Reckoning (Wolfes of Manhattan 5)

His growl rumbled again, and he lifted me. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he walked toward the bed.

Yes. It was going to happen. We were going to make love.

He laid me down gently—more gently than I wished—onto the soft comforter. He broke the kiss and pushed my tank top to my neck, baring my braless breasts.

“So beautiful,” he murmured, and he licked the tip of one nipple.

“Oh…” I groaned, and I arched my back toward him.

He licked it again. My body blazed at his gentle touch, and I yearned for him to just suck the nipple, bite it.

“Please…” I moaned softly.

“Please what, baby?” Against my nipple.

“Suck it. Suck my nipple. Please, Reid.”

I arched against him as he pulled the nipple between his lips. He sucked it hard for a moment, and then he let it drop.

I let out a soft whimper at the loss.

“So gorgeous,” he said. “I remember you, that night. The night I watched your show. Your nipples were painted red.”

“You could see me?”

“Of course. You were the most beautiful girl in the line.”

“But showgirls aren’t supposed to— Ah!”

He sucked my nipple between his lips once more.

Thought ceased. Emotion overtook me. He sucked it harder, harder, and then closed his teeth around it and bit me.

Electricity charged through me. Through me and over me and under me. The emptiness between my legs ached. I needed him. Needed him so much.

But then he let my nipple drop.

I whimpered softly again. “Reid…”

“I want you, wife,” he said softly.

The word wife sent a hot tremor through me. “I want you too.” Husband. Husband. The word was on the edge of my lips, but I couldn’t quite bring it forth. Bringing it forth would make it too real. Would make it hurt all the more when I could no longer call him that.

I readied myself—readied myself for the beautiful assault to my body and mind that would come in a moment.

But—

Reid pulled away from me. “Change your clothes. I’m taking you out for that wedding dinner after all. I’ll make that call.”

I’d have much rather stayed. In his bedroom. In his bed. But he didn’t feel about me the way I did about him, so I nodded, and he left his bedroom. Left his own bedroom, so I could have privacy. We were a married couple, and he left.

I quickly went through my suitcase and found I had nothing suitable for dinner out in Manhattan. I decided on black leggings, an off-white blouse that covered my hips, and the black pumps he’d had repaired for me after I got the heel caught in a grate outside my apartment in Las Vegas. I ran a brush through my hair and applied some blush, pink lip gloss, and mascara.

Ready as I’d ever be.

I left the bedroom, and Reid was in the hallway waiting for me. “Got us a private table at Gabriel LeGrand. Wayne’s waiting downstairs.”

“Does Wayne ever get any time off?”

“Yeah. He does twelve-hour shifts six days a week.”

“That’s crazy.”

“What’s crazy is what I pay him to do it. He’s well taken care of. Trust me.”

I did. Reid had taken such good care of me since I came into his life. I knew without a doubt that he took care of everyone else.

“Wayne can cut back anytime,” Reid continued, “but he’s young and unmarried and he wants to put away a nest egg. I’m helping him do that.”

“He’ll never get married with that schedule. He won’t have the time to meet anyone.”

“It’s his choice, Zee.”

I nodded. Reid was right. In fact, I understood. My own schedule was grueling.

Reid took my hand in a chaste way, simply holding it without entwining our fingers. Weird, since we’d nearly made love twenty minutes ago. We took the elevator down and then walked through the mostly empty lobby—which still gave me shivers—to the town car where Wayne was waiting.

My wedding dinner. And then my wedding night.

So it wasn’t perfect. Maybe I could be less of a bitch and more of the kind of woman I knew I was on the inside.

Maybe I could make Reid fall in love with me.

The drive didn’t take long, as the restaurant was only a few blocks away. Still, traffic was stop-and-go. New York certainly hadn’t changed much since I’d been here last.

Which was…

No. I would not ruin my wedding night.

Wayne opened the door for us, offering a hand. I took it and slid out of the car, Reid replacing Wayne’s hand when he slid out after me. We headed into the restaurant, where the maitre d’ recognized Reid right away and led us to our private and secluded table. He held out my chair, and then, after I sat, spread my napkin on my lap for me.

This hadn’t happened at our dinner in Las Vegas. I tried to hide my surprise. Even growing up on Long Island, I’d never experienced any of the glitz of the city. My mother couldn’t afford it. She’d always thought I’d be her meal ticket, but I’d failed at acting and modeling. She didn’t even know I’d disappeared on my way to Smith. It was several weeks later when I escaped, and I had no ID and was apparently catatonic the first few days at the hospital. When I finally told them who I was, she came for me.