Chapter 17
His sister’s worried eyes were the last thing Reid had thought he’d see tonight.
Hell, he’d planned to spend the night in Eve’s bed, losing sleep and exploring every inch of her beautiful body.
Instead, after a tough conversation with the deputies in charge of finding Eve’s stalker, he could barely stay awake as exhaustion ate away at his muscles.
“Oh my God, are you two okay?” Tara let them inside, then quickly closed and locked the door. A blue robe hid her slight frame and her dark hair fell down her back in messy waves.
“We’re fine,” Eve said. “Sorry if we woke you. I know it’s late.”
Tara threw her arms around Eve and hugged her tight. “Don’t be silly. I’m just glad no one was hurt.”
His sister’s empathy warmed the cold pit in Reid’s stomach a fraction, but nothing could make it disappear. At least not when Tyson Brown was still on the loose.
“Do you need anything? Tea? Warm milk? Chocolate?” Tara kept one arm hooked around Eve and faced him. “You have that stuff, right?”
He couldn’t help but grin at her need to do something to help. So like Tara to jump in and worry about how to make others feel better in their time of need. It was one of her best attributes, even if it was the same personality trait that kept her chained to toxic relationships.
“Yes, I have those things, but I think we both want some sleep. It’s been a long day.” Eve’s pale face and the circles under her eyes told him he’d made the right call, but just in case he asked, “Is that all right with you, or did you need anything before bed?”
“I’d like to sleep for a hundred years if that’s an option,” Eve said.
“I understand that feeling,” Tara said. “I already put linens on the sofa for me. You take the guest room.”
If everyone in the world was more like his sister, it’d be a much better place. “Appreciate that, Tara, but you stay in the guest room. Eve can have my room. I’ll take the couch. I doubt I’ll get much sleep anyway.”
Tara frowned. “Can you even fit on that thing?”
“I’ll be fine. Now, it’s late, and you’ve had a long day, too. We’ll see you in the morning.”
She hesitated as if unsure if she should relent so quickly, but he’d used the stern voice that he only brought out in the rare moments when he needed Tara not to argue. It usually didn’t work, but something on his face must have caused her to reconsider.
“Let me know if you change your mind. Good night.” She gave Eve another squeeze then padded over to Reid. “I want more details tomorrow. I should know what’s going on if I plan to stay.” She kissed his cheek then disappeared down the hall and into the guest room.
“Sorry about that,” he said to Eve. He picked up the bag she’d set down after Tara grabbed her and led the way to his room. “She’s a mother hen. Always clucking, wanting to help.”
“Are you kidding me? She’s wonderful. It was nice having such a lovely welcome waiting.”
He flipped up the light switch, illuminating his small room.
He didn’t spend much time in his apartment, so size and amenities weren’t a priority.
He was more concerned with something close to work and cheap enough that he could sock away a big part of his income to buy his own place.
He never brought women home, so he’d never given much thought to how others might see things.
He hoped Eve wasn’t put off by the simple gray blanket on the queen-size bed. A tall dresser and cabinet that his grandma had passed down to him completed the sparse collection of furniture. One framed photo of him and his sister with their mother was the only decoration.
“The bathroom is through that door.” He set her bag by his feet then pointed in the direction of the en suite. “The sheets were just washed, so no need to worry.”
The side of her mouth hitched up. “I wasn’t worried about your bedding.”
He scrubbed his palm over the whiskers on his cheeks, not wanting to leave the room but needing to let her rest. “I’ll grab clothes to sleep and then head to the living room. If you can’t find something, come out and ask. Like I said, I probably won’t get much sleep.”
Sighing, Eve closed the sliver of space separating them and slid her palm up to rest on his chest. “I really don’t think you’ll fit on that couch.”
“I’m not making you sleep out there.”
“That wasn’t what I was thinking.”
His breath caught at the base of his throat. “And what were you thinking?”
