Chapter 4
—Kasey—
I groaned and stretched out next to Reed the next morning, blissfully aching and sore from last night. He pulled me into his side, then tucked the duvet under his arms.
“Your bed is so much comfier than mine.”
He snickered and kissed my head. “I did pay a small fortune for it, so I expect that it’s fit for a king.”
“You’re full of yourself this morning,” I scoffed.
“You were last night—full of myself, I mean.”
I failed to keep my smile locked down. Who was I to disagree? “I hear no lies. However, my back is killing me again.”
Reed hummed. “I’m sorry, babe. Roll over and I’ll rub it.”
I let out another lazy groan and rolled onto my stomach as he shifted onto one elbow and grinned down at me.
“Sleepyhead,” he murmured while he rubbed slow circles on my lower back with his large, warm hand. Said hand smoothed a little lower than necessary and gave a double squeeze to my ass.
“I’m so tired.” I yawned. “I think next time I’ll take you up on the offer of flying up. I just hate being a burden, ya know?”
Reed hummed. “You’re not a burden, darlin’. Far from it.”
The soothing rhythm of his hand lulled me into a doze until he tucked himself along the length of my body. “What do you want to do today? It’s gonna be nice out.”
“Hmm, I dunno. You have anything in mind?”
His dark eyes searched the far wall as if it held teleprompted answers. Seemingly finding some, those brown irises then flicked to me.
“Brunch, then a walk around the lake?”
I nodded with approval. “Brunch is a definite yes. The walk is a reluctant yes.”
Reed snorted softly. “A walk will help with your energy.”
“We’ll see,” I mumbled.
Reed snickered, then double-squeezed my booty. “Well, I guess we’d better get up if we’re going to make brunch, not lunch. I’m getting hungry. Get your ass up, Kase.”
Snickering, I rolled out of his side of the bed after him and used the bathroom without closing the door. Reed shuffled in half a minute later and stretched in front of the mirror.
I scoffed. “Your vanity astounds me.”
He cockily smirked while leaning into the shower and flicking on the water. “Just hurry up and get your ass in here, Quinn.”
Despite feigning exasperation and rolling my eyes, I couldn’t deny my man was fucking hot. Stacked with lean muscle, more toned than my pre-twenties booty, and a smolder that had me thinking with my hoochie instead of my head.
Reed wrapped me in his arms the second I stepped into the shower. Our naked bodies fit together, my curves molding to his angles, and Reed shuffled us so we shared the water.
“It’s not too hot?” he murmured, planting a kiss on the top of my head.
“No. It’s so nice.” I exhaled, still trying to shake the bone-deep lethargy.
We swayed from side to side for a while until his stomach let out an intrusive gurgle.
A chuckle vibrated against my chest. “Sorry, babe. I’m really hungry.”
“Really? I couldn’t tell,” I teased.
Under his wry expression, I plucked up my loofah and body wash and lathered up my body while Reed shampooed his hair. We worked in synchrony just like every other time we showered together—which was every time we visited each other.
His place was already my second home. I had clothing hanging in the wardrobe and filling his drawers, lip balm on the nightstand, a bathroom drawer filled with shit, and shower products lined up beside his. Over the months since we’d met, we’d become a pivotal part of each other’s lives.
“Let’s have a late breakfast here, then go for a walk,” I suggested, knowing Reed needed to be fed ASAP in the mornings, whereas I was happy with nothing but coffee until later.
He came up for air after rinsing his hair, then laughed. “Sounds good, little miss bossy.”
“You’re welcome,” I sang, as I rinsed off.
Reed hovered on the outskirts of the shower spray while I finished up, then handed me a towel when I shut off the water.
We chatted and teased while drying and getting dressed, then I met him in the kitchen after I’d tied up my hair.
The season was beginning to turn cooler now, and the leaves already threatened their change to orange, yellow, and amber shades. While I adored fall in the Falls, it meant that we didn’t breakfast out on the deck like we do in summer.
“Here’s your coffee, babe.” Reed smiled warmly and handed over a steamy mug of existence.
“Ahh, thank you so much. No milk?”
He nodded with a slight frown. “No milk. Tummy still not good, eh?”
“No. I think I might be lactose intolerant.” I took a little sip of the steaming black coffee, then sighed in bliss.
“You’re welcome, darlin’. I’m glad it’s good.”
“It’s life,” I declared, smiling when he snickered.
He turned his attention back to the eggs scrambling in the pan. “What would the world do without coffee, right?”
Leaning my hip against the bench, I flicked out one forefinger to point at him around my mug. “You shut your dirty mouth.”
Reed snorted. “Purely hypothetical, of course.”
“We don’t joke about the coffee apocalypse.”
