of his finger, tasting the delicious saltiness of his skin. With a tiny suck, I let his finger go.
An almost imperceptible moan escaped Reed’s lips before he bridged the gap between us and seized my mouth with his. This time I didn’t turn away. I took what I wanted without thinking about the consequences. Parting my lips to welcome his eager tongue, I grabbed the back of his neck and held him close as our kiss became greedier. Our mouths moved in unison, with matched ferocity. Nipping. Licking. Consuming. His hands slid up my arms and clutched my head, holding me just as tightly as I held him. I surrendered myself in his arms until he gradually pulled back and we both caught our breaths.
We sat staring at each other in silence. The rapid beat of my heart drowned out the ocean and left me warm and tingly everywhere. Reed’s luscious smell permeated my nostrils. His disheveled hair and flushed cheeks gave his rugged sexuality a boyish charm that made him even more irresistible. I longed to feel his soft skin and explore his body with my tongue.
I broke the silence first. “Wow!” It wasn’t classy, but it was all I could think to say.
“I’ll say.” Reed laughed and added, “I think you just got back on the horse.”
I’d like to ride you like a horse.
The thought brought a wry grin to my face.
Saving me from saying anything else super embarrassing, the waiter appeared and removed our plates. I took a sip of wine and watched him return with the second course. My stomach growled with hunger, but I didn’t even notice what my plate held. I only wanted to put one thing in my mouth and it wasn’t on the menu.
“Do you believe in fate?” Reed asked in a serious tone.
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “Maybe when I was young and more impressionable. But now, as a jaded adult, I’m a lot more skeptical. I have a strong work ethic and tend to lean towards the notion that the stars don’t magically align for people. You have to connect the dots by yourself. Why do you ask?”
Reed stroked my cheek. “I know you think I saved you at the airport and the rave, but maybe you saved me.”
His words made me re-think our encounter at the airport. When I saw him, he was alone drinking at the bar. It didn’t seem strange to me at the time, because so was I. Maybe he was drinking for another reason besides killing time. I knew so little about him. I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. “I don’t feel like much of a savior. If I’ve helped you in anyway, I’d love to know how.”
Reed looked at the ocean. Even the sun illuminating his face couldn’t touch the dark sadness in his eyes. “I’m also dealing with a break up. I’ve moved on, but my ex can’t let go. When I’m with you, I feel alive again. You’re like a breath of fresh air.”
The insecure part of me wanted to know more about the ex, but it would be rude to press. He told me what he wanted me to know and I needed to respect that, just like he didn’t pepper me with questions about my ex. “I feel the same exact way about you,” I confessed in a small voice.
Reed looked like he was going to say something, then hesitated a moment before pursing his lips and shaking his head. “We definitely have chemistry. I want to get to know you better and give us a real chance. I don’t just want some vacation fling.”
Knowing that we could become more than casual sex went a long way to relax me even more. Between bit
es of salad and the second course, green gazpacho with prosciutto, I learned that Reed was an only child. His parents divorced when he was five, which became the impetus for his focus on couples counseling in graduate school at Columbia University. He was the proud owner of a ten-year-old Tabby named Charlie and had several cat videos to prove his devotion.
I shared about my childhood in upstate New York and my love of architecture, which began after visiting Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater house in the third grade. I told him a sanitized version of my interview and how I was positive that I would not be relocating to Paris anytime soon. Maybe I read into things, but he seemed pleased by the news that I would be staying in New York.
Our conversation came so easily. It felt like we had known each other for years. With dinner done, I felt sated both physically and mentally and couldn’t wait to see what he had planned next.
As if he could read my mind, Reed announced his plan. “The sun is about to set. Perfect timing for the next part of our date.”
I rubbed my hands together in anticipation. Reed offered me his hand. I hoisted myself up with a little too much vigor. Reed laughed and caught me before I fell over on my face.
“I’m really not half as klutzy as I appear,” I assured him.
