Eighteen #2
“I’ve always thought about it in the opposite way. I saw what I was doing as necessary, useful, and worthwhile. I did not see that being the case with this place.”
My heart broke to know he’d had such a tainted view of this retreat for so long.
“Well, I hope that’s changing for you now that you’ve had the opportunity to spend some time here.
And while I know it wasn’t exactly your first choice to return here and run this place while your mom recuperates, I think you should be proud of yourself for doing it.
I don’t envy you having to leave your home and friends and work for such an extended time when the place you’ve come to isn’t one that holds great memories for you. ”
Silence stretched between us, Reid’s focus staying on the wall opposite the couch.
And while Reid didn’t exactly share whatever was on his mind, I got the sense there was something weighing heavily on his shoulders.
Finally, he turned his attention to me and offered a small smile.
“It was tough in the beginning, but it’s been getting easier as the weeks pass. ”
I returned the smile. “I’m glad.”
Our pizza arrived, and Reid indulged me throughout dinner with more details about his line of work. He’d shown me a couple of pictures of places he’d been responsible for building. I was blown away by his talent. He was clearly a very skilled man.
By the time we’d finished eating, it was safe to say I was bummed. I’d had such a wonderful time with Reid today, and I just wasn’t ready for it to end. I must have been wearing my disappointment on my face because Reid asked, “Was the pizza not good?”
“What? No. It was great. Delicious. Thank you for treating me.”
“You seemed a bit preoccupied.”
The last thing I wanted was for him to think I was ungrateful. “Not at all. I’m… Dinner was lovely. I enjoyed both the food and the company. I promise.”
Satisfied with my response, Reid smiled proudly. “That’s good. Because I was going to hate not being able to enjoy some dessert with you.”
“Dessert? You didn’t order dessert?”
Shaking his head, he shared, “No, I didn’t. But I did bring some with me in the mess of decorations I brought over here earlier. I just hid it while you weren’t looking.”
My eyes rounded in surprise.
Reid had spent all that time after we’d finished decorating trying to get me to admit that I wanted him to stay for dinner when he’d already had every intention of being here long enough for dessert.
“What are we having?”
That gleam was back in his eyes. “You’re going to have to put your shoes on to find out.”
“What?”
“I brought a few items, but they’re all meant for enjoying by a fire, so we’re going to have to trek out to that favorite firepit of yours to enjoy them.”
How I managed to stop myself from bursting into tears was beyond me? “Are you serious?”
“I am.”
For a long moment, I simply stared at him in disbelief. This man wasn’t making things easy on me. He was essentially my boss, albeit temporarily, but I didn’t think it’d be wise to fall in love with him.
“If I wouldn’t make things awkward, I’d crawl across this couch and hug you.”
His eyes darkened in response. Then he chuckled and suggested, “How about we just head out to have some dessert instead? I recall someone mentioning how stargazing was her favorite thing to do, so I was hoping to eat and see what I was missing out on.”
My belly dipped. He’d been paying attention. Even during those days early on when I’d assumed the man despised me, Reid had been listening to every word I’d said. I had no choice but to get myself off the couch, because if I’d stayed there, it was a sure thing that I’d start crying.
The next thing I knew, Reid and I were at my favorite firepit with nobody else around. I wasn’t sure things could get any more perfect.
“Alright. You’ve teased me for long enough with the promise of dessert,” I declared after he’d gotten the fire started. “What are my options?”
“Banana boats or campfire cones.”
Surprise washed over me, my jaw falling open.
Reid laughed. “What’s that look about?”
“For a guy who doesn’t like campfires, you sure know how to make one special. And considering I’m a girl who loves campfires and doesn’t have a clue what those choices are, I’m wondering if you’ve been holding out on me.”
Laughter spilled out of him again as he pulled out what he’d brought with him.
“Banana boats are precisely that. We’ll take a banana, slice it in half, and top it with whatever you like.
Chocolate, peanut butter, strawberries, nuts.
There are endless options. Then we’ll wrap them in foil and heat them over the fire. ”
My mouth watered.
“The campfire cones are a little twist on s’mores, I guess.
I brought ice cream cones that we can fill with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips, if you want to go traditional.
We can also switch it up and put some fruit and chocolate inside.