“I’m shaken. Badly shaken. All I want is to slip under those covers and have you hold me tight so I can close my eyes and know I’m safe. I know that’s not—”
He covered her hand with his, trapping the heat between them. “That sounds perfect.”
She snorted out a humorless laugh. “After what we had planned, I doubt your sincerity.”
“You can doubt a lot of things, but never my sincerity.” Lifting their joined hands to his lips, he pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “I hate what brought you to my room, but I’m glad you’re here. I’ll do whatever you want to make you feel better. To make you feel safe.”
“Then hold me.”
Her whispered words had him lowering his mouth to hers for a quick kiss. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”
“Good. Give me a second.” Rummaging through her bag, she grabbed clothes and a toothbrush then hurried into the bathroom.
While he waited, he slid out of his jeans and pulled on a pair of gym shorts, then yanked off his shirt.
She slinked out of the bathroom and his mouth went dry. A gray sleep tank molded against her breasts and revealed more skin than it concealed. Black-and-red-checked shorts showed off toned legs. She’d twisted her long auburn hair into a braid that hung over one shoulder.
Needing a minute to collect himself, he cleared his throat. “Go ahead and get in bed. I need to brush my teeth.”
While she climbed under his sheets, he locked himself in the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face before scrubbing the day’s grime from his teeth. With fresh breath and a better grasp on his self-control, he returned to the room and shut off the light before easing down on the mattress.
Eve was curled on her side, and he hooked an arm around her waist to pull her against the curve of his body. Her contented sigh had him gritting his teeth. His palm itched to inch lower to her thigh, and his lips ached to touch the crook of her neck.
Instead, he kissed her cheek and snuggled her close. “Good night, Eve.”
“Good night,” she echoed.
With his head on his pillow and the woman of his dreams in his arms, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Trickles of awareness dripped through Eve’s deep slumber. She struggled against the instinct to open her eyes. Her body wasn’t used to waking so early—but not even sleep could shut off her brain.
A strong arm snagged her across her middle, and she snuggled against the hard curve of a warm body.
Reid.
“Wiggling too much might be dangerous for you right now.” Reid kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear. “Waking up with a beautiful woman in my arms is tempting enough. Moving your ass against my groin is like throwing a live grenade in the damn bed.”
If she’d been ready to test the waters with Reid once he’d kissed her senseless at Tilly’s, after sleeping in the comfort of his arms she was ready to dive headfirst into raging rapids. But as much as her body yearned to give in to temptation, a part of her was glad they hadn’t taken that step.
Spending the night in his bed had created a different kind of intimacy. Intimacy that cemented a truth she held deep inside of her but that she was scared as hell to voice. She didn’t want to be just another woman in Reid’s life, didn’t want to be a casual fling or friends with benefits.
She wanted all of him.
And until she held his whole heart, she needed to find a way to slow things back down. Because if she fell into bed with him and was crushed in the end, their friendship wouldn’t survive.
“I better stop then,” she said, regret heavy in her voice. “Wouldn’t want to catch the bed on fire.”
“Are you sure about that?” He slipped his palm under her tank top and flattened it on her stomach.
Sucking in a breath, she reconsidered her stance but was determined to stand strong.
“Knock, knock.” Tara’s singsong voice accompanied her tapping on the door. “Are you awake? I need some help out here.”
“I’m going to kill her.” Reid growled and buried his head under her wisps of hair that had escaped her braid, his whiskers scratching her skin. “Maybe if we’re really quiet she’ll go away.”
Giggling, Eve loosened his hold on her and wiggled out of his embrace. “One second, Tara,” she called then turned to rest a palm on the hard line of his jaw. “You just said last night you wanted to step up for your sister. What better time than now?”
“I can think of much better times,” he growled and lunged after her, snagging her at the waist and flipping her on her back as he hovered over her.
Lust sparked in his brown eyes and his shaggy hair framed his handsome face, making her heart sputter. She threaded her fingers through his locks, brushing them off his forehead. “Even if we stayed in bed all morning, would we have much fun with your sister waiting on the other side of the door?”
