Chapter 37
—Reed—
I called out as I entered Banks’s home, earlier than what I’d arranged; I figured we could all chill for a bit and break the ice before Kase and I headed out.
My arrival was ignored thanks to the raucous laughter coming from the kitchen. Curious, I hurried forward, then stumbled in absolute shock to see Kasey twerking with a paper bag over her head. Banks and Simone crowed harder, and I held in all my laughter as I casually leaned a hip against the counter, crossed my arms over my chest, and patiently waited for Kase to come up for air.
She didn’t disappoint either. When she whipped the paper bag away, her appearance punched the breath from my lungs. Goddamn she was beautiful all flushed and breathing hard. Her wild gaze rapidly flicked between Banks and Simone before settling on me.
I welcomed the horror when it hit, and I couldn’t help but smirk. “Hey, darlin’.”
“Reed!” She hastily smoothed down her hair. “How long have you been here?”
I pushed off the counter, casually drifting closer until she was within my reach. But I didn’t touch. Not yet. “Long enough for the best part of the show, I believe.”
“Fuck, that’s embarrassing,” she groaned.
In the background, Simone snickered, spurring Kase to flip her off, then lunge at me. She shoved my chest, forcing me back a pace.
“Come on, we’re going.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I rolled with the change of plan, thankful there was no awkward pause, and we were now working with spontaneous Kasey.
I sent Banks a two-finger salute off my brow as Kasey plucked her handbag from the couch. “Don’t wait up.”
My brother scoffed. “It’s ten AM. There’s no way you’d pull off a fourteen-hour date without kidnapping.”
“Bet I could.” Snickering as I left his house, my attention immediately homed onto Kase approaching my late model BMW coup. I jogged to catch up just as she reached for the passenger door handle.
“Let me, babe.”
Her hand immediately recoiled, and she took a step back. My chest collided with her body, and my hand instinctively found her waist. Fire surged through my veins, heating my palm pressed to the swell of her hip. Warm-brown eyes found mine and held. I dashed my tongue over my lower lip, wanting nothing more than to thread my fingers through her waves of chocolate-brown hair and hold her head hostage while kissing the life out of her.
A groan knotted in my throat.
Kasey’s gaze flicked to my mouth briefly before returning to mine. “Awkward way to start a ‘date’—” She air-quoted. “—but okay.”
I smirked. “You’re right. I can do better.”
Snagging her hand, I towed her back to Banks’s front door, completely forgetting about her semi-recent surgery.
“Oh my god, Reed! Don’t make me run… My stomach!”
“Shit!” I slowed to a walk, but still forced her to keep moving.
“What are you doing?”
I snickered. “We’re re-starting our date.”
Arriving at the doorstep, I waited for her to adjust her dress and smooth down her hair, then offered my arm. “Shall we?”
Kasey slugged my arm and spun. “We’re not calling it a date.”
My fingers snagged her inner arm. She whipped around a little quicker than I intended, and I cut in before she spat tacks.
“It is for me, babe. But it’s also a chance to hang. I know you’re open-minded and spontaneous, so don’t try to shut that off today. Lower your walls, Kasey.”
Her jaw clenched as she met my gaze. We stared, a silent battle of wills, until the cogs furiously working inside her head reluctantly released.
She nodded. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah.”
Grinning like a goddamn fool, I guided her to my car and opened the passenger door for her. Pride flooded my entire body as she settled on the leather seat, flashing the smooth expanse of her thighs as her dress rode higher.
“Are you ready?” I asked, slinging my arm casually over the open door frame.
“Nope.”
I snickered. “No means yes.”
“Fine, yes, I’m ready.”
“Perfect, I thought so. Buckle up, baby.”
With that, I clicked the door shut before she had a chance to change her mind. I was still grinning like an idiot as I slid behind the wheel and hit the ignition.