Damaged (new adult romance) (Never Leave Me, #2) (4 page)

When I looked up, Reece was staring at me, a grin on his face. He looked absolutely beautiful. I couldn’t help blushing.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you,” he said, obviously taking note of my red cheeks.

I ran my fingers through my hair and exhaled a quick breath. “It’s okay,” I said, my cheeks getting hotter. “Although I wasn’t thinking about you just then, you did cross my mind from time to time last night.”

He was the one now blushing. I had a sudden urge to jump him right then and there. For goodness sake, what in all Hell was wrong with me?

“Glad to hear it,” he said.

“I assume you thought about
me
last night?” I asked, standing.

He gave me a long stare and then said, “I haven’t stopped thinking about you since the first day I met you.”

I thought I was going to faint. Reece had just utterly erased the day’s earlier odd events.

“How much time do you have for lunch?” he asked.

“About an hour or so. Mr. Walker has a lunch meeting today.”

“Good, that means he’ll be gone for a while.”

“Why? What do you have in mind?”

“I was thinking that maybe we could have lunch in my apartment.”

Butterflies invaded my stomach. His apartment? Was I ready for that? I wasn’t sure how I felt about the offer.

“I made chicken salad,” he said, smiling. “But, if you don’t like that, I can make you something else. I’m a pretty good cook, courtesy of our housekeeper.”

“Um, yeah, I like chicken salad…”

“If you’d rather go someplace else,” he said, noticing my discomfort.

I threw my purse over my shoulder and said, “You know what?”

“What?”

“I’m suddenly craving chicken salad.”

He laughed. “Okay, great, my place it is.”

I hope I don’t regret this.

***

We pulled up to his apartment building on K Street. From the looks of it, it was a pretty new building; it had a very industrial, shiny look to it. Definitely didn’t look like any of the buildings in which I grew up.

He stepped out of the car and went around to
the other side to open the door for me.

As I stepped out of the car, a man approached Reece.

Reece handed him the keys to his car.

“Valet parking?” I asked.

“It’s included in the rent,” he said.

A doorman opened the building door for us.

“He included in the rent as well?” I asked.

Reece smiled and nodded. He then took my hand and led me to the elevators.

“I apologize in advance. My place is a mess. I just moved in about a month ago. Before that, I was living with my mom for a while.”

“So you wait until we’re here to tell me you’re a slob?” I asked.

The elevator doors opened and we stepped inside.

Laughing, he said, “I guess so. But, don’
t worry, I promise it’s not that scary.”

“If you say so.”

The elevator came to a stop on the fifth floor.

“I’m a couple doors down,” he said, after we stepped out into the dim hallway.

“Why is your hallway so dark?”

“They’re working on fixing the electrical wiring. The lights actually go completely out on occasion. You’d think with this being a new building, we wouldn’t have these kinds of problems…” he sighed and dug in his jeans’ pocket for his keys. Opening his apartment door, he said, “Okay, this is my place, unpacked boxes and all.”

The newness of it all struck me immediately. Shiny new hardwood floors, shiny granite kitchen countertops, shiny stainless steel appliances, shiny crown molding, and of course, huge shiny windows. And despite the few boxes scattered about, his apartment was damn near-perfect. Quite honestly, it was what I wanted for myself. Dare I admit I was a tad jealous?

I walked over to a window. “Lovely view of a green crane.”

“You teasing me?” he asked, standing next to me.

“I have to a little.”

“Why is that?”

“Because you have a perfect place. It’s gorgeous. And I was jealous until I saw your view.”

“Aha, so is this your way of letting me know you’re the jealous kind?”

“Maybe,” I said, winking.

He leaned in and tried to kiss me, but I stepped away.

“Not going to make it easy. You’ll need to catch me first,” I said, stepping backwards a few steps.

“Oh, come on. Are you serious?”

“Dead,” I said and took off down the hall.

“Come back here.”

“Come get me.”

“Don’t think I won’t.”

I jumped into his bedroom and closed the door, but before I could lock it, he pushed it open.

“My apartment isn’t that big, you know. Just the one bedroom and a bathroom. Not many places for you to hide. You’re caught.”

I started giggling like a little girl. “I’ll scream.”

“Hmm, okay, go ahead,” he said, moving closer toward me.

“I swear it.”

“All right, do it,” he said, putting his arms around my waist and pulling me close to his chest.

“Are you going to kiss me?”
I asked.

“Do you want me to?” he asked.

“I think so.”

“Hmm, maybe I should feed you first? How about I make you a chicken salad sandwich?”

“How about you kiss me?”

“You sure?”

“Yes.”

