Chapter 15
Amuffled ringing has me blinking my eyes open, immediately becoming aware of Reese’s big body wrapped around mine while the sound seems to be coming from somewhere on the floor. I blink again, sunlight beaming from around us. Reese is unmoving, completely knocked out. And just as good looking sound asleep as he is wide awake.
I know it’s the morning after, and goodbye should have been last night, but this is over, and I can’t help but touch him one last time. I reach up and trace his lips and then let the rough edges of his one-day stubble brush my skin. He blinks awake and I start to pull away, but he catches my hand. “Good morning,” he says, those blue eyes flecked with amber sunlight, his lips that I was just touching, brushing my knuckles. “How are you?” he asks.
“Better once the awkward morning after is over.”
He laughs. “There is no awkward morning after, Cat. There’s pancakes and coffee, and possibly, no, absolutely, more sex. And I can’t seem to find the awkwardness in any of that, can you?”
One and done, I tell myself. “What are we doing here, Reese?” I ask, but as he shifts slightly, I become aware of an impending need that takes precedence over my question. “Hold that answer. I have no choice but to announce that I have to pee. Really badly.”
“Is that right?” He chuckles.
“Yes. Which means I must request that you immediately remove your leg from my leg and, before I stand up, which always makes these situations worse, direct me to the bathroom.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Yes. I didn’t go all night last night. Get up!”
“All right, all right. The bathroom is immediately to the left by the stairs right off the entryway.” He lifts his leg and releases me.
I roll away, immediately aware of how very naked I am and since I don’t exactly have time to dress right now, I tug on the blanket that we’ve been covered up with. I start to walk, taking it with me, but after one step I realize that I’ve left Reese naked and uncovered. I rotate to find him shifting to a sitting position. And yes, indeed, he is one hundred percent as naked as I thought and it’s a beautiful sight.
He arches a brow in my direction, mischief and understanding in his eyes. “I thought you had to pee?”
“I do.”
Mischief lights his blue eyes, sprinkles of sunlight in their depths. “Then why are you standing there?”
“Because you’re naked,” I say, seeing no reason to deny the obvious. He is naked. And perhaps the most perfect male specimen I’ve ever seen up close and personal.
“If you keep standing there,” he warns “I’m going to pull you back over here, make sure you’re naked as well, and say good morning properly.”
“Oh,” I say. “No. That’s not possible at this very moment.” His phone starts to ring, and he snatches up his pants. “That’s the second call,” I say, dashing across the room as I hear him say, “Hello,” into his phone.
I hurry past the couches and think about my clothes. I backtrack and scoop up my bra, dress, and shoes, though my panties appear to be missing. I have delayed my relief so long that I need to pee ten times worse than moments before. So much so that I have to walk cautiously, but quickly, toward said relief. I enter the hallway, and sure enough, there is an archway just to the left of the living room entryway. I dart through it and find the winding stairwell covered in the same beautiful mahogany hardwood as the rest of the house. To my left beside those stairs is a doorway. I pull it open, and sure enough, it’s the bathroom.
Hurrying inside the small room that just has a toilet and a fancy white ceramic sink, I drop the blanket and do my business. Once I’m done, I walk to the sink, wash my hands, and look in the mirror, and good grief. My hair is standing on end. And, of course, day-old makeup minus lipstick is never flattering. I dare to open the medicine cabinet behind the mirror and find toothpaste, floss, and a toothbrush. I grab the toothpaste and use my finger and the floss to do a pretty good job on my mouth. There is no hairbrush to save the mess on my head and I’m not washing my face with hand soap.
I grab the white ceramic sink and try to process the fact that I’m naked in Reese’s guest bathroom, the morning after having all kinds of wonderful sex with him. And I’m not really sorry and I don’t think he is either. I am, however, confused. This isn’t how I thought this would play out, and I don’t really know what I feel right now. I should go. Or should I stay?
I decide clothing gives me options. I quickly dress, and I’ve just stepped into my shoes when I hear, “Cat,” at the door.
