“You know you’re enabling him—”
“I do know that. I also know it’ll piss you off if I choose him over you sometimes.”
Reed shakes his head. “No. I get it and I’ll understand, but have you two ever thought of, you know, going to therapy?”
“Anders is in therapy, and after the incident with Sullivan, I realise I need it too. I shouldn’t have lost my head the way I did tonight.” I stare down at my cracked knuckles and the dried blood on my hands. I haven’t even had a chance to wash it off yet, and when we arrived at Reed’s apartment, all I could think about was being close to him. Being inside him. Wanting him.
Reed’s hand covers mine. “Let’s get you cleaned up in the shower. Let someone take care of you for once.” His gentle hands pull me up from the couch, and I sway a little. All the fight and adrenaline from the night has left, and I can barely stand.
A few minutes ago, I was ready to maul Reed until neither of us could move anymore.
Instead, with a few small words, Reed’s brought me to surrender, and I’m under his complete control. The knowledge that he wants to take care of me in a way that no one ever has … I fall for him even more.
He undresses me slowly and peppers light kisses along my jaw and neck. Big hands roam my torso, and I’m too exhausted to do anything but let him explore me.
He lathers me up and massages over my tired body, cleaning every inch of me, including my bloodied hands. Once they’re clean, he raises my fingers to his mouth, slowly kissing each one.
“You did nothing wrong today,” Reed whispers.
“Yes, I did. I lost control.”
“You were protecting someone you care about, and when I told you to stop, you stopped.” Reed’s mouth moves from my hand to my wrist and up my arm. “I know you’d never do anything to hurt me.”
“Never.” I cup his face and bring my mouth down on his. I turn us so I can push him against the wall of the shower. He grunts and tries to push me off him, but I hold firm.
“I need this,” I say.
“I’m still supposed to be taking care of you.” Reed overpowers me and spins me so I’m the one against the cold tile.
His lips trail down my chest as he sinks to his knees, and I’m torn. I want to pull him back up and ask him to just hold me, but my cock wants his mouth more. The second his tongue moves over my tip, I reach the point of no return.
“God, I love you,” I say and run my thumb over his cheek.
Reed smiles and takes me into his mouth, while my hand moves to his blond hair.
“I didn’t think … I thought …” I can’t get the words past my lips. I thought this would never happen again. I thought I’d lost Reed for good.
In the past, I’ve never cared when a relationship has ended. I couldn’t handle it when Reed broke up with me, and it was even worse when he found out the truth. I’ve barely slept. I’ve been struggling through my classes, one of which resulted in a student making contact with another and almost knocking them out.
I’ve never felt like this about anyone before. I pull out of his mouth and lift him under his arms.
“What’s wrong?” he asks.
“I just … I want … need.” I officially can’t string sentences together anymore.
Reed laughs. “You’ve had a long day. How about we get out and go to bed.”
I bury my face in his neck and whisper against his skin. “Thank you for forgiving me.”
“I would say don’t do it again, but we’re both going to fuck up at some point.”
“I promise never to lie to you again. That’s one thing I can do.”
“That, and I know when you’re lying now, thanks to your brother.”
I smirk. “That traitor. You two are going to gang up on me now, aren’t you?”
“Count on it. Come on. Bed.”
My hands refuse to let him go, though. Towelling off is entertaining when he dries himself off and then just gets wet again when I pull him against me. He catches on quick and dries me first the next time, all the while laughing and trying to nudge me away from him.
“Baby, you need sleep,” Reed says.
“I need you. Only you.” I push him down on the bed and blanket his body with mine. It’s my turn to explore him as I pin him to the mattress.
“Law.” It’s not his raspy croak that makes me pause.
I pull back and stare into his eyes. “Say it again.”
“Your name?”
I nod.
Reed’s lips quirk. “You might have to earn it.”
My fingers pinch his nipple, and he flinches.