by Wade, Maddie
Callie’s mind whirred as she tried to work out everything he was saying and exactly what it meant. Reid was silent as he let her process everything at her own speed, his hands holding her safe, not overwhelming her or trying to shield her like she was some weak female prone to fainting spells. Her father tended to treat her that way, not out of sexism per se, but because that was how he was raised.
Men protected the womenfolk and having a daughter with a successful international career so far away was a challenge for him. It was one of the reasons she didn’t want him knowing about all this.
“So we have nothing then?” She grit her teeth until her jaw ached, anger and frustration surging in her belly. Whoever killed Tina deserved to be punished not to get away with it.
“Not exactly, we have a lead, but I can’t really say more right now, as it’s linked to another case, we have which I can’t discuss with you. But we do have an idea that we—as in the Eidolon team—will need to talk about tomorrow.”
Callie wasn’t sure how she felt about being shut out and took a deep breath to steady her emotions. “Fine. I’ll accept that—for now. But if anything else comes up, I’d like to know about it.”
Reid’s responded with a devastating smile that would melt hearts and panties the world over if he was ever allowed on a magazine cover, and she was no exception. It was like a secret weapon. Callie knew he’d been HRT at the FBI, so the fact he was deadly and highly intelligent was a given. Add in his smile and a body that made her want to climb him like a tree, and she was doomed.
“Let’s get out of here. We can pick up some food on the way home. We have the best burger joint in the world here.” Reid held her hand as they walked to his car, and it felt natural.
Callie snorted at the comment. “Really? The best burger joint in the world is here? I find that hard to believe.”
Reid opened her car door with a smile. “Prepare to eat those words, sunshine.”
Callie settled into the seat and sighed. Today had been a totally shitty day, but somehow Reid had managed to make it so much better. Her mind moved to where she’d sleep tonight. The thought of spending the night in his bed filled her with a hum of desire. Would he want her too, and was she playing fair asking him to keep this from Clay?
Perhaps that was a mistake. Relationships built on lies and secrets never lasted, but then he’d never promised forever, and didn’t she deserve some fun too?
They picked up the burgers with a side order of baconaise fries and drove towards Reid’s home. Callie was curious to see if where he lived matched the image she had of the man himself.
They parked outside, close to a modern block of apartments overlooking the river. Reid walked around the hood, opening the car door for her, his body a shield to the outside world the entire time. He used a key to access the door and then the elevator as they rode it in silence. Nervous anticipation of what was to come circled in her belly, dipping low in her abdomen when she caught the sexy scent of his aftershave or the slight graze of his hand as he placed it lightly on her back as he led her towards his door.
Awareness seemed to hover between them, building and growing with every step closer to his personal space. Callie struggled to maintain her calm, using the sleek beauty of her surroundings to ground herself. Reid opened the door and ushered her inside, and Callie was no longer fighting to stay in the moment. The apartment was spectacular with an open plan living space just off a short hallway.
She could see a large kitchen with gloss black cabinets and stainless-steel appliances, including a massive American fridge to the left of the space. Directly in front were two cream leather couches spaced in an L shape with a polished oak coffee table in the centre. A large television was on the wall to her right, but it was the view from the windows that faced the river that took her breath away.
Callie moved towards the glass doors that led to a balcony but stopped when Reid placed a hand on her shoulder.
“I’d rather you didn’t go out there right now.”
His words filled her with disappointment, but she understood the logic. A balcony was open space, and she had learned from her brother that free space was the ideal spot for an attack. Callie shivered, her excitement dying a little as she thought of Tina and the life that had been snuffed out as if it meant nothing.
Callie turned and saw Reid watching her as he plated up the food she no longer wanted. She almost broke down at the sympathy and understanding in his eyes, but she’d shed enough tears the last few days to last a lifetime, and she wouldn’t cry again now.
Now she just wanted to be with this man who made her body feel alive, who made her feel safe and cherished, allowing her to be herself in every sense.
Reid placed the food on the island that separated the kitchen and living space. “We should eat these before they get cold.”
Callie forced a smile and slid onto the high stool beside him. The food looked amazing, and as she bit into the burger and felt the grease and juice slide down her chin, she moaned in appreciation. “Oh wow, this is so good.” She snagged a fry covered in baconaise and groaned again at the taste. Her agent would flip out if she saw her eating like this, but she didn’t care.
Reid chuckled. “Yeah, they are good.”
They ate in silence for a few minutes, Callie staying in the moment and enjoying having Reid with her even in the silence. His presence was calming, reassuring, and yet she was aware of his every movement. As if they were connected by an invisible wire.
“Do you want to call Clay now or get settled in your room?”
His question caught her off guard. She’d been hoping to stay in his room with him, but maybe she’d had it wrong. “Umm, I guess get settled then call Clay?”
Reid moved from his stool and walked toward the hallway as she followed. He pointed out the large bathroom with a walk-in shower and jacuzzi bathtub, and then he showed her into a room beside the toilet. Like the living room, it faced the river, but unlike it, there was only a window, with no balcony.
“You can use this room as your own.”
