Chapter Thirty Five
Caroline
I hate surprises and not knowing the plan or what to dress for, but this man is getting as much effort as he gave me, so slippers it is. Within ten minutes, Reid’s truck pulls up and I hop in as best as my round penguin self can. He’s playing Luke Combs and has a grin on his face.
“You look mighty chipper. Where are you taking me?” His good mood rubs off on me and turns my sour mood around. I instantly feel lighter in the passenger seat.
“Meijer.” He says flatly.
“Like… the grocery store?” I raise a brow in his direction.
“Yup. Thought you were hungry.” Okay, then.
“So you’ve got me doing your grocery shopping for you? Wow, worst date ever. You are losing brownie points by the minute.” I slump back in my seat.
“Wrong. I am cooking for you.” Reid responds, quirking an eyebrow.
“Ahh, that’s better. Can I get some snacks too?” Count me in for anything where food is involved and I don't have to be the one preparing it.
“Whatever you want, baby girl.” He plasters a wide smile and places his right hand on my left knee, sending chills up my leg in surprise at both his new pet name and his touch.
∞∞∞
We perused through the store with not a soul in there.
I felt like a high schooler out past curfew again, throwing random stuff in the cart that Reid pushed behind me.
We got distracted in the book section, giggled while taking photos on display cameras in the tech corner and accidentally knocked a bunch of bouncy balls down the toy aisle.
One hour and a hundred dollars later, we pulled up to his parent’s house… well his now, I suppose. That will take some getting used to. I dump out my bag of candy on the kitchen counter, while Reid fills the house with the scent of greasy bacon.
“Gosh, that smells delicious, but please hurry. I’m starving.” Reid insisted on making some lavish homemade carbonara concoction, but the more I watch him cook, the hungrier I get.
“Perfection takes time, patience my dear. Here, let me start you out with a fresh loaf of sourdough and olive oil. Please, take a seat.” He ushers me to the table and pulls out a chair for me. Bringing over warm bread, butter, and an oil and pepper mixture.
“Wow, thank you sir. Could I please get an iced tea as well?” I request, pushing myself in to lean over and dip a slice of bread.
“Anything for the lovely lady.” My waiter saunters off to the refrigerator to fetch my beverage.
I get lost in the joy of carbs before my focus is broken by a “SHIT!” I look over my left shoulder to see Reid backing away from the stove with sauce bubbling in the pot. Turning around, I see splatters of hot grease across his white shirt.
“Ahh, are you okay?! Need me to help with anything?” I’m honestly not sure what to do right now, but I offer a helpless hand.
I scoot my chair back to stand up and assist. Turning around, I am struck frozen in place when my eyes are met with said white shirt being pulled over his head.
My gaze makes its way downward and I can’t help but stare at where his smooth sculpted muscles meet the cutest back dimples, sitting above his Levi’s jeans.
I must have tuned out all sound from my ringing ears, because when he turns around, I am still staring at his tanned chest as he waves a hand across my face.
“Caroline? Can you grab me another shirt?” He waves the stained tee in my direction.
“Oh, ah, umm. No, I don’t think so. I think I prefer watching you cook without one.” I smirk, biting my fingernail and crossing my other arm.
“Oh, are grease burns sexy to you now?” He cackles, but gets back to what he was doing.
I reluctantly head up the stairs to throw his shirt in the wash and grab a new one.
Entering his high school bedroom is like stepping foot into a time capsule of nostalgic memories.
It's hardly changed since I was here years ago…
Even the bed I lost my virginity on has hardly changed, besides some new bedding.
I get my head out of the gutter and stare at the framed photos and momentos on his dresser in awe.
“Honey, dinner's ready!” I hear Reid call from down the stairs. I cover my face and shake my head, smiling at the memories and coming back to the present day. I quickly pull out the dresser drawers and grab a black v neck off the top before skipping back downstairs.
∞∞∞
Yawning, I check the Apple watch on my left wrist and see that it’s getting late. We’ve had dinner and dessert and I just can not hang anymore. The pasta was delicious and well worth having to go to the grocery store for. I never realized how good of a cook Reid was.
“Okay, it is past my bedtime now. Thank you so much for dinner, but I am full and sleepy and should really get back home,” I explain, struggling to actually move from my spot.
“Oh, so I have to eat all of this candy and watch a scary movie by myself?” Reid snarks back.
“Are you trying to hold me hostage right now?”
“No, not at all. Just seeing where your priorities lie. I would never make you eat popcorn alone on the couch,” he jokes back.
I try to give him my best side eye, but staring into those hazel green eyes really does have me questioning my priorities. “Well, you should know that sleep is always at the top of my priority list but I suppose I will settle for a couch lay--"
His brows shoot up and I realize my mistake.
"Laying on the couch. I will settle for laying... my body on the couch. Shut up."
He starts to laugh and I chuck a pillow at him.
"Okay, for that, you owe me a foot rub."
"I can handle that," he says as he whips out his best jazz hands.
We make our way to the family room and I prop myself up on a pillow on the couch.
Laying my head down has never felt so great.
Reid displays all of our candy options across the coffee table and pulls up Netflix.
We settle on ‘The Conjouring’ and I kick my feet up on Reid’s lap, wiggling my toes to indicate his penance, as he takes a seat at the other end of the couch.
Before I know it, I am sinking into the cushions and can hardly keep my eyes open.
∞∞∞
I wake up in an uncomfortable groggy haze.
My left hand searches around me to find my phone, but it’s pitch black.
I must have fallen asleep pretty early into the movie, all I remember is drifting off while getting my feet rubbed.
But now? Now my neck hurts from the angle that I’ve been laying.
Sleeping is already hard enough these days with having to flip flop back and forth all night, the last thing I need is a sore neck.
I shift to roll over to my right side, but am abruptly halted by another warm body.
Oh… oh. Oh! That is more than just a warm body.
There is also something protruding into my lower back that feels just as hard as the abs that it’s attached to.
I’m not sure where to go from here, but I’ve decided trying to slide off the side of the couch so that I can go lay in an actual bed is the best idea here.
But at the same time, I am somehow paralyzed in the comfort of this man spooning me.
You would think that we cuddle like this every night, with how natural it feels.
There’s really something about having history with someone and a natural chemistry.
It makes it so easy to slip back into where things left off, like no time has passed and we’re back to being lustful hormone motivated teenagers again.
I decide this protective position that I’m in, is worth the slight discomfort that I am going to have in the morning and melt back into the couch.
Except now my mind is in different places and I’m trying to talk my horny brain off of a ledge.
Man, it’s been too long since I’ve gotten laid.
Back in the day, I would never doubt that this man would be down for one of our passionate hook ups.
But now? Let’s just say that I doubt his subconscious mind is sending signals to his dick about the heavily pregnant lady on the couch in her sweats.
So I keep my hands to myself and accept the fate of whatever this is.