He raised his eyebrows in mock disbelief and led me to a large blue tent closer to the ocean.
“What’s in there? What’s in there?” I tugged on his arm and giggled.
He kissed my forehead. “You’ll see.”
We entered the tent through a door cut out of the canvas. A large lounge bed covered in turquoise silk pillows sat in the center of the room, taking up most of the space. Fine netting that allowed a view of the sky covered the ceiling of the tent.
“Make yourself comfortable,” Reed turned toward me as he fumbled with the tent. “I’m going to remove the front panel of the tent, so we can watch the sunset.”
The uptight version of me who hadn’t had sex in two years, couldn’t help but rear her head and wanted to say something to Reed about how the bed was a little presumptuous. The new version of me, rode a galloping stallion down a wooded trail, and told the uptight version to shut her fucking mouth.
WWMD?
I imagined Marlowe naked on the bed, spread eagle, with a red lipped grin.
I decided on a slightly less X-rated version. Slipping off my sandals, I curled up amongst the pillows grinning like a Cheshire cat. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Reed’s sexy back muscles bulging against his shirt as he struggled to undo the front panel. After five minutes, I spoke up, “Do you want any help?”
“No. I got it,” he said between strained breaths.
I sat back and enjoyed his cute ass for another five minutes before getting up and yanking the canvas, throwing my weight into it. The fabric stood no chance against me, finally coming loose and falling to the hot sand below.
The ocean looked gold from the setting sun as it gently lapped against the shore. “Absolutely beautiful!” I remarked in awe.
Reed took my hand and led me back to the lounge bed. He lay down and patted the spot next to him, “Come on, I don’t bite.”
This was the moment of truth. Could I stay on the horse long enough to see the night through to its logical conclusion?
Before I could over think the situation or talk myself out of it, I went with my instincts, closed my eyes, and jumped onto the lounge bed. My leap was more cannonball than Swan Lake causing pillows to fly off the bed as my body did a few extra bounces before settling in.
Reed welcomed me by draping his arm over my waist and snuggling me into his side. I felt safe in his strong arms and found myself absently tracing little circles on the back of his hand as we watched the descent of the fiery Caribbean sun.
After the sun set and the tent had gone dark, Reed popped out of bed. “Wait right here, okay?”
I stretched out my legs and propped a large pillow under my head. My wild night at the rave was still taking a toll. I could fall asleep any second. “No problem, a tow truck couldn’t pull me out of this bed right now,” I said, stifling a yawn.
I heard Reed fumbling around near the ground and then a click, sending the tent aglow with tiny white fiber optic lights.
“Ahhh, the constellations,” I mused.
Reed popped up from the ground and stood near the edge of the bed. “I’m impressed. No one has ever noticed that before.”
Reed’s complement made me realize that I was probably the hundredth girl to go on this date. “No one huh? And how many lady friends have you taken down to the beach to watch the sunset?” I tried to sound casual, but couldn’t help but feel jealous by the idea of someone else spending time with Reed.
Reed grinned at me and completely changed the subject. “Hey, I thought of a way you can repay me.”
Reed’s comment caught me off guard. As much as I would like to have earth-shattering sex with him, I wasn’t going to pay him back with sexual favors like a prostitute. I especially didn’t want to be another notch on his belt in his little star tent. I sat straight up. Several indignant thoughts raced through my brain.
Reed took off his shirt and gave me a dimly lit glimpse of his well-defined chest and abs.
Another moment of truth.
I wanted to run my fingers down the ripples of his chest, but found myself frozen.
Reed seemed to register my hesitation and placed his hand on my shoulder. “It’s not what you think.”
“Oh, and what do I think?” I said a little too defensively.
Reed sat on the bed next to me. “I’m not asking you to repay me with sex. And you’re the only person I’ve taken to this spot. I’ve used the tent for therapy. I turn the lights on for relaxation. No one has ever noticed the constellations.”
