Chapter 18
Being awoken out of a deep sleep is enough to get my fight or flight going. That coupled with waking up to pounding fists against the door as I lay in a bed that is not mine makes my heart race so fast it might as well fly out of my chest.
I sit up so fast my head spins, rubbing my eyes as I get my bearings. When I finally open them fully, I freeze, realizing that this bed, this room, this view was not a dream at all.
I’m on the Amalfi Coast.
The whole day prior flies through my memory, snippets of time ending with my head on Reid’s shoulder as I doze off on the plane and the softness in his blue eyes as he walks me to my bedroom door in this insanely gorgeous villa.
“Sweet dreams, Jane,” he had whispered before slowly shutting the door and leaving me with a spiked pulse and a wide grin as I drifted off to sleep.
A smile touches my lips again now as I relive the moment, then look around at my room since I was much too distracted—and exhausted—to explore it last night when we finally got to the rental.
I never closed the curtains last night, thankfully, because I wake up to the view of a bright blue sky sparkling over tranquil waters outside the glass French doors across from my bed.
The room isn’t large by any means, but it’s gorgeous with blue and white tile floors and dark wood furniture.
Plus the view more than makes up for the size.
I fling the soft white quilt off my bare legs and throw open the patio doors, letting a pleasant morning breeze roll in.
It’s so dreamy here. The water sparkling.
The buildings and homes are bright smatterings on the cliff in the distance.
The pounding sounds on the outside of my door again, and I jump at the sound.
Oops that’s right. Someone’s here. With one last glance at the view, I stalk over to the door and fling it open.
Reid is standing on the threshold wearing white linen shorts and a matching short-sleeved button up, a pair of dark sunglasses hang from the V of his collar that my eyes snag on.
His closed hand is still in the air, halted as his eyes immediately dip down my body.
I feel his stare on me as if it were his hands and a chill runs through me.
“Can I help you, Reid?” I clear my throat, fully blaming the hoarseness on it being first thing in the morning.
A smirk pulls at the corner of his lips. “Good morning to you too.” He extends a white ceramic cup to me that I didn’t realize he’d been holding. “For you. I know you need lethal amounts of espresso to begin your day.”
I accept the mug and immediately bring it to my lips, reveling in the smell of espresso and milk and—
“Did you make me a caramel latte?”
He shrugs nonchalantly. “That’s still what you drink, right?”
“It is.”
A please smile brightens his face. “Good.”
Where I would’ve normally expected amusement or humor in his tone, today, it’s at laced with something else.
Something deeper. Something that, coupled with the way his eyes roam down my body, makes my toes curl.
He finally clears his throat and looks up at me, dropping his hand and casually resting a broad shoulder against the dark doorframe.
“As hot as you look in pink satin, I don’t think this little ensemble is going to be appropriate for today’s welcome party. ”
Leave it to Kate to plan a welcome party on a catamaran. I’m not complaining, but still. Bougie.
My eyes search the room for a clock, but I come up short. “What time is it?” I ask Reid.
“9:30.”
“Crap.”
I spin on my heel, still cradling the latte, and search the tiny room for where I stashed my suitcase last night.
“Allow me,” Reid says, striding into the room and grabbing the suitcase from the corner and hoisting it onto the bed. I tilt my head to the side as I watch him. He pauses. “What?”
“You don’t need to help me.”
Reid waves me off. “Relax. Enjoy your latte. Let me help you.”
“What, are you going to pick out my outfit for me while I drink coffee on the bed?”
“If that’s what you want me to do, I’ll do it.”
I sit on the free sliver of bed that’s not overrun with my giant suitcase and extend my legs.
Then I gesture to Reid in a “proceed” motion as I take a sip of coffee and feel like I can see color again as the caffeine makes its way through my body.
Reid smirks and slowly draws the suitcase zipper.
When he lifts the lid, he pauses, then looks to me with a look of delighted surprise.
I raise my eyebrow at him as I take another slow sip.
Finally, he lifts another set of satin pajamas, this one a shade of pale blue with a lace trim around the edges. “Why are you doing this to me?”
I don’t say anything. I just lift the cup to my lips again with a smirk.
He draws in a breath, squeezes his eyes shut, and gently deposits the set back in the suitcase like he doesn’t want them to see any damage.
Then he roams through it in search of a swimsuit.