And he did. My body tingled and then caught on fire. He is the best kisser I have ever had and yes, I realize it sounds like a cliché, but it’s the truth. I wanted him to take my clothes off and have his way with me right then and there.

He read my mind because he slowly began to push me toward the bed.

Oh my god, this was really happening. Reece and I were about to have sex for the first time together
. And then just like that, my mind went to my undergarments! Shit, what kind of underwear was I wearing? The sexy, bikini type or had I reached for my full, um, feeling-fat underwear this morning? Damn it, I couldn’t remember. Okay, think. What kind of a mood was I in this morning when I was getting dressed?

Reece unbuttoned my pants.

Think!

He started pushing my pants down.

Shit, woman, think!

He touched my underwear.

Ah, yes, I’m wearing my sexy bikini underwear, of course! My thoughts were on Reece this morning. No way, I would have reached for fat underwear.

Pushing my underwear down, he said, “We don’t have to, if you don’t want to.”

I looked him in the eyes and said, “I want to.”

And with that, we both fell into the bed.

He caressed my body, fondling and kissing my breasts all the while telling me how he couldn’t stop thinking about me, how I was all he talked about, and dreamt about.

We kissed each other slowly, gently biting each other’s lips and craving each other’s bodies, wanting so desperately to be inside of each other.

He slowly entered me. I wanted him to stay inside me forever. This was how it was supposed to be like. This was not like all the other times. I didn’t feel ashamed. I didn’t feel like trash. He wanted to be with me because I mattered to him.

I closed my eyes and let him go deeper into me. Was I falling in love with him? Oh my God, yes, I love him. I don’t really know him, but I can’t deny my feelings.

As he rocked me and went deeper and deeper into me, I wanted to scream and let him know what I was feeling. I wanted him to know that I loved him. I wanted him to take away my pain, my sadness, my past. I wanted him to make me forget about my homeless father.

***

Moments later, we held each other, my head resting on his chest.

“Are you hungry?” he asked, kissing the top of my head.

“A little, but I need to get back soon.”

“How about I fix you a sandwich to go?”

“That would be great.”

It would also be great if I told you I loved you and
you said the words back to me. Did I dare tell him? I could almost hear myself saying the words to him. What if he didn’t say them back? It was too soon. I was acting like a needy, crazy girl.

He jumped out of the bed and proceeded to get dressed.

“Meet you in the kitchen?” he asked.

I nodded.

Once alone, I took a deep breath and gathered my thoughts. I decided not to tell Reece what I was feeling. Doing so would end up scaring him. I didn’t want to risk losing him. Not before we even got started.

I got up, got dressed
, and headed for the kitchen.

“Here you go,” he said, holding a sandwich in a Ziploc
bag in front of me.

“Thank you,” I said, taking the bag. “I guess I better get going.”

“I’ll drive you back,” he said.

“No, it’s okay, I’ll take the Metro.”

“I’ll drive you.”

“No, really, it’s okay. I’d actually rather take the Metro, if you don’t mind.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m sorry, I have to meet with a new guy in our office to go over some manuscripts this afternoon and I could use the alone time to think.”

I had to leave before I blurted the words.

“Okay. If you’re sure?”

“I’m sure.”

He leaned in and gave me
a kiss on the cheek. “I miss you already.”

I smiled. “Me too.”

“Can I call you later?” he asked.

“You better.”

He walked me to the door.

“Okay, be careful,” he said.

“Will do.”

I started walking down the hall. “Are you watching me?”

“Yes.”

“That’s kind of creepy.”

“I can’t help it.”

I pushed the elevator button and the door
s instantly opened. I took a step.

“Wait,” Reece said.

“Is something wrong?”

“I need to tell you something.”

“What is it?”

He ran toward me. “Jadie, the thing is. Well, I…”

“What?”

“I’m crazy about you.”

“I know that,” I said, smiling.

“It’s not just that,” he said.

“I…love you.”

My heart danced. I couldn’t believe he said the words I wanted to say to him.

Tears started forming. “I love you, too.”

He hugged me. “Are we crazy?”

“A bit.”

“Okay, so, we love each other, right?” he said.

“Looks that way.”

He smiled. “Okay, good, because I thought I was going to scare you off.”

“I’m still here. Well, for now. I do need to go.”

He pushed the elevator button. “I don’t want my uncle to get mad at you because of me.”

The doors opened and I stepped in.

“I love you,” he said, again.

“And I you.”

The doors closed. I leaned against the wall and let my tears fall.

I was happy, so very happy. Nothing in the world could make me sad right at that moment. Reece loved me and I loved him. That’s all that mattered.

THE END

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