Inhaling, I’m nervous all over again, which is silly. I’ve been naked with him. I wanted this as a one and done. I force myself to open the door, and I’m rewarded with another wonderful view. I find him shirtless, his pants from last night on but unzipped. His eyes are hot as they look me over.
“I liked you better in the blanket,” he says, resting his arm on the doorframe above his head, all that springy, dark hair on his chest, hard to not track here and there and everywhere. “Even better without it.”
“I liked you better without it, too,” I dare. “That’s why I took it.”
He snags my waist and walks me to him. “Stop trying to make this an awkward morning after.”
“I’m not.”
He arches a brow.
I say, “Okay.”
“Okay?”
I go back to my pre-bathroom thinking. “I don’t know what we’re doing.”
“We’ll figure it out. But we do have a slight situation. I called Royce Walker last night to ask for some help on this trial. He and his brother seem to think they found something. They’re on their way here now.”
“Oh,” I say, because I’m brilliant like that. Real words that mean things come from my mouth.
“And,” he adds, “we slept later than I thought. It’s ten thirty. My co-counsels will be here at noon to work on the case.” His cellphone rings in his pocket. “Give me just one minute, sweetheart.” He kisses me, a quick, minty-fresh brush of his lips against mine that tells me he found the toothpaste too. “One minute,” he says again as if it’s a promise, digging his phone from his pocket, which pulls his pants down to a spot that is dangerously distracting. “Hello,” he says into his phone, and then covers it with his hand to look at me. “Come to the kitchen. We’ll make coffee.” He doesn’t wait for a reply, but rather turns around and says, “What’s up?”
I don’t follow him. I’m feeling too incredibly awkward again. I exit the bathroom and head toward the living room, grabbing my bag, purse, and computer and packing up. I’ve just made it to the front door when I hear, “Cat,” and Reese snags my arm and turns me to face him. “What are you doing?”
“I’m leaving,” I say, when, of course, we both knew that before this exchange.
“Without talking to me first?”
“It’s awkward after all, and you have your trial and—”
“Help me with the trial. I know it’s not the most exciting weekend, but spend it here, and help me catch a killer.” He steps into me and slides a hand to my face. “I need you here. I want you here.”
“You don’t need me.”
“I do. It’s illogical, I know. We just met, but I do need you here.” He backs me up until I’m pressed to the door. “I can’t help what I have going on in my life right now. Be a part of it. You are a part of it. It’s how we met. It’s your job, too. Let’s do our jobs together.”
“Reese, I—”
“You’re good at closing statements. I need to deliver a killer closing to the jury and, apparently, to you. Say yes. To helping with the trial and to finding out what this is between us. I need to know. Don’t you?”
Somehow, this man, who I’ve called an asshole and wanted one and done, has turned everything around. He made me want and need him, and then said everything I wanted and needed to hear and didn’t know I wanted and needed to hear it. “Yes and yes,” I dare, because there simply isn’t another option I can live with. “But I have to go home and shower and change. Preferably before the Walker clan gets here.”
“That’s any minute now.”
“Oh God. I have to go.” I turn toward the door and Reese opens it so I can exit, but then catches my arm and turns me back to him. “Don’t run. I know you were burned. But I’m not him and I don’t chase women, Cat, but I’ll chase you.” He strokes my cheek, and I can’t breathe as he repeats, “I’ll chase you.” He releases me.
I turn away and start walking as his words ring in my head: I’m not him. The idea that my ex-asshole is controlling me right now stops me in my tracks. He is. He can’t have that control. I turn back around and find Reese still standing in the doorway. I march right back to him, press my hand to that gorgeous chest of his, and kiss him. “I’m coming back. I want to. And I am good at closing statements, and you have to give a killer one. This isn’t your opening. You can’t be your client and win over the jury.”
“What does that mean?”
“Arrogant, rich, and good looking, and you are those things.” I rotate and start walking, with his soft, sexy laughter trailing after me. And I’m smiling. God. This man makes me smile. I reach the elevators, step inside the car, and sink back against the wall. This man is making me crazy, but I feel the most alive I have in forever. It’s terrifyingly wonderful. And he’s right. I have to know where it leads.