He pulls out a light blue one and tosses it at me playfully.
Then he finds the crochet cover-up dress I packed and tosses that at me too, this time hitting me in the side of the head.
A playful laugh bubbles out of me, which in turn causes him to grin too.
“Okay, I think I can take it from here.” I swing my legs off the bed and set the mug down on the small antique table in the corner of the room.
“Are you sure? I can definitely help pick out shoes if you need.”
I grab his arm and drag him toward the door.
As much as I want to deadbolt that door and stay in here with him all day long, I know I need to kick him out or I’ll never be ready for this party in time.
He’s two steps from the doorway when he spins on me, a wide smile on his face causing a swarm of butterflies to let loose in my chest. His eyes dip to my lips and I’m so torn between wanting him to kiss me and worrying that someone will see since he left the door wide open when he walked inside.
“Good morning again,” he murmurs. Then he leans in and presses a kiss to my cheek, his lips there and gone before I can even register the action.
“Good morning,” I whisper back.
Then, with a beaming grin, he backs up, never taking his eyes off of me until he shuts the door.
I’m swiping on the last coat of mascara when a knock sounds at my door.
“Come in,” I call.
Elise steps in, already dressed in a black cover-up over a red one piece and flip flops. Her dark hair is pulled into a single braid.
“You look cute,” I offer. “Very coastal.”
“I was afraid it was giving lifeguard.”
“If you didn’t look so good in red it might.” I swipe on tinted lip gloss and look at her in the mirror. She’s studying me with a knowing smirk. “What?”
“You just seem happier today. I figured having to spend the next two weeks with your family would be sending you into an anxiety spiral, but here you sit, humming to yourself.”
“I got to drink espresso while the sun streamed in through the window. What could go wrong?”
“Yeah I’m sure that’s the reason.”
I spin on the chair and face her. “Okay, who told you?”
“Who told me what?”
“That Reid kissed me.”
“He what?” Elise nearly falls off the bed as she abruptly sits up straighter, pure shock etched on her face.
“Don’t lie to me. I know you know.”
She holds her hands up in surrender. “I swear I didn’t know. I just thought you maybe had a crush and were excited to see him today. I didn’t know he kissed you. Tell me everything.”
I start to tell the story and grimace when I remember that the product of our first kiss was a drunk girl vomiting on me, but it’s fine. I got Reid’s shirt, a kiss, and a confession of his feelings for me out of it.
“No wonder you’re so chipper today,” Elise says. “You get to cozy up to your new man in the middle of the Tyrrhenian Sea.”
I envision the day, a warmth spreading through my chest. Reid with his arms around me, swimming in the water, stolen kisses at sunset. And then it dawns on me that I can’t do any of that. Not in front of Kate. Not on a body of water she can throw me into. Not if I want to live through the week.
It would take the attention off of her today if Reid and I started openly acting couple-y in front of her.
It would make everyone talk about us and how we started talking and if we were dating, and not about Kate and how gorgeous she looks and her beautiful wedding week.
That, coupled with rejection from Reid all those years ago, would send her into a spiral.
A spiral I really don’t want to be responsible for.
I sigh. “You know what, I think maybe you and I should keep this a secret.”
“What? Why?”
“I just don’t want to take any attention off of Kate. You know how she is.”
Elise studies me for a moment. The way her eyes bore into me has me breaking eye contact and fidgeting with the buttons on my white linen oversized dress. Finally, she lets out a breath.
“Okay. But just know that if you want to celebrate something for yourself, that’s okay. Kate will get over it by the time the wedding rolls around.”
I shake my head. “It’s just not worth the fallout it would cause.”
“If you say so.”
I have a feeling she has more she wants to say, but she presses her lips together, signifying the end of the conversation. I get to my feet and busy myself by packing my woven tote bag. Sunscreen. Tinted chapstick. Water bottle.
“I’m just saying,” Elise continues. “Kate needs to learn to share the love. Support others. Especially her sister.”
“That’s what I have you for.” I boop her on the nose. She startles before playfully swatting my hand away.
“I will always support you, but if you do that again, I will have second thoughts.”
I laugh as I set a tan sunhat with a cornflower blue ribbon on my head and sling the bag over my shoulder. “I’ll keep that in mind. I’d hate to lose familial support over a nose boop.