It’s really up to you. Either way, you’re looking at ten minutes after we’ve assembled whatever we decide on for it to be ready. ”
I licked my lips, belatedly noticing Reid’s gaze dropping to them. “I’m convinced that temptation is one of your many talents. I don’t know which I want.”
“Why choose? We can do both.”
I perked up, my excitement apparent. “Really?”
Still amused by me, Reid laughed. “Yes, Natalia. You can have whatever you want.”
I tried not to assume there was any innuendo in those words, but when he spoke with that voice, it wasn’t like I could avoid it.
For the next few minutes, Reid and I assembled our treats and wrapped them in foil. Once we had them heating over the fire, I felt compelled to be honest with him. “I know we haven’t had our desserts yet, but I need to tell you something.”
Concern littered his features. “What’s going on?”
Tears welled in my eyes, and my throat grew tight. “This has been the most wonderful day I’ve had in a very long time. I don’t know how to thank you.”
Relief swept in, and he smiled at me. “You don’t need to thank me. It’s been a great day for me, too.”
I swiped at a rogue tear and gave him a nod.
For a few beats, we simply stared at one another, something passing between us in our prolonged stares.
Reid finally broke the silence. “It wouldn’t be awkward, you know?”
I had not a clue what he was talking about. “What wouldn’t?”
He hesitated for just a second. “If you crawled into my lap and hugged me.”
The crackling fire was the only thing dulling the sound of the blood rushing in my ears. I hadn’t mentioned anything about crawling into his lap, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t appreciative of the invitation. I nervously bit my lip.
And a moment later, I crawled into his lap.
Reid’s arms came around me, holding me tight against him, as I hugged him and inhaled the scent of him.
When I loosened my hold, which happened much sooner than I would have liked, my eyes met his.
“We’ve got ten minutes.”
“What?”
The muscle twitched in his jaw. “Before dinner, we had twenty minutes to kill, and you asked me to do the work by talking to you.”
Understanding dawned. “So, you want me to spend the next ten minutes talking to you?”
His eyes never left my face, my mouth, as he moved his head slowly from side to side. “No. What I’d like is if you’d allow me to show you my appreciation for you making this day enjoyable for me, too.”
“How?”
With one arm draped over my thighs, Reid’s other hand went into my hair behind my neck. “I could kiss you. I’d really love to kiss you.”
My heart was racing, my chest rising and falling with my rapid breaths. I hadn’t been kissed in years. Years.
“Okay,” I whispered. “You should kiss me.”
Reid’s fingers pressed in at my neck as he urged me forward a touch. I went easily, my hands landing flat against his chest. The moment his lips brushed lightly against mine, a shiver ran along my spine.
Whether he noticed or not, I didn’t know, but when he did it again, a whimper he couldn’t ignore escaped.
That whimper seemed to be his undoing. Because the next thing I knew, Reid had captured my mouth with his.
It was firm and unhurried, like he wanted to take his time learning the shape and feel of my lips. I didn’t mind. I was enjoying every second of it.
And when his tongue ran along the seam of my lips, coaxing them apart, I didn’t hesitate to give in to the silent demand.
Reid explored my mouth thoroughly, like he wouldn’t accept missing the opportunity to taste every part of it.
And as though that wasn’t enough, the way he held me in his lap, one arm around me, the other in my hair, I was lost to something so much bigger than I knew existed.
This was unlike anything I’d ever experienced.
It was just a kiss. And yet, it was so much more.
My heart hammered, my nails gripped the material at his chest, and I moaned against Reid’s lips. He took it all, swallowing it down, and didn’t stop until he’d gotten his fill.
It felt like I’d been kissing him for hours, but I wanted to cry at the loss of him when he tore his mouth from mine.
Our breaths mingled, warm and sweet. “I like you, Natalia.”
My heart squeezed. “I like you, too.”
“After we enjoy some dessert, I think I might like kissing you some more.”
My nails dug into his chest again. “I might like that as well.”
He smiled against my lips before pressing a chaste kiss to them.
A moment later, we were enjoying our delicious desserts, Reid insistent on keeping me settled in his lap.
And while everything about what had happened today had made me smile and feel better than I had in years, the truth was that I’d just made out with my temporary boss. Had I made an awful mistake?