Just Jelly Beans and Jealousy (The Reed Brothers 2.5)

“The one you put in your pocket.”

His brow furrows.

“Never mind,” I say, breathless. He spent 142 dollars for a kiss he already owned in more ways than one. If I loved this man any more, it would be dangerous.

He looks down into my eyes, not moving. He’s going to kiss me, right? “What’s the plan here?”

“I’m going to kiss my girl,” he says, smiling at me.

My breath hitches.

“But you have to say yes, first.” He hasn’t let me go. He’s holding me tightly, forcing me to meet his eyes. “This isn’t going to be a one-time thing.”

I can’t even think, and he wants me to commit?

“It’s not,” I breathe.

“You promise?” His gaze searches mine like he’s going to find the secrets to the universe there.

“I swear on your life,” I say.

He chuckles. “My life?”

I nod.

His eyebrows draw together. “Aren’t you supposed to swear on your own life?”

“My life means nothing if you’re not in it.”

His hands start to tremble against my face, and he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

Logan’s brothers start to chant, “Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss…,” and the crowd joins in.

“You better kiss me,” I say, “or they’re going to get restless.” A tear rolls down my cheek, and he brushes it back with his thumb, his gaze soft and warm.

His eyes open, and he leans closer to me. I step onto my tiptoes to get to him because I can’t wait one more second. He stops a breath away from me, just like he did in the room. He waits. “You have to close the distance,” he says to me. He’s making me choose.

I fall into him and press my lips to his. He freezes. But then he starts to kiss me. And all the fireworks at the state fair couldn’t compare to the ones that go off in my head. His lips are gentle but urgent. They’re kind but insistent. They’re soft but firm. His head tilts, and he licks across the seam of my lips. I open for him, a whimper leaving my throat completely unbidden. His tongue touches mine, and the velvet rasp of him searching my mouth makes my knees begin to shake. I tangle my tongue with his, and nothing ever felt so right as being with him. God, this man can kiss. He steals my thoughts, taking me inside him and refusing to let me go. I don’t want to let go. I want to kiss him forever and never even come up for air.

Somewhere in the distance I hear the announcer as he coughs into the microphone, but I don’t care. And neither does Sean. He kisses me and keeps on kissing me until he wipes the memory of every other kiss I have ever experienced from my head. There will never be another kiss like this. Not for me. He’s the one. He will always be the one.

“We’re going to have to get the hose, I think,” the announcer says. I open my eyes, and Sean opens his at exactly the same time. His withdraws his tongue from my mouth and closes his lips, kissing me quickly, again and again, and then he lets me go. I wobble on my feet, and he reaches out a hand to steady me, chuckling as he does.

“You okay?” he asks. He holds onto my elbow until he slings an arm around my shoulders.

I nod. I can’t speak. I can’t gather enough wits.

The crowd goes wild. Sean takes my hand and leads me to the edge of the stage. My wobbly knees will barely carry me, but I follow. Logan and his brothers high five Sean as we approach, and Emily and Friday just laugh.

“How was it?” Emily asks.

I don’t need to answer. They can see it on my face. I look up at Sean, and he smiles down at me. He’s everything I ever wanted. I can’t imagine my life without him. “Earth-shattering,” I admit. He squeezes me, his face glowing. I narrow my gaze and smack my lips. “But for some reason, he tastes like pickles.”

“Oh my God,” Emily squeals. “So does Logan!” She shoots them a quizzical glance.

Sean flushes scarlet. There’s a story there. I just don’t know what it is. But he’ll tell me. I won’t let him avoid it.

He reaches into his pocket and pops a handful of jelly beans into his mouth. Logan does the same. Logan points to Sean’s mouth. “Dude,” he says. “That color’s not great on you.”

I look at Sean again, and my lipstick is smudged all over his lips. I laugh. I must look a sight if he looks like that. He wipes at the corners of my lips with his thumbs. “Next time, I’ll wear pink,” I whisper.

“I don’t care what you wear,” he says. His gaze is hot, and my belly flips. “I’d like to see you wearing nothing.” He looks into my eyes, his expression full of longing. He presses his lips to mine briefly. “I can’t get used to the fact that I can kiss you whenever I want.”

“Says who?” I taunt.

“That’s what boyfriends do, Lacey,” he says, as if he needs to remind me. My stomach flutters again. I step onto my tiptoes and pull his head down to mine. I kiss him, holding onto the back of his neck, until we’re both breathless, and I’m whimpering.

“Yea,” I agree. “That’s what boyfriends do.”

If you haven’t read Tall, Tatted and Tempting, Smart, Sexy and Secretive, or Calmly, Carefully, Completely, you can keep reading for a sneak peek at each of the books! They’re all part of The Reed Brothers series.

Tall, Tatted, and Tempting

Smart, Sexy, and Secretive

Calmly, Carefully, Completely