“Good point. I’ll get rid of her.” He jumped out of bed and made a show for stretching toward the door.
Her mouth watered at the defined ridges of his abdomen, and even with the white bandage covering his stitches, it took all her strength to climb out of the bed before he could jump back under the covers.
“No, you’ll see what she needs and help her.
I have to use the restroom. I’ll be out in a minute. ”
He heaved a dramatic sigh but cracked a grin. “Fine. I’m coming.” The last words were thrown out loud enough for Tara to hear.
“Thank you!” Tara called out.
Reid yanked a gray T-shirt over his head, shot her a wink, then left the room.
“Dear Lord, help me.” Eve rested a hand over her heart and steadied herself then hustled into the restroom.
After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she added a touch of mascara.
She didn’t want to look like she’d tried too hard, so she threw her hair in a high ponytail then dressed in a pair of yoga pants and a long-sleeved shirt.
By the time she found Reid and Tara in the kitchen, her pulse was back to a normal speed. Tara was dressed in jeans and a blue sweater that matched her eyes, her dark hair falling in long waves down her back. She leaned against the counter while sipping a steaming mug of coffee.
Reid sat at the small island with a mug of his own in front of him.
“Good morning,” Tara said. “Sorry if I woke you. I had an issue with the bathroom sink.”
“I’m still not sure how you got all that hair stuck in there after one day,” Reid grumbled.
Tara rolled her eyes. “It wasn’t mine, dummy.”
The implication made Eve’s stomach dip. How many women had been in this apartment? Woken up in Reid’s arms in his bed?
She couldn’t think about that now. Besides, the past was behind them. She wanted Reid’s future.
“You didn’t wake me,” she said, aiming what she hoped was a sincere smile at Tara. “Any more coffee in that pot?”
“Sure is. Let me get that for you.” Tara grabbed a black coffee cup from the cabinet and filled it near to the top before handing it over. “There’s cream and sugar if you want some. I couldn’t find any good creamer, but if you tell me what you like, I’ll pick some up when I run out.”
Eve doctored her morning brew and savored her first sip before settling on the backless stool beside Reid. The small island faced the lone window above the sink. Flecks of brown ran through the white marble countertop at Tara’s back. The white tiled backsplash highlighted the navy-blue cabinets.
“This is perfect,” she said. “No need to run out on my account.”
“Well, I’ve been informed I was quite the pest this morning, so I thought I’d make amends by running out and grabbing some breakfast.” Tara shot Reid a sickeningly sweet smile. “Least I can do to apologize.”
“You weren’t a pest.” Eve swatted Reid’s arm. “Don’t listen to your brother.”
“I rarely do.” Tara chuckled. “But I’m still leaving for a bit. I want to check out the cute little coffee shop I saw downtown. It’s just a quick walk from here, and I’m craving some pastries. Do either of you want anything?”
“Nah,” Reid said. “I planned on frying up some bacon and eggs. Something a little heartier.”
“Bacon and eggs sound good,” Eve said.
“More chocolate croissants for me.” Tara set her mug in the sink then walked to the front door to slip on her shoes. “I won’t be gone long.”
“Keep your phone on you,” Reid said. “Pay attention to your surroundings.”
“Yes, sir.” Tara gave him a two-finger salute then disappeared out the door.
Eve studied the hard lines of his face. “You’re worried about her.”
He lifted a shoulder. “Hard not to be with everything going on. I told her you’d hired me to help with some issues, and she knows someone broke into your house last night.
Other than that, I’ve been vague about the details so I didn’t freak her out.
I should have filled her all the way in so she’d be more careful. ”
“I’m sure she’ll be fine.”
“Not much I can do about it now.” He hopped to his feet and rubbed his palms together. “What about that breakfast?”
Unable to stop herself, she asked, “Do you cook for all the women who stay at your place?”
His expression crumpled. “Is that what you think?”
She wished she could joke off the question and act like the answer didn’t bother her, but she couldn’t. It was time to find out what kind of man Reid really was.