Holding Her Hand (The Reed Brothers 9)

“I like your friends.”

He kisses my lips. “They like you too. Jackson wanted to know if he could ask you out.”

“What did you tell him?”

“That you don’t date losers.”

I laugh. “Who did

you tell them I am?” He had spoken to them occasionally, but I was so busy watching my cards and their faces that I missed most of their responses.

“My girlfriend,” he signs. He looks wary, though. “Is that all right?”

I nod. “Yes. It’s all right.”

He grins. “Good.” He jostles me so I look at him. “Can you stay for a while?”

I nod and scoot off his lap, my heart thundering in my chest. “I can stay all night.”

He jerks a thumb toward the door. “What about your man?”

“What about him?”

“Is he just going to sit out there?”

“Yes.”

“Yes?”

“Yes.” I laugh. “That’s his job. If he gets tired, someone will come and relieve him.”

“Seriously?”

I laugh at the stricken look on his face. “Seriously. What’s wrong?” I ask.

His brow furrows. “Kind of makes it awkward putting the moves on you while he’s outside. That’s all.”

“His job is to notice nothing,” I try to explain.

“Can you send him home?”

“For how long?” I ask.

“All night, I hope.” This time he blushes, and it’s something I didn’t expect. I love that he’s unsure. I love that he’s wondering how far we can go.

I get out of his lap and go to the door. I open it and lean out. The security guy is at the end of the hall, staring out the window. “I think you can call it quits tonight,” I call to him. He turns around. “I’m going to spend the night.”

“Is the apartment secure?” he asks.

“You can come and check it.” I motion him inside, where he checks the locks. “Go home. Get some sleep.”

He nods and says, “I’ll wait until you lock the door.”

I close the door and bolt it, and wait until I hear his footsteps retreat. “I’m all yours,” I say to Ryan.

Suddenly, he backs me up against the door and lifts me off my feet, pressing me hard against the wall. My legs lift and wrap around his waist, and I lock my feet behind his back. “All mine,” he says against my lips. It’s more like a rush of full wind than words, but I get it. “All night?”

I nod, and then he kisses me, and I lose any fears I had about whether or not he wanted me to stay, because he’s pressed hard against my belly. He rocks against me, and I grab hold of his shoulders.