Amusement quirked his mouth, and he shook his head while scraping the eggs onto his plate. With his hands loaded with his breakfast and coffee, he led me to the kitchen table. I chose the spot where the morning sun warmed my back and sipped my coffee while Reed ate his breakfast.
A girl could get used to this.
Reed quickly finished his food and pushed his plate away. His eyes then flicked up and caught me watching him.
The lazy smile I loved played across his face.
“You look happy, babe.”
I smiled and leaned forward to kiss him. “That’s because I am.”
“Same, Kase. Ready for our walk?”
Groaning, I rose to my feet. “Let’s do this before I lose all motivation.”
He plucked up my empty mug and quickly stacked the dishwasher, then startled when he turned to find me shadowing him close.
“Wanna get in my pocket, darlin’?” he teased, grinning wide.
Feeling a little giddy, I laughed awkwardly. “Sorry. I promise I’m not normally needy.
Laughing, he pulled me into a hug. “You’re never needy. Besides, I like it.”
I stared up into his warm brown eyes that always shone with affection when he looked at me and felt a wash of overwhelming love come over me. Out of nowhere, I didn’t want to let him go. Hell, if I could fit in his pocket, this bitch would be in there.
“I love you,” I murmured.
Reed hugged me tighter. “I love you too, darlin’. What’s got you all soppy this mornin’?”
“Just feeling sentimental, I guess.”
His chuckle vibrated against my chest. “Aww, babe. You’re too fucking cute.”
“Shut up,” I teased, burying my face into his neck but smiling when he laughed again.
“Don’t hide, darlin’!” He leaned back and peppered kisses across my mouth. “C’mon, let’s go for that walk before I take you back to bed and cuddle you all day.”
“Oh my god, don’t tempt me!”
“Don’t you be tempting me, Quinn.”
I accepted his offered hand and tagged along while we brushed our teeth and pulled on our sneakers, then exited his house through the stupendously over-sized front door. He gave our linked fingers a double squeeze as we walked down the driveway, heading toward town where the walking path flanked the lake.
We walked and talked without a care in the world, simply enjoying our time together in the most beautiful place in the world.
Fifteen minutes in, Reed stopped and pulled me to him at a particularly pretty spot by the lake.
“C’mere, darlin’. This view is one of my favorites, and I want to take a picture of us.”
I giggled and tucked into his side, prepping my “best face” as he lifted his phone to take our selfie. My pose was perfect. The angle, lighting, my expression… all faultless, and I held it while a man jogged past.
Reed clicked a few pictures, not caring that we had a fleeting witness to our selfie. Said witness side-eyed us as he jogged past. He gawked more than was strictly polite, and karma served an instant warning when he tripped on a root in the uneven path.
Horror played out over the jogger’s expression in slow motion as he scrambled to gain his footing. In the midst of flailing arms and his feet kicking up dust, he let out the biggest, most horrendously intrusive fart I’d ever heard.
Time froze as if it was shocked into failure, then released like a water balloon bursting at the seams. Reed and I stood stunned for a second before breaking into uncontrollable fits of laughter at the random guy’s expense. Every time I managed a wheezing breath, Reed’s roaring laughter echoed out across the lake, sending me into hysterics.
I laughed so hard, my stomach cramped, and my cheeks burned. I crossed my legs and bent in half while Reed pressed a hand to my back for his own stability.
We stumbled and slapped our thighs, rolling with hilarity for minutes until our laughter finally died down enough to allow a hiccupped conversation.
“I think I peed a little,” I wheezed.
“Oh my fucking god, I’m dead. Did you see his face?” Reed crowed, re-setting us off again.
He eventually pulled me into his arms again and kept hugging as our giggling settled.
“That was the funniest shit I’ve seen in a long time,” Reed chortled.
“I can’t believe that just happened. That poor guy,” I tittered.
Reed let out a laugh-stuttered sigh. “Ahh, that’s going to keep me going for a long time.”
I laugh-snorted. “I wish you’d caught that on camera.”
“Oh, I didn’t get him, but I’m pretty sure I got our reactions.”
He kept one arm around me as he swiped his phone unlocked and started to thumb through the selfies.
Tucked against him with both my face and heart smiling so damn hard, I inhaled his scent and hummed in bliss.
If only I’d savored it a while longer. Even for just a minute. Hugged him a little tighter and loved him impossibly harder. Savored the feel of his arms around me and the timbre of his voice vibrating against me when he spoke. Hell, even tattooed on myself just how much he meant to me, because I had no idea that this moment would end up signifying something great among the tattered shreds.
Unbeknownst to us, our innocent plans to further our relationship had set a heartbreaking fate in motion.
One that both blessed and stole.
One that would tear what we had to pieces…