Chapter 13 #2
I loved her confidence, the way her love for life shone in every word.
It made me want to change my ways for her, or at least try—it wasn’t in my nature to be flexible, to change.
The way I led my life didn’t allow for much wiggle room.
But fuck… it made me wonder if I could change for her.
There probably wasn’t much I wouldn’t try for Hailey.
After we finished the cereal, she got up, collecting the bowls.
I was on my feet the next second, taking them away from her.
“No. I’ll clean up,” I assured her, shoving the bowls in the dishwasher and replenishing the glasses with orange juice. As she headed back to her seat, she swayed a little on her feet.
“Bed. Now,” I instructed.
“But I feel fine.”
“That didn’t look okay. Just sleep for a few hours.”
“I don’t want to waste an entire day off— What are you doing?”
I swept her up in my arms. “Making sure you get some rest.”
“Oh, I see. Operation doting on Hailey is still in action.”
“The entire day will be like this.”
“There’s no point fighting it, huh?”
“None at all.”
“I see. Well, I’ll take this opportunity to show you around. This is the living room.”
It was small but welcoming, with large windows, a cozy couch, and a huge TV. The walls were an interesting mix of colors. Three of them were cream; the fourth one had messy orange stripes.
“Interesting choice of colors. Was the orange on purpose?”
“Do not mock my living room. And to answer your question… not really. My brothers did those three walls, but that’s the one wall I did with Val and Lori, and we… errr, were too busy gossiping to pay attention.”
“Why didn’t you correct it?”
“Turned out I actually liked it. To the right is the guest bedroom… and you’re already familiar with the master bedroom,” she finished as I laid her in bed.
“Normal colors, I see.”
“Yeah, at this point, my brothers basically told us to get on with gossiping and let them paint the bedrooms alone. And if they offered, who was I to say no? And speaking of my siblings….”
She reached for the phone on her nightstand, her expression lighting up. “Val says she’s okay. Whew. I was so worried about her.”
“You mentioned that last night.”
She looked away, nibbling at her lower lip. I sat on the edge of the bed, running my hands through her thick hair.
“Do you get sick a lot?”
“No, just when something really bad happens and I get anxious about it. It was why Lori asked me to stay with her last night; she knew something like this might happen. My parents took me to the ER a few times, because kids dehydrate real quick. I needed IVs for liquids. But all in all—no medicine needed. There’s nothing wrong physically, just…
I don’t know. I guess I get too wrapped up in everything. ”
She played with the edges of the pillow, picking some invisible lint off it.
“That is not something to be ashamed of. I think it’s incredible—the way you can feel so strongly. I just wish it didn’t make you sick.”
“You don’t think I’m crazy, do you?”
“Someone said that to you?” I set my jaw.
“Well, not necessarily crazy. But the word oddball might have come up a few times.”
“You are not an oddball. You’re just… amazing.”
“Thanks for staying the night,” Hailey said softly. I lay next to her, pressing my nose to the crook of her neck.
“I want you to call me whenever this happens, okay?”
“Why?”
“So I can watch over you, break my back. Again.”
“You could have slept in my bed, you know. Plenty of space.”
“I’ll keep it in mind for next time.”
She shifted in my arms, rubbing her hands up and down my back. “I feel guilty that you slept on the couch.”
I pulled my head back. “How guilty?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Huh?”
“Just so I know how much leeway I have… you know, in getting my way.”
“Just a bit.”
“To add to that guilt, let’s just say I have a stiff neck.”
“Well, then, I guess I have no option but to let you have your way with me.”
“I guess so.”
“Sooo… what are we talking here? Staying in bed all day, watching Netflix?”
“I can think of a few other things we can do.”
“Like what?”
I pushed myself up on an elbow, hovering with my mouth over hers.
She arched her back lightly, lifting her head, closing the distance.
I only gave her a quick, teasing peck before moving lower.
She was wearing a short, V-necked nightgown.
I placed an open-mouthed kiss on her belly, rubbing the silky fabric against her skin.
I didn’t want this moment to end. This intimacy we were sharing was deepening my link to her, my need to be in her life.
I moved between her legs, kissing her inner thighs, watching her grip the sheets and push her hips forward, searching for my mouth. I had an entire day to explore her, and I planned to do just that. Explore every nook and cranny, taste every inch.
I twirled my tongue slowly, drawing small circles as I went further up.
“Reid. You’re driving me crazy.”
I pushed her nightgown up, her panties down. I heard her suck in a breath, drag her fingers across the sheets, bracing herself. I teased her clit before flattening my tongue against it.
She rocked her hips back and forth, searching for more friction, demanding more contact. I obliged her, spreading her wide, giving her my mouth and my fingers until she clenched around me.
I removed her nightgown completely, needing her naked. When I drove inside her, she clenched around me instantly. My vision blurred at the corners as I rocked back and forth, taking her over the edge again before succumbing to my own climax.
As we both drew in deep breaths, I held her tightly. I couldn’t get enough of that lovely flush.
“You’re adorable, woman. Can’t believe I was lucky enough to meet you.”
Even through the haze of lust, I knew my words registered, because she tightened her hold on my shirt. And then wariness crept into her eyes, mirroring my own fear that this was too all-consuming, but I didn’t let that deter me.
“So beautiful. Smart. Loving.” I kept whispering against her skin, enjoying the way she soaked up every word.
This wasn’t just about lust and attraction.
I wanted to let her know how special she was to me.
I had this incessant need to keep that expression of pure joy in place, to join in on her joie de vivre.
This feeling was lodged deep inside me, and I knew it wouldn’t let go. It was unlike anything I’d felt before, and I didn’t want to fight it. I wanted to surrender to it.
She’d already changed something inside me, though I couldn’t put it into words because I didn’t yet understand it myself.
“I see. So this is what you had in mind when you said you want to make sure I’m recovering, huh?” Hailey asked.
“Among other things.”
“Oh? Do tell.”
“Patience, Hailey. We still have the entire day ahead of us.”
She grinned. “Now, that’s what I call a promise. Bring it on.”