Relief flooded me. We both had pasts, but when it came to Reed, I instinctively needed to set myself apart. I wanted our time together to be unique from everything that he had done before.
Wait a second.
He didn’t want to have sex with me?
Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, “So, you don’t find me attractive enough to sleep with?”
Reed laughed and shook his head from side to side. “Eva, you are so much fun. Trust me, I want you. When we make love, it won’t be out of obligation.”
His words silenced me. What he just said was loaded in so many ways. Not only did he want me, but he also wants to make love to me. Not just have sex, but something more.
Reed rubbed his shoulder and grimaced. “My back is a mess. I was hoping you could give me a massage before we made the drive back.”
I would love to massage more than your back.
“You got it.” I patted the bed next to me.
Reed’s jump onto the bed made mine look graceful. I resisted the urge to smack him in the ass. Instead, I busied my hands by rubbing them together, grateful that he was lying on his stomach and couldn’t see my face. I had a hard time disguising my emotions, and right now I looked like a kid in a candy shop.
I had a secret weapon that very few people knew about. My mother was a massage therapist and taught me quite a few tips and tricks over the years. Reed was about to have the best massage of his life.
I started by kneading his shoulders, really working his upper trapezius. As my hands worked the muscles of Reed’s back, his breathing became shallow. I ran my fingers up the base of his skull and rubbed little circles on his scalp. Reed let out a low moan in appreciation. I smiled to myself, empowered by my role as pleasure giver.
It was a little awkward reaching over the bed, so in the name of good body mechanics, I climbed up onto Reed’s back and straddled his waist. Within seconds, I became hyperaware of my bare legs touching his back. My skin burned everywhere it came into contact with Reed. An intense fire spread between my legs, crackling and flaring up in my stomach.
Trying to avoid dry humping Reed’s back, I concentrated on my hands and continued the massage downward. The giant bruise on his right side made me
wince.
I felt terrible that I reacted so quickly in my hotel room and had hurt Reed in the process. My fingers gently outlined the bruise before I leaned down and kissed it.
Reed murmured something that sounded like, “All better.”
“What was that?” I asked.
“Your kiss. It makes my bruise feel better.”
“I like making you feel good,” I purred and then continued massaging his back with long deep strokes. By the time my hands found his lower back, I noticed my own breathing, which came in short gasps.
“You’re very good at this,” Reed rasped.
“I should be, I learned from the best.”
“Did a boyfriend teach you?” The muscles tensed in his back.
“No.” I could tell him more, but decided to be purposely evasive. Give him a little taste of his own medicine.
Reed turned his head to the side so he could look up at me. “A lover?”
“Turn over,” I commanded with a laugh, “You’re going to hurt your back even more twisting like that.”
Reed didn’t listen to me. Instead, he stared up at me, his neck crooked awkwardly to the side, waiting for an answer. I shook my head and made him wait. “You’re really stubborn. My Mom taught me. She’s a massage therapist.”
Reed obviously liked my answer. He gave me a sexy smile before lying his head back down on the bed and promptly closing his eyes. “Glad to know I’m in good hands.”
“You’re in the best hands.” I took my fingers and slid them beneath the band of his briefs. “I need to slide these down a little to get at your lower back better. You’re very tight. If I don’t do a good enough job, I’m afraid you might not be able to walk again.” I seamlessly ventured into role-play, something I had never tried before.
“That sounds pretty serious. I should take my pants off so you have full access.” Reed’s ass tightened and I noticed a tiny hip thrust into the bed.
“Let’s leave them on for now.” I couldn’t help but laugh at how eager he was. Being in control made me feel sexy. I didn’t think Reed minded either. With a firm grip, I slid his underwear down a little in the back. When I slid them down in the front, I let my fingers graze dangerously low through the curly hair of his happy trail.
Coming Undone (Club Voyeur Book 1) Page 9