Reid cupped her elbow as she went to pass him and swung her into his arms. Her hands hit the wall of muscle on his chest, her mouth opening on a gasp as his body plastered against hers. Reid’s hands on her hips burned through the material of her pants, his thumb moved in a slow circle on the skin between her hip and belly. It took everything she had not to squirm and rub her thighs together, it was so seductive and had a profound impact on her body.
“Let me make one thing clear, Callie.” His eyes were bright and piercing as they held her captive, and her heart pounded as if she’d run a marathon. “This is your room for the duration of your stay, but I want your pretty little ass in my bed. Every. Fucking. Night.” She melted at the way Reid punctuated the words with hard quick kisses to her mouth. He wanted her but was giving her space in case she needed it. “But not tonight. Tonight we call Clay. I heard what you said, Callie, and God knows if anyone could make me break a vow to my best friend, it’s you. You drive me crazy in the best way, but I’m not the man you need if I can do that. So as much as it kills me to say it, I think if you really want this to have a chance, we need to be upfront and not hide what we’re doing from those we love.”
Once again, he was looking out for her, giving her everything she needed. She could see from his words how serious he was about them having something real and genuine. She fell a little more in love with him knowing he didn’t want to lie to Clay.
She had no illusions that she was falling for Reid, he was everything she hadn’t known she needed or wanted but the facts were there. She was falling in love with him, but did he feel the same? Could he love a girl like her? He was everything—a protector, a warrior, and a gentleman all rolled into one delicious man. What could she possibly offer him except money and her body? A body she was reminded often would sag and fade, and then what would she be? Who would she be?
She’d find out, but she wasn’t going to let doubts about her fut
ure spoil her now. Right now, she had a man offering her what she craved, and she wasn’t going to let anyone ruin it. “Thank you, Reid, for seeing what I couldn’t. I love Clay and lying to him would be the wrong thing to do. Let’s call him and then we can enjoy what we’re doing without guilt.”
“Don’t think I can’t kiss you though, sunshine.”
His head lowered to hers and he did just that, kissing her until she fell boneless into his body. His hands moved over her back and ass with a promise of what was to come.
Chapter Twelve
Reid woke early to the sound of rain on his balcony’s glass door. He looked at the clock and groaned when he saw it read six am. He’d meant to get up at five so he could get an hour on the weights before he had to start his day.
A day that began with Callie on the other side of the wall. His morning wood ached to be inside her at the thought. They had tried to call Clay last night, but he hadn’t picked up. Not wanting to worry him, they’d left a message that Callie was safe and in Hereford, and to call when he could.
Curling up, he threw off the covers and moved to the en-suite shower. He slept naked so walked right into the cold spray, not letting it warm up. The cold did nothing to help the ache in his balls or the hardness of his thick cock. As the water warmed, he lathered up his hair and body.
He ignored his body’s needs until his hand brushed against his dick. He hissed out a breath and grasped the head and pumped it once, his hips moving involuntarily as Callie’s image formed in his mind as she’d climaxed around his tongue, his mouth watered as he remembered her taste.
He gripped harder as he jerked his cock with quick, efficient strokes, knowing his body and what he needed to relieve the persistent hard-on he seemed to have had since meeting Callie.
Her name was on his lips as he felt the tell-tale tingle along his spine as his climax hit him hard. Warm rivulets of his cum, covered his hand and lower belly as he leaned his forehead against the shower tile and caught his breath. This woman was going to be the death of him.
Cleaning up, he stepped from the shower and towelled off, dressing in dark denim jeans and pale blue long sleeve t-shirt, he swiped a comb through his wet hair and walked towards the kitchen.
He was surprised to see Callie already up, dressed, and drinking a cup of coffee as she sat at the island in his kitchen. The sight gave him a pleasant feeling in his chest, one he couldn’t remember feeling before. She looked at him shyly from under her eyelashes, and it took everything in him not to go to her and kiss her until her lips were bruised from him tasting her.
Fuck, he needed to get a grip, or he was going to have another hard-on before he’d even had coffee.
“I made coffee. I hope you don’t mind.”
Reid took down a cup and poured himself one. “Of course not. I want you to treat this place like home.” He meant it too, he wanted her to relax and the thought of seeing her stuff mixed in with his felt nice—perhaps too nice. He was getting carried away when they hadn’t even started anything properly yet.
“I have a meeting at the office today. We have some things to go over with your case and a few others we’re working on. I’ve asked a couple of friends to come over and stay with you while I’m gone.”
She stood and moved to the sink rinsing her mug before she placed it in the dishwasher. “I’m sure I’ll be okay on my own.”
Reid frowned. She was doing it again, allowing her own needs to take a back seat to his. Setting his mug to the side, he moved to her, sliding his arm around her waist, pulling her back to his front. His big hand splayed over her belly while the other moved up between her breasts and cupped her throat gently. He could feel her pulse beating wildly in her neck.
He used his fingers to turn her head to him. “Callie, they’re coming because I want them too, because you mean something to me, and I would never, not for one-second, leave you unprotected.”
He saw the warmth move into her hazel eyes before she responded. “So damn sweet.”
He grinned at her, lowering his head to hers, feeling her response in the desire that darkened her eyes. “Sweet, huh? I’ll take that for now.”
He lowered the last few inches and kissed her pouty lips. He could taste toothpaste and coffee on her tongue as he took his time kissing her slowly until she was sighing into his mouth, her body melting into his. He broke the kiss and watched as her eyelids fluttered open, the hazy pools meeting his. He dropped a kiss on her nose and released her, knowing if they kept it up neither one of them would be able to stop.
“You’re really good at that,” she mumbled as he released her to finish his coffee.
“So are you,” he replied with a chuckle.
The doorbell rang, saving him from second-guessing all his good intentions and taking her back to bed for the day. He snagged his coffee and walked to the front door, checking the peephole before he did but he already knew who it was. He swung open the door and smiled at his guests. “Good morning.”
“Good morning my ass, where is she?”
He chuckled as Pax, Siren, and Roz pushed past him. Roz looked him up and down slowly before she grinned.
“What?”
“You’re so fucked.” The grin increased as she chuckled at his frown.
He closed the door and followed the three women into his kitchen. Callie was surrounded and looked up at him with a deer-caught-in-the-headlights look in her eyes. He pushed past Pax who, as usual, looked like she’d stepped off the catwalk runway and stood behind Callie, his hand on her hip, making it clear to the women who Callie was to him.
“Callie this is Pax, Evelyn, and Roz. They’re going to keep you company while I’m gone.”
Callie had a cute look of confusion her face when she looked at him. “But I thought you’d asked someone over to protect me?”
Roz snorted, and Reid looked at the beautiful but deadly woman in warning. “Be nice,” he warned.
Roz held up her hands. “I am nice.”
He looked back at Callie. “Roz, Evelyn, and Pax are more than capable of handling anything that comes your way.”
“Oh.”
“The clothes I ordered for you will be arriving soon, so once we get them sorted, you can tell us all about yourself and how you know this one?” Pax said with a tilt of her head to him.
Reid smiled, knowing Callie would be fine. “Walk me out.”
He moved to the door, leaving the other three women in the kitchen, raiding his cupboards by the sounds of it, and stopped by the front door.
He faced the woman who was on his mind all the time, their bodies almost touching. He cupped the back of her neck with his palm, tilting her head, so her eyes were on him. “Listen to me, sunshine. I would never put you at risk, so trust me when I say these women are as deadly as any of the Eidolon men. They’ll keep you safe. You mean too much to me and I wouldn’t risk your safety like that.”
Her eyes softened, and she leaned into him, placing her hands on his chest. “I trust you, Reid.”
Her words meant more to him than any compliment or medal he’d ever received. “Thank you, sunshine.”
She grinned at him. “You’re welcome, Reid.”
He dropped a kiss on her lips that lasted longer than expected when she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. He pulled back on a groan as he placed his hands on her hips and moved her away so he could go, hating every second of it.
“I gotta go. Try and call your brother today.” The need to straighten this out with Clay before they moved forward was growing more desperate with every second he spent with this woman.
She offered him a seductive little smile that he felt in his dick. “I’ll call him. Now go, do your thing. I’ll be fine. I’ve faced worse than these three.”
Reid raised an eyebrow but said nothing, dropping one last kiss on her nose before he left for his meeting with the Eidolon team.
* * *
Taking a deep calming breath and throwing her shoulders back, Callie
prepared to face the three women in Reid’s kitchen. Three stunningly beautiful women at that. Usually, that wouldn’t bother her. She’d spent her entire adult life around outrageously beautiful women, but these three were different.
If what Reid said was true, and she had no reason to suspect he would lie to her, then these women were not only gorgeous but deadly, and that was a combination she wasn’t used too. Forcing her feet to move, she ignored the knot in her belly and forged ahead.
The women looked up from their cereal bowls as she entered. They all had a guilty look on their faces.
Callie moved forward. “Are those Reece’s Puffs?”
Pax chewed and swallowed a mouthful while nodding. “Yep, his mom sends them over for him.”
Callie grabbed a bowl from the cupboard poured herself some before taking a seat at the island next to Evelyn, who seemed the least scary of the three. “I haven’t had these in years. My agent would literally die if he saw me now.”
They ate in silence, the only sound for several minutes were the groans of appreciation until, eventually, Pax spoke. “So, tell us about yourself.”
Callie looked at the three expectant faces. All three were so different. Pax was a stunning redhead with long wavy hair and hazel eyes, dressed as if she was about to go shopping in Milan, not eat cereal with her friends.
Then there was Evelyn, who was on the shorter side compared to them but who had long dark hair, brown eyes, and the sultry curves of a Latina sex bomb that had her jealous with envy.
Finally there was Roz, who made her the most nervous. She had short, silky black hair, tattoos on both arms, and the solid build of a woman who got her exercise from fighting, rather than yoga.
She was wearing skinny black jeans, a white tank top, and a black leather jacket with scuffed military-style boots. But it wasn’t her look that screamed danger, it was the calm vibe she gave off that was difficult to explain.
